Meeting With President Uchtdorf

President Uchtdorf was in Germany for a Regional Conference for all German Speaking Stakes. Our Mission President, President Pimentel, was able to arrange a Mission Conference for the Berlin Mission. This was a once in a lifetime experience as we literally sat at his feet in the Berlin Stake Center. Here we are waiting for him. When he arrived he wanted to shake each missionary's hand. What a wonderful experience to be in his presence and feel his love.

Because of the recent consolidations of the German Speaking Missions the main theme of the conference was that the members would need be united in building up the kingdom here.

Elder Kopischke, Area President, and his counselor, Elder Teixiera also addressed us. It was noted that the European Area Presidency were all European Leaders. The other counselor, who was not there, is from France.

Josh, Andrea and Lily Come to Visit

Who Visits Germany in the middle of Winter? One of our favorite Nephews, Josh and his wife Andrea with lively, little Lily.

The Freiberg Temple

So Happy Together

One Big Pile of Snow

An Adventure Going and Coming

Happy Baby

Several hundred more pictures of this visit are in Andrea's camera. As a side note we just got an email from Josh and he is in South Africa..this week.

Fasching (Kind of Like Mardi Gras)

Shopping For a Costume

The Devil and Who?

Indian Father and Pioneer Mother and what do you get?

Homemade Animal Masks

Very Talented and Fun Twins

Fussball (Soccer) Fan and Elder Wardell?

Ping Pong Champion?

Pirates?

Cowboy Disc Jockey

Dancing

Watching

Eating

And More

Games

And Entertainment

Scenes While Shoppping

Our assignment requires us to shop a lot and we thought we would share some interesting sights.


This picture was taken as we were going up the moving ramp in Kaufland

The produce here is abundant and beautiful. We spend a lot of time in this area.

They love their tea here. Most are fruit teas and very little black tea.

Flowers are very popular. We thought these bouquets were different.



Krampus is the scary guy that comes on December 5th if you have been naughty and whips you. If you have been good St. Nicolas will give you a gift.

Witches

Both sides are lined with many diverse seasoning packets. We don't spend much time here.

What variety of Ketchup would you like?

This is the best.....baby octopuses.

Missionary Activities

Senior Sisters

We are even starting to think alike.

We celebrated Sister Gill's birthday with the Gottschald Family

BAYERN P-DAY

Sister Habermann's family sent food from her home in Bayern (Bavaria) so she could share with us a real Bayern Meal. The people from this part of Germany are very proud of their unique customs and food.

While we wait, we play games.....

....email home......

...and practice the organ.

Finally it is ready to be served.

Weisswurst (you must remove the skin), brezels and a tasty cheese (kaese) mixture. Yum...


The grand finale was this black cherry torte.....all prepared by Sister Habermann.

After dinner, we have a traditional Bayern story read to us.

Sharing Our Gifts of Food

We started finding bags of food anonymously left at our door in late November and have received many more since then. The first one was 30 chocolate Advent Calendars and 10 large Stollens (the traditional Christmas cake). We have shared the abundance of food with the Branch members, our Center for Young Adults and the Missionaries.


We have discovered it is a single sister in our Branch who wants us to know that East Germany has an abundance of food and to show her love. These pictures are a small sample of some of the things we have received.



One of the ways we have shared is to fix meals for the Missionaries and the JAEs.

Elder Watkins Birthday at our District Meeting

P-DAY At the Senior Sisters

Sister Habermann and Sister Monson patiently wait for the Senior Sisters to come home.

Elder Wardell relaxes...

and watches a church video.

Elder Watkins takes his turn emailing his family.

This is our corner kitchen with our counter top oven where we do all of our baking. Today we made chicken enchiladas, tacos and cheese enchiladas, thanks to Sister Monson's parents for sending the corn tortillas.

Sister Monson can check off her service for the day.