Bob's Birthday and Dinners With Monika

All of the children called their dad on his birthday, and he was thrilled. He absolutely loved the We Love Grandpa book that Christian's family sent to him. He took it to work and showed off the darling pictures of all of his grandchildren.

We did a lot of entertaining this week. On Thursday evening, we took dinner over to Monika's apartment in Offenbach.We brought Tortillini and green beans.

Monika had a friend over, Lilo, whom she has been bringing to Church and is also having weekly discussions with the Sister Missionaries.

Lilo made us a beautiful cake, and Monika ordered Americana cookies as a surprise for us from the bakery.  They always spoil us when we come over.

Draga even came over. Monika got out her scriptures and started teaching. Wow! She's also started her own journal about her Church experience in a large binder.

Monika asked us to do the Temple work for her parents. We had a wonderful time with them and really felt the spirit.

On Friday evening, we had Bob's birthday dinner. I made lasagne, green beans, a delicious salad, and chocolate marzipan cake, served with ice cream. I took a picture of the apartment, but then forgot to take pictures of our friends. There were eleven of us.

 But I did get a picture of the birthday boy doing the dishes afterwards. What a sweetheart!

Saturday was one of the first days that we didn't go off to see a castle or have an adventure. We were waiting for a phone call from Swen and Gretel Swensen to pick them up from the airport, and their plane was delayed. So we didn't get to pick them up until the evening.


I did head off with Brother Dearing in the morning for our last adventure this year to the Frankfurt Flohmarkt. The Dearings will be heading back to Utah soon. The weather is turning cold and the leaves on the trees are changing colors and starting to fall off, so flohmarkt season is at its end.  It was a blustery day, but still lots of fun.

 

 I found another nesting doll set from Russia to add to my collection.

On Sunday we picked up Monika and brought her back with us to go to our ward in Frankfurt. She was so happy and excited to see her old friends. We enjoyed more tortillini and a green salad with fresh tomatoes and more birthday cake!

It was a great week!

Special Visitor to Frankfurt--Apostle Nelson

On Monday, September 14, Apostle Nelson and his beautiful wife spoke to us in the Frankfurt Stake Center. As he came in, we all stood up. He smiled and walked all around the chapel shaking everyone's hand. He was very sweet and humble. When he went up on the stand, the first thing he said was, “I stand all amazed. I am thankful for you and your service here. Bless your hearts. I love you all, each one.”

He talked about Doctrine and Covenants 31:5-7

5 Therefore thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.

6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.

7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;

Elder Nelson said he knew that it was hard for us as grandparents to be “away from your little people, but you will be blessed because of your faith in the Lord’s work.” He said our service here “will bless you and your family. Believe and know the truth. Rejoice, the hour of your mission has come. Declare glad tidings. Your family shall live.”

He talked a bit more about verse 6: “go from them only for a little time.” He said God will prepare a place for them. Our grandchildren’s brains receives truth when they are young. They are praying for their grandparents on their mission. The message we send is that, in our family we serve missions.”

Then he talked about Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-20:

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

Elder Nelson said that each of us are helping in our own way. He said that “the Church is just a bus we get on, a vehicle. It is the gospel that we administer, and it is in the ordinances that the power of god is manifest.” He told us to focus on the ordinances (baptisms, sacraments, confirmations, sealings, endowments —to make sure that people are getting those ordinances. He said, “What God cares about is how many are going to come back.” He sounds just like Dad Bradley, doesn’t he?

He concluded by saying the Lord will “bless you and your children. We are his disciples. I bless you that you will stay well and enjoy your opportunities while you serve here.”

We all left the meeting feeling loved, uplifted, and needed. We felt comforted that all is well at home with our families.

A Fun Week! Back to Steinau and the Brothers Grimm

We had a very enjoyable, yet busy week. Bob solved some tricky legal problems and yelled at his computer that wasn’t cooperating. I worked on a power point presentation about Monika Lippert’s conversion story. Bob took several trips to the airport this week, dropping friends off and picking them up. On Sunday, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with our dear friends, Karen and Jerry Dearing.  

Friday, after work, we spent a wonderful evening with Marsha and Don Livingstone. We went back to Steinau to see the town, the Grimm Brother's home, the old castle, and the mill. 

This is the Grimm family home where they lived when the father served as the magistrate. When he died, his wife, Dorothea, with six children, 12 and under, had to move into a house with three other families. Her lifestyle radically changed, and as she tried to support her family, she found that she could no longer afford to feed the two oldest sons, Jakob and Wilhelm. They were sent away to attend school in Kassel.

Eight dwarves?

This is the original road that ran next to the Grimm home. You can see the ruts caused by the carriages.

We walked over to the Old Castle that has now been converted into housing. This sculpture graces the walls of the entry gate.

ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS!
See how many fairy tales you can find engraved on this tower.

I was very excited to find the remains of the Old Mill where the Grimm Brothers once played. In doing research for my play, the brothers reminisced about their memories here. It looks like a kids' paradise.

We bade farewell to this lovely town that holds such dear feelings for me, as I "lived" here in my imagination for several months as I wrote A Grimm Tale.

We drove back again into the hills to one of our very favorite German restaurants--Brathaehnchen Farm--to enjoy their fabulous French Onion Soup. It was a lovely fall evening with the warmth of great friendship and delicious fare.