Week Fifty-five

Greetings from the Great North of Germany

It is still cold here. STILL COLD. But it got way warmer. Like it doesn't snow anymore. But it's around 40 degrees fahrenheit. So it's just cold and wet. I'd personally rather have it be a little colder and snowing. But oh well haha. This last week went by super super fast! Like wow. I think about how long I've been a missionary and how long I've been in Germany and it seems like no time at all. I look ahead at the year I have in front of me and it sounds like I have forever haha. But I know I don't and soon enough I'll be sitting and thinking...well where on earth did my mission go?? Haha I can only imagine that I'll be a little upset when President Kosak transfers me to the San Diego, CA mission.

Let me tell you about the last week of Elder Pollard's life:

Montag: Last P-Day was cool. I bought a new watch. It's classy. It's actually really cheap and tacky haha. It's nice though. We just walked around Innenstadt checking out the stores again. We ate at Pizza Hut which was a bad idea haha. We did grocery shopping and I wrote letters and stuff. Good solid P-day. After P-day, we had to hang around the apartment so Bruder E could come over and install something in the bathroom that will let a new washing machine come in! Exciting stuff! After that, we went up to F and had an appointment. It was basically a first about the  restoration and Joseph Smith and all. It was OK haha. It was a good Monday though.

Dienstag: Tuesday was fun. In the morning, we had this 'appointment' with an elderly couple named S. The first hour was us just watching over the man because he just got back from the hospital. But he was super nice and showed us pictures and stuff. Then the lady came home from tai chi...and he ate. We talked about the Book of Mormon and stuff, because they kept saying that they had met with missionaries before. It was a good discussion. After that, we met the Schwerin Elders at Bahnhof and then I was on tausch or exchanges with Elder Barr. He's cool. We went home and ate. Then we had an appointment at the church with Schwester B. We were helping T home teach because he doesn't have a partner. So we chilled and had a good discussion. After that we went to the Außländer Heim and talked with B, this teenage kid from the middle east somewhere. He didn't speak super good English or German haha. But we made out on appointment. That night we had Institute and ate delicious food.

Mittwoch: Wednesday morning was District Meeting, so we went and it was good. As part of an activity, Elder McKean and I rode up to Bruder S's and taught him a short lesson and asked for feedback about how we could improve teaching. It was cool. We then came back and now I was Tausch with Elder Riesen haha. So I spent all of Wednesday with him, which is cool because he's my mission 'brother'. Elder Thorley trained both him and me. He's way cool and from Switzerland. I love the guy. We ate lunch and then passed out invitations to Institute. Then we had another lesson with F. We watched the Restoration and he loved it haha. It was a rocking lesson! After that, we went home and studied.

Donnerstag: Thursday was boring. We had to ride a train all the way to Neubrandenburg to tausch back, and then a train all the way back. It basically took all day. When we got back we studied, and then went to Family Home Evening. We were supposed to have a lesson after, but it fell out.

Freitag: Friday morning we had a conference call with President Kosak and all the trainers and new missionaries. It was cool and lasted about an hour. It really helped Elder Collins and me to figure out what we need to improve in our companionship and how we can work better together. After that, we had a little Gemiko with T. We went back and studied for a little bit and then ate lunch with Brother G! He took us to this really authentic German restaurant. I ate spare ribs and Knödel and Rotkohl. SO GOOD oh my gosh. After that, we went to the Außländer Heim to teach B. T came with. He had a good lesson and after that, met up with N and taught him as well. We were going to have a lesson with J there too, but he didn't have time. It's cool though because he introduced us to his friend who just got out of the hospital and we talked to him for a little bit and made out an appointment to bring him a Book of Mormon. Good stuff! After that we had an eating appointment with T and his friend L! It was way fun. We made lasagna and ate ice cream after. The point was to share a spiritual though and see if L would have any interest in learning more. We have to talk with T and see if we need to take more steps and what not. But it was way fun.

Samstag: Saturdays in Rostock rock! We got up and studied/ate lunch for the morning. Then we went to basketball and played. It was really fun this week. We're trying to work with a couple people there, but they always have something going on or can't meet so that's hard. After, we went to Tisch Tennis and hung out with Bruder S haha. D came too. We taught him after Tisch Tennis and it was a solid lesson. We watched the restoration with him. We need to invite him to make bigger steps and meet more regularly though. Good day.

Sonntag: Sundays are always good too. We were supposed to pick up J in the morning to take him to church, but he never showed up haha I don't know why he missed his train or something. But F came to church and we taught him the first hour. We had a good fast and testimony meeting, and F even bore his testimony!!! It was solid and a good step for him. He's so nice. The ward likes him too. After church, the sister and we ate at Bruder S's. There was Kassler, Potatoes, and Saurkraut. GOOOOOD oh my gosh so good. I'm so thankful fro Bruder S! And his wife who cook the food always haha. After that, we came home and had a way solid planning session for the week and then studied.

The week was good. We taught a lot of lessons. It went by really fast probably because of the two exchanges we had this week. I can't believe that we're starting the 6th week of this transfer! Time flies! I've officially been in Rostock the longest out of all of my cities, and I love it. The people here in Rostock are special and I'm really happy that I've been allowed to meet them. F made a lot of progress this week, and now we're going to see if focusing on baptism will be good. I know this work is true! I love doing it! I don't know why either haha but I get up every morning and put on a shirt and tie and I just love it.

Well it's good news that mom is feeling better! How is Christian doing? And I hope everyone else's health is good as well. I really wish I could've been there to help Emily and Matt move home! That sounds like it was a lot of fun. And the phone story is great too haha Do you know what kind of phone it is? I miss phones....

I've been waiting for my birthday package! WAITING! Every day I open the post box and the emptiness tears my heart open....not really haha. But I am excited to get it! Elder Collins is doing well too. I think he's getting into the grove about how things actually work. And like what's effective and worthwhile and how things work specifically in the Germany Berlin Mission. I love training, it's way fun! We get along for the most part. When we don't it's just me getting annoyed and letting my 'Inner Pig Dog' (as the Germans say) come out. I always feel bad. But we get along through food. We like cooking and eating. Fun stuff.

Well, thanks a lot for the emails family! You know I love reading these things on Monday! It's the highlight of the week! I hope that everything is going well at home. Love each other! I pray for you everyday!
 

Love,

Elder Pollard