Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (which are true)

...every thing beautiful in his Time.... Ecclesiastes 3  (times to be glad, grateful and rejoice)

Andromeda Galaxy - 'when I consider thy heavens...." Psalms 8: 1-9

    Such a thought provoking chapters in the Old Testament.  Ecclesiastes 3 is oft quoted in literature, movies and it reminds us that our life time has many seasons and it is a precious thing here on earth.  A recommended read and reflection for 5-10 minutes.

    We have been blessed to continue our self reliance class visits at the Cumorah Academy.  We have deepened our friendships with these good young adults, their visiting mentors and guests.  We did some service with them at our local zoo in Jihlava on Saturday 13-Nov.  We enjoyed having many of them to our home, and of course, Michele got them playing some group games and then they had a few of their own.  We popped all our popcorn and brought out all our cookies, treats and fruit.  It was a great Saturday afternoon.  We taught Institute in Brno for the first time last Wednesday, 17-Nov.  Sestra Michele made tasty enchiladas and brownies (keeping the Farrell feed and treat tradition going).

    This past weekend we spoke in the Liberec branch in the northern part of Czechia.  It is 15-20 km from the German and Poland borders.  Originally, we planned to visit Jakub Tméj, our translator and shared speaker's, hometown of Jičin on Saturday the 20th, but he had to work.  So, we ventured into southern Germany where my oma and opa lived as young adults 100 years ago.  My great grandfather, Gustav, was a pioneer in the gospel of Christ.  My oma (Dora Leonhardt) family came from Annaberg-Buchholz, Chemnitz region.  We drove through many of these towns and I found a road sign in Annaberg-Buchholz where many of my German ancestors were born and died (Frohnau, Kreisstadt, Annaberg-Buchholz, Ergebirgskreis).  My oma and opa immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1920s.  It was a reflective afternoon pondering my German heritage.  I also am grateful for my mother's and mine early British Isle heritage (including Revolutionary War veterans), and later a Mississippi convert (Joseph Lazarus Matthews) who was one of the 2 lead scouts for Brigham Young's first Church of Jesus Christ's saints into Salt Lake in 1847.

     Everyone has a story and I find it a joy to learn of others, including my own ancestors.  I hope the story we continue to write for our lives will be of value to our children and grandchildren....  We, of all people, are most blessed to know Jesus Christ; that He lived, taught, blessed others and fulfilled His Divine Mission to enable a path back to God, our Father by His Atoning Sacrifice.   I'm grateful to wear a nametag representing and testifying of Jesus Christ.  Many in this land have lost their way and faith in God; however, I hope by some small measure we can increase His Love and His Light.  This is a blessed time of our lives to be representatives of Christ.  We have come to this point in time which has been blessed by generations of believers before and with a hope of generations of believers to come!

      A happy Anniversary time to Michele tomorrow 23-November:  38 years since we covenanted with each other and with God to be faithful and true.  Next to God, I'm grateful for Michele second.  She has been a strength to me and our six children.  

      HAPPY THANKSGIVING time---count your many blessings every day, every day, every day!

Cumorah Academy service project at the Jihlava Zoo

 

A good turnout despite the cold November morning

  

afternoon games and snacks with some of our EU YSAs from Cumorah Academy in our home.  

Friends and Mentors at Cumorah Academy

  

        We have met some wonderful young adults.  Silva (standing by Sestra Schroedter) from Estonia allowed us to share her story.  Like many of her homeland, few young people thought about or believed in God due to Communism.  It taught that only the government's will mattered and people of faith were suspect (faith fosters individual responsibility and reliance on a higher power).  As a student Silva was intrigued that 2 young men could speak her native Estonian language.  They met while they were waiting for a bus and Silva was sitting in a nearby park.  They missionaries came over to Silva; and she agreed to listen to their message a few times.  After a few visits, she informed the young missionaries that she couldn't come to believe in God.  As she was walking away from the missionaries, one young elder cried out: "you're passing a door that you haven't even tried to open, and might not be able to open for a long time".  This sunk into Silva's thought and heart, she turned around and continued to learn the gospel of Christ from the missionaries.  Through the Spirit, Silva was converted.  She later served her own full time mission in Lithuania and is a light to many today, including us.

        Michele enjoying puzzle time before lunch with some awesome Ukrainians.

Mentor - Clive from the U.K.

    Clive from the U.K.  inspired the young people all week.  Among many personal stories and advice, he shared Steve Jobs address to Stanford University a few years ago.  He made notes on Steve Job's advice to the young graduates.  Mario (from Ablania) won one of Clive's challenges during the week and was granted Clive's favorite U.K. soccer club shirt (Leicester).

Special Visitor: Elder Ruben V. Alliaud

      Czech Stake President Pilka brought Elder Alliaud for a few hours Friday afternoon, 19-Nov to the Cumorah Academy.  Elder Alliaud is from Argentina.  During our self reliant class on finding a better job, Elder Alliaud shared how he studied extra hard to become an attorney, worked for a judge and decided to start his own law firm in Buenos Aires.  It was inspiring for the young people (and me too).  Over lunch, Elder Alliaud shared that in 1981 he visited his uncle who was a prominent doctor in Clear Lake City (near NASA) south of Houston.  Indirectly, he learned of the church from his uncle.  (His story link is attached).  He has been called as a Seventy in our church to be a special witness of Christ.  He currently serves in the Europe Area.  (also pictured is former first local mission president Jan Pohořelický and his wife Pavlína, Sestra Schroedter, and Roman Čadeni).  Jan, Pavlína and Roman work at the Academy too.

                 Found through the Power of the Book of Mormon (churchofjesuschrist.org)

Apartment search for the sister missionaries assigned to Třebič

 

        We traveled to Třebič Wednesday afternoon from the Czech Zone conference being held in Prague.  We helped the Strattons serve lunch to the younger missionaries.  No pictures.. a long day of traveling and assignment.  This apartment is very nice...Michele would love to have a bath tub.  We don't know if they get this place as 5 others have also looked at it.

Back to my Oma and Opa's Roots in Deutschland (Germany)

 

No border crossing, just a sign notice... a beautiful German dairy farm near the border

The town square in Annaberg-Buchholz Germany.  Getting ready for their Christmas market

 

 

Beautiful Church in Annaberg-Buchholz, 3 minute walk up from the Town Square

 

Found this section of town where many of my German relatives on my oma (Dora Leonhardt) family were born and died over the past 200-300 years.

Across the valley looking toward Annaberg-Buchholz and another church that may be near a photo my oma was in (1920s)

grateful for GPS... next time on to Leipzig

 

On to Chemnitz Germany

final German stop Saturday evening

 

Freiberg Germany Temple

 

We found this beautiful stain glass work in the chapel next to the Freiberg Temple.  Wonderful reminder of our temple marriage in the Salt Lake Temple 23-November-1983

My German Family Heritage  (I am Richard Leonard Schroedter--named after my opa and oma)

Gustav Schroedter, German Pioneer to join the church in early 20th century in Leipzig

       My dad in South Gate, California (date correction: 1946) with his Firestone Rubber Company sponsored BSA troop.  He fondly met the president of the Firestone who encouraged his engineering dreams.  His proud parents who had been in the U.S. less than 20 years at this time.

Our first church address (sermon) in Liberec, Czechia 21-Nov-21

 

 

      Such warm and wonderful people!  We stayed the night in Liberec, Czechia and almost were late to church driving 40 minutes around the square area for a parking spot...yikes.  Michal and Bohdana Hanzal family were a special treat.  He serves in the stake presidency, Sister Hanzalová shared after our talks that they too had lost a child (we shared how we had lost a son in our sermons).  Peace comes in our common faith and testimony of Christ's mission.  Michele loved this piece of furniture in the building.  We had a nice visit with the branch president afterwards of how we might help some of his congregation with self reliance and during the Christmas season.  Brother Jakub Tméj translated our talks and helped us speak with the branch president.

      As captured below, Liberec is a beautiful city too

gratefully our car was still at this place in front of city hall--love these buildings and streets

view from our car of City Hall in Liberec

Liberec town square (in front of city hall), Christmas tree in set up mode

Liberec City Hall--the first President of the new Czechia Republic is shown on the City Hall

a sculpture of well known East German car during Russian occupation

       Thanks for following our mission travels.  A busy week lies ahead as well.  It's not all been easy the past 2 months, but it has been worth it.  The past week, I've battled a pulled back / spasms and Michele did a lot of driving so I could rest the back.  I unwisely ate some broccoli with black mold that I thought would be ok if I heated it enough (bad idea), my stomach is still recovering a week later.  The first few weeks in country we wondered if we would be of use/needed here.  We're grateful to be put to work.  We especially want to learn Czech to talk to more people, but the language is a challenge for us both--we'll keep trying.  We love the people we've met and look forward to forging many fond relationships the next 16 months.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!