May 23rd Update

First we'd like to show you the little Findorff Locomotive from 1900. This little coal burner was used for the locals here in our little community to travel to the city center for work in Bremen. It ran for only about 50 years, having suffered damage to the tracks during World War II, and was not rebuilt. Then later, the development of the street cars took over for the transport of workers and continues this day.

This past week was a fast paced, event filled 10 days for us. We spent the first weekend with our young adults at a weekend dance and fireside/activity program in Oldenburg. Then our regularly scheduled meetings in Bremen and then on Thursday, up at 4 AM, to pick up a couple of our young men, then met the others from Leer, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven and Oldenburg at the Bremen Chapel for the Bus ride to Frankfurt.

Yes, this weekend was the "JAE Templefahrt" (Young Adult Temple Trip) for the Hamburg Stake. The travel bus arrived 6 AM at our building and we joined the other travelers to head south for 6 hours to the Frankfurt Germany Temple. We completed hundreds of baptisms, initiatories and endowments, with a service project and some great "down-time" to relax and just chat with the youth. Then there was some great food, pretty typical style German food and a nice 6 hour drive home on Saturday afternoon.

The pictures tell a little about the story: The Temple, the Bus, The Youth, and the youth hostel rooms about the size of a loaf of bread. And as you see..."I get to be on top!". But that means I climb the ladder in our little room and sleep 8 ft up, and "keep your head down, Dave", ´cause the ceiling is only 18" away.

Love the communal bathrooms too...what else would you expect with a youth group.
Sunday, we concluded with a super Baptism Service for one of our new young adult members, Susanne Ziegenhagen. We also had Elder Tyler Christianson(having completed his mission and showing his mom and dad around Germany) and his parents(from South Weber, Utah) as guests in the Harrington Hotel for a couple of nights as they started their trip here. Hope you enjoy the pics.