Sunday, July 31, 2011

Franfurt Temple/Friedrichsdorf



Wednesday night, we took the train 20 minutes north of Frankfurt to Friedrichsdorf. We then wheeled our suitcases over cobblestone sidewalks and streets for 15 minutes until we found the temple. Attached to the temple there is patron housing or the temple hostel as they called it.The building just to the left of the steeple is the entrance to the temple hostel. There are 3 floors of rooms and an underground hallway to the temple so the patrons can go back and forth easily.
Everyone was SO kind. The hostel was full of members from the Dusseldorf stake (2 1/2 hours away). It was their stake's temple week and several families babies, teenagers and all got to stay in the hostel. They also have several full time couples serving in the temple and living in temple housing.
The town was so quaint and quiet. This little shopping town square area was a half mile from the temple. We got some groceries and let the kids play on the play ground.
Isabelle just couldn't wait to try german chocolate. This was not anything fancy, just a store brand, but she was thrilled to try it. She sat in our room all day watching movies while we did temple work. The bedroom had a bunk bed, and two single beds and a separate bathroom. It was a very nice and comfortable room. There was a kitchen and dining area downstairs for everyone to share.
Taylor got to go to the temple in the morning with us to do baptisms with a group of German youth. There were 4 other boys and 1 girl from the stake and a few other adults. We did part of it in German, and then Danny did some of the baptisms in english. He really struggled pronouncing the german names, but everyone gave him kudos for even trying! The german youth enjoyed hearing the english as well.

These lockers behind Danny are numbered with the room numbers so you can put your food in them. Also there a refrigerators with numbered cabinets. Everyone made food and cleaned up for themselves in the kitchen.
After lunch, Danny and I got to do sealings and initiatories. Most of it was in German, but everyone was so accommodating and kind. We met some lovely people and really enjoyed our time with them. It really made me think how EASY we have it being members in Las Vegas. Although our kids are not surrounded by LDS friends, they are not the ONLY ones in their school. These families spend their whole week serving in the temple. Most of them were trained to do be temple workers for some part of it, and so they take turns being workers and patrons. We enjoyed a lovely Italian restaurant with one couple and talked all about their day to day life as LDS people with 6 children outside of Dusseldorf, Germany. I have so much respect for those saints that work so hard in their own little part of the kingdom.

2 comments:

favoritepetts.blogspot.com said...

a lovely way to end our Sabbath day to read of your experiences in the Lord's Temple clear across the world. Thank you for sharing and thank you being who you are and worthy be to in the Lord's house and do the work for those who didn't have an opportunity while on the earth. Heaven must be continually rejoicing.

Amy said...

what a great experience for you and the kiddos! This will be a testimony builder for them in years to come, I just know it!

Disneyland

Danny and Friends Mountain Biking