Missionary Thoughts Blog

Missionary Blog:  July 5, 2013

So we attended our second funeral in two weeks, though Sis. Keldorfer  died about three day after Sister Höglmoser ‘s  funeral.  What a difference between the funerals.  We we saw Sis. Höglmosers picture, both of us remember her being in church one of the first days we were in the ward.  They were surprised because they thought it had been a long time since she was in church.  But I believe she was there one or possibly two times right after we arrived.  Her funeral was at her graveside, which was in a Catholic cemetery.  I don’t believe any of her children were LDS, though Bishop Schubert conducted and it was definitely a Mormon funeral.  We believe her grave was probably the family plot.

Sister Keldofers was a typical family LDS funeral.  Her daughter arrived from America and her brother and his wife walked in.  The daughter is very active LDS, but the brother, I don’t believe is because of the style of his wife’s dress did not allow for garments.  It was interesting when Brϋder Tallhammer sang “O My Father,” right after the talk by Monika her daughter, how the sister-in-law was suddenly touched when he started singing.  Elder Storrer noted how the brother seemed to be hanging on every word of August Schubert the last speaker who addressed the beliefs of members of the church of Jesus Christ, especially his mother’s.

July 2

So in checking out facebook, as that seems to be the only place we can see what is happening in our children’s lives.  (They seldom even respond to our emails.)  I stumbled upon some interesting comments regarding the latest Supreme Court’s “New Law” about claiming that Homosexual marriage wil be the new law of the land.  It had nothing to do with interpreting the Constitution. 

After posting this,  The Supreme Court has ruled:
Christianity is false: it teaches homosexual acts are a perversion of sex; but we know they are healthy and good for those who prefer to do them
Christianity is immoral: it teaches that people who commit homosexual acts are sinning; but we know they are sinning by disparaging homosexual acts and, by extension, those who like to participate in them.
Christianity is socially destructive: it teaches that good people should discourage homosexual acts for the sake of everyone, especially those tempted to them; and we know that such judgments are oppressive of a minority and therefore anti-social.

I do not believe it is just about Homosexuals being allowed to marry, but rather an attempt to destroy Christianity. And if you have read your Book of Mormon recently doesn't those odd quotes of "We know that Chrisianiity is immoral But we know that (homosexual) acts are healthy and good for those who prefer to do them, etc, etc. In Revelations we are told the the "daily sacrifice in the temples will cease...Now how does one suppose that will happen?  After which one commentor posted that I must not believe in Evolution.  My answer was that had Darwin had the information we have today about  DNA and the understanding they are finding out about DNA coding his thesis would have been much different.

Her response was something to really study for its flaws.  She responded with the old, “I don’t believe evolution replaces God, but rather God used evolution to create this world.  What I am talking about—“  And then she launched into “Moral Evolution,”  She reasoned that though God made his laws, in the beginning, because of moral evolution, the needs of man has changed and so new laws that accommodate them must change as well.  Wow, was that a statement directly from a philosophy class or what?

Years ago, in 1960, my older brother was home from BYU having just completed taking a philosophy class. I remember he and my father arguing about it way into the night, as they were just outside my bedroom door.  I don’t remember all that transpired, but as I listened to it, I had to side with Dad, because having not taken the class, I had not been swayed by a clever  philosophy teacher and most of what my brother was expousing was ridiculous.  In later years he tried to justify it with, “I was just beginning to think for myself.”  That has always scared me.  Because at that age, children are venerable to the thoughts and ideas of others, particularly those who have clever speech, unless these children have a strong foundation under them.

As a young married couple, we had a young man—in our bishopric, come by our home clad only in shorts as he walked with his wife and young daughter.  In a discussion he was adamantly against the brethren speaking out against the young women’s modest attired.  He referred to Pres Joseph F. Smith, who as an apostle, as an old man out of touch with society (reality).  He told us he was a humanist and believed God was also.

Hum!  Humanist, “Moral Evolution.”  Isn’t Satan so clever with the words he uses.

Today though it is even worse for they use “moral evolution” to describe good old fashioned, “sin.”  It has more appeal while the word, “sin,” is considered a hate word, for it makes people “feel bad about themselves.”

No we do not lie in a world of “enlightenment,” but rater in darkness.”  For when we sin, it takes us a way from God, and from light and truth.  

When Christ was on the cross, having first suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, to continue through the horrible trials of the night and finally on the cross, the most inhuman painful way man knew how to kill at that time, it has been asked, was the sins of the world paid for in the Garden of Gethsemane or did they continue right through until he cried, “Father, why hast Thou forsaken me,”  It has been pointed out that Satan knew when he was most vulnerable and through an emissary, a common man asked, “If Thou be the son of God, save yourself and us.”  In his last ditch effort to tempt the Savior.

One author asks the question.  “Why did God abandon Him, at that time.”  We know that He had to walk the wine press alone.  This author wondered if besides that, God who will not go near evil, probably withdrew because at that moment before Christ died, the weight of the sins were upon his shoulders.  And so it held a two fold purpose.

It is amazing to me how as I read and study both the scriptures and thoughts of others, how much more the atonement has meaning.  Age and experience helps in the process as well.

Mission Blog  June 16, 2913  Missionary conference in Munchin with E. Russell M. Nelson

So it has been some time since I have written in the Mission Blog.  A lot has happened, both positive and negative.  But I prefer to dwell on the positive.  

Last weekend –through Tuesday—was pretty busy.  We had two apostles here in Europe and three Seventies, both Quorums of the 2nd and 3^rd.  The difference being that the 3^rd quorum are Area Seventies.  But all of them have the same assignment which is to bear witness of Jesus Christ.

Saturday there was a special women’s conference in Munich with Elder Russell M. Nelson.  We had to be in Salzburg for the special YSA broadcast from Stockholm, Sweden with M. Russell Ballard.  His talk was being translated in Several of the European languages, although the whole broadcast was in English.

I would like to address a little of his talk.  Now he was in a YSA meeting mind you.  He asked for all return missionaries to arise.  There were quite a few.  I saw a lot of beautiful young women in that audience but only young men arose.  Many appeared old enough to have been home a few years.  He first addressed them.  He reminded them that the first commandment was to multiply and replenish the earth.  This can only happen if they take themselves a wife.  So after their missions that is their first obligations.  And he reminded them also of the eternal blessings that come with obedience to that commandment.

The rest of his talk dealt with missionary work and all member’s obligation to be involved in missionary work.  He gave some wonderful counsel and how too.

 Then Sunday Morning we would listen to Elders Fingerla, and Texiera and their wives.  This was a special stake conference as we had just had one in March or April.  Here again the addresses were about member missionary work.  The brethren are really pushing this subject hard.

Then on Tuesday we were on the train by 6:09 am for Mϋnich to listen to Elder Nelson, these two seventies as well as Elder Kuran and also Sister Wendy Nelson, Elder Nelson’s wife.  Of course their talks were addressed directly to the missionaries and were all wonderful.  But in this blog I want to address Sister Nelson’s.  We heard her last October when she visited with E. Nelson and she is a power house as an inspiring speaker.

She began with the example of a gift card, that someone sends us.  It costs us no money and we can purchase anything in that store by it.  Sometimes we forget the gift card and it is no use to us.  But then we find it and it will still make the same purchase for us. 

In life the Savior paid for that gift card with the Atonement .  (There is only one reference to the Atonement in the Bible.  But the Book of Mormon has 39 references to it, and teaches us to understand it.) and the Holy Ghost brings us the gifts.

That gift card is prayer.  Just as a gift card, there is no end of the gifts of the spirit.  They are just as eternal.

She addressed prayer.  We can pray for anything, and request any righteous gift.  Our end  goal is to become like our Savior.  And the gift of prayer will help us get there.  She had a suggestion of three scriptures.

All of this represents truth She quoted George Q. Cannon, “Speak reverently, diligently,---.  Prayer is the power of speaking.  (D & C 46:  Gift of the Spirit---1 Corinthians 12-14, Gift of Wisdom, and Moroni 10  Faith and Charity.)

Pray and know what to pray for.  Here are the examples she gave.

Pray for the power of speaking

If we struggle with anger pray for charity.

Temper- gift of mildness or understanding.

Discouragement- persistence

Gift of listening

Cheerful countenance

True conversion’

selflessness

Forgiveness

Wisdom (of the ages)

We are never alone as long as the spirit is with us.

Think of one weakness to ask for.

Do not be discourage and pray unto the Father with all energy of heart.

Silent Obediece is not enough.

Take our weakness and turn them into a strength.

Have that burning desire to do so.  Seeking ---All focused on obtaining the gift of the spirit.

She quoted Elder Holland, “I need that gift of the spirit.  Seek to become more like the Savior

Then Elder Nelson in his remarks began by telling us one of the first and important people as missionaries we should make friends with in each Ward is the Family History director and he went on to explain how to use that person to help us in the missionary work.  I felt that comment was directed personally to us, as that morning before we left I prayed again, about using Norm’s gift and writings of learning how to read the old German Script in bringing souls to the church.

We now need to talk to Sister Kunnert.

Elder Nelson always has a question and answer period with the missionaries.  One young Elder asked, “If Peter had a witness that Jesus was the Christ, where does he stand having denied him.  Why did he deny jesus Christ,.  The answer came quickly and simply, “Obedience.”  Christ told him that he was to deny him.  That was the first time I remember ever hearing that.  However, it seems to be one of those points I missed in reading , “Jesus the Christ,” for Talmage also addressed that.  As Norm and I discussed it, we looked at Peter’s character and that he had already cut of a man’s ear, which was another point I always wondered about.  Why did Christ tell them to arm themselves, and then chastise Peter when he came to his defence.  I believe it was to test Peter and show him that he was not to come to his defense.  Peter had a work to do and if he made the fourth man on a cross that day it would have been a bit of a different story.

So all in all it was a wonderful spiritual learning day.

April 3, 2013

Not sure who was the cat and who was the mouse.

So we, Elder Storrer and I, are invited to Sister G.  Roth’s for luncheon yesterday.  I have mentioned her before.

She is a marvelous older woman.  Have been told her age, but this time saw her Birthday Calendar with her birthdate on it.  She is almost exactly 10 years and 2 months older than Elder Storrer.  It is off by just one date.  It was kind of fun to see that.

But this blog is really about something fun that happened.  I am sitting there, grasping words here and there, and picking up familiar conversation.  Some I get a pretty good jist and other I am totally lost.  So when they were talking about Family History, I missed the whole thing.  After dinnder and the dishes are cleared we end up in her upstair’s office at her computer.  Elder Storrer informs me that she is going to show him what she has been doing on her family history.  So the computer is opened.  She explains that the church as all the records of Austria and other German speaking countries on line.  We are talking about the records microfilmed from the vaults.

She goes through some of the records and asks, sweetly, if he can read any of it.  Well he had been doing indexing before we left for this mission.  So he was not too rusty.  He selects a few records and reads them.  She expressed amazement.  How can you do this.  I don’t know anyone who can decipher it as well as you.

Humbly, Elder Storrer says, “I just can.”

Well I am not sure who really was the cat and who was the mouse. Elder Storrer had forgotten-- About a month ago, in a seminary discussion her daughter in law and son asked Elder Storrer if he could give an example of inspiration.  So he picked the first one that came to mind.

While working in the church genealogy, he was sitting in a meeting when Boyd K. Packer instructed those in attendance if they would develop a program to read the old handwriting of the various European countries. Something that could be taught in one week.  Elder Storrer had been working on learning how to read it for about three years. He felt he was just really getting a handle on reading it.  He immediately vocally rejected the idea, as,, “Impossible, as he had been working on it for three years.  “Elder Packer, pointed his finger at him and said, “You will do it.”

Humbly, Elder Storrer took it to the Lord in prayer.  That night he saw a vision of how it could be done.  He immediately went to work.  It was genius all right.  But he gives the Lord credit.

Well, as we left Sister Roth’s home, he was pretty proud of himself, believing he had pulled it off.  I reminded him of the story he had shared weeks before with the Seminary.  I don’t know if he always understands the power of the spoken word.

I fell going down the stairs last night and wrenched my back a little.  (Tried to skip the last stair—accidently.  At least I didn’t mess up my knee to badly.)  So I was tossing a little in my sleep trying to get comfortable this morning, when the memory of yesterday came flooding back into my mind.  It suddenly dawned on me.  Older people in other wards are teaching classes, trying to help ward members learn how to read the old script.  Here your dad sits, with the knowledge in his head, how to do it and make I simple.  The church still uses his program.  A year ago, while sitting in a meeting, one of President Mile’s counselors introduced a copy of some of his work.  I believe that with the interest people have all over the world in Family History, that we are sitting on a gold mine to further the missionary work in this area.  We can offer classes other than Language and the standard usually used.  Now I have to talk it over with him and encourage him to pray about it.  But maybe I won’t have to.  If it is inspired we usually come up with the same message by morning.

I will only be using my blog from now on to post adventures and pictures while we live here

Feb 12, 2013

Boy, I am the most technilogical illeterate.  I am learning that nothing is safe from all prying and inquisitive eyes.  I am also learning that I need to post all spiritual and thoughts concerning the welfare of others in my private diary.  My problem is so often when I write things out that I am troubled with, or trying to solve problems  I find writing things out so often helps me analyze things.  I should know better.

Wow!  Forgot to mention that the Primary has asked us to come to their Fasching Party, (and party is correct here in Germany and Austria as they have adopted the word.)  The theme is about the Americanisch Indiana (American Indian) and guess who has been asked to come dressed as Indians.  Everyone comes in customes, but we have been asked to specifically show up as Indians.  There is no cheap material, so we are going to use the cutoffs from the white curtains and either go as Angel Indians?  or find some dye and make them brown.  Got to find the dye, have seen it, and figure out how to use it.  That means your dad better translate correctly so we don't have a brown washing machine or brown hands.  I think E. Storrer will wear basically a smock with fringe, and his brown suit pants, and me the same with my brown skirt.  Looking for a blanket so I make a real squaw, and need an old american cowboy hat to attach a feather.  Or get really creative.  Will post pictures if they turn out.
Then we are going to tell the story of Mary and the Indians, as we think that is the appropriate one for Primary children.  (don't think Conrad Storrer or Robert Fisher would work to well, since most of them are the younger children.
And we are asked to bring a dish.  How about fry bread and honey?

Feb 3  Post.  Pictures posted, but the blog draft did not so I will copy again.  Thank goodness I always do it in word first.

February 3 Blog.  Well on Feb 5 in two days, our anniversary we will have been in Salzburg one year.  It has been a very eventful year.  We have watched our original calling migrate away from the “Outreach Youth Centers,” to what it really has aways been in Salzburg, and Institute.  It is a direct correlation with the stake and not under the Mission.  The Stake aways has controlled the funds, and had representatives, but so has the mission.  In our last interview with President Miles we told him that we really had little to say, and were basically relegated to Cooks and bottle washers.  We have an awesome Stake director called, who also shares with her husband the teaching of the institute.  We have a great YSA called as President, who is a great capitan.  He has some good YSA on the committee.  They are putting together a great fireside schedule, and taking charge of their own activities.

In a dream after we arrived and in answer to prayers, Norm had a dream that told him we were to work below the foundation and the members would began to build the church and pull us up making our work lighter.

We are seeing it happening in our JAE, and now we are observing the ward finally getting the picture that they must be involved in Member Missionary work, however it is slow in coming.  They needed prodded by the prophet in Munich last September, and the missionaries always ask them to pray for their success.

But we have a lot of less actives, and total inactives that no one knows, even if they are still in the area, for they are on the books but were baptized and never attended church again.  

Today we had a wonderful baptism.  The Bishop told the Elders that he did not want a baptism on Saturday, where he would be confirmed the next day, but rather on a Sunday, right after church and then and imbiss meal right after, provided by the RS.  Well E. Storrer felt he was going against mission set programs.  But as I was sitting at the piano providing the music and the spirit was so strong and the strongest members, without small children, some with, stayed.  There was a packed chapel for Sacrament Mtg, today, and about as many as we often have on a ighter Sunday who stayed.

So in our last interview when we talked about our job, and how it is disappearing, which we are glad, because we have felt for some time that it should be local members, who know these youth, running the program.  He told us that is exactly how the church wants it to run.  If they cannot rely on the missionaries, many will step up to the plate and quite looking for excuses.  We followed the prompting and found our work and worries made lighter.

Now the majority of our attention is turning toward Ward and Member Support.  We have a circuit of people we try to see, some less actives and some contacts that have fallen into the area book as the missionaries don’t have time for these people.  They are reachable, some have had the lessons’ many times.  One sister was close to baptism and fell out.  However, we are creating friendships and bonds with these people, and know that someday, they will reach out to the church.  And Rosie Kinz, our nonmember missionary.  We visit with her several times a month.  She takes all the clothing left in Wohnungs by the missionaries and taken to the mission home when they dejunk the apartments.  She loans out one of her three Books of Mormon, in German, Hungarian, and Serbian and she is always showing her personal copy of “The Restoration.”  Don’t know if she will be baptized in this life, but we are working on it.  She was looking for pictures of Christ to make picture books for the orphanage she visits in Serbia.  Many of them are abandoned by their parents or taken from them by the state because they are so poor they cannot provide for their children.  She says they need a lot of love, and she wants them to know about Jesus Christ.  So we are giving her all our old Liahona’s both English and German.  Hoping of course that she will also read them.  Our works are slow, but we are prayerfully hoping that if we serve and love them, they will come to Christ, by our example.

We cannot afford to let others draw us in to family concerns and squabbles as it draws from our spirit and in order for us to be effective missionaries we need to pray unceasingly for the gift of Charity.  Charity never faileth and we cannot afford to fail these people.  The love of Christ and showing love to our fellowman is the only way missionary work is done.  And it is the only way people are truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

                                                  A Greg Olsen painting.  Love the Messages

                       We discovered how true this is in the quiet hills of Switzerland last September

Everythings fails,--but Charity never faileth  Moroni 7:45-48

 Our district with the addition of the new Elders.  S. Marquart, S Amstrong, E. McClellan, Svoboda (Hungarian father but raised many years in Vietnam and speaks perfect German, English, and speaks also Hungarian.  His brother was here as an AP when we arrived, released to train his little brother.  He is a sweet young Elder and very sincere about the gospel.  Hopes to join to siblings at BYU after his mission. Caraway, who was office when we arrived, but now trainer to Mochon.  Of course there is us with the xtra pounds of Christmas.  I have lost 8 kilo and two inches around the waist since then.

 The Altstadt of Salzburg from across the Salzach river and the Festoon built to guard the river, in stages between 1050 and the 1600's.   Picture taken from Kapuzinerberg where there is another Catholic chapel

 In the tops of the Alps near a ski resort on our way the Lankmayers to visit them and take them the Sacrament.

                                  Another valley and a nother group of mountains in a panorama.

So all the pictures posted in Missionary posts are dorky so we created our own today with the web cam.  Now if they will only use this one.  Yah, I know black on black.  

January 13, 2013 Missionary Blog

So we now have four Elders in Salzburg and with the two sisters in Neumarkt we are now a district of 8.  It is nice.  They are the Zone leaders, E.  McClellan, and E. Szvoboda (father is Hungarian mother is Swiss.)  E. Caraway is trainer and E. Mochon is the golden.  The sisters are S. Marquarte and S. Armstrong     .   Life is getting interesting.  Our pool of visits to or being visited by less actives is growing.
It is amazing how easy it is to go inactive and how hard it is to make activity in the church a good habit again.

Our major job is really ward and missionary support after JAE.  We are working with a number of less actives.  We are quite close to some wonderful people in the ward. It is amazing how easy it is to go inactive and how hard it is to make activity in the church a good habit again.

Mission Blog:  Jan 3, 2013-01-03

It was a good day.  Though it was transfer day and Elder Harris was transferred, we did expect it.  He was so happy to get to spend Christmas here.  With this transfer he went to Münich as an Assistant to the President.  He is such a sweet wonderful young man.  We will miss him, but joy with him in his new Calling.  When a door closes a window always opens.

With the new increase in Missionaries we will be getting 90 over the next several months.  Even when Degen was serving in Portugal the missionaries were being told that something good was about to happen to the missionary work in Europe.  It is following prophecy, of the last one great push.  So with this transfer we got what we so badly needed and hoped for a second set of Elders in Salzburg.  So Elder McClellan has Elder Sabota the younger brother of another awesome missionary Elder Sabota who was serving as the president’s AP when we arrived.  And We have Elder Caraway and a brand new Elder from the states who he will be training.  Elder Caraway was one of the first missionaries we ever met as an office missionary.  He was responsible for getting our tickets and on the train to Salzburg the next day. 

We also work quite closely with a less active who has a marvelous testimony of the gospel.  We try to meet with her every Wednesday for her own personal Family Home Evening.  Usually she is working on Mondays.

So she was with us yesterday when the Elder’s showed up to teach Rashaid a musiim who wants to convert to Christianity.  Then she asks if she can come over tonight to share something with us.  I know she is starved for gospel discussions and feeling the spirit.  Yet she struggles with becoming fully active in the church.  It was a young couple, boyfriend and girlfriend who came tonight.  They desire to know.  Yet Ildiko called the Elders after they left.  She had participated in the lesson as a member of the church.  We were in the back ground observing.  She was so good and so powerful.  She would be so good for Madaliene the girl as she takes people to her heart especially the young.  Daniel desires to embrace the gospel and drinks it in.

We need every prayer to pray for this.  Ildiko needs these two young people in her life and they need her.  I understand little but I see this clearly.  Ildiko loves to serve, and when she serves she can forget her problems and get so excited about the gospel.  She also would be the ideal person to help these young people get to church and it would help her have the desire to be active.

It is a wonderful experience to see it unfold in our home.

But we are at an apex.  Ildiko called after she left and kindly told the elders that they needed to lower the playing field and talk to them on their level.

We are learning as we work with people here that they need to learn who Jesus Christ is so that they can learn how to have a personal relationship with him and with God.

Dec 25 2012 Mission Blog

Oberndorf Silent Night Kapella

The Kapella Good picture of the Kapella

                                                            Hellbrunn Chriskindlemarkt

Advent Calendar in Hellbrunn Schloss Windows

A Schloss in Giligan

Display window in St. Wolfgang

Who is that Tirolean Man?

Norm, is that you. here in Wolfgang.

Heidi and Karen in Oberndorf

The antique train ride (yup) Coal burning engine.

Mechanic woring on greasing wheels.

The baby being baptized in the Silent Night Movie.

Recognize the parents.  Couldn't get a picture of his bashful sister.

Walk from train to Stille Nacht Kapella, across river in Germany

Sunset behind forest,  Note no snow.  Rainstorms melted it all

St. Johanns in Pongua has snow for Christmas

So we awakened too early having gotten to bed aft er 2:30 am having attempted to Skypp the kids.  And attending a Catholic Christmas Eve High Mass.    It was a very old church and very cold.  It was odd to attend a church service with everyone dressed as if they were going on a cold Sleigh ride.  The music of the mass was beautiful.  We were nearing the end of the mass and the song was a Kyria.  It shocked me.  I suddenly connected that I was listening to a composition of the Mass, when I connected with the Kyria, having studied the form and parts of a Mass in a composition class back in about 1967.  We were with the Feggs and she invited us to go up above where the Choir and Orchestra had been performing.  It really was a very old church, with very old uneven and wide floorboards.  We also met the Organist.  The performance he gave was about as good as I have ever heard.  The Orchestra and Choir though small. preformed excellently. 

The culminated a wonderful day with the Andreas and Nadia Dengg family.  We arrived for a traditional Chistmas Eve breakfast   We were greeted warmly by Nadia Andreas and their three girls Yasmin, Julia and Lina.  The breakfast was also very European with Breads, thin meats and sausage, and a choice of cheeses and marmalades.  Then a few games of Uno until it was time to hit the road.  As we came upon an antique train along side the road, we all knew we were headed to Oberndorf, a family tradition, on the antique train.  The town of Oberndorf were full of tourists even foreign ones.  It was very festive with  a Brass band.  We were all treated to “Kindle Punch.”  A lot of Dengg relatives met us at the station and we walked around the Salzach River as we looked across into Germany.

We returned home to a wonderful traditional Austrian Christmas Eve supper.  It was a clear soup with whole carrots floating in it.  The accompaniments were noodles, Rind roast, and a special white sausage that is only made for Christmas.  It was marvelous.

Dinner cleared away and the three girls disappeared to their rooms.  Mom and dad having loaded the dishwasher prepared the Christmas gifts for under the tree.  The family gathered, we sang Christmas carols and then Mom read the Christmas Story from an old, very worn, Kinder Bibel.  (Child’s Bible.)  They finished with the traditional, “Silent Night.”  Dad handed out the presents as he explained to us they found it much more pleasant one at a time as they all appreciated the gift with the receiver.  It was wonderful as some of the first gifts were given, it included cards from each other to express their appreciation and love.  We and the Elder’s even received one.   Karen Birth had left three the the swatch style watches with the jewels around the large face.  There were the perfect number of 3.  We had noted that it was becoming a popular watch around here, so it was perfect.

So it is almost 9 am, and the Christmas bells are ringing in Salzburg.  It has been a good Christmas and the day is just beginning.  Loved seeing the traditions of the area this year.

Interesting conversation with Bruder Dengg, the father in picture of their little boy.  Wonderful spiritual man from Neumarkt.  So we were in Oberndorf, and seeing all the alt.  And were talking about why American's love to come to Europe to see history.  Well Norm says, "We don't have a lot of very old  With the exception of the Indian ruins.."

Brass band Christmas Eve in Oberndorf

Missionary Blog  December 20, 2012-12-20

So I started fixing the Jello Salad last night, then spent the most part of the day fixing Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast, and Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Sweet Potato Pie.  Very first class meal, but three of the Jellos went untouched, halve of the Sweet Potato Pie, and one Turkey Breast also went untouched.

Then several of them picked out the dressing from the Turkey, and dabbled in the Jello salad, and scrambled the Sweet Potato Pie.  Several made certain we knew that they do not like Pecan nuts, or nuts in the Turkey Dressing.  And of course one only ate his vegetables after picking out all the Hazel nuts.

So I announce to Norm that from now on they get only junk food as it seems to be the only thing they all appreciate.  They loved the Chili, the In-an-Out Burgers, Pizza, Garlic Bread, Anything Mexican like Tacos, Burritos, Enchilladas or Turkish Kebaps.  And they love Chocolate Maltz.  So there you have it.

Missionary Blog number 2 on Dec 1

 My springerli cookie mold antic, made in 1739

 Mauterndorf castle

Another view as we were walking up to the enterance

The entertainment room, and the games they played

The enterance.  Need to go back and capture picture of steel door.  The archbishops daughter was left alone with the servants.  She was told to not allow anyone enterance while they were gone.

Three knights rode up that evening and when she refused them enterance they attacked the castle.  She lead the charge with her cross bow and the servants.  One of the knights had thrown a spear hard enough at the door to penetrate the steel.  The hole is there today.  Oh, yes, she and the servants were successful in denying them enterance so they found other quarters for the night.

This castle is considered to have one of the best museums in Europe, for this period of time.  

Chapel in Mauterndorf Castle

Took 2 poses, but don't have time to go back and capture the one that is not blurred.

T

These two pictures show the musicians and the instruments of the period.

Castle was started in the 1000s and finished in the early 1600, typical of the castles constructions in the area.
This represents the traveler and freighters who passed through.  They had to pay tax at every castle with product.  it is amazing they made any money.

Couldn't resist.  The crapper.

Original wall painting.

Mission Blog, 2012-12-01

Will this by our last Christmas?  It is sad to read the news from here and see what is happening to our beloved United States of America.  A number of years ago I was reading in Heleman and 3 Nephi about the time of the Savior’s birth when the wicked announced that unless the Savior came that night the believers would all be slain.  It came over me that would be repeated in our time.

Only wickedness would get above us if the people were wicked.  In 2004 I was watching the Democratic Convention when a young Illinois Senator was introduced as their key note speaker.  What I heard was frightening,  I had the distinct warning that standing at that podium was another Korihor with a very glib tongue.  I called Norm in California and told him that I had just witnessed the most frightening thing.  Heaven help us if this man ran for President of the United States.  Four years later it happened.  I read all I could research out on him and found out that he was indeed a follower of Alinsky, who lived in Chicago and wrote communistic propaganda.  I opened his writings which began with a visit by  someone who dared defy God and in doing so was able to establish his own Kingdom.  Well we know who that is.  Then the second thing was that the middle class has to be destroyed.  We are seeing that one happen.

Elder Storrer was curious about the Rothchilds who it is said owns over half of the wealth of the world.  He did some research on them and found that it is probably true.  He found how they have literally stolen the money of the world with Governments’ blessings, by establishing Central Banks where they collect all the interest.  John Kennedy wanted to do away with the “Federal Reserve”  (which is now called the “Central Bank”, )and establish our own bank with no interest, shortly before he was assassinated.

It also pointed out Abraham Lincoln had wanted to close the banks and establish as well an interest free bank.  Then Norm also read that the Rothchilds claim that they were told by Satan that he is the God of the World and “ that they visit with him on a regular basis.  I think we have unearthed the “AntiChrist.”  They are proud of this fact.  They claim that they have financed many wars and proud of all the slaughters.

America was promised that it would survive only if it worshipped Jesus Christ.  Now we are reading about all the attacks on Jesus Christ and those who worship him.  California is literally passing wicked laws, that are to force people into wickedness.  The teachings in the schools are to destroy the righteousness of the children.

America is more wicked than any other country, when it comes to destroying peoples lives both physically and spiritually.  Does not that fulfill prophecy?  It is amazing how closely we can follow exactly what is happening in the prophecies of the scriptures, both Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the prophecies of Orson Pratt, who was commanded by God to prophecy in the D & C, at the tender age of 19.

The only choice we have is to follow the commandments of God.  There is one tool missing in Satan’s arsenal and that is Love.  The Savior was very specific that it is the greatest commandment.  Satan desires our souls and President Packer some years ago warned us to be very careful of righteous indignation.  If Satan can stir us up to anger because of the horrible wickedness of those who rule over us he will destroy us as well.  We cannot afford to have any hate in our hearts.  That is going to be a very difficult thing to do, unless we call upon God in the name of Jesus Christ to overcome these feelings.  And it must be unceasingly. 

Our latter day prophets have given us the key to this by admonishing us to study our scriptures with unceasing prayer, daily.

Last Thursday the Roth’s were back from America, and Gerald Roth, released as Mission President to Bulgaria is their Institute instructor.  He is awesome.  No I understood very little, but Norm told me what he basically said, that impressed him.  (I can read the manuals in English to know the subject matter.  I just wish I could understand the important points he brings out.)  One of the things he challenged our young adults with is making a habit of reading the scriptures daily.  Only one of the JAE there at the time could admit to reading and studying the scriptures daily.  Brüder Roth told them, “I promise you if you do not prayerfully study the scriptures daily you will apostatize.  Sister Roth, a very smart woman says, “I don’t know if you should say that.”  His quick response was, “Yes I should say this.”  I think Elder Storrer said that he repeated it again.  You could feel the spirit in that room as he taught.

He probably has been the best teacher we have seen, and we have had quite a number of substitutes, including Achim Erlacher, who works for the church in the Area as the Instituted Director.

The Roth’s and Erwin his brother are very aware of what is happening in America.  There are members here who follow the propaganda and are shocked that the Saints in America are so conservative, but these two brothers, really keep themselves abreast of what is happening.  They are great men with a wonderful and spiritual mother, and they know what it takes to keep a testimony.

I know that what Gerald Roth told those YSA is very true.  May our children take heed, that it is so important that the home be the first and strongest learning of our grandchildren. 

We must pray unceasingly and practice unceasingly Love or Charity.  As Moroni 7: 44-48 tells us about Charity.  “All else fails………..but Charity never faileth.”  The brethren are talking a lot about it.  It is the only tool that can defeat Satan.  “Stand ye in Holy Places, and be not moved, until the Savior com

We believe we finally have a working JAE program, created by them.

Mission Blog Oct 13, 2012

I  could have gone all day not knowing it is Friday 13^th.  And been perfectly happy

Well I have survived the Pneumonia, but still am struggling with energy.  It is becoming a disaster, especially when we are invited out to eat, and everyone is talking German.  It is hard enough to keep up with the conversation, but even worse because of bad hearing, I could not hear what they say if it was in English.  So here I sit for about ½ hour through a spiritual thought given by the Elders, that I know nothing about, and having just eaten trying to stay awake.

It is not only annoying but very embarrassing.  It was hard enough before the illness, now it is impossible.  I tried last night to read the scripture on my smart phone, and found myself waking up over a very good scripture.  I have got to find something to draw my interest, so that even though I am not part of the conversation, I can still appear to physically be there.

We have had real struggles, since we arrived with our JAE program.  We were trained to run “Outreach Centers” in the MTC.  So I kept thinking that we needed to get the program up so that we had something to invite the less active and JAE age investigators too.  But from the get go it was not going to happen.  Elder Storrer in the meantime wanted to be out tromping the streets proselyting.  There  was not time for both, and we were getting side tracked away from what our calling was.

The President kept telling the older couples that we did not have to do street contacting.  Even Elder Holland, three months before we came in during conference told the Senior’s that our job is different.  Well the Lord promised me that I would have what I needed, and language has not been one of them, although it is becoming mostly my fault as I don’t put the study into it as I should.  And then it seems that when Elder Storrer gets drawn into it in a big way my knee seems to give out.  I lost my cane on the train in Switzerland, so I cannot rely on it now.

President Miles has assigned a finding day every Tuesday.  This Tuesday we are going to spend with the younger missionaries in Neumarkt, street tracking.  The program is fine, but it side tracks us off of our program by eating a lot of time.  We need to be visiting the LankMayers in Mauterndorf.  We need to be going to St. Johann’s in Pongau and visiting the less actives there.  Many of these people are less active because they live so far from Salzburg—about 60 km away.  Some are old.

We have been trying to work with members of the ward, and soliciting their help in working with the less active.  If they are more envolved, I believe that when we do have success they are the most vital part of fellowshipping and edifying each other.  Sadly they do not even assign them Home Teachers and Visiting teachers.  Part of the problem is the distance factor and the unwillingness of the HT and VT to travel that distance once a month.  The Lankmayer’s have been without any visits for a long time.  Only after we went there, found them unable to attend because of health reasons as well as distance, did they finally assign them a couple to visit them once a month.  But we are still expected to take the Sacrament to them, once a month.  We don’t mind, but the ward relies to much on the missionaries, to do their work that they don’t want to be bothered with.

But back to our JAE.  So in nine months we are on our third President.  The first were two darling young women.  But it was obvious that they did not have any real leadership training.  Elder Storrer did not understand what shadow leadership is.  So we kept very quiet and waited.  When Josua was called, he took immediate control.  And he has ran with the program.  We needed to let these YSA find their way, but they were probing in the dark, because Elder Storrer insisted that we could do nothing.  I finally pulled up some good instruction as to what Shadow Leadership is.  No we are not to take over their program, which most of the exuberant missionaries do, but we are to train them in leadership.  Well Josua, a return missionary, has not needed the training but the Sister’s did.  They went from completely controlled by the missionary couples to “you figure it out.”

But in another way it was not a bad thing, because it became obvious that we had to build their trust.  Then the church changed the name of the program.  Instead of the “Outreach Centers” it was announced that there would be no more “Outreach Centers” created.  This CES program was proving to be a disaster.  The program was finally put under priesthood authority and is now called, “The Stake program for institute.

It was at this time that Josua was called as president.  And he started doing what he longed to do for a long time.  Salzburg put out a lot of money to create a center that would never really be.  The ideal is to keep a center open as many days of the week, where members could bring their friends.  It was to be a home away from home.  This works in the big cities like Vienna (Wien), Berlin, Bern, but where the wards are small like in Salzburg, and it takes two wards to make up an institute like Salzburg and Neumarkt, it was never really going to happen.  Missionary couples worked tirelessly to make it happen.  But when we arrived we found only rebellious resentment.  So it was good to step back and just observe, not push our agenda.

It had become “them for the program, not the program for them.”   It was with enthusiasm that we embraced the new concept.  Josua was at the helm, and we had a new stake institute director in an ex mission president’s wife.   She is also local and knows these YSA.  Infact one of our older YSAs is their daughter.  As she met with us, we were to have a clear understanding, which explained their feelings to us.  We were assured that we were on the right track by letting them build their own program.

So then Josua kept asking the question, “Why do we always have to go to Wien for the closing of Institute in May and then the opening at the end of September.  Why are we not building the Salzburg Stake Institute program.  They decided that rather than make and expensive, 8 hour round trip train ride for Sunday Sept 30, that no one could afford, time or monetarily they would like to have their own fireside, that evening.

But when President Achiem Erlacher, who is also the church hired regional Institute director, was approached by Karl Sikora, the high councilman over Institute, he went ballistic.  He demanded that they be there, informing them that it had been decided by the Stake in Salzburg and the Vienna Stake that this was how it was going to be.  He also indicated that they had been in on the decision making.  Well that fell under a totally different presidency and missionary couple.

Now in fairness the Pres. Erlacher, they look for ways to get these YSA together, where they can find mates.  But for these kids an Annual Tagung,which runs between 135-150 Euro plus transportation is enough.  They are students and apprentices and spend 12 hour days in classes and apprenticships.  They are often saving for missions.  Twice a year they also have a “Stake Sacrament Meeting.  This can be between two stakes.  So  what they see is, “The program is not built for them, but rather they are expected to be there for the program.”

And keeping the center open several days a week with activities, they were expected to be there as well.  It is impossible for them to do all this, and work on their future.  So we have also had culture clashes between the American way versus the6 European way.  We were told by Traudie Roth, our stake institute director, not to make them feel guilty for non participation.  And it was decided that they would have one activity a month.

Well the stake has been remiss, and so had the other missionary couples in having firesides for the CES Devotionals that happen every two months, from leadership in Salt Lake.  So I approached Josua about that, and we had our first fireside in over two years.  The YSA loved it and it was decided that they would have an Andacht  the week following so they could get the German translated one. 

We will have one Oct 28 so they can get Marlin K. Jensen’s talk and then again in November so that they can capture the last one of the year. 

They love the Malts that E. Storrer makes so I believe that will become a standard.  And we will probably add cookies to it, for refreshments.

So after the disasterous command of Pres. Erlacher’s they were soured.  We took a plate of cookies to each one and a card.  We had 6 out to institute, believing that we would only have five. 

As we observed how their committee functioned over the table of chili, and quesatillas, and Mexican breadpudding, which they downed, we were impressed.  They all were involved.  They are doing a service project for November.  There is a Pfahl Ball (Stake) being held Nov 9, Friday.  So our JAE is setting it all up so that they will organize and move out extra chairs, set up tables and decorate for the dance.  Lisa Dengg, who is very good at this, is over decorations.

They discussed the new JAE that will be coming in as they turn 18.  There are two in the Neumarkt ward and two in the Salzburg ward.  They discussed how to get everyone involved and enthused.  Lisa, who has struggled with attendance because of distance and late night trains, enthusiastically said, “I would love to see us build to an average attendance of twenty.

We felt and knew that if these kids ran their own program, they would have ownership and it would become successful.  We have relied heavily on the Lord for direction.  Then we went “below the foundation,” while these beautiful YSA started to create their own program.  We are only there for support.  We will now have something that we can invite our less actives to.  But we must pray diligently to keep the good work coming.  A great tradition could be established that would carry forward for years.

We did not do a thing.  It was the Young Adults, themselves who are putting this program together.  We are only here to assist.  It still is in its infancy, and Satan will work hard to discourage it.  We know we have seen it happen, over and over again.

Now if we can just figure out how to build the same enthusiasm with the ward.  It has got to be contagious.

I cannot leave this blog without a word about Socialism.  So everyone is treated a like, even though each person’s needs are different.  We visit Sis. Thibaut in Freilassing, Germany.  She is in a nursing home.  She gets exactly the same meal as everyone else.  It does not matter that she is diabetic and has special needs.  She is fed lots of sugary things.  She complains of very sore joints, she suffers constipation, and she is always very tired.  We thought she was going to be gone in a couple days.  She was fairly alert in the morning, but each afternoon she was going down.  Well, to many people bring her chocolates, and then the staff feed her things like, white toast covered with marmalade, sweetened of course with sugar.  Well sugar raises the blood sugars, making her very tired all the time.  Also it acts as an inflammatory so that her arthritic joints ache constantly.  When her diet is better we find her wide awake, and watching a silent TV, just looking at the pictures that flash before her.  She is more conversational.  Yesterday she only wanted to sleep.

And when they thought she was dying they took everything but her bed and bed clothing out of the room.  When she suddenly seemed to survive they brought other things back, like a TV set and tables.  Socialism takes away the individuality of people as well as their dignity.  It is certainly Satan’s counterfeit to God’s plan of the ‘United Order,” which is that all people will have what they need not just all things in common.

Did the Savior ask to feel what sinners feel in the Garden of Gethsamane?

Mission Blog Sept  15, 2012

Once it a while I check out the FaceBook pages.  That seems to be how we actually find out any news from home, except for our wonderful Bishop Gordon Whitehead.  I was saddened to see a young friend, of about 40, face book statement.  It is not the first one, where he has attacked the church.  He likes to brag about how monetarily successful he is, been in a Bishopric, etc, etc.  But he is very critical of the church, and is on a kick that they lie about being open and honest.  Then he surfs the internet for anything that concerns this.  He is gathering quite a following.  I have seen his page before and usually don’t even stop to read, but today I did.  When members begin to attack the church, you bet your bottom boots there is a reason behind it.  The reason being an unresolved sin.  And when they accuse the church of a flaw, especially about being open and honest, I wonder just how open and honest they really are.  What does it really tell you about this person.

So, I left a message, asking if he gave the Book of Mormon and study and prayer equal time to his aimless research.

In today’s world, with all of its temptations, we cannot afford to squander time delving into information that will lead us away from God.  We have to give the time to develop faith, by reading and prayerfully studying the scriptures and the word of God.

Elder Storrer and I have had quite an interesting week.

We look at the notes all of our fore missionaries have left regarding the less active.  So the Bishop gives them a list to visit, or they just get a ward list and do it on their own.   We don’t know.  We only know that the results are always the same.  “Not interested at this time.”   Or “It has no value.”  Or “I made some bad decisions in my life and don’t go to church because I feel guilty.”  Or “I had my feelings hurt, and refuse to forgive so and so, and will never go to church as long as he/she is in church.”

So we have analyzed it carefully, pulling from the scriptures,  Alma 31 talks about Alma and his brethren first praying for the missionary spirit, and then praying that they can touch the hearts of the Zoramites.  They never touched one heart -----until they meet those, “poor in heart.”  Because they were poor they had been kicked out of the Synagogues that they had built with their own hands.  They had no place to worship.  “They had a need.”  And so Alma and his brethren were able to teach them.

In working with a less active JAE and trying to get to know her (she is 18 and living with her nonmember boyfriend, whose father is a member) we invited to her to dinner, but she declined telling us, “it has no value.”  This is considered a big put down, that no one, in good company would say.  So as the unknown missionary we tried.  Oh did we try, going to her residence over and over again until we found her home.  Well we had been encouraged by those who know her, believing from some of her recent activity in the church, that she was ready.

That tells us that as a missionary couple we are here 18 mo to 2 years, as strangers from America.  They do not know us, and will say to us, what they would never say to an acquaintance.  And the Bishop gives us the same list as he did the other missionary couple to get them out of his hair.

Well, it is going to be different.  The Bishop was put on alert last Wednesday in the ward council meeting.  When the younger missionaries reported, he asked how many members had they been using in their discussions.  Well we know that missionaries have a hard time getting members to participate.  The Bishop, rightly, told them that he wanted them to use the members more.  In one of our district meetings, we had actually discussed that topic.  It was decided that part of the members problem is they don’t know what is expected of them.  Members either sit there frozen in silence or go off on some rambling tangent.  If they would roll play and help them understand how they can be used effectively in a particular lesson, like bearing their testimony as to what had been said.   Yet the missionaries seem to have a problem with working with the members, so that they can be prepared.  It is more of a last minute thing.  We were talking with a senior couple yesterday who said that they had been going with the missionaries as members, but their Branch President, a very young returned missionary in Solvania, told them that he did not want them doing that.  It was important that the members become involved as they are the ones required to fellowship them.

The missionaries watch the videos of Preach My Gospel, and love and learn, but they seem to miss that those missionaries bear “bold” testamonies. 

So back to us.  Elder Storrer suddenly was having problems speaking German, and the Bishop said, “Perhaps it would be okay if we spoke in English.  In that room was one man who does not speak a fair amount of English.  It was a blessing for it allowed me to know exactly what they were talking about and contribute.  The Lord has promised me that I would have what I need when I needed it.  I pretty much told them quickly about Alma 31-32.  Bishop Schubert did not seem to happy and a little impatient when I started on the scripture. But I just ignored him. Then I told them, “People are not converted to the gospel of Christ, unless they have a need.”  As strangers we do not know what the needs of the less actives are.  Surely there are members here who know them, and can help us.  We cannot do, as strangers, what the members and people they know can do.  We are willing to work with the members, but without them we will just continue to do what every other missionary couple has done, with exactly the same results.  There were those in the room who grasped the picture quickly.  Brüder Brunner, the High Priest Group leader kept nodding his head.  Brüder Denng, in the Bishopric just stared at me.  But you could see in his eyes that he felt the spirit, because I felt the spirit as I spoke.  I knew that they were not my words, but the words the Lord would have me say. I asked for a possible list of people who knew them. I mentioned Samaia, the 18 year old, and reminded them, that she is the perfect example of how successful we will be if we just go through the motions.

Elder Storrer spoke up and said, “Our goal is to have success.”

Elisha Grünnaur, the other counselor, suggested exactly what we were fishing for—a home teaching and visiting teaching list.   While Brüder Dengg  commented, “Do they even have home and visiting teachers.

Brüder Fegg, the Elder’s quorum president agreed to create a list.  Now we have to get the RS to produce one, and they were not represented that evening.

In the past we have always had to wait, and I am sure this is no different.  So we will continue to formulate our plan and move ahead in a different direction for a second confirmation.

But as we have studied the scriptures, and been preparing and planning.  We have talked a lot about needs and talking to our Heavenly Father about it.  We have also talked about praying to understand how they feel.  Elder Storrer and I had a disagreement the night before.  I feel that without the language, I am always walking around the parameters.  And I like a little independence but more than that I feel that I have to constantly fight for my individualism.  This is not the first time in our marriage that this problem has arisen, so I will not let it go as far as it had before.  Well Norm went to the Lord and asked if he could feel how I feel.  He was shocked and frightened to find that it leaves me with a very empty feeling.  I thought about that as I took my shower and realized that yes it does leave me empty, because when I feel that my individuality is being tugged from me, I do feel empty.  I feel that I am not me.   But it was a very interesting experience because this came out of it.

When the Savior was in the Garden of Gethsemane did He ask the Father to let him feel how the sinner feels.  We know that Joseph Smith had to study and constantly ask.  Is that how the Savior, who had been sin free learn the last great lesson He had to learn? Before he paid for the sins of the world.

Just something to ponder.