March 24, 2012 Samtag

The missionary work continues.  We had 7 out to institute.  It was decided that they would eat after institute, and institute would be one hour earlier.  What a wise decision.  Always before they had to hurry and eat.  This time, it was relaxed.  I set the tables up in a square table for better conversation.  They visited for an hour after institute.  Norm and I had to leave, which was not a good thing, for it broke it up.  We can never find parking for our Wohnung (apartment) if we stay later.  Well the lot was full, and so we literally got the red light.  I went in and Elder Storrer sat in the car hoping someone would come out.  Finally he drove around until he found a spot behind this huge pile of lumber, in a construction area just about 1/2 block from our Wohnung.  He parked it out of site and came in.  Then after midnight he was able to find a parking space.  He was parked directly under a sign which read, "Parking here is forbidden and you will be towed. 
Well Brother Erlacher, the teacher suggested he pick us up.  Actually we can drive the food over earlier.  Drive back home and catch the bus (2) to be exact.  Then we can catch three buses back home (and einbahn) messes us up.  Or Brother Erlacher has volunteered to drive us home.  I like that idea.
We feel strongly that if those young adults will start communicating and getting to know each other it will bring them back into a comraderie that we understand they use to have.
Here is another picture of Geegi

This is Clara who is coming to Utah for General Conference.  She worked and saved her money and bought a ticket months ago.  She is excited to do baptisms in the Salt Lake Temple.  She has worked and saved to make her dream come true.  Oh, yes and she is prepared to do some shopping.  She is taking light suitcases to fill and bring home to Salzburg.  She says that she doesn't speak German very well, because she speaks Oestereichish.  And no truer words have ever been spoken.  No Austrian speaks German, only a semblence of it.

this is Bruder Erlacher, the institute teacher and he is good.

We bid Elder Graff a good by has this was his last day in the mission.  This was part of the Ward Missionaries.  Josef is the one with glasses in the middle, and Hans Malzl is on the right side in the back.
He headed to Munich and then flew out Friday.  We are going to miss Elder Graff, with his beautiful smile and very charming ways.  He was oblivious, but I think every girl had a crush on him, including the Sister Missionaries,  especially Sister Hoffman.  Everytime she looked at him, we could tell.  Of course the missionaries were all clueless, and that is good. 

This was the mongolian meal that Geegi prepared for us.  It was meat, and seasonings in a pocket, and a wonderful and interesting Potato salad.

This is a typical church in Freilassing.  We hear the vesper bells, morning, come to mass bells, and again at noon from a church.  The next picture is me in front of the doors.  Heidi, I love the big purse as I can hide part of me behind it.  Actually I am losing weight.  I had lost a lot of weight the first week.  Then the members started feeding us.  I have finally told them, not even a little bit of sugar.  It is killing my joints, especially my feet.  We eat very healthy in the apartment, but they want to feed us until we are stuffed turkeys.  Even our two over 6 foot elders were complaining of double chins and skin they could pinch an inch at the waist line.  So we have decided that we only eat what we want, and no deserts.

That went by the wayside last Wednesday with Uwe Zerwekski, who is a marvelous cook.  He actually took a cooking course for 2 years.  He really is not that old, but has traveled, and done a lot of cool jobs.  But he really needs to marry, and there are some wonderful girls in our ward and stake who are not too young for him.   It was a 4 course meal.  But afterward, with all the sugars for desert, I felt that I had been poisoned.  I finally had to take some aspirn the next night as every joint in my body ached.  My arthritis just cannot take it and neither can my blood sugars.  They have been excellent the last two days.

We have placed books of Mormon.  We have taught several discussions.  They asked if we would visit Sister Thibaut in the krankenhaus in Freilassing.  Poor lady.  She is a tiny 80 year old woman with the bluest eyes.  She is so discouraged.  She is bleeding internally and they don't even do tests.  So much for socialized medicine.  There are three women in that room.  One has lung problems and they don't seem to be doing much for her either.  The younger swear by it, as it makes hospitalization and doctors cheaper, but we think as they age they suffer for it with less dignity and more suffering in old age.
Elder Heinrich brought his Uke and we sang I am a Child of God.  She and the two other ladies in the room loved it.  It brought a moment of Joy.  Today Norm read from the B of M.  The sister in the bed next to her was listening to every word.  Norm left her a B of M and she seemed really happy.
Love to you all it is late.  Love Mom and Dad