Servus!!

Guten Tag from München! (Munich)

 

Wow what a week. First off, I am going to gain 100 pounds while I am here. The food here is amazing! Ahh I forgot how much I loved it. Chocolate Croissants, Manner, the pizza, the Bratwurst....ahhh so delicious. If I come back 100 pounds heavier, don't be alarmed... hahah

I love being in Germany. I am so happy. This week has really been great. My Trainer/Companion is AMAZING!! I couldn't ask for someone better. The Lord really does answer prayers because she is wonderful. She is a hard worker, obedient, and so much fun. Her name is Sis. Stowell and she is from Oklahoma and has 3 months left of the mission!

I will be her last companion most likely. We have had so much fun together and we laugh a lot. We also have a lot of goals and things we want to accomplish while we are together. I expected to get here to the Germany/Austria area and just be miserable at first because that is what everyone told me, but I have really loved it. Don't get me wrong, it still has been dang hard. Everyday I do things that make me feel so uncomfortable and awkward, but then there are things that completely make up for it. Remember my motto that I had last year? "Do one thing that scares you everyday?" Well I have to do 100 things that scare me everyday. It is an adventure that is for sure.

O MEINE GUTE!! You know the Eakers in our stake?? Jordan Eaker, who I was on youth committee with is in the same mission as me, and he serves in the same ward as me. hahah Crazy huh?? We are going to be seeing each other a lot and it is weird, fun, and nice to see a familiar face.

Well there is just so many people and things to talk about and not enough time. I feel so lucky because I get to be here for a baptism next Sunday. One of the girls we teach is named Birko. She is 24 and is just so amazing. I only met her this past week but I love her so much already. She is getting baptized next Sunday and we are so excited. I am giving the talk on Baptism too and I am kinda freaking out (because it has to be in German) but I am so happy for her. Her testimony of this gospel is so strong and she is ready. She used to be a partier and did crazy things but she has completley turned her life around. She is better than a lot of members! It is wonderful.

Something I have loved about being a missionary is the love you feel for other people. You truely love them and care for them and want to help them. It is different than just typical love, it is Christ's love. It is cool.

So German is coming along okay and a lot of times I just nodd my head and smile, and act like I understand:) haha I am understanding more and more each day. I love German and I am excited to learn more.

Also literally I am cold 24/7 here. It has been snowing a lot and German people don't really like heating their houses and buildings I guess?? haha Literally I am a frozen icecle every day. It is just so crazy how different the cultures are. But since it is so cold I am going to have to buy a warmer jacket. Hopefully we will have time to find one today.

Oh and one last thing!! I love my mission president and his wife! They are so great and came to church with us yesterday. I also bore my testimony in church which was scary but fun. They all said I spoke really good German. I think they say that to every new missionary - haha. Also we work a lot with the YSA and I love it. They want to go on splits with us a lot and help us which is great. I always think of you and dad. I hope yall can go on a mission one day and be over the YSA in another country, they would love yall!!

One funny story real quick! There is a lady from Vienna who loves the the Elders so much. She literally stalks them and she is probably 45 years old?  Her name is Frau Martina and she knows when the transfer days are and will show up to the train station in Munich so she can see all the Elders who are being transfered. She came on Thursday with bags full of stuff to give to the Elders. It was so hilarious. I was so happy I got to see her in the train station creepily walk towards the elders. Isn't that hilarious? I know I will be seeing her a lot more so I will keep yall posted with frau Martina stories.

Okay time is short and I gotta go!  I LOVE YALL!! I pray for yall everynight and I am so thankful to be yall's daughter:) (Goodness I say yall a lot)

PS- on a fun note, I walked into church on Sunday and my friend Robert from Vienna was there visiting his girlfriend!! I was so happy to see him. Here are pictures of us two. Robert asked if we could get you to post them on facebook so we can show everyone from study abroad and from Vienna.

Also, here are pictures of my apt!

LOVE YALL!!!

Elysse with Robert Degaspari- a friend of hers that she knew when she went on her study abroad to Vienna

Elysse and her new companion Sister Stowell

At the MTC!