Christmas

As a missionary you leave everything behind as you go out into the world to preach the gospel. We leave jobs, schooling, movies, sports teams, etc. We leave it all behind know that the Lord will take care of things. One of the bigger things we leave behind is our families. Not like being at school where you can call, skype, or visit the family whenever you please, on a mission you are limited to one (1) weekly email and two (2) phone calls per year – one on Christmas and the other for Mothers Day. I believe the reason for this is first to keep your family informed about what is going on but also to keep you focused. However when Christmas approaches we all get a little antsy and ready for our phone calls. Thankfully I was only in Germany for one Christmas because I’m not sure I could have made it through a second round of Christmas disaster.

Being a threesome had its issues including how to manage all the Christmas calls. We ended up setting a plan for me to talk with my family on Christmas Eve after our dinner appointment and for Sister Christopher and Robinson to call their families Christmas day. This worked great for me as Christmas Eve in our family is usually when all the fun and excitement happen anyways.

It was cold, wet, and snowing. We had worked hard in that morning knowing the next day would be Christmas. We were not going to interrupt families Christmas day so we did all our visits that morning. Our last appointment of the day was dinner with the Suss Family. They had prepared an authentic Christmas Eve dinner for us with Wieners (hotdogs), rolls, potatoes, and Sourcrout. It was delicious. We sat around the table and ate, and ate, and talked, and ate some more. By the time we were done I was full I could have popped. After the meal we gathered around in the living room and read the Christmas story from the bible. It’s a beautiful story in English but it’s absolutely amazing in German. I remember thinking that this is a tradition I want in my house. I want to eat a delisious German meal and read the Christmas story in German. Brother Suss then started telling stories upon stories of his childhood and how he met Sister Suss and so on. It was so sweet, but I will admit as the time continued to tick by my mind started to wander.

I had waited all day and now that it was finally after dark my family would be calling. We had said 9:00pm. As 8:30pm came and went my anxiety started to grow. What if I missed their call. I was going to miss the 1 call I was going to get this year. What if I gave them the wrong number. What if they thought it was 9 o’clock their time instead of German time. “Sister Jensen, Sister Jensen” I was brought back from my thoughts and found myself at a loss for words. I didn’t even know what we were talking about but I was being asked something. Thank goodness for great companions that jumped in and saved me. It was all I could do then to focus on giving our quick message before leaving.

9 o’clock had come and gone before the car pulled to a stop outside of our apartment. We thanked the Suss family and quickly stepped out into the snow. At this moment a sudden feeling of terror struck me. I couldn’t find the key to our apartment. I asked my companions if either of them had it. As we rushed up the stairs to the apartment praying each step that by some miracle we had forgotten to lock the door before leaving, or that they key would be there right outside the door. As we climbed the last steps the phone in the apartment began to ring. It rang and rang but we couldn’t get in.

My family was calling and there we were all three of us huddled outside that small apartment door trying to get in.  After the third call I stepped back, took a seat on the stairs, and began to cry. This couldn’t be happening. We had never forgotten the keys before – NEVER. And of all days and times to be happening it couldn’t end like this.

There is no way to explain with any justice what happened next. Sister Christopher started to laugh. She couldn’t stop, she was laughing so hard that she finally fell to the floor completely overtaken. Sister Robinson seeing both of us one crying and the other laughing – I’m not sure what she must have thought. Without a word to either of us she went down stair to our neighbors’ and started asking for a phone book, tools, anything that might help open the door.   With no luck there we were again all huddled around the door trying to figure out what to do. The whole time hearing the phone ring over and over again in the background.

A thought finally hit us. This used to be the Elders apartment so they would probably have a spare key, or know how to get in. I mean they are guys they’d probably been locked out lots before. An hour later in walk the elders, cold and wet. They had walked all the way to our place in the snow. A complete act of kindness and love. I don’t think I had ever been so happy to see the Elders in my life. They worked on the door for a few minutes but still couldn’t get it open. Finally with no other option the Elders smashed open the glass window on the door. Not the greatest option but it was the last option.

Once again the phone rang but this time we answered and their on the other line was my family wishing me a Merry Christmas.

I am so grateful for Elders who walked in the snow to help us break a window. I’m grateful for companions who loved me enough to act a bit crazy. I’m grateful for a family who didn’t give up in calling. My Christmas Eve was amazing – each moment made it the best Christmas Eve ever.

mit freundlichen Grüßen

Jenessa Jensen