August 21-August 24, 2008

President, Joshua, and I flew to Germany for the European Mission President’s Training in Friedrichsdorf. It was fun to meet with those presidents and wives that we had met at the MTC and then trained with in Germany the end of June. We also got to visit with three couples that we knew before our mission: President and Sister Terry (Portugal Lisbon Mission), President and Sister DuVall (Spain Bilbao Mission), and President and Sister Farnsworth (Spain Madrid Mission)

Elder L. Tom Perry, Elder Ronald Rasband, and other church leaders were there to teach and inspire us. The area presidency, Elder Robert Oaks, Elder Erich Kopische, and Elder Gerald Causse did a wonderful job with their presentations and guidance. Their wives also participated and did a class for the Mission President’s wives. Elder and Sister Bangeter, who is our in-field representative, were kind enough to take Joshua for the evening so President Lundberg and I could attend a session at the Frankfurt Temple with the group.

Joshua and Elder Oaks moments before the cruise on the Rhine River

Mission president from Italy Catania Mission, President Toronto, loans Joshua a sweatshirt when it began to rain. Sister Oaks and Sister Perry look on.

Many castles were seen as we floated down the Rhine

We walked through the ruins of an old castle which had a beautiful, adjoining restaurant

President and I enjoying an afternoon in the rain, overlooking the Rhine River. The men’s suits got soaking wet.

Beautiful Germany!

Joshua helps the court jester who conducted the tour of the castle ruins. Joshua took his job as “flag bearer” quite seriously!

Dinner overlooking the Rhine. President and Sister Neal (Albania Tirana Mission) and President and Sister Toronto (Italy Catania Mission) join us for dinner.