Esther Ryser, Denise Maurer, Ashley Maurer, Norma bachmann, Krista Aeberli, Cinthya Frioud, rita wichtermann, Isobella Daly; Diana Talking to Isobella and Emma Schmid with Fraser Daly's back to camera.

JULY 11, 2009 SATURDAY

This morning Elders Harris and Nilsson arrived at 9:00 to finish their report for their meeting this morning with Pres. Matern and Pres. Bolt. We were mistaken when we thought they were coming last night at 9:00; they meant 9:00 this morning. They finished and left for their meeting and I ran into Schwamendingen to buy some bread and fruit for our picnic at the ward outing today while Diana made sandwiches and got other stuff ready. I got back just in time to get Diana and go to the church to meet the rest of us who were going to ride to the park together. Norma was already there, Elders Harris and Nilsson finished their meeting and then Elders Pine and Jensen arrived with the van. We all piled in and away we went to Hoeriberg in Hoeri. There were already quite a few ward members there, the adults grilling wursts and weiners while the kids played in the playground and climbing trees. More members kept arriving throughout the afternoon until there were a goodly number, however, the Rodriguez family didn’t show up. We were pretty disappointed about that. But in spite of that, we had a good time and were able to socialize with the members and get to know them a little better.

We got home about 3:45 and decided to wait take a gift and card to our birthday girl, Sibylle Oberli, until just before Diana had to leave to go to Cinthya Frioud’s baby shower. Just a we started reading tomorrow’s lesson from the Joseph Smith Manual, Elder Harris called and asked us if we would like to team teach Priscilla with them again this evening at 5:00. We told them yes and that meant we had to hustle to get to Sister Oberli’s and then over to Oerlikon by 5:00. Sibylle wasn’t home, but her mother was. She didn’t come to the door, but stuck her head out of the window to talk to us. We let her know we left the gift in the mailbox and would she let Sibylle know. We walked back to Schwamendingen and caught bus #63 to Oerlikon. Elders Harris and Nilsson jumped on at the Saatlenstrasse bus stop and we all traveled together to Priscilla’s home.

Priscilla started the “no smoking program” last Wednesday and Diana has been calling her everyday to give her moral support and encouragement. Tonight we discussed how she was doing and she said she’s been a little dizzy, but she’s hanging in there. She hasn’t smoked or drank coffee since last Tuesday. The main lesson tonight was on the principle of tithing. This didn’t faze her at all because she said she’s already been paying tithing to the Catholic church to which she’s been going. She knows that paying tithing brings blessings because she’s experienced it in the past. At the end of the discussion Elder Nilsson asked her if she had picked out a date to be baptized. She hestitated a bit and wasn’t quite sure it was okay to select a date until after next Wednesday, the day her “no smoking” program would be complete. When Elder Nilsson assured her it was okay, she selected Sunday, July 19th. As we left Diana hugged her and Priscilla told her it seemed to her she’s known Diana her whole life. Diana has that effect on many people we’ve met over here.

We left there and hurried home to get the baby shower presents for Sister Frioud and then traveled to Dora Wachter’s home in Dubendorf where the shower was being held. I escorted Diana there and when we got off the bus we ran into Sister Aeberli who escorted Diana the rest of the way while I returned home. Sister Aeberli said she would drive Diana home so I wouldn’t have to worry about coming back to get her after the shower.

Soon after I got home Elders Harris and Nilsson arrived to create a baptism announcement and invitation on the computer for Priscilla to be handed out tomorrow at Church. It took them quite awhile, but finally they got it done and I was able to get back on the laptop to write our journal and complete our report for correlation meeting tomorrow. Diana got home at 10:00 and all is well. Diana said they played some fun games. They had to unroll enough toilet paper to go around Cinthya’s belly; Cyntha and Norma had to feed each other blind-folded; Cinthya had to guess who brought what present; guessing what kind of baby food it was after tasting it; and draw a baby while keeping the paper on their heads.

Video clip of aareschlucht (gorge)