DECEMBER 14, 2009 MONDAY

Time is getting short to Christmas and today we wanted to go to Kontanz to see if we could buy some presents for our Christmas home evening on December 21st and, of course, a few others for special people. We already had some for our missionaries that we’ll give them in district meeting on the 22nd. We left our apartment at five minutes to eight, caught our train at 8:37 and we were in Konstanz at 9:54. It seems we are always in a rush to get our shopping done and get back to the train station to catch our train home because of some appointment or other. Today we needed to be back and to the Church at 2:00 to meet with President Matern for our interview and to cut his hair. We hurried to the shopping mall close to the station and walked around, visiting the shops that looked interesting. The trains leave every hour and we tried to catch the 11:03, but we didn’t make it. The 12:03 would get us home with only ten minutes to spare to take our things home, get the barber tools and then get to the Church. We found quite a few things to buy and, while Diana was in one store, I bought some pastries that we always look at when we are there, but never have time to buy because of the rush we are in. We made our next to the last stop the LiDL grocery store to buy a supply of butter, cheese and this time we also found some things we bought for presents. On the way out of the mall we stopped at our favorite Thai take out and bought two meals to eat in the train on the way home. We managed to catch the 12:03 train and got home with the ten minutes to do everything, but we arrived at the Church just as Pres. Matern was going in the door.

Our interview lasted for about forty-five minutes as we discussed the less-active members and investigators we’ve been working with. We also talked more on the details of our move to Schaffhausen after the first of the year. He would like us to be out of Schwamendingen and living in Schaffhausen on January 15. The week before he, Sister Matern, Brother Klaumuenzner and we will make a trip up there to inspect the apartment to see what, if anything, is needed to make it serviceable and comfortable for us. Missionaries have been living in it for a long time and they are not sure what kind of condition it’s in and what furniture, utensils, pots and pans etc. will be needed. We thought that was especially nice of him to arrange that inspection with us.

After the interview Diana went home and I set up my barber tools and cut his hair. Our district missionaries and Phillip Huber were there playing indoor soccer and basketball and we could watch them as we cut hair on the stage. As is always the case, when they see someone getting a haircut, some want to get in line, too. After I was finished with President Matern, next came Elder Nilsson, then Elder Knight and finally Phillip got in on the action. He was a little reluctant saying that missionaries’ time was too precious to waste on him, he being a member (and a returned missionary himself), but I assured him it was P-day and it would be okay. He really appreciated the haircut.

Diana came home and put all of our groceries away; when we got home with them, we didn’t have the time to do it. At the grocery store we always put the butter, hamburger, cheese and other things that need refrigeration in a cold sack. It’s an insulated sack that helps keep cold things cold for the ride home. It does a pretty good job of it, too.

After all the haircuts were done Elders Nilsson, Irick, Knight and Vincent came home with me, Elders Nilsson & Irick to do their emails and the other two just to hang around for the rest of their P-day. We left them in our apartment and made a quick trip into Schwamendingen to go to the little junk/fabric store to see what else we could find for presents. We bought some scarves, ear warmers, little frogs with lights in them, wrapping paper and a couple other things. We also stopped in at COOP and bought some baguettes and ham for the missionaries to make some sandwiches for dinner. It seems missionaries don’t have much concern about how or when they are going to eat; almost every time we ask them when we are around them at meal times, if they have eaten, they say they haven’t, but will get something later on.

About the time they were finished with emails and eating, it was time to get on our way to Kloten to watch the film, One Good Man, that was approved by President Matern that the missionaries could watch, if they brought an investigator or new convert. Diana opted to stay home because she was worn out from all the walking today and didn’t think her knee would take any more today. When we got to Oerlikon, we had to run full out to catch the train that was just ready to pull out. We barely made it to the end car which was first class so we had to walk through until we got to a 2nd class car. Most of the theater had been reserved for members, missionaries and their investigators and so we saw a lot of members we knew including Pres. & Sister Matern and Pres. & Sister Bolt. Members came from all over Switzerland to watch the movie and, we’re sure, they weren’t disappointed. It was a very touching movie and taught many basic principles of the gospel. Agnes, who came with the missionaries, laughed at some parts and cried at others just as members did. She was so impressed about the feeling of family that was portrayed and wished she had a family like that. After the movie we had the opportunity to buy the DVD and have the producer sign it. I bought one so Diana could watch it later and Elders Irick & Nilsson and I bought one for Agnes for Christmas.

Adrian Koch had just bought a new car offered to drive Elders Irick, Nilsson and I home which we really appreciated. Rather than getting home somewhere around 11:00, if I would have had to go by Train, bus and tram, I got home just after 10:00. Diana had all the presents organized and laid out on the table and she was happy to show me all the stuff we had bought and how she had put the individual pieces together. We have most of the presents bought; now we need to plan how to tie it all in with the real meaning of Christmas, the birth and life or our Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was so late when everything was said and done that we just didn’t have the energy to write our journal and get it posted. It had to wait until the next morning.