Rough nights sleep in our hotel with no breeze and no AC. Had a flashback to Bali and the night with no AC. At 1:30 in the morning I tried to call and see if they had a fan and no one answered at the front desk and so with a prayer i opened the closet and thank heavens there was a big fan there. Immediately set it up and was finally able to sleep. The morning came fast and we headed off to find the LDS Church in Bamberg. It was about a 5 min drive away. There were about 40 members of the church and the bishop's wife was translating for us. It is always nice to come to church on a fast Sunday in different countries so you can hear the testimonies and experiences of those living in the area. It was a great meeting and a sweet spirit there. My favorite testimony was given by the first counselor in the bishopric who is from Ghana and he was just a humble man and had such a desire to keep the commandments and moved by his humility. I also spoke and spoke about how I feel that our Heavenly Father has been looking after us on this trip from discovering one of Sam's grandparents was baptized in the Berlin Dom which we had visited a couple of times. To Sam's pure love of birds being nurtured by the director of the bird park not knowing us from anyone connected with us and made sure Sam had the most memorable bird day of his life. Then finding this town and ward and it being walking distance to the Schmitt family home, which we came here for. I was starting to think how are we going to communicate with the home owner that we would like to come in and it occurred to me at the pulpit that the missionaries should come with us. Which they did after church and it was a great experience. We just feel like our loving Father in Heaven knows us and is aware of us and things are coming together for us to develop our righteous desires- to better understand Sam's family heritage, to nurture his innate love of birds and as a mother to be a support and witness to it all is such a beautiful experience.
Sam was able to help pass the Sacrament since they only had one other deacon and following Sacrament meeting we went with a woman in the ward who is a tour guide and took a stroll around the neighborhood before the last meeting. It felt right since I was thinking this morning how nice it would be to have had a guide for an hour or two. Here she was. She came up and introduced herself and pointed out on a map where some of the places we were trying to visit were. We then globbed onto her as she was just leaving the building and she invited us to join her for a walk around the neighborhood. It was so meant to be and perfect because we got some more history and could understand a bit more about this area and had a nice conversation with her, a local that was full of history.
The ward was in a nice building in a nice neighborhood with parking and near a lovely green park area in what had been the Jewish quarter. There are many homes around that had belonged to prominent Jewish families who were taken from their homes and most died at Auschwitz. It is just a reminder again of how horrific it must have been during Nazi Germany. These homes like in Berlin are marked with a brass plate with the name of family members that lived there. There was also a home of a man that we had seen a monument for in Berlin who was from this town who had tried to assassinate Hitler. He lived about a block from the church and there was a brass memorial marker infront of his home. We enjoyed walking along the river and she took us over to the tourist office and we got a map in English. It was nice visit and tour before making it back to church for the last hour. We had a nice lesson in Relief Society about what are our ideals. It was interesting to hear one woman say her ideals came from her parents which were such loving good people. The woman that had taken us around said there are many of us whose parents ideals weren't ideals we shared at all and they had to create their own ideals. It occurred to me that her parents would have been during the Nazi era, since she was in her late 60s probably, and her parents could have very likely had very different philosophies and views living under Nazi rule. It reminded me of in Berlin our guide who said he couldn't believe that his grandfather had been a Nazi supporter and that their generation had made a point to remember the past so that they would not become like that generation or be misled by another extreme leader with corrupt ideals.
After church two missionaries from Utah actually were willing to come with us as interpreters and go to Grandma Elouise's mother's home in Bamberg, which was only a 5 min walk from the church. We had photos of the home and new that Katarina and Michael Schmitt had lived there with their 15 children, Sam's great, great, great grandparents. The home had now been turned into several apartments and the Schmitts lived there during the 1800s and until early 1900 when they migrated to Ohio. After we rang a few apartments, the last ring a gentleman answered. He had lived there for about 30 years. The missionaries explained to him in German what we were doing there and how it has been a home for the Schmitts our family relatives. As we entered into the main foyer we turned and looked on the wall going up the steps and there was a framed photo of the Schmitt family hanging on the wall with a photo of the garden courtyard area and the glass studio building behind in their courtyard and a photo of stained glass works that had been in Saint Michael's. Wow!!! We couldn't believe it! He took us upstairs to see some of the doors that went to each apartment which were mostly glass etched and then one stained glass and then out to the courtyard to the building that was stuccoed now that must have been the glass shop. It was really cool to be there and imagine what it would have been like with family members and uncles and everyone living here. The gentleman was happy to talk to us and said they had looked for old frescos on the side of the house and had heard they had been there and the photo we had showed that they had been there and he was fascinated by that. We had a nice visit and said thank you and headed off to Saint Martin's church.
Saint Martin's church is the center of town and where all the streets are marked from, kind of like Temple Square. It is a beautiful old church- like nearly 1000 years old and where Elouise's grandparents were married. We then made our way to Saint Michael's which was a monastery and chapel and then a home for retired nuns and now a home for retired people, like an old folks home. The chapel where the 5 stained glass paintings were is condemned currently because they had something fall from the ceiling and it is being restored. It was nice to walk up on the hill and have a great view overlooking the city. We then walked to the Dom, in english The Cathedral which is the huge gothic church which overlooks the city as well. Supposedly it was covered with paintings and they were taken off to focus on the beauty of the architecture and was the style of the time when that was done which is a bit tragic since the paintings I am sure were spectacular. The church is huge but nothing close to the grandeur of other cathedrals we have been to. We left the missionaries at that point and they showed us to where the rose garden was and we were ready to get a bite to eat. It was fast Sunday and we had walked about 7 miles and been on our feet for hours.
Sam and I found a little Italian restaurant to grab lunch and then made our way back to our hotel. We felt like we had basically seen what we had come to see, although missed seeing the stained glass due to the church closure. We took a rest back in the room and then headed back out to explore the city on bikes. It was lovely to bike around and a totally different feel on a Sunday night. We rode bikes on a green bike path along the river. We found a Japanese restaurant for dinner and enjoyed sushi on the upper deck. On the way back to the hotel we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset and even after Sam got a flat tire :( it was still a pleasant evening and we strolled back to the hotel with our bikes.
We decided before we finished our blogs we were going to finish the Book of Mormon. 2 years ago Kendall asked us to read it with her. when she was on her mission. Nate, Sam and I began together and then since we left each other in France, we all agreed we would finish it individually but at the same time. We finished Moroni 10 tonight and it was a great accomplishment to have read with Nate and Sam for their first time all the way through. It is another testament of Christ and as we read it and discuss it we learn by the stories of people that had lived in the Americas between 600 BC and around 350 AD. We see when men and women keep the commandments and remember the Lord, they are blessed. They are richly blessed temporally and spiritually. Then people become prideful and forget about God and where all the blessings come from and then the Lord doesn't reside with them anymore and then there comes contention in the land and fighting and wars between the people. In their trials they are humbled and turn to the Lord again and they repent and then they are blessed again. This lesson still applies today. When we live the commandments we are blessed and have peace, if we can stay humble and remember God we continue to experience miracles and peace, but when we forget God and only rely on man and ourselves, men become prideful and things begin to fall apart and there is contention and war or sometimes there is even utter destruction. If we want to feel peace, we keep the commandments and love one another.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. I know it is another testament of Jesus Christ and of His people that lived in the Americas. I know that as I have read this book of scripture I have received the promises of less contention and more peace in our home. This book also has confirmed to me that God the Father and his son Jesus Christ are the same yesterday, today and forever. They are loving and they have provided a plan of happiness for us that comes to us through knowing Jesus Christ and accepting his Atonement and then living our life with the pure love of Christ, which allows us to love and serve our neighbor, and allows us to repent each day so we can continue moving forward in our lives and our eternal progression.
Thankful for this day. Thankful for the missionaries that assisted us. I encourage anyone that wants to know more about the Book of Mormon to go to www.mormon.org and request a free copy or request the missionaries to come and tell you more about the faith that guides and directs how I live my life. I am far but perfect but grateful to have this gospel that accepts me for who I am and helps me become better.
Grateful for this amazing day.
On our walk after church through small forest and along river with woman from the ward
Our mini tour guide from the ward outside the church building
Inside the Schmitt home on the wall, which is now the entry to several apartments are these photos of the Schmitt family
In the backyard of the Schmitt family home where a beautiful garden used to be and the glass studio
Photo of the backyard/garden of the Schmitts
Infront of the Schmitt home 5 Point Street (Peuntstrausse) Michael and Katarina Schmitt left this home in 1907 to live in Ohio and work for a glass shop there.
Beautiful path heading up to St Michael's to see if we could see the stained glass works of Michael Schmitt
Our guides and translators for the afternoon, Elder Diederich and Elder Harrison
View as we are walking up to the church over looking Bamberg
One of the many Jewish homes which is marked with a brass marker infront which tells the name of the person that had lived there and when they were forced to leave their homes and often their death dates. Many from this area died in Auschwitz. Sad reminder of the reality that happened in this beautiful place.
Biking around on Sunday evening to dinner through the beautiful cobble stoned streets and historical district, across many bridges lines with geraniums. Lovely place.
Looking out from the rose garden at The Dom/Cathedral overlooking the city
Inside the Dom
Shut the front door shot for my book at the Dom ;)
One of the many beautiful buildings in Bamberg
Sam was able to help pass the Sacrament since they only had one other deacon and following Sacrament meeting we went with a woman in the ward who is a tour guide and took a stroll around the neighborhood before the last meeting. It felt right since I was thinking this morning how nice it would be to have had a guide for an hour or two. Here she was. She came up and introduced herself and pointed out on a map where some of the places we were trying to visit were. We then globbed onto her as she was just leaving the building and she invited us to join her for a walk around the neighborhood. It was so meant to be and perfect because we got some more history and could understand a bit more about this area and had a nice conversation with her, a local that was full of history.
The ward was in a nice building in a nice neighborhood with parking and near a lovely green park area in what had been the Jewish quarter. There are many homes around that had belonged to prominent Jewish families who were taken from their homes and most died at Auschwitz. It is just a reminder again of how horrific it must have been during Nazi Germany. These homes like in Berlin are marked with a brass plate with the name of family members that lived there. There was also a home of a man that we had seen a monument for in Berlin who was from this town who had tried to assassinate Hitler. He lived about a block from the church and there was a brass memorial marker infront of his home. We enjoyed walking along the river and she took us over to the tourist office and we got a map in English. It was nice visit and tour before making it back to church for the last hour. We had a nice lesson in Relief Society about what are our ideals. It was interesting to hear one woman say her ideals came from her parents which were such loving good people. The woman that had taken us around said there are many of us whose parents ideals weren't ideals we shared at all and they had to create their own ideals. It occurred to me that her parents would have been during the Nazi era, since she was in her late 60s probably, and her parents could have very likely had very different philosophies and views living under Nazi rule. It reminded me of in Berlin our guide who said he couldn't believe that his grandfather had been a Nazi supporter and that their generation had made a point to remember the past so that they would not become like that generation or be misled by another extreme leader with corrupt ideals.
After church two missionaries from Utah actually were willing to come with us as interpreters and go to Grandma Elouise's mother's home in Bamberg, which was only a 5 min walk from the church. We had photos of the home and new that Katarina and Michael Schmitt had lived there with their 15 children, Sam's great, great, great grandparents. The home had now been turned into several apartments and the Schmitts lived there during the 1800s and until early 1900 when they migrated to Ohio. After we rang a few apartments, the last ring a gentleman answered. He had lived there for about 30 years. The missionaries explained to him in German what we were doing there and how it has been a home for the Schmitts our family relatives. As we entered into the main foyer we turned and looked on the wall going up the steps and there was a framed photo of the Schmitt family hanging on the wall with a photo of the garden courtyard area and the glass studio building behind in their courtyard and a photo of stained glass works that had been in Saint Michael's. Wow!!! We couldn't believe it! He took us upstairs to see some of the doors that went to each apartment which were mostly glass etched and then one stained glass and then out to the courtyard to the building that was stuccoed now that must have been the glass shop. It was really cool to be there and imagine what it would have been like with family members and uncles and everyone living here. The gentleman was happy to talk to us and said they had looked for old frescos on the side of the house and had heard they had been there and the photo we had showed that they had been there and he was fascinated by that. We had a nice visit and said thank you and headed off to Saint Martin's church.
Saint Martin's church is the center of town and where all the streets are marked from, kind of like Temple Square. It is a beautiful old church- like nearly 1000 years old and where Elouise's grandparents were married. We then made our way to Saint Michael's which was a monastery and chapel and then a home for retired nuns and now a home for retired people, like an old folks home. The chapel where the 5 stained glass paintings were is condemned currently because they had something fall from the ceiling and it is being restored. It was nice to walk up on the hill and have a great view overlooking the city. We then walked to the Dom, in english The Cathedral which is the huge gothic church which overlooks the city as well. Supposedly it was covered with paintings and they were taken off to focus on the beauty of the architecture and was the style of the time when that was done which is a bit tragic since the paintings I am sure were spectacular. The church is huge but nothing close to the grandeur of other cathedrals we have been to. We left the missionaries at that point and they showed us to where the rose garden was and we were ready to get a bite to eat. It was fast Sunday and we had walked about 7 miles and been on our feet for hours.
Sam and I found a little Italian restaurant to grab lunch and then made our way back to our hotel. We felt like we had basically seen what we had come to see, although missed seeing the stained glass due to the church closure. We took a rest back in the room and then headed back out to explore the city on bikes. It was lovely to bike around and a totally different feel on a Sunday night. We rode bikes on a green bike path along the river. We found a Japanese restaurant for dinner and enjoyed sushi on the upper deck. On the way back to the hotel we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset and even after Sam got a flat tire :( it was still a pleasant evening and we strolled back to the hotel with our bikes.
We decided before we finished our blogs we were going to finish the Book of Mormon. 2 years ago Kendall asked us to read it with her. when she was on her mission. Nate, Sam and I began together and then since we left each other in France, we all agreed we would finish it individually but at the same time. We finished Moroni 10 tonight and it was a great accomplishment to have read with Nate and Sam for their first time all the way through. It is another testament of Christ and as we read it and discuss it we learn by the stories of people that had lived in the Americas between 600 BC and around 350 AD. We see when men and women keep the commandments and remember the Lord, they are blessed. They are richly blessed temporally and spiritually. Then people become prideful and forget about God and where all the blessings come from and then the Lord doesn't reside with them anymore and then there comes contention in the land and fighting and wars between the people. In their trials they are humbled and turn to the Lord again and they repent and then they are blessed again. This lesson still applies today. When we live the commandments we are blessed and have peace, if we can stay humble and remember God we continue to experience miracles and peace, but when we forget God and only rely on man and ourselves, men become prideful and things begin to fall apart and there is contention and war or sometimes there is even utter destruction. If we want to feel peace, we keep the commandments and love one another.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. I know it is another testament of Jesus Christ and of His people that lived in the Americas. I know that as I have read this book of scripture I have received the promises of less contention and more peace in our home. This book also has confirmed to me that God the Father and his son Jesus Christ are the same yesterday, today and forever. They are loving and they have provided a plan of happiness for us that comes to us through knowing Jesus Christ and accepting his Atonement and then living our life with the pure love of Christ, which allows us to love and serve our neighbor, and allows us to repent each day so we can continue moving forward in our lives and our eternal progression.
Thankful for this day. Thankful for the missionaries that assisted us. I encourage anyone that wants to know more about the Book of Mormon to go to www.mormon.org and request a free copy or request the missionaries to come and tell you more about the faith that guides and directs how I live my life. I am far but perfect but grateful to have this gospel that accepts me for who I am and helps me become better.
Grateful for this amazing day.
Schmitt family - Grandma Elouise's grandparents and 12 of their 15 children
Photos of glass works that were in St Michaels' Church, which unfortunately we weren't able to see since the church had recently had an accident and was condemned to go into
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