Oh goodness, this week has been crazy! So we flew out
of Provo on Tuesday morning and then got to Germany Wednesday morning, and then
we were expected to stay awake all Wednesday for training and such. It
was so exhausting...and I'm still not over jetlag! The other missionaries
in my area say that it takes anywhere between 9 days to 3 weeks to get used to,
and I'm hoping that I get over it sooner than later because I never have any
energy to do anything! So exhausted...all the time...such is the
Missionary life, no?
Well I guess I should probably let y'all know where I am
serving. I am in Freiburg, Germany! Its such a fun city, it has a
university here so there are a lot of students, a lot of fun shopping places,
and a lot of personality. It also has 2 really gorgeous Chapels, and a
really beautiful cemetery. (I know that is weird to say, but the Germans
are fascinated with death and really respect their ancestors, so their
cemeteries are generally really pretty.) No pictures this week, but I
will try to remember to bring my camera around so I can show you more of where
I live, it is gorgeous!
So I was super bummed in the MTC once I found out that
Switzerland doesn't let Americans have work visas, so Americans don't get to
serve in Switzerland. But Freiburg is actually in a Swiss stake, and we
are very close to Switzerland, so I actually get to go there occasionally!
My first few days were kinda hectic so I actually stayed in Switzerland
for my first 2 days, and I can not describe how gorgeous it is! Well I
guess all of you back home have Google so you can just look it up, but I can
promise you that pictures don't do Switzerland justice. I am so lucky!
Freiburg is really gorgeous too, I haven't seen a lot of it so far, but I
am so blessed to be serving in such a great area. And the ward here is
HUGE! (at least for a German ward), there are about 150 members I want to say?
Sister Jenson (my companion) says that the members help us a lot with
missionary work, and a bigger ward also means more DINNER APPOINTMENTS!
I've only had one so far, but Sister Jenson says that we get a lot.
German food is so good. I haven't tried a Döner yet, I think I'll
start by dipping my toes in the water before I get too adventerous with the
food.
About my new companion-Sister Jenson is 21 and has really
good Deutsch! She studied German at BYU and lived in foreign residence
housing for a bit just to practice her Deutsch, so she speaks really well.
But she is new to the mission field; she was fast-tracked through the
MTC, so she was only there 11 days, came to the field in the middle of a
transfer, and then was here for one full transfer. So she has been on her
mission less than 3 months and just barely finished her training, and now she
is my trainer. Scary! But she is great, she speaks really well, has
an excitement for this work, and has a lot of patience with me. So she's
great. Funny thing about our companionship though-I am lactose intolerant
and she is gluten intolerant. Oh boy, we are going to be fun for the
members!
This Thursday is a mission tour, which I think is only once
a year. That's where our area 70 comes and tours the mission and speaks
to us and all that jazz. All the Switzerland missionaries are gather in
Zurick, and so I get to go to Switzerland again this week for that. My
district was chosen to sing, which is fun, but kind of scary considering Sister
Jenson and I are the only Sisters in our district. So our voices will
kind of stand out..yikes.
The language is so hard! But it's coming. The
Germans are really understanding and help me with the language. Sometimes
they'll start to speak English to me once they hear my accent, which is
frustrating because I want to practice German! Normally I just tell them
I want to practice and they'll speak German again and just talk slower, but
sometimes my brain just shuts off and I'm grateful that Europeans learn
English! Ugh, my brain is so exhausted all the time...
I think that that is all for this week. Thank you all
for your support! My new P-day is Mondays. just an FYI. Bis
später!
-Sister Peterson
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