Easter Eve Bells

Here's what happens for 30 minutes in downtown Frankfurt on Christmas Eve, 1st Advent Saturday, the day before Pentecost and Easter Eve.

Watch a little video

here

La Roche-en-Ardenne with Butlers

Artsy picture from La Roche, Belgium.

Ann and Ron Butler met us in this beautiful, forested town. It had everything I wanted - scenery, fresh air, no crowds. We all liked being together, eating (of course), sight-seeing, and getting in trouble for laughing too loud at our B&B. The only disappointment was that opening day for fishing started while we were there and  Ron didn't bring his gear.

La Roche was hit hard during the war and the people still appreciate 

the American troops who liberated them.

The Battle of the Bulge occurred in Bastogne.

Very moving museums...

 We tromped around La Roche medieval castle

Belgium is even less interested in privacy than Germany. 

Look closely and you can see that their male and female restroom stalls are right next to each other.

Oh and Burg Eltz on the Moselle River was on our way. 

The 33rd generation of the original family from the 12th century is still living there.

Easter and General Conference weekend

Look what I saw on my run this morning!

It was nice to watch a session with other saints but most we watched at home from our sofa. 

No sticky buns this year however. 

Then Sister Purdy and we fed some of the missionaries and two friends.
Elder Diederich is being transferred Wednesday so it was great to wish him auf wiedersehen. They enjoyed our Loaded Questions game.

 Homemade tortillas by Sister Megli and Elder King

Pretty happy group

Monday was a holiday so we visited Jill and James Kennedy,

who just moved here from SLC. They're living in a beautiful town, Sankt Wendel, about 2 hours from here. They've only been here a week and have already accomplished much!

We ate at this cool keller. Best food I've ever eaten in a cave.

 

 This is the apartment they hope to move into. Wouldn't you love to walk out your front door onto cobblestones and hear church bells outside your window!

Nick's post about their Easter. Fun to think of them together at Blackmers'!

Das tägliche Leben (Day to day living)

Are we always eating, you wonder?  Probably.

Our wonderful German/Serbian neighbors came for enchiladas.

Feils are Public Affairs missionaries. Aaron Ruble is an amazing ward member, just arrived from government work in Mali and Afghanistan. 

His family will arrive soon.

Janice Purdy and I prepared dinner for a stake YW/YM event. 

Youth are fun and lively all over the world.

The amazing Francois family invited us for dinner and FHE.

They all speak French, Russian, German and English - wow!

Cheri and John sent us a very generous and welcome care package. I forgot how much I miss Fritos!

Here are some of the sisters who come to Conference Talks Study Group.

I love Tuesdays when we discuss and share our thoughts and testimonies of Jesus Christ.

Our first visit to a hospital. A ward member and senior missionary were patients there. Rand helped diagnose Elder Moyes' pain -
hooray for the Area Medical Adviser!

When the weather's bad (often), we walk 13 flights of stairs for exercise. 

Rand also joined a local gym. Fitness First is a great facility except for the coed sauna and 

women janitors in the men's dressing room. That's Europe for you.

While we're on complaints, graffiti is rampant in Germany. Interesting how we haven't noticed 

as much in Holland or Belgium.

We observed a Turkish wedding celebration right outside our apartment.

Rand and I went to Ghost at the English Theater,

thanks to a gift from brother Tom and Shirl. Thank you!

A few of us got together to watch the General Relief Society Meeting at the office.  

Finally, watch this for a powerful

Easter message

Della Cortes, Julich and environs

Karen, Adrian and Dennis Della Corte live in Julich near a beautiful forest.  Dennis was in our U of U student ward and met Karen in an institute class, partly thanks to Maggie's invitation. They also lived in Grandma and Grandpa Ryser's basement for a summer before moving to Germany, where Dennis is from. Karen has earned a college degree while learning German and Dennis is studying for his doctorate while working. Remarkable family!

We're standing on the corner of Germany, Holland and Belgium.

(see 3 flags)

Aachen cathedral - massive, ornate and I promise I won't post every church we visit.

French Bulldog (like it, Nick?) near a clever Aachen fountain.

Giant spiders on wall

Dennis told us to drop by one of Karen's favorite villages - Monschau. It is in a lovely grotto, with narrow streets and half-timbered houses, many of which haven't changed for 300 years and some are cantilevered over the river. What a treasure!