These are my flowers. Not quit like the yard Lyn and I built in Utah, still adds nice color to my porch.

I loved the mix of old and new in this picture.

Gargolyes are cool rain spouts.

Great place to stroll, shop and eat. I look forward to brining my sweet Lyn here.

Blog 30 May 2009
I can almost taste the airline food I am so close to coming home! Wow I can’t wait to see everyone again! Today I finally got around to walking around central Kaiserslautern instead of just driving through it. You all really have to come over and experience just strolling down the shopping plaza and stopping for refreshing drink or snack at an outdoor café in the cool shade. As normal for me I snapped pictures of a couple churches. All German towns, not matter the size seem to have at least two churches; on Catholic and one Protestant. The Jehovah Witnesses that stop by occasionally tell me that Germans are not a real religious people anymore, I can’t say one way or the other, but I can say that no matter the size of the town there are generally two churches.
This week I have had the blessing of visiting an older sister in my Ward that fell in her garden and badly broke her leg. She has been in the hospital for a week now waiting for the swelling in her leg go down so the surgeons can rebuild her knee. I took he husband to visit her Tuesday and after I fed the missionaries last night I took them with me to visit her again. She is worried about how the operation will go, but always expresses faith in Heavenly Father. She is from this area of Germany, and as a young woman married an American GI, and they are still married. Last night we talked about how important it is to work hard at having a good marriage and trying to make your spouse happy.
31 May
Today I was called, sustained and set apart as the 1st councilor in the bishopric. I really did not see that coming, but I guess you never do. I am grateful for the chance to serve the Lord and the members of the ward in this capacity.
See you all soon,
Don

These are pictures of my Memorial Day hike

Did prehistoric man shelter here?

It’s been a few weeks since I updated the blog. Life has settled into a routine and I doubt most of you would care to hear about that. Last Saturday, 16 May I drove to the Frankfurt temple by myself and I didn’t get lost, which was really cool, but sort of disgusting when I saw how close I came the first time I tried and never found it. Doubly disgusting when I noted that the road signs I drove past the first time actual have “Tempel” (that’s how it’s spelled here) on them and I just drove past without noticing the first time around. Perhaps it was the odd spelling that threw me off. Of course I forgot to take my camera. I helped with youth doing baptisms for the dead which I always enjoy. It’s a good feeling. Seeing the youth involved in temple work.
Of course to keep me grounded after the success of finding the temple I went to the Frankfurt airport and picked up a new employee yesterday. Now this is a drive I know pretty well due to the fact that I’ve flown out of there three times AND you drive past it going to and from the temple. I still managed to miss a crucial exit on the way back and had to take a little longer jaunt with some twists and turns in unknown territory, but we still made it back in good fashion. A car GPS is sounding better and better…
Today’s photos are from a little hiking area about 20 minutes from my house. It’s a beautiful place and the photos speak for their selves. I kept an eye out for fish in the stream, but didn’t see any. This would be a fun place to visit with any of you that should choose to come see us here.
I’m finally allowing myself to be excited about coming home and seeing my family (all of you) again. Early on in the separation I simply don’t think about it, too far away to torturous, but now it will happen next week and I can’t contain the excitement!
See you all soon,
Don