Family!! Hamilton, happy birthday!! yea its late but obviously there isnothing I can do about that ha. Hi everyone! I'm in
Germany now, and so excited. I got here tuesday afternoon at 12 so...tuesday morning 4am utah's time. So pretty much
a 24 travel time since we left the mtc at 430am monday morning. Leaving the mtc was really weird. I made lot of really
good friends there and it was harder to say bye then I thought it would be. That was only after 3 weeks or so, I can't
imagine how its going to be after 23 months in germany. Good thing I don't have to do that for a really long time. Getting here was cool, the 2 other elders and 1 sister I traveled with were so in awe seeing germany, driving the the
presidents house, and hearing german all around you instead of english. It was weird for me because...it wasn't new or
weird being here. I didn't get that feeling you think you'd get arriving at your mission in another country. It was
more like cool I'm back in germany, time to work. I guess thats lucky though. New missionaries here are called Goldens
not greenies, and I didn't really go through that golden phase as they called it. Its really nice already being able
to speak german. I remember how it was getting to hannover my little bit and how depressing it was not understanding
or being able to speak. On a mission it would be way worse! So yea, I'm glad the lords blessed me in the ways he has to
prepare me for my mission. My first night here we went to the Brandenburg gate and did some finding (talk to everyone about the church, try to
get names; numbers, addresses and appointments). It was so weird!!! Our trainers were not there yet so we were just
the presidents assistance and 2 sisters serving in that area. I went with Elder Loynes from England to find. It was
crazy he would just walk up to people and go 'I know that god lives today and that his church is on the earth again. He
calls prophets and they lead and guide us' or 'I know god loves you and that he wants to you to be happy in this life'
and lots of other ways he did it. I was thinking you cant just walk up to people and blast them with all this stuff!
Thats what we did though, and it was fun. We got everything from really interested people taking everything we said to
really good, to people like thanks but no thanks, to get out of here but in different terms ha. It was funny seeing all
the peoples different reactions. I was shocked by some of the things people would say to us ha but then shocked that
people actaully do stop and really want to hear what you have to say. I was real nervous to go finding at first and
still am a little bit but thats one of the biggest parts of this mission apparently. The mission presidents keeps
saying 'we find, we teach, we baptize, we keep.' Everyday when you don't have something going on, we go finding! I'm
starting to like it a lot. We got our companions on wednesday night at the presidents house. My companion is Elder Killpack from sandy, ut. He's
from st. louis, missiouri mostly but lived in sandy the last couple years before his mission. He's way cool though. He
has no fear when we go finding and is comfortable talking to everyone. His german is really good and he is a way good
teacher, I'm learning tons from him. He has been out about 16 months now I think. I finally got to look at the blog
mom is keeping which is way cool. In that picture with all us missionaries in Leipzig though, he is like the 3rd elder
to my right I think. The one with the red hair. We got along really well and I'm excited to serve with him. Our area
is the Schwarzenberg/Annaberg-Buchholz area. Its the most southern part of the mission I think, up in the mountains and
right next to the czech border. Its beautiful here though, lots of little towns down in valleys, a few casltes, old
catholic churches, pine trees everywhere, and lots of snow to top it all off. Its the best place to be over christmas,
at least thats what everyones been telling me. I can see why too, the christmas atmosphere is really big and the
christmas markets here and the best in the mission. Although its also the coldest place in the mission. The last two
days it was -18 C...i'm not sure what that is converted but I thought I was going to die. I got a really good
companion and a sweet area! The people here are really cool too, and the wards are awesome. This used to just be the
Schwarzenberg area but the missionaries in Annaberg-Buchholz got moved to a different area so now we have both cities.
So we do have a car luckily. Two cities, to wards, twice the people. So we are pretty busy trying to do stuff in both
cities. My first day here was last thursday. We were in Annaberg and members had written their testimonies in copies of the
book of mormon, then we wrapped them up in wrapping paper, went to the christmas market and handed them out. We gave
out 10 copies in about 30 minutes. It was so fun. We'd just tell people we wanted to give them a present since it was
christmas time. Then we'd tell them a little bit about it and most would take it! We had 2 appointments right after
that so we got the 2 memebers that came with us and split and went and taught. So my first lesson wasn't even with my
companion ha. I had never taught in german before and was way nervous. It was really cool though, I could understand
almost everything and I taught as much as I could. Then last night Elder Killpack and I were back in Annaberg to watch
the rebroadcast of the First Presidency christmas message but we had some time before. So we got the last 2 wrapped
books of mormon and went to hand them out. I said a quick prayer while getting out of the car hoping that we would be
guided to 2 people that would need it most right now and that they would accept it. Then I caught up with elder
killpack and we started down the street. We walked past a few people which was weird because usually killpack talks to
everyone but then this girl came and he talked to her and she was way excited and took it. Then a girl came walking
right after and I talked to her about it real quick and gave her the book. We gave out those books in like 20 seconds
it was crazy. ELder Killpack said he had never seen anything like it. Everything is just going really good. I'm picking up the german again. Except here in the Erzgiberge they speak crazy
german. Its a total different dialect and so hard to understand! They mumble and mix everything and pronouce things
way different. I have to like keep myself from laughing when we talk to some people because it sounds so funny. The
people here and nice and the members feed us lots which is always good. Elder Killpack and I were reading the
christmas ensign this morning during study. We read Elder Eyrings talk and want you all to read it too. Our family is
the most important thing to me. That longing we feel to be with family for christmas, we feel to be with them forever
as well. Through Christ we have a way to make sure our family will be together forever. Its almost like one of those
primary answers or things that I never really thought about. Realizing the significance of this is huge though. I can't
imagine not being able to be with the our family for eternity. I don't know how it all works, but we all need to do our
best to make sure we are all together. That alone is motivation for me to do my best to live the gospel. One of the members in the Schwarzenberg ward, Sister Zimmermann, is letting us call from her house on christmas day!
Elder killpack is going to use her phone and she said I can use skype on her computer! I dont know if she has a camera
or not but I'll be able to see you guys at least ha if she doesnt. Her email address is brigittezimmermann1@t-online.de
so add her on skype by friday. We are going to call at 5 here so 9am friday utah time. I hope everybody is doing really good and I hope christmas week will be good. Remember to focus on Christ! I think its
John 14:27 (if its not, im sorry. i dont have my scriptures here). The peace we get from christ should be the main
focus and is the biggest gift. Like President Monson said in the christmas devotional. The spirit of christmas, is the
spirit of Christ. Thats a feeling we should have the whole year and not just during the christmas season. Have a good week everyone! be positive, be happy! I love you all, thanks for everything. I will talk to you on friday! Elder Puriri
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