I think that the last time I posted everyone was before I left the Missionary Training Center (MTC) so I will tie that off and then update you on the happenings across the pond.
My last Sunday at the MTC we had a mission conference. Members of the MTC presidency and their wives spoke on various subjects including women in the priesthood, temples, prophets, etc. That afternoon we had a testimony meeting. Not many people who got up to bear their testimony even tried to speak auf Duetsch...I was kind of disappointed. That night the MTC Administrative Director spoke again and had more converts come up to the podium and share their conversion stories. I thought it was a great idea. Peoples' conversion stories are amazing. Before going to bed we watched "Mountain of the Lord" which I have seen a couple of times but it is such a good film on the construction of the Salt Lake temple. It explains why we have temples so well.
Last Monday was my last full day in the MTC. We got time in the morning to do laundry and pack. in class that day, both Sister Judd and Bro. Garlick shared experiences from their missions and wished us luck. That night our zone sang "God Be With You Til We Meet Again". Our district got together before bed and gave priesthood blessings to each other. That was a special experience. Here's a picture of my teacher, Bro. Garlick:
The missionaries going to Frankfurt were up and gone by 0400 Tuesday morning. We left at 0600 and jumped on the train from Provo to south Salt Lake, then Trax to the airport. It was choas trying to switch trains with 25 peoples' luggage. Fortunately we got everyone to the airport in one piece. Elder Pilling and I were the first to check in and be at our gate. I checked my second bag at the gate and avoided the $100 fee that everyone else had to pay. Dad has taught me well ;) I had two hours to call the fam! I had a great time talking to Dad and Mom and Brit and was able to leave Hana and Patton and Emma voicemails. The flight to Seattle was a quick one. I was smushed in between Elders Pilling and Perkins though. I did not sleep because I wanted to give myself every opportunity to fall asleep on the long flight. When we got to Seattle, there was just enough time to grab a burger and get to the gate before they were boarding. I did not enjoy the nine hour flight from Seattle to Amsterdam. Despite my preparation, I was unable to sleep a wink. We only had about enough time between flights to go through customs in Amsterdam. For some reason I set off the scanner so they had to pat me down. The flight to Berlin was super short. I finally was able to fall asleep but that was only for 30 minutes. We got to Berlin, got our baggage, and the mission president and his wife, the Kosaks and the Assistants to the President (APs) were waiting outside for us!
The Kosaks are so awesome!!! The first thing President Kosak said to me was, "Elder Germann, hello! How is the Air Force? I have showed the video of you opening your mission call to everyone!" LOL how did he get that? Anyways, they're great and the APs are nice. One is Swiss and one is from PA. They took us straight to a chapel in Berlin. By this time its Wednesday and I did not really sleep. We had a little welcome devotional, then they split us into groups. First, I went and took care of my finances and paperwork. Then I went out and did my first finding with an Elder serving in Berlin, Elder Hogan. He has been out about a year and a half and is from downtown Boston. At that point I was a zombie, so tired, so I did little to no talking at all. Only one guy stopped to talk to us. He had questions prepared to try to stump us and they didn't even make sense. He was saying something like, well if God created everything then he created the devil and therefore he is the devil. Elder Hogan was like uhhhhhh no. The man took a contact card though so maybe he will call. Afterwards, I went back to the chapel and interviewed with President Kosak. It sounds like he is very impressed with me and expects good things. I gave him an AF golf shirt which he was reluctant to take but was very grateful. (He said he wore it on Thursday morning during his exercise!) At about 1900 they took us to a hotel and said be ready at 1100 in the morning.
I slept for 13 hours and was still tired Thursday morning. We got up and had breakfast at the next-door cafe. A bus came at 1100 and took us back to the chapel where we met our trainers. My trainer is Elder Meeks from Mission Viejo, CA. He has been out for 19 months and this is his first time training. He is very knowledgable and I can tell that I can learn a lot from him. We are still warming up to each other. His last companion went to the Coast Guard Academy so he's just been getting lucky with all of the military companions. We are assigned to Magdeburg, about 2 hours SW of Berlin. There are two other elders in the city with us in a different apartment, Elder Stringham and ELDER MORTON, my MTC companion! I just can't get rid of him ;) just kidding. Also, Elder Pilling is companions with our district leader! So we will see each other all of the time. We rode the train down and got to our Wohnung (apartment) on Martinstraße. It is very nice, not very old. It looks like an apartment out of IKEA. We have our own little kitchen, bathroom, a good sized living room where there is a couch and our desks, and then we have a bedroom. We also have a washer AND a dryer which dryers are not common in missionary Wohnungs. Thursday afternoon, I unpacked at the Wohnung and then we met Elders Morton and Stringham for dinner. I had my first Döner which is a momentous occation for missionaries. It's the German version on a falafel. Personally, I like falafels better but the Döner is good. Here are some pics of the apartment:
Yesterday was my first Sunday in Deutschland. Magdeburg has a small branch, only about ten men in priesthood meeting. I understood about half of what was said. Fortunately I understood when they asked Elder Morton and I to come up and bear our testimonies since we're new. The members are so nice though. The branch president is actually a transplant from another ward. His son taught Sunday School. There is also a senior couple in Magdeburg, Elder and Sister Romney. I think he said he and Mitt are second cousins or something. They're very nice though. We ate dinner at the branch president's home, about a thirty minute train ride away. We had roladen--sausage wrapped in cabbage. I am not a cabbage guy but it was good. I didn't say much cause I really can't. President Steiger was the only one in the family to speak English well.
Today is Preparation day (P-day) and then tonight we have a dinner appointment with a new member family in the area. Should be fun.
Initial impressions of Germany: I love it. It is sweater weather everyday right now--overcast, sprinkles here and there. I am getting used to riding trains everywhere. We have bikes but Elder Meeks says we will rarely have need for them. The area I am in was part of East Germany so many of the buildings are very very stark. There are abandoned factories everywhere. Graffitti is everywhere. It's legal because its considered art. Everyone smokes. I have the worst headache right now in this internet cafe. I'm having lots of fun though. I've hit that wall where I don't understand a lot and I can hardly form a sentence. People have some strong accents. I'm studying hard though.
I'm looking forward to teaching my first lessons this week!
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