Tuesday 5 July 2016

Munich 27/6/16 - 4/7/16 Woche 101 von 101.5 Die letzte E-Mail von dem Feld


Woche 101 von 101.5- I guess the last half comes when I'm home! Neuschwanstein, Findentag in Rosenheim und Versetzungsanruf!

I guess it's really happening and this is my last missionary email!! Super weird, but we'll go into the past week before any talk on what's gonna happen in these last 3 days! 

Well, I guess today was just the Penultimate P-day, which also will begin the last full week as a missionary... It just feels like a giant lie! So P-day began with a quick bit of shopping before heading over to a members' with the München 3 Elders to do a quick bit of emailing before heading out to Neuschwanstein!!! We took the train down there and it was a pretty long journey, which gave me time to read emails and type out responses, etc. So it was useful travel time. Then we got there and it was sooo full of tourists, but it is pretty beautiful down there! The Castles are pretty cool... Did you know that the Disney castle is actually based off of Schloss Neuschwanstein? Pretty cool, huh! So we did a little trek and at the moment, unfortunately, the bridge, which is where people get great pictures of the castle is currently closed for the next couple years for maintenance, so the member took us down some "forbidden paths" in the forest, which you can see why, as they were quite slippery and super steep, but we got to a great view point. It was awesome, but if you'd have slipped you'd fall off the edge of the cliff and die.... That's why those paths were cut off, as they had a load of deaths from Asian tourists back in the '90's trying to get closer to take pictures... but all was well and we all lived to tell the tale! It was pretty sweet! 
P-day in Neuschwanstein




Then we headed back to München, did some more proper email time before we headed to the chapel to get changed into missionary attire, so I could do a baptismal interview for the Sisters' Investigator! That was a cool experience. It went a lot longer than planned, but it was a great interview and she passed! So we'll have a baptism in the district this week! Wahey! 'Twas a pretty awesome Montag!

Dienstag! What a day! So after Personal we headed out to Hauptbahnhof to meet the Sisters before heading down to Rosenheim. (The ZLs were going to DM in Augsburg today and so the Sisters were on our ticket to Rosenheim). So we travelled down to do DM in Rosenheim today, as I thought it would be good if we did a finding day down there to help them out a bit. So we finally got down there and met the Rosenheim Elders before trecking it out to their chapel. It's like 30mins walk from Bahnhof! Crazy! Then we had district meeting. It was pretty good. A little smaller than normal, but it was cool! Then we trecked it back into the main part of Rosenheim to grab something for Mittags and do a few hours finding. I worked with Elder Clark and it was actually soooo good being able to just get down and do some solid finding, just bouncing off each other. It was soooo good! My current comp hates finding, so when we do it, it's always inbetween vorbeis, so not much of it actually gets done, but finding day today was just sooo much fun being able to solely focus on street contacting people! It was great! 
District Finding in Rosenheim

Then we headed back up to München, finished off studies before heading to our evening appointment. We get there and their kid answers the door and tells us his parents must have forgot, as his Mom won't be home for another 2 hours and his Dad for one hour, so that sucked. So we headed home, had dinner and that was the day! 

Mittwoch just flew by! After studies we headed over to Schw. D for Mittags. Her non-member son was also over, as he is visiting for 3 months, so we had a pretty cool time. The food was awesome as well!  ..and we got a picture with them, as it would be the last time there! 
Then after that, we headed out to the middle of nowhere with the bus and then had a little treck to meet with one of the new members. It was a really cool appointment again. Then we trecked it through a load of farmers fields to get to the bus to take us somewhere to get the next bus to take us to P! So we got there finally after some pretty bad connections and he wasn't home, so we called him up and he said he'd be there in 5 minutes. Whilst we were on the phone this other guy who lives there comes up to us and is all friendly and stuff and is like, 'Yeah, I'm a member of your church. I was baptised in Armenia and just haven't got around to finding where the church is since I've been in Germany'. So I wrote down the info for the International Ward for him and as I'm doing that he dissappears, then comes back with a folder of stuff and just pulls out his baptism certificate and Priesthood Ordination certificate and is like 'See, here, I'm a member'! So that was pretty cool! Then P finally arrived and we taught about the Plan of Salvation. It was a super good lesson and again, he had the most perfect questions! It was crazy! Then we headed home, had Abendessen and that was the day! 

My last Donnerstag where I'll be going to bed as a missionary! What! It's too weird! We were setting up an appointment with a family today for next Thursday and they were asking when we have time, so I get my planner out and my Thursday next week just shows flight times. I'll be on my way to Amsterdam when that appointment happens. Weirdness! Well, today began after studies by having Mittags, before popping over to the chapel to print off a couple of talks for an appointment later on and to try and sort out a few other things in preperation for the Area Book Planner App, but the website was down. Whilst there, I had a look at my emails and I got invited to Interview with the MTC, woop! After that, we had to head over to a less actives who live in the middle of nowhere, so it took us like 2hrs almost to get there. It's ridiculous, but we had a great appointment and they fed us. We spoke with them about Faith and strengthening our Faith in Christ. It was pretty good. Then we trecked it back to München and met this evening with P. That was another pretty good appointment. It was interesting, but good! Then home to plan and we did Bible Prophecies as a district. We did it this evening, cause the ZLs are in our district and they get the transfer list Friday afternoon, so if you want to do prophecies as a district, we needed to do it Thursday evening, so we did! It was cool, but super weird. My last ever Bible Prophecies!! Craziness! Time goes way too fast!

My last Freitag is over! It's just pure weirdness! Today after studies we headed out to meet a member for Mittags! He took us to an All you can eat Sushi place! It was sooooo good! I'm actually starting to really enjoy Sushi! It's good stuff! So we ate loads and then we went for a walk with him before we headed over to the chapel! So we got there and the München 3 Sisters were there cleaning the baptismal font for their baptism on Sunday, so they wanted us to help them in terms of knowing how to turn the font on to fill it, so we worked that out and then went to do some more prep for the Area Book Planner App, which is completely pointless for me, but my companion needs to finish all the prep before transfers, so that's what we have to do! Then after that we headed back to the apartment to do Sprach, headed out to do a bit of streeting and then met the München 3 Elders at Innsbrucker Ring for our appointment with J, which filled up the rest of the evening! 

My last ever transfer call Samstag! Just in case you weren't aware, this transfer call they told me I'll be going home! It just doesn't feel real still! It's so strange, but, also, my companion is being transferred out to Richterswil and we will be getting Pinkwashed! So the München 3 Sisters will be moving over to München 1! It's super weird in our mission right now. We are just getting loads of Sisters and next to no Elders! So the majority of the mission will soon be Sisters! It's craziness! So after a crazy morning. Transfer call mornings are always sooo out of place. We finally finished studies and headed to the chapel to meet with Bruder P for Mittags and reading in the Book of Mormon. It was cool! Then we met up with the München 3 Sisters to head over to one of their Members to give her the Sacrament. Then we headed back to the chapel for an appointment, but she didn't come, so we wrote our email up to Bishop and the GML and I started doing some tranferring stuff from my iPad to my hard drive. After that, two of the office Elders picked us up, as we were doing a hand over lesson with P, as he speaks English more than Deutsch, so attending the International Ward would be easier for him. We had a super great lesson and his questions were perfect again! It was awesome! Then they dropped us off back home to plan! It was quite nice getting driven around to an appointment by another companionship instead of taking the train! 


So Sonntag had no surprise visitors this week! We had an absolutely splendid joint Priesthood/FHV lesson! All about cleaning, as Bishop assigned the FHV Leiterin to do the class. It was interesting! Then we had the investigator class and it was awesome. Bruder R taught again and we covered the First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel. Then Fast and Testimony meeting! It was really good. I got asked to translate again, so that was fun. I actually enjoy translating, even though it's super difficult and I can barely ever keep up with what people say. They just speak way tooo fast! Even though I was translating, Bishop still managed to force me to get up to do the whole 'goodbye testimony' thing. It is soooooo super weird to think that this was the last time I have that. Soooo weird! Then we spoke with some members, (some who have never said a word to me), wishing me luck and saying goodbye. It was bittersweet! Then my last ever Gemeinderat before heading over to the Familie L for Mittags! It was amazing! We had Tacos and they made some Latin American dessert, which was great! It was super good, but just the company is great at their place. They are sooo cool! After them, we rush back over to the chapel, as it was the baptism of M (the Sisters investigator, who I interviewed on Monday). It was such a small, but beautiful baptism, soooo cool!

It was such a joy to witness it and take part in her confirmation afterwards! Then after that, we went to a hotel not too far from the chapel where we met with a member who picked up a family who he is good friends with and the Father is a Seventy or something and they just flew in Sunday afternoon from the States, so he organised it, so we could bring them the Sacrament. Then afterwards, they decided they wanted to take us out for Abendessen, so we headed out to the Hofbraühaus. It was such good, traditional Deutsches essen! Sooo good and it was a great evening! Then did call-ins with the district for the last time! It still doesn't quite feel real! 

Life is crazy and today is just gonna be a get stuff done P-day. Tomorrow we have an appointment or two and then again getting stuff sorted - seen as we need to also shut the apartment down, so nothing can be left in that place, except for furniture. I am trying to get everything down to just one suitcase and my carry on case and bag - even though they have paid for two. If I just have one, it makes everything easier on me! So I may also be getting rid of a suitcase.

Well, I guess this is the last time and it's weird as fetch. It doesn't feel real and I don't know how I feel, but I guess I'll be seeing your beautiful faces on Thursday! 

Love you trillions,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday 2 July 2016

Munich 13/6/16 - 27/6/16 Woche 99 & 100 von 101.5- Höllentalklamm, Eigenständigkeit und Zonenkonferenz!Tausch, Tauftermine gesetzt, Geburtstag und noch ein Besucherin!

Woche 99 von 101.5- Höllentalklamm, Eigenständigkeit und Zonenkonferenz!!

Nah! Servus!

So P-day began with heading to the shop to grab a few little bits before heading over to a member from München 3. So once we got there we picked up emails and sent a couple before heading out to visit Höllentalklamm. So it's on the border basically with Austria and an English translation of it is 'Hell Canyon' or something like that, although I think they called it 'Death Canyon', anyways, whatever. So it was a Canyon in the region of the Zugspitze with this crazy waterfall running through it. So we hiked up it and round and stuff and then back down. It was super long and a super killer and we got drenched, cause as you're walking up it you're like walking through smaller waterfalls, which add to the bigger one. There are cave walkway parts to it and then you've also got water dripping through the roof. Plus the weather wasn't the best, but it wasn't too terrible. We got soaked and the path was super unsturdy and the rain made the bigger rocks in the path super slippy, so it was a little dangerous, but mountain hiking in the Alps is the best! I love it and that may have been my last Mountain hike as a missionary... That's super sad! Well because we were going through waterfalls we left electronics in the car, so I have no personal photos... Although the member who took us had his iPhone cause it's a waterproof one, so we still got photos! 






Then we headed back to his place, did some more emails before having dinner, doing a spiritual thought and going out to grab some Eis to eat in the park before going home. 

Dienstag- so today was going to be bad, as we had no appointments planned out. So after studies we headed to the chapel to do our language assessment. That took a while. Then we went to try and meet with a few less active members and do finding whilst unterwegs. So we met with C, then we went to do a few vorbeis on some other less actives. The one didn't want to know anything, but we still had a good conversation with her. Then another one we managed to have a lesson with, which was cool. Then we headed to P. That was cool! We read a talk with him and talked about stuff! Then we headed home! It was quite a day!

Mittwoch was a pretty packed out day. So after studies we headed to Innsbrucker-ring to meet the ZLs to go to J. Her non-member aunt was there as well, which was cool! So we had mittags togetther, played uno, had a spiritual thought and then headed home to get changed into suits (J has cats, so we didn't want to wear suits with the cats). Then we headed off to the chapel for a Self-reliance program meeting, which the man in charge of it wants to test with missionaries, so the München zone is testing it. The ZLs, STLs and the DLs and comps had to meet with him for some training on how to lead it in our districts. It was interesting, but it seems like a really well thought out program. Then we headed to the other side of the city to meet with a less active. Then this evening we had a dinner appointment with another family. It was a cool day, lots of food, lots of travel, lots of gospel conversation! It was pretty darn good! 

Oh mensch! Donnerstag was a pretty crazy day. So after studies we headed to the chapel for my last zone conference here. It just felt sooo weird! I took quite a few notes, which I'll add in here. So we started with the Pfahl Präsident from PfahlMünchen speaking to us, seen as we were just the München Zone for this conference. It was really good. He spoke on how the Lord is preparing the hearts of man, but how can we make them aware of it... Then he spoke a bit about Humility and realising who we really are and then coming to that realisation. It was really good. He also touched on using the tools which we have, talents, etc. and giving them all into the Lords's service.
My last Zone Conference


Then Sister Kohler spoke. I love that woman! She is just full of so much love! She spoke about Motivation and finding that motivation and dealing with times when we lack that motivation. She gave a few examples from the scriptures which were really good, then she gave a pattern to follow. 1- Pray, tell Heavenly Father that you really need his help at this time. 2- Go to the Book of Mormon. It's the place to go - to always receive that hope and encouragment. 3- Make a Plan of concrete things to do. 4- Go and Do! Motivation only normally comes once you've started doing it. Then she spoke about us being an inspiration to sooo many people. After Sister Kohler, Präsident Kohler spoke. He started by asking why we came on a mission and we had a discussion about that with missionaries contributing their reasons and stuff. Then he spoke about who we are and how we are birthright Latter-day Saints. Then we discussed birthright and went to the Bible and went through a few examples including the tribes of Israel. We focussed heavily on the duties of the tribe of Ephraim, which is obviously the responsibility to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It just so happened that every missionary in the zone is of the tribe of Ephraim, so that was pretty neat! We spoke about how through Joseph, Ephraim received the Birthright, a double portion and how through that comes extra reaponsibility and how it all comes down to remembering who we really are! It was really good! Then we heard from T (the Kohler's eldest daughter who is over for the Summer) and she spoke about a few different points, but what I got from it all was the idea of carrying on, no matter what the outcomes; making every moment count and just listening- being a friend, being somebody who the people here can trust. It was pretty good! Then came food time! It was pretty good food and I had the pleasure of sitting next to President during lunch time! That was cool! Plus, there were others around, so we had fun too! Then we went back up to the chapel for the afternoon part. So we started that with the pick on talks, so one of them was on 'Obedience' and the other one on 'What it means to be a successful missionary'. They were pretty good talks. Then the time went back to President again! It was more of an info type session, so we went through the new guidelines with working with Muslims and Refugees, then we covered the new Health and Safety guidelines, including dress standards. So we are now allowed to wear sunglasses on the street.... Hats as well, but only hats with a rim of 3in and the Sisters aren't approved to wear slacks in our mission, which they all seemed happy about! Also, the church have released two new pamphlets to help teach lesson 5, so that's pretty cool! Then he went over the Area Book Planner App, which will be coming to our mission on July 11th. So the reason we never had it when we first got the iPad was due to data privacy laws here in Europe, but the Missionary department are trialing a way to use the app in Europe without breaching any of the laws. So our mission has been asked to trial it out before they decide if it works how they want and then make it available to other European missions. Other news, so the Missionary Department are going to begin trialling new mobile devices, so they will be switching from iPads to the Samsung S2 tablet. So now missionaries will purchase one before entering the MTC and keep it when they return home, but if we have an iPad already, we keep it till the end of the mission. Apparently our mission is also one of the ones trialling that as well, just to see if they like it or not. That was basically the afternoon part. Then at the end we got made to do the whole dying testimony thing. It felt sooooo weird! Legit, I never felt that day would actually come. I thought about it and imagined what I would say when I was at that stage in the past when I've seen other dying missionaries do it, but when it actually comes and it really does just jump up on you, it feels weird. It was so strange! I'm not entirely sure how I actually felt about it. It just didn't feel right! So strange! Then at the end we did the whole goodbye chit-chat stuff with people. It was so good to see familiar faces and also to get to know a few new ones. It just sucks that I'll probably never see those new ones again! Then picked up mail, which included a birthday card from Nana and Grandpa and a package from somebody. So after that, we headed to a less active Sisters, got to know her, etc. then home for sprach and abendesssen. Then I opened the mysterious little package... It was from Elder Kilgore! So he included my Tschüssbuch entry in it, with a little birthday package of Swiss stuff, like Ragusa and Rivella and then some A&W Root Beer!!! Isn't he the best!?! I love that guy! It was a pretty good day!
Birthday gift from Elder Kilgore


Freitag after studies and mittags, we stayed in and did a solid weekly planning session. It felt like it went on forever. Then once we were done with that we headed to the chapel to sort out the weekly report email for Bishop and our GML. Then we met with Bruder Pöhn. We had Spaghetti and then we helped him prepare his talk for Sunday. It's going to be his first talk in a Sacrament meeting, so he wanted us to help him sort it. We got a pretty good plan together with him, then we headed home, planned for tomorrow and then I started going through my stuff of things to send home, so I have as little as possible to fly with. 

So Samstag after studies and Mittags we headed out to the middle of nowhere to visit a less active. It took us forever to get there, plus buses don't run up there on a weekend, so it took even longer, cause then we had to walk from Bahnhof to this guys' place. Luckily he remembered our appointment, so we met with him and spoke a bit about a few different things. Then there was also another family who lived near by, so we tried to vorbei on them, but they weren't home. Then we were on our way to another appointment and they called to cancel on us, so we headed home to drop Jenga off (as we were gonna use that for the spiritual thought at this other appointment) and we did a bit of area book work/organising, as we need to get stuff sorted for the transition to the App, which I won't even be using, but hey! Then we headed back out to go by on a few other less actives whom Bishop has asked us to try and contact; and a bit of finding, before heading home for dinner and that was our day! 


Sonntag was a bit of a surprise day! To start with ... Happy Father's Day Papa! Sorry I was a bit slow with getting something to you, but I'll be back soon, so I'll make it up to you then. So this morning after getting ready we headed to the chapel, did the meet and greet thing and one of the members asked for a blessing, as he wasn't feeling too great, so we did, then Priesthood class began. It was all about less actives and bringing the one back into the fold. It was pretty good. Then Sunday School began. It was a pretty good lesson, until the Bishop called us out. He wanted our help with another blessing. After that, we headed back down to the classroom to grab our bags as it was coming to the end of Sunday School and who should I see waiting near the elevator, but ex-Sister Bawden and her Family!!! That was sooooo weird! Probably the last person I ever imagined I'd see at church in München over my last few weeks. What!?! So we got chatting and catching up and her Mom told me she needs a photo to send home to my family .... It was crazy! Soooo weird, but sooo cool! Then we had to head into Sacrament Meeting (they visited the one for the 3rd ward so....) but Sacrament was good, followed by a ward Potluck (munch and mingle). It was pretty cool and the food was great. We have a load of South Americans in our ward, so the food was super good! Then we had our joint companionship studies with the München 3 Elders, Sisters and N. Again, it was super interesting again! Then we headed home to finish studies and grab Abendessen! 'Twas a good week.

I can't believe it's P-day already and that after this, you only have 2 more of these emails to read through... That's a strange thought! I want you guys to know, that I know this work is true. It is the Lords work! It's difficult sometimes. Some days you don't even see a point in carrying on because of the rejection and lack of success seen, but it is His work and it carrys on moving forward. It is such a blessing to play a role in bringing it forward here in the Alps! I love it! It honestly has been the hardest, yet best two years of my entire life. Literally - a piece of my heart will always be here in Switzerland, in Austria and also in Germany. I love these people! The Atonement is real. I've seen it's healing power, it's strengthening and enabling power, without it, this work would not be possible. Miracles happen! Christ Lives! It's real and it's true! 

I love you guys soooo much! Have a fantastic week!

Alles Liebe,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Woche 100 von 101.5- Tausch, Tauftermine gesetzt, Geburtstag und noch ein Besucherin!

Grüezi, Hallo, Servus!

P-day began after studies by heading over to the shop to grab a few things. I'm almost all out of MSF for this month, so hopefully I won't need anything next week. Then we popped over to the Post to send a few things home to help reduce the weight of my cases when I fly back! So now a load of weight is off my hands and I'll see that stuff when I get back in 2 and a bit weeks! Then we picked up emails and sent a couple before heading off to meet the München 3 Elders and N for All you can eat Sushi. It was pretty darn good sushi! We definitely got our moneys worth! 

Sushi

Then we went to Marienplatz and did some other shopping for a few hours before heading to the chapel to do proper email time. Also, Sister Kohler dropped off a little box for me, which President was given at Zone Conference on Saturday with the Wien and Salzburg Zones. It turned out to be a cake! Haha! So the story behind it goes, that the Sisters told me that they'd throw a birthday party for me, but then I got transferred, so they were like, 'Well, we'll find a way to do something!'.... So they sent me a cake! Hahaha! How awesome is that!?! Then this evening we headed over to the Familie O. They are a part member family, so we are teaching the Father. We had dinner and did a little lesson. It was pretty cool! Then, home! 

Dienstag after studies, we headed over to the chapel as we needed to sort a few things before starting district meeting. Then we had district meeting. It was pretty good and each of the assignments, I actually managed to mesh together pretty well, which is super difficult sometimes, so it was quite an achievment to link it all.

Then we headed out to get a Dönner for Mittags, then back to the chapel to eat and chat together, some good district bonding time. Then we tausched with R. I'm working with Elder Hudson in München, decided to try my way around this place on my own. So we headed home for some Sprach before popping back out to do some finding and go by on a few more less activs from Bishop's list- not getting lost! Then we went by on this referral from a few weeks back who we dropped off a Book of Mormon to and we had a first lesson. He is golden! He's already read a load of it and has the perfect questions ever. So I started a little tradition for me in München, to set a baptismal date on each tausch I have. So with the ZLs we set one with R on tausch, then today we went and set a date with our referral- P and he accepted! So his date will be the 31. July! How cool is that!?! He is soooo cool and I'm super excited to work more with him! Then we headed home, had Abendessen, planned and that was the day. It was good!

So Mittwoch began with studies, essen and auswertungsgespräch before heading over to Ostbahnhof to tausch back. So we headed back to the apartment to drop my Comps' tausch stuff off, before heading out to an appointment with a less active, who lives miles out. So we head on our way to this guys' place and we just get sooooo lost. So the appointment was supposed to be at 14.30, but we were super lost, so we told him we'd be a bit late, then we finally get to the right stop and it turns out that the bus only runs twice a day, (in the morning and once in the evening). So we get back on the s-bahn and head to another stop further down the line and finally get there and find the bus stop and it's like 15.00, so we look at the bus schedule and this bus goes only once an hour, if that. The next bus was at 15.45 and it then takes 30mins on the bus to get to this guys' dorf, then a bit of a walk to his actual place. So we called him up and explained the situation and he was like, 'Oh, alright then, let's just move it to tomorrow'. So that was all for nothing... but at least we know how to get there now. I hate German public transportation, maybe I was just spoilt in Switzerland and Wien. Ridiculous! So we treck it back home and decide we'd get the apartment all cleaned up, as we have inspection tomorrow and this place is disgusting and was when I got here, but we've just been super busy to find any time to get it clean. Plus, there's a slight possibility we may be pinkwashed in 2 weeks' time.... So who knows! Then after getting it a little clean and organised ,we headed out to Trudering to spend the evening with the Familie L. They are such a cool family. They are the ones from Colombia and they are just sooooo cool! We spoke about conversion with them and they told us their individual conversion stories and how they got to know the church! It was super cool! Then we headed home. 

Donnerstag began after studies with an apartment inspection, to which we got 100%, although our bathroom is like broken and has a million and one problems, but all of which we could not do anythinng about. So hopefully they'll get that fixed up soon! Wahey! Then we headed out to Schw. G with N for Mittags. That was super good! She made like Hungarian style food and it was awesome! Then said goodbye to N, cause he is going away until August, so I won't see him again. That was a little weird! Then we headed over to this less active guy from yesterday and had a lesson with him; almost died of dehydration, cause it is getting super hot here now! Then by the time we were finished there, it was getting a little later, so we headed home, did Sprach and had Abendessen.

So Freitag after studies we headed over to the member in München 3 with the ZLs and had mittags. It was super good! Then we chatted with him about a few things, planned out P-day with him, as he's going to take us out again, this time to Neuschwanstein! Soooo excited! Then we headed to the chapel to send our weekly report email to the Bishop and GML before heading super up north in our area for our evening appointment. So we met with the Familie H! They are super cool! We went Mini-golfing, which I was super bad at, but it was fun and then we had dinner with them and chatted for a bit before heading home. It was a pretty chilled day, but also felt like an effective use of time, even if it doesn't initially look like it! Oh, my "death letter" also arrived today! 

So I was dead as fetch Samstag morgen, cause it is super hot, so I got next to no sleep last night! So I pulled myself out of bed and got ready, did the normal studies and then for sprach I went into the other room to do it, but may have passed out from tiredness, etc. So as you can tell, it was a pretty effective sprachstudium. Meanwhile, my companion must have been cooking up a plan, but I found that out much later. So we then headed over to J with the München 3 Elders for mittags and Uno and a spiritual thought! It was good fun! Then we heeded over to the chapel to meet with Bruder P! We had Knödel and Leberkäse. It was good, but I was so unbelievably full! Then we read in the Book of Mormon with him and chatted for a bit, whilst we waited for our next appointment with B. So she "arrived" and Bruder P was still talking with us, so after a few minutes we finished and went up to the chapel to meet B, as she was practicing her flute in there. Then we headed down to the cultural hall to meet the ZLs, as they were playing joint teach for us. So we open the door and the lights are off, then all of a sudden "SURPRISE!!!" So Elder Kennedy and B actually planned a surprise birthday party for me and I literally had no clue about it. 

My Surprise Birthday party!

So the München 3 Elders and the Sisters were there (we basically all work in the same ward, even though we don't), B and J. So we had a little birthday party! It was super sweet, but I was sooo surprised... Normally I'm on the ball and know exactly what is happening and what the plan is and everything, so the only explanation must be that he planned it with them all this morning when I was dead to the world during sprach! What a sneak! It was so awesome though! It was a great day!

Sonntag morgen we headed pretty much straight to the chapel, as we still had a few things to clean up after the Bruder P appointment. Then we set up all the chairs for Priesthood and FHV, then people finally started to arrive. So the whole welcoming committee game and all! Priesthood was pretty cool. The class was great, plus part way through P turned up, which was awesome, as we forgot to remind him to come, so he remembered from Tuesday, which is just golden! Then as we were leaving the stage to the class where we do gospel principles, a JAE member walks through the door with another girl, who I look at and think 'Hold up, I know her! How do I know her?' Then she looks at me and it clicks.... It's Megan Bertha! (Sister Bertha from the Birmingham mission, who served in my home ward before I left). Like two weeks in a row I get a surprise! Like what the fetch! I'm looking forward to who comes next week... Don't let me down, whoever you are.... So we have a little chat and photo time.


A snapchat from Megan Bertha
Visited by friends in Munich
Then class! Gospel Principles was great! Then up to Sacrament Meeting! So it turns out that N normally translates, but is away for the next month or so, so I ended up translating today! There were quite a few who needed translation today, so the pressure was on... I really hate translating and I'm sooo bad it, so I just tried to make it a bit funny. I did get told at the end by somebody that they really enjoyed my wit and thought I did a great job translating! Haha! It's just the constant change that throws me off, dialect and accent and everything. Plus, here in München, people speak way too fast, which makes it super difficult to translate, but I did it! Then chit chatted a bit with people! Megan was talking to me about her visit to the Green recently and then we had Gemeinderat, which was fun! We returned home to eat Mittags, do a bit of studies, then we quickly popped back to the chapel to drop our suits off there, as I have to do a Baptismal Interview tomorrow evening and we will be gone the whole day and will be in normal people clothes, so will need to change before the interview tomorrow evening! Then we headed to our GML, E. Did I ever mention he served in the Italy Rome Mission, but he returned just a transfer before Ash arrived or something like that! He's gonna be in Brum this coming weekend as a friend of his is getting married somewhere near by, so he may pop into the Green! Keep an eye out! Or he might just attend another ward! So we had GMK, then somebody died on our U-bahn back home, so it got stuck forever! A bit strange! Then we had Abendessen and the München 3 Elders came to join us for it. 'Twas pretty cool!

Well, that was my week! I've already had a couple of Penultimate days.... Weirdest thing ever! It just feels so incredibly wrong and weird! Home is just a distant memory and it seems like nothing else even matters in the world except for the salvation of these people! Seriously though, I keep getting asked or reminded as to how much time is left and each time it just feels soooo strange, like it's just a giant lie and it will never end! My feelings about the whole thing just go all over the place. It's probably the hardest part of the mission - leaving it! It's such an important work, which has just become what I do and who I am! The thought of it kills me that this email next week will be my last one... It's too strange! 

Well, signing off for the second to last time! Have a fantastic week! 

Alles Liebe,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sunday 19 June 2016

Wien(Vienna) / Munich 30/5/16 - 13/6/16 Naturhistorisches Museum, Herbs, Tschüss Wien, Versetzungstag, Talente Abend und Pfahl/Gebietskonferenz. Bowling, Tausch, Crashing MLC und mein erste Sonntag in die Gemeinde München 1!!


Woche 97 von 101.5- Naturhistorisches Museum, Herbs, Tschüss Wien, Versetzungstag, Talente Abend und Pfahl/Gebietskonferenz!

Servus!

Montag! So we haven't received our MSF for the month yet, so we didn't go shopping today, plus I wouldn't need to anyways, so it worked out perfectly! After studies we heade
d over to the Centre to do emails, then we went to print pictures, before heading to the Natural History museum with the Sisters! It was an interesting P-day! Lots of rocks, lots of animal stuff. It was great! Then that took the majority of P-day, before we headed over to B and R, but R's in hospital, so we visited him there. It was kinda sad, but still okay, as he was still cracking jokes! Goodbyes are just so much harder here then I remember them ever being!

Dienstag! Well first I went to Abmeld before we headed back to do a bit of study before going to the centre for DM. Although Frau M came round during the study part to say goodbye and give me a leaving gift.
Goodbyes



 DM was fun... It was pretty good, but then one of the district were like, those who are leaving need to bear their testimonies, so then that happened... I love my district! They literally are all the best! Love them! Then we headed to Herbs for lunch... Schnitzel!! Then back to the Centre to sort a few things before Englischkurs to which nobody turned up to, so we headed home. I started to pack, but didn't get far until a member told us that we need to go and give someone a blessing ASAP, so we dropped everything and went. Then headed back to swap washing over so I could pack; and then headed back to the centre to meet with M and B. We had dinner together and then goodbyes... It was sooooo difficult! I hate saying goodbye! Then home to pack and do Tschüssbuchs ... it's gonna be a late one! 
District Meeting Goodbyes





Mittwoch! Transfer Day! So it turns out that I ended up going to bed at like 5 this morning, so with just 1hr 30mins sleep, got up, got ready and headed down to Wien Meidling to catch the train to Salzburg.
Goodbyes at the Bahnhof

So at Meidling we did the whole goodbye stuff. It was pretty sad. I loved it in Wien, even though some things about it sucked. It was a great couple of transfers. So onto the train, there were quite a few of us leaving this transfer so it was a fun train ride, although it was delayed; so there was a bit of stress about catching our next train. So we get to Salzburg, quickly getting stuff off and onto another gleis for the next train, which was luckily waiting for us. A few quick hellos and goodbyes and onto the train to München. Bakewell was on it as he is going home this transfer, cause of some cyst on his lower back which needs operating on. That was sad, cause now the group in München next transfer is not gonna be the same, but it was cool to be able to say Tschüss. Then we finally got into München. It felt so strange, like the next time I expected to ever touch that Bahnhof was supposed to be in 5 weeks’ time.... Weird! So we got in, said a few more hellos, then we went to go help out with luggage and stuff for the Swiss train, which was just coming in. Ahhhh! It was sooo good to see some people again. It feels like forever since the last time. Then we said goodbyes and headed to our apartment. A late Mittags before studying, unpacking and going to a member appointment for the evening! What a day! 

So Donnerstag after dragging myself out of bed (Packing and Tschüssbuching the night before will hopefully never happen again). We did studies and then headed out to a less actives' for Mittags and a quick lesson. Then we popped back home, cause we needed to grab something for our appointment this evening. Then we headed over to the chapel as we were supposed to be meeting a less active there. He didn't show up, so we did a bit of finding, which was pretty bad, as the weather wasn't all that nice. Then we headed to meet the München 3 Sisters who were coming with us to our member appointment this evening. So basically it's a peculiar set up here. So München 1 and 3 meet in the same building at near enough the same time, so it seems like its’ just one big ward. Just that meetings are held separately, but you still see everyone before/after and during breaks. Super strange! So München 3 get next to no member appointments, so our members feel bad for them; so invite them over with us sometimes. It's pretty cool though! So we had Abendessen, played some games and shared a spiritual thought! The München 3 Sisters are pretty cool. It kind of just feels like a strange version of Wien, but it's okay so far, so we'll see how the next 5 weeks go! 

What a day! So after studies Freitag morgen, we headed to the chapel to meet Bruder P, where we cooked Mittags, ate together and then read in the BoM together. So basically he won't go to the Temple until he has read the entire BoM, so we're helping him out with it. That took a good chunk of the afternoon, but it was cool! Then we did some weekly planning, before people started showing up to set up for the Ward Talent Show tomorrow evening, so we went and helped with that before heading over to F. He's an investigator from Ghana and has a baptismal date for 29th June. He cooked us some Ghanaian food and we had a lesson. He's super cool! Then home and that was our day! 

Samstag began with studies, as per usual. Then during Personal we got a call from Sister Kohler. She just felt like she should call us and say hi and see how we're doing! It was super sweet! I love that woman! Then after Mittags we finished up weekly planning and did a load of vorbeis in the pouring rain and thunderstorms, before heading to the chapel for the Ward Talent Show this evening. It was really good fun. We have a pretty cool ward to be fair. Then that filled the evening. 

My first Sonntag in München and we had the Area Conference, so we headed straight over to the Pfahlhaus. It started with the Stake doing their own opening part. The Stake President spoke, which was super short and sweet, cause they only had their Stake Conference here last weekend. Then came the satellite broadcast part. Basically it was sent from Salt Lake and Frankfurt, but I'm pretty certain it was all pre-recorded. It was really good, but I forgot my note book, so I have no notes on it. A seventy spoke and then Elder Kearon spoke from Frankfurt and then back to Salt Lake and Sister Oscarson, Bishop Causee and then Elder Christofferson. Then back to the individual Stakes for their own individual closing parts. It was pretty good, but seemed super strange. Anyways, after that we did the socialise thing. We then had joint comp study with the München 3 Elders and a member from our ward who likes to study and discuss gospel stuff with us after church each week. It's cool! (You have no idea how hard it is to say München instead of Wien when putting a number after the area name). Then home to grab something before heading to Poing to visit a less active couple. That was cool, then home, dinner and a bit of end of day studies (seen as we only had Comp study) and then planning and I had the joy of collecting numbers again.... That’s right – I'm the DL still. Nice to be told and all..... Legit, I got here on Wednesday – we got home and the DL stuff was on my desk, so I asked Elder Kennedy who we need to be giving it to and he's like, ‘Oh that’s for you, you’re the DL! Like I'm sorry, but nobody told me that... But then I guess last transfer was the same! 

Well I hope you each have a fantastic week! 

Alles Liebe, 

Woche 98 von 101.5- Bowling, Tausch, Crashing MLC und mein erste Sonntag in die Gemeinde München 1!!
Hallo! 

Montag-  So after studies we headed over to the shop. It was needed; well sort of, not really! We get fed by members super frequently here, so you don't need to buy all too much. After shopping we headed out to the bowling alley to meet up with München 3 Elders (the ZLs) ‘cause apparently we go bowling with them most Mondays. So we get there and the bowling place has summer opening times which just started, so it doesn't open till 14uhr. So we popped next door to Maccies, had lunch and wrote emails on the free wifi, then bowling! That was actually pretty fun! Considering I haven't played in like forever I won two of the four games we played. Not bad! Then we headed to Marienplatz as my brown shoes have a slit in the bottom, so with all the rain recently, here in München, my foot has been getting quite wet! So I bought myself some new brown shoes and they are super nice! Then my comp needed some new shirts, so we popped to C&A and that took a bit more time. Then home to drop it all off and out to a member appointment. It was super cool. He's from Colombia and his wife is also I think. Their kids were born here and they were super cool. We had some Colombian-type thing, which was super goood! Then home! 

So Dienstag began with a bit of studies before heading out to the chapel for district meeting. The district seem pretty cool! The assignments were great and I felt the spirit pretty strong! I still love my last district loads, but these guys are super cool! After DM we headed to J’s with the ZLs for a lunch appointment and uno and a spiritual thought before tausching! So I'm working with Elder Bybee in München 3. We headed back to the chapel (we share the building with the 3rd ward) for a lesson with a guy who’s name I have no idea how to even begin spelling. He was super cool and basically answered all of his own questions, which was just perfect. Then we found up to Hauptbahnhof, as we were supposed to be meeting another guy called R up there. We called him and he said he'd be there in another hour or so, so we did a bit more finding and some sprach before meeting him. We taught about the Restoration and set a baptismal date for the 10th July! It's so cool when you get a date set on tausch! Then we headed home, had dinner and planned! It's been cool! 

Mittwoch- So after getting up, ready and studies, we had lunch before heading out to visit a member in hospital. That was fun! German hospitals aren't very nice looking. Either that or this one was just especially strange looking! Anyways, it was a nice visit. Then we headed to the chapel to tausch back. After which we headed home to drop my tausch stuff off, before going by on a referral we received from Headquarters yesterday. So we called him and he says to just go by, so we did and couldn't find it for ages, then we asked someone about him and he was like oh yeah, you see those containers over there, he lives there as it's an Asylheim. So we head over it was scary stuff; just these like blue shipping containers meshed together to form an Asylheim. It was so weird. He wasn't even home, so we left the Book of Mormon at the office place for him and will try again later. Then we headed off to our appointment for the evening. So we went to this families and it turns out that she is the sister of Schw. L who was the Branch Presidents wife in Kaufbeuren and I loved their family! So it was a super cool appointment! Then we headed home and on our way back someone is shouting Entschuldigung from behind us, so we turn around and a lady jumps out of her car and is like ‘Are you the Mormons?’ – and we're all like ‘Yeah!’ Then we just have this super cool conversation and her daughter jumps out of the car as well and they tell us how they used to have contact with the Mormons a long time ago when her daughter was a baby, (she's now late 40’s at least) and how they've been looking for the church and wanted to make contact with us again for a long time, so when they saw two guys in white shirts they just had to try and see if it was us. How cool is that! It was sooo awesome! We got their details and gave them our number and stuff, so hopefully we'll be able to start meeting with them soon... Sooooo cool! Then home, planned and that was Mittwoch! 

Donnerstag was such a long day! I am so dead, I cannot even say how many times I had to wake myself up! So after studies we headed into the Stadt, in the pouring rain, to meet a member for a Mittags appointment. He took us to this Steak house. It was soooo good! Then we did a couple hours doing finding vorbeis before an appointments with a less active family. They were super cool, although it was a super long appointment! Then more finding vorbeis before heading home for Abendessen and that was the day! 

So Freitag was a super strange day. I legit died of tiredness and just did not wake up until like 7.50. It was sooo bad! I have no idea what happened! So after quickly getting ready and doing studies, we headed off to the chapel to meet Bruder P for mittags and stuff. That was cool! It took a little while, cooking, running to the shop to grab something he forgot, finish cooking, eating and the spiritual bit, then also washing up. Then as we were writing up a weekly email to Bishop, MLC finished (they do MLC once a month in our mission and they hold it at our chapel as it's the closest and easiest to get to from Hauptbahnhof); so then we got talking for a couple of minutes with the ZLs and STLs in the mission. It was so good to see some familiar faces from die Schweiz! Then finished the email and headed to Marienplatz to meet a former who called us up wanting to meet. Then we headed to a shop to buy a drink cause we were dying of thirst. Then we were on our way to an appointment and they called to cancel, so home to make a start on weekly planning and abendessen!

Samstag- So this morning was an early one and we were out of the apartment before even having the chance to start studies, as we had to travel to meet the München 3 Sisters and head over to Britta for Breakfast. It was super good. I haven't had such a big and filling breakfast in such a long time! Then we spoke for a while and Elder Kennedy tried to fix her computer. Then we had to leave to travel to our next appointment with F. We spoke about the law of tithing and the law of the fast. It was pretty cool! Then we headed off to our next appointment, out in Haar. He's a less active! Then we headed over to the chapel to grab something before heading onto our next appointment with a member from München 3 with the Elders. It was a super cool evening! We had Burgers for dinner and they were super good burgers! Then we chilled and chatted and they did some sort of spiritual thought thing!

Then onto my first real Sonntag with the Gemeinde München 1. It's disturbing to think I only have 3 more Sundays here in the mission..... I don't like that thought.... So we begin our meetings with Priesthood, then Sunday school and we have Sacrament last; as we meet at the same time as the 3rd ward, so they do the reverse schedule, starting like 15-20mins later. It works, but is so strange being with another ward at the same time, but it's also super cool! Church was really good and I got to know some more members. Then after church we had Gemeinderat, followed by joint Comp Study again with the München 3 Elders, Sisters and N. It was a super interesting studies/discussion. Then by the time that finished we headed home, did a little more study and had an earlier (than normal) abendessen before heading back to the chapel for 19uhr to have GMK and that filled the rest of the evening! 

That was basically our week! I also received an email this week from the Missionary Mobile Device department telling me what to do with my iPad, etc. That was weird... and as the end of my mission is getting closer it just seems weird and scary... We also have Zone Conference this week, so I'll be made to give my dying testimony and will probs also receive my death letter... Time is flying by way too quickly! 

Well today is gonna be a packed out day, so have a great week! 

Alles Liebe,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sunday 5 June 2016

Vienna (Wien) 16/5/16 - 30/5/16 Woche 95 & 96 101.5-Time Travel Museum, Pancake Tuesday, Taufdatum und One (Almost) Dead Man!!! Donauturm, Tausch, Schönbrunn Sommernachts Konzert, Taufe (2 sogar) und 'Eine Herde und ein Hirte'!!!!!

Woche 95 von 101.5-Time Travel Museum, Pancake Tuesday, Tausch, Taufdatum und One (Almost) Dead Man!!!
Servus!
So today was Pfingstmontag, which is a holiday over here, so none of the shops were open; so after studies, P-day began! So we headed down to Stephansplatz and hung out there for a little while, went to grab some lunch, did a bit more chilling around the city. Then we met up with the Sisters and a member couple and we went to this 'Time Travel' museum type place, which is basically like a tour of the history of Vienna. It was pretty cool, plus the members paid for us which was super sweet! Then after that, we headed up to the chapel to do emails, before meeting with M, B and M. That was a pretty cool lesson! We spoke about the Holy Ghost and then did a little Deutsch class! It was a pretty good p-day! 
Dienstag after a bit of studies we headed to the centre to have lunch as a District- they all wanted to do Pancake Tuesday again, so we did! Then DM! That was fun! It went a little longer than normal, which was super strange, cause I honestly didn't think it would fill the time, but it did, so that was great! Then after that we went and did some finding, before heading back to the centre to prepare for Englischkurs. Then R showed up (he's a newish member), so we had a lesson with him and then had a double round of English again. So the first one I taught about the Simple Present tense and the second class - I did the use of Commas in writing. They seemed to both go well! Then we headed quick to the shop as P-day was a holiday, so they weren't open yesterday and we needed to grab a few things. Then home, sprach and dinner! It was an interesting day!
So Mittwoch after studies we headed out to meet M, B and the Sisters, so we went shopping together. The Sisters wanted Iranian food, so we asked them and they said they didn't have money, so we were like, well - we'll buy the ingredients - you just need to cook type of a thing. So we went shopping together and tomorrow we're gonna have an Iranian lunch... Sooooo excited! Then we went to Schottentor to meet the ZL’s to tausch! I'm staying here with Elder Hale. It's actually been a really good tausch so far. We went off to do a bit of finding and some vorbeis before going to take R for a walk. (R is B's husband and he's blind, so B asks us to take him for a walk every now and again, especially when she's working a lot). We took him into the city and walked around Volksgarten. It was really nice. That took up a lot of the afternoon! Then we headed back to the apartment for a bit of sprach and a superrrrrrr late mittags. Then out for some more finding and vorbeis before heading to the Insti Centre to do the missionary moment, before heading home for abendessen. It was a pretty cool day and I'm actually really enjoying working with Elder Hale! I never mentioned about who I met at Insti- so at the moment there’s like a Summer program and a load of BYU students are in Wien for like May until June sometime, so at Insti today one of them started speaking to me and then he saw my name and was like "Robertson, where are you from?" and I say "England" - and then he's like "Birmingham?" "Yeah...." Then he asks if I know a Caleb, so I tell him we're cousins and it turns out he was companions with him on their missions back in Ghana! How crazy is that!?! So we had a picture, which he says he'll send to Caleb, Small world, hey!

Donnerstag after some pretty good studies and eating a Banoffee Pie, we headed to Pratter to tausch back! It was actually a really good tausch. After tausching back, we popped back home to drop his tausch stuff back and then off to the Centre. We were meeting with the Sisters, M and B for an Iranian Mittags! It was soooo good and sooo much fun! 



Then it ended as my comp’s tooth/gum problems were causing loads of pain, so I rang around and tried to get him a dentist appointment. We got one literally just around the corner from the Centre who could squeeze him in right then, so that filled a good chunk of the afternoon. It was a good job he went, cause apparently the infection was super strong and would certainly not go away without proper dental care and strong antibiotics. Then after that, I did Englischkurs before we did a bit of planning and headed over to B and R’s for the evening! It was sooo good! I legit just love them sooooooo much! It's just so much like home at their place; just completely relaxed, chilled out appointments. Like tonight we ate and then just all chilled out, chatting and shared a spiritual thought. Honestly those appointments are sooooo needed some days! I just love B and R. They really are my favourite people here (along with M and B) - so today was just the perfect day! 
It's already the end of Freitag! Weeks are flying by! So after studies and mittags, we had a pretty long weekly planning! After weekly planning, we headed over to B and R’s (it's as though we are there every day) for GMK and discussed the sacrament meeting that the ward missionary team are supposed to organise and put on at the end of June. After GMK we headed to meet M and B at the chapel. We had a lesson with them, focussing on the Christ-like attribute of hope. Then we were feeling a little troubled about their situation with not being allowed to get baptised and so, because they are completely ready, so we asked Pres about the rules and stuff and he asked about their residency stuff; what this white card is and so on. We looked through all their stuff with them and it turns out that what they have is actually good enough to be baptised. So while M was cutting Elder Bonnke's hair I called up Pres and spoke a little more about it all and he gave the okay to baptise them; so we are moving their baptism up to next Saturday. The 28th May!!! You should have seen their faces when we told them! They are soooo ready and sooo excited to make this covenant with God!!! The thing is that they have had the same permit ever since the missionaries started working with them, but it was only just that we actually started to look into it even more. Heavenly Father must have needed them to wait just a little longer. He really does work in mysterious ways and everything will work out in the end; so long as we keep pushing forward in faith and hope; and just endure righteously till the end! We are beyond excited for them! 
Samstag was an incredibly interesting day! So during studies we got a few calls and all of our appointments for the whole day, but one, fell out. So the day was basically gonna suck! So we thought of going to our favourite people ever, seen as we still have a lot to sort before next Saturday and they saved our butts for an hour or so. So after mittags, we headed over to the Centre to meet with M and B. They are legit the best! I love them soooo much. They were like "We couldn't sleep last night, because of the excitement that we can actually be baptised. We can't believe it!" They are the sweetest. We met with them to plan the actual service. It took a little longer than expected, but we have a pretty nice service planned out and we convinced them into having a couple of members of the ward perform the baptism. That way they have that connection with someone who will always be around. They wanted us to do it and I would have really loved to say yes, but we thought that having a member do it gives an even more solid relationship to the ward. Beyond excited for them!!! Then we headed to Ottakring to meet the Sisters. Our appointment with them fell out, so we planned a back-up together to go by an old lady in the ward who lives in a care home. So we went by, spoke and sang a load of hymns together. It was super funny and sooo cute. I love old people! Then on our way back Sister Lundgreen almost killed a man (she didn't really, we are just saying it to her, to make the golden feel bad- haha!) So basically on our way back we were walking down the street and Sister L is walking on the furthest side of the path (on the road side) and this guy just comes staggering over the path and almost falls into her, so she jumps into the road; so she doesn't get collapsed on by this man, as he staggers further into the road and just collapses, face first. We're all like what the fetch just happened, as some people from the bus stop 20m or so down the street come running up. One calls the paramedics and I'm about to go check this guy’s pulse as he wasn’t moving at all, not even breathing motions. Then this one guy just starts going up to him, so I figure, maybe he actually has some form of professional first aid training, cause I just have what I've learnt myself from over two years ago and never practiced, but then he's like, come and help me move him off the road. Then I think umm, maybe he has none, cause that is not what I would do, after he just knocked himself out left temple first into a road; but he moves him anyway and in the process - drops him head first again. Then he's at the side of the road and I'm like gonna try and put him in the recovery position to open his airways and blood flow, but this guy is still taking over and it was just terrible. Plus, now he's breathing, or more so snoring. So I'm just like whatevs then, plus he stinks of alcohol, so I believe that is the key factor to what just happened. The Police drive by and see the scene, so stop and come and take over, then the paramedics arrive. We wait around for a little while if they have any questions, but nope. So we took off! Legit, this guy just almost died today, right in front of us. After that, we went to the shop to buy a little gift for A and D for taking us to the Time Travel museum on Monday, then we did some finding and a vorbei before heading to the chapel to meet with F. That was good. Finally it didn't fall out! Then home, abendessen, and milkshake night! 'Twas fun!
Sonntag was another interesting day! Church was interesting. The theme for Sacrament meeting was music and the second talk Bishop did, but it wasn't a talk, we like sang songs from the Children’s songbook. It was cool, but super strange! Then the Priesthood class was just interesting. After that, we went through the baptismal program with the GML and learnt how to fill the font, before coming home, grabbing mittags and studying. Then we headed to the S's for abendessen and a lesson together! The food was soooo good, but I was soooo full! We had a really good lesson with them! They are such a cool little family! Then time to head back and that was Sunday!
It's been quite the week and it just flew by! This next week is looking pretty awesome as well, so I’m well excited, especially for Saturday! Soooooo excited! Well, I hope you guys have a great week! Love you all loads! 
Alles liäbi,
Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxx

Woche 96 von 101.5- Donauturm, Tausch, Schönbrunn Sommernachts Konzert, Taufe (2 sogar) und 'Eine Herde und ein Hirte'!!!!!
Höi zäme!
P-day! So after studies we went out to do some shopping for the week, before heading to the dentist, as they wanted to do a check up on my companion after draining that thing on Thursday. So we got there, waited a little while and then he went in. He came out and told me they were sending him to another dental practice on the other side of the city to get the tooth extracted, cause it's become cracked. So then we trek all the way to the other side of the city, wait around forever and then finally he goes in and gets it taken out. Then we finally make our way over to the Donauturm for district p-day; only like 2 and a half hours later than we originally planned, but we went up the turm. It was fun! We spent a bit of time looking out, taking pictures, etc. Sister Lundgreen made a bad choice in clothing this morning as it was windy as fetch up there, so she was constantly holding her dress down. Poor girl. 





Then we went up to the Cafe/Restaurant for a super late Mittags. It was pretty good food to be fair, but it was strange. Like the place was a 360* Cafe and legit, the room was moving around. It was slowly moving, but if you looked at the corner where the floor and wall, or ceiling and wall meet, it was really weird! I took a time-lapse on my iPad, as we were moving around, so I have the whole 360* view. It was pretty cool to be fair. 
Then we headed over to the chapel to meet up with B and M and the ZL’s for their baptismal interview. Of course they passed!!! They are soooo ready. Then because of dental appointments and running around for that and the interviews; we then had a bit of time to do email time before heading home. It was a pretty cool day! 
Dienstag! After studies, we headed off to the centre to go to district meeting. We had to do it a bit earlier today, as we had tausch and my comp needed to go back to the dentist to have his stitches taken out before going to St Pölten. So DM was fun. Then we did Pancakes again. I think it's becoming a little tradition in the district- pancake Tuesdays! It's fun! During that, we tausched and I'm working with Elder Gappmayer here in Wien. So after, we headed with the Sisters over to the Familie V, as they wanted to visit them and we were asked to take the Sacrament over for them, so we went together. That was really nice. We were there for a while though, but it was fun. Then we headed over to the S's for Abendessen. We got there a little earlier than planned, so did a bit of dooring, but no luck! Then essen! It was sooooo good! She also taught us how to make Spätzli from scratch. It is so quick and easy, so once I get my hands on the tool thing you use, then I'll have to make it when I get back. Sooo good! Then home, a bit of sprach and that was Dienstag! 
So Mittwoch after studies, we headed off to St Pölten to tausch back. So we tausched back so early, cause we had a mittags appointment with a member and my companion wanted to be at it, so we had to tausch early! So after that, we headed back to Wien to go to the Familie Soucek Snr. (Bishop’s parents) for Mittags. It was really good! Then after them, we headed to the Centre to do some companionship study, as we never had that before tausching back. Then we met up with B and M, read though the chapter about Baptism in Gospel Principles, discussed a few more things in preparation for Saturday and then M cut my hair, cause it was really due a cut and I was feeling too lazy to cut it myself this time! Then we headed home, showered and changed, cause I had hair all over me; then did some Sprach and abendessen. It was actually a pretty chill day, but we still got a few things done. 
Donnerstag!!! This week has gone pretty fast! It's crazy! So after studies and mittags we popped over to the chapel to send off ticket orders for DM next Tuesday. Well after that, we headed to meet the Sisters in Ottakring to go by Schw. K in the old folks’ home again. That was fun. She is such a sweet little old lady. We talked and sang with her again - and we got a few pictures! Haha! She is so sweet!


 After that, we did a few vorbeis before heading to the Centre to quickly prep something for English, to which nobody came (I think because today is a Holiday here); so we printed off the programs for the baptism on Saturday. Then we headed to B and R’s, did the Sacrament for them, cause they haven't been able to come to church for a few weeks for various reasons and then the Sisters did a Spiritual thought.  We then headed to the Schönbrunn Sommernachts Konzert with the Wiener Philharmoniker (they're supposed to be the best orchestra in the world and its’ founder is Johann Strauss), so once a year the Stadt put on a free concert at Schönbrunn with the Wiener Philharmoniker and it was really good. We got seats cause we were with R (he's blind) and we were on the front row (to the right). It was actually a really nice evening, but such a late one (but that’s fine, cause Pres gave permission). So that was our Thursday!
So Freitag was a pretty chill, strange day! So we did studies, mittags and weekly planning and then finally headed out. We went to the centre to meet with M and B and we went through a few last day preparation stuff before tomorrow! Tomorrow’s the day!!! I am sooooo excited for them! Tomorrow’s also the day to find out where and with whom my last 5 weeks will be spent.... Weird much! After them, we quickly headed over to C&A to get a couple of ties, as a little gift for them after their baptism. Just to give them another tie or two to choose from, cause they only have one each at the moment. Then we met up with Wien 4 and went to a member appointment with them. This family found out a week ago that we live in a 4 man, so they asked if the whole apartment wanted to come over, so we agreed and we went. The food was amazing and it was a really interesting and fun evening. Then home and the normal evening before transfer call morning!!!
Samstag- and today’s the day for a couple of reasons!!! So, after a nice morning run the call came... My very last call that means anything to me, cause the next time I get one of those I'm just going to be told that it's time for me to find my next companion on my own.... and that comes in just 5 weeks’ time.... Weirdness of life! Anyways, back to the actual call... So I'm leaving to go to my 8th Area. I swear I'm hitting up a record here!!! That works out at a max. of 2 transfers per area. It sort of has to be fair, but then 2 of them were 3 transfers and the other 2 were 1 transfer areas. So I'm off to Munchkin Land (München) where I will serve in the 1st ward with an Elder Kennedy (I have no idea about him- but he will be the one killing me)! He's American anyway, anything else I guess we'll find out on Wednesday... So my replacement here will be Elder Meiners, yep his area is just going to be dramatically shrunk, as he's currently in the International ward, which is the whole Stake as his area, so that will be fun. He has such an easy transfer though, as we live together anyway, so he just needs to change his desk over.... I’m not sure about this last move though, as during interviews Pres he asked if he moved me out; where would I like to go? .. and I said ‘To the mountains’! Now München is no mountain area... Well anyways, after that business we headed over to the J's to help them move. That was fun! Especially seen as it's like ridiculously hot at the moment. Once we finished there we headed over to Prater to meet up with a few other missionaries and some investigators to play Ultimate Frisbee. That was fun; again super tired and super-hot and just not a good combination. We got back from there and got showered and ready for the day, popped over to the chapel to fill the font, studies/last minute prep for the baptisms and then they arrived. They got into white and we had a load of pictures before the service started. It was really nice. The GML spoke on baptism and then we had the baptisms, B first and the M. We were the witnesses and it was such a perfect, beautiful, spiritual moment. I love those guys so much. Then while they were getting dry, we had music playing in the background while everyone wrote a small testimony/memory thing for them on the back of the programs. Then B gave the talk on the Holy Ghost, Bishop welcomed them, then they both gave their testimonies and told their story. It was soooooo beautiful. Then Schluss. We had a few refreshments and stuff and that filled the majority of the evening. They even got themselves suits, so they would be dressed like all the other members. They looked sooo good! What a precious day! I'm so excited for them tomorrow! 


Wow! Sonntag! So after getting ready we headed over to the chapel. B and M were there 20 mins before the meeting started to say hi to the members and we also got them there a little earlier, cause I still needed to break the news to them about transfers. Yesterday was just not the time or place, so I told them and it was the saddest thing ever – their little faces!!! Then Sacrament meeting; they got confirmed- such another precious little moment!! The Spirit just filled that chapel and then came the second confirmation and it just doubled! It was beautiful! Then after the Sacrament, Bishop announced how I'm leaving, so then I had to do the whole super sucky Tschüss testimony. I hate that part about transfers. I've done it way too often! Then the talks were good and interesting, but it was cool! Then we had the Gospel Principles class to teach, as the teacher messaged us this morning; like 20 mins before we left for church and asked if we could take it, as he wasn't able to come. We did an ‘on the spot’ lesson on Charity, as that was the topic. It seemed to go pretty well! Then joint Priesthood/FHV class with the former President of the Freiberg Temple. They did like a Temple Q&A session to some extent and it was pretty good. Then goodbyes, which sucked! I'm definitely gonna come back to visit this ward. Bishop says hi to the family and thinks its super cool that I served in this ward, as he was Bishop. He's such a cool Bishop! I'm gonna miss that! Then home for lunch and studies.... I think I'm gradually coming to terms with München 1. The members were saying today that München is cool and has a lot to see on P-days and stuff, which was great! Anyways, after studies we met F and headed with him over to Pfahlhaus. We got there a little early, so sat down and had a little lesson with him before heading up to the Chapel for this Concert thing. There was a group of BYU students from the School of Music who have been in Wien for a study abroad month or so, and one of them is the Composer of some Musical Concert thing which focusses on the BoM called 'One Fold and One Shepard'; so they performed this evening- auf Deutsch! It was brilliant! Like those guys can sing soooooo well! It was a great evening! Then refreshments, mingling, etc. Then we for home a little late and then I collected numbers for the last time (I think- they never told me if I'm DL over in München), but then again they never told me I was DL this transfer when we got transfer calls. I just found out ‘cause President sent me a load of info about it and the fact I suddenly had access to the other areas numbers in the district on the missionary portal, so you never know!
Well, I guess we'll just have to see what transfers bring.... Well, have a fantastic week. Love you loads!
Alles Liebe,
Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxx