2018 Closing out the year

We attended Church in the Lahr Branch on Sunday.  They had a wonderful Sacrament meeting with music and talks.  The people there are so friendly and they really enjoy us being there.  They had what they called the Lahr orchestra - 2 cellos, 1 violin and 2 recorders.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I had never seen recorders as large as they had.  I am used to the ones my kids played in elementary school.  The sounds were amazing.  It really brought a nice spirit to the meeting.  One of the speakers talked about the pre-existence.  At first I thought, why is he speaking about Christ before he was even born on Christmas.  I learned so much and it added so much meaning to the Christmas story.  He talked about before the creation and God showed forth his plan to all of his spirit children.  He said, whom shall I send?  And one answered like unto the Son of Man:  here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me - Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever:  Here am I, send me.  God then said, do you understand what I am asking you to do?  You will be born in a lowly stable.  Your parents will be forced to flee and be exiles in a foreign country.  You will be rejected by your own people and will be homeless at times.  You will be spat upon and beaten and ultimately, placed on a cross and atone for all of the sins, pains, sufferings of all mankind.  Are you sure you want to go to earth?  Father, Here am I send me.  Have you ever questioned if he hears your prayers or is there for you?  He loves you enough that he sent his beloved son who loves us enough that he gave his life for us.  HE LOVES US. He asks us to Come Unto Me and I will give you rest.   Christmas is about that wondrous gift of His Son.  There are so many symbols of Christmas.  I love the lights, trees, angels, stars, aromas and yes, Santa Claus - all teaching us something about His love and presence in our lives.  And so on this final Sunday of Advent we lit the last candle on our advent wreath and nativity tower.  We look forward to the coming days of celebrations and serving.

After we drove back home from Lahr we started delivering cinnamon rolls and salsa with chips.  We walked past this home that was decorated with angels.  They were really cute.
We delivered as many as we could to our neighbors - we found that most people leave town for Christmas and we only found about 5 home.  We had a good time driving, walking, riding the tram to many people.

snow falling in mountains

Monday was a busy day.  We had District Meeting in Schwenningen and so we left at 8 AM and returned home about 3:00.  A highlight of the drive was that it started snowing.  Perfect for Christmas Eve Day.  We had a beautiful drive and we delivered a few treats to families on the way home.  We still had more to deliver so we took the tram and visited a few families.  One family was just putting up their tree and decorating their home.  Many people wait till Christmas Eve to put up their tree.  They keep it up till 3 Kings Day in January.  We had a wonderful time visiting and being out among the people.

On one of our deliveries we passed by this shop window.  This is a decorated ladder for a tree.  It was so cute - great idea for displaying Nativities in the future.

We had invited Amira for Christmas Eve.  We were really looking forward to having her over and sharing our Night in Bethlehem with her.  She called early in the day and said she was not feeling well enough to come.  So, we had a very quiet Christmas Eve dinner at home.

We had our Night in Bethlehem with Chicken Pita's, roasted potatoes, nuts and dried fruit with the best ever fresh dates, olives, cheese, baklava, fruit bread, chips and salsa (Texas twist) and juice.  We went to the market on Saturday and purchased the nuts, fruits, olives and pita bread.  It turned out really nice and we watched The Nativity Video as we ate dinner.
We enjoyed the evening together and then we went to the Munster (Cathedral) for the Christmas Eve Mass.

The schedule said there was a 9:30 and 10:00 service.  We decided we would go to the 9:30.  We went early, knowing we wanted to get a good seat.  It was already almost full - about 1200 people in attendance.  The music was beautiful.  It was an orchestra, boys choir and organ.  They performed 7 numbers and then the 10:00 service began.  The 9:30 was like the prelude for the actual Mass.  At this point we were committed and stayed for the entire Mass.  It lasted until 11:45.  We enjoyed the music and sang during the congregational singing.  Everyone had a program with all of the music and words so we were able to follow along.  I showed pictures of the Nativity inside the Munster last week.  At the beginning of the program and young girl carried in the baby Jesus and laid Him in the manger.  It was a wonderful place to be on Christmas Eve.  When it finished we hurried to make the tram to find out it was only running every hour at that time of night and it would be a 30 minute wait.  We decided to walk the 20 minute walk home.  We arrived just after midnight and we were so glad to be safe and warm at home.

We had a nice quiet Christmas morning listening to Christmas music and watching on Facebook what our family was doing in their homes on Christmas Eve.
We were invited to dinner with a family in our Church.  They are from Angola and have lived in Germany for about 25 years.  They have 6 children, 4 of them were at home.  1 son is serving a mission in the Berlin Germany mission.  They served a wonderful meal of German and Angolan food.  One thing we have had to get used to is so much of the food is served cold.  Lots of salads and cold meat and rice.  We love the assortment of drinks.  Mineral water is always on the table and then different juices and syrups to mix in.  We spent about 6 hours at their home with our Elder's.  We sang, watched a Christmas movie and played games.  It was a wonderful day.  We returned home about 6 so that we could call home to all of our children and grandchildren.  We started with Josh and Julie and worked our way to Brian and Beth.  We talked to Jaime and her family except Andy was out visiting three more families as Santa Claus.  It has been a wonderful year for him.  He had over 80 appointments and he loved it.  It is fun to see the Spirit of the Season carry over into their home.  Emily and Ian and their kids had a wonderful day together - Ian was so glad he did not have to drive to Texas this year.  We are so glad to see how they carried out some family traditions and had a great time together just with their little family.  Beth is back working as a producer at the local TV station in Wichita Kansas - so, Christmas Day the news must go on.  They were able to spend the morning together as a family and then Brian and family went to the movie while she went to work.   I think almost all of our kids ended up at the movies by the end of the day.  I think Mary Poppins must be the #1 family movie this year.  I ended the night wishing my Dad a Merry Christmas.  It was almost 12:00 midnight when I got to talk to him.  It was a great way to end a wonderful Christmas Day.

Wednesday is P-Day this week.  We watched the movie, The Best Two Years (a movie about being a missionary) and saw things in a much different light than when we have watched it before.  It was too true as it shows the different things missionaries experience as they serve for two years.  We laughed a lot as we have  seen so many of the same things.  Sure is different when you are one of them.
We also decided to accept another Find a Grave Assignment.  We took the train and went to this little city.  This grave is of a Polish Prisoner of War that was shot by a guard for what they said was mutiny and resistance.   There is an historical marker next to his grave and someone keeps up this grave site.  It is separate from the rest of the cemetery.  We took the pictures and then returned home.  We are finding it to be a very special experience as we find these graves and learn about these people.

We received a really nice thank you from the family for sending in the pictures.  It is a very small things, but means a lot to those who are trying to connect with their family and history. 
We were invited to our Bishop's home (The Muller's) for dinner today.  This is the first time we have been to their home.  It was delightful.  The Elder's joined us and so there were the six of us.  Bishop Muller does not speak English and so most of the conversation was in German, but it went great.  Good food is a language all it's own.  She cooked 2 whole chickens and they split them into fourths and gave each of us that big piece.  We had roasted vegetables and two kinds of potatoes.

There is a salad made with feldsalat that is wonderful.  It is grown here locally and this is the season of harvest.  It is in all of the stores and markets - but only at this time.  It grows in little clusters and you serve it still in the cluster and eat it.  It is sweet and wonderful.  We loved the dinner and also getting to know them better.  The young Elder's always keep things lively and it is fun just to listen and watch them interact with people.  We were truly blessed this week with wonderful meals with great people.

Thursday we were up early and off to Bad Sackingen for Apartment Inspections.  It was a very foggy day and very wintery.  We enjoyed the drive.  We really enjoy getting to know the other missionaries.  This is our third visit to their apartment in the past month and it was good.  One Elder is from Spain and he has only been on his mission for 6 weeks.  His family sent him his favorite meat from Spain for Christmas.  He was a happy boy - he even offered to share with us but we told him to enjoy his wonderful treat.  His companion is from Southern California and is always enjoyable to visit with.  The best thing is that their apartment was very clean.  That makes my assignment so much easier.  There was a nice spirit with their little Christmas tree and the bed we repaired a few weeks ago is working great - so all is good in Bad Sackingen.

We visited Amira in the evening and that is always a highlight of my week.  Her family gave her a new bed for Christmas and she was happy.  She has a studio apartment so her bed is also her couch.  She spends 95% of her time sitting or sleeping in her bed.  It was nice for her to have a more comfortable place.  Her goal was to not have to go to the Doctor before the first week in January.  We always leave a spiritual message and a prayer.  We found out that on Friday morning she had an epileptic seizure and fell.  She hit her head and had to go to the hospital.  She is back home, but these falls continue to be an additional problem.  The Elders went and visited her on Saturday and she is feeling a little better.

 Friday was another pleasant day of visiting.  We were invited to Sister Runga's home.  She served her mission in Austria from 1968-1970.  Russ served in 1970-72.  They were in the same mission for about 3 months.  They shared stories and pictures of the people they both knew.  She served one of the best meals ever - rouladen.  It is very thin sliced beef that is filled and then rolled like a jelly roll and baked.  It was amazing.  I asked her how she got it so tender and she said, good beef.  We had real mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.  She also served the feldsalat and we really enjoyed it.  We have been really spoiled this week.  We have been here 5 months and this week have had many food appointments.  It will probably have to last for a few months.  We really enjoyed our time with her.  She has never married and worked in banking until she retired.  She has been on the waiting list for assisted living for 10 years.  She is finally at the top of the list and is planning to move within the next 6 months.  She put her name on the list 10 years ago knowing it would be at least a 10 year wait.  She is still driving and capable of doing most things, but her building does not have an elevator and she lives on the 5th floor - that means about 50 stairs up and 50 stairs down every day.  She said she will miss her view but no the stairs.  We are always touched by those who are so generous and give so much to the missionaries.  We are grateful.  We also feel so blessed to be almost her age and to be healthy and able to serve our mission.  We don't take that for granted and continue to be grateful for good health. 
We left her home and went to Europa Park!

 This is the largest theme park in Europe next to Disney.  It is about 30 minutes from where we live.  We really did not know how big it really was until we arrived.  It is magical like Disney.  They had a Winter special for just the evening hours from 4 until it closed at 8.  It was affordable and a beautiful Winter night.  We had wanted to go all week and this was the first opportunity we had and a perfect night.  There were so many people we had to park in the remote parking lot.  They did not charge us the parking fee - I guess they figured the loooooong walk was our pay.  We had a great time.  They have a Weihnachtsmarkt as you enter.  Everything was on sale and marked way down as they were at the end of the season.  My lucky day.  I was able to get things for next year and now I don't have to look around for good deals - I already found them. 
We only went on the monorail and their huge tower ride that you could see the whole park.  We walked to all of the areas and enjoyed the decorations and exhibits.  it was

 very festive and a beautiful evening for walking around.

This was a cute display with Santa moving around in his sleigh and a nice train moving below him. 

 Russ fit in perfectly as we walked through their Russian area.  The park is set up by different European Countries.  They have Germany, France, Ireland, Russia, Italy, Iceland, Norway, England, etc. and rides and exhibits to go with each country.  They had one area with the Grimm Fairy Tales.  There was ice skating and snowmobile riding and lots of other fun rides for the younger people.  It was a perfect way to end the Christmas week.

This was  a huge Christmas tower that actually worked and spins with a little shop in the bottom.  I love these towers - and maybe had to buy a few while I was there. 

There were also many Nativity Displays in several of the Countries.  It is so nice to see this part of Christmas so much a part of everything and people not worrying about the public display of Religious things.  They don't worry that they are not religious or of another religion, they understand it is Christmas and part of that Celebration.  I loved all of the different wood carvings and displays of The Nativity.

We stayed until the park was almost closed and started our long walk back to the car.  We followed the crowd of people and quickly realized we were at the wrong parking lot.  We had to go back to the start and turn down the back trail to the south forty where we were parked.  So glad it was a beautiful night to walk and enjoy.  We left the park and drove 20 minutes to Lahr to inspect the apartment there.  Europa Park was just a stop on the way to our assignment - great diversion.
It is an empty apartment, but used every other week by our Elder's.  We have to check and make sure they are keeping it clean.  Mission accomplished and back home after a very fun and long day.

Saturday was shopping day for New Years day.  With the Holiday on Monday and Tuesday with all of the stores closed and Sunday Church Day, We have to shop on Saturday.  Fire works went on sale on Friday and it is a big deal here.  We have been hearing and seeing them all evening.  We were also invited to Katrina's house for lunch today.  The missionaries accepted the invitation for us last Sunday and told us we needed to go with them.  It was actually a good day - I think we are just getting used to her cooking.  It is always stuffed peppers with rice, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, with homemade crepes with yogurt.  She truly gives the widows mite in our behalf and we are glad we can visit her and bring happiness to her for a little while. 
The Organ Concerts are over until April 2019.  We will miss our Saturday morning visits to town and the Munster Organ Concerts.  We filled our day with other activities.
We left lunch with katrina and went with our Elder's to inspect their apartment.  Russ had gone in a few days earlier and it was really a mess.  I was worried, but they did amazing.  It was the cleanest it has ever been.  I was really grateful.  It really makes a difference when they do their assignments and they function better when it is clean. 
We stopped by the town center on the way home to check out a few things.  We found out the Restaurant we wanted to go to on New Year's Eve is closed that day - will have to make other plans.  It is always fun being out with the people. 
The Elder's stopped by to pick up the spare key to Lahr - they lost their set.  I told them they could not go stay there until they found their key and that I would not give them ours.  Trying to teach them responsibility.  They cleaned and searched everywhere and I could see that when we inspected their apartment - so, I was soft and told them to come and get the key.  They stopped by and I had dinner ready to offer them.  They were really grateful.  They had an appointment with Amira and did not know how they could keep it and get to Lahr on the train.  We knew Amira was counting on them coming and so we told them we would take them to Lahr if they would keep their appointment with her.  We were looking forward to a quiet evening at home watching a Christmas movie, but we also knew this was very important.  We made arrangements to pick them up in an hour.

Everything changed for me in that hour.  I received a message from my Sister and so I called her to answer her question about a banking situation.  Not expecting a problem. 

Emily on Wednesday with Grandpa

She told me my Dad was not doing well and that they were on the way to the hospital.  I then talked to my other sister, Brooke and learned more of what was going on.  I also knew it would take some time at the hospital to get any information so it was a blessing that we were going to drive the Elder's to Lahr and then return home.  I was preparing for whatever they would tell us.  He has pneumonia and sepsis in the bladder.  The Doctors are not very hopeful for his age of 97.  In one day things changed so quickly.  They suggested family be notified and come if they want to visit with him.  I got a call at 2:00 AM that he was finally awake.  So grateful for technology.  I was able to Facetime with him and talk for a few minutes.  He was very weak, but very alert.  He at least knew who I was.  I am so grateful for those few minutes.  I asked him if he had any advice for me - knowing it would not be the answer I would like to have had.  He said, "remember to study the eleven pages and tell everyone you now about it and get a - at this point he can't remember and is trying to remember the word.  We have heard this advice for the past 3 years on a daily basis so it was easy to fill in the blank - blood test.  He is referring to Melaleuca and the Freiburg Study and Peak Performance Vitamin packs.  I told him I was a missionary now and that I was not telling people about Melaleuca but telling them about the good word of God.  He said, Oh yes, you keep being a good missionary but it will be here when you return home and you can  tell everyone about it.  He said, I am not a missionary now and I can tell everyone and then he laughed."  I told him I take my vitamins every day and they do make a difference.   As I look back on this past two years of his life - I think he knows some things we do not.  It was on November 2, 2018 that our Prophet said, "There's so much more to come.  Wait until next year, and then the next year.  Eat your vitamins, get your rest.  It's going to be exciting!"  Dad has been saying that to everyone for the past few years.  I think he is right on and I will take his final advice to me with a lot more meaning than what we have been thinking we were hearing from him.  He has always been a very wise man and even in his old age and failing memory, I think he has a message that needs to be heard.  I love him and am so grateful for his love and guidance.  My siblings have all gathered in Utah and I am waiting to hear updates.  I think he will surprise the Doctors - He might be 97, but they do not know George Haney.  He is not your typical 97 year old.  I am prepared and ready for him to leave this life.  I just know that it is in God's hands and I trust in His timeline. 

Today is also a historic day in our Church as we end the three hour block of Church meetings.  There has been a restructuring of organizations and teaching and we will begin a new 2 hour block for Church on Sundays with an emphasis on more learning in the home and more family time on Sundays.  It was fun to see how many people were sad we were going to 2 hours - looking forward to the new learning and teaching pattern.  The best is yet to come.  This is part of the hold on and get ready for the ride I talked about earlier.  We look forward to 2019.
Wishing all of you a wonderful day as we close out 2018.  We did great things in 2018. 
It's time for a nap after a very short night. 
Love you all,
Viel Liebe .
The Grimmett's

   

FROHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN Dec. 16-22

This is our Christmas Card for this year.  We are grateful for electronic communication that keeps us in touch with family and friends.  I know what it is like waiting for communication to come in any form - there is something about "home" that brings comfort when you are so far away.

We started the week with MISSION CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE!  This is the best time of the whole year - for those who have served missions you can relate.  For all of the young missionaries, this is the day they receive all of their packages from home.

  We had a wonderful day of Christmas musical performances from different missionaries, Christmas messages and video clips, and gift exchange among the missionaries and a wonderful Swiss German Christmas lunch.  It is always good to be with all of the other missionaries and President and Sister Brown, our Mission President.  It was also the one day the Sisters can wear their Dirndl's and the Elders can wear lederhosen.  It was very festive and so filled with the Spirit of Christmas.  There were so many packages for the missionaries to pick up.  I also saw how sad it was for those who did not receive any packages from home.  Some received them at our last meeting 2 weeks ago.  It made me stop and think about when my Sons were on missions and how it was for them.  I don't remember knowing I had to have it to them by a certain date to have it for the mission conference delivery.  Joshua was in Brazil and never received packages and a regular basis.  I think in two years he only received 2 packages that finally arrived.  For Brian, ten years later and in Italy things were a little different.  We were able to use Fed Ex and it was a little more reliable.  Our two missionaries did not come home with any packages. We will help fill in the gap with a little present.

 At the conference, Pres. Brown talked about our time as missionaries not being about gifts and packages but that this time in our lives is about giving and serving others.  As he talked, I thought how things are not so different for me here as I have done many of the things I would do at home sharing the Christmas Spirit with others.  Saturday will be the day we make and deliver Salsa to our neighbors.  Many will be leaving for the three day holiday here so we want to give it before they leave.  Here they celebrate Christmas on Dec. 24, 25 and 26 with all of the stores closed.  It is nice walking through the markets just to feel the ambiance of the season and not to buy or worry about gifts.  So, Monday was an awesome day as we celebrated together.  Our Elders did not want to leave and we had a long drive ahead.  We finally got them to get in the car and had just started down the street when one of them got a phone call from a member in Zurich that wanted to come and see him before he left.   He said, Sis. Grimmett can we please go back to the church so she can meet us there - it will only take 5 min.  She was a Sister he had baptized last year and he means a lot to her and her four teenage children.  She brought Dunkin Doughnuts so the Elder's were happy.  We were the last to leave and as I have said before, Zurich traffic at 6:00 is terrible.  Another 3 hour drive home - I told them they could not sleep and leave me alone to drive - that lasted about 2 hours and then the wonderful day and good food hit all of them.  I was glad to be home at the end of the day.

 Elder Fishburn and Elder Falkena performing Savior Redeemer of my Soul.  It was beautiful.  They were companions until last week when Elder Falkena was transferred.  We miss him and it was wonderful to see him again.

 Elder Odro sang Silent Night in English and Dutch (his native tongue)  It is the 200th Anniversary this year of the writing of Silent Night in Germany.  Sis. Brown played the piano for him and he did wonderful.  They had not practiced together - two great talents that came together and made it happen.  We were really proud of him.  He is doing really well right now.

Our dear Sis. Griffith serving in Singen.  It is always good to be with her.
I am so grateful for these young women and men who are 18-25 years old serving as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They are away from home, family and friends and are going out every day sharing their love of Jesus Christ and inviting others to come and to know Him.  They have an excitement, love, joy, desire to be their best.  They have a message to share and in their crazy ways they get it done.  They are from many countries and backgrounds, but they are united in their love of Jesus Christ and their desire to serve Him.  We are so blessed to be among them and feel their excitement and willingness to serve.

 P-DAY!  Off to Titisee.  The train has been closed all summer for repairs and on Dec. 1 it finally started back in operation.  Russ could not wait to ride the train over the mountain and back to Titisee.  This is us on the train.  It was an awesome trip.  We rode on the upper deck and it was so nice not driving and getting to see the beauty of the mountain.  The train goes places a car will never go.  Straight up the mountain with no switchbacks. 

 This is the lake in Winter.  It was so beautiful - I wish the camera would pick up the contrasts better.  Unfortunately, we have had a very mild, rainy winter so far.  NO SNOW or frozen lake.  They usually have a lot of snow and the lake freezes for ice skating and other winter sports.  It is really hurting the tourism in this area.  Some shops were even closed until after Christmas due to slow business.  We enjoyed no crowds and just walking through the little streets and shops. 

This is our favorite Christmas store.  It is fun to just look at everything and enjoy.  It is open all year and they have some really fun things - I especially like their Santa collection - maybe next year I will need to get one to bring home.
We did not stay long but we really enjoyed the train ride and visiting one of our favorite places in this area.  We stopped in a said hello to the owner of one of the shops that we met this summer - the one who owns the Shelby Mustang from Texas.  He was not having a very good day (probably because it was a slow day) and at first he thought Russ was just a customer with a problem until he looked up and recognized who he was.  He was very nice and was glad to say hello.

We arrived home and were off again on our next adventure.   We signed up to help with Find a Grave here in our area.  Most of the requests we get are for France since we are so close, but we are not allowed to go to France.  We had a request for a city that we were planning to visit anyway so we accepted the request.  These are for cemeteries that do not have registries and family members want photos to document the grave as they do family history.  We thought it would be a little cemetery and that it would not be difficult to find the headstone.  We arrived and it was a huge cemetery with about 15 different areas.  We looked at it and said, we have about 30 minutes of daylight left what are we going to do.  We said a prayer before we got out of the car.  We each took an area and walked down each row.  We discovered that each area was for a certain time period - so we moved quickly looking for the year span of 1986.  They bury in family plots, so some are not exactly in the time frame.  It was now dusk and we were going to be late to a dinner appointment.  I did not want to leave without finding it and taking a picture.  I kept praying that we would find it.  We decided we needed to leave and would go to the information office and see if they could help us.  Just as we got to the entrance on the opposite side that we had entered on, I said, just a minute - let me walk down this row.  Larger than life was this headstone.  We had been looking on the ground and walked and walked and then we were guided to this beautiful spot.  Mission accomplished.  I don't know this person, but I felt a warm sense of peace as we were able to take photos and document it and know that we were helping someone connect with a relative.

We had been invited to Gegenbach to see the World's largest Advent Calendar.  This is the Rathaus (city building) in the center of the city.  It has 25 windows in the front of the building.  They turn it into an advent calendar starting on the 30th of November.  Every night they light a new window.  This year they used the art of Andy Warhol (an American artist)
They have a little musical performance to tell the story of the Advent Calendar and then they light the new window.  This is the window that was lit, the vase with flowers. 

 They turn off all of the lights and then light the new window and then turn on the previous days lights.  It was fun to see.  We also walked around the market and enjoyed the sights, smells and sounds.








I loved the unique local art that was at this market.  Because it is deep in the black forest, there was a lot of pine wood art.  I loved these slices of pine carved with designs.  Great front porch decorations. 

 This is the same picture that is in our Christmas Card.  This is a life size wood carved Nativity scene.  It was beautiful.  I really like the German Shepherd. I also really like the animals in the background.  It was very unique and so real for this location in Germany. 

The Elder's met up with us to join us for dinner at Elli's home.  We were really grateful to be invited to dinner with Elli and her parents.  Elli was baptized in October and her parents were not really happy about it.  They are Greek Orthodox but attend the Catholic Church most of the time because there is not a Greek congregation in their little town.  We had met her mother back in November and that was the start to a friendship and better relations for Elli.  She cooked an amazing Greek dinner with chicken and potatoes and lots of garlic.  Loved it. They have a very nice home and it was so good to be there.  I don't think Elli has many friends come to her home and they seemed to really enjoy having the young missionaries there.  They could see how well Elli gets along with them.  They have agreed to let her go to BYU-I in the Fall.  That is a really big change of heart and we are happy for Elli.  She has friends that go to school there and she will do great.  Her mother is even trying to brush up on her English so she can feel comfortable going and visiting her while she is there.  We couldn't get the missionaries to leave and finally we had to leave as we were past their curfew.  It is good they were in good company and had a good driver to get them home safe!

Wednesday was our turn to cook for Institute.  Shopping day and cooking.  I made bread and rolls and then I was feeling a little home sick and missing my mother and her wonderful holiday baking and decided to make some of her favorites.  I made chocolate almond balls and English dainties (both recipes are in Linda's cookbook).  It was working - the taste and smells of holiday baking were giving me peace and  the feeling that "I can do hard things" (thanks William).
We served pork schnitzel, roasted potatoes, glazed carrots, green salad with the bread and rolls.
I made up trays of dessert and placed them on the tables for all to enjoy.  It turned out wonderful. 

My Dad is 97 1/2 years old.  This week brought a new chapter in his life.  He drove his car for the last time.  For the past 28 years he has had a car paid by Melaleuca.  The license plate even said: MelaCar.  He loved cars and especially his Toyota Highlander.  It was no longer safe for him to drive and it was too nice of a car to be sitting in the parking lot of a care center collecting dust.  So, the time had come to sell the car.  My sister and her son took him over to the local high school and let him drive on the driving range one last time.  They said he had a ball and really enjoyed his last drive.  It is hard for me some days to not be with him and helping in his care.  Every day is a new challenge and I am so appreciate of my sister, Pam for all of her love and energy in taking care of him.  I have wonderful memories of having him in Texas last year for Christmas.

We were able to pick up our new Drivers licenses for Germany on Thursday.  We are finally legal in all of the necessary things.  We are set for the next year.  Today was a catch up day on administrative things and around the house.  We finally found jars to be able to give Salsa to our neighbors.  We visited Amira and invited her to spend Christmas Eve with us.  We hope she is feeling well enough to come.  Russ spent the evening with some of the men from church delivering bags of cookies to families.  They were planning to sing Christmas songs and deliver the cookies.  His group opted out on the singing and visited instead.  He had a great time and it was good for him to be with them.
We met a new neighbor today.  He just separated from his wife and moved into our complex.  He was very interested in learning about what we are doing in Germany.  He said, they must pay you a lot of money to be able to live here in this building.  I told him we don't get paid, we actually pay the Church to be here to cover our rent and car.  He said, did you win the lottery to be able to come?  We look forward to getting to know him better.  He is a biologist for a pharmaceutical company here.  Delivered Salsa to him on Saturday and had a nice visit getting to know him better. 

I made 2 big batches of Salsa to deliver to neighbors and Church friends.  We found that 3 of our neighbors moved out this week, 2 today.  Must be the time of year leases run out and people get job changes as well.  We look forward to meeting new neighbors.  We were only able to deliver to 4 of our neighbors the Salsa.  Many people have gone away for the Christmas Week.
We will deliver more tomorrow as well as Cinnamon Rolls that I made tonight.

Advent Wreath with 3 candles lit

 We attended the final Organ Concert of the year at the Munster on Saturday. It was really nice.  This is the last concert until the Spring series starts in April.  We will miss the Saturday morning events.  We are hoping to attend their Christmas program on Christmas Eve.  It will be at 9:30 PM and we will have to do this instead of go look at lights around the city like we do at home.
We were told they do not do the traditional midnight mass at very many places anymore because the Priest does not just have one

 congregation anymore.  He travels to up to 6 services on a given Sunday.  The little towns no longer have their own Priest.  So, their services have had to change.
This picture is a Nativity inside of the Church.  It was really nice.  I especially liked the camel with the young boy riding on it.  I have never seen a large Nativity with the beautiful camel and rider like this one.  It was very dark in the Church and this is the best picture I could get.  Baby Jesus will be added on Christmas Eve. They had 4 huge 25-30 feet trees inside that were beautiful.

It has been really nice traveling around to different places and seeing all of the Nativity scenes in each city.  I love the diversity of each one.  It has truly been a great experience being a part of a new culture and being a part of a German Christmas.

We were invited to have dinner on Friday with the family that we have helped haul dirt and landscape their new home.  It was a delightful evening.  This is their Christmas Tree.  I love it.  Their new home is very nice, but not with large rooms.  Lots of rooms, just smaller to suit each purpose.  They do not waste space.  The Tree was decorated really cute.  The live outside of Freiburg on the edge of the forest, so they can look out their window and see lots of trees.  They don't need one inside when they have this wall space to have such a cute tree.

Christmas Miracles happen every day.  I am grateful for all of the blessings my family has received and that my Dad has also been so blessed.  So grateful to Melaleuca for taking such good care of him financially and for keeping him healthy.

People keep asking me if I am homesick for Texas.  I am not sure how to answer.  Christmas has always been a time of giving and sharing at our house.  We have a very long list of people we deliver Salsa and treats to every year.  It is one of the highlights of Christmas to spend Dec. 24 out delivering to people and ending the night at Max and Sally Johnson's for a picture with Santa.  We have about 30 years of pictures from that tradition.  I will miss that.  We have filled the last few days with the same activities of making Salsa and delivering as well as other treats.  So, some things are the same just new location and people.  It still is one of the best parts of Christmas.  There are some days that are hard, so I just try not to think about being away.  I actually like the slower pace and a simpler life for this year.  I try to stay focused on missionary work and serving where I have been called to serve.  It has been rainy, cold and windy this past week.  We have walked and walked and tried to visit several people to give them a Christmas message and treat.  We have either not found them home or they no longer live where we have the address.  We were asked to visit a man in the prison here who requested a Book of Mormon.  We went on Thursday and they gave us a piece of paper and said to follow the instructions and come back.  Russ thought it just said the time and days we could visit.  He asked some men at church about it and they were not very helpful.  So, in the rain and cold we went back on Friday during the hours on the note.  The man at the gate said, did you not understand what I told you yesterday?  He was actually yelling at us.  I don't understand what he says, but I sure do understand how he felt about us.  Apparently you have to call and make an appointment to visit during those times.  We will try again.  We are not well versed on the process at a Prison.  We will go back.  These are times I get frustrated that I don't understand and neither does Russ.  That is when you know you are in a foreign country and you pray that it will all work out.  We continue to learn something new every day.

Yes, the big news of the week was the change in dress code for Sister Missionaries.  We have been required to wear dresses or skirts every day.  That has been my wardrobe for the past 23 years working for the Church so I was good with that attire.  Sisters can now were dress slacks.  I guess I will get a few new Christmas presents after the holidays.  New Pants - I am not as excited about it as the young sisters, but it will be nice during the Winter cold months.  I especially will like it on P-Day.

Jesus said, "Blessed are ye because of your faith.  And now behold, my joy is full.  And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them....Behold your little ones.  And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.  And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls..." 3 Nephi 17:21-25  I know that Jesus Christ appeared as a Resurrected being after his death just as surely as he was born in a manger and the angels descended out of heaven to announce his birth to the shepherds.  I am so grateful for Jesus Christ - his birth, life, teachings, death and atonement for all mankind.  I am grateful for the angels round about me every day.  May this knowledge of Him bring you peace, joy, happiness and a desire to serve him this Christmas Season and every day.  We appreciate your love and prayers in our behalf.

Merry Christmas!
The Grimmett's
 

Dec. 9-15, 2018

 Saturday night gathering of YSA's for Texas Nachos at our home.

The Christmas Spirit continues as we sing carols and serve others.  The Relief Society (women's group) provided the program in Church today.  I was asked to play the piano for 2 musical numbers.  It went really well considering that they forgot to tell me there was a practice before church that I did not attend and the YSA group that sang and we had practiced several times had a little glitch.  I played the intro and when the chorister tried to bring them in they were not looking at her and did not start.  I only had the words in English and they were singing in German.  I just kept playing, following the chorister and prayed I would figure out where they were.  It worked out, after a few measures and I was relieved.
I was asked to play in Relief Society and usually it is not hard, just normal hymns.  We are singing Christmas hymns this month and the German Hymnal has so hymns I have never heard of.  It is a much smaller book than in the US, but also has many different hymns.  I went to play the closing hymn and I had never seen it before and it had 4 sharps.  That may not mean anything to most of you, but for me, it is not a key you play in every day, especially when you are sight reading.  The song was, Tochter Zion, freue dich by George Friedrich Handel from an Oratorium "Josua".  I told them I would try to play and give it my best.  I was able to play most of it - I guess better than not having a piano at all.  After the meeting a Sister came and asked me, you have never heard of this song? She was surprised we did not have this hymn.  Sundays are always an interesting experience for me.

 Monday was Family Home Evening!  We volunteered to cook and present the lesson.  We wanted to share our tradition of making Gingerbread houses.  We started the evening with homemade waffles.  We did regular and ginger bread.  I made apple pie filling and sour cherry topping along with a few different syrups and lots of cream.  I also served sausages.  It was fun to see some who had never had waffles or those toppings before.  They had never had sausage links served with breakfast.  They were not sure what to do with them.  We said, just put them on your plate and eat them.  They loved the

 food and ate everything that was made.
We then told them about our tradition of making ginger bread houses with our Grandkids and also the years with friends.  We bought all of the kits at IKEA and then lots of candies and decorations.  I made all of the frosting and the building began.  Only two out of the whole group had ever done this before.  They had a really fun time and did a really good job of creating.  It was fun to share and to keep some traditions going.

They decided to keep them at the Church until Wednesday when everyone at Institute can see them.  They also needed some time to dry and set.  Our friend Yowita came and she really had a great time.  She said it is a really good diversion from school and she is making friends with the other Young Adults and we are so glad to have her come and be a part of the group.  Richard, from Peru came.  He is an Architecture Design intern here and he only got the house put together, no decorations - he was very methodical in his building - perfection.  He had fun even without finishing it.

Tuesday came early as we had a District P-Day to Triberg.  We packed a lunch and were off to pick up the Elders.  It was a beautiful day and a really nice drive. We visited in the summer when it was really hot.  It was really cold with a few snow flurries.  It is a nice place to visit.  We found out that the famous restaurant for Black Forest cake is closed on Tuesdays.  We will have to go back on another day.  We were planning to take the hike to the falls and we paid our money.  They took our money and we walked to the first platform not very far up and the trail was closed to go any further.  They had it all decorated for Christmas with lights and an evening light show, but they would not let us go any further.  We were not very happy that they took our money and did not tell us it was closed to go to the top.  We met some really nice tourists from California and Maryland that had the same experience.  We took each others pictures and then went back into the town.  

 You can see we were ready for a hike - walking sticks and all.  Some of the missionaries did not bring winter coats and just had on jackets and short sleeves.  We asked them where they thought we were going.  We had on Thermals and two shirts plus our heavy coats and hats.
We bought a few Nativity ornaments and a Santa Claus.  The GPS put us on a different route to return home.  We decided to go with the GPS.  It took us on the other side of the mountain and higher up before we went down and we got into snow.  It was beautiful.  No pictures.  I was driving and was a little distracted.  At one point we felt like we were on a cattle road - only 1 lane and very winding.  It was an adventure and it was worth the view.  The forest is an amazing place - especially in winter.

This is our new District.  There are transfers every 6 weeks so it changes frequently.  We have worked with some wonderful missionaries.  This group is not as close as the previous ones.  We hope we can get to know them better and help them in their companionships.  We look forward to welcoming a new Senior Couple in a few weeks.  We REALLY miss the Andreasons who returned home to Utah.  The District is just not the same.  Our new District leader is all business and no fun and he doesn't want lunch after the meetings.  He likes the food, he just does not want to take the time for us to do it.  We will see what happens.  They are also on a new diet where they fast until 1:00 every day and then eat so we have to work around that.  I am not real happy with what they are doing, but it will make my cooking lighter - at least for the next 8 weeks until he goes home.  He is trying to loose weight before he goes home.  Funny thing is they don't eat and then when they do, they eat way too much and not very healthy.  I just wish they would eat sensibly.  Oh to be young again.

Wednesday morning was a sad day as we said good-bye to Elder Falkena.  We met at the train station and wished him well.  We have really enjoyed serving with him.  We will now just have two Elders in Freiburg.  More room in the car for them.  It has been kind of nice having three. 

It was a very cold day and we had lots to do at home.  We were glad to be indoors.  Wednesday is our day to have lunch with Katrina.  She changed the time to 3:00 and that has made it a little harder.  Wednesday is Institute day and we usually are preparing and busy in the late afternoons.  We really did not want to go out in the cold, but we had accepted the invitation and needed to go.  We took the tram and walked and arrived to find that she was not expecting us.  She forgot and then said she planned for Thursday.  We already had a really busy Thursday planned but we told her we would work it in and would be back.
We returned on Thursday and she was ready and so glad we were there.  She makes so much food and tells us to just eat slow and then we can eat all of it.  We know she gives "the widow's mite" to have us come and she is so lonely - I know there are blessings there somewhere and we appreciate her willingness to serve us.
We left her home and went to our weekly visit with Amira.  We shared with her Pres. Nelson's Christmas message from the Christmas Devotional with the Tabernacle Choir.  She loved seeing the lights from Temple Square in Salt Lake City and hearing the beautiful music of the choir.  We love our visits with her.  We left her house, still so full from the late lunch with Katrina and were off to a meeting at the Church.  The meeting was almost 2 hours and I was ready to be home and call it a day.
Friday - Driver's License Day.  Now that we are official and have our VISA's, it was time for us to apply for our German Driver's License.  Luckily, we are from one of the States that they accept and we don't have to take a test.  Just MONEY and TIME and once again, you can get what you need.  We will return next Thursday to pick them up.  It is seeming a little permanent as we complete all of these things.  One of our assignments is to inspect missionary apartments and also to make sure they have all of the necessary things in their apartments.  We received a call from some Switzerland missionaries that they needed new kitchen items.  IKEA TRIP!  That was fine with me - I like to shop and spend someone else's money.  We shopped and found the new dishes and cookware that they were needing and we will deliver to them on Monday when we go to Zone Conference in Zurich.  We also shopped for our Gift exchange that we will have on Monday at the Conference.  We don't have to cook this time, so it will be really nice to just go and enjoy.  It is almost time to make our traditional Salsa, so we also bought the things we needed to get it made.  Our first deliveries will be on Monday.  Friday evening we were invited to a Senior Christmas Dinner.  It is hard to see me as a Senior - I am usually the one cooking and putting on the dinner.  I was the youngest one there and we had a great time.  The Young Men and Women served the dinner and sang to us.  They were great.  The Bishop and his wife cooked the meal and it was a nice German meal.  They cooked ham with several different potato dishes.  All of the potatoes were cold, but it was very good.  Potatoes are the main vegetable here.  You eat them with everything.  I am just not used to having all of the sides cold.  We laughed and said the normal meal would have been ham with green bean casserole and funeral potato casserole (creamy scalloped potatoes).  It is always fun to have new things - especially when you don't have to cook it!  The other Seniors shared stories from their childhoods and it was fun to hear about 1938 before the War and how life was for them in Germany.  The people we sat with were in their 80's and 90's.  Special People.

In October as part of General Conference, Pres. Nelson invited the members of the church to read the Book of Mormon and to also mark every passage that referred to Jesus Christ.  He asked us to complete that assignment by the end of the year.  That is 531 pages.  It has been an amazing experience for me as I have read and marked the passages.  I have read the Book of Mormon many times and have also taught courses three times in the last few years.  Your perspective changes when you are only looking for those passages.  The further you get into the Book, the more passages are marked.  By the time I got to 3 Nephi on Thursday night I could not put it down.  I was on a quest to finish it by Monday.  Friday night after the dinner I came home and started reading.  Again, I could not put it down.  I read the last 50 pages and finished the Book.  I learned things I had never noticed before.  This Book covers from 600 BC - 420 AD.  It is a history of the House of Israel and those who left Jerusalem because of wickedness.  There are some basic doctrines that are taught over and over and continue to be taught today that have not changed.  "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." Moroni 8:18
His plea to all of His children is to COME UNTO ME.  He asks us to:
1.  Have Faith in Jesus Christ
2.  Repent
3.  Be Baptized by immersion for the remission of sins
4.  Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost
5.  Keep the commandments
6.  Pray
7.  Study the scriptures - the word of God
He promises if we do these things, the same thing he has asked since the days of Adam and Eve, that we would "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men...and by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. . . love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ."
I am grateful to have completed this invitation from a Prophet of God.  It is preparing His people for the coming days and the hastening of the work of Jesus Christ.

Saturday is SALSA Making day.  It's beginning to look and smell a lot like Christmas here.  It was 26* this morning and we also had to go get the car washed.  Our new car is light slate blue and it really shows the dirt.  So we braved the elements and got it done.  The sun was shining - first time in many days and everyone was out washing their cars.  The wash bays were all full and a line of cars waiting to get in.  Some things never change - Saturday's at a car wash on a beautiful clear day!
We are a little frustrated with the POST system here.  We have sent several packages to our family for birthdays and Christmas.  We sent several packages on Nov. 21 expecting a delivery before Dec. 1.  Two of the packages still have not arrived.  We spent a lot of money to ship them and maybe they will get them by Valentines Day.  So, we get a notice in the mail on Friday that we have a registered letter that needs to be picked up at the Post on Saturday.  We go to get it - only available from 12-1:00 on Saturday so the line is literally down the street.  We wait and wait and then they cannot find the letter.  They say, we know it is here, we just cannot find it.  We will give you a call when we find it.  REALLY - we will see what Monday brings except we will be in Zurich all day and will not be able to pick anything up.  Maybe Tuesday between activities we already have planned.  Sorry for the rant and rave - just feeling a little disconnected from family.  The internet was out for 1 1/2 days and they came this morning to check on it.  All is well today.  Maybe that is how I was able to get so much reading done - lessons to be learned. Unplug.

We were invited to Lahr Branch for their Christmas dinner and program.  We took the Elder's with us and made a few stops on the way trying to deliver cookies to some Young Adults that we do not know.  We usually find that they no longer live at the address we have for them.  We got to drive through some beautiful areas and lots of little towns (burgs).  We knew we were in Germany as we followed this truck for several kilometers.  It was a beautiful restoration of the car.  Sorry for the blurry picture - Russ was taking it while the car was driving.

Lahr is a small Branch of the Church.  We love visiting there.  They are so friendly and wonderful people.We had about 50 people at the program tonight.  They had a wonderful program with the Christmas story and singing.  At the end of the story, this little girl (blond) brought the baby Jesus and laid him in the manger.    When it was over these three little children came up and talked with the baby.  It was precious.  I love the tender hearts of little children. 

Nicholas arrived to the delight of all.  He is similar to Santa Claus, but a little different.  He comes with a book that has each child's name in it.  He talks to them very personally, calling them by name about who they are and how they have  been.  He then took packages from his bag with the name of a child on each special gift.  It was so fun to see each child react.  The older children had to sing a song or recite a poem.  There were three boys and one could only laugh so he got 3 fun swats from Nicholas.  The Third boy asked the other two boys to join him in the song and they did wonderful.  He was very smart to invite his friends to join him.

It was a delightful evening for all.  It was fun to see how their traditions are.  We had a nice German dinner of salads and brots.  We left our Elder's to spend the night in the apartment we maintain there.  They will go to church on Sunday and then take the train back to Freiburg.  We have a new Elder and we asked before we left if they had the key to the apartment.  He said, yes, everything is OK.  We drove home and had just changed our clothes and got a call that they had taken the wrong keys and were stranded in Lahr.  No more buses or trains for the night and everyone was gone from the church.  So, we got back in our street clothes and drove the 35 min. back to Lahr to take them the keys.  They are soooo lucky to have us in Freiburg to help them out.  Other missionaries are not that lucky.  And they ask us, what do you do to stay busy?

So, another wonderful week of serving.  We love this festive time of year and sharing it each others traditions.  The time is going so fast - looking forward to what the new week will bring.  We hope each of you are enjoying the Spirit of the Season. Continue to Light The World in Service.  Small acts of service mean so much.  I am so grateful for the few sisters who help me and make my days a little brighter.  We sit in classes and discuss how we can serve others and my sweet Denise sits by me every Sunday and translates for me.  She is truly and angel and goes unnoticed by most.  I was asked to pray in Relief Society today at church.  I prayed half in German and half in English.  They appreciate that I try and then they try to talk to me.  Love makes all the difference.
Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's