Frohe Ostern! Happy Easter!

 

This past week we had an enjoyable visit with an elderly sister in our ward.  She served us a snack and told us about her life, her career as a Psychiatrist, her travels and her conversion to the church.

 

 

She is so positive and always has a smile.  She walks with a walker and comes to church faithfully each week - walking over  1/2 mile each way.  She is a great example of someone who is enduring cheerfully to the end!

She loves to have visitors come so we will be calling on her again!

 

 

Just one bear picture (if you can bear it).

 

My favorite bear!  (she likes me to visit her!)

 

 

Young Single Adult Easter Special

This past Thursday was a special event for the YSA.  We held an Easter Program followed by an Easter dinner.

We decorated the tables with an Easter theme.

 

 

Our menu was mostly German with Ham, Spätzle with Rahm or ham sauce, sauerkraut, mixed vegetables, rolls and American lemon bars for dessert.  We spent part of Wednesday and most of Thursday preparing everything.

 

 We asked some of the missionaries in our district to help us serve.  They seemed to enjoy serving and especially eating!

We served 62 people with many of them coming back for seconds.

 The best part about feeding the YSA is that they love most everything and so they are an easy group to please.

 It is always rewarding to watch them interacting and enjoying each others company as they eat and socialize.

 

Easter is a 4 day holiday in Germany so we have relaxed and recovered the past 2 days from our big event. 

Sunday will be busy for Patty with playing the organ and speaking in Sacrament Meeting... but, I am not stressed or anything! 

 

 

 It truly has been good to reflect on this most special holiday of the year.  My topic for Sacrament Meeting is: "The atonement - what it means to me and my family".  I am so grateful  for my Savior and Redeemer and all that He has done for me.  I echo the phrase from the new Church video: "Because of Him"...I can be forgiven of my sins when I repent - I will be resurrected after death - I can enjoy eternal life with my beloved family - so many powerful blessings all "Because of Him"!

I wish you all a blessed Easter celebration! 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye March

Last weekend brought the end of March and some great activities and events for us.

 

Friday night was a YSA dance with a color block theme.  Elder Mickelsen and I were chaperons for this event.  The kids had a wonderful time with cute decorations, great refreshments and best of all: lots of participation!  Everybody danced! 

 

Elder Mickelsen and I even danced!  They welcomed us, announced our names and had us start one of the dance numbers!  After that, we danced several more numbers with the group and it was fun!

 We were amazed at what good dancers many of them are - especially some of the guys!  It was fun to watch them whirl around the dance floor!

 

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning came early after our late night of dancing but it was a ward activity of cleaning up our meetinghouse followed by a picnic!  The weather was lovely so the hot dog feast was held outside. 

 This is some of our cleaning crew!

Lunch is served.

Hot dogs with all the German trimmings - deep fried onions, pickles and of course good German mustard and ketchup!

 

Sunday

Saying goodbye to Elder Lee - this was his last Sunday in our district.  Elder Lee has served in the Tiergarten Ward for 9 1/2 months!  He has been with us since we arrived last July.  He was valuable as a missionary in our ward because he speaks not only English and German, but Spanish also!  We will truly miss him - you really get attached to the missionaries that you serve with.  Elder Lee is now serving in Freiberg and excited about his new assignment!

 

5th Sunday Potluck Dinner

Every 5th Sunday our ward has a potluck dinner after our block of meetings.  These gatherings are a good way to get better acquainted and bond as a ward. 

 

Three of the cute sisters in our very diverse ward!

 

 



 

 

Eine Oper, Eine Strasse Ausstellung und Eine Taufe (An Opera, A Street Exhibition and A Baptism)

This past weekend was busy for us.  Friday evening we went to our friend Susan's home for a delicious salmon dinner and then to an opera. 

 

The Komische Oper Berlin

This opera house is beautiful! These pictures do not do it justice.

 Waiting for the opera to begin!

 We saw the Baroque Opera -  "XERXES" by Geroge Fredrich Handel.

It was long (over 3 hours) but the staging, costuming and vocalists were awesome!

Opera wasn't Hal's favorite entertainment but we are both glad we had this German cultural experience.

 

 Street Exhibition

Saturday morning found us at Wilmersdorfer Straße for a Street Exhibition.  We joined with 2 members of our ward and the 8 other missionaries serving in the Teirgarten ward.

 We handed out church literature and contacted people as they came by.

 Elder Mickelsen handing out a card with info about the church.

 Patty speaking with a man from Sierra Leone.  After talking with him for almost an hour, I gave him a Book of Mormon and an invitation to come to the General Conference broadcast.  He was very interested to see the prophet.  Hopefully he will come!

 This street contacting was successful and the missionaries not only distributed a lot of church information, but appointments were made for follow up teaching.

 

A Baptism

Later on Saturday - we attended Roland's baptism.  It was a very spiritual baptism.  He was confirmed and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday and then he shared his testimony and the experience of his conversion.  His story is remarkable and includes a search of over 20 years to find the true church.  We are so happy to welcome Roland into our ward!



Tiergarten Hat Talent - Teirgarten Ward Talent Show

 

We have a great ward with people from all over the world and whenever there is a ward activity, they go all out.  This past Saturday was our ward talent show complete with elaborate decorations, a dinner, an activity for the primary children and of course the production. 

 

This is the poster advertising the event.

 

 



The primary children decorated small cakes.

This little girl was very pleased with her cake!

You can see Elder Mickelsen in the background as well as the wall covered with shiny décor.

 

Enjoying soup, bread and dessert

 

 Elder Mickelsen with Cora - our Bishop's daughter.  They are admiring the crafts and handwork display.

This is our friend Ronnie from China.  She made a book featuring Chinese wisdom and a poster in Chinese characters.  She gave the poster to us after the talent show.  The message on the poster tells us that: "We need to show respect for those who have gone on before us."

 

The Talent Show included many numbers.  Here are some of the highlights....

 

A Bolivian dance

 



 A fun song sung by an American opera singer

 

 "Sweet Pea" sung by YSA from the Philippines and America
 

 

 Our Bishop and his daughter sang a duet

 

 

A silly dance - "Grecian Urn"

 

A glow stick dance performed by the Primary children

 

The grand finale was a dance by the "Berlin Bear"!

 

We enjoy our ward and have learned to love so many of the members that we have come to know!

 

 

Just an update on the past two weeks:  Patty took a nasty fall (two weeks ago) when she tripped on a cobblestone sidewalk.  She has a big black eye that is slowly improving each day.  I did not want to post the picture that Hal took of me because it is ugly and scary!  I now hang on to him and watch where I am walking!!