Yes! the Beesleys are still in Berlin....Hamburg....Schwarzenburg....Griefswald....Rostock....Freiberg, just to name a few! Elder Beesley's responsibilities take us to many places in the mission: changing tires, delivering bikes, refrigerators, inspecting apartments, etc. We have enjoyed the opportunity to see Germany. It is a beautiful place - especially when you leave some of the traffic behind.
As the weather warmed up it was time for the missionaries to start riding bikes. Once the keller in the mission office was full, the excess bicycles were stored in this small area outside of the mission office.
With spring also came tire changes. Elder Beesley was not the actual tire changer, but he helped and marked his checklist so the vehicle reports could be updated.
Don't you love the fleet of little blue Opels!
Elder Beesley and Andre Seidl.
Cliff and Brother Seidl work together and everything from cars to apartments.
The tire change in Schwarzenberg was on a Friday so we took our time getting home to Berlin on Saturday. We did some sightseeing in Schwarzenberg and attended the temple in Freiberg on Friday evening. We were adopted by a sweet little lady at the temple, who gave us a complete tour and history lesson.
Lunch with the Sr. Missionaries after the tire changes. The Montgomery's from Kamiah,Idaho; the Tenney's from Lehi, Utah; and the Bauman's from SLC, Utah.
The castle or Schloss in Schwarzenberg
Freiberg Temple
Stake Center and Missionary Living Quarters
Interesting Sights we've seen.........
The Jewish Museum in Berlin
and the Holocost Memorial
Checkpoint Charlie along the old Berlin Wall.
A day spent in Dresden with President and Sister Kosak, Elder and Sister Gibson, and the AP's - Elder Bangerter and Elder Fullmer. We went to the spot President Monson dedicated the land of Germany for the preaching of the Gospel behind the Iron Curtain in 1975.
From President Monson's book Faith Rewarded: A Personal Account of Prophetic Promises to the East...
"I recounted the experience of standing on an outcropping of rock between the cities of Meissen and Dresden on the morning of April 27, 1975, and asking our Heavenly Father to bless the people with the righteous desires of their hearts. I remember offering these words in the extemporaneous prayer: "May today mark the dawning of a new beginning of thy work in this land." I mentioned that at this juncture, far below in the valley through which flowed the Elbe River, a bell in a church steeple began to chime and the shrill crow of a rooster shattered the Sabbath silence, each event heralding the beginning of a new day. I felt the warmth of sunshine upon my face and hands, even though my eyes were closed and an incessant rain had been falling all morning. At the conclusion of the prayer, I gazed heavenward and discovered that a ray of sunshine had penetrated the thick cloud cover, encompassing the small area where our group stood. It was an evidence to me that Divine help was at hand and that our prayer had been heard by a loving Heavenly Father."
We spent some time at museums and saw the beautiful sights of Dresden. It was a special treat to be with the Kosaks. This is their history, it is a blessing to hear from them and gain insights from their experiences.
Fraunkirche - Church of our Lady
Shortly after WWII residents of Dresden began salvaging unique stone fragments from the Church of our Lady and numbering them for future use in reconstruction. Reconstruction began in 1993. As far as possible, the church - except for its dome - was rebuilt using original materials and plans, with the help of modern technology. A computer imaging program was used to help architects find where the original stones sat and how they fit together. The older stones are covered with a darker patina, due to fire damage and weathering. the difference between old and new stones will be clearly visible for a number of years. The reconstruction of this famous landmark was completed in 2005.
Wall showing all the Kings of the German Reich
Furstenzug
New Missionaries - May 1st
We love getting new missionaries. They bring such an excitement for missionary work when they arrive.
We needed an airport picture - we definitely have learned how to get here!!
The day the missionaries arrive they get to go "First Finding". Keep in mind they are exhausted from the travel - they pair up with an experienced missionary and talk to people on the street. They take that new missionary spirit and go forth. We just happened to be driving by and got to see them in action! It warmed our hearts!!
Ampelmannchen (little traffic light man)
Ampelmannchen is the symbol show on pedestrian signals in the former GDR (East Germany) The Ampelmannchen is a beloved symbol in East Germany. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Ampelmannchen acquired cult status and became a popular souvenir item in the tourist business.
