Freiberg, Germany Temple

Temple #69 

May 2, 2017

Freiberg, Germany 

    

     We were in Germany and couldn't believe it! It was our next vacation while in Russia, and our first destination was Germany. We flew into Munich, arrived there around midnight, took an hour train into town, tried to sleep on hard metal chairs at the train station, getting maybe three hours of sleep, and the next day at seven took a train to the Alps, to the Neuschwanstein Castle located near Füssen.The train ride was gorgeous, with vibrant green rolling hills, and fields of yellow flowers. It was crazy to get there and our excitement gave us plenty of energy. 

     The castle was gorgeous, and the scenery incredible. With high mountains behind it, flowers and trees blossoming, it really felt like a fairytale. 

     After this we took a train to Salzburg, Austria, where part of the Sound of Music was filmed. That was a pretty city as well, which we really enjoyed. The city had a castle near the center and on a hill, with old churches and buildings around the foot of it. It sure was fun to go and see where “Do, Ray, Mi” was sung! 

     Our next stop was Prague, Czechoslovakia. This was quite the trip to get there. Relatively it wasn't far, but our buses and trains sure made it far. In Europe sometimes you buy a ticket, and it's like a metro ticket where you make transfers to different trains. For us it took six different trains and buses to get there, and eight and a half hours. It was quite the journey, but worth it. 

     Prague was a gorgeous city. To the west of it there is a hill which we hiked onto. This hill was a beautiful viewpoint for the city, giving great panoramic views for the castle, churches, river and bridges. There were some incredible views there. There were also massive rats living in those hills, which terrified Ivy, and entertained me. 

     We then went to the bus station, ended up having to wait outside in the cold for three hours, and took our bus at three in the morning to Munich, back into Germany, getting two hours of sleep, and then took a train to Freiberg from Dresden. It was a hectic and long night, yet we were ecstatic to be in Freiberg! 

     Freiberg was a cute little town, and although it was cloudy and a little cold, it was fun. We were able to walk to the temple from the train station and were so excited when we took a corner and saw the Freiberg Temple!

     The temple sits on a small street, in a small town. It has pretty grounds of grass, flowers and trees that stretch before it, giving a great place to sit, relax and look at the temple. The temple is smaller, but unique in its design. The steeple is two pieces that rise and connect at the feet of Angel Moroni. 

     The German flag waved elegantly besides the temple, reminding us where we were. Next to the flagpole was the temple housing, missionary apartments, and other church buildings, which are very convenient. 

     Unfortunately, I had forgotten my church shirt for this trip. It was a sad realization, but at least Ivy was cute as ever!

     We went inside and immediately felt a warm spirit within. The members in the Freiberg temple were probably more friendly than any other people we have come across. Every single person said hello to us, shook our hands, talked to us, and a few gave hugs. Never have we seen such friendly people!

     We did a session, which was in Dutch. Because of our crazy night, and having had around two hours of sleep, we were extremely tired, yet we were able to mostly stay awake and still enjoy the temple. You're never too tired to visit the temple! 

     After the session we talked to many members who just loved to talk and were very friendly. We then went on our way, walking through the city center to get to the train station. We then headed to our next stop, continuing our journey. 

     Getting to the Freiberg temple was quite tiring, and we hardly got any sleep those first few days, but the sights and temple were worth it. The Freiberg temple was neat and fun, but one of the best parts were the people there. Be friendly, inviting, and kind, and you will be memorable to others. That is what these members did, and it increased the spirituality and fun of our experience in Freiberg Germany!