Dear Family,
This past week, after returning from Belgium and Netherlands, we have been working out all the details for the training and auditing trips we need to attend. Plus, we are so looking forward to the many visits that we are hoping to have--especially in the month of March. We are going to make this all work out, I hope, so we can do our jobs efficiently, but still spend what time we can with you! You don't know how much we are looking forward to seeing family again!
On Saturday, we took about an hour and a half drive out to Sinsheim, Germany, where we went to the Auto and Technik Museum, which has over 3,000 exhibits--including a fantastic display of cars, trains, motorcycles, tractors, planes, etc., many from years when we were children!
Those really brought many memories! I have heard Dad tell many times of the little one seat car they had (I don't know models or car types at all! Sorry) which just had a standing room only behind the drivers' seat. We heard about how many times we threw up on our poor parents because of the winding roads coming down from Moscow, Idaho, to Rexburg where we would stay the summer. I saw a car just like that! Also, I saw one like I remember our parents setting us three girls on the hood and taking our picture.
Beverly, Me, and Joyce (running away! Hah! She said it was too to sit on the car!)
I told George we need to start taking more pictures of cars so that in years to come, we can look back at the many memories we had with those cars.
We, also, got to go inside the two supersonic passenger air crafts, the Russian Tupolev and the Air France Concorde. They were positioned pointing at such a direct angle, it was really difficult to climb in them because there was very little to hang on to. If you would have fallen, you would have rolled clear to the bottom of the plane! Hah!
There were many war vehicles and it was amazing how they had set it all up. There was clothing through the time period and some really huge music boxes--I believe the largest old music box in the world was the one we saw. It was so fun! The one item we saw that was absolutely fascinating to see was Hitler's restored car from 1938. It was equipped with an armored floor as protection against mines, thick bullet proof glass with armor plates in the doors, but there was no possibility to protect the hood, so Hitler was only "secure below the belt," as the sign said. The Germans certainly don't ever glorify Hitler, but he was definitely a part of their history--which is so sad.
I told George we need to start taking more pictures of cars so that in years to come, we can look back at the many memories we had with those cars.
We, also, got to go inside the two supersonic passenger air crafts, the Russian Tupolev and the Air France Concorde. They were positioned pointing at such a direct angle, it was really difficult to climb in them because there was very little to hang on to. If you would have fallen, you would have rolled clear to the bottom of the plane! Hah!
There were many war vehicles and it was amazing how they had set it all up. There was clothing through the time period and some really huge music boxes--I believe the largest old music box in the world was the one we saw. It was so fun! The one item we saw that was absolutely fascinating to see was Hitler's restored car from 1938. It was equipped with an armored floor as protection against mines, thick bullet proof glass with armor plates in the doors, but there was no possibility to protect the hood, so Hitler was only "secure below the belt," as the sign said. The Germans certainly don't ever glorify Hitler, but he was definitely a part of their history--which is so sad.
Sunday, we went to church and had fast and testimony meeting. With such a huge ward, there is never any down time--so many testimonies from people all over sharing their testimonies. In the second hour, I covered for one of the sisters by helping with the five-year-old class. I haven't been in primary for so many years, it was actually sort of fun to see how they are working the 40 minute opening exercises and singing, then 20 minute class. I thought 20 minute class would be a breeze since I didn't have to teach the lesson, but it ended up that I was out in the hall with a very "troubled" little 5-year-old that had every excuse in the world why he wasn't going into class. He was "scared," wanted me to "bring the coloring paper out in the hall to him," (which I certainly refused to do--I told him he would have to join the group), "he didn't like the new classroom and wanted to go back to the old one," "he said there were three kids in there (so many were gone because I understand there are usually eight) and he would only go in if there were two!" Anyway, I just about had him talked into going in with me sitting beside him because I was a "grandma," when they started saying closing prayer. He was so mad that the first little boy that came out with his coloring page, he whacked him, then when I told him he couldn't do that, he hit him again. When I put my arm out for him not to do it again, he jumped over my arm with all four arms and legs in attack mode, I caught him in mid-air, just as his dad was coming down the hall asking, "Is there a problem here?" I explained what had happened and he picked him up and took him with him. Wow! I don't think they will be asking me to substitute again! (I can only hope! I'm not quite used to little ones doing that--I usually had to jump in between 6-foot or taller teenagers shouting every obscenity in the book to get them to stop before they were kicked out of school! Well, enough of that--anyway, very interesting day!
That evening, we had our Friedrichsdorf Fast Sunday dinner at our home. We have set it up so that the one who has it at their home just brings something simple (I had the drinks!), and we rotate between the two of us that have the bigger apartments. You will die when you see ours and realize it is one of the biggest! Hah! Anyway, then we have our Sunday discussion out of the "Come Follow Me," Pamphlet. We are all loving this--so many great thoughts of inspiration from everyone. There are five couples who live out here in Friedrichsdorf--just a perfect size for great friendships and great discussions.
Today (Monday), we had our department "Goal Setting" Meeting at the Friedrichsdorf Chapel--right next to the temple. It is a beautiful chapel that was built in place of the old church after they started trying to repair the foundation of the temple. They have been using it for about two years--and the temple still isn't finished. I really am so sad that it won't be available while we are here. I really wonder if it will be done by fall. It is seriously 3-5 minutes from our apartment! Anyway, it was about "Goal Setting," and I did a PowerPoint Presentation plus some activities with all the analysts in our department. They are such a great group, and I really enjoyed doing it! They always make you feel so good! They wanted a copy of my presentation--so they must have gotten a little out of it!
On Wednesday of this coming week, February 6th, it will be Anne's birthday! Seriously, we love our Anne and how much she makes us all smile! Not only is she such a great wife, mother, and hard worker in the gospel, what would all the basketball, soccer, and other sports events be like without Anne giving great narratives and teaching the refs how to do their jobs?! Hah! We surely admire her strong work ethics and her ability to accomplish so much in a day! Love you and wish you a great birthday, Anne!
We surely send our love and thanks! There is no way a Senior Couple could do this without feeling good about leaving--that everything will be handled well at home, and we just never worry about that. You all are wonderful!
Love, Gma Laura
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