The Church public affairs director of each of the 26 European countries were all gathered to be trained in how to be effective in the variety of ways to promote the gospel in our countries. Two of our Apostles came to this training on their way to the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple. On Friday evening, even though they were very jet-lagged, Elder Rasband and Elder Stevenson with their wives had dinner with us and held a 45-minute question and answer session. Then we took a group photo. Elder Rasband and Stevenson asked us to take this photo for President Nelson to show that we are getting ready for the wonderful, revelatory future he described. "Eat your Vitamin Pills. Get Some Rest. It's Going to Be Exciting." (We are each holding a box of vitamins!)
The Apostles also spoke to us Saturday morning and it was very memorable. I really appreciated Elder Rasband's counsel to encourage our local Church leaders to participate in their local interfaith councils to promote religious freedom, moral values and help in their communities. He said if we don't work together to protect religious freedom we're going to lose it for everyone.
It was so fun to get to talk with many of the public affairs directors. We loved seeing our old friend, Dag Aanensen from Norway that we knew from 30 years ago when we lived near him. We had dinners together and a fun tour of the tiny village of Windecken that was granted rights to be called a city long ago.
On our way home we stayed the night in Salzburg, Austria and spent a morning visiting Mozart's second home and the Hohensalzburg Fortress above the city. We also stayed a night in Kranjska Gora in Slovenia, near their ski jumping hills. Beautiful area. Then on to our "home."
