Two more days!

We received Jaren's letter later in the day again than is usual for him. I'm guessing it has to do with this town being a little more rural or at least their location is a little more rural and therefore harder to get to and use public transportation.

I am really sad Jaren won't have his Christmas from us by Christmas day. So much for the Christmas music I sent him to listen to and play on the piano/organ! It has been over three weeks. I really hope he has a place to go on Christmas day. It's kinda lonely in the mission field on Christmas day with nowhere to go. I didn't have anywhere to go my first Christmas. I had only been out about 7 weeks and was serving in an area that only had a black branch and the members were few in number and kind of new and I don't even think they thought about what we might be doing or that we could spend Christmas with them. The second Christmas was different. I was with a companion that I loved and the non-members around us invited us over. They were like grandparents to us.

Okay, that was more than I intended to say. Sorry to ramble!

We are looking forward to being able to talk with him. It's funny that he said he was a little nervous to talk with us because it has been so long. I don't think we are so intimidating! I like to think he's extremely excited and giddy at the thought!

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!


Jaren's letter
Merry Christmas Family!!!

Thank You so much for everything! First off Mom, it really doesn´t surprise me that my package hasn´t arrived yet, because yours hasn´t, either, but it could be there now. I just had interviews with President, so I´m actually writing you all from Kaiserslautern. It is where the massive American military base is, for the soldiers sent in and out of Iraq! I did get a small one from Jeff and Cristi yesterday that was sent about the same time as yours, so my guess is it is just because they are extremely busy right now at the post. Don´t worry though, mine will probably get there in the middle of January! O Well, you´ll just have a second Christmas, that's all. Exciting for you! (My goodness, how long can it take? It's not like Germany is some third world country even though it is half a world away!)

The work has definitely slowed down here a lot since the beginning of the week. We actually tried to go contacting on the Fuß (I don't know what this is, but if it were English, I believe it would look like Fuss when it is written) on Sunday thinking that it wouldn´t be that packed. We guessed that one wrong! It was completely packed, even though all the stores were closed! People still didn´t want to hear from us, even though they were only window shopping!!! Doors aren´t that great either because people are with their families and don´t want to be bothered.

We do have appointments with members tomorrow and on the 26th, but no one on the 25th. So, I´ll probably end up calling you. Elder Taylor and I have to buy calling cards today so we can do that. I am so excited to hear from all of you, and a little scared at the same time! It feels like forever since I´ve actually talked to you all! But I´m excited!!! (I mentioned to Jaren that when we were in Europe a year ago we were able to find calling cards in the tobacco shops there. The shops are not much bigger than a phone booth, for those of you old enough to know what a phone booth is! Rick Steeve's recommended the tobacco shops for calling cards throughout Europe for what it's worth. I'm not sure if it is appropriate for missionaries to go into tobacco shops, but I guess he can figure out where to get one.)

As far as the schedule for calling goes, I still have no idea, and it is kind of bugging me because we don´t have any appointments with members on Christmas day, but our ward mission leader was going to try and set them up for us and call us back. If not, we are going to his place. So don´t go any where on Christmas day until 2´O Clock in the afternoon, after that, I have to go to bed. I want to try to call you around 8-10 in the morning your time, but it could be a little later. So, be patient, I´ll call, don´t worry! I think it will be harder for you to call me since I don´t have a schedule for that day. From what I´ve heard from other Elders, it is easier for me to call and let you know that I am ready, and then have you call me back. Hope that works for you. I´ll pick up some calling cards.

I guess this one is a little shorter, but I´ll be calling you later this week anyway. So now with your questions:

Q. We still haven't received the package you sent. Do you have a tracking number for it so I can investigate or you can look into it? It has been three weeks since you sent it.
Well actually, it could take several more weeks from what I´ve heard from other missionaries, and the postage was minimal, so it will probably be there well after Christmas. But it will still be good none the less!

Q. Do you have cell phones or only land lines?
We only have cell phones in the mission. They got rid of the land lines all together because missionaries could only contact people during the night. Now we can call people anytime to check up on investigators if they don´t show up to an appointment. So I´ve heard anyway. So it might be harder for you to call me, but it would be cheaper. I´m just concered about it eating up a 200 minute calling card in 20 minutes! (This is true. I remember when Jaren left the MTC he had a 2 hour calling card and it only lasted about 1 hour. I can only imagine what it's like to call from another country.)

Q. What are your plans for Christmas? If I remember right, the big celebration day there is Christmas Eve? What are your plans for both days? Well, we don´t have anything set for Christmas day, but we have someone tomorrow from the ward, and someone else on the 26th. The celebration starts tomorrow, but, it is three days long here. We have Christmas Eve (24), 1st Christmas Day (25), and 2nd Christmas Day (26). All the stores pretty much close on those two days, and trains run half as frequent. It is a pretty lousy time for the work!

Q. I'm guessing you received your package? I haven´t yet, but I haven´t been home to see if it has come. But don´t fret about it, it´ll come!

Well, hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I love this time of year, and especially the time I have to reflect on the Savior and his life, mission, death, and resurrection. My testimony of the Savior and this wonderful plan that He has for us has grown in my heart. I am just so grateful for what I have, and that I can be here to share it with the world , despite the fact the world might not understand the full meaning of the Savior and His mission. That´s why I´m here!

I love you all,
Talk to you soon!

Your Son and Brother

Elder Jaren Smith