TWO OVERNIGHT MESSAGES

Last night, just before turning out the lights, we received two messages. One brought happy news, and the other more sobering news.

The first contained a link to watch our grandson’s mission homecoming talk, something Eileen and I are very excited about and look forward to viewing. The second message came from one of our managers, asking if we would be willing to travel to Spain, if needed, to assist with humanitarian efforts related to the devastating forest fires there. Large, uncontrolled fires are currently burning in southwest France near Bordeaux and in parts of Spain not far from Madrid. Our counterparts in Paris, Elder and Sister Kershisnik, have already been deployed to Bordeaux. We may learn as soon as tomorrow, or perhaps even sooner, what plans management has for us.

As I was reading in the Book of Mormon this morning, Moroni’s words in Mormon 8:29-31 caught my attention. Speaking of the latter days, he wrote: “Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands; and there shall also be heard of wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places.”

What stood out to me was not only the reference to fires, but Moroni’s repeated use of the word heard. Last night, people around the world heard about the massive wildfires in France and the evacuation of more than 200,000 people, reportedly the largest evacuation in Europe since World War II. Fires, wars, and natural disasters are not new to our generation, but today we hear of them instantly. Through our phones, televisions, and other technology, events unfolding on the other side of the world become part of our lives within moments.

Tomorrow marks forty-eight years since Eileen and I were married in the Provo Temple. I continue to feel incredibly blessed that she accepted my invitation to become my wife. It is hard to believe nearly five decades have passed since we were young and just beginning our life together. I am deeply grateful for her love, friendship, faith, and unwavering support. She has been a wonderful mother to our children, an extraordinary companion, and now my missionary companion as well. I cherish our life together and look forward to spending eternity by her side.

To celebrate our anniversary, we traveled to Baden-Baden, a beautiful town in Germany’s Black Forest region about two hours south of Frankfurt. We spent the night in a lovely historic hotel and, knowing a thing or two about what Eileen enjoys after all these years, visited a couple of the town’s famous thermal spas. Baden-Baden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its thermal baths, which date back to Roman times. One of the spas we visited was built around 1880 and was considered among the finest in Europe. We also learned that it is “textile free” on most days of the week. Fortunately, we carefully scheduled our visit to ensure it remained missionary appropriate!

While in Baden-Baden, we received word that my Uncle Lowell Carr had passed away. He was ninety years old and had been in declining health since a serious fall several years ago. Uncle Lowell has been a tremendous influence in my life. I have always admired him as a faithful husband, dedicated father, inspired Church leader, and devoted missionary. His early missionary service in France and his ability to speak French likely opened the door for later senior missionary service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later served in Russia as well, both challenging and demanding assignments. His example of discipleship and service has blessed many lives, including mine.

Although we will miss him, I am grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and the assurance that families can be together forever. I look forward to seeing Uncle Lowell again someday on the other side of the veil.

Russell and Eileen were married on July 27th, 1978.  

A map of some of the fires in Europe. It is supposed to be over 100 degrees in Spain and France this upcoming week. This area desperately needs some rain to provide moisture to the parched land and provide relief to the firefighters. 

Russell's aunt and uncle Lowell and Toni Carr visited our family (five of our 6 children) in Belgium when the Carrs had to be evacuated temporarily from the DRC.  We love and admire the Carrs so much.  

There were 4 new couples trained in the Area Office this week to serve as Welfare Self-Reliance couples.  Ironically the couple across and one down from us (The Shultz couple) we trained 9 years ago when they were in Slovakia doing humanitarian. They are now going to Moldova.  The lady sitting next to us Sister Richards.  We trained Sister Richards sister and husband 9 years ago when they were serving in Modolva.  The Church can be very small once you have served multiple missions.

Eileen trained Sister White for 3 days.  The Whites have been called to serve in the U.A.E.  He will be serving in the legal department and she will be serving in a humanitarian role. 

The Friedrichsbad spa was built at the site of Roman baths from 2000 years ago.  This spa is 147 years old.   This is the spa which only allows swimsuits on Wednesday and Saturday.  Europeans definitely don't have the same mindset about nudity that Americans do. 

The Caracalla spa has 5 huge thermal pools. The spas are fed from underground springs 2000 meters below the surface. The water is mineral water and is supposed to be healing to the skin and joints.  At the Caracalla Spa it is like moving from one enormous jacuzzi to the next, each one having a different temperature thermal water. 

We visited the old castle in Baden-Baden.  It is on the top of a very high hill and was built around 1100 a.d. It is difficult to understand how castles were built so long ago. 

The little dot of green is Russell standing on a higher level of the castle than Eileen.  

MAKING FOREVER FRIENDS

Last Sunday, we stayed up later than usual to listen to President and Sister Sommerfeldt give their mission homecoming talks. The Sommerfeldts were our mission leaders during our service in Independence, Missouri, and over time they became dear friends. During that mission, I (Eileen) worked closely with them, often speaking with them several times each week about medical concerns involving our missionaries.

Russell and I have tremendous respect and affection for both of them. They loved each missionary deeply and served with remarkable unity as husband and wife. Watching and listening to their homecoming talks brought back many cherished memories. One of the highlights was seeing nearly 100 returned missionaries come to the stand to sing "Called to Serve," with many more gathered in the congregation. It was obvious that their mission had touched many lives.

Normally Russell writes our blog, and I add the photographs, but this week I felt impressed to share a few thoughts of my own.

Although living in Europe has been a wonderful blessing, this mission has not always been easy for me. Some of the challenges associated with our current calling have stretched me in ways I never anticipated. This week, however, the Lord gently reminded me of one of the greatest blessings of missionary service: the lifelong friendships that are formed while serving together.

During our mission in Independence, I became close friends not only with the Sommerfeldts but also with a wonderful single sister missionary named Sister Kathy Creer. During her first mission, Kathy experienced the heartbreaking loss of her husband. Over the years, we have often said that we were sent to Independence so that we could meet each other and become friends.

Kathy and I spent countless hours together. We played racquetball several times a week, and when Russell was occupied with vehicle responsibilities or serving in the temple, Kathy often drove me to visit sick missionaries. Along the way, we shared our hearts, talking about life's challenges, our faith, and the many miracles we had witnessed.

During particularly difficult weeks, the Sommerfeldts would sometimes smile and say, "Sounds like it's time for that vacation in Germany!" President Sommerfeldt had served in Germany as a young missionary, and a member of the Europe Central Area Presidency had once invited me to visit Germany anytime. Over time, the idea of escaping to Germany became a running joke in the mission office.

Little did any of us know that one day Germany would become our reality.

This past week was especially meaningful because I enjoyed both the Sommerfeldts' homecoming talks and a visit from Kathy and her sister, Lisa. Their visit was a much-needed blessing and a welcome break from some of life's recent pressures. Spending time together reminded me just how grateful I am for the "forever friends" we have made during our missionary service.

Each mission has blessed us with friendships that seem to transcend time and distance. No matter how long it has been since we last saw one another, we always pick up right where we left off. There is something special about serving the Lord together. Sharing challenges, witnessing miracles, and working toward a common purpose seems to create bonds much more quickly and deeply than ordinary circumstances often do. I treasure these friendships and am profoundly grateful for them.

I am also grateful for the wonderful companion who has shared six missions with me. Russell has walked beside me through every adventure, challenge, and blessing. I am equally grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and Savior who strengthen and sustain us when the road feels difficult.

It has been a very good week.

One small experience brought an unexpected smile to my face. While stopping at a gas station, I met a young man from the United Kingdom who was traveling throughout Europe visiting churches. He told me he hoped someday to become a priest in the Church of England. We had a delightful conversation about faith, and before we parted, I gave him one of our Church cards. I hope he enjoyed our brief visit as much as I did. Encounters like that remind me that opportunities to connect with others and share our beliefs often come when we least expect them.

As I reflect on this week, my heart is full of gratitude for dear friends, old and new, and for the many ways the Lord blesses us through the people He places in our path. Some of the sweetest blessings of missionary service are the relationships that continue long after the mission ends. Those friendships truly are gifts that last a lifetime.

                             

                         The Sommerfeldts with us on one of the last days of our mission. 

Sister Sommerfeldt talking at her homecoming. I took this screenshot off of my computer. 

                                                 

Sadly, Elder and Sister Platt had to return home. He is our In-field representative. She fell and cracked her pelvis about 6 weeks ago at a mission president's seminar. 

                                               

Russell teaching Come Follow Me.  It is taught every Wednesday for the senior missionaries.

Lisa, Kathy and Eileen at Burgelz castle. A family still lives in this castle. 

                                 

                              Switzerland is honestly the most beautiful place on earth.

I have a crazy friend. That is glass over a steep cliff.  

Kathy, Lisa and Eileen in Lauterbrunnen

Russell walking the thrill walk. I didn't go. No way am I walking over a cliff with glass over it.    

                    Jungfrau is one of the highest mountain in Switzerland at 13,642 feet above sea level. 

                                                 View of JungFrau from the helicopter. 

                             

             Schilthorn.  A James Bond movie was filmed at this amazing place on the side of a cliff. 

I walked on this suspended walkway over a cliff at Grindewald First. I went only because I was goaded into it, and I could hang on to a rail on both sides.  

                                                   The town of Murren is a car free town. 

                              Trummelbach Falls have a number of waterfalls inside a mountain. 

                               At the top of Schilthorn where a James Bond film was done in 1968.

         Russell and Eileen on the glacier midway through the helicopter flight. Russell suggested that we go on a helicopter ride since we didn't go parasailing. It was pretty amazing. 

                                

Cathy parasailing over Lauterbrunnen Vally. 

BACK TO MILAN

This week has been quite busy. In addition to helping roll out a new emergency communication system in Europe, we went to Milan and Turin to follow up on several recent and current projects, and to also meet with another potential project partner.

For the last two or three decades, the Church in Europe has relied upon the use of 19 satellite phones. They resemble a brick in size, shape and weight.  We are moving to the use mobile Starlink units, about double in number to the old system. These units can accommodate multiple users with their own devices for a variety of media venues and are easily transportable to the location of an emergency when local communications are down. The units are a combination router/modem that can run on solar power to provide an internet connection in times of emergency.  

In Milan we met with an NGO, La Rotunda, who run a food bank, teach migrants sewing and bicycle repair skills, house migrants while they learn to assimilate into regular working jobs, and are renovating a building to be used as a school. ARCA is another NGO we met with who have several large housing centers for the homeless, most of whom are recent migrants.

Another NGO we is Banco Farmaceutico, a distributor of drugs and pharmaceutical supplies to dozens of other charities in Italy who provide them to the end beneficiary.  Several thigs stood out to me regarding this NGO. First, almost all that they distribute is contributed to them by manufacturers, and other retail suppliers. Cash to buy medications is only used when there is a need for a specific medication that the regular suppliers do not have available to donate. Purchases are made at about 40 percent of normal prices paid. Second, many of those involved, pharmacists, doctors, and other professionals are volunteering their time to do so. They have literally thousands of volunteers.  They told us that many of our Church members participate in their annual drive and that they are known for bringing their children along to help volunteer. And third, the central operations are very professional run and extremely efficient. They don’t gather goods to pass along to where is beneficiary is found. Rather the beneficiaries meet with one of the many site charities where they meet with medical professionals who order the medication. Then with a sophisticated computer system, the medications are found and routed to the appropriate location for distribution. There is no inventory or storage needed.  The corporate volunteers provide that also. They even have corporate volunteers who provide transportation of the goods. We were told that in 2025 there were 27,000 volunteers with this organization. This is a massive amount of volunteers.  This is my favorite charity in Italy.

Colori Vivi is in Turin. This NGO is run by two women who’s products cator to the highend shops.  They train about a dozen migrant women a year to pass a test for high quality garment seamstress.  Those that finish the course are on their way to good paying jobs.  We watched one woman working on a pair of women’s slacks that would retail for about $1,200.  Most of the fabrics are donated by suppliers.The city government helps pick the unemployed women who will get the training.  Not only is it necessary to train the women as tailors, but they also need to be taught the importance of working 9-to-5, 5 days a week.  It is a cultural adjustment as well as professional training.

On Friday we met with Casa Jannacci, the largest homeless shelter in Milan.  Over 600 homeless live at the main shelter and several off-site centers. When each adult enters, they are assigned an advisor who works with them on a personalized plan to work their way back into normal society. They provide several language education, job and emotional counseling aids in addition to the typical food and shelter services. We like the efforts they are making to help the individuals become self-reliant.

It was good to get out and meet NGOs and beneficiaries. That is the part of humanitarian work that is so rewarding. Even though it was very hot and we had no time to see any of the local sites, visiting the NGOs was good for both of us; a welcome break from our regular work in Frankfurt.

                                     

This hotel proudly advertises that they are a one star hotel.  The location was great and the price was significantly cheaper than other hotels in Milan, but still seemed kind of strange. 

This is the bike repair training shop at La Rotunda.  

                  Visiting with the staff members at Casa Jannaci for the homeless

Coraline and Barbara looking at the donated fabrics at Color Vivi. Gucci donates fabric for the refugee women to sew on. 

                               

This ENT doctor has volunteered his time at this clinic for the last 2 years helping those who cannot afford medical care. All that visit with the doctors receive care free of charge if below a certain income. The three individuals in the photo above are all pharmacists.  One is doing administrative work and the other two are volunteers. 

I (Eileen) was fascinated by this doctor who lived in Uganda with his doctor wife and 8 children doing medical care there. He gave me 2 of his books he has written about his time in Uganda. He hosted us at Banco Pharmaceutico. 

You would think while in Italy you would have fantastic meals. We were so busy that we had no breakfast and the meal on the train was from Macdonalds. They forgot to put a fork in with the salad, so Elder Herway is eating it with his hands. 

Bolts of donated fabric at Color Vivi. Unfortunately it was 97 degrees and there was no AC.  We all felt pretty hot during this visit. 

Former refugees sewing at Color Vivi

Bolts of donated cashmere pants which will be made into pants. The pink was lining for the pants. 

These pants were sewn by a woman from Africa. The quality was amazing.  We were told these would typically sell for about $500. 

I had to leave Milan at 4:30 a.m. to get back in time to welcome my friend Kathy and her sister Lisa. Kathy was a good friend who served a mission at the same time as us during  our last mission which was in Independence. As it turns out her flight was cancelled, they rerouted her, downgraded her seat, lost her luggage. Three days later we are still trying to find Lisa's luggage.

                                                      Rudesheim

Kathy, Lisa, Russell and Eileen. We went to Rudesheim to take the boat tour down the Rhine. The water level was so low that the trip took us much longer than anticipated. 

A REVERENT CELEBRATION

We read about the festivities in the U.S. celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and recognize that we are missing something quite extraordinary. For us here in Bad Homburg, this 4^th of July weekend is like any other summer weekend, except for the request by Church leaders back home that we fast today in thanks for the religious liberty that we enjoy in the U.S. (like in many other countries of the world), with the hope and prayer that the same liberties may be extended to all of God’s children wherever they may live.

By the time I (Russell) return from this mission I will be almost 72 years old.  I will have lived outside the U.S. for over 9 years, an eighth of my life: over 5 years in Europe and almost 4 years in Asia. As a young man having lived in Southeast Asia, I returned home from my first mission with a much greater appreciation for the freedoms, opportunities, and material abundance that I enjoyed simply because of the fact of where I had been born. I came home loving the United States of America! A period of living without the benefits it afforded me made me realize how truly blessed I was. 

When I was working in Belgium 27 years ago, I had a conversation with several other officers of our company regarding the taxation of stock options. They were citizens of several different European countries, all living in Belgium.  I was the only American. I remember them asking me why I didn’t just move to a different country and renounce my citizenship to avoid paying taxes. The thought had never even entered my mind and was repulsive. I remember thinking I would rather be economically broke but with my U.S. passport than a wealthy citizen of any other country. That was one of only several of my closely held beliefs that gave my new colleagues reason to think I was slightly crazy. And I still feel that way today.

What I have noticed change over the years, more so recently, is the attitudes of non-Americans toward me and other U.S. citizens. Just a week ago one of our couples were asked by some men if they were Americans.  When they replied yes, they were subjected to an explicative laced barrage of verbiage that laid bare feelings that most Europeans are too proper to express directly. 

When I was in Belgium over Easter weekend, I met with a former colleague that I have been quite close with over the years.  He asked me if things felt different than when I was here 10 years ago. He proceeded to tell Eileen and I that he could feel a change in how he is viewed by his neighbors and other professional acquaintances because they know he works for a company headquartered in the U.S. Due to my friend’s professional position, he is  required to have a clear understanding of the world around him. He advised me to be aware of the change in attitude and was grateful that we had not had any problems.

               Typically on the 4th of July we go to the Centerville Parade. It is basically a small town parade with a jet flyover. In the evening we watch the fireworks.  It was different not having either of those events to attend this year.  

Elder and Sister Richards recently arrived to take the Johnsons place.  We introduced them to our favorite Italian restaurant on Louisenstrasse with a scoop of gelato afterwards.  

On Saturday we went to a city in Western Germany called Trier.  This city is the oldest city in Germany, founded in 16 BC. This gate is called the Porta Nigra is the best preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps, built around 170 AD.  

Karl Marx was born in Trier in 1818. 

In the main square in Trier. 

The Trier Cathedral, was first built around 326 AD.

The cloisters at the Trier Cathedral. 

Read gold pieces from the Roman times are shown in the archaeological museum. 

This is the Polydus mosaic unearthed from a former Roman villa in Trier. It is from the 3rd century and has been made from  thousands of tiny cut cubes made from stone, marbles and limestone. 

This mosaic was made in the beginning of the 3rd century and discovered during an excavation in 1811. 

The Roman Baths in Trier were built in the early 4th century during the reign of Constantine. The baths consist of 10 acres of subterranean  caverns which remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

On of the corridors in the baths.

Eileen got a chance to visit with some guys playing gladiators in the Trier Roman Coliseum/Amphitheater. 

21,000 steps later we stopped for a burger, fresh lemonade and shake. 

                               

The Romerbruke Bridge - The seven stone pillars for the bridge were put in place between 142-152 AD.  The first wooden bridge at this crossing was 17 BC.

Last week we went to a German ward. Normally we go to the International Ward, however since it has no AC and it has been terribly hot, we went to the Friedrichsdorf Ward which has AC.  I got permission from the organist to film his postlude today. I thought he was pretty incredible.