Week #23 Christmas Miracle

This is what we call a "White Christmas!"

Sorry folks, no time to write this week because we are headed off to a traditional Christmas market in front of a castle in Charlottenberg, but here is the news of the week in a nutshell:

-I'M TRAINING!!!!!  I got a call Monday night, and Wednesday morning we went and picked up Sister Harris!  It was a surprise since no one knew she was coming until last week, but now we are in a drit and I get to train.  This Sister is a BABE and a rockstar missionary!  So happy and humbled by her sweet spirit and her testimony!  She is going to change Spandau and Germany, and I am so grateful that I get to be a part of that! 

-This week we had our 'HO HO ZO KO,' or our Christmas Zone Conference where we were just inspired and taught the whole day by our incredible mission leaders.  I love this gospel and I love being a missionary!  I love the missionaries I serve with, and I am so inspired my their testimonies!  It was a great time, I learned so much, AND we got to watch 17 Miracles as our Christmas present, in which I cried like a small child.  If there is one thing I know folks, I know that our God is a God of miracles, and that he has never and will never cease to be a God of miracles.  I testify that I see miracles everyday, and I testify that our God lives and is active and invested in our lives.  He knows us and loves us.  I know it.

http://germanyberlinmission2012-15.blogspot.de/  - pictures and videos from our conference!  100 missionaries singing Stille Nacht will give ya goosebumps.  I love being a part of this great army of missionaries!

I love you all so much!! 

Love, Sister Dal

Merry Early Christmas:
http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2008190983001

http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2919740155001

Don't you love the Heavenly Glow?

Since 2007 the Charlottenburg castle in Berlin is host to one of the most famous Christmas markets in the German capital.
For 35 days the castle and its park are immersed in a special romantic light and a unique ensemble is created with approximately 150 vendors from all over Germany as well as abroad.  The Christmas market presents carefully selected arts and crafts, ancient handicrafts, and well-chosen gastronomy inside of festively decorated cabins and exclusive glass pagodas.

We offer our guests live classical-baroque music from professional brass and woodwind bands, as well as accordionists and a traditional Berlin barrel-organ.
Our youngest visitors can enjoy the Children's Christmas Market which, aside from numerous nostalgic attractions like a Ferris wheel and swing carousel, also invites one to visit the petting zoo and a pony ride.
In heated Christmas tents we present particularly high quality and exclusive partners selling decorative arts, traditional hand-made furniture, antiques, jewellery, winter fashions and designs.  No other Christmas market in the German capital offers such a unique combination of traditional music, historic carousels and a contemplative Christmas atmosphere.
Let yourself be enchanted.

                                                              Yummy food..

           and drinks in adorable mugs that you get to take home!

  Christmas is magical in Germany.  May yours be blessed with all your needs and some of your wants and good health and love!  Find a way to be generous to others, especially by sharing the Gospel.

Week #22 - The Winter Blasts!

"THE WINTER BLASTS CANNOT STOP THE MORMON (SISTERS)!" - Brigham Young

Hallo folks!  Happy holidays!!  The first snow of the year came in the form of a blizzard this week, which was so fun!!  There is snow on the ground now, and it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  I am so happy to be here in Germany!!

A couple cool stories of the week:

So this week we had a BIG storm.  Like, school was canceled for 140km winds.  But, nothing stops the missionaries of the Lord, so out we went!  We were teaching a lesson to a wonderful family, and they offered to let us stay there since it was getting pretty bad outside.  We had to get home though, so we left, said a prayer in the stairwell, and went outside, knowing God would protect His missionares.  The storm absolutely stopped, and there was hardly any wind at all our entire way home.  When we were back inside, the winds picked up again and the snow started, but we were safe and cozy inside our apartment.  The Lord protects His missionaries folks, I know it.  When you are being smart and obedient, and have faith in your Father in Heaven, He will deliver you from whatever you are going through, even a wind storm in Germany. How great is our God?!  I love my Father!

We have been looking for someone who speaks Russian to come along to our lesson with Artur for a long while, and it finally worked out this week...and it was AMAZING!!!  Dan recently returned from a mission in Russiaand is living in our stake.  He is super busy, but gave up his friday night to travel 2 hours out to Spandau and help us teach Artur.  It was incredible.  Artur doesn't speak a ton of German, but he loves meeting with us and coming to church to feel the Spirit and he has a rock solid testimony, but to have someone finally speak to him in his own language!  Ah!!  It was so wonderful, and they were both so happy!!  Dan was so stoked to be speaking Russian again and serving the Lord, and taught and testified the whole lesson, and Artur could finally speak his mind and ask lots of questions and really bear his testimony.  And, they were just laughing and joking and left together.  I don't think I've ever been such a proud momma!  That is the RM I want to be!  hopefully there is a secret pocket of Germans in Gilbert!! 

Oh and President called us this week!  So nothing is official....but there may be a fast-tracked sister no one knew was coming in the middle of the transfer....and she may be coming to join Sister Jardine and I this week!  Crazy!!  I could be in a drit this week!  Nothing is official, we are still not totally sure if she is coming, but how amazing would that be?!?!  Three missionaries full of faith, recieving revelation, and testifying of Jesus Christ!  We are so excited to maybe get a third sister!!

We also went to a Christmas Market with Christy in our ward who is such a BABE!!  Gosh I love this lady!  She is from cali and is just working here in Germany, and so this week she took all of the missionaries out for kinderpunch and fun before she leaves for home for the holidays!  She is so cool and classy, quotes 

Shakespeare and fills us in on all the operas here, hands out chocolate to all the kiddies in sacrament, cooks like a boss, has a rockin testimony, and I am so grateful to know her!

Wichian is growing in faith, studies the scriptures, prays diligently, and wants to be a member of this church.  He loves it, and he just wants to make sure his answer was from God and not just his own thoughts.  I cannot wait to see him in white, and to see him finally make the decision and stick by it.  Once he knows, he will never fall away, and I am so grateful I have been able to be part of his journey.  He teaches me so much!!  And he is the sweetest guy on the planet, always giving us candy or pears or thai food, or calling us to warn us about the storm, or buying us breakfast.  I love him and I have loved seeing his faith grow!  He now knows there is a God and that He speaks to us today through prayer and the scriptures, and Wichian is listening and learning!  I want to have the same zeal to learn as he does, and to have my faith grow as his has!

Also, this week, I was just blown away by Sister Jardine again and what an incredible missionary she is!  We are so blessed to have been able to serve together for so long and to be here in Spandau!  I don't know how the time is going by so quickly, but I passed my 1-year-left mark this week, and Sister Jardine made me crepes!  I can't believe I am here already, and that the time is flying by, and I am just so grateful to be here for a short time serving the Lord with everything that I have!  I love being a missioanry!!  I love it and I love this gospel!  I know it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that He is at the head of this church!  I know it with all my heart!  Thank you for all of the love and support!  I love you all and I am thinking of and praying for you!  Share you testimony this Christmas season, and invite someone to share in the joy the Savior's message!  I love you all, happy holidays!!

Love Sister Dal

P.S. I love being here in Germany and being so immersed in history!  This week we came apon an old concentration camp right across from a kindergarten as we were on our way to an appointment.  The history is everywhere, we are surrounded by it.  It is beautiful and humbling.  I love my mission!!

These were built by the Herr Welmann, the owner of the art school we go and serve every week.  Beautiful commemoration! Love Germany!

Week # 21 - DEZEMBER MEANS WEIHNACHTZEIT

Berlin's largest and one of the most impressive German Christmas markets in the old town of Spandau. From Monday to Friday there are 250 market stalls, craftsmen and performers in the Carl Schurz-Strasse, at the church of St. Nicholas and the market.Every day there is a free and colorful stage program. Every Wednesday is a family day.

It's December!!!!!  That means it is OFFICIALLY Christmas time!  And boy you can see it here with all of the Christmas markets and the cold weather and the yummy food and happier Germans!  I love Christmas time and the Christmas Spirit, and as Sister Jardine and I have been listening to David Archuleta's Christmas cd since September, it's nice to see that the cheer is finally spreading!  I am so excited!! 

 Here in Germany, they have something called the 4 advents.  Every Sunday in December is the beginning of a new advent week and a new zeal for Christmas.  And apparently everybody goes to church on advents, and especially on Christmas Eve.  SO that means we missionaries are doing LOTS of inviting to our church, and we are trying our best to share the joy and love and spirit of the season with everyone we meet!  It is such a wonderful opportunity to share your testimony of Jesus Christ, so don't be afraid!  Share what you believe about our Savior and why came!  And enjoy the Christmas spirit!!

So this week was another amazing week here! Ready for another Artur story?  Okay here ya go:

So we met him again at the hospital this week, and he had Anton with him, another old russian man in the hospital.  Artur turned to us as we sat down, "My Sisters, I want you to speak with my friend about this church."  Okay, we can do that.  So we started teaching, and gave him a Book of Mormon in Russian which we had felt like we should bring for Artur.  As we taught, Artur interrupted about every minute to testify and make sure he understood everthing and knew how important it was for him to really listen.  He testified about how they only drank because they were alone, but with this church, they weren't alone anymore.  He testified about how it was the true church of Jesus Christ.  He testified about how he turned his life around four months ago when he met us, and how Anton need to do the same.  He testified about how much he wanted a new life and how this gospel would change Anton's life.  Then...he invited Anton to baptism.  Don't even know why we were there, Artur was just being a rockstar.  Golly, he is SUCH an inspiration to me!!  Ah!!  As we talked to Anton later, it turns out that he had met Artur that day.  Artur is pretty alone in this world, but as soon as he made a friend, he shared the gospel.  That is true converion folks, sharing your testimony with everyone you can because of your love and happiness!  This gospel has changed Artur and he loves it and he shares that with everyone who will listen and I love it!  He also had his big trial this week which went REALLY well!  And he is not going back to jail, though he still has to finish out his four year probation.  Three years to go, and then he can have his brand new life!!  He said right before his trial, he shared the little note and scripture we gave him with his probation officer, and said that God would help him through the trial.  He is really excited to see her again this month to tell her that God did.  Love this man!!

Also, this week was Thanksgiving!  What did you say thank you for??  I was so grateful that I got to go to my uncle's and aunt's house for a little bit, spend time with the family, and eat american food!  Mmmm turkey and mashed potatoes, something that I have definitely missed!  We were there for less than an hour, but it was WONDERFUL!  I am so grateful to be so close to family, and to be able to see them!  I am so grateful to be a missionary in Berlin, Germany!  I am so grateful grateful for Sister Jardine, who is a BABE, and inspires me every single day!  I am grateful for the Elders in Spandau, Elder Utach and Elder Wilde, who are SUCH good missionaries!  We gave them several of our investigators to teach because we don't have time to teach everyone who wants to hear the gospel, and I don't think there are many other people on the planet who I would trust these souls with, but our Elders are just changing lives all over the place!  It is such a testament of how much work there is to do, and how many prepared people there are and how we need more missionaries!  I love being a missionary and being part of this work!  I love being an instrument in the hands of the Lord, and I love being here!!

Here we are at the Spandau Christmas Market

Last week, we went to the Weihnachtsmarkt in Spandau, and today we are going to one in Alexanderplatz.  What else should we do this Christmas season?

I love you all so much, and I miss you and I pray for you everyday!  Share your testimony of Christ, and enjoy the Christmas season!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/bible-videos?v=2032928620001

Love, Sister Stringham

Stay tuned for more pictures and an explanation of the famous Christmas Markets here.  Truly wish you could all be here to share the magic.

One of the most popular Christmas markets in Berlin is situated next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church amidst the hustle and bustle of high street shoppers. The church itself serves as a poignant memorial to the war as the spire was damaged from a bomb during WW2 and never repaired. Adjacent to the market is the main shopping boulevard in Berlin which holds the biggest department store in Europe.

Mulled wine and punch, grilled sausages and baked apples are available from the numerous lovingly decorated stalls. The shopping boulevard holds the biggest department store in continental Europe and is just around the corner from the Christmas markets. The traditional and particularly lovely Christmas market at the 'Gendarmenmarkt' market square is also not to be missed, located in one of Europe's most beautiful squares.

Berlin's most famous square plays host to the Alexanderplatz market and is particularly family friendly as it plays host to an enchanted fairytale forest and an ice rink. It is also the location of the capital's highest tower which is a popular attraction for visitors on Berlin City breaks. The 360 degree viewing platform provides spectacular panoramic views of the city and in the evening it shows the city illuminated by thousands of lights.

Located in the neighbourhood of the UK, French and US embassies this Christmas market exhibits the distinct festive traditions of many European destinations.

Christmas Market with the Dom in the background--beautiful!

Week #20 Christmas Transfer

Hi Everyone!

Well, another transfer is come and gone!!  How did that happen??  One day we were suffering without ac, and now we're suffering in the cold and its Christmas time!  My mission is flying by!  I'm just about to my one-year-left mark, and I can't believe its already here.  I love being a busy missionary, and even though I miss you all like crazy, I am loving my time as a sister missionary in Germany!!

So, we had yet another week of running from appointment to appointment, running for buses and trains.  There are too many people to teach here!!  And by 'too many' I mean it is the best problem in all the world to have, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  We just need more missionaries, because we are not enough!!  Serve missions!  If you are worthy, we need you!!  This work is too big for us and it is just taking off!  We need you, come join us in the vineyard!!  Serve a mission!!

Okay, so this week, we had Tausch where, yet again, I had my life changed by Sister Kriser who is the biggest babe on the planet.  What a powerhouse missionary!!  I'm so grateful to be serving in Berlin with so many rockstars!  Gosh I am a lucky duck!!  Here she is, the southern peach and a powerful missionary! 

This week we also went to a baptism with Wichian, which was such an amazing experience!  The Spirit was SO strong, and I just can't wait to see him be baptized too.  He has so much desire to know, and really searches for the truth, and I can't wait until he sees that he has found all of it here.  He wants to be a member, earnestly and powerfully prays, and is just one of the coolest people on the planet.  I am so grateful to know him, and loved walking through the quiet German neighborhoods for 2 hours to get to the baptism, talking bout the Spirit and how we can truly recognize it, his experiences in the Buddhist temples for 7 years, and how the gospel is about serving!  I love Wichian and I can't wait to see him in white this Christmas!!

Also speaking of Christmas...it's coming.  Get excited folks, cause I'm in the Christmas capital of the world!!

Last distrikt meeting this transfer!  Hübsch, oder?

Oh also, this is a big week for Artur.  We couldn't get ahold of him for several days, and he missed our appointment which NEVER happens, so we went down to the refugee camp and were told he was in the hospital.  We were pretty scared and did a lot of praying.  Finally, we found him again and had the most powerful lesson we've ever had with him in his little hospital room that he shares with three others.  He just cried and said he wants so badly to have a new life.  He is such an inspiration to me, and has truly strengthend my testmony with his faith.  I will never think of the Atonement again without thinking of Artur.  We love this man so much, and we are just so grateful for him in our lives.  He has got his big trial on Friday, so some extra prayers would be really really really appreciated. He is the best man I know, and I know that someday he will have his new life!  It is never too late to change folks, whether you are a 51 year old criminal or a 20 year old byu student.  We are all children of God and all in His debt.  We are all so loved!!  I know it!

Thank you so much for your love and your support!  Thank you for your prayers!  I love you all and I am praying for you!  I love my mission and I love the people I teach!  I love testifying of Jesus Christ every day!  I love being a missionary!!

Love, Sister Dal

Week #19 Busy--Beschftig!!

Hallo Meine Liebschens!

What a great week in Spandau!!  So many miracles, so many sweet people, so much German!  I love my mission!! 

This week was so BUSY!!!  We were running from appointment to appointment the whole week! #SpandauisthenewBrazil!  I am so grateful to be here at a time when the work in Germany is taking off!!  I love my mission so much and I love being a missionary!

This week we ran for a lot of buses, got lost in the woods in the rain, ate knudels, found people prepared for the gospel, blessed homes, and change lives through the Spirit of the Lord!  I love my mission and being a missionary in Germany!

So, that's it folks!  I am so sorry I don't have time to write this week.  But I love you all and I am praying for you!  Thank you for all of you support and love.  Your example and your love make me want to be a better missionary, so thank you!  I love you all and I love to hear from you!  Know I am happy and working hard and loving being a missionary!!

Love, Sister Dal

Quote of the week:

"Well we would love to see you at church, will you be able to come?"
"I can't come to church this week because I am filming a transvestite festival Sunday morning."

".......all right, kein problem!" (no problem!)
#missionaryinberlinproblems

A Knodel--German potato dumpling.  Yum!!

Week #18 I Love My Mission!

Here is my district with a One Meter Pizza!  Can we do it??  

Hallo!!

So this week we had some amazing lessons with our investigators, we went out to a new area where no one yelled at us, we ate the best goulash ever, we helped the Silva Familie move (still sore btw #outofshapesistermissionary), we saw President, and we saw miracles every single day!

I don't have a ton of time to write this week because I am going to go spend the day with my Uncle Greg and Family, but just real quick:

Christina is the light of my life!  She is so beautiful and faithful and filled with love.  We are so blessed to know her and to be a part of her life right now as she is making so many big changes.  She gave us jackets and told us she wants us to be the godmothers of her new baby on the way!  #meltedmyheart.  We talked a lot about what kind of mother she wants to be, and the kind of life she wants for her family.  We testified of how important Christ is for our families, and the blessings that come from raising your family in the gospel.  I am just so grateful to be a part of her life at this time, and I pray that she will take the steps she needs to to give her family the kind of life that she wants them to have.  She is amazing and such an example of light to us!
  

Also, Artur is the coolest person on the planet.  He is so faithful and looks like a completely different person than when we first met him.  He shines with the light of Christ.  He eats at a soup kitchen everyday, but this week he gave us a cantalope and an apple because he said God told him to.  Apparently we are eating too much chocolate or something...He makes me smile  and has definitely changed my life.  He also came to help the Silvas move.  He is a beast and I have suspicions that he may have been a boxer in Russia.  We did find out he was a bus driver at one point and that his favorite team is Hertha BSC (wootwoot).  He really is an incredible man and I am SO grateful to know him!!

Also, Familie Silva is THE BEST!  We helped them move on Saturday, and they have a room that they call 'The Sister's Room' for when we come back and visit.  They are so sweet and do so much for us!  They call me Sister Wundebar and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life knowing and speaking with them.  They are such an inspiration to us, and they have changed my life by their example and their love!  I love them so much!!

Also, guess what.......you'll never guess.......okay, here it is.  We had interviews with President this week (which was WONDERFUL by the way, and we really got to know him a lot better) and he told us, that Sister Jardine and I....are...............STAYING IN SPANDAU FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!  WOOHOOO!!!!  Immer noch in Spandau and immer noch together!!  I love SIster Jardine and she loves me and we are SO EXCITED to have another 6 weeks, and escpecially to have CHRISTMAS together!!!

Okay, that's it folks, I gotta go, but I love you all!  I love being a missionary and I love Germany and Spandau and I love the other missionaries I serve with and I love those I teach and I just love my mission!  Thank you for all of your support and prayers, I am working hard and prying for you too!!  Bis Montag!!

Liebe Grüße,

Sister Stringham

Oh yes we can!!  Please notice Sister Jardine is finishing off the last piece and all the Sisters are smiling while all the guys look like they're going to be sick!  The Elder taking the photo couldn't even get the photo in focus.  Love the missionaries!



German Gangsters!

More German Gangsters!

Week #17 Brand New Dal!

I love Familie Silva!!  They are so WUNDEBAR and do so much for us!  they are definitely my second family and will always be my home away from home!

Hallo from Germany!

Well, my life was changed this week.  No jokes.  It was probable the most wonderful week of my life.  I am so happy and I am so grateful to be a missionary!

So break-down of this week:

First, we had Mission Tour this week.  WOOH what a whirlwind.  Seriously, it was life changing.  Two members of the seventy, Elder Kearon and Elder Finglele, came and spoke to us about the mission and about how to be better disciples of Christ.  We had a big conference with President and his wife, and half of all the other missionaries in the mission.  It was AMAZING.  So inspired, and I left a better and stronger person for sure.  The after the conference, I was able to have a personal interview with Elder Kearon where he looked into my soul, answered my prayers, and changed my life.  I KNOW that God knows me and that He has a great plan for me and that I will change lives on my mission.  I know that this is the work of the Lord, and that He is in it!  I am so grateful and humbled ot be a missionary!

Second, we found this ELECT family.  We had been praying to find an elect family ready for the gospel.  We had planned to drop off a Russian Book of Mormon to a contact, and when she wasn't home, we said a prayer and started walking.  Not five minutes later, we met Alekses on the street, an incredibly faithful RUSSIAN man with his family.  He was elect.  He testified to us of God's plan and love for his family, and gladly accepted the Book of Mormon.  A few day later, and with the prayers of our faithful Zone Leaders with us, we went to teach him. As soon as he opened the door, the Spirit hit us like a wall.  It was so strong in that home and throughout the entire lesson.  God was glorified, and we all learned and came closer to Christ.  He is SO faithful and so ready to have any truth he can find.  He KNOWS God.  You can see it.  We prayed and taught and he prayed and taught and cried.  It was incredible, definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I am so humbled to be a missionary.  Really, God just lets us see miracle after miracle as He calls and gathers His children.  I am so grateful to be here!

Third, we had a ward Talent Show this week.  Despite the public humiliation of singing in front of a ton of people, it was a great success!  There were so many people there and it was so much fun!  We all came closer to each other, and it was wonderful to feel like a family, and to fall in love with the Germans all over again.  We have a wonderful ward and we work with wonderful people.  I am so blessed to be here, and I will always think of Spandau as my second home!

Fourth, Wichian had his big Thai festival this weekend which we went to, and it was pretty much the best thing of my life.  I love our investigators and I love being a missionary in Berlin.  Berlin is so fun because you don't work with just Germans, but with people from all over the world.  We teach Thais and Russians and Afrikans and Serbians and Romanians and French and Americans and so many more.  I love being a missionary!!

Fifth, Church yesterday was SO great!  Jeff came for the first time and he loved it so much that he bore his testimony, and stood up and clapped after another member bore hers.  Honestly, it was wonderful.  It is wonderful to see the gospel touch and change people.  The spirit is new for so many that we teach, and it strengthens my own testimony to see theirs growing.  I am so grateful to be here!

So to sum up, it was pretty much the best week of my life.  I have been inspired and uplifted and strengthened and so blessed.  I am so blessed and so happy!  I love being a missionary.  I love working hard and serving and giving all of my heart to the Lord.  I love this gospel.  I know that it is true and I KNOW that God knows and loves His children.  I know it, and I hope you know it too!  He loves us and He knows us and He has a plan for us!  I love you all and I love hearing from you (thank you for the letters, they mean the world to me) and I miss you and I am praying for you!  Stay happy and faithful and remember that you are loved!

Love, Sister Stringham

Some inspiring words from Elder Kearon: http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-08-004-the-sting-of-the-scorpion?lang=eng

As close as you get to family auf mission...I love these kids!!