25 Dec- Xmas Brunch & Ronsendall Dinner

Up early this morning to make a fresh fruit salad with vanilla yogurt. That was my assignment. We had a virtual spread to eat. Ham, egg casserole, stuffed french toast with homemade warm buttermilk syrup. It was so yummy. I will send the recipe to Sister Anderson soon. I took pictures to share. I was in charge of the program, so we had a gift exchange with the usual game that is played where
someone hates the gift that they end up with and another person scores the big one. Everyone had a big laugh at every ones misfortune at getting the white elephant gift. I think this is the only time that is permissible.

The second game we played was just as fun. I racked my brain for weeks trying to find a fun game for 40 plus people but I finally decided on a combination charades and pictionary. I also thought it would be fun to have all of the Oscar winning movies to act out. Some were hard and some were only one word. One of the very shy Senior sisters just couldn't bring herself to act out "CHICAGO" I said well then just draw the state of Illinois and put a star on it. They finally got it, but I think it would have just been easier to do a chorus line dance . But then some people do not like to get up in front of others. It was actually very well received. The team with the least amount of minutes total got a Milka candy bar, Elder Walter's favorite. Then left about 1:00 to make another batch of candied yams and get ready for our dinner with the Rosendall's.

This is the family whose house we are working on. Sister Rosendall is originally from Austria, went on a mission to England and has lived in Germany since the late 1990's. As I mentioned before, she has the four young boys and Arial, her Ampere is living there. When we arrived, the storm was still raging from the day before and it had dropped a lot of snow. We couldn't even get to the front door so Elder Walters got out his trusty snow shovel, which he always keeps in the car for emergencies, and cleared a walk way for me to get to the house. He is a very chivalrous man, that's one reason I married him. Of course he also cleared a path way for the little older lady who lives next door and also the parking spaces for the bakery directly across the street. Everyone came out to thank him but he just loved knowing he had done a bit of service that day. Everyone in the neighborhood knows we are LDS because of the badges and because the young Elders come by the help out periodically.

Dinner was delicious as usual. She cooks all German dishes. Today we had Roladen, potatoes and red cabbage. I watched her make everything so I can make it all when I get back home. The meat is beef ,cut very long and thin. On this is placed onions, julianne veggies, mustard and herbs. Everything is rolled up and fried till brown. Then water or broth is added with other vegetables and cooked until tender, about a hour and the juices are made into gravy. Delicious. The red cabbage is something I really love to eat. The purple cabbage is shredded along with some apples and placed in a pot with water and cooked down. To this is added prieselberries or our equivalent of sweetened cranberries. The potatoes are great. She makes them all the time. Kind of like our potatoes with a cream sauce. We were stuffed but happy.

The gifts were then given to the boys and they went crazy as there mother only gave them books. I am so glad I listened to Bro. Walters on his choice of a gift. We did not expect to get a gift from Sister Rosendall as she is on a limited budget but she gave us a knife from Japan. The blade is made of ceramic. It has the sharpest blade I have ever seen. I think it has Cutco beat.
The storm was still in full force so we had to leave early before we got stuck there. With much praying, we finally arrived home, glad to be where it was warm. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas this year and thanks for all the words of encouragement and cards. Also a big thank you to the Vista 8th Ward for your huge poster with everyone's well wishes.

We have the opportunity and privilege to hear on a regular basis the words of three of the 70's who are over the European missions. They were featured along with other 70's in the Liahona, which is a church magazine comparable to our Ensign but geared more toward this area. They wrote about their traditions at Christmas time. Thought you would like to hear what they had to say.

Elder Causse (France) said, 10 years ago they formed a family Chorus and went to hospitals and retirement homes sharing music and a spiritual thought about Christ. They now have a 44 member choir and they sing and distribute gifts to the sick and elderly and spend time talking to them as well as listening.

Elder Kopischke (Germany) said they prepared a songbook of Christmas carols. He plays the accordian and everyone picks their favorite. They also invite those in the Ward who they feel need extra love during this season.

Elder Teixeira (Portugal) said Their main focus is on reading the scriptures as a family and to extend greater amounts of love to others.

Merry Christmas everyone, enjoy the pictures.

24 Dec- Heiligabend at the Baumans

Sharing Your Talents Whatever They May Be











Bro. Bauman & Daughter









This was a free day for us because Christmas holidays in Germany are the 24th-26th. We got up early and made our special candied yams. Elder Walters spent most of the day working at the project house while I took the day to relax and wrap presents for Sister Rosendall's 4 little boys. I wanted to get them books but Elder Walters said, "They are boys, they don't want books", so we got them a hot wheel track set. Each one had two cars each. We also got Arial a scarf and a framed picture of the Heidelberg castle, which is our favorite.

At 5:00 we traveled to Buddigen for our first Heiligabend (Christmas Eve) celebration. This is there big night of gift giving. We spent the night with the Bauman family. I think you remember me telling you about Elder Kopischke who is the 70 over this area of Europe? His son is married to one of the Bauman daughters and they were also there, as well as Elder Christensen & Elder Spellman. The Baumans have 9 children but only 5 of them are still at home. One married daughter lives in Austria and she makes violins. I was really interested in knowing how she got into that profession as I played the violin for 10 years before I was married.

We arrived early and we gave them our candied yams. They had never heard of them before, but both of the full time missionaries, who were from the states, were excited to have a little taste of home. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best. I noticed that the front room was partitioned off with a drape so you could not go in. Bro Bauman explained that it was a tradition for the mother and father to purchase and decorate the tree the night before Christmas Eve and have all the presents wrapped. Sister Bauman started to play Christmas carols and when she played a certain song ,that was the cue for everyone to open the curtains and come into the living room. The children were so excited. We each took a seat and Brother Bauman read the account of the Birth of Christ with Christmas carols sung at the appropriate times. We sang every verse of each song in German. The entire program was in German, but we still felt the spirit. Of the 8 songs that we sang we were only familiar with five of them. Three we had never heard, but I loved them. I asked Sister Bauman if she would give me the music for those songs so I can teach my family when I go home.

Then we heard a loud knock on the door and Bro Bauman escorted there 10 year old son disguised as the Weinachtsmann. The equivalent of our Santa Claus. His outfit was 10 sizes too big but he presented himself as big as the outfit he was in. He sat in the head chair and proceeded to call out peoples names to come receive their present. Before they could get that present, however, they had to share a talent. My goodness what a talented family they are. One girl played the oboe, two more played a flute duet and the oldest one sang a song opera style. When it was the missionaries turn, I knew we would be next and we came ill prepared. The missionaries had no prior knowledge of this either so both played a set of Congo drums that were sitting in the corner of the room. One Elder did a pretty darn good job as I thought I was having Christmas with a tribe in Africa.

Then the dreaded time when they asked us to share a talent. Elder Walters immediately says, "Sister Walters is very talented, she plays the piano, violin, Bass Violin and the guitar." Good grief, now they are expecting to hear something great and I had forgotten everything I knew. Sister Bauman brings out her guitar and the only thing that came to my mind was "Puff the Magic Dragon". I didn't sing along but did manage to pick out the tune. Thank goodness they didn't know the song was about smoking marijuana. I knew Elder Walters would not share his beautiful voice so I said, "My husband played the drums in High School", so they brought over a Congo drum and he did a long roll. It was really impressive. I think I should get him a drum set when we get back home. I know the Grandboy's would love it.

Our gift was four bags of gourmet pasta all wrapped up in a bouquet with light blue ribbons and a little ceramic mouse in the middle. I can't bear to use it but she says it is the best you can get. I'll break it open when my girls come to see me. I have to say, I was very impressed that they do very little gift giving. Every child got one gift and the gifts were not the least bit extravagant.
No one seemed to be disappointed, instead, they were so happy that everyone got a gift too. It was a great feeling of love one for another. After the gift giving part we all adjourned to the dinning room for the Christmas dinner which was very simple but traditional. Sister Bauman made brats and potato salad which she said was the recipe her grandmother made. It was almost like the potato salad I make but they added apples and large chunks of dill pickles. For dessert we had fresh fruit and lots of good cookies. I think I remember reading that in the early days this was the fare for the poorer people at Christmas time and they were lucky to have it. It was simple and memorable to think that we were eating the same food that their grandparents ate in Germany almost 70 years ago during WWII.

After dinner Sister Bauman took me around to see her house. 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms with a separate room for doing laundry and ironing. She says all the kids have a certain task but as long as they are doing it they are allowed to watch a video of their choice. Sounds like a great way to get kids to help out with the work. Then we went into the master bedroom. I thought I was in an icebox. I said, " My goodness how do you keep from freezing to death at night." Her answer was that they even open a window." Good grief. Bro Bauman says they never get sick. I should say not, how can germs survive in sub zero temperatures?

The night drew to a close as we realized that a storm had been billowing all the time we were there. We had a hard time getting out to the car in our Sunday shoes. We did get home safe and sound however. Early to bed to get ready for our Christmas Brunch with the Senior Missionaries in the morning. Have a great day tomorrow.