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Elder and Sister Mason left for Germany Monday morning the 14^th of January. We arrived at the airport in good time and immediately checked in. Two bags were exactly 50 pounds and two were 52 pounds. The two were over because we did some reshuffling of contents the night before and did not have the chance to re-weigh them. The airline attendant said he would pass them because we were leaving for a good cause. Later, before we boarded the flight, Sister Mason wanted Elder Mason to buy her a bottle of water. I asked the clerk how much a bottle cost, picked a bottle, and then went to pay the clerk at the counter but a lady in front of me had already paid for the bottle of water. She has a son out in the mission field who will come back this spring. I feel bad when people do that because we are better off than many of them but I do appreciate their kindness. The rest of the trip has gone well. 

We arrived in the mission field on Tuesday Jan 15. The Coverston trained us on the transportation system, the shopping, the Centrum, and the nursing aspect of the mission field. We are assuming the position that the Coverstons served for the past 18 months.  

It started to snow Thursday night and snowed all the night and through the day. The picture is of the apartment with the snow on the bushes that surround our small patio.

In this picture we looking at the bushes around our patio. The opening in the center is the entry way to the grass in the center of our complex. The window to left of the opening is our living room window.

Thursday morning we went to the anmeldung office and registered. We visited a few more stores and went to the mission office. Sister Coverston showed us how to get to the office by taking us on the bus and train. We stayed in the mission office for a couple of hours and then the Coverstons took us to the Mission Home. Sister Mason, Sister Coverston, and Sister Miles talked for a couple of hours over the mission nursing needs while Elder Coverston and Elder Mason relaxed in the living room and ate nuts and cakes. After the sisters finished discussing the mission nursing needs, President and Sister Miles took us to dinner. President miles is a high energy, very positive thoughtful man, his wife is very pleasant. 

Friday we were at the Centrum by ourselves without the Coverstons to guide us. It felt strange to be in the Centrum by our self’s. Elder Mason vacuumed and cleaned. Sister Mason mucked out the Kitchen and moped floors. The YSA’S are very accepting of us and express their appreciation to Sister Mason for keeping the center open until late (midnight) so they could stay and visit with each other. We arrived early at the Single Adult Centrum and one young woman came at 5:00 pm. She was dropped off by the women she works for. She said she was really happy that we were here, otherwise she would have no place to go and it is very cold outside. She had a safe place to go. She said she was not given a choice to stay home. Most of the families want their nanny out of the house as much as possible on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I made yogurt sugar cookies and dropped chocolate on the top of the cookies. They were a hit. They liked them very much because they were soft. 

Friday we joined the district leader and his companion to teach a single lady. She was curious about the church. She said she would read the Book of Mormon, but would not commit to go to church.