It's Christmas!

Christmas time in Berlin has been fun.  Going to the Weihnactmarkts,  seeing all the people hustle about shopping for last minute gifts (yes we ventured out forgetting it was the last shopping days before Christmas), enjoying the cooking and people.  Christmas Eve is the biggest part of the holiday for German's.  They get together with families and friends, have a big dinner, open gifts, sing together, and read the Christmas story from the bible.  Some of the Geiminde's have a Christmas service.  We were invited to go to one, but had to decline.  We had something more important to do.  You see, we were asked to provide dinner and companionship for members young and old, that didn't have anywhere to go on Christmas Eve.  Elder Johnson and I decorated the rooms in the institue that we used, shopped for items needed for dinner, and cooked.  We peeled carrots and potatoes, cut up onions and celery, and made potato cheese soup.  We also served open faced sandwiches with a cheese ham spread which we broiled in the oven.  We set up for 20, but had 11 lovely people come.  It was an odd assortment of people, yet very nice and friendly.  Most spoke a little English, and we spoke a very little German.  We ate, visited together sharing memories of Christmas traditions, and listened to a reading of Silent Night, Holy Night, the story of soldiers from WW1 and the spontaneous truce they observed on Christmas Eve many years ago.  As we cleaned up after the party, I couldn't help but smile and thank our Heavenly Father for the opportuity to serve thses wonderful people.

Christmas Day dawned about 8:00am.  It was gray and wet outside.  We turned on our Christmas lights and music, read our last scripture for Advent der Wunder and opened gifts from home.  We had a white chocolate covered oreo for breakfast (mmm) and went to church.  Sacrament meeting was great!  Elder Johnson blessed the sacrament in German.  The program proceeded with short talks about what Christmas means, beautifull musical numbers and congregational singing of hymns in German.  There is so much musical talent in our Geiminde.  One lady, Britta is an opera singer.  She sang a duet with another member who accompanied on the guitar.  The Mattias family, ( who are very talented) shared some of their musical talent with us.  Mother, playing the flute, and daughter, playing the harp, gave a beautiful rendition of  a beloved  Christmas carol.  I have never heard a harp sing like this young women made this harp sing.

Dinner at home with the young Elders and Sisters.  We all ate until we were full. (wir sind zot!), and visited for a while.  One of the sisters will be transfered on Tuesday to Western Germany.  Sister Openshaw, we shall miss you.  After the missionaries left, we played a game of Yatze  (which I won), did some reading and made phone calls to home.  It has been a wonderful day, but no SNOW!