Wed 9/13/06 11:38 PM

This is a report from a couple of senior missionaries about the recent temple trip. The advisary tried to stop this to the very end, but they made it and had a wonderful experience. This was a record number of participants from Croatia to the temple. Some that went had not even been a member for a month. They did baptisms for the dead and did not want to go back home. They felt the spirit so strong they did not want to leave the temple. Hope you enjoy this. Don't pay too much attention to the one sisters comments about noise on the bus. She stated that to strongly. Love you all. I hope to send an update, but it will have to wait as I must be off to do interviews today and tomorrow. Love you. Dad


Dear friends and family,

Here is my 09-07-06 report...

I wrote the following for the Church News article that may or may not make it to the paper. When we arrived at the Temple, the new Public Affairs couple for the Frankfurt Temple District was there and wanted to do a story for the CN so they asked me to write it.

Church News "Trip to the Frankfurt Temple"Article...
“Excited and nervous” were words expressed to describe the feelingsof Croatian, Slovene, and Serbian members of the Church traveling to the Frankfurt Temple for a Temple excursion. Twice a year the Croatia Mission District, which includes Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Serbia, after saving and planning for months, travels to the temple about ? (13) hours by car or bus, and attend the Temple for 4 days and travel home to their various homes around Croatia and Slovenia. In the last several years they have traveled by van, but this year, there were about 45 members, both mature and young persons, traveling by automobiles and a bus.

The bus riders had an unexpected delay as the bus broke down ½ hour out of Salzburg; it took them 36 hours to reach the Temple after spending the night in a rest stop . Happiness, determination and a “That is the Place, Drive On” attitude, of the travelers to the Frankfurt Temple, were tired but happy to see the Temple spire with Angel Moroni who seemed to be blowing his trumpet heralding their safe arrival. Prayers from everywhere were felt as those who were informed of their plight prayed for the travelers.

Five people received their Patriarchal Blessings and numerous proxy baptisms were performed by about 25 youth from Slovenia and Croatia and one sister from Serbia who traveled with the group. First-time endowments and endowments and sealings performed for ancestors filled the days for the adults. Friendships were made and strengthened during the days spent together. Some whole families made the semi-annual trip and had fun seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

There were three firesides held for the groups in the Chapel and President’s home which are on the Temple grounds. Elder Wondra from the Area Presidency, a man from the Temple Presidency, and a recently released Berlin Mission President spoke to the groups.

Fascinating how the facilities are set up to accommodate those who stay in the Temple facilities. A very large kitchen with 3 stoves/ovens and 2 large stainless steel sinks, small individual refrigerator compartments for each room, and a storage space for individual groceries are provided in the kitchen so that people can fix their meals and eat together.

A great time was had by all coming home - singing, watching movies, listening to music and a fun question and answer session chaired by Ana Hundriè.

My version...
What I didn’t say in the article was that EH and I went to Frankfurt on Thursday after attending a temple session. A darling newly engaged couple “escourted us" on the train and through the town. They were looking for a Mate Tea from Paraguay, but had to accept a Brazilian knock off after spending a few hours looking for it. The buildings are well kept up – painted unlike Rijeka’s 100 yr old paint w/graffiti, European-looking, but otherwise, just a big city. We did see a cool patina-ed statue of Gothe, and a building that said, Oper Frankfurt. We bought a new camera after trying to limp along with a camera that worked ½ the time all of our mission. Now I guess we can’t take it in our carry on bag on the plane because of the terrorist problem. What a changed world we live in!

What a beautiful time we all had going to the Temple. I love and miss it so much! The peace I feel there is like none other. The newly endowed and new members doing baptisms for their ancestors was such a thrill. What blessings they have in store. The inside of the Frankfurt Temple is so beautiful, even if they have pale yellow carpeting in some of the rooms. Haha

One night a sweet young couple that had come to Rijeka to church and came to lunch at our house invited us to their house for dinner. Mark Stamminger drove about 45 minutes to pick us up while his wife, Silke (Silka) and his 2 adorable little boys fixed dinner. What a beautiful evening we had. We ate outside on the patio surrounded by her large herb garden and vegetable garden. Then he took us back to the Temple. What amazing, generous people they all are!

One of the Senior Sisters, Sister Derr, wrote this account of her experience of going on our Temple Trip. Because she and one other gal on the bus could speak German, they were the translators for the bus driver who spoke Croatian. Hers has more details from her perspective. Have fun!

Sister Derr's account...
We awoke Monday at 4 am to get to the train by 5. After purchasing our tickets and waiting a half hour, the attendant came out and informed us the train had hit a cow and would be delayed at least 30 - 45 minutes. Since we needed to get to Zagreb by 6:45 Ex-Branch President, Ante Antolovich went back to get his car and drove us to Zagreb. Luckily he was going by train, since the other members had gotten rides there. We arrived in time but the bus waited over an hour for one of the young girls went to the wrong place to board the bus. We finally were on our way. When we took a rest near the German border after Salzburg, one of the guys noticed a huge black oil puddle under the bus. Since I was the only one who spoke German, I had to talk to the station owner to call a mechanic. ( At least I got to give out lots of church tracts and talk to people wherever we stopped for a break.) We needed to put 1000 euros down as insurance money. The bus was a very old bus, as are most cars here. When mechanics finally arrived from Salzburg, they worked for several hours repairing the oil leak after returning to get the parts. New oil was put in, the engine started, and .... all the oil gushed out again. A big leak was discovered in the main line above the small one. I had to explain everything to the people on the bus who had been sitting in pouring rain for 5 hours already. Another main mechanic was called who just works on our kind of bus. After making several trips back and forth, he told me he couldn't find the proper part and was trying to bend another one to fit. By now all the shops were closed and he couldn't get the right one. He tried until 11 pm and said he would buy the part in the morning and return to fix it. We had to stay on the bus. Meanwhile the Croats were discussing and discussing (for about 3 hours???) what to do and decided to call another bus from the company in Zagreb. Sis. Saar (Sister Derr’s companion) was getting very irritated because they wouldn't quiet down. She yelled at them several times, got very angry and said she would not spend the night on the bus. It was also extremely cold and no blankets or pillows. So I had to go also. By the time a taxi arrived from Salzburg it was about 1:30. The Hanks from Rijeka were kind enough to go along. (editorial comment…What a hoot!) The taxi went to at least 7 different pensions (B & B) and hotels but all were full because of the Mozart Festival going on. (250 years from his birth year) Finally we found a shabby one for 140 euros, a horrible price (and place!). We thought we could sleep until 10 since it was now 3, but at 7:30 we were awakened and were told the newer bus has arrived and we should get back right away. We hurried back after spending 60 euros for the taxi and the bus driver paying a total of 2200 euros!! for the repair. After all the suitcases were loaded on the new bus and we were about to drive off, the mechanic arrived and started repairing the old one. After more discussion it was decided to get back on the old one (after another 1 ½ hours) because the driver probably wouldn't wait there until we returned. We finally made it into Friedrichsdorf (where the Frankfurt Temple is located) at 6 pm Tuesday, a day late. (36 hours on the bus…) Everyone had been praying for us. They were all so wonderful and kind to the poor cro-ats. I had to cry when I bought garments for some of the sisters and the price was reduced 90% for us. It was so touching. I spent a delightful 3 days there. It was a different world from here. Also Friedrichsdorf was named for King Friedrich II who gave the land to the French Hugenots who were expelled from their country because they wouldn't become catholics. There is a neat spiritual story about how the church purchased the land and villa which I'll write next time. The letters HLT were on the door for the owner---Heiligen der letzten Tagen or LDS. The owner was a widow who never wanted to sell, but saw the elders from church come to her in a dream and knew they were to be the owners.
I felt like I met many people I had known all my life. One woman from Duesborg near Duesseldorf; Ingrid Gisela, treated me like a daughter and was so sweet. She gave me a bread which was delicious. All were so helpful to us. I went through half german sessions and half in croatian, averaging 3 a day. Some of the names were from Prussia. The workers were so wonderful. I was so thrilled to go on the last session with about 10 Croats Friday night...and really thankful I understood all of this tough language and grammar. They were all so proud of me and mentioned in testimony meeting how I was their angel and heroine with all the problems we had had. They are all my wonderful forever friends.

On the trip home the bus was pulled over by the police, probably because it was so run-down. Driver was fined 420 euros for driving above 80 without the proper paperwork for permission from the court on his bus. Euros are now worth 30% more than dollars, so it was an expensive trip. Each of us paid 400 kunas for the bus which was a fair price.
The whole week was so uplifting and a wonderful experience. We had about 15 young people who did baptisms for the dead I did sealings for people dead over 400 years and was told they could now go on to celestial glory immediately, something I didn't know. Also those Prussian sisters were born in 1655. I'm looking forward to meeting them in the spirit world.

Full Moon Report...
The moon is full tonight and so beautiful across the water. Perhaps this will be the last time I see this spectacular sight. A couple of days ago, it was low over the water, hanging like a huge almost-round glowing orange glob of hot lava suspended in the sky. It was amazing! When the moon is so low and close, it looks like ...if you were on a boat in the harbor you could touch it. The Lord has given us such a beautiful world - nature constantly changing so we never tire looking at it. Clouds, seasons, trees and plants, animals, friends, places, everything always changing. I am so thankful to have eyes and ears to enjoy all the beauty around me. How could heaven be better than this? I know! The people we miss will be there!

Have a beautiful week.

Love,
The Hanks...xoxo