Week 7: HALLO VON WEISBADEN!!!

Oh my goodness, Germany is just WUNDERBAR!:  Wonderful!!

I can't even believe that I am here.  There is so much that has happened in the last couple days that everything feels like a blur, but I will try to keep you updated the best that I can!  So, for starters ... I handed out two Book of Mormons on my first day!!  Whoo hoo!!!  So exciting!  The first one was actually a small English one I got from the book store and it was to a man from BRAZIL!  Yup, good thing I know all of two sentences in Portuguese.  That was fun!  We talked to a Jehovah's Witness and man, those guys are so strong in what they believe.  But, he was very nice.  He said I needed to become like him ...  Ha ha, it was funny.

I love the people here so so much already; they are just so wonderful!  They are a little bit of  'grumpy elves', but that's okay, I can fix that.  I smile at people on the street and they kinda stare at me ... funny stuff.  I said, "Hi, how are you today?" to a lady on the bus and she was like, "Do I know you?"  Apparently you don't say that to people unless you know them.  But then I told her I was an American, and she understood.  Also, an old lady at a bus-stop was talking to us, and she looked at me and talked to me for a while about how pretty I was.  Ha ha ... she was sooo cute, and little.  It was happy.

Apparently we have the nicest apartment in the Zone!!!!  SAY WHAAAA!!?!  Blessings are everywhere.  The only "flaw" is it is on the fifth floor with no elevator.  So, that's a happy workout for me!  It'll keep me from getting fat with all the chocolate I'm eating here!  It is cloudy and sorta rainy every day, so that will be something I'll have to get used to, but it'll be a great experience.

We have 6 people in Weisbaden:  4 elders (two are in the American Army ward), the other two are out on the streets, and we sisters cover both areas, which is quite a lot to do!  I am also a Zone leader on my first transfer, although that doesn't mean too much.  It just means I get a phone, but it is hard because everyone calls in German!  We only have one elder that is a native from Germany.  He is so funny.  When Sister Taylor and I have a conversation with someone on the trains when he is there, he watches me and laughs because I just kinda smile and nod my head and pretend like I know what they are saying, when he knows I don't have a clue!

So ...  The first night in the apartment I was plugging in my electric blanket.  I had some converters, so I was all set.  My companion asked if I was going to use a surge protector.  I said, "I don't think I need one," and she was like, "Um, ya ... I'm not sure."  Well, yup ... we needed one!  The power shut off in our room and my blanket is now DOA (dead).  Whoops ... lesson learned there!

OH!  Best part ever!  I got to see Elder Ballard TWICE in my FIRST WEEK!!   It was so beyond amazing! The first time was with the 250 missionaries in Frankfurt in a small church, and I was in the 4th row!!  It was my 3rd day and I was so tired, and I think he knew because I swear he looked right at me a couple times.  I tried to keep my eyes open as wide as I could.  Wow, it was just amazing!

I know now more than ever this is where I am supposed to be.  The Mission is just so wonderful already.  I know I still don't speak well, but it is just so fun!  We have a sister from COLUMBIA(!) and everyone can't understand her, so I spoke to her in Spanish.  It was awesome!  I don't speak very good Spanish, but I understood her and she got so excited.  She was so sweet.  Trains are a way of life here ... and buses.  I just hope I can catch onto how they work and don't get lost.  But I love talking to people on the bus because, well, they can't really run from you for at least a stop or two!  The only thing I miss from the US so far is water and milk, other than that Germany is so much cooler.

Oh! ... and last thing for this email.  I got to see a baptism on Saturday, so that was great.  They don't baptize too much here, but we can change that!!  These people are so great and they don't know it but, they are ready to hear the Gospel.  I am so blessed to be here.  Everyone in my Zone is excellent and I am just so blessed to be here.  Well, I'm sure I've talked your ears off.  For those who read the whole blog ... GOOD JOB!  Sorry if I'm super boring.  I hope everyone has a great week and if you need something to read, read:  Alma 34 ... serious life-changing stuff in there for me.

TSCUSS!!!

Sister Brown