In one of my emails to Russell last week I wrote:
Dear son;
I realized as I was looking at the calendar- that your half way mark is coming up. It’s hard to believe a year ago we were preparing you to go to the MTC. How are you feeling about being at the halfway mark?
Mom
This week he sent his reply;
First off. I’s not getting truncky just cause my year mark is soon. I've got a whole year to work like crazy.
That being said, I'm running short on time. Gotta get my hair cut.
Soooo, here's a funny little experience. Yesterday we knocked on this mother’s door and she was very open. When we told her we were from the church she said " Oh cool". What was funny though was that she was completely ready to meet. We didn't even teach anything, she just said she didn't have time and made out an appointment for Wednesday. It was just so simple and easy. I couldn't help but laugh.
Much love,
Elder McDonald
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Christmas in Germany
Note: This is an email I sent to Russell about our experiences in Germany/Austria/Switzerland over the holidays. We went with our daughter Lyndy, to visit her mission area. She has been home from her mission for 3 years now.
Going to Germany was a especially touching and memorable experience for me. My mother's family is originally from Germany. Our grandfather used to speak to us in German. We were raised in the Lutheran Church. We had wonderful children's Christmas Eve programs every year. You will see my reference to this memory below.
It was wonderful to be there and celebrate Christmas in the German fashion. We had a typical German meal, sausages with mustard. It was great! We were there with the sister missionaries. The Lippl family has one son, Sebastian, about 8 years old. He was so excited! The parents read the Christmas story (in German of course), and we each choose a Christmas carol to sing. They sang in German- we sang in English. It didn’t matter, because the spirit was there. We closed with the traditional “Stille Nacht”. I loved being able to sing this beloved Christmas carol in the traditional way, on Christmas Eve. I was thrilled I knew it in German from my childhood days of Christmas Eve programs, singing it on Christmas eve, in German. It was such a wonderful, memorable experience for me.
We went to the Temple in Bern, Switzerland. As we walked into the Temple, we could hear one Temple worker using German, another using French, and another using Italian. As everyone enters the Temple, they are asked what their language is. Then the number of languages is tallied, and the predominant language of the people there is used for the session. Our session was in French. It was great for me, because I took French in high school. Although I did not understand all the words, it was wonderful to hear the session in that language. We were given headsets to listen in English. The sister next to me was listening in Spanish- there were others listening in German, Italian, Swiss German and other languages there too. The spirit was so strong there. It helped us to grasp the truly universal, truly worldwide nature of the gospel, and the church. We counted our blessings as members of the church, and reminded of the unconditional love our Father in Heaven and Jesus has for us.
Your story about the member and missionary work reminded me of something my mom told me
recently. When we went to Austria, we were near the place where the famous Christmas carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night) was written. There is a small chapel built there to commemorate the occasion. Your dad and I took a train to the small town near Salzburg to see the Stille Nacht chapel. It was small, and very picturesque. I sent a post card of the chapel to my mom. She told me she received the postcard, and wanted to share it with the missionaries when they come over the next time. I wanted to share that special experience with her and my sisters of being where the Christmas carol was inspired!
All our love and prayers are with you!
Love,
Mom
Going to Germany was a especially touching and memorable experience for me. My mother's family is originally from Germany. Our grandfather used to speak to us in German. We were raised in the Lutheran Church. We had wonderful children's Christmas Eve programs every year. You will see my reference to this memory below.
It was wonderful to be there and celebrate Christmas in the German fashion. We had a typical German meal, sausages with mustard. It was great! We were there with the sister missionaries. The Lippl family has one son, Sebastian, about 8 years old. He was so excited! The parents read the Christmas story (in German of course), and we each choose a Christmas carol to sing. They sang in German- we sang in English. It didn’t matter, because the spirit was there. We closed with the traditional “Stille Nacht”. I loved being able to sing this beloved Christmas carol in the traditional way, on Christmas Eve. I was thrilled I knew it in German from my childhood days of Christmas Eve programs, singing it on Christmas eve, in German. It was such a wonderful, memorable experience for me.
We went to the Temple in Bern, Switzerland. As we walked into the Temple, we could hear one Temple worker using German, another using French, and another using Italian. As everyone enters the Temple, they are asked what their language is. Then the number of languages is tallied, and the predominant language of the people there is used for the session. Our session was in French. It was great for me, because I took French in high school. Although I did not understand all the words, it was wonderful to hear the session in that language. We were given headsets to listen in English. The sister next to me was listening in Spanish- there were others listening in German, Italian, Swiss German and other languages there too. The spirit was so strong there. It helped us to grasp the truly universal, truly worldwide nature of the gospel, and the church. We counted our blessings as members of the church, and reminded of the unconditional love our Father in Heaven and Jesus has for us.Your story about the member and missionary work reminded me of something my mom told me
recently. When we went to Austria, we were near the place where the famous Christmas carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night) was written. There is a small chapel built there to commemorate the occasion. Your dad and I took a train to the small town near Salzburg to see the Stille Nacht chapel. It was small, and very picturesque. I sent a post card of the chapel to my mom. She told me she received the postcard, and wanted to share it with the missionaries when they come over the next time. I wanted to share that special experience with her and my sisters of being where the Christmas carol was inspired!All our love and prayers are with you!
Love,
Mom
I'm staying in Koln!!!
Note; notice the German grammar creeping into Russell’s writing. :-)
So I don't have to pack- thank goodness, Though I will be getting a new companion. Which is cool. I'm excited to try some new ideas out this transfer. So all is going well.
As far as packages go I’ve gotten a few. The one from the young women/young men got to me...I believe, also the package from the Thorntons.
I've got a cool story about how missionary work's supposed to do.
We had an appointment with a family in the church (mother and her daughter) set up. I didn't think much about. Just go eat, give a thought, and leave. Well, we show up and there's a girl I've never seen sitting next to the daughter. I thought it might just be someone visiting from another ward. Well as we traveled to the appointment the girl came with. On the way to the member’s house, she started asking non-mormon questions, like where did we learn the language, if we study here too, how long do we stay. Fairly safe to say she wasn't a member. Well, we got the place and the mother says, “It'll take a while to get lunch ready”, so we just talked with the girl about the ward about America and about the church in general. The subject of Joseph Smith was brought up. She wanted to know his story (I was planning on telling her that after dinner but I couldn't very well say NO, you can't know about Joseph Smith) Then right after, she asked us why we do all the stuff that the church asks from us. Well then (by the inspiration of God) lunch was ready. After that we find out the girl had asked the mother why she joined the church. So the mother gave this great conversion story (a little long) and all I had to say was “Well your question is answered”, gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to meet again. She didn't commit right there but they don't always. It was amazing cause that's how it's supposed to work. Nobody's hurt. There was no blood, no anger. Just learning and love.
Anywho life's awesome
Elder McDonald.
So I don't have to pack- thank goodness, Though I will be getting a new companion. Which is cool. I'm excited to try some new ideas out this transfer. So all is going well.
As far as packages go I’ve gotten a few. The one from the young women/young men got to me...I believe, also the package from the Thorntons.
I've got a cool story about how missionary work's supposed to do.
We had an appointment with a family in the church (mother and her daughter) set up. I didn't think much about. Just go eat, give a thought, and leave. Well, we show up and there's a girl I've never seen sitting next to the daughter. I thought it might just be someone visiting from another ward. Well as we traveled to the appointment the girl came with. On the way to the member’s house, she started asking non-mormon questions, like where did we learn the language, if we study here too, how long do we stay. Fairly safe to say she wasn't a member. Well, we got the place and the mother says, “It'll take a while to get lunch ready”, so we just talked with the girl about the ward about America and about the church in general. The subject of Joseph Smith was brought up. She wanted to know his story (I was planning on telling her that after dinner but I couldn't very well say NO, you can't know about Joseph Smith) Then right after, she asked us why we do all the stuff that the church asks from us. Well then (by the inspiration of God) lunch was ready. After that we find out the girl had asked the mother why she joined the church. So the mother gave this great conversion story (a little long) and all I had to say was “Well your question is answered”, gave her a Book of Mormon and invited her to meet again. She didn't commit right there but they don't always. It was amazing cause that's how it's supposed to work. Nobody's hurt. There was no blood, no anger. Just learning and love.
Anywho life's awesome
Elder McDonald.
Why hello!
Note: I am woefully behind in posting to Russell's blog. Here is his email received just before we left for Germany. Karna and Christian were German exchange students we had stay with us when Russell was in high school They are from Bremen, which is farther north and outside of Russell's mission area.
December 16, 2008
That's crazy that you guys are going to be in Germany this weekend. Hahaha have fun at church! You won't understand a word. Let me know how Lyndy does, her German’s not that bad but I'm willing to bet it'll take her a while before her ear gets used to it again. Though it's no big deal. Anyone under fifty can speak a decent amount of English.
Thanks for Karna and Christians addresses, I can't wait to write them in German. I'll have to make it legible. I would offer to send you something from Germany for Christmas, but seeing as you're coming here there's nothing really that I can buy that you can`t get yourself.
UMMM thanks for the cd's. If you could send me one now and then that isn't too Christmasy. Just need a little abwechslung (hahah look that one up) (hopefully I spelled it right).
In the past two weeks we've had people who just found their way to church. Two weeks ago an ex-Jehovah’s witness and this last week a guy who just heard about the church while studying history, got information about where our church is and when we meet and he just showed up. It's always fun doing the "I don't know you, who are you visiting game" then to discover they don't know anyone and aren`t members, then it's the "who among the missionaries knows him" game. Then to find out none of the missionaries are connected to him. Then it`s the "who`s gonna meet with him so he learns" game. Honestly it was fun but a little silly. All is good here.
Love
Elder McDonald
I did look up “abwechslung”. It is a noun meaning:
1. change
2. diversion
3. diversity
4. variety
5. alternation
6. diversification
7. relief
December 16, 2008
That's crazy that you guys are going to be in Germany this weekend. Hahaha have fun at church! You won't understand a word. Let me know how Lyndy does, her German’s not that bad but I'm willing to bet it'll take her a while before her ear gets used to it again. Though it's no big deal. Anyone under fifty can speak a decent amount of English.
Thanks for Karna and Christians addresses, I can't wait to write them in German. I'll have to make it legible. I would offer to send you something from Germany for Christmas, but seeing as you're coming here there's nothing really that I can buy that you can`t get yourself.
UMMM thanks for the cd's. If you could send me one now and then that isn't too Christmasy. Just need a little abwechslung (hahah look that one up) (hopefully I spelled it right).
In the past two weeks we've had people who just found their way to church. Two weeks ago an ex-Jehovah’s witness and this last week a guy who just heard about the church while studying history, got information about where our church is and when we meet and he just showed up. It's always fun doing the "I don't know you, who are you visiting game" then to discover they don't know anyone and aren`t members, then it's the "who among the missionaries knows him" game. Then to find out none of the missionaries are connected to him. Then it`s the "who`s gonna meet with him so he learns" game. Honestly it was fun but a little silly. All is good here.
Love
Elder McDonald
I did look up “abwechslung”. It is a noun meaning:
1. change
2. diversion
3. diversity
4. variety
5. alternation
6. diversification
7. relief
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