Lindau

Last Sunday we had visitors again to church which brought our attendance count to 30. We did not run out of sacrament cups this time, but it was really nice to have so many in attendance. It was also nice  to celebrate Easter. We loved the new "Because of Him" YouTube video and shared it with others, mainly in German and also once in Italian.

After church, I was busy with several things, including helping to give a priesthood blessing to one of the visitors, showing some family history on a microfilm for one of our members (I love doing research and showing others how to do it) and helping with finances. Later in the day, we visited a wonderful sister in a care center, along with her less-active daughter and a granddaughter. The granddaughter is one of those angels in the world who is severly handicapped (probably cerebral palsy) and can really only move one finger and her eyes. She is almost 17 and communicates using a computer. We do the sacrament for them and sing some hymns. It is always a joy to visit with them.

On Monday (preparation day), we went to Lindau and some places along the way. Lindau is an island city on Lake Constance (Bodensee) and is very old. It is actually part of Bavaria and not Baden-Württemberg (where we are). Along the way we tried to find a couple of old fortress ruins. I got a few pictures. We had the Elders and Derick with us on the trip.

Here is Derick and Elder Thompson looking at one of he stones of Drachenstein fortress. There is nothing left of it besides some walls buried in the earth and these very old stones. Drachenstein literally means Dragon-stone. We only found this one stone, but I read that there are a few others around. The place was totally unmarked and we found it off the beaten track behind a farm on a hill.

Here is the farm and a few calves who wondered what we were up to.

Next we tried to visit Alte Summerau. The path entrance was locked so this is the best we could do. It is a set of old castle walls.

Between these old ruins and Lindau we passed by Degersee (Deger Lake). It was quit beautiful.

Here is our fist picture of the Lindau area. Here we had just crossed the bridge to the island.

Elder Thompson, Derick, Elder George, Elder B

A tower in Lindau

Having an ice cream along the way

an old bakery building, the oldest date is 1380 AD

a guy giving a tourist guide on a tricycle

a church and Monastery

Derick and Elder Thompson in the Monastery

walking towards the lake

on the lake (Lake Constance)

They trim their trees back to these stumps. I think of the womping willow.

Sister B wanted to take this last picture.