July 19, 2012 Our One Year Mission Anniversary!

It was one year ago today that we left for our mission to Frankfurt, Germany. I will never forget that day as I never went to sleep that night. I had spend the day playing with our grandchildren, and I spent the night packing, cleaning, and getting ready to leave.

Two blessings happened on our way over to Germany. First, when I got off the plane, I noticed that I no longer had the dizziness that had been troubling me for months since our last cruise. Secondly, I was blessed to not feel the deep sadness I had been experiencing about leaving our grandchildren. These were small tender mercies that helped me to be ready to serve in Germany.

 It has been a long year but also a year rich in spiritual experiences and feelings of deep gratitude for the spectacular world in which we live. We have never before traveled and seen so many wonders of the world.

 We have met dear new friends from around the world whose friendships we will treasure forever. We are so grateful to be here and to have this mission experience. We are also grateful to our family for their support.

It’s amazing that this very week, Monika Lippert invited Bob to baptize her. What a heartfelt experience. On Saturday we arrived at the Offenbach Chapel at 4:00 for Monika Lippert's baptism. We have been bringing her to church for several months and have become good friends with her. Monika was so excited about learning about the gospel that she invited another couple, Dragica and Redjo Dolovac, to join her in hearing the missionary discussions. They too were baptized on Saturday along with another man, Christian Brody, into the Offenbach  Branch. It was such a special day to have four people baptized. The Offenbach Branch is very small, maybe 50 members, so you can imagine the turn out and the joy that these baptisms brought. 

What made these baptism so special is that Monika and her friends are all in wheel chairs. Brother Dolovac had one leg amputated up to his thigh, and recently his other foot, due to complications with Diabetes. He had to wear a protective boot to keep his leg dry during the baptism. Sister Dolovac had recently suffered a stroke and is partially paralyzed on one side. Monica is in a wheel chair, as she fell and shattered bones in her leg. So during the baptism, I was back on the stairs helping these sisters get in and out of the font. Just watching the courage of these dear people as they struggled to get in and out was touching. Bob baptized Monika first, and then he stayed in the font with two other Priesthood holders to help baptize the others. Two had to be baptized twice as a hand or toe would pop up. So Bob had quite the experience in the font. 

But what joy shone on their faces as they came out of the water. I helped Monika get changed in her wheelchair, and then we came back into the chapel. Three wheel chairs lined up in the front of the chapel, and one handsome man with dark hair-- all washed clean and so happy. Each were warmly welcomed with kisses on both cheeks by members of the Branch. It was so tender and sweet. Then we went into the cultural hall where the tables were covered with colorful cloths with plates of cookies, doughnuts, and chips. Two other tables offered finger foods and drinks brought by the members. A fresh bouquet of flowers graced the podium in the chapel. Needless to say, this little branch warmly welcomed in these four new members.

The next morning we picked up Monika to bring her back to the Offenbach Branch to receive their confirmations. Again the three wheelchairs parked up front. Bob stood in the circle for Monika. Again tears flowed at this joyous ordinance and seeing their beautiful and grateful faces. And oh, how these German Saints can sing. Every time a hymn rang out in German (and I still cannot understand the language). I started to cry and couldn't stop. So I cried all through Sacrament Meeting and then all through Relief Society. I had been asked to give the closing prayer in Relief Society, and I cried through that too. The spirit was so great, I just couldn't stop crying! Monika handed me a cough drop and asked if I had a cold. I said, "No. I just have the Spirit."