63. A General Letter from Salzburg

A second mimeographed letter dated April 20, 1971, in Salzburg, Austria, this time addressed to “Dear Family,” and signed by a bunch of the study abroad participants: the Ken Polly family, Marilyn Darland, Claire Richards, Claudia Lange, Tamera Nielsen, Lynda Christensen, and Marianne Thomas.

Saturday was the prescribed date for the return of the weary travelers, but no one dared set a date for our recovery. However, there were two days in which we could recuperate and try to prepare ourselves for the ever-threatening mid-terms. Easter Sunday was a delight for most of us who were looking forward to spending a day anywhere but on a bus. It was an overcast day, but the thrill of walking and sitting on something that didn’t bounce more than made up for the lack of sunshine.

Monday we turned our thoughts away from rest to the more practical aspects of life. Some spent the day acquiring writer’s cramp and almost wishing they hadn’t collected so many letters from home during vacation. Others gathered the multitudes of dirty clothes they had been saving and set out to find some place to get them cleaned and (hopefully) returned. Still others we the way of the bank in hopes of getting their pocketbooks replenished. All stood in fear of the oncoming tests for which they had not yet prepared themselves. As a matter of fact, there were those who were in voluntary solitary confinement, eating and drinking not. Needless to say, we were all grateful that there were only two days of tests to look forward to.

Finally test days came, and they were all that we had expected. Anxiety levels got higher and higher as tests in German, Education, Music, and Political Science were given. After it was all over, there went up a big sigh of relief from everyone.

These days were not without relief. On Wednesday, we had no tests in religion class, so Dr. Baker and Dr. Sucher spoke to us. These men are very competent in their roles as professors, but they are even more dedicated to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We appreciated hearing from them and being revitalized with the spiritual aspects of studying in Europe with a group from Brigham Young University.

Then came the customary day of parting. With the completion of those much worried-over tests, everyone was ready for an escape into the realms of recreation. One group went to Kapurn, a monstrous glacier, where you could ski and ski and ski. Some went to Switzerland and, among other things, bore gifts from loving sisters to some lucky missionaries. Others, who decided to get a better look at the Salzburg area, went on a day’s bicycle trip to Hellbrun Castle, and the choir started that day on the trip to Kaiserslautern to sing at a conference.

With only four days away from the bus, it was with little enthusiasm that the choir members started another four-day trip, but with a stop every little while, the ride was easily forgotten, but the places we visited are the experiences we will remember. The old German town of Dinkelsühl was our first stop. We spent an interesting night in the youth hostel there. At first we thought it might be an old monastery, but the sign definitely said youth hostel, so we unloaded and started to look for the entrance. The entrance turned out to be a huge wooden door at which we were greeted by some brass trumpets heralding our approach. We felt like we were entering some medieval castle. It turned out to be an orchestra practicing who welcomed us, but we never lost our accompaniment, as the springs in the beds were rusted, and when we turned over in our beds we had a lovely chorus of screaming springs. Dinkelsühl was beautiful though. On Friday morning we looked around the town and some even climbed the tower by the St. George Church and had a magnificent view of the country.

On our way to Frankfurt on Friday, we stopped by Rothenburg, where we met Sister Hahn, who is the only member of the Church in that city. Then we went to Würzburg and the Residenz Palace and hurried on to Frankfurt, where we spent the night.

In Frankfurt we met President Luschien, who is a counselor to President Cannon of the West German Mission. President Luschien is also the man who translated Jesus the Christ, by James Talmage, into German. On Saturday morning President Luschien gave us a short tour of Frankfurt before we got on our way to Heidelberg and then on to Kaiserslautern.

Sunday we sang at the conference in Kaiserslautern. It was a touching event even though we still don’t understand much of what is said. President Luschien took very good care of us, and we were sorry to leave so soon, but we were all anxious to get back to Salzburg. Before we left, we made a quick trip to the PX and bought 45 hamburgers and some French fries and pop. What a way to end a trip!

Now we are beginning a new week—so that means it’s almost over. Soon we’ll only be able to say that we remember our trip to Salzburg. We are enjoying it here. Thanks again for helping us come.