Zollikofen and Berne, Switzerland

 I miss our Frankfurt temple so much that we planned a March team trip to the Swiss temple and Berne.

Us, Stephen and Elaine Biddulph, Denis and Jackie Hawkins, Ken and Marlene Matheson, Diane and Jim Hawkins. Jan and Sterling Piepgrass were still inside.

Rand was our navigator. 

Berne's famous clock tower

Shop owners use basements to sell unique goods. Marlene took photos of a delightful antique store before we were told not to.

Speaking of Marlene, she is always doing a knitting project.  Ken is her loving and supportive sidekick.

Jim Hacking is always tied to his phone. He is one of the most selfless, conscientious missionaries we knew. 

The Cathedral of Bern (Das Berner Münster) is Switzerland's largest ecclesiastical building. 

The view from the tower was breathtaking.

and stained glass windows galore!

Berne is a great city with covered sidewalks and Swiss flair

After yummy waffles, 

we headed back on the ICE (Inter-City Express) train

Thankfulness

Niece Jenny Nicholas joined us for a few days in November.  We loved visiting Colmar, France's Christmas Market. (Notice who bought things)

There are St Nicholas shops everywhere in Europe - great name! 

(Now look whose arms are the most full)

Lovely temple visit

Experience of a lifetime - the Matterhorn!

The earth's beauty truly glorifies His name 

Thanksgiving traditions of turkey (enchiladas, that is)...

 and a movie. 

1950's dramatized version of climbing the Matterhorn

We parted ways in Geneva.  Jenny is a delightful traveling companion and very patient, as I vowed to make a video of all our photos and haven't begun.

Freiberg

Went on a three-day outing to Freiberg, thanks to our well-traveled friends, Brenda and Ron Jacques. They knew President and Sister Kosack in Latvia on their first mission. The Kosacks are mission presidents in the Berlin mission and invited Jacques and a few other Frankfurt seniors to join their Berlin senior missionary retreat. What a treat!

 We loved the Freiberg temple and city,

Here's where we stayed, where temple patrons bunk when they come from far away (4 hours for us)

President and Sister Kosack gave us a very inspirational peptalk about being senior missionaries. I like this quote:

They also shared their experience of growing up in Eastern Germany - fascinating. Were they joking when they said that the Polish translation of "Come Come Ye Saints" says "Not so bad" instead of "All is well"? Sometimes that's all one can say and be honest.

On the way back to Frankfurt, we visited the open air museum at Moedlareuth, also called Little Berlin. It's a small village that was divided by the Iron Curtain in 1952. The town has kept portions of the wall and other paraphernalia (trucks, tanks, etc) for a very visual representation of life in East and West Germany. Rand was a great tour guide with his knowledge of history and German.

More about Moedlareuth

Good thing I took pictures because the first week was a blur

Here are some photos and captions thus far.

Missionaries love to get together. The Johansens fed us in grand style the first day we were in Frankfurt. How fun that Rand and I knew both Julie and Armand in our college years. Here are just a few of the other amazingly skilled, talented, faithful couples - 

we're humbled and honored to be here with them.

Greenwoods are next to us - our kind, patient, wise mentors who share the AMA assignment for the other half of Europe. Harrisons do real estate and natural resources in Europe, Hawkins help with Mental Health (she) and auditing (he), Smiths (see below), and Julie (Area Presidency office). Frankfurt is the European center for the church.

 All of the senior couples have an office. The Fiels help with Public Affairs 

(does this look familiar, Cravens?)

Rand's and my office. I tried to give one of the four monitors back but they said I'd need it. 

Max is a wonderful IT guy who helped us get set up.  (Now if I can remember how to use PCs instead of Macs.)

The Greenwoods have this sign on their wall. Dale took it to Iraq when he was stationed there.

We're recognizing it applies in Frankfurt as well.

Sister Enger teaches a German culture class every week. 

 The cemetery is the best place to jog. Except when I get lost and run 6 miles just to get out and back to the apartment. It's huge!

The office had a Christmas party including authentic German Wienerschnitzel, rot kohl, kloese, spetzle, brot...

Thanks, Tom and Shirley, for the shopping bag. The stores charge if you don't bring yours.

Frankfurt Temple with the Smiths - another incredible couple. He is the In Field Representative who handles anything that 30 mission presidents throw at him. Talk about stress.

 People come from all over the world to Germany's Christmas markets.

Yesterday there was some blue sky!

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Or just email  2Rysers@gmail.com