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

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