Stephen and Elaine Biddulph

1 - 7 MAY 2016

The weather this week has been beautiful. The skies have been mostly clear and sunny, and the temperatures very mild - most days could go without a coat. Most of the trees are nearing full leaf, flowers are in blossom, and the fields are brilliant green and yellow.

We are missing the Rysers and the Andersons this week. They have been gone now for just over one week. They were such fun and vital members of our senior group here that they leave kind of a hole. We miss hearing Katy's voice filling the airways. The Andersons were more reserved but just as much fun to be around. This next Friday the Vonnie and John Sharpe leave us to return to St George, Utah. We had them over to our place for supper and a good final talk. The Saunders leave in another 2 weeks.

We have been getting to know the Burts who replaced the Rysers. Randy Burt has been a research and practicing doctor at U of U Hospital for almost all of his career. His expertise is in colon cancer. They are happy, fun people to be around. He served a mission in Germany as a young man and speaks pretty good German. Other couples are arriving also. It is hard to believe but when the Sharpes and Saunders leave in a week or so, we are next on the chopping block.

We have taken some good long walks this past week in the cemetery and also out in the beautiful fields. The Rapeseed fields are brilliant yellow - the most brilliant yellow we've ever seen. We can't think of what to compare it to, but its brilliance is even further offset by the bright green fields and blue sky. Germany has some beautiful landscape. We felt a need to get out into the country and get away from castles and churches and just enjoy nature. So, on Saturday morning we drove out to Rüdesheim beyond Wiesbaden on the Rhein. We drove down the Rhein-a route we have taken before-to Sankt Gourhausen, then cut up over the farmlands and back to Wiesbaden and home. The fields and forests and little farms and tiny villages were all so pleasant and beautiful.
The following is Stephen's thoughts on Mother's Day: Today is Mother's Day. I think of my own mother who lived nearly to 99! What would life have been like without the blessings of my mother? Why did the good Lord bless me with such a talented, wonderful, faithful, and wise mother? The answer, of course, is because I needed her special guidance in my life. I wouldn't have made it without her, and the Lord knew it. Somehow he loved me enough to give me one of the truly great parents of this earth. I miss being able to go to my mother in times of trial and receive wisdom at her feet. There was safety and confidence and peace in her counsel. I think of Jacob's wisdom in the Book of Mormon: "Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel at his hand, For behold...he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works" (Jacob 4:10); and also Alma's counsel to his son, Helaman, "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good" (Alma 37:37). I praise God for my mother and my father.
I honor my wife, Elaine, who has remained married to me for 48 years (in June). She is a listener, and is not known as well for her words. But she is wise and true and compassionate. She is faithful to her beliefs and her God. She learned to work hard and be faithful, and throughout our married life she has always borne her burdens without complaint. She is pure and good. She was the perfect companion for me. I felt that while we were still in high school, although it came more strongly after I returned from my mission in 1967. I knew she was of good stock and I simply knew that I did not want to be with anyone else in this life. My feelings have only been further solidified over our married years. What a choice woman, mother, and special companion she has been. What a truly wonderful opportunity it has been in our two missions (Hawaii and Germany) to have her all to myself. I know that sounds greedy, but I can't help it. For over 40 years we have been engrossed and separated in raising and providing for our children. Now we are able to slip away by ourselves and just get reacquainted and fall back into love. I shouldn't say that because we've always been in love, but family somehow dulls ones senses because of fatigue, worry, and struggle. But, Oh! it is worth it. Our children and grandchildren are our posterity - the core of our future kingdom that through the power of the priesthood can continue to grow and progress throughout eternity. However, when you distill all of that down to its core elements, you find just the two of us. Our lives together began with just the two of us, and we are blessed enough to have it end up with us together - together forever!