July 1, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

The time is flying by.  I can’t believe it is already July.   We hope this finds all of you doing well and enjoying the summer doing some fun things.   We are keeping really busy and for some reason I just don’t seem to get everything done that I want to do.   Sounds like life, doesn’t it?  

Marv is doing an excellent job with the Centers for Young Adults.   He has been busy building new forms and spreadsheets to track the information they need and getting the Finances organized.  It is a lot of work but when he is done, it will be done right and will be easy for the next people to follow.   Because of his association with the CFYA we had the privilege of going to Budapest, Hungary, for three days last week, June 22-24.   When I told my boss we were going he asked that I do a review on the Coordinator out there and so we had to work that into the plan also.  

Our flight from Frankfurt was delayed a half hour but when we got to Budapest we were met by two awesome young Elders from Washington State.  They are from the same town, same ward, received their calls the same day to Budapest, entered the MTC together, flew to Hungary together and after 18 months of serving, they are now serving together in the mission office.   We really enjoyed getting to know them and feel of their love for their mission.   They even called us on Friday and asked if we needed a ride back to the airport so that saved us a taxi ride.   Their names are Elder Murray and Elder Miller.   (Even their names start with the same letter of the alphabet).   They also helped us during our training which was held in the mission home/office/CFYA building.  

It was very nice and there was a little air conditioning in the room, which was like a small living room that we gave our presentation to the Mission President and his wife, two sister missionaries (senior) serving right there in Budapest and a senior couple, the Harwell’s serving in a town about two hours away.   One of the sisters, Sister Smith, was in the MTC with us and so it was great to renew acquaintances.  She also made a lot of the arrangements for us for the training.   She made homemade cinnamon rolls and they were so good.  

We spent over two hours in training and then we had sat in on a council meeting with the Council Chairmen of the CFYA.  What a wonderful young man he is and how devoted he is to finding the lost sheep.   It was exciting to hear about the things he is doing with the other young people to search for those that could be coming to the Center and taking Institute classes.  They have an average of 16 people attend Institute and on Mondays for Family Home Evening, they have 25 to 30 and on Friday night activities they have sometimes as much as 50 young people come.  Some of these are not members and so this is a great place for them to feel the spirit.  Sister Smith and Sister Chase are doing a great job because they are having the Center open five nights a week from 3 or 4 p.m. on.   They have FHE on Mondays, Institute class on Tuesday and Wednesday, English classes on Thursday, and an activity on Fridays.   A lot of the Centers are only open two days a week but the Church would like them to be open 5 nights a week and as you can see they are definitely doing that.   Sister Chase is there until the end of July when Sister Smith’s new companion will come and Sister Chase will return to Germany to a CFYA she was working in before Sister Smith’s companion, who was her aunt had to go home because the work was too hard.   I think she might have actually been assigned to a new mission in the States that would not be as hard for her to do.  She was in her late 70’s and I believe this was her 5^th mission.

When we got done with the meetings, Marv took them out to lunch but it was almost 2:00 p.m. and I needed to meet with the Coordinator of S&I so I told them to go without me.   I met with the Coordinator and was so grateful to have this opportunity to look at his records, which he did a really good job at organizing his papers.  I was able to teach him some things about how to use and record his Visa charges and the program that is used for that.  I loved that part because I was teaching him something he wanted to know. 

He then after about two hours took Marv and I in his car to see some of Budapest.   Budapest is split in the middle by the River Danube.  On the flat side it is called Pest (peshh) and on the hilly side of the river it is called Budda.   He used to be a history teacher so he was so wonderful at telling us the history of Hungary and Budapest.   He showed us Castle hill that looks over the city and has a huge Castle on it.   (We didn’t have time to actually go in but we walked around a little bit.)   It was so hot too.  

Then he took us to the hill that Elder Nelson dedicated the land to preaching of the gospel.  This is the story I downloaded from the lds site.   But to actually stand where he stood was quite amazing and the funny part is we were pretty much alone there even though before there seemed to be people everywhere.  It was so peaceful and beautiful.  It was a by a huge statute that they call their Statue of Liberty, which was put up after World War II.   Here is the story:

Hungary, Budapest

The desire shown by many Hungarians to learn about the Church and the improvement in relations between the U.S. and eastern European countries presaged the visit to Hungary of Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve in April 1987. On Mt. Gellert, situated in a Budapest park, he offered a prayer to dedicate Hungary for missionary labor. In his words, “It was Easter Sunday. There had been a lot of people, a lot of traffic in the park. But all of a sudden, the people had gone home, and I had a sweet, peaceful feeling this [was] the spot.” ²⁵

Because the Church had not as yet received legal recognition, Elder Nelson immediately informed the government about the dedicatory prayer. He explained its significance to Dr. Imre Miklos, state secretary and president of the State Office for Religious Affairs. Dr. Miklos was moved and expressed his appreciation for the desire of the Church to bless the people of his country.

On 1 June 1988, the document granting legal recognition to the Church was signed in Budapest by Dr. Miklos, representing the government of Hungary. On June 24, Elder Nelson received the official declaration in Budapest on behalf of the Church. He was accompanied by Elder Hans B. Ringger of the First Quorum of the Seventy and President Dennis B. Neuenschwander, president of the Austria Vienna East Mission—the Church leader who would have immediate jurisdiction over missionary efforts in Hungary. Also present were two Hungarian members of the Church, Dr. Gedeon Kereszti, serving then as the president of the Hungarian District, and his counselor, Dr. Peter Paul Varga.

He then took us to see the Parliament Building.  It is huge with a lot of Roman architecture.  We didn’t have time to go in but it was still nice to see the outside and have him share more history with us.   The buildings in this town have a lot of detail on the outside with statutes and figures everywhere, on the face of the buildings, on the top of buildings, etc.  The town is dirtier than in Germany and there seem to be more poor walking around.

Marv and I walked around on Friday morning before our flight and walked in the park across from where we were staying.  We were approached by a gypsy (I’m sure that is what she was) and she was begging us for money for her bambinos – we are told not to give out money.   She followed us and I was really nervous.   I’m sure she figured we were American because we told her we didn’t speak Hungarian so she tried German and then French but she didn’t know English.   It was very strange.   I wanted to get out of there and I had to practically drag Marv along.   I didn’t feel safe and he thought we were fine because he saw a woman with a baby.   I don’t care – I didn’t feel safe and I was really glad to get away from there.  We were looking at a statue of a Hungarian Soldier and German Soldier shaking hands, the date was in 1914 so the end of World War I.

The currency if HUF and it is large amounts and so when you spent 1800 HUF you panic but that is about 7 EUR or 11 US Dollars.   I was ready to come home on Friday.   I thought I would be better about the travel but it is actually kind of scary to me when I can’t speak the language and I don’t know where to go and some of the streets we were walking on didn’t seem safe.   I know you have to careful about pick pockets there and Marv was so frustrated with me for making him put his wallet in his front pocket.   It really was an interesting city but without Brother Jozsef Kucskar we really wouldn’t have seen much or known what we were looking at.  

One of the most interesting parts of the time was hearing his conversion story and hearing how he came to be a Coordinator for S&I.   He and his wife are the only members on both sides.   He joined because of his wife.   He was raised staunch Catholic and practiced his religion and didn’t see a need for any other one.   But he joined and developed his testimony and even though he always wanted to be a lawyer (I think he would have made a good lawyer), he agreed to work for S&I because of his wife again.   Women look at the influence you can have on the men around you.   He is a wonderful man and he has had many challenges but I believe that has made him even better.  He was traveling that night to a town and then staying overnight so that he can meet with the Elders and Priesthood leaders to see about starting an Institute class there.   The area was just opened to missionary work.   He loves what he does and we were told he is a great teacher.   I know he was a great teacher for Marv and I.   Isn’t it interesting all the people the Lord just puts in our path so that we can learn and grow?  

By the way, Budapest had McDonald’s, which we ate at 2 times because we could point at the picture, a KFC and a Burger King all in the same block.  They are everywhere.   We did eat breakfast in the motel because it came with our room and we ate dinner on Thursday night there.   It was really good.   I had perch and Marv had some bacon wrapped meat.   Our room was very hot and our little refrigerator did not work but other than the heat issue, we survived and learned a lot from our experience.   We are suppose to go to Warsaw, Poland, to do some training in July.   We have an S&I couple there so we will probably do double duty again.   I just hope we get to go to some other places too even if it is scary.

On Saturday, we went to Mainz, Germany about 45 minutes away to meet up the Asplund’s and the new Mental Health Couple, the Dearings.  She is the doctor and they are from West Jordan.   She is the same age as me, 57, and she was able to take a leave of absence from BYU to serve this mission because her husband wanted to serve before his health was bad.  He is around 65.   She has a medical degree and worked for the state as a clinical psychologist, retired from there and is now teaching at BYU.   I really like her and it was fun to get to know the two of them.   We ate in a Mexican food place.   It was interesting and sort of okay.   They all loved it but I don’t know if I will drive 45 minutes to eat there again.  You never know.    We didn’t do much here but do in a Catholic Church which was huge.   We found an ice cream stand because Brother Asplund always likes to get an ice cream when we are touring and ate it and then pretty much came home.   We got home by at 6 and we left around 12 that day.

I have really had my struggles while being here but this week after a few bad days, I feel I have passed through some of the tough times and I am on the road that is better.   I guess I expected this to be easy because it is like a job but it has been the hardest job I think I have ever done.   I have trying to learn all the different personalities and trying to get people to make changes that have been their traditions for well over 30 years.   I think I was trying to be someone I am not and now I have come to realize that the Lord expects me to be me and that he will help ME.   I look forward to better days ahead.   Thank heavens for my awesome husband.  He has been my strength and support.  It is funny that I was the one that felt we needed to do this and I am the one that has struggled the most.   He has just jumped in with both feet and he is doing great.   I know I couldn’t be here without him so I am grateful his life was spared.   We are loving our time together.   This is a wonderful place to be and this really is a wonderful experience.   I have decided without the challenges I get to face, I wouldn’t grow and the Lord expects me to grow so hopefully I will learn to do what will be the best for those here in Europe and make lots of new friends and come home with a great love for them and be able to share all I have learned.  Every day is a day for learning and I am trying to open my eyes and see what is around me and how I can learn for everything that happens.   I love it and I am in a good place inside myself, which allows me to reach out to those around me.  

I want you to know I love my Savior.   I know he lives.  I know he loves me, he knows me, he know the end from the beginning and everything between.   I know that we are here at this precise moment in this precise place for a precise reason and I know the Lord doesn’t want any of us to fail and he is there to help us.   I feel his presence and the presence of others that sent to help me.   We are so blessed to be surrounded by great people.   I love all of you and I miss you but I know this is right.   I know that President Monson is the prophet and he has extended this call to us.  

May you all be happy and enjoy your journeys where ever they take you.  Stop and smell the roses along the way because I am finding that is what brings the peace and happiness to our lives.   Well I had best stop and get this ready to mail.  

We love you,  Elder and Sister Paxton, Mom and Dad, Marv and Vickie (did I miss any titles?)

We love to hear from you – Write or e-mail let us know how you are doing.   I can’t believe how much we look forward to a word from home.   By the time you get this you will have had the 4^th of July.   I hope all of you were safe and had a great day.  

Family letter June 2, 2011

June 2, 2011

Dear Family,

How are you?  We are doing good and so far we have not fallen victim to the food poisoning e-coli breakout here in Germany.   That is really good.  Knock on wood that we will stay okay.  

We had today off because it is Ascension Day, which is tied to their Easter Celebration and my understanding is that it is also their Father’s Day.   We have ended up staying home and not sightseeing because Marv hasn’t felt very good.  He thinks he is coming down with a cold but I am wondering if possibly it is more allergy related because there is a lot of different pollen in the air.   It is now after 4 p.m. and he has slept all afternoon.  I sure hope he will sleep tonight but I am assuming he really doesn’t feel too good. 

It is really nice just to stay home.  The weather is nice and sunny today with a nice breeze.   The temperature says it is 72°.   I have spent the day cleaning, doing wash which for some reason is taking all day today.  It must be the humidity because I am having a hard time getting the clothes to dry so I have clothes that are washed waiting for the dryer.  We have a condensation dryer, which means it does not vent outside and you have this container that holds the water from the clothes.   I have had to empty that a lot today.   I finally just took out some of the clothes and hung them up to dry and put the pants on drying racks.

Tomorrow I will be the only one in my office because everyone else is making it a long vacation.  I guess they are glad they have a missionary so they don’t have to decide who has to be in the office.   I have a feeling that the only ones that are going to be in the offices will be the missionaries tomorrow and we will see how many of those are actually there.   The kid we take into work that is doing his internship might be the only one on his floor, the executive secretary and his wife, for the Area Presidency on my floor and I will probably be the only ones on our floor.   I don’t know about the Doctors but I assume someone will be there as there are always people that are sick or needing their help somehow will be on the 3rd floor and Marv will be on the fourth floor until the Asplund’s get back in town and they might come over to the office in the afternoon.   It will be interesting to see who really is there.   There are about 5 more missionaries on Marv’s floor that could be there but all the employees seem to have scheduled the time off.  I can’t say I blame them.  

They get 28 days of vacation plus all their holidays off and unlimited sick leave.   Wouldn’t you like that?   I sure would have.   Plus the people in my area say they have a lot of comp time.  I’m not sure how they figure that because in Germany there is no such thing as comp time.   Oh well, I’m not here to figure out their working hours and tracking of it.  I just can’t figure out how you can arrive on Monday after 9 a.m. and stay to maybe 6 or possibly 7 occasionally and leave on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. and get your full 40 hours in for the week.   I guess I don’t know how to count or something.  (There’s one that does that and they eat at their desk and count that as their work time too so maybe it all adds up.)

I am starting in the process of budget preparation but it is not going well because the guy I am suppose to work with is not letting me know what he has already.   He is just planning on entering it and I’m not sure how much I am going to get to put input on because he says it should be about what it was last year but in reality it should be a lot less because they have more budget than they spend and let me tell you they spend plenty but we need to get it down to what they actually spend or at least somewhat closer.  S&I likes the budgets to be spent between 90 and 102% and I think they have typically spent around 84%.   Plus looking at their budgets they have a lot more than they should have for various accounts so I am not going to be liked very well if I do try to pull it into alignment.   I just hope that I get to have some input, if not, then why am I even here.  

This is a picture of a cemetery.   I may have already sent it but what I learned something this past week about their cemeteries  that was interesting to me.   When someone dies they lease the area for 25 to 30 years and the family has to take care of it.  Notice they plant flowers or ground cover all over the top of it.  Then after 25 or 30 years they are dug up and someone else is put there.   The headstones are ground up or something like that so apparently there are very few graves that are very old with headstones.   I’m so glad they don’t do that in the States. 

This next Wednesday for  the sister’s night out we are going to visit this huge cemetery, which is close to our office and they say it is old and so I will take some pictures.  I will notice if I see any really old headstones.   I was looking forward to seeing some. 

I was hoping to go to Flensburg probably at the end of our mission and see if any of our relatives graves were there.  They are on my Grandma Hayes’s side and I don’t have very much information going back on them but I do show a few generations in that city.   This was called Prussia at one time but is now part of Germany.   It is close to the Denmark border.   But it appears I’m not going to see any old headstones. Emiliya showed me some pictures of old headstones from her country so they must not do the same over there.

 

We went to a going away dinner for six couples last night at a Chinese or Thai restaurant in Friedburg about 30 minutes away.   It was pretty good but we aren’t sure we are going back.  It cost Marv and I about $50 US dollars just for the buffet and a drink.   Neither one of us ate that much at the buffet to make it worth the cost.  Oh well, it was another experience.

I received my general conference issue finally this week but it was the Liahona instead of the Ensign.   I e-mailed and asked that they make sure I get the Ensign from here on.   It is nice to reread the talks and be reminded of all that I heard during conference.  It will take me a while to get through it.

We have been invited for a real German meal on Sunday after church to one of the guys that I work with.   They are a couple that have never been able to have children and they have tried adoption and foster care but nothing is working out for them.  He is 41 years old and I think his wife is a couple of years younger than him.   I think he would have made a great dad because he is really kind.   He is very tall and quite big.  He has to duck to get through the doors. 

He wants to take us to a town that is known for their flowers (actually we would be taking him because they don’t have a car) and I am worried how he is going to fit in our little car for a couple hour trip.  We took him to the grocery store in our car once and the seat had to be clear back and he still was pretty cramped.   I don’t know if it will be me or his wife that needs to sit behind him because I don’t think there will be room for either one of us behind him.    It should be interesting.   He has been really kind to me and to Marv.   He is a secretary in my office but has put in an application to be on  the computer support team.   I hope he gets it because it will be a raise for him and he is really pretty good with the computer.  I would miss him in the office but we aren’t going to be here forever and he needs to do what is best for he and his family.

Marv is working on making arrangements for us to visit a Center for Young Adults and do some training with the people in Budapest, Hungary and so we will probably be going there in a few weeks over a weekend.   I understand the town is wonderful and a must see but I don’t know how much time we are going to have to see things.  Hopefully a little bit of time so we could take a tour or something.   It is a little scary to go there but I guess we will figure it out.  It appears any traveling we do will be with Marv’s assignment.  We are suppose to go with the Asplund’s the first week in August to a YSA Conference in Munich.   I think that will be a fun thing to do because we won’t be alone and we will be able to see the young people and mingle with them.  Sometimes I am envious of those couples that get to work in the Centers with the young people.  I know they have their challenges but I think you would see good things happen and could really make a difference in lives.  They typically go to the Centers two days a week and I don’t know what they do the rest of the week.  We work 5 days a week and get Saturdays off unless we travel to do some training and then that is usually on a weekend when they want us to go so then we get no time off.  But visiting the Centers would be a fun thing to do.

The church bells are ringing.  We hear them every day and I think it is kind of cool.  There are lots of things I like about being here.   It really is a great experience and a learning one for us.

These are some markers in our town as a memorial to the Jews. 

The next two are in the sidewalks and they are probably about 5X5.  You kind of have to be looking for them.  There is one that says,

“Here lived Karoline Schiff born 1874, Deported 1942, to Theresienstadt

Murdered March 10, 1943.

Amother one says:  Here lived Simon Changer Born 1858, Victim of the pogrom, TOT Dec 2, 1938. 

The second one says, Here lived Betty Charger of building Nachmann, Born 1862, Deported 1942, Theresienstadt, TOT Sept. 15, 1942

HISTORY OF THERESIENSTADT

On June 10, 1940, the Gestapo took control of Terezín and set up the prison in the Small Fortress (kleine Festung), see below. By November 24, 1941, the Main Fortress (große Festung, i.e. the walled town of Theresienstadt) was turned into a ghetto.^[1] To outsiders, it was presented by the Nazis as a model Jewish settlement, but in reality it was a concentration camp 'where over 33 000 inmates died as a result of hunger, sickness, or the sadistic treatment meted out by their captors'.^[2] Theresienstadt was also used as a transit camp for European Jews en route to Auschwitz. 'Although some survivors claim the population reached 75,000, official records place the highest figure on September 18, 1942, at 58,491 in Kasernes (barracks) designed to accommodate 7000 combat troups.'^[3]

Dr. Siegfried Seidl, an SS-Hauptsturmführer,^[4] served as the first camp commandant in 1941. Seidl oversaw the labor of 342 Jewish artisans and carpenters, known as the Aufbaukommando, who converted the fortress into a concentration camp. Although the Aufbaukommando were promised that they and their families would be spared transport, eventually all were transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in September 1944^[5] for Sonderbehandlung, or "special treatment", i.e. immediate gassing of all upon arrival. Seidl himself was hanged for his crimes by a post-war tribunal in Vienna in 1946.^[6]

As in other European ghettos, a Jewish Council nominally governed the ghetto. In Theresienstadt this was known as the "Cultural Council" and eventually known by the residents as the "Jewish self-government of Theresienstadt".^[7] The first of the Jewish Elders of Theresienstadt was Jakob Edelstein, a Polish-born Zionist and former head of the Prague Jewish community. In 1943, he was deported to Auschwitz, where he was shot to death after watching his wife and son being shot to death also.^[8] The second was Paul Eppstein, a sociologist originally from Mannheim, Germany. Earlier, Eppstein was the speaker of the Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland, the central organization of Jews in Nazi Germany. In the course of the liquidation transports in autumn 1944, when some two thirds of the ghetto population were deported to Auschwitz, Eppstein was allegedly shot in the Small Fortress.^{[citation needed]} He died on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Hebrew calendar, after he informed the deported people of what was awaiting them in the "East". Benjamin Murmelstein, a Lvov-born Vienna Rabbi, succeeded Eppstein. In the last days of the ghetto's existence, eminent and much-loved Rabbi Leo Baeck served as the Elder. In 1943 to 1945, he was the speaker of the Council of Elders of Theresienstadt, after being deported from Berlin, where he had served as the head of the Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland. He was to survive Theresienstadt and emigrated to London after the war. ^[9]

Many of the 80,000 Czech Jews who died in the Holocaust died in Theresienstadt, where the conditions were extremely difficult. In a space previously inhabited by 7,000 Czechs, now over 50,000 Jews were gathered. Food was scarce and in 1942 almost 16,000 people died, including Esther Adolphine (a sister of Sigmund Freud), who died on September 29, 1942; Friedrich Münzer (a German classicist), who died on October 20, 1942. Medicine and tobacco were strictly prohibited; possession could be punished by hard labor or death. Single men and women were officially forbidden to meet, or to communicate with a Gentile without German permission, however married couple often remained together and were able to sleep in the same quarters.^[7]

It soon became the "home" for a great number of Jews from occupied Czechoslovakia. The 7,000 non-Jewish Czechs living in Terezín were expelled by the Nazis in the spring of 1942. As a consequence, the Jewish community became a closed environment.

Theresienstadt supplied the German war effort with a source of Jewish slave labor. Their major contribution was the splitting of mica mined from local Czechoslovakia. Blind prisoners were often spared deportation by assignment to this task. Others manufactured boxes or coffins. Others sprayed military uniforms with a white dye to provide camouflage for German soldiers on the Russian front. According to ex-prisoners, Theresienstadt was also a sorting and re-distribution centre for underwear and clothing confiscated from Jews.. "from all parts of Germany, the baggage taken away from the Jews was sent to Theresienstadt, and there it was packaged, sorted-out in order to be sent out all over the country, to various cities, for the people who were bombed-out and suffered a shortage of underwear and clothing."^[7]

456 Jews from Denmark were sent to Theresienstadt in 1943. These were Jews who had not escaped to Sweden before the arrival of the Nazis. Included also in the transports were some of the European Jewish children whom Danish organizations had been attempting to conceal in foster homes. The arrival of the Danes is of great significance, as the Danes insisted on the Red Cross's having access to the ghetto. This was a rare move, given that most European governments did not insist on their fellow Jewish citizens being treated according to some fundamental principles. The Danish king, Christian X, later secured the release of the Danish internees on April 15, 1945. The White Buses, in cooperation with the Danish Red Cross, collected the 413 who had survived.

Approximately 144,000 Jews were sent to Theresienstadt. Most inmates were Czech Jews. Some 40,000 originated from Germany, 15,000 from Austria, 5,000 from the Netherlands and 300 from Luxembourg. In addition to the group of approx. 500 Jews from Denmark, also Slovak and Hungarian Jews were deported to the ghetto. Some 1,600 Jewish children from Białystok, Poland, were deported to Auschwitz from Theresienstadt; none survived. About a quarter of the inmates (33,000) died in Theresienstadt, mostly because of the deadly conditions (hunger, stress, and disease, especially the typhus epidemic at the very end of war). About 88,000 were deported to Auschwitz and other extermination camps. At the end of the war, there were a mere 17,247 survivors. 15,000 children lived in the camp's children's home; only 93 survived.

Well, I guess this was your history lesson for the week.  

Well, that is about all the news I have for this week.  Just more of the same.   Hope this finds everyone doing great.  We love you.

Love,

Elder and Sister Paxton

Journal entries from May 24, 2011 to May 26, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011:  Bryan e-mailed me at work to ask if I had heard if Uncle Bob wasyaMsurvivors.  I told him that Sylvia, Bob’s daughter lived there.  So he called Bob and left a message to see if everyone was okay.   I got an email from Bryan on Wednesday morning that she was okay.  She lived about two blocks from where the tornado touched down.  Very lucky she didn’t get hurt.

Marv had meetings at work all day for Centers for Young Adults.  They had a committee meeting where they approved some more centers.   He met with Heinz Kanobby about the funding for the centers in the afternoon.  They had a lunch of Doner’s brought in and invited me to eat with them.  Diane Asplund and I shared a wrap which was plenty big. 

 

I worked on paymentnet charges and in the afternoon we had training on how to run some reports in CFIS.  It was really beneficial and I hope to use it soon.  

Wednesday, May 25, 2011:   I literally spent all day pulling up the paymentnet charges and reviewing the transaction notes and writing up questions on things I was seeing.  I made some coding changes.   We left at 5 pm and took Blake’s with us and dropped them off at Woolworth’s while we continued home to change our clothes for cleaning our chapel.   We picked them back up and proceeded to the chapel.  President and Sister Ninow and one of their sons, Brother and Sister Blake, Sister Simonet, and Marv and I cleaned the church house.   I cleaned the kitchen, Marv cleaned some of the bathrooms and then mopped the kitchen, hall and entry way.  President Ninow washed the windows, Sister Ninow vacuumed, Brother Blake vacuumed, Sister Blake shined the drinking fountains and worked on the bathrooms, Sister Simonet helped clean bathrooms and some other vacuuming, the Ninow’s son emptied the garbage’s and cleaned some of the windows.   I think it looked pretty good when we were done and it probably only took about an hour to do it.   It is amazing how much you can get done when there are lots of help.  

Then we stopped at Kentucky Fried Chicken and order two meals.  We were able to get three chicken breasts each with coleslaw and mashed potatoes and gravy (Marv) and I had French fries with mine.  It cost us 16€ and the guy gave us a VIP discount.   We ended up with 4 chicken breasts left over so I got a box and brought them home.  Now we will have lunch and dinner for tomorrow.

We took the Blake’s home and then we came home.  We got home around 9 p.m.   We got to talk to Bryan for about 20 minutes at 10 p.m. our time and 2 p.m. his time.   It is always good to talk to him.  We are really getting used to talking to him almost every day.   He is a great guy.   I hope he can find the right house for them to buy.  I’m sure they will.

Christie e-mailed that Scott got a summer job with the forest service but it doesn’t start until June 20^th and he will only be able to work about 6 weeks.  They feel blessed that they  got this job because the week before they had been told they were not hiring this year.   I fasted and prayed for them on Sunday so maybe that helped too.  

Thursday, May 26, 2011:   Today was pretty much just a normal day at work.  I worked on reminding people to do their paymentnet charges by reviewing them, putting transaction notes, and making account codes are correct.   Heidi did the devotional this morning on being cheerful and it was a great reminder.  Those in the office were Heidi, Jens, Erik (kind of) he was with a guy they are considering hiring for Albania.  He is  a convert but he is from Albania, served his mission in Seattle, went to Ricks College and has been married for 10 years.  He has two children.  He seemed really nice.   I guess one of the hang ups is the fact that he has a school loan that needs to be paid and if they hire him, it won’t be enough to make his payment.  

This morning I noticed that Scott was on SKYPE and so I started a chat to see if he could talk.   We chatted back and forth (wrote to each other).   He has hired two people.  One for the RPA  “May” from the Phillipines and one from San Diego for their SEO business.  This guy will go out and contact people who want their presence on the web.  I really think this will be a great move for him and John.  I think they can do some wonderful things with this and actually make a good living so that Kristin can quit work.   He is working really hard.   He works during the day tending the kids and then trying to train the people he has hired.   Apollo is doing great and he works at night for Scott.   I hope May will work out really good for him too.   I really feel the Lord is starting to really bless him.   I am so proud of him.  

I am proud of Bryan and who he is and what he has done with his life.   He is great father and husband and is so good to us too.

  

Christie is an awesome daughter and we feel so blessed to have her in our life.  She is very talented with writing and she is a great mom. 

 

When we got home, I hemmed Marv’s temple pants and then went to the store to buy something for Sister Windley’s birthday tomorrow.   I ended up buying her a little box of mini chocolate bars that said Celebration on the top.  I thought that is appropriate.   I also bought myself some yellow roses.  I think there were a dozen and they only cost 1.99 €.  That’s the best price of everything. 

We made us cheese sandwiches for dinner.  It was getting late and I was tired.   We had left over Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch today.   It was been warm and then it rain for a few minutes and then it got humid.   It is 10:15 p.m. and it is 66 degrees.   I am so tired.  I need to go to bed.

Family letter May 12, 2011 - Zone Conference

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Dear Family,

Sorry this is going to be another group letter.  The time is going quickly and it seems before I know it, it is Thursday night and I need to get a letter into the mail tomorrow at work.   As you have probably heard we are getting quite warm over here.  I think it was in the 90’s today, at least that is what someone said.  Right now at 8:00 p.m. it is 69 and I am so grateful for a little breeze.  That is one thing I really haven’t noticed in the past is any real wind.  It is a very beautiful day but a little hot in our offices so it is nice to be home with the windows open and a breeze blowing.

By the time you get this you will probably already have heard but today we got some good news.   We have been wondering what we should do about our apartment in that whether or not we should move to a less expensive place because they raised our rent and it appeared to be costing us about 300 US dollars more than some of the other less nice places.   We had just decided to wait a little longer to see if paying the extra was going to be a real problem.   Well today we were called into Brother Worthlin’s Office, son of Elder Worthlin, who is the DTA for the Europe Area.  Brad Barlow the Church’s controller over Finances in the Europe Area was also there.  We had a great visit and then he told us they were making all the rents the same no matter where people lived.   So he said our rent would be 1037.50 Eur which included the car cost.   We were ecstatic because that will save us almost 200 US dollars a month just on the cost of the apartment and we don’t need to move and we have one of the nicest apartments in the area, we are told.   Everyone no matter if they are in a one or two bedroom apartment will pay the same.  Those that are paying less now will continue to pay less until they are done with their missions and those that are paying more will start paying less.   It is great for us.   Those that are coming into the mission will pay the 925 Eur for their apartment and if they are allowed a car they will pay an additional 112 Eur for their cars.

I think we were truly blessed.   I look at it as one of the little tender mercies of the Lord again to us.   He just seems to be taking care of us and so I hope that we can do what he expects us to do.  At least now I don’t have to worry about the expenses and if and when anyone comes, we will have a hideaway bed and a twin bed for people to sleep in or even floor space.  

Last night I was so hot that I had turned on the fan we have in our apartment to help cool things down and then Marv turned it off when we went to bed.   I got really hot last night and thought there is no way I am going to handle the summer heat.   I walked into the livingroom to open a window and the heater was on and it was really hot, the heaters were on in every room so I turned them off – no wonder it was HOT!   Our heaters haven’t worked very good and last night we didn’t have any hot water but they must have fixed that problem and when they fixed it, it must have fixed the heaters too.   Needless to say, I have turned the heaters totally off.

We had our first Zone Conference yesterday and so we didn’t go to work (well we did go afterwards and pick up some work to bring home).   It was really good.  We had one of the Area Presidency and his wife talk and a few of the missionaries also talked.   Sister Teixera (Area Presidencies wife) talked about our setting apart to be a missionary and what that meant.   I really needed to be reminded of that and she reminded us that we were here at this precise time doing our unique callings at this exact time because Heavenly Father needed and wanted each of us to do this.  She reminded us that just because we have office jobs does not mean we aren’t on a mission that will further the Lord’s work.   She taught us a formula that is said is (worthiness + prayer)*authority = special power.   She taught us we need to learn to love the people we work with.   (Good advice)

Elder Teixera (spelling is wrong I am sure)  Taught us that we need to first convert ourselves and to remember that there is a purpose behind every calling we receive.  We create a desire in others to follow Christ by what we do.  He reminded us that people are watching us.   He tried to teach us that

1. We must prepare spiritually because he said the Lord is mindful of the things ahead of us.  What we do and how we do it is vital.  We need to study the scriptures to help us get the spiritual strength we need.  

2.  Participate in councils.   Be spiritually prepared when going to this council because the Lord can help give us answers and solutions.   I set up some appointments with Christian so we will start counseling together on the financial issues.  

3.  Administer unto others.  He told us to find people we can administer to.  He said it might just be our husband or wife or another missionary or an employee we work with but there is someone that needs us to show love and caring toward them.  He reminded us that it is the small things we can do that will make a difference.   He said our leadership has the power to transform the entire organization that we work with.  

He also told us that Leadership is about telling ourselves what we need to do to become like Christ not telling others what to do.   I am trying hard to put this into practice.

It seems that we have been really busy lately.   I can’t believe how fast the weather is changing because now the breeze is getting cold and it feels like it is going to rain.  My plants I planted are doing really good.  I don’t think my petunias back home ever look as good as they look here.   It usually takes until fall to get them looking so good.  Here are some pictures of my flowers.

I don’t know what we are going to do this weekend.  Maybe we will find some place to go.  We haven’t done any tripping around in the past couple of weeks. 

Marv is getting really busy with his finances now.   He needs to start working on the budgets for the CFYA.  He just got a payment request from one of the trainers that had a stack of pages and his expenses were around 5000 Euros and Marv is realizing that there needs to be some training and instructions on what they can charge because this guy has had a great time spending the money but how do you not reimburse him?   I told him that he needs to get with Brad and find out what the Church’s policy is regarding travel and meals.  I know what S&I policies are and I see a lot of people who abuse that policy too.

Well, I’m sorry this is a short letter this time but I don’t know what I should write and I am really tired. +   I guess tomorrow after work we will go to the store to pick up some groceries.   That seems to be our big out.   Boring but that’s what we seem to do the best.   I have noticed since we came over that I didn’t bring very many things that are cool to wear in the spring and summer.   I just might have to break down and try to find some new clothes for the spring and summer.   Maybe I can talk Marv into taking me this weekend.   We all know how much he loves shopping but he is usually fairly patient with me.  

Well, take care and know that we love all of you and miss doing things with you but that the Lord has helped us enjoy being here together and we haven’t had to time to get homesick yet thanks to SKYPE and the phone, e-mail and letters.  We truly are blessed.   May you all be happy and continue praying for us and each other.  We can feel your prayers and we are always praying for all of you too.

Love ya,

Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma Vickie, Marv and Vickie  

May 5, 2011

Dear Vauna, Lisa, Ron and Karen:\

Happy Cinco de Mayo if any of you are celebrating that Holiday.  Also I hope Vauna and Karen  that you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day.   I’m sure mine will be different but I know it will be good.

We have had a busy week so I haven’t done very good at writing emails and such.   Last Saturday, we had meetings with the Centers for Young Adults.  We left our house around 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning and arrived back to our apartment at 8:15 p.m.   We had Elder Wright at the meetings and he was kind of running the program.  He is the Area 70 over the Centers and he is from Wales.  

We meet some couples from France and Finland, Great Britain, and the Perle’s from southern Germany.  Brother and Sister Perle were released from their calling on the day before but came in smiling and very upbeat.   They have loved their calling.  They were asked to share their testimonies and it was very touching.  

After all the meetings which were over about 4:30 p.m., the Asplund’s and us visited more with Elder Wright and then we went to dinner with him.   We were all so tired when we were done but it was a pretty good day.  Asplund’s received permission for Marv and I to be trainers to some of the Centers.  Right now we will probably be Advisors to the Centers in Hungary and Poland and possibly to some in Northern Germany.   Everything hasn’t been totally decided on that.  We will need to travel to these centers and meet with the Center couples that are running the programs, meet with the Stake or District President and attend an activity or two of the Young Adults to see how things are going plus give some training to the Center  couples and to the Student Council members.   We will probably leave on a Friday and return on a Wednesday.   The Asplund’s want us to go to YSA Conference with them the first of August for a few days in Munich.   I think that should be interesting.   So it sounds like me might get to do a little traveling with Marv’s assignment.  

Sunday we were invited over to the Davies for dessert and we had a wonderful visit and dessert was strawberry shortcake.   They are another Senior Missionary Couple.   They have been on 4 missions I believe and he is the Executive Secretary to the Area Presidency.  I really needed that visit and it was fun hearing about their missions and how the Lord has blessed them in their lives. 

I went to a Sister’s Night out last night and they had a lot of things from the sisters going home because their missions are done and they decided to leave some things behind.  There was clothes, shoes, purses, and cooking supplies.   I picked up a couple of packages of onion soup mix and a box of something that I was told was pudding.   It was all free.    Then we had a sister that taught us how to make an apple strudel and a vegetable strudel.   It was really easy because you can buy the dough already made at the store and then you throw the other things in it and cook it for about 20 to 25 minutes at 200c.   

Then they had a book review of some of the favorite fiction books of three of the sisters, two of them are the doctor’s wives.   They don’t really have much to do so they can spend a lot of time reading I guess.   One of them loved historical based novels, one loved the mystery type books and the other one loved just a good feel good book.  One of the doctor’s has written two books that are published on Amazon and she shared how he writes.  Sounds like he has always loved to tell stories and he spend about an hour a day writing down his story line and even when they go on vacation he can come home and start where he left off.  I guess his books are good and clean.  His name is Steven Dahl.   They are going to be here until January so maybe before then I can check out his book and read at least one of them.   This winter would be a good time to do that.  I am trying to read President Monson’s book on my Kindle but I really need to spend more time doing that.   I can’t believe how fast the time is going.   I never seem to have enough time to do everything I want to do.They also told us that there is a small library where we can check out the books and apparently some games and DVD’s in our office building.   I guess I will have to check it out.   Then we got to eat the strudels and clean up and go home.   I got home about 8:30 p.m. that night.  

Things have been really busy for me at work this week.   I have been dealing with a few new challenges but I think we have been able to work through most of them.   We had a couple that has not paid for their mission car, which costs $150 US dollars a month but now they rather reluctantly will start to pay for the car.   They got away without paying for it for 9 months.   There is always something that comes up that I have to figure out who I need to talk to and how to resolve the issues.   This definitely keeps me hopping and there is never a dull moment.

Today Marv and I along with Asplund’s,who are the CFYA Leaders, and who we have become good friends with got to travel to a town that is about 2 ½ hours away from here to pick up a computer, filing cabinet and files for Marv’s job from Brother Perle.   It was a very nice drive and I did notice a couple of castles on the hills on our drive but of course we couldn’t stop.  Sister Perle fixed us lunch and it was very good.   Her table was beautifully set and her home was very lovely.   It is in an apartment building where they have lived for the past 36 years.   They pretty much raised their children there.  As I looked around, she had decorated it very lovely and she shared stories about a lot of the things she had.   Sister Asplund and I loved visiting with this sister.   I was amazed that she raised her children in this small of a place.  We are truly blessed to have such large homes.   I felt so guilty that I thought I should really move to the smaller apartment and save some money.   But we will see if Marv is wanting to do that or not.   He is tired of me talking about it but I’m not really sure how he feels.   Our apartment is nice so it might be hard to go down to something a lot smaller but it would be less expensive. 

Brother and Sister Perle shared with us their story of how they met.  She is a convert and Brother Perle baptized her.   She saw the name of the church on the outside of a church and decided to attend a meeting and check it out.  She then got interested in going to the dances and activities there on weekends.   During that time in Stuttgard there were a lot of soldiers here and so a lot of the girls married the American soldiers but she didn’t.   Brother Perle when he was 23 and a newlywed was made a Branch President.   Then he was a Bishop, Counselor in Stake Presidency 2 times, Bishop again and I think they have been on 6 missions.  They have served in the temple a couple of times, in Dresden proselyting,  and Trainer for the CFYA.   He is around 75 years of age. 

Sister Perle became sick and the sickness paralyzed her from the waist down when they were on one of their missions so they had to be released.  Brother Perle gave her a priesthood blessing after she had suffered some time with this and the doctors didn’t know what was wrong with her.  She was healed enough that she can walk around now.  After this healing and getting better they went back and finished their mission but they feel they can never pay back the Lord enough for healing her.   Her legs are still kind of weak but she said she can get around and she is not complaining.   They shared some beautiful stories for us.  She told us we need to go to Dresden and see all the history that is there.   This is where the wall was put up and divided the East from the West.   She remembers this time very well.   She is actually from Czech and she remembers the night that Dresden was bombed by us.  She was close to the border and they could see the glow of the fires from the bombing.   She was kicked out of Czech Republic but was sent to Stuttgard which was a blessing in disguise so that she did not have to stay behind the wall.   This is where she and Brother Perle met.   Anyway we learned so much from them and the Spirit was so strong.   If only we could have experiences like today every day. 

We had a prayer before we left for guidance and safety and for a nice time of getting to know and love the Perle’s.  We were able to travel up there with no problems and traffic was even decent.   I had been a little concerned because Marv was having to drive a big van and I know how hard it is to get around in the little car we have – I hoped he would not have any problems.   We didn’t get lost and the ride went smooth.  Coming home we couldn’t get the car to start because we could get the key to turn so Brother Perle tried to help us and finally after reading the manual, he got the car started.   It was kind of funny but then we left after they gave us some sweet rolls from the bakery for our trip home.   The Perle’s are the most wonderful and faithful people I have ever met.   They are loved by Heavenly Father and you can feel that they know that and how much they want to serve the Lord.   Our trip home took us an extra hour because of traffic.  We left around 8:15 a.m. and got home at 7:00 p.m.   I felt the Lord did bless us totally today.  

I did see a cool looking castle on a hill and we saw a nuclear power plant on our way.  There were other castles and lots of churches but we didn’t have time to stop and look at any of them.   I think that this is outside our mission boundaries so I don’t know if we will get back there again.  

Sister Asplund and I talked nonstop both up and back.   Every time I get with her I want to move over to the other apartment but I think Marv is content to be here.   I am so confused as to what we should do.   Hopefully we will make the right choice.  

My flowers look beautiful and I am so glad that I can see them on my porch as I leave for work.  They make me feel happy.  

Marv shared his story of why he is on a mission today with the Perle’s.  Brother Asplund asked him to do that.   He has told his story many times.   I always want to add what I felt and saw but I let him tell it his way and don’t interject anything.   He always gets choked up and he says he knows the Lord saved his life and this is a small thing he can do to give back a little to the Lord.   I am so proud on him.   He is truly doing a great job here.  

I love all of you.   I want you to know that I love the Lord and I am glad that I too have listened to the Spirit and made choices in my life that have given me this opportunity to serve here.  I have come to know that the Lord knows the end from the beginning and he knows what we are capable of doing.  I know that he loves each of us.   I know that he wants us to obey the commandments and as we do, he blesses us beyond measure.   He never breaks his promises to us.   It is us that break our promises to him.   I love my Savior, I love each of you with all my heart.   I miss you but I know this is where we are suppose to be right now at this particular time.  I believe as time goes on we will even learn more on how we can serve him even better and why he wants us here.   Even if it is for us to be stronger, to love each other and our family even more, even if it is to make some new and dear friends, even if it is to touch the heart of someone somewhere, there is a purpose and we need to do our part.   What a wonderful opportunity to learn to serve and to serve with all our heart.   May the Lord bless all of you with the blessings that you need and desire.   May you feel his love for you and that his love will fill in for us while we are gone.   May all of you feel that we are where Heavenly Father wants us and that you will feel our love for you is my prayer.   The gospel is true and if we follow the commandments we will find happiness in all our lives.   Keep up the good work.  Remember to smile and be grateful for the little tender mercies that happen in each of our lives each day.

Karen we are keeping you in our prayers and hope that you heal quickly from your surgery and that it will be successful.

Love ya,

Marv and Vickie

Our Get to Know Us Write up for the Newspaper in Area Office

We are Marv (Marvin) and Vickie Paxton and we come to Frankfurt  from Cedar City, Utah, where we have lived for the past 25 years.  Previous to that we lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Aberdeen, South Dakota.   We have two sons and one daughter, 2 daughter-in-laws and one son-in-law, 8 grandsons ranging in age from 11 years to 8 weeks and 2 granddaughters age 7 and 4.   We feel really blessed to have the family we have.   We love getting together and going camping, 4 wheeling, hiking, eating, laughing, playing games, watching movies, visiting historical places and working in the yard, and anything that involves being together with our kids and grandkids.

Marv and I were originally lined up on a blind date.  We had a nice time and dated a few more times then I told him “we can just be friends”.  About 6 months later we ran into each other again at an institute dance and my desire to date him again was renewed and luckily for me he asked me out one more time.  Long story short, about a year later after seeing each other or talking to each other almost every day, he asked me to marry him and I readily agreed.   That was the best decision I have made in my life.   He is a very kind and gentle man.   He has blessed my life and I feel honored to be his wife.

 

Marv was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He has one brother and one sister.   His sister and his mother,  who is 88, live together in Salt Lake City.

 

He joined the Army (3 years) when he was 19 and spent a year in Vietnam. When he got out the army, he hired on with the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller and was in that profession for 35 years.  He retired in July 2007 because his job was privatized and we were offered the opportunity to continue on with Lockheed Martin but it would require us to move to Prescott, Arizona.   We felt it was not worth the move at that stage of our life as I was working for S&I and not old enough to take early retirement.  We feel we made a good decision.

He served as Stake Clerk in a Student Stake for 5 years and then was called as a Bishop of a Student Ward for three more years.   He loved the students of the ward and they loved him.  He has served as a Stake Auditor, and we team taught as Temple Preparation Teachers and Family Relations Teachers in our ward.   I think one of his favorite calling’s was to be a Family Home Evening Parent to a young man in the Youth Correctional Facility in Cedar City.

I was raised in a military home.  My father was in the Navy and we moved around the country almost every year of my life until I was 16. My claim to fame (or not) is that I graduated from Preston High School.   I have 3 brothers and one sister, who died as a baby.   I have been a secretary in my work experiences, which included working for an attorney,  in the schools and my favorite was Seminaries and Institutes.

I have served in many capacities in the church.   I have been blessed to be Primary President, Relief Society President both ward and stake (student), Young Women’s advisor, camp director, a teacher in all organizations.   I have loved my callings and they really helped me grow closer to my Savior. 

 I felt prompted a year ago January to retire after 17 years with S&I.  Nine months later we were approached about serving a mission here in Germany and after some bumps and bruises on the path to getting here, we are now serving here.  I am serving with S&I doing finances working on the second floor and my husband is working with CFYA doing finances working on the fourth floor.   I guess this keeps us happy as we really look forward to our lunches together.  We love being here and hopefully learning from all our new experiences we seem to have each day.  How blessed we are that the Lord has confidence in us that we can help to do something of value here.