The One with the Freiberg, Germany Youth Temple Trip

A couple months ago my friend Chrissy asked if I'd teach a workshop to the youth at their annual temple trip. I'd teach the girls a craft while the boys did baptisms in the temple and vice versa. How could I say no? :) When I found out we'd be staying in a castle (Augustus Schloss) I got super duper excited. Why stay in a hotel when you can rent a palace?!? Here's an aerial view from the internet:

When Chris got home from work last Wednesday I quickly packed my belongings (a little too quickly, I forgot my jammies!) and drove 2.5 hours to Augustusburg, Germany.

The clouds were so pretty! Then I rounded a corner and saw this! The Augustus Castle waaaaaaay up on the hill! My GPS led me astray but eventually I found it. Oh me oh my what a castle! And it's PINK no less! I took lots of pictures. I couldn't help it!

 A little background: The hunting lodge of Augustusburg was built from 1568 to 1572 above the town of the same name on a hill called the Schellenberg (516 meters above sea level) on the northern edge of the Ore Mountains of Germany. The castle, which is visible from afar, is a local landmark. It lies about 12 kilometers east of the city of Chemnitz and about 21 kilometers southwest of Freiberg in the Free State of Saxony. In building a new castle, Prince Elector Augustus wanted not just to create a prestigious palace for his hunting trips, but also to underline his leading position in Central Germany.

Let's just let the pictures speak for themselves though!

Love this ornamentation!

Looooooove these painted doors.

Sweet flowers in a trough.

The hostel where we stayed was in the back part of the palace.

Inside. There was a dance going on down in the dungeon! Wicked cool! In the morning we had breakfast - bread and cheese of course! There was also cereal so I was a happy girl.

The room where lots of the leaders stayed.

A beautiful typical foggy European morning.

We drove about 45 minutes to the Freiberg Temple. We've lived here almost a year and hadn't seen a temple yet and then I saw two within a week (the other was the Bern, Switzerland temple)! Lucky me!

For the craft I decided to teach the youth how to make a Japanese Stab Binding book. I figured both boys and girls would appreciate and enjoy how to make a book!

This is the example book I made to figure out how I would teach how to make it.

The boys were up first. I think they enjoyed the hammering aspect of the process.

When it came to the sewing part they were all like, "Awww sewing is for girls!" But luckily the older boys got it and helped out the youngins.

Books in progress.

Then the girls came in and it was easier the second time around because I was able to work out some kinks.

All done!

The pretty girls showing off their books.

I had a total blast and hope I get the opportunity to teach again next year!