To Our Wonderful and Illustrious Family,
Can you believe that the month is half over already? We really enjoyed the latest edition of the Parker Post and express our thanks again to Heidi for her hard work and determination in getting it published and out to all of us. We again call those of you to repentance who didn't get in on the latest submission but we're grateful for the contact we have with many of you whether through Facetime contacts or Facebook posts or the emails we frequently receive.
Not too much different to report this week. All of the regular activities went off well with our limited number of YSA's attending home evening, institute and Waffle Night. Our regular attendees right now seem to be our international group from Nepal, Pakistan, Hungary, Chili and the occasional Austrian and we really had a good game of Spot It this week. It's amazing how many different names you can come up with for igloo, spider web, ying-yang, treble clef and all the rest! We admit we're getting a little tired of having to come up with a spiritual thought for home evening so I guess we'll have to get a little more aggressive at assigning them out rather than waiting for them to volunteer.
We did have a really good waffle night in one respect. Although we didn't get too involved with them, the zone leaders brought a man from Iran they've been working with for a while and he had two friends who came along with him. The zone leaders were about 15 minutes late so we did have a little interaction until they arrived but most of our missionaries are there at least to pick up a cheap (that means free!) meal so it's almost like were in a zone training meeting except a little levity.
We've still got about three more weeks before all the younger school kids head back to school and hence a number of the businesses around are still on their vacations which frequently last for the entire month of August but slowly things will start picking up. We had another week of horrendously hot weather but there are promises of rain and temperatures in the 70's this week instead of the high 90's so there is a new gleam in our eyes.
Today we made one of our rare trips out to St. Poelton, west of Vienna, for church and particularly to visit with the new Branch President who was recently called. He's one of our own as a Young Adult, not yet 30, though no longer single and it looks like they're breaking him in well. His wife directed the singing as well as spoke on the topic of revelation in Sacrament Meeting and directed much of her talk to their decision to have a child. She's about 21 weeks along now and they offered to drive us back into Vienna where they live, instead of having to take the train which gave us a good chance to talk with them. They wanted to practice their English which is pretty good so it gave us a chance to lighten up a little. She had just had an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago which she had recorded on her cell phone so it was fun to see the little one bouncing around, very animated. She has only recently begun to feel it move but it was fun to reminisce about the good old days. I had previously given our new president the whole story about the time we had the opportunity of speaking with Elders Nelson and Oaks about stillborn babies but she had never heard it. With the ultrasound pictures, it was fun to reminisce again with a good visual reminder of just how lively these sweet little spirits are when they're still in the womb.
Which brings up the highlight of the week. Speaking of ultrasounds, my old technician, Luann Larsen and her husband and their youngest son paid us a visit on Thursday. He was released from the Frankfurt mission about two years ago and still had a good mastery of his German so for two weeks they'll be driving around to see as much of Europe as they can. We're pretty far out on the eastern edge of western Europe and they wanted to see Switzerland as well as get up to Copenhagen where they have ancestry. With a name like Larsen we weren't surprised. But it was a long way to go in a short time. So Thursdays are always our least busy days and it was a good day to show them around except for the bright sun and temperatures that ran up to 99-100 degrees. We took them to all the usual spots in the city where we've gone with Steve Lyde, Markus and his family, Andrew and Ruslana, and Mindy, Benj, and Brenda but the thing that's always fun is with each group we end up seeing something we've never seen before. When Mindy and Benj were here we stopped in front of the University of Vienna but after they left we found out that Beethoven had lived right across the street, several times but totaling over 8 years. So this time as we passed by we took them over to his old apartment, climbed the 4 flights of stairs it takes to get there, and beheld the piano on which he composed his 4th, 6th and 7th symphonies as well as the Fidelio Opera.
The picture makes it look bigger than it actually was and it almost seemed like a harpsichord. They of course wouldn't let us play it but we were assured it really was a piano. We ate dinner at exactly the same place where Mindy and Benj ate just prior to our Mozart concert but by the time the day was done we were all so bedraggled we didn't have it in us for much more celebration.
We're still looking for an apartment for our new senior couple coming to do family history records and have not made much progress. No one seems to know how one goes about looking for apartments. Our stake presidency 1st counselor taught the institute class on Wednesday and gave us the name of someone supposedly assigned to that kind of activity but so far he hasn't answered our email. Today the Branch President we were with made a comment that he wasn't too efficient so we may have to give him a personal phone call and see if we can stir him up.
[Sister Parker] After all our very hot days we finally had a cool morning today,(it rained a little last night) before it returned to the 80's this afternoon. It was so lovely that it gave me hope that we just might return to pleasant weather. I have really felt sympathy for the missionaries having to stay outside most of the day. Its been a really hard summer for them, but they are as faithful as ever in going out and finding people to teach. Missionaries are awesome and they even try to help out in the kitchen as much as they can. I enjoy getting to know them.
Our YSA's are also awesome. Today at church the Relief Society lesson and the Sunday school lesson were taught by young adults. It was just interesting that the lesson was on the elderly, and how the Lord gives some of His most important callings to people well into their 80's. What impressed me was that the Lord has need and places for all ages, old, young, in-between, and even children. I was impressed that little Alex felt the need to memorize his talk.. There is always a place to serve and when we do we are happier. I am so grateful for the plan of salvation and earth life where we can grow and develop. We are never to old to learn and improve. I'm grateful for the continual insights the Lord keeps giving me on what I need to work on and the tender mercies He extends.
Only a few days left before school, hope you enjoy them
Grammy, Grampa, Mom, Dad, Elder and Sister Parker
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