Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Brussels Belgium Missionaries : Videos and News

Members we know in Belgium have been an awesome support to the 4 missionaries and their families.

We all appreciate knowing more about these faithful missionaries.



https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153802727921773&set=a.39907636772.53818.512621772&type=3&theater

An official update from the Chad Wells andKymberly Snowden Wells family:
Mason Wells has flown back to Utah and is receiving top-notch medical care. He has a broken heel on his left foot (same foot with the ruptured Achilles) and is undergoing skin grafts and other procedures on his foot and hand. He’s waiting to hear about future surgeries. Mason had a wonderful reunion with his 17-year-old brother, Colby, and looks forward to seeing his three other siblings soon. His 19 months of LDS missionary service came to a halt with the blast in the Brussels airport on March 22. Since arriving in Salt Lake City, Mason has been released as a full-time missionary, which his family describes as “a tearful, wonderful, tender, bittersweet experience.” Although Mason cannot have visitors, he is grateful for the prayers he can tangibly feel from both loved ones and strangers. The Wells family finds great comfort in being back home where they can heal and move forward with increased faith in a loving God.



BRUSSELS -- Parents of a Utah missionary hurt in the terrorist attacks in Brussels on March 22 shared their thoughts after seeing their son in the hospital. Elder Joseph Empey, 20, is wrapped in bandages as he recovers from burns and surgery.But through the gauze dressings, and his wounds, the Empey family said what struck them the most about seeing their son was, "His eyes and his smile."“He's got bandages all around his face, but he's got these pretty blue eyes,” said Amber Empey, Joseph's mother. “He was thankful and excited to see us."His father, Court Empey, said despite the injuries, their son's countenance still shines through.“You could see through all the burns and all of his injuries, that it’s still his same soul and heart in there," he said.The couple flew from Santa Clara, Utah to Belgium after Tuesday’s terrorist bombing in Brussels that nearly killed Elder Empey. He was at the airport check in, where the bomb went off.Elder Empey has relived those moments to his parents.  "It was horrifying what he went through,” Court Empey said. “He remembers the blast. It knocked him out. He was very scared and hiding, and then he went into helping those around him, looking for his three missionary colleagues to help them."
Elder Empey told his parents: “‘I don't understand it, I just know that there's so much more good and love in the world that it'll always win,’" Court Empey said, quoting his son.The couple said his brothers and sisters are anxious to see him heal and return home. Elder Empey was just a few months shy of finishing his mission when he got caught in the blast."He's the oldest of five kids, and he’s just been my buddy since he was born,” Amber Empey said, tearfully. “From the time he was a little boy he's just stepped up and taken care of all of us. He's responsible, and kind, and loving."
The family knows they have a long road ahead.“He's going to need some time to rehabilitate and heal on the outside, and I'm sure with his emotions as well," Court Empey said.But through the second degree burns, Elder Empey appears to show a thumbs up while he smiles for a photo and forges forward in his recovery. Elder Empey is now up and walking.  
http://fox13now.com/2016/03/27/parents-of-lds-missionary-wounded-in-brussels-attack-discusses-his-recovery/




LEHI, Utah -- The wife and son of Elder Richard Norby, a 66-year-old LDS missionary from Lehi injured in the terror attacks in Brussels, gave an interview Saturday and spoke about the moments they learned their loved one was hurt.   Norby is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was at the airport when the attack occurred. Shortly after the explosion that left 31 people dead, Pamela Norby, Richard’s wife, received a phone call.   'He said, ‘Pam’, and as soon as he said my name, I knew that something was wrong,” Pamela Norby said.  She said she could hear a commotion in the background.  “He said, ‘There’s been an explosion,’ I said, ‘Are you OK?’  and he said, 'I have a broken leg and I have burns on my face,'" she said.   Pamela then asked her husband about the whereabouts of the other missionaries he was with.  “He said, ‘I don’t know’ and my heart just sank, because we’re so close to these missionaries, we love them,” she said.
Pamela said her husband is still in a medically induced coma. His son Jason said it took a while for the news to settle in. “About a day and a half before I really stopped to think that, someone instigated this, someone did this, and I processed that for a moment and I moved on, I moved back to focusing on my father and the other missionaries,” he said.
Jason and Pamela say beyond their own family and their extended family of missionaries, they are focusing on the people who lost loved ones and are praying their own loved one will soon return to health. Pamela Norby described the burns on her husband’s body as being primarily second-degree burns, which she said is good news because it means most of the wounds will not require skin grafts
Norby Interview is available at KSL 5 TV

https://www.facebook.com/ksltv/videos/10154348693998676/

or on Fox News :http://fox13now.com/2016/03/26/wife-of-lds-missionary-wounded-in-brussels-recounts-husbands-phone-call-after-explosion/

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Interview with Sister Clain, who is headed out to OUR HOME MISSION, Cleveland OHIO, as soon as she is well enough to travel again.

https://youtu.be/kVal3NIt_q0

The young, French LDS sister missionary on her way to the United States Tuesday morning was at the checkout desk at the Brussels airport when the first of two bombs exploded nearby, she told European news outlets Thursday.
"There was just an enormous noise, like the end of the world in a second,"Sister Fanny Clain told France TV Pluzz, "and I found myself on the ground and debris was everywhere. I was covered in gray stuff, it smelled like burning pork.
"I got up and went outside as quickly as possible," she said. "And then people told me I was burned, and I caught site of myself in a mirror and I saw some of my burns, but I didn't look very long."
Gauze covered the burns on her head, hands and fingers as she gave the interview from her bed in the burn unit at Stuivenberg Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium. She also suffered burns to her legs.
"It burned," she said, "it burned. My leg didn't hurt too bad, it was the burns that really hurt."
She said she didn't panic.
"I wasn't afraid. I just looked for help, I wasn't afraid, people around me were very nice."
The 20-year-old from Montélimar, France, had been serving in the France Paris Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while waiting for a permanent visa to the United States. She was at the airport to catch her flight to Cleveland, Ohio, where she was to complete her missionary assignment.
Three missionaries who dropped her off at the airport were seriously injured by a blast. Nails were included in the suicide bombs to increase the amount of shrapnel, investigators said.
Elder Richard Norby, 66, of Lehi, Utah, is in a medically induced coma. His family has said he faces a long recovery from shrapnel wounds and burns to his head, neck and lower leg.
Shrapnel and heat from the bomb also wounded Elder Mason Wells, 19, of Sandy, Utah, and Elder Joseph Dresden Empey, 20, of Santa Clara, Utah.
Doctors performed surgery on Elder Wells to repair a ruptured Achilles' tendon. Elder Empey also underwent surgery on his legs. Both young men suffered burns to their heads and arms.
"I cried a little bit yesterday but I'm not going to cry too much," Clain said. "Otherwise, I'll get dehydrated."
Sister Clain's father, Thierry Clain, provided an update on her condition Friday morning.

"Fanny is doing well. She was operated on today to remove shrapnel from her body and is resting. She also received second-degree burns to her hands and face and is receiving treatment. I have been in contact with the hospital, but was unable to talk with Fanny because she was sleeping. I have been extremely touched by the concern and goodness expressed by others in regards to Fanny. I look forward to visiting her Saturday and staying a few days with her."


Saturday, March 19, 2016

Utah Talk on Europe's Refugee Crisis : Elder Axel and Trisha Leimer






My good friends are coming to Utah for General Conference.  They will be telling about their personal experiences working with the refugees.  This couple are close friends with some refugees who have joined the Church.  If you have the time, head up to Logan for a fascinating evening!

Friday, March 18, 2016

Senior Missionaries Serving in Limburg

 This article was posted on our office Intranet

Senior Missionaries Expand Their Areas of Service

Over thirty Senior Missionaries currently serving in the Frankfurt Europe Area have discovered an additional way to magnify their calling of serving the Lord and His children:  When they can squeeze in a couple of hours each week, they brighten the day of people in need. 
Within an hour’s drive from Frankfurt is the city of Limburg, Germany, which is currently housing a camp for refugees.  During the morning, the refugees leave the boredom of their cramped quarters and congregate in one large facility.  As the adults are diligently studying German, very little has been provided there for the children’s diversion or entertainment.  Upon visiting this facility, senior sister missionaries recognized that they could do something to improve the situation.
As they put their heads together, the sisters came up with numerous ideas they could share with the people--crafts, games, stories, music, practicing German, etc.  Supplies and generous donations have poured in from missionaries and ward members.  Church funds allocated to the refugee situation have been requested to help with this project as well.  And in some cases, miracles have provided the supplies:  One sister found over 18 pair of knitting needles for almost nothing at a bazaar, and the missionaries located a store which donated kits for two sandboxes because the wood was too old and weathered to be sold.  The refugees, themselves, were then able to assemble and waterproof the sandboxes—much to the children’s delight.
Children and their mothers—and even men-- have enjoyed learning to knit and crochet.  Necklaces made by stringing noodles on yarn have been very popular.  Of course, providing the standard play things—crayons & paper, balloons, play dough, bean bags, and pick-up sticks—never fails to delight the children.  Even the adults have been coaxed into learning new songs since they provide a way to learn German.
These visits--being made three to four times a week--may be a short two hours in length, but their effect on the refugees is timeless!



Monday, March 7, 2016

Aid to Munich Area Refugee Welcome Center

There was a great article this week on the German Church home page about one of our projects to aid incoming refugees.  You can also read it there: http://www.presse-mormonen.de/artikel/fluechtlinge-erding
Welcome to the 'Waiting Room" in Erding, near Munich

The Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) is coordinating the camp.  This hut holds many rooms for refugees.
Mormonen spenden Kleidung für Flüchtlinge in Erding
Drei Paletten mit Unterwäsche, Hemden, Schals und Mützen hat die Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage auf Anfrage der Flüchtlingshilfe Erding e.V. gespendet. Diese bedankte sich prompt auf ihrer Webseite.
Es sei "großartige Erfahrung und ein super Motivationsschub, wenn die eigene Arbeit eine so großzügige Unterstützung von außerhalb erfährt", heißt es in einer Mitteilung vom Montag, den 29. Februar 2016, auf www.fluechtlingshilfe-erding.org. Die Kleiderspende reicht für weit mehr als 1.000 Flüchtlinge, wie der Verein versichert.
Cubicle for 4 men to have some personal space
Die Kleidung wurde aus Mitteln des Hauptsitzes der christlichen Kirche für die Soforthilfe für Flüchtlinge in Europa angeschafft.
Junge Mormonen aus der Gemeinde Landshut beteiligten sich vor Ort beim Sortieren und der Ausgabe von Kleidung. Außerdem werden in einer Aktion im Gemeindehaus Kleider sortiert, besonders Kinderkleidung.
Our Young Single Adults helped to sort the generous clothing donations
In der Flüchtlingshilfe Erding e.V. engagieren sich freiwillige Helfer zusammen mit dem Internationalen und Bayerischen Roten Kreuz, der Bundeswehr sowe dem Technischen Hilfswerk, um Schutzsuchende in einem in Erding eingerichteten "Warteraum" zur Seite zu stehen. Die Organisation des Camps wird vom Deutschen Roten Kreuz geleistet.
Ein Junge trägt eine warme Mütze
And here is the not very good Google translation:
Mormons donate clothes for refugees in Erding
Three pallets with underwear, shirts, scarves and hats donated to request refugee aid Erding e.V. the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These thanked promptly on its website.
It is "great experience and a great motivation boost when their own work undergoes so generous support from outside," it said in a statement on Monday, 29 February 2016 on www.fluechtlingshilfe-erding.org. The clothes donation is enough for more than 1,000 refugees, as the club insured.
The clothing was purchased with funds from the headquarters of the Christian Church for emergency aid for refugees in Europe.
Young Mormons from the municipality Landshut participated locally in sorting and the issue of clothing. In addition, in an action in the Municipal House clothes are sorted, especially children's clothing.

In the refugee aid Erding e.V. be volunteers involved with the International and Bavarian Red Cross, the Bundeswehr sowe relief organization to be seeking protection in a decorated in Erding "waiting room" to the side. The organization of the camp will be provided by the German Red Cross.


When I told Sabrina that we could be shipping her more new underwear, she sent me this message: 
I could jump one meter in the air... 
Lovely... I send you hugs.

This is what they said about our donation on their own website:

After Great Shopping follows major donation






Good news! This week we were able to receive a large donation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormon Faith Movement donated our club underwear, shirts and hats for more than 1000 (!) Refugees. A gigantic number. For this we would like to express our thanks. As always, it is a great experience and a great motivation boost when their own work undergoes so generous support from outside!
Together with our own purchasing and the sensational high donations this past weekend, we now have a solid foundation for the next few weeks. Because especially if the currently stemmed along the Balkan route refugees over sooner or later reach Germany, we expect an increased demand in our clothes output. The we can now already more composed look into the eye as a few weeks ago.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Easter All Week booklet

The booklet that I made up from an Ensign Random Sampler and from Margot Butler's New Testament timeline is available in a variety of places online.

It is on my religion class blog:
http://guardianguideandstay.blogspot.de/2015_03_01_archive.html



It is also on Jocelyn Hatch's blog (yeah, I know her married name, but this is still how I think of her)

http://beinglds.blogspot.de/2010/03/easter-all-week.html

http://beinglds.blogspot.de/2011/04/three-awesome-easter-activities-for.html

http://beinglds.blogspot.de/p/easter-crafts-about-christ.html

http://beinglds.blogspot.de/2012/02/easter-crafts-about-jesus-christ.html