Dresden Mission: Connect and Reflect

Elder Stephen Van Orden, Part II

April 07, 2024 Dean Clement Season 1 Episode 22
Elder Stephen Van Orden, Part II
Dresden Mission: Connect and Reflect
More Info
Dresden Mission: Connect and Reflect
Elder Stephen Van Orden, Part II
Apr 07, 2024 Season 1 Episode 22
Dean Clement

In today's interview, Stephen discusses the 2nd half of his mission including thoughts about the change in teaching/proselyting after the currency changeover, his time in Dresden, and his final months in the mission. He also shares how the mission influenced his career, his continued German language and culture study, the acquisition of his Trabi, and other interesting and memorable mission experiences.

Click here for more photos, videos (including the MDR story about his Trabi)  and other interesting items. 

If interested in reading Stephen's fascinating Master's Thesis entitled: "Spit-Shined Shoes, Clear Decisions, and West German Mission Horror Stories: A Study of the Emergence and Function of the Missionary Folklore of the Dresden Mission during 1990," (including transcripts of 1995 interviews with Jason, Kap, Jeff Packer, and others) please message me on Facebook. 

If interested in reading a writeup (with awesome photos) of Stephen's acquisition, repair and restoration of his Trabi, please message me on Facebook. 

If you would like a copy of the roster of Mozambique converts in the DDR, please message me on Facebook

If you are a returned missionary from the Germany Dresden Mission and wish to be interviewed for this project, please contact me at Dresden Mission Connect and Reflect Podcast on Facebook.

Update your contact information, find old friends and companions, and much more on the Dresden/Leipzig mission alumni page at Treffpunkt Deutschland Mission Dresden/Leipzig

Returned Dresden missionaries, click here for more information about the Church History Library and information about sharing your documents, photos, or oral histories from your service in the Dresden Mission. The Church’s policy on public access to donated personal history items can be read here. To communicate to someone directly about donating your mission materials, contact James Miller: jamiller@churchofjesuschrist.org.

Show Notes

In today's interview, Stephen discusses the 2nd half of his mission including thoughts about the change in teaching/proselyting after the currency changeover, his time in Dresden, and his final months in the mission. He also shares how the mission influenced his career, his continued German language and culture study, the acquisition of his Trabi, and other interesting and memorable mission experiences.

Click here for more photos, videos (including the MDR story about his Trabi)  and other interesting items. 

If interested in reading Stephen's fascinating Master's Thesis entitled: "Spit-Shined Shoes, Clear Decisions, and West German Mission Horror Stories: A Study of the Emergence and Function of the Missionary Folklore of the Dresden Mission during 1990," (including transcripts of 1995 interviews with Jason, Kap, Jeff Packer, and others) please message me on Facebook. 

If interested in reading a writeup (with awesome photos) of Stephen's acquisition, repair and restoration of his Trabi, please message me on Facebook. 

If you would like a copy of the roster of Mozambique converts in the DDR, please message me on Facebook

If you are a returned missionary from the Germany Dresden Mission and wish to be interviewed for this project, please contact me at Dresden Mission Connect and Reflect Podcast on Facebook.

Update your contact information, find old friends and companions, and much more on the Dresden/Leipzig mission alumni page at Treffpunkt Deutschland Mission Dresden/Leipzig

Returned Dresden missionaries, click here for more information about the Church History Library and information about sharing your documents, photos, or oral histories from your service in the Dresden Mission. The Church’s policy on public access to donated personal history items can be read here. To communicate to someone directly about donating your mission materials, contact James Miller: jamiller@churchofjesuschrist.org.

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