Sunday April 26, 2026 Berlin

It is so strange hearing German spoken with smiling eyes or hearing the words of the Sacrament prayers in that language. Until visiting Berlin this week, most of the German I had heard were words from movies or documentaries on World War Two. It requires a paradigm shift.

Berlin is on a plain, with forests (we walked and ran in them), lakes, and beautiful treed streets, and a horrific history.  The plan was 1000 years of glorious reign by a superior race instigated by a Viennese immigrant adopted by a country humiliated by the their defeat politically and economically by the First World War.  It is a beautiful city now, mostly new, with 3 1/2 million people thriving under democratic government.

Ben and Christy have been so accommodating since we arrived. (I have  walked  29.9 miles).  We travelled to Potsdam, unspoiled by the war, to see the Dutch Quarter from the 1700s and the King of Prussia’s Summer Palace.  We have visited the Brandenburg gate, Jewish Museum, the Stasi Museum and the Topographies of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Berlin Wall. Sobering.  I was especially aware of the personal stories recorded - one father had written a poem about living, to his young child headed to England on a kindertransport and another asking when he could come visit his 5 yr. old epileptic daughter at the hospital for undesirables.  You know the end to both stories.

We delighted in two concerts: two solo violinists with piano at the Berlin Philharmonic performing Beethoven, Mozart, Ravel, and a medley from Carmen, and an outstanding Orgelvesper  at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church with readings from Mathew plus the Lord’s Prayer and selections from Buxtehude, Bohn, Bach, and Mendelssohn on the organ.  I must mention the  bonus couple on the train playing harmonica, guitar and bass.

At the same time, a sixty year old women came on with her bike.  That may not sound amazing to you but she was also carrying a 5’ blossoming fruit tree.  I could not quit giggling. How was she going to get that to her house? 

We have eaten sour cherry and tonka bean (outlawed in the US) ice cream at Jones, Turkish kabob, rhubarb squares from Markthalle Neun, manti, and could easily develop an addiction to cardamom buns.  Christy taught me how to cook leeks in potato soup or include them in roasted vegetables.  We found blueberries like you have never tasted, 2 euros for 1200 grams, mandarins 1 euro a kilo and green grapes for 2 euros a kilo.  We really hit the jackpot at the outdoor market.  Everything was delicious.

We had a most unusual meal after ward conference today. There were lots of salads and desserts but also two pizza ovens with two bakers making and cooking fresh pizza.  Christy was cutting them as they came out.  There were fresh flowers on the tables and a pour your own drink stand.  This was all outside on the lawn in the trees behind the red brick church built in 1950.  This raised the anti for meet-and-greet in the future.

We thank Ben and Christy for a week of new experiences, and expanded perspective, but mostly for their time, their conversation and their goodness.  We may never visit Berlin again but we have memories for a lifetime.

Brandenburg Gate

Walking in the forest

Sculpture in Sans Souci Palace garden

Buying rhubarb squares at Markthalle Neun

Section of the original Wall at Topography of Terror exhibit 

The organ in the new Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Checking out Checkpoint Charlie

Saturday April 18, 2026

There is excitement and then there is excitement.  Last Sunday, the branch had a little surprise going away party for us.  Kate was included as well since it was her last Sunday in Chalon, being here for 7 months.  Lots of finger foods and fresh fruit and presents.  I am taking the gifts to the U.S. in May adding to what I bought months ago for myself - black and white polka dot cutlery.  Pres. Catogni was effusive with his praise and the branch was very generous.  Fortunately, we did not receive any live Guinea hens that we need be concerned about (sometimes given in Africa).  

Pres. Catogni

We have invested nineteen months of our lives here and have learned so much from them.  I am brought to tears thinking about leaving this place but know it is time for a new assignment.  Jacob 4:10 "Wherefore brethren,  seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he he counseleth in wisdom, in justice and in great mercy over all his works."

Sr. Landré, Kate, Sue, Bro, Landré, Tom

We found a new couple who just moved from Tahiti and need both our beds .  I cleaned out the kitchen and the balcony and they took everything from dishes to planters this morning and will come back for the rest on May 11 when we move.  Our stuff will reside in the mission home in Lyon until we return in July.  

We talked to both Elder Later and Elder Delbar about the place we had found to live.  Each suggested that we ask the owner if he would be interested in a long term rental.  He was.  We said we would need to see it first.  He suggested we come yesterday so Thursday we drove to Lyon to get my tooth checked again and then travelled south to an adorable hotel in Villeneuve called La Magnanerais for the night.  Absolutely charming; rock walls, climbing ivy, shutters, marble bathrooms, beautiful gardens, and glorious birds chirping in the evening sunlight.  I was in heaven.  I hope there are chirping birds in Heaven.  

Our room at upper right

The hotel garden

The next morning we prayed that the Lord would confirm that this was where He wanted us to be and headed off.  The place was spotless and quaint.  As soon as I walked through the door, I became very excited.  This spontaneous energy can’t be conjured up and almost can’t be contained. Tom was talking about serious things like reliable internet while I was looking through cupboards etc.  The owner was very accommodating about rearranging furniture, bringing in a table or desk for a work area, updating to a faster speed if needed etc.  We each knew this was the right place.  It looked and felt like France.  The owners’ great grandfather had built the house and attached barn about 1840 surrounded then by grape vines and olive groves.  Now it was surrounded by a ten foot rock wall in the middle of a village.  We would be living in the remodeled barn. We were delighted to be part of it and it would become a part of us.

Interior view of the new apartment

Unfortunately when we arrived home and read our mail, we were slammed with a multi- thousand dollar special assessment on our condo In Florida.  Such is life.  Opposition in all things.  We will work it out.  We know God is still in control.

 We hope life is good at your house and that Spring has come.

April 12, 2026

We have learned much in the last two weeks. The days leading up to Easter were more meaningful than in past years because we tried to make it a Holy Week instead of a holy day.  There were some excellent articles and lectures online discussing the fig tree, the cleansing of the temple, and the last supper (according to John not being a Passover meal), Christ carrying the crossbar, the history and methods of crucifixion, and the idea that the crucified were at street level so that they could not be ignored.  I would guess that was much harder on his mother.  From our Easter service at the church, I was reminded that the purpose of Sacrament meeting talks is not to bestow knowledge but to inspire, through personal experience, ratified by the Holy Ghost, a testimony of the greatness of God and the infinite atonement of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Some favorite studies of the past week from Mosiah 25 & 26: 

‘…because of their unbelief, they could not understand the word of God and their hearts were hardened’

‘As often as my people repent, will I forgive them their trespasses against me’.

On Mar. 30, April 1& 2, we were in Lyon feeding 10 departing missionaries including Sr. Peterson, 20 new arriving, and 60 at the assignment meeting.  It was pretty exhausting. We were grateful to have Friday as a down day to prepare for the marvelous General Conference and Solemn Assembly on the weekend.  During those meetings, I received a sobering personal  revelation about softening my own heart instead of praying for someone else to soften theirs.  Kate joined us at 6pm both evenings for the direct broadcasts.  She listened in French on her earphones while we listened in English.  One of the French translators is in our Stake Presidency.  

The Saturday afternoon session was shown Sunday morning at the church and the new Elders joined us for a roast pork dinner afterwards.  My favorite part was a spinach, strawberry and mango salad.  That was a new experience for them.  In response to my question ‘Why did you decide to serve a mission?’ Elder Scrivens answered that for several years as a teenager he did not feel the Spirit.  As he got older and learned to recognize it, he realized that it had been there all along.  Perhaps his  experience could help someone else.  Elder Cowden responded that it was an answer to his prayer plus his two older brothers had served. We are  enjoying  getting to know these two elders better.

Monday evening Tom conducted the First Monday meeting zoomed to the complete mission.  Four senior couples shared info that all missionaries need to know: electricity and circuit breakers, financial receipts, nutrition, health and budget, and emergency preparedness.  It was well received and all are hoping for a review sheet.  I cooked chili most of the day for zone conference on Friday.  Tuesday and Wednesday we cleaned veggies, cooked another batch of chili and 7 double packages of lardons (precut tiny pieces of bacon) for the sour cream, bacon & chives.  By Thursday when we left for Lyon, everything was ready except chopping onions and scrubbing, poking and wrapping 42 potatoes for baking.  Another senior couple was bringing 20 more.

Zone conference, especially Pres. Schows’ talk, was exceptional.  What matters, using Mark 6, and 7, being a missionary.  You matter (referring to friends), our message matters, I care about you, BE where you are.  

He showed a clip of Elder Bednar teaching at the MTC four months after his call as an apostle.  He spoke about two young missionaries who had come to his home on a Saturday morning when he was in graduate school. They played with his two little kids, had breakfast and after an hour, asked if the Bednar's had anyone they could refer to the missionaries to teach.  He replied, “We will not refer any of our friends to you. You are like two boys not two missionaries.  Missionaries would not waste a Saturday morning visiting members when it is the only day most people are home.  Missionaries would knock on my door and say something like ‘May we share something we have learned from the Book of Mormon this week with you and your family if you have a few minutes?’  Then my two year old could get his copy and make this a family experience. Missionaries would bear their testimonies of Jesus Christ and his church and conclude with the question about teaching our friends. They would leave within a few minutes and go to work.”  The next week the missionaries came back and did just that. 

Pres. Schow also quoted Elder Uchtdorf from October 2014 conference. “Over the course of my life, I have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the most competent and intelligent men and women the world has to offer.  When I was younger, I was impressed by those who were educated, accomplished, successful, and those applauded by the world.  But over the years, I have come to the realization that I am far more impressed by those wonderful and blessed souls who are truly good and without guile.”  The gospel is good news and it helps us become good.

The lunch was well received and we were too tired to talk on the way home. We love helping where we can.

Srs. Tew, Cardon, and Bell at Zone Conference

The exuberant wisteria thinks spring is here