November 29,2010

Its monday! So, yeah, theres alot of snow (naturally), but luckily its not too bad or cold. Thanksgiving was fun. We made a duck, biscuts and I had a croissant. It was pretty fun. Ill send pictures at some point. We've also had alot of rain too. But yeah. So Ive decided that Germany is awesome. The history of Weimar is intense. Hitler gave a speech here at the Hotel Elephant (i took a picture). I guess it was a pretty famous speech. I tried 3,8% milk, and im pretty sure its the greatest tasting milk ive ever had. I can actually drink it straight. So, Germany has 2 days of christmas! The 25th AND the 26th! By the way, we need to set up when im gunna call home. I found crispy M&Ms!!! I havnt seen them for like 12 years, because theyve been hiding in Germany! And they taste just as good as before! Im pretty sure im gunna marry a german girl. Its already set in my mind. So, like matt said, there is no peanut butter. Or bagels. Well, I did find peanut butter in one store, but its uber small and kinda expensive. But, yeah. Its awesome here. Im starting to understand alot of what people are saying, but I still need some translation. And speaking it is coming along very slowly. My comp. goes home in Feb., so he's almost done. We have transfers in like 4 weeks. Ill prolly stay here, but no one knows. So, one of our investigators is like the same age as us, and we basically have the same interests. My comp thinks that the sole reason im here in Weimar or the reason he's even training at all is to baptise him. He's an awesome guy, AND I GOT TO PLAY HIS GUITAR. I realized that I have forgoten almost everything. I tried a Döner today. It has alot of stuff in it that I dont usually eat, but it was amazing. I had rotkohl (red cabbage) on thursday. Its soo good. OH. so during our english class on wednesday, the ladys we teach asked me what "Elder" meant, and because my comp was fixing something on the other side of the room, I had to talk to them. He was trying to see how far I could translate and answer without him there, and i guess I did a pretty good job. Then we just talked about missionary work, which I guess has never happened before! It was pretty awesome. Oh, and we have a goal to get a baptisim by the end of the week. Its big, but Pres. wants each companionship to get a baptisim by the end of the month, which is pretty intense, but we'll see what we can do. Oh, and the dogs here are so well trained. People walk them everywhere without leashes and they are extremly obediant. Its like walking with another person. When I get a dog, Im training it here. So, im sorry I couldnt be home for tanksgivin. I got a little tied up. Did you dish out my address to people yet? I want people to talk to me :(.  Did you send my jacket and ipod? And ill look into boots at sometime soon. So far i'm doing pretty good. So, i'm not sure what to talk about, seeing as i'll be calling in like 4 weeks anyways. So, im pretty sure that Germany is 6 hours ahead of CT, so If I call at 8p.m. Germany time, would that would be 2 CT time? Would that be time enough for the guys to come over? Im not sure, you can do some of the planning too hahaha. So, yeah, I think thats everything for now OH WAIT so on sunday, there were like 17 people at church! thats pretty good, but alot of them dont go to our ward, so im not sure why they were there, but im not complaining. Um, yeah, so I think thats everything. If not, ill let you know. But, yeah. K, see ya later. Tchüß!

First letter from Germany

Hello, everyone. So, these german keyboards are really weird. The y and z is switched, and a bunch of other stuff. My p-day is on Mondays. Its snowing like crazy right now. And its cold. Ive only seen the sun once since ive been here. But, yeah. So the flight over was good. There was like no one on the plane, so we got to spread ourselves out. The in-flight meals were not too shabby. So, we got to Frankfurt at like 11, and President and Sis. Ninow met us there with the APs, and our group got split up: one went on the Bahn (in-city train) to talk to people and kind of see the city a little, and the other went to the mission office to start geting processed. I was with the Bahn group. It was rather exciting. And, amazingly, Germany looks just like the Northeast. So, after riding the train and talking to people (which was pretty cool), we went and got processed. Then had dinner at the Presidants house, then went to a hotel for the night. When we got up, I had probably one of the greatest breakfeasts ever. And it was all you can eat, and free. So i ate alot. Then, we went to the stake center in Frankfurt and met our trainers and went to our areas. My compainon is Elder Stradling from New Mexico. He has only a couple weeks left, so he really knows the language and how to do stuff. We get along great. He talks most of the time, because I dont know what anyone is saying ,lol. We are in Weimar, which is in Eastern Germany, so its only been free from communisim for like 20 years, which kinda makes missionary work a little difficult because everyone is so reserved. But when you talk to people, they're pretty nice. Our branch is small- only 10 people were at church yesterday. But, back to the other day. It´s a 2 hour train ride from Frankfurt to Weimar. And we have the biggest missionary distrikt in the Frankfurt mission. Everyone is a trainer, and I know most everyone in our distrikt, which means when we go on splits, it'll be with someone i was with at the MTC. Elder Anderson went to Dusseldorf, so I'll see him at zone confrence, which is being held in Nürnburg in like a week (its the christmas capital of the world), and we´ll be there for 2 days. But yeah. Weimars a decent-sized city. Theres like 60,000 people. Its been cloudy for my entire stay here. The pastrys are amazing. Oh, and i eat waffles like everyday. and they're better than eggo. So, I have to trade my cash in for Euros today. I have 180 dollars, and its useless. Im just gunna start writing random stuff now. We had subway the other day. I had to order by myself. It went pretty well I think. The members are really nice. One of them actually speaks english really well, so that was a relief, because no one in East Germany speaks english, unless they want to swear. I ride the bus and train like everyday. its fun. The styles here are crazy. I'll fit in fine when I come back. EVERYONE HAS A GUITAR. it makes me sad. My bike seat is too high, so we have to fix it. Theres techno blasting everywere. Its awesome. It costs alot to use computers. We´re in a casino right now, because these are the closest available computers. Germany is almost completly reversed from america from morals. America is all about violence and shuns sex. Germany is all about sex and shuns violence. We have to be careful where we look, cuz theres porn almost everywhere. The Weinachtsmarkt (christmas market) is being set up. Its soo awesome. And it smells amazing. The croissants here are the best ever. Alcohol-free beer doesnt taste very good, BUT i found a brand that does, so its all good. Theres 2 alcohol indicators on bottles, and we check both of them, so dont worry. we´re still being good lol. Did you know I can't speak german? Or understand it? I didnt haha. I had to kinda give a little intro to me in sacrament, and everyone said I have a really good accent. So i just need to know more words. Or they were making me feel better. So, contrary to what people think, the Autobahn has speedlimits EVERYWHERE. BUT, there are some spots were it doesnt. We´re just supposed to not go past 120 km. But we dont have a car, so it doesnt matter. I think I might get mcdonalds today, but im not sure. The members give us coupons, so we should use them up. Our apartment is really nice. It has a washer AND dryer! a lot dont have that. Theres a concentration camp a little ways from us, so we´re gunna go visit that soon. Despite popular belief, Germans do NOT celebrate Thanksgiving, but we are gunna cook a duck or something at home, and have a turkey bowl with the other mics in our distrikt. Yeah, so heres our address so you can send me mail and other stuff:

Elder Alex R. Madore

Kirche Jesu Christi HLT

So, speaking of mail, send that to everyone or put it on my facebook. MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET IT. And I need you to send me 2 things: My ipod (which we can have, I did ask), and My denim jacket with the black hood (which we can also have). Send them together, and put the ipod in a pringles jar (people dont care for pringles). That should be all I need for now. But, yeah. Its awesome here. Im excited. And, we gotta go get more food and walk around and buy stuff. I think thats everything, so now you can send me stuff! Keep telling me about home and stuff haha. emails are good. so are letters. But, yeah, im gunna go now. Tchüß!

Carl-Von-Ossietzky Str. 30

99423 Weimar

GERMANY

November 11, 2010

Its Thursday again. And I regret to inform you that I will NOT be going to Germany. They've changed my/our mission around because Germany just had some big trouble with US visas, so I'll be going to the England, North mission. That includes northern England and Scotland. I have to stay here for another 2 weeks to work out some stuff. . JUST KIDDING BAHAHAHAHA. Im still on for Monday. Today is the last time I will be emailing in the USA. On Tuesday we heard from ElderDavid A. Bednar. Did you know he served his mission in Southern Germany? Oh, and me and my companion got to talk to him as they were driving away at the end. It was cool I guess... We got to hear 4 apostles in a row. I guess that hasnt happened in an extremly long time, so all our teachers were jealous of us. We got our flight plans last Friday, and they are as follows:

 

4 A.M.- Go to the Travel Office to get important stuff

We take a bus from the MTC to SLC

From there, our flight group will take the 7:52 flight to Chicago (we're flying Lufthansa, which is the same airline Pres. Uchtdorf flies...and its all German)

We'll get to Chicago around 12, and we have a 4 hour lay-over

Then, around 4, we fly from Chicago to Frankfurt, and we'll get to Frankfurt around 7 A.M. on Tuesday..so we'll be in the air for 15 hours.

And Im not sure if our Mission President meets us there. I know the first day we'll stay at the Mission home in Frankfurt, then on Wed. we'll take a car or the train to our first area.

 

    Thats about it. Me and my companion are on 2 different flights, so we'll see each other in Chicago, and thats it. I'll get a new travel companion, so its all good. Ive got an awesome group. His group has an 8 hour layover and wont get to Germany until 11 A.M. on Tuesday. Im assuming I'll call while im in Chicago, so have a phone on you from 12 to 4. We got to host again on Wednesday. One of the elders I hosted is going to Hartford, Spanish-speaking, so you might see him. I dont remember his name tho. Today was the last day Id hear the endowment session in english for 2 years. And I finally got it all right, now i just have to do that in German...*gulp*. So, I got a letter from Joey, and one of the things he said  is that Travis was on the police blotter for a stop-sign violation...I need valitity.We are all super excited to go on Monday, and we're all freaking out at the same time. But we're just so ready to leave. Im sending the last of my pictures today, so im not sure when you'll get them. Make sure everyone knows not to send me anymore letters till I give the okay next week. But, anyway. Its gotten quite cold out. It snows a little like everyday, so its fun. I have one more day of Gym left. I have to get most of my packing done today, and be completly finished by Saturday night. Tomorrow we're doing something called "fantastic friday", which I am NOT looking forward to at all. After gym in the morning, we will be teaching ALL DAY except for meals. So im gunna die basically. Ive got 5 minutes left, and im not sure what to talk about. So, yeah. Hope everything is all well and no one is dying. I got a haircut today. We've been having alot of travel meetings. So, yeah. K, im gunna go now. Tell the guys to be over on Monday!!! Talk to you on Monday! 

November 4, 2010

It is yet again Thursday. I have 11 days left till we leave. I think we get our flight plans today or tomorrow. Yes, i got my hat on saturday and my scarf on monday. The hat wasnt quite what i wanted, but it works and looks fine. Our devotional on Tues. was given by M. Russell Ballard. Thats 3 apostles in a row. I heard they havnt been back-to-back in a very, very long time. On fast sunday is mission confrence. I dont remember what happens, but my comp. is giving the opening prayer in front of the whole MTC, which means we get to sit on the stand with the important people and be on tv and stuff. Its been pretty nice here, weather-wise. We've played soccer the past 3 days and its been awesome. I found out im pretty good at it. Must be the German in me. Oh, we hosted yesterday. It was pretty awesome. but kinda sad. I hosted an elder and 2 sisters. ill prolly do it again next week. I talked to a sister yesterday whos going on the Baltic mission, but its Russian speaking, so I asked her if she happened to have any extra russian learning materials. She said she did and that I can have them to work on it. its pretty awesome. Halloween was pretty fun. Me and my comp. dressed up in a crazy costume (ill send pics soon) and scared an elder half-to-death. and we got (and got rid of) alot of candy. thankfully we're almost out. Um, i think that on Sunday let everyone know to NOT send me actuall letters till i let you know my address in Germany, and stop sending dear elders on friday afternoon (12th) because once im gone, they dont send me what i get here, so ill never see them. Anyways, im sorry to hear jake is puking his guts out. have him drink root-beer. And im glad to hear the yard looked cool. I want to see pictures from the church thing and of our yard (if there were any takin). Im not sure what else to write about. ive gained some weight, but i keep loosing it. So ive basically maintained the same weight the whole time, but i think ive gone up like 1 pound. And i eat like every meal. So, hopefully in Germany ill add more pounds. So, some cool stuff I learned about Germany: Their suits are tight fitting, so we'll look doofy with baggy slacks and coats. Christmas basically started there, so im not upset ill be missing a U.S. christmas. I found out that our mission also includes Luxemburg, which is a different country, so i might be in 2 countrys. When you first meet people, you dont shake hands, before or after meeting. Its very rare. Thats all I can think of, but i shall let you know when im there and can actually talk about it. SO, yeah, that about it. quite boring here. But i hope everything is going well at home and no one is dying. K, imma gunna go now. OH, p.s., im not sick. i havnt been sick in a while, so im good. K, thats about it, so now im really gunna go now. k bye

October 28, 2010

So, its thursday again. I dont get my Germany address till im in Germany, so i'll know in 2 weeks and 4 days. Thank you soo much for the hat & scarf. They will be put to good use. We had snow like 2 days in a row. Most of the mountains are covered, but nothing is sticking here. It stuck one night, but it melted in the afternoon. As  for Tuesday devotional, Elder Richard G. Scott came and gave an awesome talk. it was basically everything he learned over his life about feeling & working with the Spirit, and we have it all on paper. AND he used his priesthood keys (which are all of them) to invoke on us foreign-serving missionaries the Gift of Tounges. Now usually, we dont get the G.o.T. till we're in the field, but he gave it to us 2 weeks early. Its pretty awesome. We got a new shipment of newbs yesterday. Theres about 32 of them, so theres about 60-something in our zone. The Elder with the neck thing has been doing alot better. Im not too sure whats still going on with that. Last week one of our elders went home to work something out, but he will be going to Germany. Dont know when, but he is going. Not quite sure what else to talk about. Most of everything we do is in German now. We have 2 more TRC's, which is where we teach a random investigator. Our last 2 are on the Plan of Salvation, in German. It flows really easily now. Yesterday me & my comp had a teaching appointment (we set those up) in German, and the whole time it just sounded like english. Well, not like english, but I could understand everything we were talking about. Im getting better vocab-wise. We are finishing learning all the principles we need next week, then its all review. We should be getting flight plans really soon. I'll prolly send more pics towards the end of our stay so I can start fresh when we leave. But, yeah. So, my compainion has figured out you can slip silverware into people's pockets without them knowing. Ask the elders at home if they have experienced this. its pretty funny. He's also working on name-tags. that ones a little more tricky. So, one of my teachers told me shes doing a school thing at Yale during the summer, so I told her to go visit you, so if a random blonde girl appears at the house one day, dont be alarmed. Soccer was fun while it lasted, but they've closed the field cuz its getting too cold out. OH, and i did get the candy package! My roomates are very grateful haha. We're gunna have soo many people trick-or-treating to our room. we have a huge candy drawer, but alas, it is slowly depleting. which is fine. So, i hope things are going well at home. hope no one has gotten suspended yet. Hope the guys arnt causing too much chaos in the neighborhood. Tell everyone at church and stuff I say hello and would love to get more letters so i can show them off to my distrikt. well, thats all i have to say about that. Only 2 more thursdays here! K, im gunna go now. Tschüss!

October 21,2010

So, its thursday again. This was a pretty good week. We taught our first lesson in the TRC in German. It went really well. We have 3 more tuesdays in the TRC, then the 4th tuesday (Nov. 16th) we'll be in Germany. We'll prolly get flight plans within the next 2 weeks. The MTC presidency cancelled Temple walks on sundays because some missionaries were meeting people on the grounds (we're not supposed to do that) and there was a lot of trash. So, thats a bummer. So, Im not sure if ive mentioned (but im sure I have), we have devotionals every tuesday night. Its usually a member of the 70 or the Presiding Bishopbric. BUT this recent tuesday, Elder Russell M. Nelson came to talk to us. My comanion and I were 5 rows away. It was pretty awesome. AND we heard from our distrikt president that someone big is coming next tuesday too. So, we'll see. I bought a shirt with my mission on it like 3 or 4 weeks ago, and its still not in. im loosing my mind. I forgot to weigh myself, but i think ive gained. I started playing soccer like 2 days ago, and its awesome because all the germans play. My legs hurt alot, but its fun. Our oldest distrikt leaves on monday, and we get new germans on wednesday, which means we're the oldest. Its scary, because after that point we have 2 weeks left. So, the elder with the neck bulge went to a doctor to get it checked out. the catscan showed up with nothing on it, but there is a mass still. we dont know whats going on. I got a new suit from our Aussie roomate/zone leader. It fits really nice. he just didnt want it. I started to learn Russian. It makes me appreciate German a whole lot more (ITS SO HARD) Tell travis to learn Russian. Its right up his ally. We did initatory (did NOT spell it right) in the temple today. I get my hair cut in 20 minutes. Im not sure what else to talk about. I dont need stamps. I just bought like 10. I also took like $20 out from my debit card. I think I did it right. um, tell Joey to just put up the letters or something. Tell him to just be bloggish about it. He should know what im talking about. Maybe take pics off facebook or something. I dunno. When I get to germany, Im gunna start video logging myself and send the memory-card home. Well, it depends on how much it is to send, but it shouldnt be too bad. Itll be like once a month. I still havnt given a talk yet. and theres only 3 weeks to go, so im on the edge of my seat. We loose another one of our teachers next week. We've gone thru like 4 teachers, not to mention lots of subs. We only have like 1 consistant teacher, and we dont even see her everyday. Half of our day is just like personal study. Im in the russians computer lab right now. Its soo cool to hear. And ive heard that Germany has a good amount of russians, so maybe something ill come thru. And, i heard if we're on the border of Czech Republic we might be required to learn Czech. I might be tri-lingual. we shall see. Well, thats all I can think of. OH WAIT. we got the flag to stay up finally. so, yeah. Now thats about it. NO WAIT. UM, could you possibly send me a Ushanka hat? like the cheap ones we were looking at when i was home. Something black or brown, preferably rabbit hair. Its gettin cold here, and my ears are getting cold, and the hood/scarf thing kinda takes up my whole face, so i cant talk and hear at the same time. I look retarded lol. OH, and maybe a black scarf too? Just suggestions. Well, that im sure is about it now. I gotta go get mein haerschnit (haircut), so ill email next week. Auf Wiedersehn

October 14,2010

Hallo. it is thursday again. It feels like i was just doing this, its going by really fast. So, to anwser questions: I had a real bad cold for like 4 days, but its just a minor runny nose now, so theres nothing to worry about. I tried taking sudafed (or however you spell it), but it didnt do anything. Yes, i got my candy for confrence. There were only like 2 things i liked in it. the rest went into our rooms little cauldron for Halloween (which the MTC does nothing for, so we're gunna do something ourselves). I do enjoy the care packages. I still have some pumpkin bread left, and havnt even started on the hot coco. I have not had to give a talk yet. Im just copying the subjects out of the German "Gospel Principles" book. I knew Elder Keetch knew Elder Prusse cuz I asked people who went to Highland if they knew him. Snow in the mountains was cool, but there hasnt been any since. Its getting colder, and our next districkt photo will be of us with the German flag in front of the Temple. Hopefully its awesome. Im trying to figure out how to send the pictures (cuz theres so many) Im not sure if i need like a package or several letters. ill figure it out. SO, some other stuff. Our distrikt sang on sunday. We all had colds and no voices, but it sounded really good. We sang "Hoffnung Israell" (Hope of Israel). Um, other stuff... I bought a shirt with my mission on it. I dont have it yet, but its really cool. it should be in like today or by saturday. they said it was on backorder. Im gunna start video-logging stuff and sending it to the guys so they can put it on youtube/facebook. Oh, Joey started a blog of my letters to them. I usually get dear elders from them, but I got a letter from joey and one from his mom. And I got a dear elder from giselle like 3 days ago. So, this past tuesday was our last day teaching in English. From next tuesday on, its all auf Deutsch. We officially stop learning new stuff in 2 weeks. after that its all review. Its so cool (and scary) to think that this time in 4 weeks i'll be in Germany. Im definatly not ready for it. But, no one ever really is. Its also cool to think that when i come back, i'll be able to speak the language fluently. Im excited.I have to sign up for a hair-cut for saturday, at 5:30 in the morning. which means i have to get up at 5. thats torture. So we went to the temple today. that was nice.  Ive gained 2-3 pounds. WOO. one of the elders in our distrikt might have cancer in his lymphnodes. hes had lumps in his neck, and the is the 2nd time its happened in 13 years. last time they had to operate. hes getting/got a catscan today. we hope for the best.other than that, i think thats it. me and my companion are getting along great. we teach in unison pretty well. our distrikt is pretty gute (good). we got new guys last wednesday, so we're the 2nd oldest distrikt. the 1st leaves in like a week or 2. new germans come in on the 27th (which was my alternative date), then we'll be the oldest. which means we leave 2 weeks or less after they get in. We leave on the 15th (monday) early in the morning. just be aware, the guys might come over when i call (not sure on a time, but will get travel plans a week or 2 before we leave). Ive got 6 minutes left, but im not sure what to write. tell people that if i dont respond to letters, its cuz im busy. im not forgetting anyone haha. im just always occupied. Oh, and do you know how to use the chat on the email? theres a way, but Ich weiß nicht how to use it. if you figure it out let me know. K, i gots to go know. Tschüsse! till next week