February 8, 2015

Snow began falling lightly on Thursday night and continued all day Friday.  By Friday night we had about 14-15 inches -- a winter wonderland.

Stan posted last week pictures of my father and about me going home for my his passing.  I am so grateful to have gathered with my three sisters and three brothers to be with my father when he still knew we were there.   It was a bittersweet experience.  He was 92; and I guess I hoped he would live forever.  He was a good man – a bit stubborn at times, but steadfast in his faith and integrity.  He has been dealing with several health issues the last couple of years, and with his hearing practically gone, he has sort of felt he had no real purpose.  So now he will be able to hear and to walk and to serve where he is needed.   I know he had a great reunion with his parents, 10 brothers and sisters, and grandparents.  I would have loved to be there when he met his hero, his great grandfather, Daniel Webster Jones.  What a sweet and informative reunion that would be.  Thank goodness for the knowledge we have that he is now in a better place with loved ones and can continue the Savior’s work.  

I had a fast but good trip to Arizona.  Our children all came and also saw their granddad while he still knew they were there, I think.   So that was a bonus for me.  I only saw 6 grandchildren.  I was secretly hoping there would be time to slip up to Utah so I could see some others and hold Carlee, but that didn’t happen.   I was able to attend the memorial service held for my father in Arizona, but had to return to Europe before the funeral and burial in New Mexico. 

Now back to work with my calling here.   A couple of projects were approved while I was gone, and appointments were made to meet with some new places.  Stan did some preliminary research and pricing and we will leave today (Sunday) for Budapest to do shopping and meeting with the new places.  We also have a mission-wide senior missionary conference on Wednesday and Thursday, so we will be busy.  

To back up a bit, on our way to the airport a couple of weeks ago, we were quite early so when we passed Memento Park a ways out of Budapest, we decided to stop and take a peek.  After the fall of Communism in 1989, all of the statues from the Soviet Era (1949-1989) were taken out of Budapest and put in an open air museum.   The statues are big and grand in scale, show hard working men and women, heroic soldiers and support the ideology of the Soviet Regime.  The park is not beautiful, not well kept, and probably not well attended.  That’s not surprising when you think of the depressing feeling and memories it causes.  

 

Stalin’s boots, a symbol of oppression, stand outside the park.  They are from the original huge bronze statue of Stalin that was torn down in the Revolution of 1956.

One other quick note of interest.  In the Google Alerts this week (headlines we receive), was this ‘wonder piano’ developed and built by an award-winning Hungarian pianist and engineers.  “Steinways are great and you can’t improve on them,“ the pianist said, so they went another direction – to get a unique sound quality different from the last 100 years.  The legs are built to deflect the sound to the audience and the piano is built of a carbon composite used in space technology.   It is now in Budapest; would be interesting to see it sometime.

We attended programs with the elders this week.   Our branch is having a temple preparation class and about 8 people are attending.  Also, the RS president announced today upcoming monthly week-day meetings.  And, the young sister who taught the RS lesson didn’t just have everyone go around and read a paragraph from the manual.  Progress!!!  These are wonderful, humble people – and they are learning!  

Life is good.  Have a great week.