THE LIMES

We received a nice note and a big package of Dutch waffle cookies this week from Elaine's cousin Jan Steenblik in the Netherlands.  During Joan and Hollis' visit in September, Jan was our gracious host to the Steenblik neighborhoods in the south of the Netherlands.  We had told him we wanted to get some these delicious Dutch delicacies but despite Jan's diligent search, we found all the bakeries closed on the Saturday afternoon we were with him.  He found these since and spent as much in postage as the waffles getting them to us.  Sorry Joan and Hollis, the waffles were absolutely fabulous, but we're sure you'll agree it truly was the thought that counted and what a class act by Jan.

 Janna and Gordon Springer served in the Freiberg Germany Temple about 12 years ago with Hartmut and Brigette Frenkle.  When Janna told Brigette we were serving in Frankfurt, Brigette asked senior missionaries who came to the Temple if they knew the Cravens.  She got our number and invited us to a pleasant dinner and evening at their home this week. Hartmut is counselor in the Frankfurt Mission. They spend every weekend traveling to the branches of the remaining district in the mission in the old East Germany  They search out lost members and inspect missionary apartments on Saturday then speak in church and train members on Sunday before making the long drive home in the evening.

 We were starting to run low on VIP brochures for some of our countries and were contemplating printing new books when we noticed 6 pallets stacked full of the brochures in the distribution warehouse. But the boxes were all mixed up so we could not tell how many boxes were had in each language.  Our BYU intern Casmin, and our new Public Affairs Asst Director's wife Silva came with us to the warehouse to sort out all the boxes and inventory them.  Now we need to get them out of the warehouse and to the countries that need them.

Saturday Elaine and I went to Saalburg, about 30 minutes from Frankfurt to see the restored ruins of the Roman fortress used in about 90-135 AD to control and tax trade between the Germanic tribes in the north and Roman Empire.

 The Romans dug  a trench (The Limes or Limit), bermed the ground behind the trench into a hill, then built a log fence in front and  stretched this barrier 5,000 kilometers from the Atlantic in northern Britannia across Europe to the Black Sea, from there to the Red Sea and then across North Africa to the Atlantic coast, thus marking the limit or border of the Roman Empire.  Vestiges of this border appear across Europe and the sites have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

 Original foundation stones from 90-135 AD of the buildings constructed near the Limes entry control points.  We visited a museum here that was chock full of Roman artifacts excavated from the area.

Saturday night game night at the Cravens cozy Porthstrasse apartment.  Elaine won both games of Quiddler and Rummikub, but Martin got the Good Sport award.