Frohe Weihnachten from Germany!

My family and I had a wonderful opportunity to visit my parents in Germany earlier this month.  We had the best time celebrating Christmas Germany-Style!  Here are some highlights and photos of our time together.

When we first arrived in Germany, my Dad took our luggage in their little car and my Mom went with us on the train to their apartment.  They live right by a train stop, so we took the train a lot.  We actually got pretty good at getting around.

That first evening we were there, we went to my parent's Ward Christmas Party.  We got to meet several of the ward members and the missionaries serving in that ward.  In fact, the missionaries were asked to perform an American Christmas song.  The program organizer suggested this familiar tune.

The next day was Sunday.  When we were finally able to wake up and get dressed, we met my parents at church. They often attend the Germany Ward and the International Ward which is comprised of many military families.  Sundays are busy day for my parents.  In addition to often times attending both wards, my Dad also serves on the High Council for their Stake.  He is over the YM/YW organization.  So there are many meetings.

After church we headed back to the apartment.  In Germany, they celebrate the 4 Sundays of Advent.  Beginning 4 Sundays before Christmas, they light one of 4 candles to countdown the days til the Christ child is born.  So, each Sunday they add another candle until Christmas.  Since we weren't there for the first Sunday, we lit the first 2 candles on the second night of Advent.  Then my parents sang "Silent Night" in German, the language this beloved song was originally written in.  I hope to continue this tradition each year with my little family.

The next day we went to our first Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas Market).  It was amazing!  There were little outdoor shops everywhere.  it went on for blocks and blocks.  There were Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers, Christmas pyramids and lots of food and sweets.

We had some yummy fish cooked over hot coals.  My Dad was gracious enough to pose with the fish after we had cleaned all the good stuff off the bones.  (He didn't actually eat the head.)  The kids weren't impressed with the fish so they had authentic Italian pizza and French crepes.

The Weihnachtsmarkts are even more amazing at night.  Everything is covered in Christmas lights.  It was beautiful!

My mom took us ice skating one night.  The kids had a blast!  My feet didn't:-)  But we all had fun anyway.

My mom and dad have won their way into the hearts of all the missionaries and the young single adults in Stuttgart.  We met many of the missionaries at FHE and then later at their Christmas Zone Conference.  We also met some of the YSAs that have adopted my parents.  One in particular is Johann.  He calls my parents Grandma and Grandpa (omi and opi).  He showed us around Ludwigsburg one day and held out his hand to Phoenix.  He took Johann's hand and they walked through the farmer's market and the Weihnachtsmarkt together.

We also toured the Ludwigsburg castle while we were there.  It was SO foggy and SO cold that day.  My mom spent quite a bit of time rubbing my kids' cold feet and hands.

My parents took us to a beautiful spot that overlooked Stuttgart.  It's really a neat city.  It was unlike anything I have ever seen before here in America.  There is just so much history everywhere you look.

The last Weihnachtsmarkt we visited was in Esslingen.  It was by far the most beautiful.  The city was so charming and so very European.  I loved all the old buildings.  I took WAY too many photos while we were there.

There were so many people standing around drinking at these markets.  There were little bars everywhere.  We got the kinder punch.  It was good because it was so warm (and non-alcoholic) and it was SO cold outside.

My dad took Ray and me out for authentic schnitzel.  It was SO good.  I had looked forward to this since we arrived, and I was not disappointed.  Mine was the kinder portion. Ray's and my dad's were bigger than theie plates.  None of us finished, but it made great left overs the next day.

Your next Sunday there, we were scheduled to fly back home.  Well, we were going standby and didn't get on the flight.  The kids were not disappointedt all!  This meant two more days with Grandma and Grandpa.  And I can think of worse places to be stranded for a couple of extra days!

We are so grateful for the time that we were able to spend with my parents in such a beautiful place at such a wonderful time of the year.  Frohe Weihnachten from our family to yours!

Nov 5th Letter from Sister Benson

Dear Family,  

We have had some amazing experiences the past few weeks! First, thank you for your prayers and fasting for us. We have definitely felt that extra support from you and from our Heavenly Father. You may remember that Dad was called to the High Council several months after we arrived in Germany. His assignment has been over the Young Men.  Last week because of this assignment we were able to attend a temple week in Frankfurt with all the youth from our stake. We didn't have to rent a car to drive or pay for a train ticket because the mother of one of our young single adults offered to drive us in her car. Her daughter is serving a mission at the St. George visitor's center right now. She also speaks great English because she served a mission in England ( one of the tender mercies I experienced so I could participate in the conversation on the way up and back). We stayed in a youth hostel up in the mountains about a 45 min drive from the temple. We even had a room to ourselves, although we slept on 2 bottom bunks. We arrived on Tuesday evening and were glad we had thrown our coats in at the last minute because it was much colder up in the mountains. There were about 55 youth and quite a number of leaders there. The temple can only handle about 20 youth at a time for baptisms and confirmations. Each session lasts about 2 hours plus 45 min. ahead to get clothes and instructions. We were scheduled for 3 sessions each day so each young person could do 2 sessions during the two days we were there. The rest of the day they had classes they attended at the ward building next to the temple. Some of the classes were on using the computer to do family history. All of the classes were spiritual in nature. Dad and I were able to spend all of our time in temple. We didn't have assignments until the afternoon on Tuesday so we decided to do a session in the morning. Two stakes from Paris were also having their temple week so many of the sessions were in French. Our session was too full so they asked for volunteers to go on a different session. A few people volunteered but we ended up being the only couple on the session. So we were the witness couple wearing head sets. The session was in French, I was listening in English, Dad in German and I think the officiators were originally from Africa. I actually turned the volume down on my head set and listened to much of the session in French. I was surprised how much I could understand. Head sets didn't help in the prayer circle and the rest of the temple workers that helped us spoke German. So I spoke English and they spoke German. It was an unique experience. Later, while Dad was helping in the baptistery I asked if I could do some initiatory. Most of the workers there were French speaking so they found some people who were willing to help me in English. But I started out with some French workers. I had the most spiritual experience of the week as I listened in French and realized I could understand most of what was being said. I had the overwhelming feeling that Heavenly Father was mindful of me and that He loves me. After being in Germany for over a year now and still having to have most things translated for me, I felt like it was another tender mercy being able to understand the ceremony in French. We had other wonderful experiences working in the baptistery and mingling with the saints who had come with their entire family to spend a week at the temple. The patron apartments on the temple grounds were full of French families including their little children. The older children take care of the little ones while the parents are in the temple. There is a big kitchen where they can cook and little refrigerated lockers where they keep their own food. A big dining area is full of families eating together. Some of the people are dressed in white
because there is a tunnel that connects to the temple. They can dress in their own rooms, go through the tunnel to the temple, come back for lunch and then return to the temple and never have to change out of their temple dresses. This is already too long so I will just say we had a wonderful time at the temple! This week we had interviews with the mission president, zone conference all day yesterday and institute and FHE. It is a busy life but we are loving it all. Our time here continues to tick away. We have just 4 months left now and have to start thinking about life after our mission. I have to apply for Medicare 3 months before we return. We have to start getting things ready here for our replacements. And we still have many projects left to complete. We will be spending a lot of time redoing another missionary apartment soon. Hopefully it will be ready by Christmas. We love and miss you all! Thank you for watching out for each other. And thank you all for your prayers for us. 

Love,
Mom and Dad