Some of our former missionaries arranged a wonderful reunion in downtown Salt Lake. It was so great to be together again. They asked both of us to speak informally for a few minutes.
I shared some fond memories:
* I loved the mission home, Kalkstrasse 24, and the good feeling that was there. I loved the area, the towns of Lintorf and Ratingen, and all our mission area; the pretty garden, and the many neighborhood children that gathered to play with our children and on the trampoline.
* We had come from a small branch, and that's all I really knew; but now we were involved in the lives of many people - a mission area, members and friends in two stakes, and all our missionaries and their parents and families. We spoke at stake conferences, other conferences and in sacrament meeting in a different ward or branch almost every Sunday, making the rounds. It was amazing to me to see the Lord's hand over the whole area, granting big and small miracles here and there.
Towards the end of the mission when the holy spirit was strongly present and as I sat on the stand looking at the now familiar congregations, I had the feeling I could clearly see where the Lord's greatest tenderness lay. It wasn't with the people I admired the most, the "supermoms" with their large and beautiful families or those who seemed to be the most successful and most blessed. They certainly were blessed. But that was not where His greatest tenderness lay. His greatest tenderness was, for example, with the lonely widow in her small apartment who was very thankful for the gospel message and fed the missionaries gladly; and with the childless couple who served faithfully and went to the temple often.
This was a vivid lesson to me, humbling as well as strengthening, and I have not forgotten.
* When we visited and spoke in the different wards and branches, kind members, often the bishop and his wife, invited us to dinner in their home afterwards. We cherished those afternoons. I especially remember with fondness the Westermanns in Unna, Bishop Nabrotzky in Dortmund, the Klaßens, Siebkes in Aachen, the Brauns and many others.
*I loved going to the airport and picking up our new arrivals. The next day, they would come to the mission home for orientation and a noon meal. I did a lot of cooking and baking, which I also loved!
That same evening, those elders and sisters and couples returning home came to the mission home for their "last supper" and a testimony meeting.
The difference between those arriving and those leaving was astonishing! I often tell people that the difference was not two years or eighteen months, but twenty years.
Honestly.
The missionaries going home came in with so much wear and tear and stature and weight on their shoulders, and the maturity that comes from work and struggle and loving service to others.
* My very favorite hours of the entire three years were those hours spent with the missionaries going home. The love and service and spirit in the room when testimonies were born were priceless, and will always remain precious and close to my heart. In that moment, our hearts truly were knit together in love.
I consider it a very great privilege in my life that Heavenly Father allowed me this time in the Germany Düsseldorf Mission with you.
Of course I and we had challenges and struggles, pretty great on some days. The needs of our own children and the needs of our missionaries weighed heavily on me sometimes, along with all my personal inadequacies, which I was soon brought face to face with.
But on many, many days, really, I was walking on clouds, and it seemed as if my feet didn't quite touch the ground. The Spirit was really strong, and I learned for myself how very important missionary work is to the Lord.
After we were released, my husband did not have work, since we had sold the business before we left for Düsseldorf. We were very fortunate to spend two years in beautiful Salzburg, but it was a difficult time, and our feet came firmly back to the ground. There have been many challenges since then, as you have experienced also, but I'm pleased and thankful to let you know that your mission president's faith never wavered, in fact it has become stronger.
I'm so happy to see you all here today, and hope we can stay in touch, also with those who are not here.
Thank you to those who organized this wonderful time.
(End of my remarks)
I was so busy enjoying myself and greeting and talking with these old friends and their spouses that I forgot to take pictures until it was time to go home.
Here's one of Jacob and former missionaries A. Syndergaard, W.Winder and N. Turner
And here's what Jake looked like when we lived in the mission home -
Three years lie between these two photos above. In the first, we're newly arrived in the mission, at our first zone conference. In the second, we are saying our good-byes and will leave within weeks.
I shared some fond memories:
* I loved the mission home, Kalkstrasse 24, and the good feeling that was there. I loved the area, the towns of Lintorf and Ratingen, and all our mission area; the pretty garden, and the many neighborhood children that gathered to play with our children and on the trampoline.
* I could tell after just a few days, and told a non-member friend on the phone - there is a lot of love in this work. I hadn't known what to expect, but Love is what I found.
* We had come from a small branch, and that's all I really knew; but now we were involved in the lives of many people - a mission area, members and friends in two stakes, and all our missionaries and their parents and families. We spoke at stake conferences, other conferences and in sacrament meeting in a different ward or branch almost every Sunday, making the rounds. It was amazing to me to see the Lord's hand over the whole area, granting big and small miracles here and there.
Towards the end of the mission when the holy spirit was strongly present and as I sat on the stand looking at the now familiar congregations, I had the feeling I could clearly see where the Lord's greatest tenderness lay. It wasn't with the people I admired the most, the "supermoms" with their large and beautiful families or those who seemed to be the most successful and most blessed. They certainly were blessed. But that was not where His greatest tenderness lay. His greatest tenderness was, for example, with the lonely widow in her small apartment who was very thankful for the gospel message and fed the missionaries gladly; and with the childless couple who served faithfully and went to the temple often.
This was a vivid lesson to me, humbling as well as strengthening, and I have not forgotten.
* When we visited and spoke in the different wards and branches, kind members, often the bishop and his wife, invited us to dinner in their home afterwards. We cherished those afternoons. I especially remember with fondness the Westermanns in Unna, Bishop Nabrotzky in Dortmund, the Klaßens, Siebkes in Aachen, the Brauns and many others.
*I loved going to the airport and picking up our new arrivals. The next day, they would come to the mission home for orientation and a noon meal. I did a lot of cooking and baking, which I also loved!
That same evening, those elders and sisters and couples returning home came to the mission home for their "last supper" and a testimony meeting.
The difference between those arriving and those leaving was astonishing! I often tell people that the difference was not two years or eighteen months, but twenty years.
Honestly.
The missionaries going home came in with so much wear and tear and stature and weight on their shoulders, and the maturity that comes from work and struggle and loving service to others.
* My very favorite hours of the entire three years were those hours spent with the missionaries going home. The love and service and spirit in the room when testimonies were born were priceless, and will always remain precious and close to my heart. In that moment, our hearts truly were knit together in love.
I consider it a very great privilege in my life that Heavenly Father allowed me this time in the Germany Düsseldorf Mission with you.
Of course I and we had challenges and struggles, pretty great on some days. The needs of our own children and the needs of our missionaries weighed heavily on me sometimes, along with all my personal inadequacies, which I was soon brought face to face with.
But on many, many days, really, I was walking on clouds, and it seemed as if my feet didn't quite touch the ground. The Spirit was really strong, and I learned for myself how very important missionary work is to the Lord.
After we were released, my husband did not have work, since we had sold the business before we left for Düsseldorf. We were very fortunate to spend two years in beautiful Salzburg, but it was a difficult time, and our feet came firmly back to the ground. There have been many challenges since then, as you have experienced also, but I'm pleased and thankful to let you know that your mission president's faith never wavered, in fact it has become stronger.
I'm so happy to see you all here today, and hope we can stay in touch, also with those who are not here.
Thank you to those who organized this wonderful time.
(End of my remarks)
I was so busy enjoying myself and greeting and talking with these old friends and their spouses that I forgot to take pictures until it was time to go home.
Here's one of Jacob and former missionaries A. Syndergaard, W.Winder and N. Turner
And here's what Jake looked like when we lived in the mission home -
 |
| at a street meeting |
 |
| Jacob with some of his friends, the office missionaries, on his birthday |
Three years lie between these two photos above. In the first, we're newly arrived in the mission, at our first zone conference. In the second, we are saying our good-byes and will leave within weeks.
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