RANDOM SAMPLER

Liam practicing his Beethoven . . .

. . .and Sara serenading me with my VERY favorite Chopin nocturne.

The Reinach Branch Primary preparing for their sacrament meeting presentation. We weren't there the next week to see the performance. I'm sad.

Paper mosaics made in sharing time by the Burgdorf Ward Primary.

Fabulous.

Mike preparing Family Home Evening supper.

We asked him if he was cooking Chinese. He thought for a moment, and said "Well, not really, but I'm Chinese and I'm cooking, so . . .!"

It was a potato and hot green pepper soup and it was delicious.

Some old and some new faces in the district. . .

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Waiting for stake conference to begin. . .

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EXPRESSING GRATITUDE

Once again we gather with those we love to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for the blessings and bounties of the past year.

In the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

from President George Washington

he stated "It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly implore his protection and favor. . .and to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue. . ."

We missionaries do acknowledge our dependence on God in every missionary lesson and activity. We gathered on Friday, due to Thursday meetings scheduled by Swiss, who for some reason do not feel it necessary to celebrate an American holiday. Can you imagine?!

Here you see us in preparation and partaking.

Peeling potatoes . . .

. . .chopping cranberries (We discovered you can make yummy cranbery sauce from dried, chopped cranberries by simply simmering them in water for an hour. No sugar needed.) . . .

. . .taking a Thanksgiving history quiz . . .

(they all did quite well, even Sister Frederiksen from Denmark!). . .

. . . setting it up (Thanks for the napkins, Jo Ann!). . .

. . . joking around before prayer . . .


. . . and then partaking.

Yummm!

Elder Jensen, our fine (really!) district leader, brought the festivities to a serious appreciation of our blessings by having us each tell what we are thankful for in our companions, our mission, and for our blessings in general.

It anchored the evening and helped us reflect on the best of being missionaries.

HIGHLIGHT ABEND --- ISRAEL

Once a semester the Institute has a "highlight abend (evening)."

This was a great one with Brother Lazzara's presentation on Cumran, the place the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, and Brother Weidmann's discussion with pictures of the land of Israel.

The evening was outstanding, with 36 Young Single Adults attending--the most we have seen in the center at one time. We are so disappointed not to have taken photos of them in class. Me and my concentration on food! But the tasting table of Middle Eastern types of foods was good, too. We had oranges with pomegranate seeds, honey almond cookies, crackers with goat cheese, olives, fresh dates (yummy), figs, sugared roasted almonds, and lemon bread. All served on fig leaves of course! ;)

Brother Weidmann and students

Some of the students discussing the presentations . . .. . . and having fun after!

We have a great center, with three game tables, a very comfortable lounge area, classrooms, and joint access to a large kitchen. We try to make it warm and welcoming, but the real work is done by the young single adults, when they bring their friends and enjoy being together. One of the two non-members in institute class is receiving missionary discussions.

The classes this year are studying the New Testament and the book Jesus The Christ by James E. Talmage. The sister missionaries attend the classes to become friends with the YSAs and are are teaching English conversation classes that are being attended by non-member students from the university. While the students are there to speak English, they also know our purpose is to teach the gospel, and the sisters, responding to their questions, are able to teach principles of the gospel and show church films.

We have visited every ward in the stake several times, to encourage member participation in reactivation and missionary work among young single adults. It is rewarding to become aquainted with these wonderful members and enthusiasm is building, especially with the encouragement of the stake presidency and bishoprics.

This is such a great way to serve a mission!

FAREWELL, FRIENDS!

We said goodby to three of our missionaries last week! We become so attached to them, it's hard to let them go! Here is our official district portrait before saying goodby. . . . .and here we are at our farewell lunch of sloppy joes, salads, chips, and banana splits. We will miss Sister Walker, Elder Trogden, and Elder Zickler! Your new areas will love you all!

THE AUTUMN IN OUR SWISS LIFE

We continue to be stunned by the beauty of the Lord's creations. He planned for us to have a joyous life experience along with all the challenges, and the waning summer, beautiful to behold, is one of those joyous experiences.

Today's post is a simple photo gallery of autumn scenes.

Our mailman

Winter wheat, newly born.

The mall parking lot for dogs!

Tucking the garden in for the winter night.

Goodby Autumn!

CALLED TO SERVE -- ZONE CONFERENCE

We gathered this week for a tri-zone conference. Some called it a mission conference. Anyway, it was wonderful, and we were motivated and invigorated by the teaching of President Matern and Area Authority Elder Kearon and his wife.

Missionaries arriving at the chapel in Zurich. As for us, we took a dry run with our GPS last week so we would know exactly where we were going in that busy city.

Gathering in the chapel.

Just happy to be here!

Look, Marci! We found him!

Our grandson is serving in Ukraine, and Elder Nilsson is one of his very best friends. I'm sorry, president, but I just had to give him a quick hug!

In the meeting, he and his companion, Elder Flitton, told a great member missionary story. They received a late night phone call from Canada, telling them a non-member cousin was in the hospital. Would they go visit her and give her a blessing? They did, and told her who sent them. Her daughter and children came in and because they respected their cousin, are allowing the missionaries to teach them. The missionaries had prayed not only to find people to teach, but that people would find them. It happened.

Elder Stenquist and Elder King related another member-missionary story. They met a man on the street who came up to them and called them "brothers". They had a brief word, then he was gone without their getting his name or number. A week or two went by and they really wanted to find him, and prayed that they would. Then they found him in the bahnhof (train station), and now are teaching him. He had been in touch with a member woman on the internet who told him to look up the elders. That is another great example of member missionary work and how Elder Ballard has encouraged us to use the internet.

Sister Matern prepared lunch for us . . .

. . . and President Matern helped us eat it!

Elder and Sister Kearon were such excellent teachers!

They had us in the palms of their hands every minute they were instructing us. Their messages of obedience and faith left us ready to conquer the world! Or at least spread the message in Switzerland!

Elder and Sister Larson arrived in Switzerland just a week ago, but they are already out teaching!

I can't help it! They are just so darn cute!

More great missionary faces.

The Lord's noble servants.

And we leave you with this.

Perfect.