Getting Settled in Dresden

Here we are in romantic Dresden and just loving it!! Dresden is a beautiful old city with a lot of history. We are told that much of it was leveled during WWII. However, we still see many beautiful old buildings that are still around and in use. We live in one of those. We live in the basement of this older home that has been remodeled. The apartment is 2 feet below ground level so we have good light coming in. It is small but has everything we need. We love these incredible windows that are tight as a drum and open with such ease, both opening towards a person as well as the top opening in towards the person. We also like the "blinds" that roll down over the windows and keep light out when you need it and provides a lot of privacy. The floor has radiant heat underneath it so the tiles are always warm to stand on. Our kitchen is tiny but it works, and the living room is small but it takes care of our needs; the beds are European style namely, 2 twins together. The computer desk is in the bedroom and we only have one bedroom. The yard is beautiful and will be more so as better weather approaches. We have our own little secluded patio out the front door with brick lining the ground. Everything is so quaint and definitely Europeanish. We are very comfortable here. The food is inexpensive and there is so much of it and more varieties of meat, bread, cheese and juices than I have ever seen in my entire life! Amazing.

Driving! That is a trip and a half. Phil is doing a great job and we have a GPS so that's been really helpful. But we still can't seem to completely get where we think we are going. We've ended up in dead end allies more than once. The other day Elder Hoggan was looking for a certain store and when we arrived where the TomTom said we should be, it was nothing but a bunch of very old and very dilapidated buildings. I asked what was supposed to be here and he said, "Home Depot"!! He had googled for a hardware store and this is where the GPS sent him. We had a good laugh about it. Streets are so narrow! It's a good thing that everyone has small cars. We are driving an Opel. We find that despite the narrow roads, the cars drive fast, and pedestrians just step-out in front of you sometimes. We've had our share of near misses to them and cars and sidewalks, but Elder Hoggan is doing great and the Lord is protecting us. We also get honked at, yelled at, and the "finger" every once in awhile. I have to admit it is stressful and comical at the same time and sometimes tests the relationship. But we are getting better about just laughing about things and having a good time. Bottom line is... Elder Hoggan can drive all he wants....I don't want the job!

It took awhile to find a post office but with the help of Sister missionaries, ward members, people on the street and NOT google, we finally found one. With the help of google we NEVER DID find a wachsalon (laundromat)!!! Actually, laundromats are rare in Dresden. We have a washer but not dryer. Anyway, the mission office is rounding up a dryer. To dry our clothes, we've had to leave

them situated all over the house for several days before they dried. A little embarassing when folks come to visit. :)

The Sister Missionaries went with us shopping so that we would know what we were buying. :) They have saved us more than once over various things. We have great respect for their courage, knowledge and spiritual strength!!! The Elders have been super helpful as well.

The best part has been meeting with the Young Adults. We've been with both groups of them, in Dresden and in Chemnitz, and they are such great young people. Some of them experience great challenges. Some are university students. Some of them have been on missions and they are strong and can speak English. Many of them do not speak English, especially in Chemnitz and so... we are taking German classes from the Sisters. Imagine that. We want to be able to communicate, at least somewhat. Elder Hoggan is doing a great job and I am working my way through it. He uses the book and I use my heart. It works! We've included a picture of some of the youth in Chemnitz. We also included a picture of Elder and Sister Schwartz who have been in Chemnitz serving and will be leaving to take on an assignment as a mission president in July. They are Germans and they don't know yet where they well be assigned.

The weather is wet and cloudy most of the time. Not necessarily snowing or rainy, just wet. We are working on getting use to that. Elder Hoggan is doubling up on the vitamin D3. When we've driven to Chemnitz and back we have often run into snow over the "passes". In fact, twice we were held up by bad accidents and it made us very late getting home. It is an hour's drive from Dresden to Chemnitz under normal conditions.

President Pimentel said that he has another couple coming to our mission in February. He was not expecting them but he is very excited and hopes to put them in the Chemnitz center so both centers will get the help they need. In fact he has other young missionaries coming that he wasn't expecting and he is super grateful. There is much work to be done in the Germany Berlin mission; something special, and the Lord is sending servants to do that work. We can't tell you how good it feels to be here and how right it is. The Lord always knows what He is doing. We both have had some instestinal issues and even some anxiety but we are doing great. That was a lot of change in a short amount of time. But the Lord is blessing us. We know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is alive and well in these latter days. We are His servants. We know that Joseph Smith was appointed to open this last dispensation. We know that President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet and president of His church and that the Book of Mormon will get us closer to God than any other book on earth. (Joseph Smith).

We are grateful for the Lord's watchful care over our families and that the best angels in Heaven are watching over them. We thank our family and friends for your support, excitement and love. We miss you, we love you and are grateful for all you do to build the kingdom. Best Wishes!!! Herzliche Grusse!!!