December 2016

In the beginning of December, some of our missionaries helped out with the Munich Stake Youth Service Project.  Sisters Gach, Eden, Lundgreen, Howsmon and Moore caroled with one of the youth groups near a local store.

As another group sang downtown, our missionaries contacted people who came by to listen...

Elder Lingen,

Elder Johnson,

and Sister St. Laurent.

 The next day we had another great Coordinating Council Meeting with our Area Seventy, Elder Leimer, and our fabulous Stake Presidents.

 That evening our Assistants came by to meet with President Kohler & Me.

Then it was time for our Christmas Zone Conferences!  

On Tuesday we started in Switzerland with our Bern, St. Gallen and 1/2 of the Zürich Zones.

 After the morning portion, the missionaries had a fun time doing a gift exchange.

Then of course everyone enjoyed lunch :)

On Wednesday we were in Germany with our Stuttgart & other 1/2 of the Zürich Zones.

 

Gift Exchange & Lunch

On Thursday we were in Germany with our München Zone.

 

 Gift Exchange... 

 and Lunch.

 These amazing Relief Society Sisters prepare and serve such wonderful lunches to our missionaries!

YUM!

And on Saturday we were in Austria with our Salzburg & Wien Zones.

 

 Gift Exchange

and Lunch

 I love seeing our daughter Erika in the middle of our missionaries!

 As soon as our Zone Conference Week ended, we had our next Transfer.  Elder Mendenhall arrived ahead of the rest of the group since he came from Provo, so he waited with us for the others.

 Soon we had them all--16 wonderful new Goldens!

 Back at the church where we met for the day, there was a whole support crew to help these new missionaries.

 The next day they were very excited to head to the bahnhof and off to their new areas.

 That evening we gathered with our 15 departing missionaries for dinner...

 and testimonies.  

We we will certainly miss them!

 As soon as transfers ended, President Kohler began driving around the mission to deliver many Christmas packages for our missionaries.  First stop was in Singen.  These good missionaries helped unload the van.

 Is that Santa Claus?

 Thanks Sisters Stelter & Woolsey, Elders Chilcutt & Gurr.

 Next stop was in Stuttgart.

That night, back in Munich, the Office Elders helped him re-load the van for the next day's drops.

 In Switzerland, Elders Letort & Hunter and Sisters Lex & Stamp helped out.

Once he was back home we enjoyed seeing Sister Selph and her family.

And our daughter, Tosha arrived from Provo to spend Christmas break with us--it was nice to be together again.

 On Monday morning Tosha and President Kohler headed to Austria with another van load of gifts to make deliveries in Salzburg and Wien.

 They got back in time for a visit from Elder Hunter and his family.

 On Christmas Eve Day we got to Skype our missionary!  We love you, Elder Kohler!!!!

 Christmas Sunday.

 We enjoyed spending the evening with Elder & Sister Hanson on Christmas.

 Here are our wonderful Office Elders:  Elders Gruse, Johnson, Leinberger & Lingen who were such a big help over the Christmas holidays--with zone conference travel, transfers and package sorting.

On New Year's Eve we made one more late Christmas package drop in Zürich.

Thanks for the help, Elders Elwell & Smith!

And that does it for 2016--Stay tuned for more excitement in 2017!!!