The day started out the same as the last four (tour day + half day Thursday), but there was a silent excitement knowing that this was the finale... it wouldn't remain silent however:) We sat in the Greek section today - no chance of understanding more than two words in a row, but they're an enthusiastic group so it was fun. Today was rumored to be the hottest, but it started out pretty cool with overcast skies. Eventually it even rained on us - not bad or anything, actually a pretty cool sight to see thousands of colorful umbrellas! During lunch, brother Lett gave a special talk to the Italian group which I kinda snuck in to... but hey! I'm dying for any bit of English I can get haha! It was a great talk, as was the concluding part he gave. Then he said the prayer. And then...
The post-convention celebration put our 10 second clap to shame back in the Memorial Collusium! Seriously... I've never seen anything like it... just WOW! Instead of 10 seconds, the applause lasted for over 30 minutes!!! And it wasn't just the ordinary applause you give after a talk - it was with a beat! You know - starts out slow till everyone gets the beat going then it get faster and faster until the resounding climax! It was so cool - and it went over and over again. Before the prayer the Greeks handed out blue and white napkins for us to wave at all the other delegates after amen... Everybody had some thing to wave so you could see each one - what a sight! 41,000 people waving napkins, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, whatever! And get this! The entire Italian group got together to sing an extra song for all the other nations!! All (7,000??) of them sang the acapella version of song 127 "Myriads of Brothers!" Afterwords the entire stadium let out a cheer of appreciation! Followed by a series of loud whistles that lasted for about 5 minutes! Then came the signs... that was really a sight to see. You'll have to enlarge the pictures to read them - and they were all over the stadium! "SEE YOU IN PARADISE!" "YOU'RE IN OUR LOVE!" "WE LOVE YOU!" On and on... I've never seen anything quite like it. The crowd was like the Rose Garden if the Blazers won the championship... and suddenly got an urge to be dignified in their celebration haha! So exciting... so beautiful... I can't wait to see it again.
And heres another thing! They put our post-convention parties to shame! "Hey, me and a couple friend are going to Applebees later... want to come along?" I mean that's nice... but...! How about an open invitation to a Beer Garden! We were going to go to the Haugbrahus with the Fedors and the Cloughs... but when we met there we all had heard about the huge party going on at the Beer Garden - so we just couldn't resist! A little subway ride, 15 minutes walk through graffitid tunnels and sidewalks, neighborhoods and the like... we ended up at a pretty amazing place! Too bad they don't have beer gardens in Oregon... not that I know off. So we walk in there (right next to a herd of live deer!) and there's no less than 1,000 convention delegates gorging on german food and drink these massive liter steins of very good beer! It was like nothing I've ever imagined... I had to pinch myself! Not really:) But it was a pretty incredible sight! So we bought our food, sat down next to Joe and Kelly, and listened to their bus captain and his wife tell us the most incredible story of how they came into the truth! Sparknotes version: he was drafted to Vietnam, his paperwork got all the number ID mixed up - so while his whole division went to Vietnam, he mistakenly got sent to Okinawa of the coast of Japan. His buddy had the same thing happen to him - whose family were witnesses and arranged for American missionaries on Okinawa to meet with them... Now they're at the International and she's been pioneering for 40 YEARS!!! All because of a "mistaken" assignment:) I'm thinking the angles had a little hand in things:)
An incredible day... too much to right! Hope the picture give you an idea... I'll have to explain more when I get back!
301 Baptized!!! And we were 1 of 5 international conventions going on in Germany this weekend!!!
P.S. Laundry! Sore straight in Munich:( I had to resort to washing clothes in the sink! Which didn't really work... had wet and still smelly clothes all over my room for a couple days... what a mess! Kyle did laundry through the hotel - 6 boxers and 2 undershirts = 37 euros... Whaaaat?! It would cost me around 200 euros to do all my laundry!!! Walking five blocks to a laundromat tomorrow so I can pay 13,50E a load! Yikes!
And one more thing... being around such loving brothers... just makes me miss you guys all the more... :)
Yeeeeeeaaah;)
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13 comments:
Joy is a verb and both express the inner feeling and the outward manifestation; we all look forward to your manifestation of pure joy. Jehovah alone is able to provide such a delightful and life changing experience.
Seems you have learned well: Joy is not dependant on where we are or with whom we are. But it is dependent on who we are before, that being Jehovah.
It's not just knowing, it's doing! Joy isn't so much doing what we like, but liking what we do. It's not being where you like, but liking where you are. It's not having what you like, but liking what you have! Enjoy where you are and who you are.
Thank you ever so for liberally sharing your pure joy with us!
Too late Derek! You can't fool us with that giant apfelsaft (apple juice)!
WOW! Sounds amazing, we are speechless. We are so glad that you are writing this blog it is so fun to read.
We were going to send you a list of words that meant beer but it looks like your getting along just fine.
Got it ApplesBees out Beer Garden in
searching for perspective sites now...just kiddin:)
Hahaha...thats funny seeing you guys drink beer...to me it looks like Apple Juice..jk..it sounds like you had a really awesome time...looking forward to hear more when you guys come home.
selina again i wish u could have taken a pic of the unbrellas that would have looked cool! but im glad u had fun with the beer! lol jk! anyway three hundred baptized increbable! and thats not even half of how many get baptized all around the globe! Amazing! im glad u had a great time and i can't wait to hear more experiences in person
ahhhh too sweet..we miss you guys to :) the signs are amazing! and hearing about the italian bros and sis sing that song sounds incredible! thanks for sharing such encouraging experiences. hope you enjoy your beer! :)
Now you know how we felt at Monza, Italy, a few years ago when they had all the foreign delegates walk the entire raceway with thousands of cheering Italians treating us as if we were the gods come to life. The cheering and applause seemed to go on for hours
hey guys!! looks like you're having lots of fun over there! I'm enjoying the pics! (more than all the text :P)
Thanks again for such wonderful accounts of your trips. It brings tears to your eyes to see such love among our brothers worldwide. Just a hint of what it will be like in the new world.
Love your family in Arizona
Mmmmmm! BEER! Sounds delicious... With you.
-Your #1 Fan
Yes Morgan... Derek is enjoying his beer with me... over webycam! Jealous? Why are you so hateful over Derek and I's relationship? Something tells me you have a thing for my Mr.Livengood...
Any way, you should be my maid of honor when we get hitched! :) The colors for the wedding are teal and brown... I hope you look good in them. We're quite thrilled with what I've envisioned. :) I think we want lamb for the entree! And lots of french wraps! As many as I can stuff in my mouth, lord knows how many I can fit in my mouth! And Grant will be best man... Since he has already defended our blossoming relationship. IT WILL BE MARVELOUS! Any Suggestions MOH(maid of honor)? Hugs and kisses! Love ya :*
-Derek's #1 Fan
Where do i begin........this is going to take alot of thinking, I am awstruck that 1. the number 1 fan person thinks that i am defending them, the reason i said that was because as being a jehovahs witness it is not the christian like thing to do, making fun of people is not ethical, and 2. how could this get blown so far out of proportions... a why is their a fictional wedding (that was thought out way too much) and i was chosen to be best man... i just dont know what to say, actually i do, i dont want to be mean but honestly, this all has to stop, as jordan pionted out, would derek's #1 fan please stop sharing feeling about a person that they have never met, and Morgan im sorry that you have been insulted by #1 fan because this is all a little too much........THIS NEEDS TO STOP!!!!!!! normal comments would sufice!!!
I have to agree with grant... this has gone too far. I also feel sorry for Morgan because she doesn't deserve this kind of harassment, all she did was stick up for a friend.
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