Harris Missionaries

Monday, July 6, 2009

July 2009

Mon., July 6, 2009

It’s that time again. Guten Tag from Nürnberg,

Hope everyone has recovered from their 4th of July weekend. We even celebrated the holiday here in Nürnberg. The Stake had a Super Saturday complete with American flag & decorations. More than 250 members, investigators & non members came for games, crafts & food. There was BBQ’d steak, chicken & pork plus hamburgers, hotdogs, salads & desserts for every taste. As you might expect, it got a little scary at times with all the activity. We got to see many of our YSA’s & English class participants. So even if we did have to give up our P-day, we were well rewarded.

Last month started with the transfer of 3 of our favorite missionaries, Sister Puzey, Elder Williams & Elder Yanez on June 10 & we are still missing them.

On Sun., June 14 we visited the Regenburg Branch & enjoyed a potluck lunch after the meeting block. We got to visit with our newest YSA in the Stake, Jessica Wright. She was baptized in May & still has the glow of a new member.

On Sat., June 20 we had the Institute Closing Social. We were encouraged to have 14 come even though the goal was 20.

We have been making a concerted effort to find the inactive YSA’s in Nürnberg & Erlangen during the past several Tues. evenings from 6 to 9 P.M. but mostly we have been calling on past addresses of such. Some have been gone as long as 5 years. Where they have gone to is a big mystery.

I continue to play the organ for Sacrament Mtg. & last week I even gave a short talk on How I have felt the Spirit through Good Music. I wasn’t as nervous this time as I was the two previous times when speaking in Sacrament Mtg. I am also still teaching Michelle Muse piano. She has finally committed to being baptized. Each pair of Sister missionaries has been very diligent in working with her & being very patient. It looks like Oct. 12 will be the happy day. It is her birthday.

Elder Harris taught the English Gospel Doctrine class yesterday. He did such a good job. I guess I’ll keep him for another couple of days.

Well, the last event of the past month that needs to be recorded is the wedding reception of Martin & Stephanie Pfister on June the 27th in Würzburg. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 23rd but will be living in Schweinfurt. Martin was one of the YSA’s in the Stake. Check the picture out! We used the early part of the day (June 27th) to see some sites in the Würzburg area. It’s about a 2 hour drive for us. You’ll love the pictures. The Residenz of the Würzburg Prince-Bishops was build from 1720-1744 & the interior was finished in 1780. Today it is on the UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list. It has the largest ceiling fresco in the world measuring 18 x 30 metres. The unsupported vault was still intact following the 2nd World War.

Would love to hear from you. Have a great month.

Love, Elder & Sister Harris (Gary & Renee) (Dad & Mom) (Gpa & Gma)

Elder Williams

YSA's Martin & Stephanie Pfister

Wurzburg Palace Chapel

Wurzburg Palace

Veitshochheim Palace

Sister Puzey

Part of Wurzburg Palace Gardens

Part of largest fresco in the world (Wurzburg Palace)

Main River

Elder & Sister Abersol

The Abersols are a missionary couple that went home to WA last week. We got to know them really well. They did Military Relations and were in Grafenföhr. Both Elder Abersol & Gary served on the Nürnberg Stake High Council together. He saved my life many times with American food products from the Commissary that I used to make the dinners for the YSA's. We'll miss them tons!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

June 2009

Mon., June 8, 2009

Guten Tag from Nürnberg,

Hope this finds everyone well & happy & enjoying the sunshine. Things are good here & it has been another eventful month. With that preface let me get right to telling you all about it.

On the 6th of May we went bowling at the nearby Brunswick Lanes. It was pretty fun & as you can imagine, Elder Harris started out by wowing the YSA’s with his expertise. He rolled two strikes right off the bat, much to his surprise but at least it got everyone’s attention. After that he was humbled a bit & by his second game he was actually struggling some to stay on top but he managed to squeak out another win. I took the photos so the next day I wasn’t moaning about all my aches & pains.

On Sat., the 9th of May we drove to Coburg to enjoy the sites & buy some more Hummel figurines. I have to admit that I love shopping.

Zone Conference was on May 14. As usual, it was very inspiring & uplifting. It is a treat to see the young elders & sisters participate in discussions about missionary work. They are tops!!! Pres. & Sis. Condie do a wonderful job of teaching. They are truly an example of humility & dedication. I don’t know where they find all their energy.

On the 15th of May we drove to Frankfurt (a 2 ½ hour drive each way) to the temple to see Tatjana Binte & Hauka Hopp married. It was very special. We have been able to see their romance progress almost from the beginning & so it was nice to be a part of the whole event. On the next day we were able to attend their wedding party. It was quite the celebration, starting at 3 P.M. & going past 9 P.M. There was dancing, games, toasting & lots & lots of eating. You gotta be impressed with German weddings.

On Sat., the 23rd we attended two different baptisms. One was here in Nürnberg for a married couple from Grafenwöhr & the other was in Feucht for a Regensburg YSA, Jessica Wright. Both were wonderful, filled with happiness, the Spirit & a number of investigators. I’m always happy to have a little musical talent so we can be involved in such happenings.
We drove to Schweinfurt (about 1 ½ hours one direction) for Church on the 24th. It’s the first time we have visited there. There are only 2 active YSA’s now that one got married to a Utah girl in the SL Temple, the day before. We hope to go to the wedding party here at the end of this month for the Pfisters. Actually it will be in Würzburg on the 27th.

When we returned from Schweinfurt we enjoyed a lovely dinner & visit with Christine & Scott Minert that evening. He is from Boise, ID. She is from Germany but was an exchange student in Idaho during her high school years. That’s where she met Scott. He is a BYU graduate so Gary can talk a lot of sports with him & we all know how much that means to Gary.

For the last two weeks Elder Harris & I have been trying to reach out to the less active YSA’s here in Nürnberg without much success. We have a couple, the Kirzingers, who come here to the Center to sit from 6 to 9 P.M. on Tues. so that we can leave & visit the YSA’s. We hope that this will help to open up the area to more participation at the Center.

Now the biggy for the month……A Seniors Conference for the mission in Salzburg, Austria on Fri. & Sat., May 29 & 30. What an experience!!! We traveled by train (5 hours one way), went sightseeing, had several classes with open discussion, ate wonderful food & had a fast paced two days together. It was really awesome to have this experience & we will cherish it for years to come.

We are waiting to hear the report about Rolf Schultz’s marriage to Anya in the Helsinki, Finland Temple on Thurs., June 4. As of this writing, Rolf is not yet back. This is another courtship that we have seen take shape over the last 10 months & it has been a little shaky at times because of distance. Anya is from Russia. There will still be things that need to be worked out before Anya can legally come to Germany but everything looks positive so in probably a month things will be finalized for her green card.

Today we buried the 2-day old son of the Igbinoba’s. It was a very sad thing to see happen. He came two months early & at first all seemed to be OK but very suddenly he slipped away because of his under-developed lungs. He was their first son after three daughters. What a comfort to know that he is sealed to them because of their previous sealing in the temple. There are so many hard things around us no matter where we are. It’s good to be part of the gospel & to feel the peace that Heavenly Father sends to His children.

May you always be protected & guarded wherever you are. We love you & appreciate your wonderful examples.
Elder & Sister Harris (Gary & Renee), (Dad & Mom), (Gpa & Gma)

What is this

Veste 1

Tatjana & Hauke Hopp

Sister Missionaries in Salzburg

Salzburg Skyline with Swiss Alps in background

Salzburg Fortress

Pilgrimage Church at Bad Staffelstein 4

Pilgrimage Church at Bad Staffelstein 3

Pilgrimage Church at Bad Staffelstein 2

Pilgrimage Church at Bad Staffelstein 1

Maria Plain Pilgrimage Church

Kloster Banz

Homburg Palace Tower

Homburg Palace Entrance

from Homburg Palace

Frankfurt Skyline

Ehrenburg Palace 1

Mozart's Birth House in Salzburg

Mozart was baptized here in Salzburg Church

Church where Mozart was baptized

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Tues., May 5, 2009

Guten Tag from Germany,

Well, it’s that time again for us to get in touch & bring you up to date as to our activities here in Germany. We hope that this is not too boring for you & we hope that you are all doing well & enjoying Spring weather, colors & smells.

On Apr. 11 we enjoyed the ward Easter activity. The missionaries were invited to sing the hardest Easter Hymn ever (#197, O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown) so I decided I better lend my support which meant that I needed to learn the German version. Good thing that I knew the soprano line so that I could concentrate on the German words. It turned out better than I thought possible with only two short practices. You’ve got to appreciate the help you receive from above because I was really fearful of the outcome going in. (see photos)

In the evening, we joined the Pres. & Sis. Condie at the Dautels for a delicious & plentiful BBQ. We do love the Condies & the Dautels. They are wonderful friends & we feel fortunate to be able to associate with them. (see photos)

On Easter Sunday, Apr. 12 besides attending church we also attended the baptism of Nicole & Sydney Muse & Rene´ Weinholdt. Nicole & Rene´are brother & sister & Sydney is Nicole’s mother. Nicole’s other daughter, Michelle wants to wait a while longer before she is baptized. She is 13. She comes to the center for piano lessons every week & is a darling girl. Elder Harris & I are quietly trying to influence her toward the water. (see photos)

On Easter Monday, Apr. 13, another German holiday, we went around to several Easter Egg Fountains with Sis. Kunuth. They were spectacular. One had more than 2,000 blown out hand painted eggs. (see photos)

On Tues., Apr. 14, after District Mtg., Elder Harris & I took a drive between Igenfdorf & Forcheim to see the many cherry blossoms. It was pretty unbelievable & picturesque. It was a lunch hour well spent. (see photos)

On Sat., Apr. 18, Elder Harris was involved with a Mormon Helping Hands Project that took most of the day. It was well attended & so they got a lot accomplished for the community. (check out the photos)

We took a leisurely drive to Eichstätt & on to Neuburg in the afternoon of the 19th. We are so taken in by the beauty of the German villages & the history of the area. It is truly a blessing to be here surrounded by the culture & people. It is amazing to see & be a part of it all. (photos)

After getting permission from Elder Kopischke of the Seventy, we were also privileged to travel on Apr. 25 to the Frankfurt Temple & attend an endowment session with Rike Dautel, who is leaving for Utah on the 10th. of May to attend school at Weber State University. We will miss her a ton. She has been serving as the YSA President in the Nürnberg Stake. Her brother Richie will take over now & we are grateful for his willingness to add this to his plate of service for the next four months before he takes off for London to attend University. (He is also serving as the Elders Quorum Pres. In the ward.) What we will do after Richie leaves is a big question!!! (photos)

On our way back from Frankfurt we stopped in Aschaffenburg & caught a quick glimpse of the Johannisburg Palace & Villa. (I’ll add some photos.)

We also took a country route to Wertheim so that we could see some old castle ruins that Bro. Dautel told us about. (I’ll also some photos.)

May 1st. is another holiday here, May Day. All the stores are closed. We were able to support the Stake Festivities. (Check out the buffet photo. It’s like Chuck-a Rama.)

Now, lest people think that we are slackers, please verify that most of our goings have been on our P-day, which is Saturday. We continue to do our regular FHE & Institute classes & meals plus the shopping that goes along with, for the groceries. We also fill out tons of reports. We do VT & HT & make phone calls to encourage YSA’s to come to the Center.

Last but not least, I want to tell you about the baptisms of Manuela Grabow & Steven Stevens last Sat., May 2. It was pretty special for us even though we did none of the teaching. Sis. Grabow is from the Nürnberg Ward & Bro. Stevens is from the Ansbach Ward. They are both quite shy but after the baptisms they were asked to stand before the group assembled & bear their testimonies. Usually I would not be able to understand because the spoken word would be German but Ansbach is an almost all American Military Ward so there was translation. What a sweet spirit prevailed as they each spoke of their love for the true church, the BofM & the Savior. I was moved to tears at their humility & simple love for their Heavenly Father. The Church is true!!! It is simply wonderful to be a part of the missionary effort & have God’s love for all His children reaffirmed to us. (see photos)

May the Lord bless & keep you safe, healthy & totally involved in His work.

Love, Elder & Sister Harris, Gary & Renee, Dad & Mom, Gpa & Gma
xoxoxoxoxo