AUGUST 30, 2009 SUNDAY

This morning it was nice and cool, but clear and sunny, as we walked to Church. We had our normal correlation meeting at 8:00 and then, this being the fifth Sunday, Relief Society and the Melchizedek Priesthood met together to be instructed by the bishopric. Bishop Schwendener spent most of the time teaching about both the home and the temple are sacred places and talked about their relationship one with the other. At the end Brother Weidmann took some time to take us through an exercise that one of the conference speakers did in his talk. First he turned on some soft inspirational music, had us close our eyes and then had each of us take a virtual tour through our home, looking to see if we had Christ centered pictures, etc. on our walls and all the other things that help us to learn, grow, develop faith, study and improve our lives as well as our relationship with our family. It’s a good thing to do once in awhile, but in reality, instead of just in our minds. We should walk through our homes checking out our videos, CD’s, books, video games and see where our focus is and if it’s where it ought to be.

Next was Sunday School and then Sacrament Meeting. We were hoping that Tony Dkere would come today, but he didn’t. We brought the English BM for him, but we’ll have to take it to his home the next time we go. However, we were thrilled to see Cornelia, Priscilla, Agnes (Elders Harris & Nilsson’s investigator), Dora Wachter and Gabriella Rodriguez and her two little kids come. Gabriella has been absent the last two Sundays and Dora hasn’t been for a long time. Therese Sigrist-Gerber came today too. We met her way last October and have been looking for her to come to Church ever since. Her husband is anti and she asked us not to come visit her again because it just caused trouble for her in her home. She said she would come when she could and today she did. We do our best to greet as many people as we can before the meetings start, in between meetings and after Sacrament meeting. Diana is always on the lookout for Brigitte and makes sure she gives her a hug. It’s good to see the ones we’re working with being greeted by members and they seem genuinely happy to be at Church and also to see us. We don’t need to worry to much about Neide and Charlotte because they have strong testimonies and have fully embraced membership in the one and only true and complete Church. Pres. Matern also came for Sacrament Meeting.

When we could, we went home and made a lemon cake for the music talent activity this afternoon at 3:30. Every other month our ward had this activity and encourages members to come and perform their talents. It is rather informal and like a group of friends getting together to have a light social. George Wimalasuriya is our main attraction who plays requests on the piano without any sheet music to look at, similar to what Paul Thomas, from our old White City ward, was able to do . In between others also performed, i.e. Elder Nilsson (singing), Brigitte (flute), Neide (singing), and Rosa (singing). The last part of the afternoon we sang songs out of a little book, some were German, at least one was Swiss German, but most this time were English, like “Coming Around the Mountain,” “Yellow Submarines,” and others. We sang a couple of Spanish songs too. After, we had our normal goodies and then went home.

It wasn’t long before we had to leave for our dinner appointment with Charlotte. She invited Elders Harris & Nilsson and Hitsch Bolt who was home alone because Kathi was in Klosters tending kids. Charlotte cooked us a wonderful meal of scalloped potatoes, cordon bleu, bacon wrapped green beans, a yummy green salad and a hot berry sauce over ice cream for dessert. We had a good couple of hours together before the Elders had to leave at 9:00 and we left at the same time. We decided for our P-day trip tomorrow we would go to the Matterhorn. Last time we tried to go there it was raining and foggy when we got to Zermatt, and so we couldn’t take the gondola up the mountain to see the Matterhorn. This time it should be good weather.

The tender mercy for today was the closeness of the small group that was at the talent/music activity. First of all Hildegunde Schroeder is the one who organizes it and she’s not been very active. We’ve been working with her and she’s come to Church the last three or four Sundays in a row. She seems to really enjoy these music activities. Next, Brigitte performed and she did really well, probably the best of everyone who performed. Those present expressed their appreciation by clapping enthusiastically which made Brigitte beam. She also accepted the rest of the lemon cake we took and made it so we didn’t have to take it home.

One other tender mercy was that Cornelia received a calling today. She was so excited that she just had to show us her visiting teaching slip she had received. It really is true that each member needs a calling. This is the first calling she has ever had and it was so good to see her so excited .