Stephen and Elaine Biddulph

6 – 12 JUNI 2016

Monday was a jam-everything-in-possible kind of day because Tuesday we were off to Garmisch and the Edelweiss military resort for the rest of the week. We sent an email to the mission presidents letting them know that we would be out of the office, but accessible by telephone. We had many phone calls on Monday.

Tuesday morning we left Frankfurt at 0700 and drove to Nürnberg where we walked around parts of the city and saw the big coliseum and parade grounds where Hitler and his Nazi Party held their rallies in the 1920s and 30s. Nürnberg was the spiritual heart of the Nazi movement. The complex that was planned was astounding and the coliseum was something like the one in Rome. We left Nürnberg and drove through parts of Munchen and then on to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the very bottom of Germany on the Austrian border. We spent three nights at the Edelweiss US military resort. It was an absolutely stunning resort that sits at the foot of the Zugspitze Mountain and Alps. The weather was good.

Wednesday morning Stephen had two phone calls with missionaries. A man from Ghana who is a member of the Church and recently baptized his wife and son, called Stephen to thank him for sharing a scripture out of Doctrine and Covenants that seemed to affect him significantly. After the calls, we drove through the mountains to Innsbruck, Austria and spent the rest of the day. The drive through the mountains was beautiful and the weather was not bad, although it was supposed to be rainy. We visited the St. Jakob Kirche, the cathedral of which was rather indescribable. We had the fun coincidence to be in Innsbruck at the same time the president of Austria was visiting for meetings. They had a military honor and pass and review by the President just when we were there and we got some good pictures of the event. We drove home that afternoon and enjoyed the evening at Edelweiss.

Thursday was the only rainy day we had. The mountains were enshrouded with dark rain clouds. Stephen had another phone call with a missionary. When that was done, we saddled up and drove to Lindau, Germany and the Bodensee fairly close to Zurich, Switzerland. It was a two-hour drive, mostly in the rain, but when we got to Lindau, the weather lightened up, the rain stopped, and we enjoyed a walk around the quaint little Lindau Inseln (Island). It was a wonderful little lake-side town surrounded by the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz). We drove the two hours back to Edelweiss Resort glad that we had made the drive.

Friday was beautiful and clear in Garmisch. The Zugspitze Mountains were brilliant. We felt like yodeling or blowing on those big alpen horns or something to express our joy. We checked out, said our goodbyes to Edelweiss and Garmisch-Partenkirchen and drove to Berchtesgaden in the Austrian Alps about 40 minutes south of Salzburg, Austria. On the high mountains overlooking Berchtesgaden stands the Eagle Nest, a secret retreat for Adolf Hitler. He didn’t really spend much time there, but it is quite famous. The views are stunning alpen vistas, much like Zermatt in Switzerland.

We then drove back down to Salzburg (about 40 minutes) and checked into our hotel in the city center and began exploring on foot. Overarching the entire city is the Hohensalzburg Fortress high above on the hills. The beautiful Salznach River flows through the city. We saw St Peter’s Abby which played a prominent part in The Sound of Music. We visited Residenz and Dom Platz where beautiful churches and important buildings are found. We visited Mozart’s birth house and the place he lived later in life. We walked along the Salzsach River, Matilden Schloss gardens, and explored the old city. Salzburg is beautiful and ornate.

Saturday we made the long drive from Salzburg back to Frankfurt and our final trip together came to an end. We now have less than 3 weeks left on our mission in Germany. We have only two more Sundays in Offenbach Branch. Today was fast Sonntag and Stephen bore his testimony about missionary work and also gave a short talk to the children in Primary about Lehi's dream and the importance of faith (Glaube), repentance (Umkehr), baptism (Taufe durch Untertauchung), and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Die Auflegen die Hände für Vergebung der Sünden).
Sunday evening we had supper with Lorisa and Gilles Francois and their three boys at their home in Bad Sogen. We have known and worked with Gilles for 18 months, but it was great to meet Lorisa (from Russia just south of Moscow) and the three boys. They speak Russian to Lorisa, French to Gilles, and speak English and some German as well. Amazing family. Gilles and Lorisa lived in the Oak Hills 4th Ward in the late 1990s, and so know well many of the old-timers in that ward. They send their love to everyone there, including Lorisa Lohner! Gilles heads up the refugee efforts of the Area Presidency for Europe. We have been greatly blessed in our service here to the missionaries and mission presidents. It has been so fun to be engaged directly in the proselyting work and uplifting missionaries and presidents throughout Europe. What a privilege and a blessing to be engaged in this work.

We occasionally watch CNN news and shutter at having to return to a country so bitterly divided and ugly to each other in its politics. We are so grateful that we belong to the restored Kingdom of God upon the earth, and that we are led by living prophets and apostles with priesthood authority to receive revelation. Whatever happens to this great country of ours, we always know that our first allegiance is to our Father in Heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ. How grateful we are for the peace and comfort that the gospel brings.