Montag, Juli 4, 2011

Guten Morgen. Es ist Morgen jetzt aus Deutschland (Good morning. It is now morning in Germany.).

Well first things first! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! 235 YEARS OF FREEDOM! You guys better enjoy this great day, because we aren't in America to enjoy it. It’s all good though. I decorated my planner out for this special day. Everyone here thinks it’s weird how Americans love their country so much. Elder Szvoboda thought it was so weird that I said I would do anything for my country. It’s surprising, too, how some people don't know the scriptures and how they talk about America. My 2 international comps (i.e.: companions) so far, had no idea what 1 Nephi 13 talked about and such! I have had to put some people in to place and show them scriptures about America, and they had no idea (lol). These people are members, too. I guess we Americans can only really understand, because they don't live there.

Well that’s pretty metal that your (Mom) emailing me from the beach. How’s the weather like? It got hot for Germany this past week and it got up to 35° and 37°C. It felt like 81-84°F. But now it feels really good. It’s been, like, 27°C. So it’s nice, and I believe we're going biking with Reimund today, so that’s going to be awesome. He calls me Kämpf Maschine (‘Fighting Machine’) - und dann er nannt Elder Szvoboda Kämpf Meister ( - and then he called Elder Szvoboda ‘Fighting Master’). He is so funny. He gave me that name because last time when we were riding, which was on Saturday, I broke the chain. Thank goodness we were pretty much back at his house when it happened. Then Elder Szvoboda put two holes in a tire in a week, so he calls him Kämpf Meister (‘Fighting Master’).

Things in Offenburg are good. We had 3 investigators at church yesterday. Frau Schulze, Reimund, and then a lady named Lucia. Frau Schulze wanted to go up and bear her testimony yesterday, but she ran out of time :/. Like, right when she was going to go up Präsident (President) Ehret got up to start giving the closing announcements, but he said how those who didn't get to bear their testimony this week can in the next testimony meeting, so Frau Schulze is excited for the next testimony meeting. She loves coming to church so much. She doesn't even come and talk to us at church anymore, because she's off talking with members. Then she rides with a member to church, too, which is sick. She gets so excited when we talk about the Temple. She wants to go to the Temple after she is baptized, so she can be baptized for her son who passed away about a year ago.

Well, Schwester Kunz wasn't able to be baptized yesterday, and it could be a few weeks now till she can because she is having surgery on her hip. She won't be able to move a lot for a little bit. Matthew, Stephane, and Bolaji are doing great. They’re preparing for baptism, and it’s awesome. I love meeting with them. They always have questions and stuff and it’s awesome. None of them came to church yesterday because they were all out of town. Then Reimund is doing sweet, too. He understands so much. He says he is always happy, too, when he meets with us. He listens to the Book of Mormon on cd. Then we just read out of the Book of Mormon at lessons and he just listens, and then we just talk about it. It’s so much fun riding bikes with him, too.

This upcoming week, on Wednesday, I'm going to Switzerland again to meet with my new Mission President, Präsident (President) Miles. I have actually already spoken to him once on the phone, because we had to call him about a few things. But ya, he sounds like an awesome dude and I get to go to Switzerland again. I love Swiss German. I can only say a few words in Swiss German, but it sounds so cool. So I'm pretty stoked for that. Then the next time I email you, I will be done with my first transfer! Transfers are normally every 6 weeks, but this one is 7 weeks since we're getting a new Mission President. But the next transfer will be only 5 weeks, and then back to the normal 6 week transfers. Love ya, Peace.

[ Elder Kümmel | Elder Caraway ]

P.S.  I forgot to tell you, I got a letter from the CTR 7 Primary class. Which was nice of them. Let them know how much I enjoyed it. Then, if people don't get letters from me, sorry ... I have, like, no time to do anything besides missionary work. I love it, staying crazy busy all the time. It’s going by too fast. I've already been in Germany for 6 weeks! Anyways, auf wiederluege (Swiss version of auf wiedersehen ... which means, goodbye).

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