December 17, 2012

I have been trying so so so hard to not gain weight this Christmas season, but to no avail. Then I will have 12 weeks to burn all my new-found kilos. NOT FUN.

So let me tell you something cool about serving in Germany. It's called: last p-day my comp and I decided to go exploring in a small town about 30 minutes away and we found a MEDIEVAL CASTLE!!!!!!!!!!!! How freaking cool is that?????????? This town (called Rhede) is like so cute and super old and just plain magical. They had the cutest little Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) by this ancient church and I about died of happiness. Then later this week we were talking to a member about our p-day and I was like, "Oh my gosh, did you know that there is a giant castle in Rhede??" and he responded, "Ja...and? There are prettier ones." NO YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND. IT IS NOT NORMAL TO STROLL AROUND A TOWN AND FIND A CASTLE. Silly Europeans.

Wednesday we went back to Hamburg for a conference with Elder Richards from the Area Presidency. It was alright, I learned a lot of good things. Like how now they want us to work mostly with MEMBER REFERRALS. Wooooooooooow it was crazy. He told us to stop dooring and talking to people on the street and to focus on working with members, because our new purpose is, and I quote, "to serve members in fufilling their responsibility to do missionary work." We were all blown away. Of course we know this works and is obviously the best way to do missionary work, but come on. Sometimes we can't wait for the members to talk to all of their friends, you know? We want to teach people now! Then we found out later that he served a mission in South America and then it hit us - OF COURSE THAT'S THE WAY TO GO IN SOUTH AMERICA - LAND OF FREAKING DREAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok I am not bitter and I really am trying to have faith in it. We will be talking to our ward about it this week so we'll see what we can do.

Also I will tell you that on our way to Hamburg these 2 nuns sat right in front of us on the train!! Sisters in faith! I wanted to start a conversation with them but they looked a little grumpy...

Oh ya. We have a baptism this week! A new convert's dad has decided to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God. PURPOSE FUFILLED.

Well people. Today we're going to a supposedly cool Christmas market to buy cool German things. I will get back to you with pictures and lovely things.

I love you!

Love,
Sister Young