We attended church at the St Gallen Ward. This is the ward nearest both the Hurlers and the Kunzlers homes. The church is small and cute. The people are strong. It was fast day and the spirit was very strong. Fortunately one of the missionaries translates each week for english speaking people. So we could follow everything during sacrament meeting and Sunday School.
It was a special experience. The people shared sweet, humble and very developed testimonies. One man is not baptised. He and his family have attended church regularly for a couple of years. He said, "I heard the spirit tell me to come up here and talk. I guess the rest of you did not hear it because you are still sitting down there!" Very cute and funny.
We met a gentleman who is the Public Relations Director for Switzerland. I showed him the pages from the missionary journal of John Paul Kunzler (not our direct line, distant cousin) He was thrilled. They are going to include the photos of the St Gallen Choir in 1911. I will put them in contact with each other.
It was one of those special sundays when the spirit works on you and allows you to feel the love, safety and joy of being a member of the Church. And I loved seeing it in Switzerland. And then knowing that it happens all over the world. The Lord is a God of order - and you can see it as every member studies the same lesson on the same sunday in every corner of the world.
Spence waited for us. He has been so patient.
After church we headed to the Alps.
It is a 40 minute drive to Santis. This is one of the viewing sites for the Alps. It is the highest
point in Eastern Switzerland. The road weaves through the mountains and we gain a lot of altitude. Along the way we stopped for dinner. The food has been quite good except at this place. It is called the Arizona. They have created a cute Swiss version of an Arizona Steak House. We sat outside. As soon as our food came the flies came also. Just across the street was a farm with the typical home and barn attached. There was no way to wave frantically enough to get the flies to leave. And you could not help gazing across the street and picturing where those flies had last been. We gobbled some down and left --
Even though you know you are going to the Alps, it is still a surprise when you come around those last few bends in the road and realize you are past the foothills and at the foot of the upper part of the mountain.
The gondolla ride is spectacular - and disconcerting. You just go up, up, up. At a few spots the gondolla changes angels, and continues almost like a helicopter. Every few minutes it is again surprising to see where you are.
The gondolla empties out right at the top of Mount Santis. There are several flights of stairs and an elevator that takes you to the tip top and the man made look out.
At that point words will not explain. The photos make a pathetic attempt. You can see 6 countries - France, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland,and one more but I can't think of it right now.
In the gift shop area there are videos of Swiss dancer, singers, yodellers, long horns - everything. Spencer particularly loved these! And mom could have watched them all day.
As a compromise, we purchased a video of the Alps and a CD of the music. (BTW, my hair will not work in this humidity without irons and dryers - just ignore it please!)
Spencer is planning to return to ski ASAP. I would love to do some of the hiking in the foothills. Mom will stick to the Gondolla.
From here we went to Appenzell only to find that the stores close at 5 on Sunday.