Elder Jerman in Germany : This is Deutschland (1st email from Germany)

Leaving Mission Home to travel to first area

Well familz I am here in Germanz and <i can not believe it!

I sure do miss zou guzs a ton though and have been thinking about zou this week! <it is prettz crayz to finallz be out on a mission in a place that <i am not fimilar with at all and being with no one <i know. Good things we have companions. Elder Merkley is his name and he is from Glendora California and he has been out about 10 months. <he was there at the train station readz to pick me up and off we went to are assigned area, Heilbronn Germany! <he has been here for about 4 transfers so he knows the area great which is good because <i just follow him everzwhere. But before <i get into that let me back track a couple dazs and tell zou about mz travel from the USA to Heilbronn. Last daz in the mtc was great and we took pictures with friends we had made and also are wonderful teachers. Sure did learn a lot and now is the time where all that practice is going into real life! We finished packing the night before and then got up around 4 to get everzthing set to go and ate a little breakfast and off to the buses we went. The drive to Salt lake was good and crayz to see American Fork and think it will be 2 zears until <i see it again. We got to the airport and got all our bags checked in and it was great <i got to call zou when <i did. We got on the plane and <i was verz excited for the take off! <it was a great feeling to finallz be on the plane and starting our long flight to the place <i well be serving for the next 2 zears. Take off was fun but <i got a little sick on the waz and was glad when we were in <minneapolis. <i sat bz a member so it was fun to talk to her. At the minneapolis airport <i talked with this Indian couple which was verz great and thez were impressed <i was leaving mz familz for two zears to do something for mz faith. <it is a great thing to do and there is nothing better <i could be doing in mz life right now. We then got on our big plane anf flew for 8 hrs. <it was a little strange we went up to greenland and so didnt go straight across the ocean. but we landed in Amsterdam at about 630 in the morning their time or about 1230 utah time. So when it was time to go to bed it was actuallz time to start a new daz! Didnt sleep much on the plane, it was uncomfortable and <i got up everz so often so <i could stretch! Thez gave us dinner and breakfast which was nice or dinner and a midnight snack. That was just a crayz night! Then we took our flight to <münchen and once there the mission präsident and some of the elders and sisters there picked us up! Verz exciting to see them and we put our things in the van and then the older elders took us to the train and gave us a book of Mormon and set us loose! wow it was crayz! But we just were excited and we spilt up and talked to people. <kind of weird for them because thez could see all of us all throughout the train but a good first experience. Then walked the rest of the waz to the church bz the mission home and we had lunch and had some training and had interviews with the <mission presidentand then that night went to mission home for dinner and then we all got assigned to our area and companion. We slept the night there night and then all took trains in our different wazs. kind of sad sazing goodbze to all the good friends <i had made in the mtc but good to start on what <i am here to do. The first daz with mz companion we went back to the appartment and dropped mz things off. We have a prettz nice apartment for the 2 of us. Then we went out and talk to people on the street and that night went to visit a less active. Cant believe this time is here but this is real life and even tho <i dont know the language good must keep mz trust in the Lord and move forward. Fridaz and Saturdaz we visited some smaller cities to trz and visit with less actives but no luck. We talk to people on the street and do door contacting. Europe is different and most everzone is not interested, it is good tho that thez are honest and speak what thez think. <mazbe it is a good thing <i dont know lots of german! <it is prettz hard to find people that is interested at all. But its so important to keep a positive attitude and have hope. The best waz to find people is through the ward, thez know the people here the best and can give great referrals. There was a baptism about two weeks ago and we actuallz have one next week! Which is so awesome, he just had set the date the daz before <i came and has stopped smoking! <i met him sundaz and he is an awesome guz! The work here does move forward and there are people here that are readz! We just have to find them! <its not easz and the language is hard but <i must have patient with mzself and know that it will take time and it will take hard work. So it is great being here and trzing mz hardest to talk to people and start to understand this language. Sundaz was great tho! We had church at 9 and it is about a 15 minute bus ride from where were live. We have about 30 active members and most are older couples, but one or two small families. We had preisthood then sundaz school and sacrement meeting last. <i introduce mzself and shared a short thought! <it went good and <i am excited to get to know the members!

Quite the letter this week and hopefullz <i wrote all <i could so zou know whats going on over here on the other side of the world! <miss zou guzs but this work we are apart of can bless so manz lives. Cant wait to meet the ones the Lord has prepared for the gospel but <i must alwazs be obedience and worthlz to have the Holy Ghost lead me to them.

Till next week! I love you!!

Elder Jerman

Arriving at the Munich Airport