Stephen and Elaine Biddulph: Frankfurt Weihnachtsmarkt

7 - 13 DEZEMBER 2015

booths at Weihnachtsmarkt Frankfurt

I was so busy that I didn't even think about this week's blog until just now. It has been very busy with missionary calls and consults with mission presidents. It seems that this is all I ever say about our weeks, but I suppose it reflects our work here. I'm 24-7 accessible to missionaries and mission presidents by telephone. When this is all over, I'll be hearing that darn phone ringing in my sleep and buzzing in my pocket.

A mission president in Denmark called and invited me to come up and do training for his mission leaders council on setting mission goals and stress and perfectionism. I discussed it with Elder Dyches, the member of our area presidency to whom we report, and we decided

Little Pub on Dom Romer Platz

that it wouldn't be worth the trip up for a 1-hour training. So, I've spent spare time this week working on a power point presentation on stress as it relates to perfectionism. I hadn't applied my mind to the topic, so, it was a challenge to get the creative learning juices going in this 70-year old gray matter. I discovered that it isn't the presence of goals that causes stress, but the application of goals by leaders and individuals as motivational tools. These young people have a specific approach to striving for excellence that often turns into striving for perfection and measuring their self-worth and identity on the achievement of goals. I've learned a lot and I hope it will be useful to this mission president. If he likes it, I will probably share it with the other 10 of my mission presidents I work with. What's good for the goose has gotta be good for the gander! as dear old mom used to say.

On Thursday we made our monthly pilgrimage to Wiesbaden military exchange and commissary. Elaine bought out the commissary of Chocolate Kisses to give away as gifts. She spent the evening sneaking about dropping kisses on people's doorsteps and in their offices. I'm glad she likes to give gifts. It is her way of showing that she cares. We also bought some nice candles to give to the

central market and Weihnachts Baum

families we home teach and in the ward (Gemeinde).

Christmas markets (Weihnachtmarkts) have sprung up in almost every city. They are a complex of little booths selling almost everything you can imagine from food to jewelry. The senior missionary sisters are in heaven scurrying about from one markt to the next, buying little trinkets and sampling all kinds of food. We went with the Hackings again down to Frankfurt Zeil (city center) to their Markt. It was jammed with people as the pictures reveal.

We are preparing for New Years. We've heard that our neighborhood turns into a war zone with all kinds of fireworks. I have metal bowls that Elaine and I can put on our heads as helmets, but not much to fire back with. I suppose that missionaries shouldn't fire back, rather, be peaceful and kind. I don't expect to get any sleep that night!!

Elaine is now a counselor in the primary (PV). We are busy trying to visit and inspire members of the ward to care about each other and show love and concern. It is a challenging thing for many Germans to show this open

Booths on Dom Romer

love. They are more reserved and withdrawn until they know you well. Then, they can be loving. The ending of this month marks our 1 year anniversary (actually 5 Jan to be exact). Our children are conspiring against us to sell our home in Provo and build a new one down in Ephraim by our daughter, Melanie. We aren't making any decisions at this point, but we would like to downsize. Time will tell.