Frankfurt Temple Week

Our District, kind of like a Stake, just smaller, includes five beautiful countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. Four times a year, we get to join together for a weeklong temple trip to the Frankfurt Germany Temple. This time, Charles and I had the privilege of attending with four wonderful members from our branch.

Getting there is definitely a journey! Most members travel by bus, a 17-hour ride from Zagreb. For those of us coming from Sarajevo, it’s another 6 hours just to get to Zagreb before the long overnight bus trip even begins.

Two of our members, both in their mid-80s, so we took the easier route and flew to Germany. 

  We had about 40 members from our District attend. 

I loved seeing old friends and making new ones. 

The Frankfurt Temple is a small but beautiful Temple. Fun fact it is actually not located in Frankfurt but in a cute small town outside of Frankfurt called Fredericksburg 

It welcomes Saints from all over Central Europe, and there’s beautiful temple housing right next door for visitors. The housing has a huge shared kitchen where everyone cooks together. Underground tunnels connect the temple, the housing, and the kitchen, which makes it so convenient (especially on chilly mornings!)

                   One of the highlights of the week was a special fireside with the Temple President, President Borcherding. He and his live in the Temple Presidency home right there on the temple grounds. President Schwartz is from Germany, though his home is over 300 kilometers away. He told stories of the miracles that happened to have a Temple be built in Fredericksburg.

    

One of the highlights of the week was a special fireside with the Temple President, President Borcherding. He and his live in the Temple Presidency home right there on the temple grounds. President Schwartz is from Germany, though his home is over 300 kilometers away. He told stories of the miracles that happened to have a Temple be built in Fredericksburg.

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Love these faithful members so much. They are all such an inspiration to me. 

     

 On the last evening, we joined in a fun tradition, a palaćinke party! Palaćinke are a favorite Balkan treat, similar to crepes, and everyone looks forward to them at the end of each Mission Temple week. They’re so delicious, filled with everything from jam to Nutella. I affectionately nicknamed them “palachunky” to remind myself not to eat too many, but it didn’t really work! 

 Meet Suzana, a new member who was baptized last July. This trip was extra special for her, not only was it her first visit to the temple, but it was also her very first airplane flight! She was so excited, reminding me of a child heading to Disneyland for the very first time. I traded seats with her so she could have the window and take in every moment of the journey. It was a wonderful trip!

Straight from the airport, we headed to Zenica to help deliver some heifers, pregnant cows. 

  

It’s always a wild adventure! Trying to coax these nervous mommas off the truck and into a small trailer is no easy task, and a few of them usually make a daring escape. I like to call it the “pregnant cow rodeo.” 😄 .

Charles absolutely loves this part of the mission. I think it reminds him of his childhood in Utah when his dad worked on a dairy farm.

       

We are thrilled to have these two incredible people in Bosnia for a few months! Maddie and Jonny Parkinson have been a huge blessing, helping with our humanitarian work and supporting our young missionaries whenever needed. I find myself telling them several times a day how grateful I am that they’re here. They’re helping make our mission so fun!

We are so grateful for our friends at Muslim Aid and the municipalities, with whom we work with on these amazing humanitarian projects. Whether it’s delivering heifers, setting up greenhouses, or providing beehives, the work we do together makes a real difference in the lives of the families who receive them. It’s such a joy to help so many families become self-reliant and see the hope and independence that comes from these projects.

Sundays are always my favorite, attending church with our small branch and amazing missionaries is such a joy. This week we had lots of friends visiting, with 16 joining Relief Society, including our faithful sisters who Zoom in each week.

I also love our Sunday dinners with the missionaries. I miss the ones at home, but this is the next best thing! The Snells visited from Utah,Andy served a mission here in 2017–2019, so we invited them to join us. We celebrated Elder Vallier’s birthday with Philly cheesesteaks and potato wedges. A request from Elder Vallier. Thank goodness for an easy online recipe!

Another reason Sundays are special? Family Zoom calls. I love seeing all their faces each week...it makes my day!