TRAINING AND REFUGEES IN GREECE

This last week we have been in Athens Greece.  Elder and Sister Hawkins arrived just a couple weeks ago from their home in northern California.  Elder Hawkins is an attorney and Sister Hawkins a nurse, both recently retired.  They will be filling a position that has been vacant since before we came.  Their primary focus, associated with the Church’s humanitarian efforts in Greece, will be to work with the refugees.  Our role was to go and train them on the office/logistical side of their calling.  While there, we had the privilege of accompanying them to meet with one NGO partner organization and go to one of the refugee camps.

On Tuesday morning we went with the Hawkins and the mission president, (President Heder) and his wife to Mars’ Hill.  This is a little hill just under the acropolis of Athens where tradition tells us that Paul spoke in the Book of Acts, Chapter 17.  There we met another missionary couple, as planned, who were there with their family just prior to their release and returning home.  President Heder has a practice of taking both new missionaries and those just about to be released to Mars’ Hill, finding a quiet spot and letting them express their testimonies in the place Paul did so many years before.

Visiting the refugee camp was more than just a memorable experience for me (Russell).  I have seen people living in difficult circumstances many times before and while those living in the camps do have many temporal needs, it is their emotional or social needs that seemed to me even harder to be met.  While the world acknowledges they exist, the relatively few countries that have the economic ability to actually help them in a meaningful way are not really ready to let them resettle there.  Greece, Turkey and Italy are overwhelmed at the enormity of the crisis and aside from Germany,  relatively few are willing to open their borders.

One of the men I met had a wife and young child.  He was helping conduct the signup within the camp for the annual U.S. visa lottery.  He has done it himself for several years knowing that the odds of his being selected are almost as slim as winning a big cash lottery.  This man was from Afghanistan.  Prior to his leaving he had been employed as an interpreter in support of the U.S. military presence there.  After the U.S. withdrew from this man’s area he fled the country to avoid reprisals from the Taliban.  Because he had fled to a neighboring country first and then later to Greece, he and his family are labeled “economic” refugees rather than “war” refugees like those from Syria.  Economic refugees do not get the same priority as war refugees when it comes to resettlement opportunities.  Somehow I think almost all “war” refugees in Greece, or any other country in the Europe made a prior stop in Turkey before making their way west in search of a better economic life for themselves and their families.  It was particularly troubling to me that because someone helped my country’s military personnel that they now cannot live safely in their own country and that the U.S. has closed it’s doors to them living in my country.

The Healys, The Hawkins and President and Sister Heder on Mars Hill, Acropolis in background

On our walk down from Mars Hill

Sister Heder brought some delicious treats from a nearby bakery for us

In front of the old ruins on the Acropolis

Mars Hill, Athens in background

School at refugee camp, this was their playground

Children learning writing skills

Schedule listed in hallway

LDS Charities donated these sewing machines, many of the refugees can sew, others are learning

Hallway at camp

Sister Hawkins demonstrating mattress and cover for baby boxes

Hallway at camp, LDSC provided the curtains for privacy

LDSC donated washing machines for camp residents

Resident living space at camp

Tents at refugee camp

Residents lined up to register for US lottery system

  

THE REST OF THE STORY

Last weekend Eileen heard from Anita Herway that she and Tom had received a mission call to serve in Italy.  They will be Welfare/Humanitarian missionaries working primarily with the Church’s efforts to render aid to the refugees in both the Rome and Milan missions.  Two months ago we mentioned in our blog that we had met the Tom and Anita at the LDS temple in the Netherlands and what a coincidence it was since we had seen them only once since we moved from Brussels 15 years ago.  Now that they have their mission call I (Russell) would like to relate the rest of the story.

We had been trying to find a date to attend the temple since early in July but due to scheduling challenges it was late August before we could go.  We had driven the day before and attended on Friday evening and were going back on Saturday morning to finish some work we had started the day before.  When we got out of our car we heard a woman’s voice cry out “I know those people.”  It was Anita Herway.  We have known Tom and Anita Herway since our time living in Brussels.  Tom was the ward bishop while we lived there from 1999 to 2001 when I was working for Huntsman.  On our way into the temple I inquired how things were going for them and Tom replied that he was going to retire within a month or so and that they were contemplating going on a mission.  I mentioned that our last mission was in the Missionary Department working with senior missionary calls and that if he had any questions I would be happy to try and answer them.

Once inside the temple I thought we would part company since we were going to finish some work we had started the previous evening.  Tom and Anita briefly spoke to one another and then decided to come with us.  Anita then disclosed to Eileen that they had been in contact with the Missionary Department earlier that week and had come to the temple fasting and praying to get guidance on how they should proceed.  She also said that she felt that meeting us was in some way an answer to their prayers.  We agreed that after the temple session that we would go and get something to eat and talk.  Midway through the session Eileen had the thought, Tom speak Italian. Eileen has a pretty good memory but we both doubt she remembered on her own from over 15 years ago that Tom served a mission to Italy as a young man.

Over lunch we discussed a wide variety to questions concerning senior missionary callings.  By this time I knew it was not a coincidence that we had met and my greatest fear was messing something up that the Lord obviously had in mind.  We explained that I had recently opened up a position for a Welfare/Humanitarian couple to serve in Italy.  And I also explained that I thought our Area President already had someone in mind to fill that position.  We were planning on attending church the next day in Brussels at our old ward and agreed to see them there.  I left having talked with them for quite some time and not knowing if anything I had said was of any use.

They next day after church we continued our discussion on senior missionary service opportunities.  In the end I advised that since Tom knew Elder Kearon (the Area President and presiding church authority in the Europe Area) personally, that he might write President Kearon and just let him know he was going to submit mission papers soon and ask if he had any advice on the matter.  As I drove back to Frankfurt that afternoon I had the same concern that I had the day before – not knowing if I had said what I was supposed to say to in some way be a partial answer the Herway’s questions they went to the temple the day before to find.

On Monday morning the first thing Gilles Francois, our Europe Area Welfare Manager, said to me was, “We will have to send you to the temple more often!”  He then related that he had received an email that morning saying that President Kearon had found a couple for the Welfare Department to serve in Italy.  President Kearon had received an email from Tom letting him know of their availability and our meeting at the temple but did not mention that they were aware of the open Humanitarian position in Italy – only that he spoke Italian and French in addition to his native English.  At that point I could not tell the Herways what had transpired as a result of Tom’s email, nor could I tell anyone else.  It has been humbling to watch Tom and Anita’s missionary call come forth with the background and perspective we were privileged to have.  We look forward to serving with them here in the Europe Area Welfare Department.

AN APOSTLE'S VISIT TO FRANKFURT

This past week was filled with some wonderful opportunities. I (Eileen) will share some thoughts from this week.  I am grateful to Sister Yvonne Bausman and the efforts she made to take detailed notes and share them with all of the missionaries.

On Monday evening, Elder Matheson spoke to us on relationships. The Mathesons are serving here in Frankfurt as part of the Welfare department.  They are serving in the Europe Area office supervising LDS Family Services.  Elder Matheson is a marriage and family relations’ therapist and a popular BYU Education speaker.  Some of the thoughts he shared are as follows:

“We are not to think alike, we are to think together.

The objective is to never win an argument but to build a marriage of love.

We create a lot of our own pain.  Whether we suffer is our choice.

Learn from the past, but don’t live in it.

Many like to stay in their ‘victimhood.’”  He talked about how many individuals going through the same trials react differently. Some like to relive their pain over and over. 

“The power is within us to change. If we don’t change, it’s because of pride, discouragement, lack of charity, and stubbornness.

It takes two to make a marriage, but only one to make a divorce.

Relationships can be healed.  It’s worth the effort.  Own your behavior.”

After the FHE talk, we had a variety of apple desserts. We tasted several unique and delicious ways to prepare apples.  There are many good cooks among the missionaries in Frankfurt, and one smart shopper – Russell bought the dessert we brought.

We felt very honored to be able to attend a special devotional this past Wednesday.  There were six General Authorities present at this devotional including Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  We heard from Elder Kearon, Bishop Caussé, Elder Hallstrom, Sister Nelson, and President Nelson. The general authorities had been meeting together as part of an Area review.   

President Kearon, as President of the Europe Area, has many responsibilities and tasks to take care of. It was touching to hear of his deep appreciation and gratitude for being able to serve with us.  He expressed that he was grateful for us—our faith and our devotion, and he celebrates us and our goodness.  As it says in 3 Nephi 17—“…my joy is full.”

Bishop Caussé was happy to return to Frankfurt, having served here several years ago.  He stated that, “we need to have harmony between our spiritual and temporal matters.  John the Baptist was a great example for us.  He prepared the way for a higher purpose.  Even though our tasks may seem menial, our purpose is to build up the kingdom. We should lift where we stand.  There should be humility in being involved in temporal affairs. We are preparing the way for all to come to Him!”

Elder Hallstrom expressed joy in being able to assist our Area Presidency.  “The employees of the church are in a unique position.  It’s not a calling… but it’s more than a job. ‘Wherefore be not weary in well doing…’ (D&C 64:33) may seem a small thing, but it is not!  We all contribute to holy spiritual purposes.  The Lord requires the heart and a willing mind.  The heart is a symbol of love and commitment.  We do things for love that we would not do for any other reason.” 

Sister Nelson was planning to talk about Family History; but the Spirit spoke to her, prompting her that someone in the room needed to hear her story.  So she shifted gears.   Many years ago, she listened to General Conference looking for the answer as to whether or not she should marry the man she was engaged to.  Every talk was about marriage.  As soon as the conference was over, she went to the phone and called off the engagement.  No one in his family was happy about that.  He went on and got married shortly after that.  Then years later, she received a letter from him stating that his marriage and family were falling apart because he was turning to a gay lifestyle.  Later on, she was asked to teach a Relief Society lesson on marriage.  She was still single, but hoped to be married sometime in the future, so she decided she would teach the lesson.  In preparation for her lesson, she decided to return to those talks given in General Conference that had influenced her so deeply, to see if she could pull some things from those talks about marriage.  She reviewed every talk given during the session, and not one talk was about marriage!  What she had heard/experienced during the conference was the Spirit directing her, applying the words of the speakers to her specific need and circumstance at the time.  She also mentioned that she had a dream in 2004 where she was sitting on a stand much like ours next to a man that was her husband.  She wasn’t married then, but she is now, and President Nelson was that man.  She also mentioned that the “dead” that we are finding and doing the work for, do not like to be called “dead.”  She has focused a significant amount of her time doing Family History work and bore fervent testimony of the importance its importance.

President Nelson told us that President Monson asked him to please give us his love.  He said that this meeting was a lot like General Conference.  We had six general authorities in attendance.  All we needed was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Wilford Woodruff wrote in his diary, “You brethren know no more about this work than a babe on his mother’s lap. This work will fill North America, South America.  It will fill the world.”  President Nelson said we are now seeing this being fulfilled.  He said he bounces out of bed to see what new developments will come each day.  He also said our leaders have given us high marks in reaching out to the refugees. 

President Nelson talked about the Europe Area Plan and the simple, succinct; direct to the point card we have for it.  He compared it to the Father’s plan, which is one sentence, “This is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” (Moses 1:39).  He then stated that God “wants his children home, to come home safe and successful. He sent His beloved Son, who paid a debt He didn’t owe, because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay. God wants us to choose to come home.  No force.  He wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s an inspired plan.”

Elder Nelson went on to say, “Our work is mostly temporal.  All work we do relates to the Holy work that is done in the temples.  D&C 84:20.  This is the reason for His work—so we can have ordinances performed.  Enjoy your work.  Focus on the Lord so you can find joy—even on a bad day.  We are instruments to prepare for the second coming.”

After the devotional President and Sister Nelson and all the other General Authorities and their wives lined up outside the door to shake our hands as we left the chapel.  It was a wonderful uplifting experience.

President Nelson greeting Russell and Eileen

On an entirely different note, Saturday evening we attended our ward’s Trunk-or-Treat.  Russell and I have never been too interested in participating in Halloween events. Perhaps it is because we aren’t very creative at coming up with costumes. It was fun to see so many of the ward members dressed up in such creative costumes. Gilles Francois, the Welfare manager we work with, wore a blue suit with a red tie, had put on orange facial make-up with a bad blond hairpiece, and carried a sign “Make Halloween Great Again!”

 

Donald Trump, aka our Welfare Manager

Our primary chorister and family

SPIRITUAL FEAST

This week has been a busy one, full of positive experiences. I (Eileen) have felt that we have been drinking deeply out of a spiritual reservoir.   On Monday we had the opportunity to hear Elder Sabin speak at our weekly devotional.  Elder Sabin was called to be a Seventy in our church in April. He started serving in the Europe Area Presidency in August.   I feel somewhat connected to him personally due to an experience I had with him just a couple of months ago. I was sitting in church next to his wife her first Sunday in Germany. I mentioned that I recognized how many health challenges they have been through as three of their children have Cystic Fibrosis. I have a niece with the same disease and I know how difficult it has been for my sister to deal with the challenges it brings. Sister Sabin asked me if perhaps they could talk to my sister about advances that have been made in medicine regarding Cystic Fibrosis. Elder Sabin has been vice-chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is quite knowledgeable on the subject. Elder and Sister Sabin called my sister and spoke to her for 45 minutes regarding advancements in the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis. I was so impressed that they would take time out of their busy schedule to spend time with someone they did not know.

Elder and Sister Sabin

In Monday’s devotional Elder Sabin gave a marvelous talk.  He talked about some interactions he had previously with President Russell M. Nelson, a former cardiologist and an apostle for our church. Elder Nelson visited the Sabins in their home shortly after their son passed away from Cystic Fibrosis. Their daughter had just had a double lung transplant due to the same disease.  He related a story about Elder Nelson, which was especially interesting to me as a nurse. 

Elder Nelson worked on a team that made medical history: they developed the first machine that performed functions of a patient’s heart and lungs during open-heart surgery.  When Elder Nelson was first called to be a stake president in 1964 he was starting to work with aortic valve replacements.  Elder Nelson said at that time, “Mortality rates were high, and the time commitment to each patient was extremely high - almost one-on-one for many hours, sometimes days.”  When Elder Spencer W. Kimball asked Russell Nelson if he would be willing to be a stake president, he asked him if he had time.  Russell Nelson replied, “I don’t know about that, but I have the faith.” In his blessing Elder Kimball specifically blessed Russell Nelson that the mortality rates with aortic valve surgery would be reduced and that the procedure would no longer be the drain on his time and energy that it had been in the past.  The following year, the time demands of the operation did decrease and Russell Nelson had the necessary time to serve as stake president.  Eight years later this was the very operation, which he did on President Kimball when he had cardiac problems. (LDS.org bio of Russell M. Nelson)

Elder Sabin thoughtfully related this story and said how grateful he was to be in the presence of the very man who was involved with creating the machine, which allowed his own daughter’s life to be saved during her double lung transplant.

Monday evening we were able to attend a family home evening and listen to three senior missionaries bear their testimonies before they complete their mission. Sister Purdy has been one of our Area Mental Health Advisors. She counsels with missionaries who are struggling with mental health issues. Elder and Sister Berkhahn have been serving in the position of Area Executive Secretary for the Area Presidency.  Elder Berkhahn has previously been a mission president and temple president. All of the talks were inspiring.

Each Wednesday we have a weekly Book of Mormon class. We are each assigned a section and a date to teach. This week it was my turn. I taught on Mosiah 27-Alma 1. There were some great comments and discussion among my fellow senior missionaries as a part of this lesson.  This was only my third time teaching in the last five years. I enjoyed the stimulation of preparing and presenting.

After my lesson on Wednesday, Russell came and whispered into my ear, “we have been asked to give a 15 minute presentation tomorrow morning to Elder Sabin on humanitarian work in Europe.”  I was surprised that our manager didn’t give us more time to prepare.  It was a rather stressful Wednesday. I am grateful for Russell and his efforts to prepare a 12 slide PowerPoint presentation on the humanitarian work in our Area.  I helped somewhat by putting the presentation in the requested format. 

Our meeting went well. Elder Sabin listened attentively and at the end asked us “what keeps you awake at night?”  We were not prepared for this question but we both replied with the same answer. We are concerned for the couples we work with in the field.  It can be tremendously lonely to be in a country where you don’t speak the language. In many cases the couples are the only senior missionaries in their respective cities, and sometimes even the country.  I truly appreciated the kindness and concern Elder Sabin demonstrated as he talked with us regarding the challenges the couples face.

In the past week we have been able to talk with two new couples assigned to Cape Verde.  The couples will arrive in Cape Verde in the beginning of February and the end of March.  Even though Cape Verde is off the coast of Africa, it is still within our jurisdiction. Because of both the poverty and the tremendous growth of the church in Cape Verde, this will be the first country within the Europe Area where there will be two humanitarian couples serving. Both couples seem to be a perfect fit for their assignments. One of the sisters is a nurse and will be serving as the mission nurse; the other sister served a mission to Brazil and speaks Portuguese. Both husbands have tremendous talents and will be a great asset to the work in Cape Verde.

This past week we joined a gym near us. We both have gained a lot of weight in the last few years. Our current mission call and prior mission call required a great deal of sitting at a desk.  We have been consistently walking each morning, but it is starting to get quite chilly here in Frankfurt. Now we have a new schedule. We get up early in the mornings, have scripture study and then arrive at the gym and are waiting at the door as the gym opens.  We are on a very tight time schedule to get home and be ready for work by 8:30.  On Saturday, which is our day off, I was able to spend more time at the gym. I spent 3 hours there.  First the treadmill, then badminton with a fellow missionary (don’t laugh, it was fun) and then a good long swim in the pool. It was heavenly.  If nothing else I think it really helps me emotionally to exercise.  Maybe with time it will also help us to be more physically healthy.

One final surprise, which made the week wonderful, was the arrival of a new fridge. We have had challenges with our old fridge since our arrival in Germany. In an effort to fix it the thermostat has been changed; the dials have been moved to all different directions, yet it consistently froze all of our fresh food. I have had my milk, eggs, bread, lunchmeats and fruits and vegetables all freeze. Last week after having my fresh hamburger and ingredients for a Greek salad freeze between the middle of the day when I bought it and dinnertime, I finally appealed to a higher source.  Two days later we had just returned home from the gym when our doorbell rang. I opened the door to see three men with a large fridge.  They apologized for the size of the fridge and the early time of hour. I was ecstatic!  It is about twice the size of our prior fridge, and I can buy food now knowing it wont be spoiled within just a few hours.  I think Russell was amused at how excited I was.  He even mentioned “it doesn’t take much to make this senior missionary happy.”  After months of frustration with my old fridge I am thrilled to have a functioning one.   It has been a great week!

LEAVING THE COCOON

Last week we had the great blessing of watching the leaders of our church speak in General Conference. I (Eileen) remember as a child waking up in the middle of the night to listen to a taped delayed recording of conference on the radio. Growing up in Colorado, there were many years during which that was the only way we could hear conference. When I was a teenager I traveled to SLC several times with my father who had an entrance ticket to conference. I would stand in a standby line hoping to get in. I was thrilled to be in the presence of so many members of the church and to hear a prophet seer and revelator speak.

With the miracle of modern technology we now have the ability to listen to conference live or at a later time in the comfort of our own home, - be that in Utah, Indonesia, Germany or almost anywhere else in the world reached by the internet.  Last week when we heard that Vitor and Maria had been invited to listen to conference by the missionaries and might actually attend at the church, we joined them there rather than listening in our apartment.  Vitor is not a member of our faith. Maria was baptized as a young child but has not attended church since she was a child. We were impressed that they were willing to listen to one full session and part of another session, especially since they were listening in a language which they did not fully understand, as Portuguese is their native language. In between broadcast sessions we had them over to our home for dinner.  Elder and Sister Rueckert came over for dessert and were able to speak with Vitor and Maria in Portuguese.  Both Russell and I enjoy very much our interactions with Vitor and Maria and the opportunity to share our beliefs with them.

Russell mentioned last week that I have started taking German language lessons.  It has brought me a great amount of joy, not just to be learning something that will help me better adapt to living here, it helps fill a need I have to interact with others and feel more like missionary.

Much of what we do in our current calling is administrative work.  Approximately three out of every four weeks we are here in Frankfurt working from our office.  That work is primarily performed over phone and on the computer.  While this is similar to our last mission in the Missionary Department, the content of our work now is of a less religious nature.  Our office is a one-minute walk from our apartment building and our church meetinghouse a two-minute walk.  We have a small grocery store on the ground level of our building.  Our church meetings are held in English and our communications at the office are all in English.  Basically we live in a nice little cocoon.  Occasionally, out of either necessity or for a break, we need to leave the relative comfort and safety of this cocoon. At that point we realize how challenging it can be to not know a word of German. 

As an example, I had a tooth crack. When I went to the dentist there was a sign on the door in German. The door was locked. This was puzzling to me as I had an appointment with the dentist. It had taken me an hour to reach the dentist’s office and park my car.  I asked several people walking by in German “Sprechen Sie Englisch?”  All said nein. I finally just pointed to the sign outside the door and asked for help. The sign indicated that I needed to flip the switch, which looked like a light switch and it would buzz the front desk so that they could let me in.  We had multiple experiences like this one several weeks in a row; to the point that I determined that for me not to be frustrated I had to learn some German. I had tried Rosetta Stone and Duolingo, but the pace I was learning German was not sufficient.

I am currently in an intensive German class. It meets three hours and 15 minutes per day, five days a week.  We have three days filled with grammar and two days of conversation. The teachers can speak English, but do not. Their explanations of things are done in German augmented by charades and drawings on a white board.

Attending this class is one of the most enjoyable things I have done since coming to Germany.  Not because I love learning the 145 ways to use possessive articles in the German language, but because I thoroughly love my interaction with the other members of the class.  Other than Sister Anne Lovell, another senior missionary taking the class, we each come from different economic and cultural backgrounds.  Yet we find ourselves for a few hours each day laboring in a common cause where we are forced to work together to learn that day’s language lesson.  It has been wonderful to rub shoulders with these great students (about half of whom are refugees) knowing that they have sacrificed much in an effort to achieve a better life.  I am also discovering how challenging it must for them to not have “the cocoon” I have, to shelter me and give assistance when I need help.

To illustrate how difficult it can be for those of us in the class to communicate with each other, I’ll relate two brief conversations I had on Friday with members of my class.  I will refer to them by their countries of origin rather than their names since I have not asked their permission to include them in my blog yet.

I asked Iran in German how long he had been in Germany and if he was working now. I missed the first week of German class due to our traveling to Albania. I recognized quickly that I lack the very basics of “getting to know you” in the language.  Iran couldn’t understand me, so Lithuania stepped in and rephrased my question. Iran still didn’t fully understand, so Turkey stepped in and asked the questions in Turkish. Since Iran has relatives living in Azerbaijan he understood the questions, responded back to Turkey who then explained to me in broken English what he had said.  It was almost comical that it took so long to try and communicate a basic concept.

Ghana is seven months pregnant.  She asked the teacher, in English, when the next block of German language classes concludes.  The classes are arranged in approximately five-week courses.  The teacher responded that it wasn’t important, not fully understanding her question.  I said in English, “She needs to know when it will be completed so that she doesn’t end up having her baby in class.” The teacher responded in German, “No babies in the classroom!”  Ghana gave up in frustration.  Her due date isn’t until December 27^th. I convinced her that unless she had her baby early (this is her third child), she would be ok.

It has been a great learning experience for me to participate in this class.  I am learning far more than just German skills.  I am getting to know the paths these wonderful fellow students are taking to establish a better life for themselves and their families.  One woman from Serbia works several hours each morning cleaning an office building before she comes to class.  She then sits through German class and then goes to work at another job.  Watching her reminds me of how fortunate I am to be able to work just out of a desire to serve and not out of necessity to survive.

Several of the students stare at my missionary badge.   A few have asked what I am doing here. Since we have been told that there is no religion in the classroom I just give them a brief answer.  With time I am hoping to share more of our beliefs outside the classroom.

I am truly grateful for the support Russell has given me in order that I can take this class. He has encouraged me, and covers any issues that might arise while I am in class.  I have been blessed with a wonderful companion.