GENERAL CONFERENCE AND MISSIONARY REUNION

Dear Family,

It is Church General Conference time and of course time for all the missionary reunions.  My Swiss Austrian Missionary reunion now going on for 55 years met also and Mom and I went.  Here is a picture of what the Zurich district circa 1957 looks like now.  There is Elder Sipherd, District President Elder Wirthlin (me in Austrian Trachten), German missionary Sister Michael, my junior companion, Elder Woodruf (direct descendant of Wilford Woodruf) and Elder Goates.

It was a nice evening.  There was a musical program and we sang the hymns in German.  We also sang some Swiss songs like Ich bin ein Schweizer Knabe.  I then thought of my childhood and my Swiss mother who spoke to us in Swiss German especially when she was irritated. I could not speak it but thoroughly understood it.  When we could no find our shoes, the reply was, "gang ga luege" (keep looking).  When we delayed in going to bed it was, "gang ga schlafe" or go to sleep.

I remembered the Swiss songs she used to sing to us and some I can still sing in Swiss German like Rote Roesli im Garta.  Here are the words of that little song:

Roti Rösli im Garte,

Maieriesli im Wald

Wänn de Wind chunt choge blase

so verwelked si bald

Chlini Fischli im Wasser,

grossi Fische im Meer

Hei lueg wie si gumped

und schwümed juhee

Liebi Sunne chum füre,

liebi Sune chum bald

Das mir chönd go spaziere

                                      über Wiese und Wald.

Well it was great and asI heard these songs, I understood again the great influence my Swiss mother was on my life and again how grateful I am for it even at this late date.  

We are excited about the new opportunities for missionary service as the age has been lowered for men and women.  I think it is great and there should be a flood of applications.  Some of our granddaughters and grandsons are making their plans.  Conference was great and there is always new enthusiasm for the work.

May Heaven bless you all, love, Dad