Merry Christmas!

Awww shoot.  I was just about done my email and then the Internet decided that it should get deleted... Bummer.  So sorry if this letter isn't so great.  I do not really have the patience to type everything again.  I suppose that it does not really matter either because we will be talking tomorrow.  (Also, if you are wondering why I am not using any contractions it is because the button does not really work well.  I think it makes me sound all fancy.  I also am reading it in a British accent in my mind.  It makes me seem very dignified and learned.)

I hope that in the craziness of everything you all remembered your favourite youngest brother.  He has not forgotten you.  I hope you all liked the presents.  It is a little tougher to get things for guys, so that is why I decided to go for the classic gift.  Socks.  I hope everyone else likes everything.  And I hope you enjoy the chocolate.  Everyone has given us sooo much chocolate here it is ridiculous.  So I will probably be sending another package home later.  And I can put some pictures in it as well.  I have not opened my package yet, except for some of the candy things, so I am excited to see what tomorrow brings.  Strangely, that is not really what I am the most excited for.  We have quite a few members who have invited us over, and so it will be a lot of fun. 

I hope that you all have a great Christmas Eve.  Did everyone get together for Christmas Eve Eve too? We sort of celebrated it, (We called it Christmas Adam though, since Adam came before Eve.  Mission humour is terrible, I know...) but probably not as much as you all were able to.  And I do not think that we will have as crazy of a time at Christmas Eve as you do.  I was trying to figure out how many people would be there, but it was too tough.  Then I was even trying to figure out how many people we have in the Thompson side (Michi side is way easier!).  I got that we had 31 grandkids, but I could not get much further.  It is a little tough to keep track of who has had kids and who is married, and what not.  Grandpa must have a really hard time with that.

This past week was good, although not a whole lot happened to be totally honest.  It is crazy to see how things here just kind of shut down for the holidays, and everyone is so busy getting everything ready.  The Christmas markets closed yesterday, and I did not really get anything too special for myself.  Nothing really caught my fancy.  But I did buy a new watch (finally).  It is a Swatch, but is not really a formal and fancy one.  I can show you tomorrow.  (That is a weird thought)

What else happened this week... The world was supposed to end.  Thankfully we made it through.  We tried to stay with members that evening so we would not be out just in case anything too crazy happened, but we did not notice anything too strange.    I think next week for Silvester (New Years Eve) things will be crazy.  I know I told you about it last year how everyone goes crazy with Fireworks, but I think it will be more here in Ludwigsburg than it is in Landshut.  We are going to do stuff with the other Elders and then Johann, who is our best friend here.  It will be good.  You cannot really do anything too crazy on a mission.  But we sure can play some Settlers of Catan! Woohoo!! Haha! 

This week we were not able to teach a lot.  Since we do not really have too many solid investigators, but that will change soon!  We did have a cool experience with a less-active member who we finally got a hold of.  We talked to him through his doorbell thing, and then he was like, I do not really want to talk to you.  Then he suddenly asked if it was raining and then when he looked outside he offered us some tea and cake (not black of course) and so we stayed and got to talk to him.  It was neat to see how that helped us to get the chance to meet with him.    He just all of a sudden changed and let us in, and then it was really nice.  Both Elder H and I were so confused about it that when we left we were like, Wow... What just happened?  Hopefully we can help him out some more, and the ward can get involved.

I love the ward here.  We finally got a meal calender!!! Woohoo!! The bishop has the goal that we have 3 eating appointments a week.  We are shooting for 7! Haha!  We will see.  But they are warming up to us a lot, and we are trying our best to help them a lot.  It is really good.  Transfer calls are on Thursday, and I hope that I am staying, but we will wait and see.  I am pretty sure I am though.  I think Elder H will stay as well, but you never know.  In any case, I will let you know next week.

I do not really know what else to say since we are talking to each other tomorrow.   I am excited.

I love you all lots.  Stay safe.  Do not forget the reason why we are having Christmas.  Watch the Christmas Mormon Messages, that will help.  I did not even cry when I watched them.  I am doing so good!  Haha!  Love you a lot! 

See you tomorrow!!!