WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

 For about the last six weeks two of our senior sister missionaries in the Area office have been working on a service project for refugees who are new moms.   Items for new babies were bought or made and donated by local members and senior missionaries.  I (Eileen) helped wash several loads of newborn clothing. As our washing machine is rather small and we hang our clothes out to dry, this was kind of a slow process. I was happy to help and be part of the project.  I quickly came to realize how minor my efforts had been in comparison to that expended by many others. 

Last Tuesday several women gathered together to assemble the boxes with newborn items. When I walked into the gymnasium I was astonished by the amount of work that had taken place in order for this service project to go forward.  Numerous tables were set up with various  baby items on them. Signs were posted indicating the number of items that should be inserted into each box.  The baby clothing was all sorted according to size and gender.  Many socks and sweaters were hand knit.  There were two sets of baby clothing which had a matching sweater, socks and baby cap all hand knitted and placed in a beautiful tulle sheer bag with a satin drawstring.  I was very touched, knowing how much time was put forth to make sure the refugee mothers had something very nice for their babies.  The boxes were assembled quickly. Eventually, some seventy boxes will have been prepared and sent. 

Last evening while watching the news we saw a report on an Eritrean refugee who had given birth prematurely to twins on a crowded boat as she was trying to make her way to Italy.  The babies are now safe in an intensive care unit of a hospital in Italy and doing well.  As a nurse who has worked in labor and delivery and also in a newborn intensive care unit, I can’t imagine giving birth under such terrible conditions.  My hope is that the new mothers who receive one of the boxes from this service project will feel loved by God and those who prepared it for them.  Perhaps they will also feel a little more comfort and peace during a time of great tribulation and change in their lives.  

Boxes with items for refugees

All these items went into one box for a baby girl

Sisters working together

This past Thursday we had our monthly Europe Area Welfare Missionary couple’s video call.  It was truly a miracle as we were able to get 13 couples from different countries on all at the same time.  We had an assortment of topics presented. Representatives from Publishing Services discussed the need for articles to be written with photos for our Church’s various country webpages.  Our manager instructed the couples on a change that will take place so that each country will have its own LDS Charities email address.  Russell talked on member welfare projects and the Ortons from Albania did a presentation on a stake led/Humanitarian Department sponsored goat project. This project has helped provide low-income members of our church with the necessary items and instruction to raise goats.  It was started 10 months ago and appears to be very successful in helping the members involved become more financially self-reliant.

Our couples conference call

This weekend we have had the opportunity to participate in the Freiburg, Germany temple dedication.  When I met Russell 39 years ago, I was a tour guide on Temple Square.  As part of the tour we would stop in front of the temple and explain that we had 13 working temples throughout the world, with 5 more under construction.  At that point in my life, I had a goal to someday visit all of the temples. 

Today, there are 151 LDS temples operating throughout the world, 15 more are under construction and an additional 11 have been announced.  The chance of me visiting all the temples in the world is no longer a possibility.

The Freiberg temple has a very unique history.  It was the first temple to be built in a communist nation and the first built on German soil.   Soon after the Swiss temple was dedicated in 1955 many Saints from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) were able to go there to receive their sacred blessings.  After 1957, because of “growing political difficulties,” only an occasional member was able to visit the temple.

When the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, visits to West Germany almost ceased.   Tensions were high in 1968 when Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles made his first visit to the GDR. He met with a group of faithful Saints in Górlitz, reporting: “My heart was filled with sorrow when I realized the members had no patriarch, no wards or stakes—just branches. They could not receive temple blessings—either endowment or sealing. No official visitor had come from Church headquarters in a long time. The members could not leave their country. Yet they trusted in the Lord with all their hearts.” With great feeling he promised them: “If you will remain true and faithful to the commandments of God, every blessing any member of the Church enjoys in any other country will be yours. “That night he knelt in prayer, pleading that the Lord would honor this astounding promise made in His name.  (Thomas S. Monson Conference report, April, 1989)

A German member, Henry Burkhardt repeatedly petitioned the German government for visas for Saints to attend the temple.  In 1978, the Ministry of Religious affairs summoned President Burkhardt to a meeting. The officials made it clear that the members would never be permitted to leave the country to visit the temple in Switzerland.  The officials then asked “what we do not understand is why your church does not build a temple right here?”  Seven years later in 1985 many tears were shed when the new Freiberg temple was dedicated. (Information taken from “The Freiberg Germany Temple: A Latter day Miracle, by David Boone and Richard Cowan).

Recently, renovations have been made on the Freiberg temple. Public tours were available during the last two weeks of August. On Saturday night there was a cultural celebration. Youth from several different countries participated, most of whom were from Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Germany.  We were able to view the celebration as it was broadcast to our local meetinghouse.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elder David A. Bednar, both apostles for our church, visited the celebration. Elder Uchtdorf spoke in German to the youth, with occasional phrases in English.  He counseled the youth to keep the commandments and trust in the Lord.  He suggested that the youth learn English, not because it was a better language than German, but because it would open many more opportunities to talk with people around the world.  Videos were shown using real footage of Eastern Germany throughout the years.  The youth enacted various historical scenes from the region.

Interviews were also shown of the youth responding to how they are trying to accomplish three goals set by the Europe Area Presidency: 1) Bring a friend to church; 2) Become spiritually and temporally self-reliant; and 3) Find an ancestor and do their temple work.  At the conclusion of the celebration the youth sang while holding up their temple recommends.  A depiction of the Freiberg temple was behind them. As the youth were singing and holding up their recommends, Elder Uchtdorf smiled broadly and pulled his out also and waved it as the youth were doing.  The spirit was strong in the meeting. At the conclusion of the cultural celebration, Elder Uchtdorf went and shook hands with the youth.  Many had tears pouring down their cheeks. I am sure this will be an event that they will not forget. 

Today we attended the rededication of the Freiberg temple via satellite broadcast in a local chapel. All over the age of eight with special temple recommends were allowed to attend.  What a momentous occasion.  A prophet of God had prophesied in 1968 that if the East German Saints would live worthy that all the blessings of the gospel would become available to them.  Who would have ever thought that it could happen?  With God, nothing is impossible.  We are so grateful to have been able to participate in this marvelous event.

Elder and Sister Uchtdorf visiting with participants after the Freiberg Temple celebration