A little Tree growing

Little Japanese Maple - but a great lesson......

The summer has been unbelievably hot....Not only in Europe but we hear about the fires all over the world with this incredible heat wave.  We've had hot weather, in the hight 90's but not as hot as other places.  We have been staying longer at the office doing our work since our apartment does not have air conditioning.  Thank goodness, it usually cools off at night time and with fans, we can get a good nights sleep.  It also helps that we are on the 9th floor of the building so it is a bit cooler up here.  The trees are starting to show wear and fatigue as I walk thru parks, because of lack of water.  It's still beautiful but I am afraid we will lack the beautiful colors this fall.  This is a picture behind our apartment building where we walk to go to Rossmon, a Walgreens type of store where we can get tooth paste, hair dye, makeup and other toiletries.  It's handy to have so close.  I was walking just the other day and I noticed this purple tree that looked like a Japanese maple tree that Michelle always liked.  I thought it was pretty stretching up between the green trees and I thought of how I could relate this to people.  Sometimes we feel small with all the great ones towering above us, with so many talents and successes in their lives.  But yet, we stretch to find light and perhaps our pride in our own progression even tho it may be small and not as "grand" as others, we stretch to grow and learn and find happiness in our own ways.  Ways that bring happiness to our lives because we are learning and not stagnant doing nothing with our lives.  I've felt as though I have stretched beyond my normal comfort zone just being here in Germany. Like this little tree,  I've reached for the light I could see above all these talented people and found my place here.  I don't like to be away from home, from my loved ones and those things that bring joy into my life.  Having left all that behind and with the apprehension I felt with being gone for 18 months, I find myself almost to the end, with four and 1/2 months left here and realize that I've learned from new friends and gained more than I had ever imagined I would.  Homesickness came and went quickly and I found I was stronger than I thought.  I found my job challenging but fulfilling working for the finance department learning about spread sheets and Microsoft Word and auditing.  One of my other jobs is to re-format and make grammatical/punctuation/and end note corrections to articles presented for the Church publication of the Liahona which I receive each month and prepare for translation into 23 languages before it heads to SLC for the final approval for publication in the magazine.  I have enjoyed this so much and am grateful that I have been trusted with this job.  

Our friends here are so very talented and gifted in their careers and families.  I have learned so very much from them all.  For their selflessness in giving service.  I have never seen anything like it.  We all have jobs here but EVERYONE goes the EXTRA mile to serve others.  One example is a young black girl from Nigeria that has been coming to church, she is not a member of our church but loves to come and enjoy our services.  She has two little children and was pregnant with her third when someone mentioned in our Relief Society meeting that she was about to deliver and needed a lot of supplies to get her to a good start with this new little baby coming into their family!  You should have seen all the things that the sisters brought for this woman.  It was inspiring!   Everyone looses themselves in service to others.  Something I have learned here and how rewarding it is to your spirit and your soul.

So, I look at myself as this little tree that has learned, and I'm still learning to be giving, grateful, generous, positive and loving toward others as I reach and stretch myself to attain this great stature that I see in others that is so inspiring around me.  So grateful for this opportunity to serve here, to grow and to learn from so many wonderful Christlike people.  I would be remiss if I didn't give credit to my Heavenly Father for these blessings.  We were promised that the Lord would watch over our loved ones while we served.  My mother is almost 90 years old and strong in mind and body.  Our children have been blessed in their own lives too.  I must mention Kerianne, where we have seen the biggest change.  When we first arrived here in Germany, we were a bit concerned that at some point we may need to return because Kerianne needed us.  She was struggling with just existing and basic living skills.  With many prayers and her determination to change her life, she has grown the most.  She lost her beloved dog Oliver to Cancer.  Our children got together and all were willing to chip in to buy here a new dog, Jaycee whom she has grown to love and has been a great companion for her.  She has come to realize that there were changes she needed to make in her life and slowly, she has worked on changing and bettering herself.  This has come as a complete miracle to us.  She calls us, almost every day, to talk, to get advice, and to tell us of her challenges and accomplishments.  She is a joy.  We are so grateful for her progress and know this wouldn't be possible with out the Lord answering our prayers.  If just for this one blessing, this mission has been worth it!

Yes, it's been slow at times but as we approach the end, I realize how fast 4 months can go and I will forever look back on this time of service with such fondness and love with great memories and friends to hold dear, as I continue to use the great things I've learned here to stretch myself and become the person I was meant to be. 

 I put this picture in here because one of the things I have learned since moving here is to cut my own hair!  Ha!  I didn't like the last three hair cuts I received so I started about 8 months ago to cut my own hair, yes, that means the back also....it's difficult but I think I do ok!

 Our next door neighbors, Randall and Paula Call on a bike ride with us to see all the pretty homes in Frankfurt and have lunch at Five Guys.

 Stopped at a garden park downtown and walked a while.

Kind thoughts and dear friends

We have met so many wonderful people that will be friends forever.  The Lear's leave to go home in October.  They have homes in Park City and Newport Beach California.  Both areas are our stomping ground so we will surely look them up upon our return.  Here is a short email that she wrote back to Tony after he commented on her birthday wishes in the WegWeiser.

Hi Tony--

Thank you for the very nice thought and, YES, the four of us will certainly get together again before we take off for home!  (Let’s go to dinner, at least, and we are planning on recording your histories of your mission before we leave.  We will love that—you will see what an amazing moment the interview will become.)

Thanks for your friendship!  I am definitely planning on continuing our fun relationship on YOUR return home, as well.  Saratoga Springs to Park City—no problem both directions (also Newport Beach!).  We plan on seeing lots of you two in the future!  I truly deem a large part of the blessings of our mission as meeting wonderful couples like you and Susan who we can continue knowing for the rest of our lives.

Thanks again for your kind message--  I plan on having a very happy birthday and your message was part of it.

Warmest regards,

Doe/ Sister Lear

Wetzlar and Limburg an der Lahn

 I met the Yost's in the elevator of our apartment (we live in the same building) and they asked what we were doing this weekend.  I said, "we want to go somewhere but don't know where to go".....they suggested the two small towns of Wetzlar and Limburgh.  I asked them to join us and so this past Saturday we drove together and had a wonderful day.  We all work each day during the week and on the weekends we can usually be found traveling to some small town (dorf) or on a larger trip to a different country.  We have a wonderful time getting to know these wonderful missionaries that we serve with.  This experience has enriched our lives and we will never be the same for the experiences we are having together and for the memories and friends we are making together.

One of the nicest couples I know!  Elder Yost is the IFR (infield rep) for all the mission presidents in all of Europe.  He's the one any problems pertaining to missions and missionaries goes to before they go to SLC.  He has a very important mission here and Susie helps him by reviewing all the mission applications for all the kids wanting to serve missions from Europe Area before they send them off the SLC.

 After stopping for ice cream I spotted some hats.  Susie and I went into the store and each bought a hat.

 Tony's having a photo moment!

 Trying to dial in a restaurant that the Yost's remembered going to before......

 Trying to transfer my pictures to Susie's phone

 I took this from a bridge going back to our car - just a little restaurant on the river - the trees are wonderfully beautiful!

 There are flowers EVERYWHERE.  What a wonderful, magical place

 The four of us in Wetzlar where we ate lunch.

We bought Paisley a Dirndl with the idea that she will pass it down to Makenna and she'll pass it back to Rindi.  They were too expensive to buy three of them and to be honest, I don't know where they will wear it.  Tony and I had fun trying on authentic German clothes and did a lot of laughing.....it was really fun.

I think Fred and Susie Yost had just as much fun watching us as we had trying them on!

Limburgh was a magical little dorf. (village)

We have hit our ONE YEAR mark since we've been in Germany.  The experience has been immeasurable.  We've seen places we would never have seen.  France, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Czech Republic, East Germany, Poland and of course Germany.  We've experienced devotionals from General Authorities and visits from an Apostle of the Lord, M. Russell Ballard.  We have sung in wonderful choirs on different occasions.  We've watched new members join the church because of their great faith and testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of Priesthood ordinances such as baptism by the proper authority.  We were mentored by wonderful senior missionaries who had been here longer than us and have gone home now.  Jill and Don Roberts did such a great job of taking us under their wings and showing us around and how to live in a foreign country.  Jill told me at one point that she could live here for a long time.  I didn't understand how she could say that at the time.  But, now that we've been here for a year, I understand what she meant.  It is a wonderfully beautiful place to live.  Different than America, but beautiful.  I miss America, more than I thought I would.  I miss home, I miss our children and grandchildren but I know I will see them all soon and this time will be but a moment.  I am amazed how fast the time has passed.  We have seen dear friends leave and we miss them.  The Roberts, Steineckert's, Thomas', Orlowski's, Rich's and Proctor's.  So many other's also.  The mission turns over pretty quickly, with new people coming to serve and old ones leaving for home having completed their missions.  What a wonderfully amazing experience it all is.  Grateful to be here.

Summer time 2018

Julie and David Monson came here in March.  They took the place of our good friends, the Rich's.   David became ill right after he arrived and at one point collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital.  Julie has been very worried about his health.  They will be doing more testing this week so all of us are praying for the outcome to be good.  She and I have hit it off quite well and I go out to Bad Homburg to see how she is doing from time to time.  They both serve in the finance department. They are wonderful people.  David was a Congressman from Utah and also the Lt. Governor of Utah.  They lived in Washington DC for a while and also lived in China while they taught for BYU.  They are fascinating people and Julie is just plan fun!

 Each Wednesday at noon we hold a Book of Mormon discussion with all the senior missionaries.  The Rich's were in charge and when they left we were put in charge.  Tony does a wonderful job of running our meeting.  I look forward to this day each week.  We have different missionaries that are assigned to lead the discussion each week and they are all great with wonderful insights in the scriptures.

 Paula and Randall asked us to go out to dinner with them to celebrate Paula's birthday.  They are great friends and we have had fun time getting to know them.  They have been here for three months.  We ate at a little Thai restaurant not far from our apartment.

 Tony works with the Visa's for the missionaries.  He works hard to keep them legally in the countries that they serve in.  Diane and Mike Wilkens are serving in Belgium and it was quite a trial to get them their residency permits to be able to stay in the country for 23 months.  Tony worked with the Belgium officials for 3-4 months and finally he got it all worked out.  The Wilkens were so appreciative of his work that they drove from Belgium to come and meet Tony and they brought us some Belgium Chocolates.  It was wonderful to meet them.  Diane is a former Judge in Utah and Mike served on the Utah Supreme Court.

July 4th 2018

Tony and I often (during the summer) will walk down to Eis Christina's to get a very beloved ice cream - Schoko Nugget....this is our walk down Eikenheimerlandstrasse - yes, all one word!

 I remember shortly after we arrived in Frankfurt, we heard of the 4th of July party BBQ that the Senior Missionaries had at the Harrison's apartment in Freidrichsdorf  and wished we hadn't missed the fun (FOMO)....fear of missing out!  But, this year we looked forward to the celebration and it did not disappoint!   

This picture below is Dani Garrett playing her Ukulele as we all sang patriotic songs.

 Ian Carroll, Theresa Dewey, Trudena & Greg Fager, the Peery's, Linda Carroll, and the Yost's

 Pamela Done, Campbell Harrison, Mona Bateson, Jeff Bateson and Jon Harrison standing

 van Hoff's, Thornocks, Lindsay's and Tony

 The Yost's (IFR) and Mellor's who serve in the Frankfurt mission office.

 Paula Call and the van Hoff's

 Dan Skoubye our asst. zone leader and MC of 4th of July.....he did a great job!

 Campbell Harrison, Theresa Dewey and Pamela Done

This is the group of almost all of the woman.  These woman are so special.  I have made wonderful friends over the past year, even tho some of these woman arrived within the past 3 months.  These are such talented ladies, so willing to render help in what ever capacity is needed.  They are all grandmothers and have left their children and grandchildren for 18 months and a few are here for 23 months.  So grateful to these woman who are such a wonderful example to me.

 The other half.......  these men are dedicated and wonderful men.  So honored to know them.

Meeting at Eis Christina's for ice cream - everyone eats outside

 Tony getting help from Oliver (employee) and Elder Call OGC missionary.