12-13-2010
I don't remember Elder Schultz or Williams but I bet if I saw them I would. That is crazy that he even looked me up and very nice of him. Phone call! I think you said last week that you wanted to call around 6 or 8 my time which should be ok. We have an eating appointment around then but we should be either finished or the members won't mind if I step out for a call. Later might work better but it is hard to say. You will actually call our cell phone which is only being shared between myself and Elder Dieduksman. The other Elders have one as well. Elder D will be calling his family in the same time zone so our times shouldn't conflict. Our number is ----. They said it is better if you call us. We are under a service called e plus or something like that so hopefully that is covered under Verizon. You might also need a country code and an area code but we don't know what those are. We get around an hour to talk on the phone. That is all I really know! If I missed any details please let me know.
I got both my packages! I got the thanksgiving one at zone conference and the Christmas one just today. It was at our neighbours place for a couple of days. Thank you so much! I sent my package off last Monday and I have no clue how long it will take. It's a pretty lame package full of old German proselyting materials and a couple treats. But at least it has more photos! I wish I would have sent one of the English pamphlets and German ones so you could compare. The photos in the English ones are all multi-racial/cultural and then the German ones are filled with all of these beautiful white people positioned in the same poses as the other ones. I got a good laugh out of it. I must say you know exactly what to send. I was telling Elder D that families, especially moms, are as much a part of the missionary work as the missionaries. Thank you for everything! The snow shoes, peanut butter, thanksgiving dinner, music... AH!! So exciting! I appreciated the usual carefully instructed notes that remind me of how much you care :) I liked reading the letter from Chelsea too. Good to know that Regal is treating her well and that she is getting along with everyone. It is weird to think that she is interacting with those people that I interacted with for so long. Twilight zone or something! Not really. But still weird.
I must say that those speakers that g-pa gave me for my birthday a few years ago are a lifesaver. I'm getting a good fill of Christmas music.
Cookies! Sorry, one last request. Could I get a chocolate chip cookie recipe? That one slipped my mind. Although it is difficult to make cookies when they only sell sugar that is brown and not brown sugar. And cream of tarter is something you buy in a back alley next to a dumpster. But we are experimenting and finding our own solutions. Cookies are just not as big here in Germany. I have come to realize, however, how big Christmas is (in Germany). Every Sunday in December is an advent day and an excuse to get together to celebrate the fact that it is one week closer to Christmas. Then St. Nick comes on the 6th to leave stuff in your shoes. Then there is Heilige Nach (24th) and Weihnachts (25th) and 2nd Weihnachts (26th). Then! There is something after that to close everything and get excited for next year. These three days the missionaries have free to visit with members and do out of the ordinary things. We as a four-some want to go around on the 24th and talk to all the lonely people and possibly do some caroling. We've been working on the different parts for some songs to get a quartet going on. We watched the Christmas message from the first presidency and it got me really excited for Christmas and the opportunity we have of sharing the gospel at this time of the year. I listened to what dad said and it helped me change my perspective. What also helped was a letter from James who helped me understand that I am not the only missionary having the same types of feelings and concerns about the work. Like, are we actively engaged in finding and teaching? Or do we just coast and do the work so that is out of the way. It is something I have to ask myself but I'm glad I am aware of it.
This week was a weird teaching week as we were gone a lot with Zone Conference. No we don't teach 30 lessons a week (like Elder V in Africa), but we have some at least. This one guy we are meeting with is about 19 or 20 and lives with his 18 year old girlfriend. They have a 6 month old son and have let us in to talk with them. This experience with them has been unexpected but they show potential. I am out of time but I wrote a letter in that package explaining more about the work. A lot goes on I just don't know what to write about. Talk to you later!
Elder Evan
No comments:
Post a Comment