To Our Beloved Family,
Well, we have just finished our fourth conference in about six weeks. The Senior Conference in Switzerland was followed by a Zone Conference in Salzburg a few days later, then the wonderful General Conference and finally, today, our last Stake Conference. This one was something new as prior to this it has always been held in a very large rented hall where the entire stake could fit at one time. For today's conference, because they had no general authority visitor, it was decided to hold it in the stake center and beam it via the Internet to three other locations that are more distant. Two of the wards met in one other building and there were two yet more distant that had the conference transmitted to their respective buildings. One of the best speakers, however, was a brother who has been serving as the president of the Frankfurt Temple which was just closed for a couple of years for remodeling and expansion. His remarks focused on the revelations that each person can personally receive as one attends the temple to receive the needed guidance for daily living. It was a wonderful opportunity to see many people for the last time as we just have three more Sundays to go prior to our release.
Next week we will attend the northernmost ward where they have asked us to speak. We both think that our farewell talks to them will likely be very similar to our homecoming talks a few weeks later. Today in stake conference they asked us all to fast next week for all of the refugees who are flooding through the European Union and dedicate special offerings for that same purpose. Then the following week will be the regular fast and testimony Sunday. We're planning on attending the English speaking international ward that Sunday which is where they actually list us as full-time missionaries serving in their ward. Then the final Sunday we will be joined by our replacements, the Neugebauers. They will have joined us two days earlier and we will embark on a quick orientation as to their responsibilities and where all the ward chapels and missionary apartments are located which they will be visiting.
It seems like we are moving through a bunch of lasts. This week instead of district meeting we had our last Zone Training which differs from a zone conference in that it just comprises the missionaries from our zone whereas the latter includes us and Salzburg zone together. The next one of those will be the Christmas Zone Conference which we expect to celebrate with all of you guys back in the states!
Our mission president and his wife were at the Saturday night stake conference where they both bore their testimonies but we think it will be the last time we'll see them. In addition to settling our mission financial account with us they brought some wonderful little keepsakes, the mission lapel pin for Elder Parker and a similar necklace pin for Sister Parker. They already have us enrolled in the blog for former missionaries of the Alpine German Speaking Mission and it sounds like everything else from here on out may be somewhat anticlimactic. We are definitely committed, however, to not getting too trunky.
We understand that today was the reorganization of our home stake presidency at their stake conference so we're excited to find out just who will be officially releasing us. So now, back to the other things that are keeping us busy. This week we met with a real estate agent and the landlord lady he represents (interestingly, she's a pharmacist) to sign for and receive the keys for a new apartment which will be used by a new family history couple coming in a couple of months. In the meantime it looks like we'll actually use the apartment for a few days when our replacements arrive instead of having to grab a hotel for five days. We can even store our extra luggage there while we inspect the delights of downtown Prague and Budapest prior to our actually climbing on the plane. We already have reservations in both places with the hotel in Prague coming as a freebie with some points we have saved up from our time shares.
An interesting point regarding our visit to Budapest. Friday a week ago we were visited by the Area YSA supervisors who are headquartered in Frankfurt. They have been in the process of visiting all of the YSA senior couples in Eastern Europe and met with us on our Waffle Night. They had already been to Italy, Graz in Austria, Bratislava in Slovakia (the other half of old Czechoslovakia) and Sopron, Hungary but prior to visiting us they had also visited with the couple in Budapest, Hungary. They mentioned that they might be able to get us a reduced rate at a hotel near the church there which is available for church officials and gave us the name of the couple, which didn't ring any bells, and the hotel. Then just a few days ago we received their monthly message which they send out to everyone within their area of responsibility. That includes everyone from Scandinavia on the north and all of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and we think might even include France, Spain and England. But at any rate they had pictures of all of the recent visits they had made, including us. Lo and behold, the couple in Budapest are from Highland, Utah and we worked together in the bishopric of the Mount Mahogany Ward. So we're looking forward to having someone take us to church in Budapest. We'll be there from Saturday night until Tuesday before we leave. Nice to have speakers of the language who are also good old friends!
So there are still three more Institute classes to teach including one the night before our departure. We still have to inspect five more apartments before we leave and completely furnish the new apartment, especially if we expect to sleep in it for a few nights. We have to figure out how to get the gas and electricity turned on, prepare some assignments for the next district meeting and pack up a bunch of memorabilia, souvenirs, etc and get them shipped off in the next two weeks before our replacements commandeer our apartment. We understand the YSA's are going to throw a big farewell party on our last Home Evening. Should be a big farewell dinner Sister Parker gets to prepare but she should have plenty of help. She already knows what the recipe is.
For our sightseeing adventure yesterday this is where we went: You are looking at "The House of the Sea" a huge 8 story aquarium complete with other animals like birds and monkeys that let you walk through their habitat. The building itself was an old World War II flak tower that was completed in May 1944 about a week before the D Day invasion began. It was used to spot and shoot down enemy planes but also as a type of bomb shelter which could protect as many as 45,000 people at the time of an air raid. The city decided to put it to good use after the war and the place was crowded on a Saturday afternoon with lots of families, especially many young children that really made Sister Parker homesick for her grandchildren. We don't have much left we plan to see except maybe the Butterfly House. We'll see if we can work it in.
It really does seem strange to be doing all these things as a last time and to be hugging some people good-bye for the last time. Its one of those bitter sweet moments that stay suspended in time and which you, for ever more hold dear. But there is still quite a bit left to take care of so we can't dwell on it and will be rather busy until we leave. There is still plenty of time left to share the gospel, support our missionaries and YSA's and have some fun. Try to keep the autumn weather good until we get back. I'm still looking forward to a walk in crunchy leaves.
Thinking about you all,
Grammy, Grampa,
Mom, Dad,
Elder and Sister Parker
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