Robert & Bea Bolli with Andreas Wigger in foreground; Lea & Mom Susanne Flammia; Karl & Jecelyn Hoenle with Sister Larson in the background.

MARCH 7, 2010 SUNDAY

We got ready for Church this morning and it took a little longer because we had to mix icing for the brownies and then pack them up as well as the cookies and banana bread. The icing we put in a plastic bag and took it with us to the Church and iced the brownies there.

It’s always a happy time when members arrive for Church. Everyone comes smiling, they hug one another and shake hands. A former branch president and his wife visited today and everyone was thrilled to see them. Our piano player, Dorothea, was out of town and the former branch president played the organ for us. It was good to hear and sing with an organ again. It takes about half of the members to bear their testimonies to use the time allotted and today Diana bore hers. The members are always appreciative and surprised that Diana can and does bear her testimony in German and can express herself very well. When I do it, it doesn’t get the same reaction. Why? Brother Hartig bore his testimony and his main point was that we all make mistakes. He used me as an example. Last Sunday I made arrangements to meet him at the Waldhut Bahnhof where he would pick us up and go to a sister’s home to do his home teaching. Later in the week I discovered I had forgotten to write down our weekly appointment with Emely DiPaolo which was at the same time. I called the DiPaolos to see if we could change it, but they couldn’t so I had to call Bro. Hartig and reschedule his. His point was that even Bro. Larson, a missionary, could make a mistake. Was I offended? Not in the least. First, because it was true and, second, if I could be an example to the rest of those present of how not to get offended at what someone else says, then I was glad to be it.

I should have thought of it myself, but it took a note from Pres. Flammia to make me aware that Godwin, and English speaking Nigerian member came in and was sitting in the back. He wanted me to go back and translate for him. It’s much easier for me to translate from English to German than it is from German to English, but I did my best for him. Diana and I sat by him during Sunday School and continued to translate for him. I had read the lesson and even when I didn’t quite catch the meaning of all that was said, I was able to express the main points of the lesson to him. Diana helped quite a bit, too, and with the both of us, he got the complete lesson.

We were disappointed again that Katia, Kathleen and Emely DiPaolo didn’t come today even though they said they would. How can she be baptized if they don’t attend Church? We’ll meet with them again on Friday and continue to work with them. Paul Hunziker told us a few days ago he wouldn’t be able to come because his sister was visiting him. Jasmine Hunziker and her kids didn’t come either and neither did Charlotte Kunz, Martin Hedinger or Kofi Safo-Adu. We hope next week will be better.

After the meetings were over the reception for Jecelyn and Karl Hoenle began. They got married a year ago, but she had to stay in the Philippines for an additional six months before she was able to get a visa to come to Germany where they live. Suddenly she came and the branch didn’t have an opportunity to formally welcome nor celebrate their wedding. They made up for it today on their one year anniversary. There was a lot of good things to eat in addition to what we brought and everyone had a good time. Robert Bolli, who is an inactive member, came and seemed to have a good time. Robert and Bea’s oldest son, Lukas, turned 21 today and we should have brought his little gift to Church with us, but we wanted to wait until after so we could go to their home and visit with Robert again. If we would have known he would be at Church today, we would have brought it. After Church they were going to visit their grandparents so we told Lukas we’d bring it for him next Sunday. We had fun playing around with the kids while we ate our share of the goodies although Diana ate only the fruit kabobs and veggies. When we went home, it was still bitter cold even though the sun was shining brightly.

This afternoon we called Jasmine who said she and her son, David, had the flu and that’s why they didn’t come. Kofi said he was driving his wife to the airport to begin her two or three week vacation. Martin didn’t answer his phone, as usual, so we left a message letting him know we missed him today. Later this afternoon we watched the DVD The Other Side of Heaven and two short ones, The Bridge and A Pioneer Miracle. Later on we worked on our lesson plan for the Relief Society meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 17. The lesson will be on visiting teaching and how to invite the Spirit into the home while teaching. I read another chapter from the biography or President Spencer W. Kimball while Diana was on the computer and then we traded places; I wrote this journal entry and scripture/language study for Diana.

Before we got a chance to post this entry we got a call from Charlotte, our friend from Schwamendingen. She said that Agness bore her testimony today even though she’s not a member yet. She began her testimony by saying she wasn’t a member yet, but soon would be. Her friends keep telling her she’s crazy, but she said she knows the Church is true and the right one for her. She wants to wait for her next birthday in October, but Charlotte told her that we would so dearly like to be here when she gets baptized and to consider moving it up so we can be. Madeleine called us and told us she bore her testimony for the first time, too. I talked to her for a few minutes and then Diana, who understands her better than me, had a good conversation with her. We also got a call from Pres. Matern to tell us he would be coming alone on the 19th for our interview because Sister Matern fell down and broke her leg. She’s in the hospital right now and needs to have a plate inserted to give it enough support to heal. He is still going to stay for dinner, but we only need to plan for him.

Charlotte also related her concerns when she was first called to serve a mission in the mission home. She felt inadequate having no training in secretarial work and not knowing any English. She questioned Pres. Bolt if he really felt inspired to call her to this position or was it just his personal wish. She said he came to tears when she asked the question and said he felt inspired to give her this calling. Charlotte struggled for the first month and a half with feelings of inadequacy and was just overwhelmed with the learning curve that was necessary. But when the decision was made by the First Presidency to consolidate missions and dissolve the Zurich Swiss Mission, she became a valuable asset for Pres. Matern to begin the task of inventorying everything, sorting what to keep and what to dispose of and doing many other things that she was suited for. Now, with Sister Matern being unable to do the cooking and other household duties required of a mission president’s wife, she has been asked to fill in there as well. She feels she now understands and feels her calling was inspired and came from the Lord who knows everything and called her because of the changes that were coming.

The last call we got tonight was at 10:30 p.m. and it was from our district leader, Elder Tavake. We got one earlier from him to talk about our progressing investigators and to give us our district meeting assignments. The last call was to inform us that this meeting would be in Singen, Germany, where Elders Tavake & Bushnell serve, instead of at our apartment. The reason for the change was that Elder Bentley somehow had his backpack stolen which had his passport and other things in it. They are stationed in Germany as well and can’t cross the border into Switzerland to come here.

Some of the tender mercies we thought of today include Agness having finally expressed her desire to be baptized and knows the Church is true, that Charlotte discovered callings really do come from the Lord and that Sylvain was sober today and bore his testimony. Also the Hoenle’s related that their meeting with Hannah Ryter went well and that Hannah told them she still knows the Church is true and that someday she would come back.