Hey, how are ya?? (name that movie...ok I know you don't know, it's Sahara...funny stuff...)
ANYWAY, so Nordhausen is actually bigger than LA, people wise. Maybe similar a bit to LA and WR packed together area-wise, but with 35,000 or so. So I have heard. No idea really :P
Elder D is great. This is his third transfer here, now with me, so he was here for about 3 months before I got here. Time flies. Man. There are about 12-15 members, something like that. We have a senior couple set of missionaries, the Ms (sounds german but they're Amis...uh, Americans), and elder M. is the br. Pres. and Elder D is the first C. I will prolly be made 2nd C. sometime. Several old ladies, a young mother and two kids, and a guy or two who are partly active. It is a nice area though. The city is big enough to have all the comforts a missionary needs, and Elder and Sis M. take care of us right dandy. so it's good. And Elder Downing is a blast. His good old farty laughy self, but he can speak German this time! So it's alllll good.
You people are hilarious. Thanks for passing on your humor ;)
The Chirstmas party was a blast. The three lower zones all met together in the Leipzig stake center, and that was like 70 missionaries, and many of my good pals were there. Elder Ca and Elder Cl and I all hung out the whole time and exchanged witty banter and the like. It was a nice program and I met a lot of the newer missionaries down here in the training grounds, as it were. Up in Berlin we always joked that the skilled and veterans got to come to Berlin zone, where we were the cream of the crop, etc etc, and most of the new Goldens were sent down south at the beginning, to get their baptism of fire and prove their mettle so they could come up to Berlin. Haha so there were plenty of newer missionaries that I had never met before and it was fun getting to meet them and chat and stuff.
So did you get an email from the Pls specifically about me? Or was it one of those group things? Guess I'll just ask you when we talk later this week!
It hit -20°C here the other evening. Like around 18 or 19 'o clock or so. The thermometer in the phone in Elder D's pocket registered -11°C. FUN STUFF! We're doing our best to stay warm ;)
Em, I had a surprise A or two as well in my time at the Y. Like my Poli Sci 150 class. I hoped to pull a B...and at the end, BAM! Some sort of a 94 or 95 or whatever. Crazy. I for one ain't gonna ask questions...
Primary sounds like fun, Pops! better not get toooo comfortable there!I pulled out some money in Brandenburg (100 € =$147??? Freak!) to cover some Christmas costs, which ended up helping me get out here to Nordhausen, as the mission reimbursements system is jacked up lately, and then yes, I bought a new camera. It is beautiful. I wasn't thinking about the exchange rate so much, 150€ sounded a lot better in euros...but all my old camera equipment works with this new one, cuz it's also a Samsung, and overall it was a nice deal, I believe. I am quite satisfied with it, which is big for me and my buyer's regret syndrome. I just really needed a camera, especially over the holidays here...
Got your stuff at the party! Thank you! I may or may not have felt the Cd in the big envelope and fished out my jazz cd...and the other things. But I'm leaving the box 'til Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas, I have stuff for you all. Some nice stuff, I think. Noooooootttttt really gotten around to shipping it yet, cuz I only finished, uh, acquiring it all. I'll give you one clue though: 9 GB of pictures! Freut euch!
I love you all, but I need to write Präsident, and we'll talk on Friday anyway. And that'll be more fun than writing emails. So take care til Friday, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Love y'all. Be good. Tschüß!
Kraft und Ehre,
Elder Sterling Mason
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Arrived 12/14/2009
HI!
So. Big news. As I predicted I have been transferred. Right here before Chirstmas, hehe! Off to Nordhausen. About the most ostracized area in the mission...na ja, maybe not, but it's pretty much out there. Here's my new address:
I am going back with Elder D!!! Hahaha I am so stoked. I only trained the kid like 6 months ago...apparently the Lord sees fit to give me another chance...so it should be good. Very good.
We lost another engagement in the Ledgendary Battle of the Lamp--I mean, Wreaths? Dang! They're good, those rascals.
I am glad to hear my father is a bit of a showboat. As long as they remember that he made them laugh, while they were just asleep the rest of the time, that's a good thing, I think...
So I am sorely tempted to buy a new camera today while i am still in berlin cuz i am about to go off to the land of less than LA. Mine still ain'T hackin it and my good buddy elder clawson, who is a photographer, said it is prolly just toasted. like dead toasted. i am thinking of getting a sorta nice replacement as a bit of a christmas present to myself...yeah...
Elder Yoda, hehe, more like Präsident Yoda...maybe i ought to suggest that to Präs...''Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!''
So our party is on Friday. I think your things have definitely gotten there. I hope so...it should be fun though. The three lower zones, Erfurt, Leipzig, and Dresden, all meet in the Leipzig stake center. It is gonna be packed...with like 70 missionaries at least...
Man, Pops is just full of good ol Mason humor today...
Finals are rough, Em. And deep cleaning. Not my thing :P But you'll make it just fine. Just include New Girl in your roommatey activities and she'll slip into your circle. It'll work out. And you could have deep, long conversations while walking around campus, you know, confide your hearts in one another, and bond that way. *shrug*
Hang in there for crazy LA finaly, Tayto. Lucky you and your snow day...what classes are you even taking this year??
Well, the work has been rough in the past little while. I truly needed this transfer. Elder S and I get along fine, it's just i'm in some sorta rut here and i need some new surroundings. And Elder D's cheery attitude again :D So it really is inspired, I think.
I love you fam, I am so grateful for your support and prayers and letters and all that. I love you all. Please send my regards to Gram and Gramps this Christmas season, I'll see if I can get a letter or something off to them. Ok, take care, know that I love you, and next week i'll get you the number to call me. Bis dann! Love you!
---Elder Sterling Mason
So. Big news. As I predicted I have been transferred. Right here before Chirstmas, hehe! Off to Nordhausen. About the most ostracized area in the mission...na ja, maybe not, but it's pretty much out there. Here's my new address:
I am going back with Elder D!!! Hahaha I am so stoked. I only trained the kid like 6 months ago...apparently the Lord sees fit to give me another chance...so it should be good. Very good.
We lost another engagement in the Ledgendary Battle of the Lamp--I mean, Wreaths? Dang! They're good, those rascals.
I am glad to hear my father is a bit of a showboat. As long as they remember that he made them laugh, while they were just asleep the rest of the time, that's a good thing, I think...
So I am sorely tempted to buy a new camera today while i am still in berlin cuz i am about to go off to the land of less than LA. Mine still ain'T hackin it and my good buddy elder clawson, who is a photographer, said it is prolly just toasted. like dead toasted. i am thinking of getting a sorta nice replacement as a bit of a christmas present to myself...yeah...
Elder Yoda, hehe, more like Präsident Yoda...maybe i ought to suggest that to Präs...''Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!''
So our party is on Friday. I think your things have definitely gotten there. I hope so...it should be fun though. The three lower zones, Erfurt, Leipzig, and Dresden, all meet in the Leipzig stake center. It is gonna be packed...with like 70 missionaries at least...
Man, Pops is just full of good ol Mason humor today...
Finals are rough, Em. And deep cleaning. Not my thing :P But you'll make it just fine. Just include New Girl in your roommatey activities and she'll slip into your circle. It'll work out. And you could have deep, long conversations while walking around campus, you know, confide your hearts in one another, and bond that way. *shrug*
Hang in there for crazy LA finaly, Tayto. Lucky you and your snow day...what classes are you even taking this year??
Well, the work has been rough in the past little while. I truly needed this transfer. Elder S and I get along fine, it's just i'm in some sorta rut here and i need some new surroundings. And Elder D's cheery attitude again :D So it really is inspired, I think.
I love you fam, I am so grateful for your support and prayers and letters and all that. I love you all. Please send my regards to Gram and Gramps this Christmas season, I'll see if I can get a letter or something off to them. Ok, take care, know that I love you, and next week i'll get you the number to call me. Bis dann! Love you!
---Elder Sterling Mason
Monday, December 7, 2009
Arrived 12/6/09
Hello! Sup.
The first week has been ok. We are still out of contact with all our old investigators, but we have been working with this older woman to help her quit smoking. Problem is, she's moderately mentally handicapped, and just can't seem to get it through her mind how she is supposed to quit. But there is this other young guy named G who is a bit of a rebel but has shown some real interest in finding out if God is really there. So we've been trying to work with him but he works so much that finding a time is pretty hard. But I have high hopes for him. Elder S was gettin pretty depressed the past few weeks, cuz all our old golden-looking investigators have dropped off the map, and so we've been fighting through that. Na ja. I've seen worse :P
Hahaha, that was a cool story, Em. I remember getting a call one night from some of the girls in the ward asking if we couldn't somehow help them get one of their big trucks (it was known as The Beast) out of the snow. It was all snowed in in one of the parking lots there by the lady dorms. So I wrangled Danny and Josh and a couple other guys and we went and pushed this massive vehicle out of the snow. It was lots of fun. Didn't get brownies though :P
Actually it's been FREEZING for several days this past week. Not too bad today, but it's pday so we can wear whatever we want, and don't have to trudge around in suits and dress shoes...
Father, have you been listening to my Good Morning Maxfield CD??? I don't even remember most of those songs. I just heard them playing in front of the WiLK my first semester and thought they were great and so I bought a cd...
No progress on my camera yet. I ought to just take it into the local media place and see if they can detect a problem and recommend anything...but yes, I'll be sending 9 GB of pics home for Christmas, so be excited!
Let's see. I had a really good döner this past week. We eat döner maybe once a week, but this one was noteworthy. Have Taylor ask Fr. Boshier about Balli Döner in Berlin. They ARE all they're cracked up to be. What else cool happened...not too much, apparently...
I have been trying to overcome a cold for the past few days. Lots of juice and sudafed...
So on Saturday we get called and told what's happenin with transfers. I'll be sure to let you know what's going down! I have no idea what is gonna happen--though Präs keeps making jokes about how long I have been here...so we'll see.
I may have some things to send home for you along with pictures...stay tuned..
I am really kinda out of things to share, so I think I'll wrap up. I love you cats and thanks for all your support. I do have a favor to ask, when I know where I'm gonna be next transfer, if my address could get up on Facebook, I am getting letters from the office with my Werdau address on them that the Elders there just put into the office mail at Zokos and it takes about an extra 3-4 weeks for me to get them. So that yould be excellent *coughEmmacough* Please and Thank you! Hehe. Well you all have a great week, and I will hit you with Calling information as soon as I know where i will be. Love and Tschüß!
---Elder Sterling Mason, Brandenburg
The first week has been ok. We are still out of contact with all our old investigators, but we have been working with this older woman to help her quit smoking. Problem is, she's moderately mentally handicapped, and just can't seem to get it through her mind how she is supposed to quit. But there is this other young guy named G who is a bit of a rebel but has shown some real interest in finding out if God is really there. So we've been trying to work with him but he works so much that finding a time is pretty hard. But I have high hopes for him. Elder S was gettin pretty depressed the past few weeks, cuz all our old golden-looking investigators have dropped off the map, and so we've been fighting through that. Na ja. I've seen worse :P
Hahaha, that was a cool story, Em. I remember getting a call one night from some of the girls in the ward asking if we couldn't somehow help them get one of their big trucks (it was known as The Beast) out of the snow. It was all snowed in in one of the parking lots there by the lady dorms. So I wrangled Danny and Josh and a couple other guys and we went and pushed this massive vehicle out of the snow. It was lots of fun. Didn't get brownies though :P
Actually it's been FREEZING for several days this past week. Not too bad today, but it's pday so we can wear whatever we want, and don't have to trudge around in suits and dress shoes...
Father, have you been listening to my Good Morning Maxfield CD??? I don't even remember most of those songs. I just heard them playing in front of the WiLK my first semester and thought they were great and so I bought a cd...
No progress on my camera yet. I ought to just take it into the local media place and see if they can detect a problem and recommend anything...but yes, I'll be sending 9 GB of pics home for Christmas, so be excited!
Let's see. I had a really good döner this past week. We eat döner maybe once a week, but this one was noteworthy. Have Taylor ask Fr. Boshier about Balli Döner in Berlin. They ARE all they're cracked up to be. What else cool happened...not too much, apparently...
I have been trying to overcome a cold for the past few days. Lots of juice and sudafed...
So on Saturday we get called and told what's happenin with transfers. I'll be sure to let you know what's going down! I have no idea what is gonna happen--though Präs keeps making jokes about how long I have been here...so we'll see.
I may have some things to send home for you along with pictures...stay tuned..
I am really kinda out of things to share, so I think I'll wrap up. I love you cats and thanks for all your support. I do have a favor to ask, when I know where I'm gonna be next transfer, if my address could get up on Facebook, I am getting letters from the office with my Werdau address on them that the Elders there just put into the office mail at Zokos and it takes about an extra 3-4 weeks for me to get them. So that yould be excellent *coughEmmacough* Please and Thank you! Hehe. Well you all have a great week, and I will hit you with Calling information as soon as I know where i will be. Love and Tschüß!
---Elder Sterling Mason, Brandenburg
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