Monday, July 1, 2013

7-1-13: Missionary plumbers and “Germlish”

I admit that I made up the word "Germlish" but it seemed to fit Claire's description of missionaries' mixture of German and English. She's been out almost 5 months now--time sure moves quickly when you are busy!

I would like to start out by thanking my AP Euro class for their letter. It made my day and I support all of your life adventures. We shall forever be lifelong students and friends bonded by history.

Part time plumbers...
Well, I never thought there would be a need to know how to fix sinks on my mission. But apparently I was misinformed.
Sandra, from Columbia, who we've been teaching for the past several months had some plumbing issues this week. And who better to ask for help than the sister missionaries? Except this sister had never taken apart a sink before. Fortunately Sister D has! We had just meant to stop by to say hi on Tuesday, but when Sandra opened the door looking distraught, wet, and on the brink of breakdown, Sister D was super prepared to use the basketball shorts she always wears under her skirts (for comfort and in case of emergencies). Unfortunately, years of grime had corrupted all piping of the sink, which resulted in a couple of hours of smelly cleaning and then assembling the pipes and then reassembling because a part was missing and then buying a new piping system and then discovering the new piping system didn't work with the old. Whew. 
I'm pretty helpless when it comes to sinks apparently, but Sister D is a champ. Taught well by her mother in how to serve at all times, in all things, and in all places. 

German fact of the week
Remember how Sandra's sink pipes were disgusting? Actually you don't because you weren't there, but trust me, they were. Partly because Germany doesn't believe in using garbage disposals. You're supposed to just have a garbage for bio degradable stuff and take it out every couple of days, but food sometimes escapes into the pipes. Which is bad. So...count your blessings if you have a garbage disposal. And good sink pipes. If you don't, take out your trash often.

Forgotten English words
I have forgotten how to say the following words in English: schaff (to do or accomplish), Familie (family), Termin (appointment), Taufe (baptism), fest (party, celebration). There is only German when I try to talk in English.

Das Wunder der Woche
We met with the Africans that we met last week on Saturday and just so everybody knows and has not forgotten, I love Africans. They were all so touched that we'd brought them Books of Mormon in French and all four of them vigorously shook our hands in gratitude. We had a great lesson and they asked many a good question about how our religion fits in with the rest of the world and what God expects from them. They loved that we still have a prophet today like in the Bible. At the end of the lesson, they all wanted to take pictures with us and their Books of Mormon and then wrote down our names in the books. It was so tender. 
We also set a baptismal date for July 20th with Chaku and have faith he can schaff that. Just getting in our daily doses of Africans.

Quote of the week
Francesco: "Sister D, can I come visit you in America? Would you take me as your husband?"
#missionaryproposalstories?

Well, I'm grateful to know that God is there, to know He answers prayers, and that He continues to send miracles in hours of frailty and weakness. I love you all.
-- 
Sister Claire Michelle Woodward
 Leipzig Missionaries

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