GIfts??

Hey there Everybody...I've been wanted to write this blog for about a week now, but I haven't had a chance, and since my companion is having to burn the midnight oil to get all his stuff for Transfers(Chaos in a Can, but that'll be another blog) ready. I figured I'd use a bit of the down to time to share something that'd occured to me on over the Break.
It all goes around Gifts. It all started when my companion Elder Hartvigsen, and I were trying to figure out a spiritual thought we could share with the Members we would be visiting over the Christmas Holidays, and what we could do me that simply reading Luke 2, and then closing with our Testimonies. Since at this point of the day we're generally pretty brain fried, we got off topic, and just started talking about Christmas, at home and things we used to do with our Families. We liked comparing Christmas Eve here, and at home. I talked about how my Family and I would cram into the Suburban, Van, or whatever form of Public Transportation we used to cart a Soccer Teams worth of Siblings around the Snowy Back Roads of Blackfoot, Paisley, or whatever small bend in the road we were inhabiting at the time. We would go to all the our Friends, who'd we'd grown close to it in the past year, and sing a couple of off tune Christmas Carols, and then try and apologize by giving them some of Mom's homemade Christmas goodies.
Elder Hartvigsen then told me about what he and his family did. Every year they would pull take a little Treasure Chest, and writing on a slip of paper would write down what they would give the Saviour for his birthday that year. It would be something like reading the Scriptures everyday, having Family Pray, or any amount of wonderful things that Christ would have us give to him.
At this point we came back on topic without even trying, as we then realized what we could do for the Members. We prepared how we would teach the lesson, and had some good success as we even gave it.
As it is with all good things from the Lord, they always seem to go a little bit deeper, and hold a little bit longer than we ever thought they could. I began wondering what is the purpose of Presents at Christmas. I'd always been told that they're symbolic of the Gifts brought to the Christ King, in honor of his coming.
It seems that the Gift giving part of Christmas always seems to get underplayed. I've seen enough Christmas specials where the recieving of Gifts, has been portrayed in not the most positive light. As I was thinking though, I've come to the conclusion, that Christmas cannot be Christmas without Presents. We must always protect ourselves, from greed, selfishness, and such negative effects of Satan, but if the Spirit of Christ is part of any Christmas celebration, the Gifts symbolic of Loving Sacrifice can be a really holy experience. God himself gave his only begotten Son on this day, such that he could build the needed bridge to cover the chasms separating us from him.
I don't know if you followed this at all, but in the short run of things....Gifts, are as just as important to the Christianity of Christmas, as are the Carols, Scriptures, and any and all things that can remind us of the Eternal Perspective. Sometime we just have to look a little deeper.

LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW

Hey there everybody. Things are going pretty sweet here in Germany. The winter is now in full swing. It has finally snowed in Frankfurt. My companion and I were buying tickets at the local Bahnhof(trainstation) this morning, when we looked out the window and were surprised to see know falling. Last years winter was incredibly warm, and we never saw any snow :C. I was kinda expecting the same this year, despite all the rumors of it being a harder winter. As we started getting into December it started looking that way too. Nothing..when there were clouds it was too warm for snow, and then when it was cold enough, it was because there were no clouds. Anywho, about a week ago we woke up to a blanket of snow carpeting our town of Hoechst. Naturally we were estatic, and immedietly snowball fights commenced.

The Week of Christmas was filled with heavy fighting on all fronts. Everynight the heavens would replenish our ammo supplies with cold Manna, and bright and as soon as any head poked itself outside it was liable to get a snowball upside the head. The fighting had to be the heaviest on Christmas, and Christmas Eve, due to the somewhat heavier snow fall the night before, and the somewhat increased moral(and energy) of the troops. Walking from appointment to appointment took about twice as long, and every soldier took at least 10 hits to the back(the enemy likes to hit you when you're walking away). The fighting came to one a climax on Wednesday the 26th. When Elders Hartvigsen, and Thomas were returning from a late night trip to the office. As they pulled up to the apartment, and began to get out they were immedietly set upon by Elders Farr, and Johnson(who had returned home early to "pack"). They'd developed a good supply of ammo located in their fortified position(balcony). Elder Thomas took an ice ball to the knee immedietly after opening the door. Elder Hartvigsen, used his advantage of being on the other side of the car to run to the back door and threw up the trunk hatch as a blast shield. He was joined soon by Elder Thomas who then using their cover, were able to set up a return fire. After the enemy was running low on ammo, Elder Thomas was able to place enough cover fire to allow Elder Hartvigsen to make a break for the door. Where he was able to lay down some more fire for Elder Thomas to make his break for the door. After storming the Fortress, Elders Thomas, and Hartvigsen made it to the front door where they then were met by Broom wielding Elders, and after a couple minutes of wrestling were finally able to rest. The next day the winter magic began to fade, and Elder Johnson went home. The snow soon melted, and life turned back into the dull hum drum of Office life, but this moment of Devolution shall ever be remembered, when four twenty year old men managed to be 5 again for a week.

IT'S ALWAYS THE ODD LITTLE THINGS:

Well I'm really new at this whole blogging thing, but oh well. I guess I can sit here and babble a little, and then go back through to change everything to make it sound like I'm really WISE. Either way... it's the Second Advent here in Germany, and also P-Day for those of us who spend our days in the Office. And in a spirit of final relaxation, and good ol' pent up fun. We went straight for the heart of Frankfurt today, and got some good ol' Christmas shopping in. For anyone who's been to Germany in the Christmas season.. they know there's a nostagia here that is quite insurpassable. The Fußgangerzone, or high street if you live in England, is a pedestrain only zone that every European town has. It's generally torn to shred by shoppers, and eager Missionaries, but every year around the first Advent. A change slowly begins to work its way into this crazy outdoor mall. First it starts with a variety of G.I. Joe Santa Dolls all repelling, and climbing to balconies of the Apartments. Then you notice the Chestnut stand that wasn't there yesterday. Before you know it construction teams come in, and despite the pressing crowds of shoppers somehow begin errecting little huts. Slowly one by one the Fußgangerzone gets smaller, and smaller, until everyone is walking down a little path that I guess is left there because no one could fit a hut in between them. By the time you're wondering what the heck is going on little flap doors start popping open, and SHOPPING reigns supreme. That's right.. the Weihnachts Markt is open for business, and all the wooden smoking men, nativitiy scenes, Beer Gardens, Bratwurst stands, Nutcrackers, and even Buddha statues are all overpriced and up for sell. We had a ball today enjoying the crowded streets, and the street performers. Anyone who thinks they know Christmas shopping needs to try it here in Germany. Half your currency is Change, and most places don't take card. It's a hubbub of riotous potential, and you always need to make sure you don't bumb Grandma. It was a fun day though, and we're now getting ready to head out to the temple for a choir concert. This day has been a bit symbolic of Christmas. First it was introduced with HERALDS of Joy from my companions(It was for p-day, but hey we'll cut them a break). We then bussled around a very crowded city, where no one seemed to have room for the Saviour, and now We get to spend a quiet evening away from it all, in a holy spot, quietly celebrating the birth of the Ultimate Man. Doesn't P-day rock. Merry Christmas Everyone

Tagged

5 Things I was Doing 10 Years Ago
1. Winning the Chiliquin Map Challenge Championship
2. Climbing the hill behind the Chiloquin
3. Trying to find the hidden treasure
4. Swimming in the Algae down at our lake
5. Not sure if I was still running around like a Dinosaur

5 Things I was Doing 5 Years Ago
1. Watching the Last Missionaries of our Family come home
2. Skiing for the Kelly Canyon Ski Team
3. Hanging out with my first, yet somewhat odd friend John(still wonder why Mom let me play with him :P)
4. Waiting to turn 16 so I didn’t have to take my sisters on Practice dates anymore
5. Annoying Elizabeth in High School

5 Things I was doing 1 Year Ago
1. Trying to Learn German
2. Anticipating my first Christmas in Germany
3. Running around Worms like an insane Monkey trying to talk with people
4. Praying for mail the first time in my life
5. Accidently reading a sign out loud while sitting on a bus which actually said “Dad, I’m Gay” Very odd moment

5 Snacks I Really Enjoy
1. Spagehtti Strings
2. DÖNERS
3. Uladag
4. Swedish Fish
5. Choco Rollos

5 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Organized Zone Conference Boxes
2. Went to a bike shop to get supplies :D
3. Saw some guy get hit on his Moped
4. Busted out the Christmas Tunes
5. Loaded Boxes into the Van

5 Jobs I’ve Had
1. Grounds Crew for District 91
2. Paper Delivery Boy
3. Janitor
4. Bike Shop :D
5. Gofor for Riverside Homes

5 Things I Would Do if I Had a Million Dollars
1. Buy a lot of 3 Euro Ties
2. Finally get those Cuff-links instead of using paperclips
3. Fix every piece of Hud bike in the Mission
4. Get some college Money aside
5. Buy …… Stocks???.. maybe

5 T.V. Shows I Like..Changing to Favorite Books
1. 1 Nephi
2. Alma
3. Mosiah
4. Revelations
5. Moses

5 Things I Hate Doing
1. Zoko Orders
2. Closing apartments
3. Losing P-day to move Furniture
4. Having the light turned off in the shower by your companion
5. Calls from whiny Elders

5 Biggest Joys of the Moment
1. Heated Building
2. Emails from Home
3. Weihnachts Markts
4. 8:00
5. Road trips with the Office Van

5 People Tagged
1. Rudolf
2. Donner
3. Blitzen
4. Comet
5. Vixen

Journey through Time

Hey there Everybody
Well I've been finding myself by a computer alot more lately, and since I already wrote you guys all earlier this week I figured I'd get this blog thing up and going. Here's a selection of Photos to commemorate the last little while on the mission. I don't know if they're in Chronological Order, but here you go.
These here are from Worms last Febuary, and March

Entry Number One

Hey there everybody...... Well it's me again.. .and I've finally gotten around to opening up a blog. I figure this will be a good way to post Pictures, and what not, cause apparantly I'm pretty bad at sending you guys photos, and so you've resorted to baby pictures to try and remember by chunky cheeks. Well not much time to get this started but Saturday I'll see about getting this baby up and running.
Toodles