Was Geht Ab? (what's up)

So what's going on in Frankfurt?

Discovering the unexpected is so fun in a new city.  We rode our bikes to the Goethe University and happened across  "The Body of Knowledge" sculpture by Spaniard Jaume Plensa.

It's the same sculpture that Nick enjoyed in Zaragoza, Spain on his mission. There it's called "El Alma del Ebro"   They called it "Letter Man". It represents cells of the human body which is over 60% water. The white letters and hollow structure "invite the viewer to look inside and reflect on the relationship between human beings and water." 

The September Blood Moon showed up here like everywhere else.

Harvest time.  People live in high rises so there are communal gardens (Schrebergärtens) all over Frankfurt.

Learn about Schrebergärtens here

Grape-growing has gone on at Lohrberg since the 9th century. Some of these grapes make Frankfurt apfelwein.

Here's the tombstone graveyard where they toss them after the 15 to 30 year expiration of "owning a grave".  If a family is unable or unavailable to renew the lease, the grave’s contents are removed and the grave site reverts to state ownership and may be reused.

Schultütes for sale.  When children set off for their first day in school upon entering first grade, their parents and/or grandparents present them with a big cardboard cone, prettily decorated and filled with toys, candies, school supplies, and various other goodies. That's one German tradition I may take with us to the US.

We love our ward.  Last night they put on an "International Evening" where members from thirteen countries put out displays of food, videos, crafts, costumes, games and more. Amazing and eye-opening about how we're having a once-in-a-lifetime experience here.  This is the Italian group - notice Silvia with the red, white and green fingernails.  (She and I do CSM work together.)

The senior missionaries know how to have fun too. We had a Book of Mormon Mystery night. The Greenwoods adapted it to modern times and five tables tried to solve the murder mystery.  These are the maids - pretty good for women who brought everything they own in two suitcases, eh? (Sisters Matheson, Saunders, Hanks, Riggs, Bausman)

The day after I returned from Nick's graduation, Rand presented a "Seniors and Exercise" speech to some temple missionaries. As the meeting started, we realized that we were being welcomed and singing in German. Rand had an elder translate for him, thinking it would be faster but realized his German was better than the brother. Then the sister who was translating for the French missionaries had to leave early so guess who was left - yes, me. Pretty hilarious with a jet-lagged brain and 38-year-old French. Yea for body language.

This is most of our medical team celebrating Dale Greenwood's and Gordon Smith's birthdays. We have become very close as we pray for, discuss and sometimes weep about sick missionaries.

(Biddulphs, Smiths, Rand, Greenwoods, Hawkins. Purdy absent)

A new favorite German city

 We had a great time in Heidelberg with Janice and her sister, Pat.

Doesn't this remind you of Monty Python?

Junggesellinnenasvschied (bachelorette party). The soon-to-be-bride roams the streets and gets people to give her money for candy or a kiss on the cheek. 

Guess what we bought for Rand? 

 It was one of three nights per year when they "burn the castle". They make the castle look like it's on fire, then have a fireworks display.  Notice all the people - festive night!

Oktoberfest is over and it's only October 10th

So did you know Oktoberfest begins in September and lasts until the first weekend in October? 

Now you do.

We didn't go to the festivities but we saw lots of preparations for it. Germans need to have lederhosen, a dirndl...   

...and blue and white decorations, heart cookies, beer steins, and costumed cows?

Instead of going to the beer fest, we went to the 25th anniversary of German Reunification. It was held in downtown Frankfurt.

A great party with music, performances, historic displays and food

giant pretzels

Refugee Crisis

I feel that we're in the middle of an historic moment and place here in Germany.  The Refugee Crisis has been going on for years but 2015 marks the largest onslaught of refugees into Europe. Here's a

Visual look at the migration

Of course immigration is a controversial topic, within the EU as well as within each country. I've gone through my own pondering of what's happening.

Last winter I'd see these stickers around town and think "Tut tut. The underground movement is busy trying to sneak illegal refugees into Germany. That's a bad idea." Germans and others talk about how Europeans are being outnumbered by Muslims and it's changing the culture.

and I tended to agree with this protest banner:

As time and personal education has gone on, I'm more open to welcoming people into Europe.  I think the "Christian" culture in Europe has already changed by secularism. And with familiarity comes comfort. One of the most friendly clerks at our little grocery store wears a hijab. Most Muslims have close families. Finally where else can they go?!

I inserted new words as I read the Book of Mormon recently:   And they gathered together all their people... and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of (Hungary from the land of Austria), and came over near the borders of the land. And it came to pass that (Angela Merkel) said unto them: Behold, I and my brethren will go forth into the land of (the EU), and we will try the hearts of our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into the (EU) land...  And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up (some of) the land (of the EU)...  And behold, we will set our armies, that we may protect our brethren... Alma 27:14-23   Sounds like the right thing to me.

Poor Angela Merkel. Her ratings are going down in the polls but I think she's doing the right thing. She has made rallying cries such as: a Germany that turned away refugees “would not be the Germany I want”. "When someone says, 'this is not my Europe, I won't accept Muslims...' then I have to say, this is not negotiable," she insisted.

And she repeated her message that Europe "won't be able to transform into a fortress," looking back at the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago. "The refugees won't be stopped if we just build fences. That I'm deeply convinced of, and I've lived behind a fence for long enough," she said. (She grew up in East Germany)

Aware of the uncertainty of how this will all come out and its controversy, this morning in our devotional, the head of the Europe Area office explained to us how the Church is providing for the poor and needy in Europe. A medical camp is being funded in Italy, money is being provided for country-wide and stake-wide projects. Our youth helped sort at a local household goods center Saturday.

And this isn't new. Here's how the LDS Church

 help has been going on since 2013

However, this graffiti isn't so welcoming. :)