Stephen and Elaine Biddulph: Ronneburg Weihnachtsmarkt

30 NOVEMBER - 6 DECEMBER 2015

Sister Biddulph

Today, 5 December, is our 11th month anniversary for our mission. Seven months left in beautiful Germany. The time seems to go so fast. Weeks just come and go like days it seems. The days are so filled with routine. My alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m., we get up, go to the office, work 10-hours, come home, eat supper, and find ourselves back in bed.

Thursday, 3 December, was a particularly busy but very nice day. Between phone calls with missionaries and mission presidents, we attended at noon a very nice Christmas devotional that was broadcast throughout Europe. The Area Presidency all spoke on Christmas themes. President Kearon spoke about the refugees and told an experience of Elder Ballard with a young refugee boy. They had traveled down to an island in Greece where refugees come across the narrow straits from Turkey in rubber boats. Elder Ballard saw a young family who had just gotten off the boats. They were still wet up to the middle of their thighs. These people had been driven from their homeland in Syria or Iraq, had left all earthly possessions behind except that which they could carry on

Elder and Sister Biddulph

their backs, had made what people call "the long walk," and had arrived in Greece with nothing. Someone had given the young boy a package of Oreo cookies. As Elder Ballard approached, the young boy, perhaps 8 or 9 years old, smiled and offered Elder Ballard a cookie. Elder Ballard said he was going to frame that cookie to remind him of the spirit of compassion and giving that we must have for one another, especially those who have nothing in this world and who are downtrodden.

This report of compassion and love is so different from an email that I received a few days prior to the devotional from supposedly a woman doctor who had been treating refugees in one of the countries, perhaps Hungary or Croatia, or somewhere. Her report was one of bitterness

Ronneburg Castle

and deep frustration because of how the refugees that she was helping were demanding, violent, and selfish. She didn't want anything to do with these people. I think the gospel helps us see the good in people who are stressed and stretched to the maximum in their lives. It helps us see with compassion and gives us a desire to love people. Many would call this naive and foolish, but the truth is that the Lord expects us to lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees. As Elder Kearon said, love and compassion for our fellowmen is not merely a part of our belief, it is the very core of our religion. After the devotional, they treated us to a wonderful catered meal.

Saturday we took Jim and Dianne Hacking out to Ronneburg just east of Frankfurt about 40 minute drive to their Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market). Many towns and cities have these during December. They are filled with booths, shops, and displays of all kinds. Ronneburg is just a small town that has an old castle (Schloss). The people used a medieval theme. They were dressed up in medieval costumes of all kinds. Inside the castle they had shops and

A Knight and his Mistress

demonstrations, and outside along the wall were small booths selling all kinds of food and medieval artifacts, clothing, and trinkets. Many of the senior missionaries were there, and it was fun to visit and interact with them. The pictures below are taken at the Ronneburg Weihnactsmarkt.