Here is Emily's new address if you want to write snail mail:
Sister Turner
Kirche Jesu Christi
Anklamer Str 24
17489 Greifswald
Germany
Regular mail is so great for missionaries to receive since they are so far from home. Be sure to add things about the weather or what you are doing in your day or just ordinary things that normally seem boring, but are food for the soul when you are far from home!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
July 20, 2009
So, right now as I am typing in this little internet cafe I am sneaking a little bit of german bäkerei. I know you'll be proud. And I introduced my trainer to magnum ice cream. We have one in the freezer right now. Does that make you a little jealous? I just tell everyone that you and Dad MADE me eat them last summer so I can't eat to many!
There are so many stories to tell! Where to start?
First, I learned something about myself this week from my ZL. I was asking about wanting to be doing more, and he said, "People always make excuses not to talk to people-'they are on the other side of the street,' 'they look busy,' 'they look mean,' 'my german isn't good enough." He then said something that changed my whole week. He said, "Make excuses to talk to people." So, I stopped worrying so much about slaughtering the language because no matter what, whether I worry or not, I will slaughter the language, but people still understand me! So, because of that, later on that day we went by the Elder's apt. to pick up tea for my trainer because she was sick. So, as we waited for them to get the tea I saw an old lady hanging out by her window (typical german thing to do), so I gave her a "Woher? Wohin?" pamphlet which means basically "where did I come from? Where am I going after I die?" And has a picture of a baby and an old babs on it. So, S. Shallenber say's, "Yes! Old people! Perfect!" Of course I didn't understand any of her replies and it didn't help that she had like one tooth so she had a lisp with a crazy german accent, but I got my first contact!
We also had a strassenausstelle-meaning a street display and I had to talk to people for 2 hours by myself. Talk about a big german headache later on! But, I am impressed that I didn't need my trainer, well at least I don't think!
Oh, and you know how I ride a bike? Well, it has kind of been failing me this past week. I mean it has no front brakes and the gears don't change so 3rd gear is really fun up a hill, but lately the chain has been falling off as I go down the road. So, I just start yelling to Sister Shallenberger that I can't stop and one of the times, she grabs my arm to slow me down, I lose balance because I am stopping, but the bike still has tons of momentum and I go crashing while it is of course pouring down rain so I was soaking wet, then covered in dirt, and I have tons of bruises and scratches.
Another little bike story--this one's a good one--is we were leaving an apartment which was pretty far away and it was European rainy--slightly misty, but it kind of feels like you're swimming. So, we try to unlock the bike lock and the key is not working. We struggled for 10 minutes or more, then called some people and no one could help or pick us up. So, we said a prayer and hoped for the best, but if we had to walk, could we have good attitudes on the way. Right after the prayer my trainer reaches down, fiddles with the key, and bam, it was open. What a beautiful tiny miracle. I just figured it was Heavenly Father's way of saying, "Stop complaining about your bike! At least you have one!"
So, one of the people we visited was a girl named Maria. Now, the first time we went to drop by she wasn't there because she periodically runs away. I found out why, and it just broke my heart. She has to take care of her 5 brothers and sisters and her mother and she is only 14. Her mom won't even look her in the eyes. But, she found out about the church through a friend and wants to get baptized but her mom won't let her and doesn't like missionaries. So, we went into her bedroom which was completely spotless and every wall was covered with posters of Twilight and there were tons of books stacked up. We asked if she had a Book of Mormon and she pulled it out of this drawer and said she didn't want anyone taking it or ruining it and proceeded to tell us she is at the end of Alma. At 14 years old! I am impressed. So, we taught her about prayer and fasting and asked her to do that for her mother and I guess we'll see.
Thanks for all of the advice about our investigators. As far as Sandy is concerned she hasn't come to church yet. Apparently she had no medicine while she was in Berlin for her cancer and now she has this crazy cold, is bedridden, and the friend she is staying with doesn't like mormons so we can't stop by. But, she says she is reading her Book of Mormon. I want to trust her, but I don't believe it and I don't really believe that she will meet with us.
And, we made progress with Frau Brauer-the one that is a member and we were wondering if she forgot? Well, this week she admitted that she was a member but stopped going because this one lady was making fun of the fact that she can't read because sometimes as she is reading she gets dizzy and she knows that the lady that was making fun of her because her ex-husband was bribing her to do it. And the reason she knows this is because the lady wore a skirt with a pattern that her ex-husband had on some fabric. Paranoia? Remember she is the one that knows her neighbors hate her because she can feel it through the walls...
Oh, and yes, the schitzo does go to all of the activities, we just have to warn our investigators before hand. He just starts laughing in the middle of everything, or his eyes go all crazy, some people think he wants attention, but I literally think he is crazy. And that it isn't his fault.
We also found an inactive named Manfred who apparently is inactive because he had a boat that he needed a place to store and he was keeping it on the Branch presidents lot, but I guess that had miscommunication about the time so the man had to sell his beloved boat and hasn't come back since. So, S. Shallenberger told him that that wouldn't go to heaven with him anyway, but the way you deal with trials and he said he would come back to church, but he doesn't know when. I think he is a little embarassed.
Well, it sounds like you are on the downhill slope of your vacation. I am so happy you had so much fun. I knew you would. And Grandma W. is awesome, her and her little texting habits remind me of the missionaries here. If you have time, you could send me a few pics via e-mail. Oh, and I was going to send you a postcard last week, but I lost my pictures. Sorry.
Oh, and I got my hair cut like a European, I'll have to send pictures. I don't know if I like it, I haven't gotten to do it yet...
P.S. one more random thing i forgot to tell you. the people we ate lunch with call me tina. think about it. yes. tina turner. they don't refer to me as sister turner ever. wow. we have such a cool last name.
There are so many stories to tell! Where to start?
First, I learned something about myself this week from my ZL. I was asking about wanting to be doing more, and he said, "People always make excuses not to talk to people-'they are on the other side of the street,' 'they look busy,' 'they look mean,' 'my german isn't good enough." He then said something that changed my whole week. He said, "Make excuses to talk to people." So, I stopped worrying so much about slaughtering the language because no matter what, whether I worry or not, I will slaughter the language, but people still understand me! So, because of that, later on that day we went by the Elder's apt. to pick up tea for my trainer because she was sick. So, as we waited for them to get the tea I saw an old lady hanging out by her window (typical german thing to do), so I gave her a "Woher? Wohin?" pamphlet which means basically "where did I come from? Where am I going after I die?" And has a picture of a baby and an old babs on it. So, S. Shallenber say's, "Yes! Old people! Perfect!" Of course I didn't understand any of her replies and it didn't help that she had like one tooth so she had a lisp with a crazy german accent, but I got my first contact!
We also had a strassenausstelle-meaning a street display and I had to talk to people for 2 hours by myself. Talk about a big german headache later on! But, I am impressed that I didn't need my trainer, well at least I don't think!
Oh, and you know how I ride a bike? Well, it has kind of been failing me this past week. I mean it has no front brakes and the gears don't change so 3rd gear is really fun up a hill, but lately the chain has been falling off as I go down the road. So, I just start yelling to Sister Shallenberger that I can't stop and one of the times, she grabs my arm to slow me down, I lose balance because I am stopping, but the bike still has tons of momentum and I go crashing while it is of course pouring down rain so I was soaking wet, then covered in dirt, and I have tons of bruises and scratches.
Another little bike story--this one's a good one--is we were leaving an apartment which was pretty far away and it was European rainy--slightly misty, but it kind of feels like you're swimming. So, we try to unlock the bike lock and the key is not working. We struggled for 10 minutes or more, then called some people and no one could help or pick us up. So, we said a prayer and hoped for the best, but if we had to walk, could we have good attitudes on the way. Right after the prayer my trainer reaches down, fiddles with the key, and bam, it was open. What a beautiful tiny miracle. I just figured it was Heavenly Father's way of saying, "Stop complaining about your bike! At least you have one!"
So, one of the people we visited was a girl named Maria. Now, the first time we went to drop by she wasn't there because she periodically runs away. I found out why, and it just broke my heart. She has to take care of her 5 brothers and sisters and her mother and she is only 14. Her mom won't even look her in the eyes. But, she found out about the church through a friend and wants to get baptized but her mom won't let her and doesn't like missionaries. So, we went into her bedroom which was completely spotless and every wall was covered with posters of Twilight and there were tons of books stacked up. We asked if she had a Book of Mormon and she pulled it out of this drawer and said she didn't want anyone taking it or ruining it and proceeded to tell us she is at the end of Alma. At 14 years old! I am impressed. So, we taught her about prayer and fasting and asked her to do that for her mother and I guess we'll see.
Thanks for all of the advice about our investigators. As far as Sandy is concerned she hasn't come to church yet. Apparently she had no medicine while she was in Berlin for her cancer and now she has this crazy cold, is bedridden, and the friend she is staying with doesn't like mormons so we can't stop by. But, she says she is reading her Book of Mormon. I want to trust her, but I don't believe it and I don't really believe that she will meet with us.
And, we made progress with Frau Brauer-the one that is a member and we were wondering if she forgot? Well, this week she admitted that she was a member but stopped going because this one lady was making fun of the fact that she can't read because sometimes as she is reading she gets dizzy and she knows that the lady that was making fun of her because her ex-husband was bribing her to do it. And the reason she knows this is because the lady wore a skirt with a pattern that her ex-husband had on some fabric. Paranoia? Remember she is the one that knows her neighbors hate her because she can feel it through the walls...
Oh, and yes, the schitzo does go to all of the activities, we just have to warn our investigators before hand. He just starts laughing in the middle of everything, or his eyes go all crazy, some people think he wants attention, but I literally think he is crazy. And that it isn't his fault.
We also found an inactive named Manfred who apparently is inactive because he had a boat that he needed a place to store and he was keeping it on the Branch presidents lot, but I guess that had miscommunication about the time so the man had to sell his beloved boat and hasn't come back since. So, S. Shallenberger told him that that wouldn't go to heaven with him anyway, but the way you deal with trials and he said he would come back to church, but he doesn't know when. I think he is a little embarassed.
Well, it sounds like you are on the downhill slope of your vacation. I am so happy you had so much fun. I knew you would. And Grandma W. is awesome, her and her little texting habits remind me of the missionaries here. If you have time, you could send me a few pics via e-mail. Oh, and I was going to send you a postcard last week, but I lost my pictures. Sorry.
Oh, and I got my hair cut like a European, I'll have to send pictures. I don't know if I like it, I haven't gotten to do it yet...
P.S. one more random thing i forgot to tell you. the people we ate lunch with call me tina. think about it. yes. tina turner. they don't refer to me as sister turner ever. wow. we have such a cool last name.
July 13, 2009
So, this week was another fun one, but I of course forgot my planner with all of the things I wanted to tell you! AHH! So, last Monday, when P-Day ended at 6 we went to FHE, had a spiritual thought on eternal marriage--there were 4 missionaries, two married couples and ONE non married guy who, by the way, is a smelly schizophrenic. Not kidding. He just starts laughing in the middle of a lesson. It makes me feel bad.
Then, we worked a lot this week. I guess I never really understood what "missionary work" meant. It doesn't mean that you are gone all day long or that you talk to every single person you see. It is more studying, smiling at people on the street, helping people with groceries, getting to know them, and sharing a brief testimony with them.
Well, last Wednesday, my companion and I witnessed a miracle. It was amazing. We had come home for a short break when my comp opens the area book and starts reading about previous investigators and starts to call them. She read about a girl named Sandy who was found by missionaries that offered to help her with her groceries because it looked like she was. It turns out she was struggling because she had cancer in her legs so she got a priesthood blessing and never felt the pain again. She was going to church, had a baptismal date, then the day of her baptism disappeared and when the missionaries would call or anything she would act like she didn't know them. (She apparently had a boyfriend at the time.) So, this is where my comp comes in. Sandy has a daughter who was with her parents in Italy on urlaub (vacation) so she was going south of Berlin because she can't afford her apartment and she was going to move in with her parents when they got back. So, the train stopped in Berlin and she was doing something when a man walked up to her, choked her, and stole all of her money, identification, everything. So, she goes and sits in a corner of the train station with her remaining stuff and starts to cry because her phone didn't have any money on it, she was going to add it that day. Then a gay guy walks up to her and asks what is wrong. So, she tells him the story and he says he doesn't have any money but she can stay with him until she figures something. Luckily she had a phone charger so she was just waiting for someone to call. No one called for 3 days and she had no food because this guy turned out to be a chain smoker and couldn't afford food. So, she looks at this little angel key chain on her phone and remembers what the sisters had taught her about prayer. So, she pray's and right when she closes and say's Amen the phone rings and it was my comp. So, we found a way to get her back up to Greifswald, got her some food, and we are trying to get an appointment with her, but she has the flu. We are meeting tonight and we want to commit her to baptism, she told my companion, "If I would have gotten baptized this wouldn't have happened! Everything has been going wrong in my life since I turned away!" So, please pray for another miracle!
Okay, next story. I told you about a lady named Frau Brauer, right? Well, she is this really old lady who we teach who is already a member, but forgot or something. So we taught her the other day and it was really good, we talked about 2 Nephi 31, asked about baptism and then she started talking about her previous marriage and things like that. Then, as we are about to leave, she asks us to pray for her because her neighbors hate her and are trying to poison her, she can feel it through the walls. Komisch, nah? Wierd, huh? Everything was normal right until the end. We also teach Frau Pahl up in Stralsund, I think I told you about her too, she is 81 and has arthritis and doesn't want to join the church because she doesn't want to go to the Celestial Kingdom without her sister. This week she gave us so much lemon streudel (strOIdel, not struedel-that is a different dessert) and hot chocolate, I thought I was going to burst. Then, she was talking about how she doesn't understand why people don't believe the Book of Mormon is true. Then, she said, maybe because the Germans are used to being deceived they don't want to experience it again like they did Hitler. She talks about hailing Hitler and that whole ordeal. It is so intense, I wish I understood more of what she is saying. And, she also taught us how to get rid of back pain and she demonstrated bending down really slowly, swing your arms, then as you come back up you basically do a body roll. I almost died of laughter, she is 81 years OLD!!!
Well, to be honest, being a missionary is the best thing ever. I love being able to see the change people have when the spirit testifies of truth. I love getting to bear my testimony every day to random people on the street. We were told that the average is 10,000 people contacted for 1 baptism. I am only at like 100, so I really need to get to work! I have realized that I probably hold everyone at too high of a standard and I always have. I have always pushed people to do more work than they can stand so I am trying not to do that as a missionary. I cannot run faster than I have strength. Everyday I remind myself of that.
So, I am so proud of your big fish that you caught! I am impressed you survived ANOTHER week of camping. Oh, and random things: I am in a branch, I can't remember my pin number to my debit card, I still need to get those addresses to you, this internet place smells like bad BO, my comps name is Katie and has a sister named Emily, und so weiter (and so on).
Oh, and yesterday we went to the Koch's in our ward's garden like a dacha in Russia and they fed us more meat than I ever thought humanly possible. So, we ate pig stomach, two steaks, chicken, sausage, salad, bread with butter and dill, and we had a "kleiner prophet" literally meaning small prophet that means we are getting dessert. So, we had pudding, and little chocolaty marshmallows. I thought I'd pop like a balloon. Anyway, I have to write a few more e-mails, but I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!
Then, we worked a lot this week. I guess I never really understood what "missionary work" meant. It doesn't mean that you are gone all day long or that you talk to every single person you see. It is more studying, smiling at people on the street, helping people with groceries, getting to know them, and sharing a brief testimony with them.
Well, last Wednesday, my companion and I witnessed a miracle. It was amazing. We had come home for a short break when my comp opens the area book and starts reading about previous investigators and starts to call them. She read about a girl named Sandy who was found by missionaries that offered to help her with her groceries because it looked like she was. It turns out she was struggling because she had cancer in her legs so she got a priesthood blessing and never felt the pain again. She was going to church, had a baptismal date, then the day of her baptism disappeared and when the missionaries would call or anything she would act like she didn't know them. (She apparently had a boyfriend at the time.) So, this is where my comp comes in. Sandy has a daughter who was with her parents in Italy on urlaub (vacation) so she was going south of Berlin because she can't afford her apartment and she was going to move in with her parents when they got back. So, the train stopped in Berlin and she was doing something when a man walked up to her, choked her, and stole all of her money, identification, everything. So, she goes and sits in a corner of the train station with her remaining stuff and starts to cry because her phone didn't have any money on it, she was going to add it that day. Then a gay guy walks up to her and asks what is wrong. So, she tells him the story and he says he doesn't have any money but she can stay with him until she figures something. Luckily she had a phone charger so she was just waiting for someone to call. No one called for 3 days and she had no food because this guy turned out to be a chain smoker and couldn't afford food. So, she looks at this little angel key chain on her phone and remembers what the sisters had taught her about prayer. So, she pray's and right when she closes and say's Amen the phone rings and it was my comp. So, we found a way to get her back up to Greifswald, got her some food, and we are trying to get an appointment with her, but she has the flu. We are meeting tonight and we want to commit her to baptism, she told my companion, "If I would have gotten baptized this wouldn't have happened! Everything has been going wrong in my life since I turned away!" So, please pray for another miracle!
Okay, next story. I told you about a lady named Frau Brauer, right? Well, she is this really old lady who we teach who is already a member, but forgot or something. So we taught her the other day and it was really good, we talked about 2 Nephi 31, asked about baptism and then she started talking about her previous marriage and things like that. Then, as we are about to leave, she asks us to pray for her because her neighbors hate her and are trying to poison her, she can feel it through the walls. Komisch, nah? Wierd, huh? Everything was normal right until the end. We also teach Frau Pahl up in Stralsund, I think I told you about her too, she is 81 and has arthritis and doesn't want to join the church because she doesn't want to go to the Celestial Kingdom without her sister. This week she gave us so much lemon streudel (strOIdel, not struedel-that is a different dessert) and hot chocolate, I thought I was going to burst. Then, she was talking about how she doesn't understand why people don't believe the Book of Mormon is true. Then, she said, maybe because the Germans are used to being deceived they don't want to experience it again like they did Hitler. She talks about hailing Hitler and that whole ordeal. It is so intense, I wish I understood more of what she is saying. And, she also taught us how to get rid of back pain and she demonstrated bending down really slowly, swing your arms, then as you come back up you basically do a body roll. I almost died of laughter, she is 81 years OLD!!!
Well, to be honest, being a missionary is the best thing ever. I love being able to see the change people have when the spirit testifies of truth. I love getting to bear my testimony every day to random people on the street. We were told that the average is 10,000 people contacted for 1 baptism. I am only at like 100, so I really need to get to work! I have realized that I probably hold everyone at too high of a standard and I always have. I have always pushed people to do more work than they can stand so I am trying not to do that as a missionary. I cannot run faster than I have strength. Everyday I remind myself of that.
So, I am so proud of your big fish that you caught! I am impressed you survived ANOTHER week of camping. Oh, and random things: I am in a branch, I can't remember my pin number to my debit card, I still need to get those addresses to you, this internet place smells like bad BO, my comps name is Katie and has a sister named Emily, und so weiter (and so on).
Oh, and yesterday we went to the Koch's in our ward's garden like a dacha in Russia and they fed us more meat than I ever thought humanly possible. So, we ate pig stomach, two steaks, chicken, sausage, salad, bread with butter and dill, and we had a "kleiner prophet" literally meaning small prophet that means we are getting dessert. So, we had pudding, and little chocolaty marshmallows. I thought I'd pop like a balloon. Anyway, I have to write a few more e-mails, but I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!
I'm home now!
Okay so after a month of vacating and eating and sitting and hiking and having fun, I am back to the real world--sort of. The kids are here with the grandbabies so there are still tons of distractions to keep me from totally getting all my things done, but I know you have been wanting to get your Emily fix so I will get all the previous emails posted right now! Enjoy?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Hello Mom and Dad!
Okay, so this German keyboard will take some getting used to. But it has cool letters with umlauts!
Wow, where to begin? So, after our call we flew to Germany. When we got to Berlin the previous mission President picked us up and took us to Momoplatz where we consecrated our next year and a half, our whole mission, to the Lord. That place is a little known place, but it is where the Berlin Wall was. Yes, I have a picture. So, then we had a bunch of meetings in which I found out there was a €200 fee for bikes. Like communism, everyone pays, but not everyone rides. Then, we had more meetings and the jet lag was kicking in and we finally got our assignments!
So, I...are you ready for this...? I am in a small town up near the Baltic Sea called Greifswald! We are also in charge of two other cities. So, after getting our assignments we had our first ever street contacting. Whoa. I thought it would be way harder, but it wasn't too bad. We didn't get any appointments, but I did get a chance to tell someone it was my first day in Germany, and asked if I could bear my testimony. The man was on the verge of tears. That was amazing and inspiring. So, we stayed in a hotel in Berlin that night, then we were on our way!
That was when I really got to know my companion Sister Shallenberger. She is way cool. She is from Elk Ridge, Utah and has been out for exactly a year on Thursday. We have the same taste in music and we are both laid back so getting along won't be too much of a problem.
Right now my mission feels like Russia all over again. I guess it helped so much more than I could have ever even imagined.
Oh, and another thing, I will probably be the next Lance Armstrong really soon here because that whole commy bike thing--was for ME! Haha! I ride a bike! And then we go to our appointments in commy buildings! Yipee! The buildings have been remodeled since the wall fell. I guess in Berlin they hated it so much that they started remodeling them from the center of the city and worked their way out. Hm. What else? I had a list but then we left our bags at the church--which is a rented out building that is so beautiful, I have to send you pictures!
Okay, church members are as follows: Brother Wild plays the organ for sacrament and when he thinks people should stop talking he'll just start playing louder, then there is Bruder Lorke who is annoyed and covers his ears, then there is a recent convert Wolfgang who bore his testimony yesterday and apparently got off topic about nazi's, Sister Wild yelled free agency, then later we all found out Wolfgang was drunk. Ha. What a good first Sunday.
We trade off going to another ward about an hour away by car--we go with the Senior couple the Johnson's. This ward was pretty much normal except for the few younger guys that like to flirt with Sister Missionaries so the ward has assigned people to guard us from them. You would think all of this was made up, but have I ever been good at telling stories?
We also taught a lady Frau Brauer who the sister's "found" before us. So, the story is that they were doing doors and she invited them in, so they told the ward about how they found a new investigator. Then, members of the ward started describing her and said, oh, yeah we know her--she's already a member and apostacized years ago. So, we taught her the second lesson and she believes everything already, and we don't really know what to do about the baptism challenge--we don't know if she has alzheimer's or what.
There is also another lady Frau Pahl, who studies doctrine more than anyone I've ever met and won't get baptized and almost cried when we invited her to church. I don't know what happened there. Oh, and she told me some stories about living behind the wall, so I've realized my German is just as good as my Russian was, I can get the gist of what's being said, but I'm still not exactly sure. But, she did meet Hitler.
Then there is Herr Beitter who has one leg because he got hit by a train and he was shirtless with his gut hanging out during our appointment. He is going on vacation and promised to read the Book of Mormon! He said that it is possible that Joseph Smith was a prophet! Bah. We are so close!
Oh, and we were knocking on doors (klingle is what they say in German) and I got to see tons of people with only underwear on. I guess they don't wear pants when it's hot. Strange. I think that is most of the highlights of the week. Oh, and P-Days are Montags! Monday! Please send this along to Sister Curtis-the Branch President's wife at the MTC, she inspires me to work so hard, and my teachers Brother Blewitt and Sister Jones. Oh, and I have to use this e-mail. Mission rules.
I hope that you are having fun out there in the wild, eating fresh fish and lounging around. Yeah for urlaub-vacation! Have a wonderful day!
Love you!
Okay, so this German keyboard will take some getting used to. But it has cool letters with umlauts!
Wow, where to begin? So, after our call we flew to Germany. When we got to Berlin the previous mission President picked us up and took us to Momoplatz where we consecrated our next year and a half, our whole mission, to the Lord. That place is a little known place, but it is where the Berlin Wall was. Yes, I have a picture. So, then we had a bunch of meetings in which I found out there was a €200 fee for bikes. Like communism, everyone pays, but not everyone rides. Then, we had more meetings and the jet lag was kicking in and we finally got our assignments!
So, I...are you ready for this...? I am in a small town up near the Baltic Sea called Greifswald! We are also in charge of two other cities. So, after getting our assignments we had our first ever street contacting. Whoa. I thought it would be way harder, but it wasn't too bad. We didn't get any appointments, but I did get a chance to tell someone it was my first day in Germany, and asked if I could bear my testimony. The man was on the verge of tears. That was amazing and inspiring. So, we stayed in a hotel in Berlin that night, then we were on our way!
That was when I really got to know my companion Sister Shallenberger. She is way cool. She is from Elk Ridge, Utah and has been out for exactly a year on Thursday. We have the same taste in music and we are both laid back so getting along won't be too much of a problem.
Right now my mission feels like Russia all over again. I guess it helped so much more than I could have ever even imagined.
Oh, and another thing, I will probably be the next Lance Armstrong really soon here because that whole commy bike thing--was for ME! Haha! I ride a bike! And then we go to our appointments in commy buildings! Yipee! The buildings have been remodeled since the wall fell. I guess in Berlin they hated it so much that they started remodeling them from the center of the city and worked their way out. Hm. What else? I had a list but then we left our bags at the church--which is a rented out building that is so beautiful, I have to send you pictures!
Okay, church members are as follows: Brother Wild plays the organ for sacrament and when he thinks people should stop talking he'll just start playing louder, then there is Bruder Lorke who is annoyed and covers his ears, then there is a recent convert Wolfgang who bore his testimony yesterday and apparently got off topic about nazi's, Sister Wild yelled free agency, then later we all found out Wolfgang was drunk. Ha. What a good first Sunday.
We trade off going to another ward about an hour away by car--we go with the Senior couple the Johnson's. This ward was pretty much normal except for the few younger guys that like to flirt with Sister Missionaries so the ward has assigned people to guard us from them. You would think all of this was made up, but have I ever been good at telling stories?
We also taught a lady Frau Brauer who the sister's "found" before us. So, the story is that they were doing doors and she invited them in, so they told the ward about how they found a new investigator. Then, members of the ward started describing her and said, oh, yeah we know her--she's already a member and apostacized years ago. So, we taught her the second lesson and she believes everything already, and we don't really know what to do about the baptism challenge--we don't know if she has alzheimer's or what.
There is also another lady Frau Pahl, who studies doctrine more than anyone I've ever met and won't get baptized and almost cried when we invited her to church. I don't know what happened there. Oh, and she told me some stories about living behind the wall, so I've realized my German is just as good as my Russian was, I can get the gist of what's being said, but I'm still not exactly sure. But, she did meet Hitler.
Then there is Herr Beitter who has one leg because he got hit by a train and he was shirtless with his gut hanging out during our appointment. He is going on vacation and promised to read the Book of Mormon! He said that it is possible that Joseph Smith was a prophet! Bah. We are so close!
Oh, and we were knocking on doors (klingle is what they say in German) and I got to see tons of people with only underwear on. I guess they don't wear pants when it's hot. Strange. I think that is most of the highlights of the week. Oh, and P-Days are Montags! Monday! Please send this along to Sister Curtis-the Branch President's wife at the MTC, she inspires me to work so hard, and my teachers Brother Blewitt and Sister Jones. Oh, and I have to use this e-mail. Mission rules.
I hope that you are having fun out there in the wild, eating fresh fish and lounging around. Yeah for urlaub-vacation! Have a wonderful day!
Love you!
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