Happy New Year!!!

Tues., Jan. 6, 2009

Dear Family & Friends,

Thank you for the Christmas wishes sent our way. It was good to hear from you & all that you have been doing.

Christmas was quite different here as you can all imagine. The sights, sounds & smells are what memories are made of and hopefully after reading this letter you’ll understand just why but first let me back up & get in the record what we have been doing since my last email.

On Mon., Dec. 8 Gary & I visited the Christkindermarkt here in Nürnberg which by the way is world famous. We heard all kinds of different languages being spoken as we checked out each row of booths. It was pretty fun even though it was cold & my feet & hips got so tired of walking on cobblestones. We couldn’t resist spending some of our money to buy gifts for our family & of course, it had to be made in Germany & typical of what we have seen here. (If you’re interested in what it was, you’ll have to ask one of our daughters.) All totaled, we were outside from 9 am to 1 pm.

The following Sat., Dec. 13 we spent all day readying the gifts to be mailed to the USA. Many had to have extensive packing because of their delicateness. It was quite the production, one of us measuring the tape, the other one cutting it & handing it to the other one to put it in place; one of us crumpling newspaper to fit into every space, the other adding more tape after shaking each box. Our backs & legs were so stiff & sore that we took ourselves to Pizza Hut for dinner & boy was it ever good! We have been trying to find Pizza Hut without getting lost for a couple of months now. This time we were successful.

On Sun., Dec. 14 I gave a ten minute talk on the Prophet Joseph Smith in Sacrament Meeting. It was good to have just finished reading the new book, Beloved Emma, because I was able to quickly find several unfamiliar vignettes to tell so my stress level didn’t escalate. After Sacrament Mtg the missionaries were treated to lunch at the church by Sisters Young & Zegg. It was very good but very German (a couple of different kind of würsts, roast pork, brötchens, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes & purple dessert --some kind of berry, Gary said it was very good). At 7 pm we watched the delayed Christmas Devotional. I understood everything because it was in English. It was marvelous! I got a little homesick but only a little this time.

Tues., Dec. 16 I fixed lunch for the missionaries. Sister Graehl was due to be released on the 17th. We have been very close to her. She has been here the whole time that we have. She is from Sandy, too. Her uncle is friends with Rachel’s husband, Rob. Lots of connections! We determined some months ago that when any missionary leaves from here to go home we would do a lunch to honor & say goodbye. This was our third such happening & next month we’ll be doing # 4 for our District Leader, Elder Christensen from Brigham City. We love him, too. Actually, we have been attached to lots of these wonderful dedicated hard-working missionaries.

At night I did pancakes, funeral potatoes & Nürnberg brats for the YSA’s. It was a sensation, especially the pancakes – of course I have the best from scratch recipe for pancakes. Then we said goodbye for 4 weeks (actually 3 Institutes). I can’t tell you what a relief I felt in anticipation of not cooking for 3 weeks! And it has been every bit as wonderful as I expected. It gave me time to plan menus for the next 3 weeks & then I get to start over with my plan of 18 meals. I have learned tons & I’m getting better & better at hunting things in the grocery store & then converting to metrics.

On Sat., Dec. 20 we had a YSA activity. It was well attended. We made Christmas treats for our less active YSA’s & then walked through the Christkindermarkt & we ate brats, chips & goodies as well. Another couple also announced their engagement, Courtney Demmitt & Denis Senter. That brings the total of engaged couples from this Center to 4 – Tatjana Binte & Hauke Hopp, Rolf Schulz & Anya from Russia, James Groat & fiancée from Idaho. We are rockin’ & they are all planning temple marriages.

Sun., Dec. 21 we drove up to the Erlangen Ward for a special Organ Concert from one of our YSA’s father, Ingolf Jentzsch. It was just what the doctor ordered for Sister Harris. I was reminded again of the universality of music that everyone can understand & feel & relate to & that says nothing of the extra special talent of the performer to put together such a wonderful array of pleasing Christmas pieces, all honoring the birth of the Savior.

Mon., Dec. 22 we met Sister Graehl & her parents (They picked her up to fly home with them.) at the Documentation Museum. (All about Hitler & his impact on Nürnberg) It was very informative but depressing. The German people have certainly paid a heavy price for his arrogance & leadership.

I finished reading the book “No One Can Take Your Place” by Sheri Dew on Tues., Dec 23. Was totally impressed to say nothing about all I learned & felt.

On Wed., Dec. 24 we went to the Nürnberg Ward Christmas Devotional. The Nativity done by the Primary children made me cry. I was missing my grandchildren so, so much.

Christmas 2008 had us opening our presents & thinking of family. We were so touched by the gifts from our daughters & grandchildren – group pictures (plural) of our 4 beautiful daughters, together at Thanksgiving time for only one day & still making time to have someone take their picture – letters & pictures from grandchildren telling us they miss us – The Tab Choir with The King’s Singers cd bringing memories of last Christmastime – lots of chocolate & goodies attached with love from a loved one – and the list could go on.
After the regular breakfast, we grabbed a couple of yogurts & headed to Würzburg. It was a beautiful day. The sun was even out which is a rarity here. We took pictures of the palace & castle with hardly anyone around to disturb the view. Then we wizzed back to begin 5 hours of phoning to family.

The day after Christmas we went to the Dautels for lunch. We met the Boams there. They are the Outreach Coordinators for Europe. It was good to get information & ideas from someone who really knows the Outreach Program. They will be going home in a month & will be at the MTC helping with the orientation of couples called to head up Outreach Centers. They have nearly completed a new handbook for Outreach. It was a real treat for us to visit with them.

Now I don’t want any of you to faint but on Sat., Dec. 27 I made homemade rolls & they turned out pretty good, at least Gary thought so. I will be trying them out on the YSA’s soon. Thanks Linda Garner for the recipe!

On New Year’s Eve Gary took me to Müller’s for dinner. This time I had the Sauerbraten, Knödel & Salat & Gary had the Rindrouladen, Knödel & Rotkohl. It was to die for. We then went home & watched “The Sound of Music.” We have to do that at least sometime during the holidays.

Would you believe that I’m almost finished? Stick with me one more second while I tell you how I celebrated my birthday.

The Preiss’ invited all the missionaries (8) for lunch. My place at the table had pink & white daisies around my gold placemat. I was the guest of honor. I served all of the food. There was gemüse soup, chicken breasts cooked in tomato sauce, wheat that had been cooked like rice (& very good), green salat & green mint pudding. After eating they toasted & sang to me, you would have thought that to be enough but no, about two hours later Sister Preiss brings out the B-day cake, juice, tea & hot chocolate & they all sing again. Needless to say, everyone was stuffed when they left. It certainly will be one of my most memorable birthdays thanks to the hospitality of the Preiss’.

Now family & friends if you are still reading this epistle, Elder Harris & I would like to send our wishes to each of you for a New Year filled with wonderful memories & good, safe & healthy times. We love you all & appreciate all you do for us.

Elder and Sister Harris