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E. Walters, Mary, Angela; Neide, Mary, Bea Rothmund; E. Diaz and Mary.

JULY 4, 2010 SUNDAY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Okay, so we’re back to our regular routine, almost. I went in early this morning to get our report typed up and to unlock the door for Michael when he arrived an hour later. It was raining this morning which was a good thing. It’s been dry and especially hot the last couple of weeks. The rain gave the farmer’s crops a much needed drink of water and it cooled things down somewhat. Diana was especially glad for that. Michel arrived at 8:00 and we had our usual chat before he got to work getting the sacrament table set up for our fast and testimony meeting. Not long after members started to arrive. It seemed like forever since we saw them last, but we only missed one week when we went to Schwamendingen for the Matern’s farewell. It was good to see them and the friendly chatter, handshakes and Swiss greetings made it a sweet experience. Pres. Flammia asked me to pass the sacrament so I went up front and Diana sat with Michaela. Most of the active members were there as well as Martin Hedinger who is less active. A couple who had been participating in the yodel fest came even though dressed in their colorful uniforms. They were asked to say the opening and closing prayers.

The meeting got started and after the sacrament had been administered, Pres. Flammia started he testimony phase by bearing a long (was it a talk?) testimony after which he turned the remaining time over to the congregation. There were a couple of small lulls and during one of them Diana bore her testimony and during the other one, I did the same. The many testimonies were borne with deep feeling and faith and the Spirit was in the meeting in abundance.

After the meeting was over many things happened. Sister Bolli got with us and made sure we knew where everything was to be able to clean the chapel while she is on vacation for three weeks. I set up an appointment with Martin Hedinger and Michael Hartig to do our home teaching. Diana set up an appointment with Silvia Gardedieu and Michael to home teach her. Dorothea invited us to lunch and we think Paul Hunziker and Michaela Zaunigt will be there, too, but we’re not certain of that. Sister Flammia asked us if we would teach Primary next Sunday because our stake president, Hitch Bolt, will be here and the primary teachers wanted to hear what he was going to teach them. We agreed to change places with them. And then Sunday school started.

Yvonny Grimske was the instructor and she did a fabulous job. The lesson was #25 in the Old Testament lesson book concerning the Book of Psalms. After the class was over we were introduced to a woman who had come to class late and so we weren’t able to greet her before hand. Her name was Fatma Altunoez and she had been taught by the missionaries several years ago. She was the nicest person we have met in a long time and she asked us if we’d come and teach her and her family. She said her husband doesn’t believe in God and her three children (12, 9 and 7) have kind of followed his example. She said she wants something better for them. She said her husband had seen us a few times in Neuhausen and had recognized us and mentioned it to her. We made an appointment with Fatma for next Thursday at 4:00 when the whole family should be home. Before she left she wrote down the names of many of the members. We hope that means she plans on becoming a permanent member of our branch. After the meetings were over, we went home and rested for awhile.

We caught the 2:51 bus to get to the bahnhof in time to board the 3:14 train for Oerlikon. We didn’t take our umbrella because it looked like it was clearing as the forecast said it would, but when we got there, it was literally pouring. Fortunately we had to wait for our bus to come to take us to Saatlenstrasse and the rain slowed down a lot by the time it arrived. We used newspaper to cover our heads while getting on the bus and later when we walked from Saatlenstrasse to Charlotte’s home. We didn’t know what to expect at Charlotte’s because she’d had a rather heated exchange with another member during Mary’s baptismal service Saturday afternoon. Charlotte called us last night sobbing and said she’d had problems with this member before and couldn’t take it anymore and wanted to either leave the Church or move into another ward so she wouldn’t have to see the member anymore. However, when we arrived and asked her how she was feeling, she said she’d had a talk with the bishop and, even though she still had to work at forgiving the other person, she could and would work through it. We still talked through some of the things we’d prepared for her and, we hoped we did some good as well. When it was time, we went over to the stake center to attend our new mission president’s fireside.

Again it was good to see the members we saw yesterday and others we worked and worshiped with before our transfer. The meeting started with President Condi playing the organ and Sister Condi leading the opening song. That made a good impression on the members. Sister Condi spoke first and gave a great talk in very good German, and basically introduced themselves and gave a little background so the members could get to know them a little. She also talked about missionary work and how important it was for the members to be involved. Sister Condi then played a piano solo for the interlude between speakers. Pres. Condi, during his opening remarks, expressed his surprise and pleasure that so many members had come to hear them. It showed him how enthused the Swiss members were about missionary work. He talked a lot about the transition and organizing of the new mission and that there may not be as many missionaries in their wards as they were used to. For example, in Schwamendingen they’ve had four regular missionaries and one senior couple for a total of six. Now the ward has only one companionship. He called on members to pick up the slack. He mentioned that for every 10,000 pass-along cards that are handed out, one baptism is achieved. It seemed the members were pleased with what they had heard and so were we.

We brought the book of remembrance for Mary hoping she would be at the fireside. She wasn’t there at first, but she came a little late. After the meeting it seemed we were swarmed with members wanting to say hello and talk, but we finally caught Mary’s eye and she came over to say hello. When we gave her the book, she was totally surprised, but very excited and happy to get it. After we talked for a bit she went off to show it to other people including the missionaries and the Neidharts.

We didn’t watch the clock too close and, you guessed it, we had to run for our bus, but watched it drive away before we got there. We waited for the next bus hoping it would get us to the bahnhof in time, but again, we just missed the train. Rather than stand around for an hour for the next train, we got on the next one to Winterthur. We got off there and were lucky enough to not have to wait long for one to take us to Schaffhausen. All in all, except for a little inconvenience, we didn’t get home much later than we would have, had we caught the train we wanted. I typed Saturday’s journal and just didn’t have it in me to do Sunday’s. too, so it’ll have to wait until Monday. It’s so hard to catch up when you fall behind.

The tender mercy today is that Charlotte is feeling more like her old self today and that Mary was excited and pleased with her remembrance book.