It was so fun to talk to you all last week! I am a little jealous that Trey got an hour and 45 minutes and I only got about an hour but I'll get what I can have. Gram and Pa, I hope I put your correct email address in and I was so excited to talk to you two! I love you :]
Dad, thanks for reminding Mom about the fudge recipe. I forgot about it on the phone too. One of the ward members here said that one of his favorite part about visiting America was the fudge he bought at the BYU bookstore. I wanted to make him and his family fudge for a thank you for the Christmas present and also to bring it to the District Christmas party. Becasue I forgot to ask, and I still wanted it, I experimented! It turned out pretty good actually. I used a little too much butter but Sister Neukomm liked that. I was very creative I think! We didn't have much suger so I used powdered suger. We had no marshmellows so I whipped some egg whites, and there are no chocolate chips in Germany really so I broke up some chocolate Santas we got. Then I topped it with crushed candy cane from your Christmas package! The Elders liked it so that must say it was at least OK. I attached a picture of my fudge.
One Sunshine moment this week was Christmas! What a wonderful time to talk about the Savior during the celebration of His birth! The Cottbus ward really felt like home too, I got a little wave of homesickness in the Christmas Eve service and was hugged by so many ward members and given encouragement and love. We spent Christmas Eve with the Lehnig Family, the Grandma, Grandpa, mom, Dad, and 2 sons, and they had a nonmember friend over and invited our investigator, Amin, who came to the Christmas Eve service over as well. What a wonderful feeling of togetherness was there and the joy that was shared! I am sad the Christmas season is over but the message is still here to share!
Something that has helped me this week be a little better at always finding something to be grateful for is to sing a song, both in my heart and out loud. I am memorizing hymns in German to sing and it really changes my attitude to sing them. Sister Neukomm sings with me most of the time too! It's kind of fun to see what new topics or questions to ask come into my mind from singing when there is someone on the street with whom to talk. Like from singing "Komm du Quelle" a thought came to talk about God's patience and forgiveness which relates to His love and wanting to help us always. I also noticed that I can serve Sister Neukomm in helping her get to bed on time by singing her a lullaby which normally comes from the Children's song book.
Something I've noticed this week in Personal Study, especially while reading General Conference talks, is that the words "miracle" and "blessing" are pretty much interchangable. I think I will focus a little more on both these words this week, but I think they are very closely related. Miracles are always a blessings and blessings are miralces!
We helped a member move a few weeks ago and in her basement we found old Liahonas from 1999 and 2000 the Conference issues and I have enjoyed reading them. In the April 2000 Conference the YW president gave a talk called "Ever After Happiness" and that talk helped me this week to be happy now. I love the Liahona! (that's the international Ensign)
I also attached a picture of the Schwibbogen I bought. It's so pretty!
The family in the 3rd picture is the Lehnig family who we spent Christmas Eve with. One fun German tradition is that you don't tell Santa what you want, but to get a present from him you have to perform something for him. Such as recite a poem, sing a song, or draw a picture. Sister Neukomm and I sang "Ruhdolf the red nosed reindeer" for Santa :] I liked that idea.
For Transfer calls you already know I was nervous. ButI feel good about what happened. I know it's a part of the Lord's plan and He is in control. Sister Neukomm and I are together in Cottbus for one more transfer! It is her last transfer and I'm a little nervous of her just wanting to go home but we can do it. Pres Kosak said something really nice in his email to me about it. He said "You're such a great teacher and companion. I'd like to ask you to stay the last transfer with her together. Thank you so much."I don't know if I'd call myself great but I'm trying my best. Knowing he has confidence in me gives me confidence in myself. Talking to you all about it helped calm my nerves as well. Especially what Pa said about his perspective as a Mission President. I have been called to serve Sister Neukomm and I plan to do just that for these next 6 weeks.
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you :]
Love, Sister Walker
PS. This family is who we spent Christmas day with, Brother and Sister Schult and another member of the ward, Brother Grüschke. We ate yummy goose and for Santa here I sang 2 songs- >Mary's lullaby and white christmas.
The next two are from the District Christmas party which we had on the 26th. The Sisters together and then me and District Leader, Elder Taylor, in a face off. We had a Santa Bowl football toss.
love, Sister Walker
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