Was für Sinn?

Hallo Hallo,

Welcome to another issue of the latest news of my mission in Germanland. And it has come to my attention that I having been sending "sermons" every week. I am sorry if it has come across that way. It is simply the things I have found out or learned of whilst on my mission. They are the things of which I am truly grateful to be on a mission for. And sorry if you think I am having a bad time or if you believe that I am not having any fun. I assure you that all is well. And that plenty of good times have already been had. But that is not the main focus of my mission in the least. So sorry in that accordance and I will try to talk more about the day to day life of my mission and answer some questions that have been sent to me. So let’s get to it. 

So first let’s talk about some of the differences between Germany and the U.S. If you were to ask me which one I prefer so far. I would without a doubt say the U.S. Now don't get me wrong now that is not to say that I don't like Germany because I do. Both countries are modern and you can get anything you could ever really imagine. Except for random things that are a little but harder to find like peanut-butter, Kraft Mac and Cheese (nadda nothin zipp) and other stuff that you thought would be in any first world country. And also if you didn't already know Germany is the bureaucratic capital of the world. Anything even remotely close to government work, you better expect to sign some papers (possibly with your own blood)*joke* and show every single legal document to show who exactly you are and where you come from and then end it all with a stamp. And even today I got a bill in the mail for a radio tax. I'm getting taxed for the radio, of which I don't even listen to....sigh. Haha but yeah Germany is cool it’s just not the U.S. Things are different here in Europe that is for sure. 

Okay next we shall talk about my living conditions. So I live in an apartment with 3 other Elders. The other companionship being the Zone Leaders or as sometimes we like to call them the Zone Lords or Zone Slaves depending on the day which sometimes makes me and my companion the Assistant-Zone-Slaves *joke again*. Haha but yeah or apartment is pretty nice. It actually kind of scares me because I get the feeling like I will end up in a not so good apartment in my next area. And I will be so used to our nice apartment that has a washer/dryer, dishwasher, and relatively nice living space that I will not be so enthused by my next living space. I will have to send some pictures next time. Oh yeah and we have a microwave, fridge, and indoor plumbing in case you were wondering. Even though for one week we had nothing but cold water for some reason, which I think ending up being a cruel joke on part of someone who was on companion exchange in our apartment and flipped the water heating switch off. So I had to battle the cold water every night to the great entertainment of everyone in the apartment. 

Okay now let’s talk about transportation and places I have gone to while on P-day. So transportation is pretty awesome in Germany, I will definitely give Germany that. Not every missionary in Germany uses bahns and buses. In smaller Dorfs they use bikes and in big empty parts of the mission which is in the Oldenburg area and a few others they get cars. But here in Hannover we use the many different types of trains almost exclusively, hardly ever needing to use a bus. And all we need to do is pay 99 euro for our Monatskarte. And we can use any bus and any train within the 4 zones of Hannover which is pretty huge so definitely worth the price. Not to mention I could take a train to Hamburg for only 19 euro and it will only take a little more than an hour, which is pretty impressive. So with this vast system of transportation at our exposal we go to see castles in the area and some of the cool parts of Hannover itself like Größen Garten and the botanical gardens and things here and there, Innenstadt is pretty impressive to and can get basically anything we would ever need there. We usually wander around there during P-days.

Now let’s finish with something easy. What I eat usually during the week. So on P-days we and by that I mean the other missionaries will usually get a dönner which is basically a turkish gyro. They are pretty good and probably really hard to find in America. And then at least twice a week we will be fed by the members in the ward. Always with the Knabe Familie on Thursdays which everyone tries to bring an investigator for and then on Sundays with whatever member that signed up for that day. But really I don't eat that much differently than from what I did in America. Like today we bought frozen pizzas, noodle gratin, bottles of sauce for spaghetti, sandwich stuff, cereal, and some garlic bread, and a few other things. Me and my last companion would often eat Bratwurst boiled potatoes and gravy, and Rotkohl once or twice a week. But yeah not terribly different from what I would eat in America. OH yeah and chocolate lots and lots of chocolate and other good candies. Oh and can't forget kiba and banana juice and other great drinks like that, that aren't really in America. 

But yes, indeed, that is a quick little view of the not so glamorous life of a missionary. The best of experiences happen during the lessons and the personal study. They truly do. Oh and can't forget the baptisms which I didn't really have time to talk about today. She wasn't my investigator but most of us missionaries in Hannover had a close relationship with her. She even asked me to give the talk at her baptism, it was that or the confirmation haha which I thought was a little more important.





But alas my time is up. I hope all is going well as always. And I keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers always. 

Tschüss,

Elder Foster