Dresden Mission: Connect and Reflect
An unofficial oral history project of the Germany Dresden Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A place to hear the lived experiences of returned missionaries who served in or from the mission from 1989 to 1994, the members of the Church who they served with, converts to the Church during those years, and others with valuable perspective and insights into those historic times.
Dresden Mission: Connect and Reflect
Elder Stephen Van Orden, Part II
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.
