Making Friends:

A Forever Family—Julischka Schlatter of Möhlin, Switzerland

By Kimberly Webb

Church Magazines

Julischka Schlatter, 8, lives about an hour away from Bern, Switzerland’s capital. She could tell you about the city’s quaint medieval streets, its old cathedrals, and the Glockenspiel, a clock tower built in 1530. But instead, she will probably tell you about the beautiful white building on a hill nearby. Here President David O. McKay dedicated the first European temple 50 years ago, and Julischka is glad he did! At age 6 she entered the Bern Switzerland Temple with her mother, Chantal, and stepfather, Philipp, to be sealed together as a family.

“I remember the beautiful room and bright chandelier,” she says. She remembers wearing white and seeing her parents waiting for her in the sealing room. She especially remembers listening to the temple sealer’s words.

“That day was very special,” Julischka’s mom says. “I didn’t receive just a husband for time and eternity, but my daughter too.”

The Schlatter family became even more grateful for the temple when Julischka’s baby sister passed away. A talented artist, Julischka drew a picture of her family and included her little sister in the drawing because she knows they can be together again someday. The picture hangs in the Schlatters’ kitchen for everyone to see, showing Julischka’s testimony of eternal families.

Julischka doesn’t just show her testimony—she talks about it. If friends don’t know which church she belongs to, they soon find out! “She isn’t afraid to talk about the gospel,” her dad says. “One day she came home sad because she’d had a discussion with a boy at school. He didn’t believe in Jesus.” Julischka bore her testimony to him and encouraged him to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Another time, a religion teacher at school taught that Jesus didn’t really suffer pain or sadness because He was too perfect to struggle. Julischka raised her hand and said, “I believe that He knows everything we go through. And furthermore, He visited the people in America.” She told her class a little about the Book of Mormon.

When she was baptized, she invited a neighbor friend who is not a member of the Church to attend. Just before the baptism, she looked up and saw her friend grinning at her from ear to ear. What else does she remember about her baptism? “The water wasn’t cold, like Dad said it would be!” Heavenly Father’s love made her feel warm.

One reason it’s easy for Julischka to share her testimony is because “she is very strong and independent,” her mom says. “She’ll try anything because she believes she can do it.”

Maybe that’s because she knows she receives Heavenly Father’s help. When asked if she’s gotten answers to prayer, she nods excitedly. “Yes, because I’ve always wanted to play the flute and now I’m learning the pan flute, and I’ve always wanted a cat.” The Schlatters’ new pet is a white cat named Filou.

Even if she couldn’t play an instrument or own a pet, Julischka says she would have a testimony because her testimony comes from the scriptures. She loves reading about the miracles Jesus performed, and her favorite scripture story is Jonah and the whale. She wishes her next sibling could be named Jonah—even though it’s expected to be a girl!

Julischka will be able to share some of her favorite activities with her new sibling: walking in the woods, swimming, playing at the park, and singing her favorite song, “Angels We Have Heard on High.” At Julischka’s request, the Schlatters often sing it for family home evening. “The neighbors must think we celebrate Christmas all year long,” Julischka’s mom laughs.

Perhaps the song reminds Julischka of the “angels” in her own family, including a sister who has gone back to heaven and another sibling waiting to be born.

Julischka knows that if her family lives worthy of temple blessings, it doesn’t matter whether family members are in heaven or on earth. They are still family—and can be for eternity.

Photography by Kimberly Webb and Janet Thomas

The Schlatters live an hour from the Swiss capital.

Julischka enjoys drawing and playing with her cat.

Below: The Glockenspiel in downtown Bern

Julischka loves the Book of Mormon and the story of Jonah in the Old Testament.

Playing the pan flute