Letter #31 (12-29-08)

Good thing we had a lot of eating appointments this last week because our fridge is broken. Ever since my 2nd day here it has slowly gotten warmer....now the freezer won´t freeze our food!! I love missionary life!! We put our milk outside, but had to throw everything else away. We get a new one on Wednesday!! The Bremen apartment is just so great....just peachy...hope you can hear the sarcasm in my voice!!! :o) I will try to send pics next week!!

Christmas was so great!! I got to enjoy 3 days of it!! Germans are so cool...they find any excuse to have a holiday. So this is Christmas in Germany...

Heiliger Abend (Christmas Eve) The stores are still open till about 1pm and then it is family time. There isn´t much missionary work that you can do on the 3 days of Christmas because it is dangerous...don´t get between a German and their holidays!! lol. At about 5pm the kids are kicked out of the living room and sent to another room in the house or out for a stroll so that the Parents can light the Christmas tree. In the olden days the German´s would put real candles on the tree and then light them and put decorations on the trees. The Santa comes to at that time and then the kids come into the room and open up presents and get to see the tree and stuff. It was interesting because in America they start selling Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving, but here I didn´t really see Christmas Trees for sale till about 1.5 - 2 weeks before Christmas. The traditions are changing a bit and conforming to more what America does, but a lot of people still do it this way. I didn´t get to see it myself, but I got to hear stories.

We went to the Fritzsch´s house and enjoyed a wonderful German Meal...Rotkohl (red cabbage), Roladen (Rolled Beef and bacon), Knödeln (potatoes pellets and seasoning boiled in a little plastic bag), and for Nachtisch (dessert) we had Quark (the most tasty yogurty thing ever...not aloud in America because it is too alive!!) We then sang songs and opened some presents together...we got toilet paper and laundry soap. It was a good time.

Weihnachten oder Der Ersten Weihnachtstag (Christmas or the First day of Christmas) So this day is our normal Christmas. They just eat and hang out with family. We went to the Bishop´s house and had dinner with his family. We ate Puten (Turkey...somehow she bought a turkey that was 17Kilo...that´s like a little less then 40lbs...ooops), Kartoffeln (Potatoes), Kartoffelnpuree´ (Mashed Potatoes), Rotkohl (red Cabbage), und Preiselbeeresause (Cranberry Sauce...not normal. German´s don´t normally eat cranberry´s. I think it was for our sake!! :o)) We also had Scottisch Firecrackers...these things are hard to explain, but there is a paper crown inside that we had to wear, jokes and also a little prize!! It was cool. We also went on a walk and played a little bit outside....I also took a nap....only for 20 minutes or so, but it was nice!!

Der Zweiten Weihnachtstag (Second day of Christmas) I actually don´t know the traditions for these days...it really is just an excuse to party, but I don´t really mind!! We went to a member from the Philippines and that was fun. Her house was SO cold. I almost wanted to be outside more then in her house. She is the funniest lady though. We got to speak English which was nice. It was so fun. We ate some food from her home country and watched a few Christmas church movies. It was a good time.

I have a poem in German about the 4 candles that they light on the 4 Sundays before Christmas, but my comp is giving me the eye because I´m taking so long to email!! lol :o) I will have to translate it another time!! It´s really cool though. Well we did get to visit a lot of people this last week and that was good. It will be great to get back to a normal week, but this week is New years and Fireworks are not illegal to light alone...like in safe old Washington. So our president has asked us to be in on Silwester (New Years Eve) at 6pm sharp!! We will find something to do though...like sleep!! YEAH!!! I love to sleep!! Well I love you but have to go!! Have a great week and a happy new year!!

Deine Sister Jones