Frohe Weihnachten

Our Christmas tree and presents

Frohe Weihnachten  (Merry Christmas)

Merry Christmas!! And a Happy New Year for this coming week!

It was so great to see and talk with you on Wednesday, so glad that all worked out great and we had that time to talk. I have grown to love you guys more than I can say over the months I have been out and it sure is neat to see you and then keep going on and the love just keeps on growing. I love my family!

It was  great week of Christmas and its pretty neat that here in Germany they celebrate 3 days of Christmas. America has got to catch on because it is so cool that they just have these 3 days where stores are closed down and everyone can just spend time with the family! Monday we started out first actually meeting with Marius and then again on Saturday and he is progressing very well, we are hoping (cross your fingers) to start the Stop Smoking Program with him this week he might be leaving for a couple days with family for the new year but we are hoping to get that started. He is so diligent at coming to church and I love it, he gets himself there by walking a good 25 minutes and even though its all in German is loves it! Its neat to see his progress in German as well, I have been translating for him at church and he actually was understanding quite a bit which is a great blessing! When we go over he shows us how he has been studying on the computer and it has really paid off! 

Tuesday Heilige Abend (Christmas Eve) was a great day as we were invited over to a families house for that evening but before we went we had a little time and so us 4 in Rosenheim went into city center, picked a good street with a good amount of people walking by, pulled out our little German hymn books and started singing Christmas hymns. It was a little intense at first but we got into it and loved it, I believe most people did too! We had people stopping in cars and listening for a bit, people taking photos and so on! I absolutely loved it! I love how we have many ways to testify of Christ and it was a perfect day to sing praises to Jesus Christ. A good night with the member family and we actually had the opportunity to go to a Catholic mass because their daughter was playing in the orchestra. It was a neat experience especially here in Germany on Christmas but I am so glad we have the truth and ours is his church. 

Wednesday (Weihnachten)we spent the day at a less actives house. We played games and with the kids and it was a great day as we were also able to talk! The neatest thing though was they came to church on Sunday! Oh man, I loved seeing them there and they fit right in, I hope they stay for good! 

Thursday (Zweite Weihnachten) we went to the Bishops house and spend some time with his family and had a good time there. He has a neat family and I just loved spending time with them and the rest of the members this rest and strengthening our relationship which is so key! The rest of the week was great as we also met with another less active family that is so close in coming to church, they have a car but its an hour drive and they seem to always have something but we were keep working with them and get them there. Its so great that we have a new year right around the corner to look back on what we learned and go forward in faith and confidence for success.

One last neat thing that actually just happened today, we were in the bus going to get groceries and I noticed an older couple that we had talked to about 2 months ago. We had made out an appointment but when we went they werent there and we tried going back and they were never there. So neat to see them again and hear that he had actually had been in the hospital but would love to still meet. Everything has a right time and right place but the closest thing was when I was talking to him, his wife was talking with someone behind her and I didnt catch it all but the women was asking questions about our church and the wife was sticking up for the church and giving correct info and being very positive about the church. Oh man I loved it! They are such a neat couple and I hope we make some progress!

Love you with all my heart, hope you have a wonderful week and a happy new year!!

Much love,

Elder Jerman

2013 Elder Smith and I standing right before going into our kitchen with the few snowflakes we made, (we had just a little time to fit in making some) :)