The Story of the Traveling Coat

Here we are in Varazdin, Croatia. I want you you to look closely at the coat I am wearing. This is a very special coat. When I was preparing for this mission, I made a visit to Ellen Smith, a very dear friend in Cheyenne. She and her husband have served several Missions and I went to her with lots of questions and seeking her good council. She gave me good counsel that I have drawn on so many times in the 9 months we have been serving. As our visit was coming to a close we began to talk about clothing and Ellen asked me if I had a good full length raincoat with a lining. I had been searching for one but had not found one as of the week before entering into the MTC. I had just been so busy and it was not my highest priority. There was a pause in our conversation and she excused herself to go to another room. As I was walking to the door to leave. Ellen went to the coat closet and pulled out this beautiful purple coat with a black collar and a hood. She asked me to try it on. It was a perfect fit. She said,"I want you to take my coat and use it on your mission." Would you like it? I was overwhelmed. No One has ever done this kind of thing for me before. I accepted her beautiful gift. It has been a gift that gives each time I put it on Each time I put it on I think of Ellen. I feel her love for me and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I strive harder to be better, like Ellen Ellen, said, when you return you can return the coat which will have traveled all over Eastern Europe doing humanitarian work. This coat has traveled to Bosnia, Croatia, Moldova, Kosovo, Macedonia, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia. It has kept me warm on some very very cold days. It has been at wheelchair closing, helping at soup kitchens, orphanges, hospitals, pediatric wards, Roma kindergartens, water projects, NRT programs and many more. All places where Ellen would have loved to visit and provide help and council. I think she has been there with me on many occasions. I am so blessed with good friends.
When the coat and I went to Bosnia( John Came as well), we met the Tadic family. They are Serbs who joined the church in May of 2011. Here we are with Sister and Brother Erickson at their home in Banja Luka. Also seated at the Table is the Grandmother, Nada and the six children, Vickie, Victoria, Vedren, Vedrena, Vaunja, and Katia The Parents were unable to attend church that day. There is also an investigator who will be baptised soon. and the interpretor. We had the opportunity to enjoy church with them. Vedren prepared and passed the sacrament. then Vickie and Vedren spoke. We so enjoyed feeling their testimonies and hearing what they had been taught by the Ericksons over the past months. They are the first Bosnians to join the church. They are hungry to learn and will be going to the temple this summer. What a joy to see the gospel going forth amoung all nations and people. How grateful we are to be serving at this time in this place.

This week has been especially busy as we are preparing for the Humanitarian conference to be held in Fredricksdorf on March 22-25th. Friday, March 2, we spent the afternoon and evening in and around Frericksdorf getting information to help our couples. Saturday, March 3rd ,we drove to Braunfels to be sure we had a good handle on the driving directions and to make arrangements for an English Speaking tour of the Castle. This Castle was begun in 1370. It is now privately owned by the family descendants from generations of occupants. Here is Dad consulting with our tour guide, He made a lot of noise but we didn't understand much. We will be taking the missionary couples here for an excursion on Saturday after the conference.
Here is the Castle looking up from the little village which surrounds it. We had a nice drive and enjoyed visiting with the office person who arranged our tour We have has a busy but good week. It seems the days go by so very fast. We are so grateful we can serve a mission. We are having such a wonderful experience seeing the church move forward in the Balkan. We love the couple missionaries we work with as they are such an inspiration to us. I completed the newsletter for the month of March. I wish I could send it to you all so you could see the love and service the church is giving to so many. But it is not allowed. The pictures cannot go out without written permission from each one photographed.
We love all of you and think of you often. Please take good care of yourselves.
Love,
Oma and Opa