Stephen and Elaine Biddulph

13-20 JUNI 2016

Another busy week has gone by. We are starting to get preoccupied tying up missionary and mission president business, and farewell activities with senior missionaries and also with our Offenbach branch. It is sweet but sad to see it all coming to a close and saying goodbye to such good people that we have come to love.

Stephen had a busy week of phone calls. He is trying to finish up with missionaries with whom he has worked so that he doesn't leave a huge burden of people for Sister Keyser to pick up on her arrival on 28 June. He is also notifying missionaries who still need help of our departure and the arrival of Sister Keyser. He sent out on Sunday a transition report to each of the eleven mission presidents that gave a review and current status of the missionaries in their mission that he was still working with, and providing them some transition information. The mission presidents have all been so kind and generous in their expressions of gratitude for our support for them. It is a good feeling to know that we have given our all in their service. The Fourth Section of Doctrine and Covenants is correct that says, "O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve God with heart, might, mind, and strength that ye may stand blameless before Him at the last day." We hope that our consecration has been acceptable to the Lord.

On Wednesday at noon they had a goodbye luncheon in honor of those departing, which includes us and the Bakers and also the Hawkins. Bakers leave on July 12th and Hawkins on July 16th. We leave on the 1st. Wednesday evening we home taught Andreas and Sabina Nau in Mühlheim near Offenbach where we go to church. Sister Nau wanted a priesthood blessing, which Stephen gave to her. Thursday we made our final trip to the health clinic at the US military base in Wiesbaden. That afternoon Stephen had his final bridge call with the mental health department at Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City and with other AMHAs across the world. Friday evening we went to Offenbach church and participated in a refugee project. The branch purchased and packed kitchen packets for refugees in the camps. These packets included dinner ware, utensils, cooking utensils, cups, towels, cutting board, cooking pot, and writing materials (notebook, pen, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, scissors, and such). We had a nice turnout. Afterwards, the sisters met in a special relief society cooking class put on by Liz Edmunds--none other than the alias Food Nanny from BYUTV fame.

Saturday morning Stephen attended his last bishopric's training by the stake (Pfahl) held in Offenbach. The stake president said some nice things about both of us for being willing to let them experiment with using senior couples in leadership positions in the Offenbach branch. Apparently it worked because they are calling another senior missionary elder to fill my position. The training was on temple attendance and also about ministering to members. They talked a lot about bishops referring people to professional counselors. At the conclusion, the stake President (Czeizela) asked Stephen to give some thoughts about the mixing of ecclesiastical and clinical resources in helping members with problems. Gratefully, his thoughts were well-received by bishops and the stake presidency. That afternoon, we visited Robert and Judith Sanga in Offenbach. Robert is a member of the Church who has been living and studying in Norway while his wife and son, John, have lived in Offenbach awaiting visa and passport authorizations to join Robert in Norway. We have checked in on Judith and John for about 12 months. Robert has now finished his education and is looking for work in Norway, and the family now has authorization to come to Norway. They leave on Tuesday, 21 June. Robert desired a priesthood blessing from Stephen, which he gladly gave him. It was a sweet spirit present in that blessing. Afterwards, we went across the street to the Offenbach meetinghouse and enjoyed a BBQ put on by the Frankfurt International Ward. We saw many senior missionary friends who attend the International Ward, and also several members of the Offenbach branch there. Robert brought a friend from Norway--not a member--with him and the missionaries had a good time talking with them.

On Sunday, we attended church as normal where Elaine gave a talk in sacrament meeting. She had her friend, Eva, translate for her, but she spoke a few lines of testimony in German. She did a very nice job. Sister Nau reported joyfully that the blessing had worked and that some of her greatest concerns had been alleviated. After the meetings, we were invited to the Weigand-Stadtmüller's home in Aschaffenburg for dinner. Wolfgang and Anneliese Obst (also good friends) came also and we had a very nice afternoon of conversation and friendshipping. These are choice friends - ones always to remember.