"A time to change" May-June 2022: reassigned to the German-Alpine Mission
Senior Conference in Salzburg, Austria 1-June-2022--making new friends, old ones are gold
from the Czech/Slovak Mission--final All Mission conference 22-Jun-22 (Brno, Czechia)
Springtime in Cumorah: blossoming fields fade to gold as summer unfolds 
3-June-2022: walking to the Leopoldt building...to confirm it's a 30 minute walk, beautiful side streets and church near the Holy Lord Hospital.
3-4 June-2022: setting up the ward building (English ward) for the Wien Tag-Vienna Days with (Germany YSAs) who come to Wien for a full day of workshops, games, dinner and a dance; well over 200 attended.
7-8 June morning walks at Cumorah. Why the 2 apples trees. From early spring I have been trying to find support to correct the leaning trees. The tree to the left corrected from 45 to 90 degree with a post I would readjust and lean against its base. Each time it rained and the soil was malleable (soft enough), I would push the tree and readjust its support. So it is as we corrected by God or strive to correct our children that they might grow up right and bear much fruit. The older tree on the right is more difficult to correct. Sometimes as we age, get entrenched in our ways or living, we are harder to upright. We'll keep trying--God never gives up either on helping us--being malleable, humble and willing to submit to His will is key.
Beautiful mornings and panoramic views of the fields near the campus--simply breathtaking!
11-June-2022 am another hike by the river and found this fun long slide--only 2 days in Wien before we headed back to Cumorah to cover Sunday worship with the Plants out of town.
11-June-2022 Sat pm -- 4 wheel drive with Christian, Mariana and Ellina
12-June Sunday...loved the hymn conductor, Tyler, with the sucker; Yuliia gave a great lesson
12-June Sunday pm - short hike north of campus with a few students
13-June am --my off trail hike through some logging areas...path or road found!
13-June pm Cumorah Academy campus sunsets spectacular 
16-Jun another support Thursday for Ukrainian refugees in Wien...the sweaty kitchen picture of me was the week prior (9-Jun) when I washed dishes for 3 hours vs being the welcome and sign in desk (the younger elders had that duty on that day). on 15-Jun Wednesday night coming back from Cumorah, what a pleasant surprise: our dear Chung family friends from Katy Texas sent us a care package via Amazon-Germany! Peanut butter and other treats, thank you dear Chung family--our first package 9 months into our mission! My morning train ride and walk near Leising where we hiked with the Wien YSAs.. beautiful church!
16-June-2002, we met this lovely mom and her two daughters at 6:45pm just at the meal time was ending. We talked of where they were from. They came from Mariupol, Ukraine. I had just read that morning on line that the city was now controlled by the Russians. 500,000 residents were reduced to 50,000 (most fleeing to the west or to western countries like this dear woman and her daughters. They have not heard from their husband/father for a month plus. This is not a good sign. Our hearts ache for our dear friends from Ukraine. War is never good, but I would fight for their homeland, wives, children and lands against evil leaders like Putin (Amalickiah et al). Prayers for this dear family and million more like them. They shared videos and pictures friends back in Mariupol sent them of their apartment once full of color and joy celebrating Amina's 18th birthday 6 months ago has been targeted and destroyed by Russian missiles. Amina was resolute and positive, we will rebuild she told us over the next few weeks. The mom was striving to smile alongside her daughters' hope. we gave them a few Euros on the 16th and on the 23rd they brought this yellow-blue Ukraine flag made from beads--we will cherish their gift. We hope our friendship continues to grow!A memento presented from a mother and her two daughters (Amina, Yuliia) whom we've met at the Thursday meal for Ukrainians. we provided a few euros and they repaid in kindness. Russia has bombed the Mariupol, it's civilians and neighborhoods...fight, hope, and prayers!
As Anna, Amina's younger sister, with Ukrainian President Zelensky has been a ray of hope for their people. The Kiyv Temple is a ray of eternal hope for its people and all
Certainly not comparable, but I reflected on FB pictures I shared after Hurricane Harvey (2017) damaged our home in Katy, TX (temporarily damaged -- 3 months to repair)
Monday pm sunset is a reminder of the beauty of this earth; and that we are merely travelers for a time here on this 
until we return to our true home [my FB post nearly 5 years ago]
until we return to our true home [my FB post nearly 5 years ago] And so may our friends with worse devastation in life--look to God and better things to come!
Walking home from the Institute building through Wien Stadt by city hall often has events....
17-June-2022 our train ride and morning walk around Schloss Schonbrunnr - beautiful city, Vienna! The Japanese garten (garden) is peaceful, reflecting on my first mission, 43 years ago to the beautiful islands of Japan--日本の伝道の経験いつまでも心に残って感じます。
preparing Schloss Schonbrunnr for a city concert-event--Michele loved this boxes (haha)
Great views and morning walk 16-June-2022.
18-June Cumorah Academy Students day in Wien -- (off to Stephanplatz Cathedral)
back to the church for water fight, pizza, games and a short spiritual thought
People Pyramid building time
round two
Spiritual Thought: May Christ be our Polar Star (constant and sure)
20-June-2022 Olekandr (Alex) receives his Patriarchal blessing from Elder Neuenschwander
Alex's 4th special day in 2 months (baptism, Aaronic Priesthood, temple baptisms for his grandparents, patriarchal blessing)...the covenant path in the Lord allows strength in the storms of life. We are blessed to know Alex and call him our friend.
22-June-2022 All Czech/Slovak Mission Conference in Brno, Czechia (our last one)
We senior missionaries cooked up a tasty barbeque lunch while they trained most of the morning, I grilled brats and the sisters made pulled pork sandwiches with the fixins.
Saying goodbye to friends in the Czech/Slovak mission (Sister Lorin Utsch from our Katy 2nd ward) and Sister and President Gehring after 3 faithful years as mission president.
we'll always cherish this mission song and the zeal the Elders and Sisters sang it!!!
23-June-2022: our walk TH evening after serving our Ukrainian Friends--the beauty of Wien is often missed as we walk to appointments in our schedule--stop and take life and its beauty in!
A blessed visit with John and Denise Allen -- from the Katy Texas Stake. He was stake president and I was his stake young men president for 5 years. (StephanPlatz Kirche)
Great people and friends. 26-June-2022 afternoon in Wien (Vienna) Austria.
Cumorah Academy Mentor, Olga Campora (1982 convert in the Czech Repbulic), she wrote the book "Saints, behind enemy lines" about her conversion during Soviet occupation.
30-June-2022 - Last Thursday to provide meals to the Ukrainians until September???
Our friends whose sister/daughter Victoria and Alex at the Cumorah Academy.
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