It's a Besonderes Life: D&C 53:7

To Our Dear and Beloved Family,

The end has finally come and there is nowhere else to go that doesn't get us gradually closer to home. Since we last wrote we have been living in the lap of luxury which has given us much greater access to the social media we all love and thrive on. We had several lovely nights saying goodbye to dear and cherished friends, YSA's, investigators as we rounded up our last events. Although a few came to each of our last events, for many it was the final farewell at the Friday Waffle Night, the Home Evening, the language course on Tuesday and the big finale at Institute on Wednesday. There were so many hugs and embraces that we can't imagine it being any better than marching into paradise. Even though our bags were essentially all packed, we still were given some presents that we had to find places for and Sister Parker managed to squeeze in one last shopping spree to pick up a few special items that have already appeared in the stores. The great Christmas markets are all starting up this next weekend but will have to do so without us.

Here we have two engaged couples, three investigators and the stake YSA leader who all helped to give us a resounding send off. The next morning it was off to the main train station where we headed north to Prague and two free nights at the Sheraton Hotel with some credits earned from our time shares with their system. What a great city. We enjoyed Wenceslas Square, named after the famous and kindly king who is as rightly revered as the Christmas carol celebrates, a beautiful castle high over the Vltava River and a long famous bridge over the river full of sculptures and history dating back into the middle ages. One of the reformers, 100 years before Luther, who was thrown off the bridge for his heresy, reputedly had five stars leap from the water as he hit the river. To touch the sculpture representing the event brings one the fulfillment of his best wish, but be careful, for it's a one time only deal! Sister Parker went first and kindly passersby informed us that your foot and other hand had to be placed correctly hence the first try and the corrected try.

There were lots of performers and musicians on the bridge and one man was particularly so moving with his violin playing that we noticed he wasn't just placing his violin case out for donations but was also selling some CD's of his work. We bought a CD from Karel Jakoubek that we have already listened to twice that is just lovely and will be a lasting memory of our walk across the bridge.

Next was an opportunity to get some real Czech food near a famous 500 year old astrological clock. Chicken skewers cooked on the spot with the Czech version of french fries which were really yummy. A few more souvenirs were picked up for you guys and we walked past the last remnant of the gate from the old wall through which Maria Theresia from Vienna drove through with her carriage when she was crowned Queen of Bohemia back in the 1700's. Then back to the hotel to get ready for a long train ride the next day to Budapest.

Here we met Elder and Sister Peterson serving in the Hungary Budapest Mission and with whom we had served in a singles ward bishopric back in Highland and who was still serving with a different bishop when Benj was in the ward.

We had the opportunity to enjoy church meetings today in a ward that meets in the same building shared with the mission office and the mission home. Then they hosted us to a delightful Sunday dinner and a guided tour up to the castle where King Stephan had introduced Christianity to the country back in the middle ages. Become a Christian or die he had said...sounds similar to what's going on in the middle east today. It was a rainy night but the lights were lovely and we all thought it was better than Disneyland.

The Danube flows through the middle of the city on its way from Vienna to the Black Sea and tonight we were on the Buda side with the Pest side across the way. That's in the works for tomorrow and then Tuesday we'll hop back in the train and head back to Vienna to make our final preparations for the 17 hour flight home the next day. We'll see how much of our luggage gets lost as we change planes twice, once in Frankfurt and again in Denver.

It's all so hard to believe that in a couple of days we'll be home again. That day seemed so far away when we began, but now seems to close. We have truly come to enjoy our missionary days and the many young people that we have gotten to know. We have loved them all and it's hard to say so many good-byes to people who are so dear and some whom we probably won't see again. But we have "FaceBook" hopefully to keep us in touch. We are excited to see you all again and to look for some new adventures.

Try to keep the weather nice, and we will see you on Wednesday evening.