Miscellaneous - bits and pieces

I do a lot of baking - chocolate chip cookies. 

 More baking - Mormon muffins and zucchini muffins.

 And even more baking - brownie cupcakes.

 One of our missionaries in his lederhosen.  Elder Bates from San Antonio area.

 Maypole - for the first of May.  They are all over.

 

We had a dessert auction for an eagle scout project. We bought this beautiful trifle and was able to serve it at a lunch appointment we had the next day. It was delicious!!

 Rainbow over Stuttgart.

 For our son, Christopher.

 Norman always wanted to be a mannequin when he grew up.  Silly man!!

 I think there is a Sister Bos who lives at this apartment.

 State flags flying out at Patch Barracks.

Yep - we are here in Germany!!!

Vacation??

Rumor has it that we are actually on an extended vacation here in Germany instead of a church mission. What!!? I do have to say that some days it does feel like that. We are able to see so much of the countryside while we travel around to members homes. But I want you all to know, it really is a church mission. We are just having a lot of fun doing missionary work which includes visiting families, repairing items, moving people from A to B, meeting with the chaplains, inspecting apartments, helping at FHE, helping military members move and many other things.

We have district meeting every week - 4 young elders, 2 young sisters and 2 sets of senior missionaries in our district. Then once a month we have zone training with all the mish's in the zone which is about 30. How impressed I am with these missionaries. They have great leadership at such a young age and carry themselves wonderfully as representatives of the church. I know their moms at home worry about them if they are eating well, getting along with their companion, being safe and well and enjoying their missions. Well I wish the mothers could be flies on the wall during our zone training. They would be more impressed and happy with their missionaries than they already are.

What a great Mothers Day we had here in Germany. We facetimed/skyped with our kids Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday after church, two sets of young missionaries and the other senior couple here all came to our apartment and had dinner while each of the missionaries talked to their own moms. We had a good time being together and it helped me not miss my family so much.

Ulm Minster - Tallest church in the world

This is a beautiful church in Ulm, Germany

Now Lutheran previously Roman Catholic

 The stained glass windows were amazing

 There were sculptures inside on the pews

 There is a tower we decided to climb - thinking maybe 100 - 200 steps. Not so - more like 768 steps going up and 768 steps coming down

 This is the view from the first level

 Another beautiful church across the way

 Elder Bos at the first level - We were catching our breath

 This is the view from the second level

Then when we thought we were to the top - another set of steps. Of course, we hadn't come this far not to finish the adventure. This spiral staircase was so narrow, there wasn't any way to pass anyone going up or down. I counted about 168 steps.

 Going down - Elder Bos is saying "only 600 more to go."

 This is the church - I couldn't even get it all in one shot

 The top part of the church. Here you can see the first and second level. We were able to walk around the edge on these levels.

Sister Bos with wobbly knees after hiking up and down those steps. 

This is the top spire. Count down 5 protrusions from the top and that's where we finished our hike. Tiny narrow area to walk around.

A day in the life of a missionary. . . .

You never know what your day is going to be like, at least we don't.  It started out as a rather quiet day.  We had a couple of missionary apartment inspections and an eagle scout project fund raising dinner.  Then a few phone calls later, we had a hospital visit, across town a blessing to give, stitches to remove, and enchiladas to pickup and cook.  We love what we are doing and love that the members will call us for help.