Transfer time...

So yeah, does anyone want to guess what is happening to me this next transfer?

 

Keine Sorge, I'll tell ya. I'm being transferred!!!! It's just like mom says--when things get comfortable and you know the people and your way around--BOOM--time to transfer! I'll be heading way south this time to CHEMNITZ, which from what I hear is finally a big city! It's big enough that there are a set of Elders and an Ehepaar in my city--which means there's an Institute Center. So excited but that of course meant the past few days have been saying goodbye to everyone. It was a lot easier the second time around, because yeah, I know that I'll survive and meet really cool people, and I had a peaceful feeling like, I truly did my best and I felt at peace leaving behind the work I done here. And my little branch was sad to see me go--Ola said she might try and keep me here and feed me delicious Egyptian food to keep me quiet--I have to say it almost worked!

 

So I've been packing a lot today. Phew. Sis. Szvoboda and I are really sad that we're being split up, but we already have plans to hang out together at BYU and go dancing and stuff, which is pretty fun to think about. And you never know in the mission if we'll bump into each other again! Seeing how transfers work here, I have high hopes that I'll see people again, either at Zone Conference or other random circumstances. Woot! But yeah, another Golden is coming to replace me, which is what happened in Cottbus, sort of a trend...But I already know my new companion--Sis. Laubaugh--who was a MTC district ahead of me and she's so funny and wonderful, so it's hard to say goodbye but I'm excited about all the damage I'll do in Chemnitz... ;P I'll be right next to Freiberg, so I'll get to visit the temple again next transfer! Lucky day!

 

So this week has been a bit up in the air, because we made lots of plans to visit people, mostly less actives, and when nothing's too fest, it's likely that we travel all the way to a city, street or whatever and it doesn't work out. But we did have lots of success with meeting people and talking about why they should come back to church and give it a second chance. It's sometimes simply that they just would rather be gardening on Sunday and talk themselves into thinking that church doesn't matter, or it's too much effort or something. Just sometimes I wonder if they really knew what the sacrament really means, if they would think it over again. But the ward really appreciates our efforts because sometimes the people are closed to members but ever open to Sisters. Privilege of wearing the badge!

 

Cool news--Wind Symphony from BYU (not my band group but a level higher) is coming to Freiberg and EISENHÜTTENSTADT to perform! Our little Zweig was pleasantly surprised and they've been working their tails off passing out flyers. A bunch of missionaries from our district will come on Friday and pass out flyers in Frankfurt Oder so the place will be packed. I should be able to go to the concert in Freiberg, so I'm not too disappointed, but it's so neat. I hope I see some people I know! Holla for BYU!

 

Another big chunk of my week--Tausch! I got to Tausch in Rostock, which is just as north as a Sister can go (and as close as I'll get to Danmark!) with Sis. Noyes, who was the Golden who came in to Cottbus after me (or in essence, replaced me), so we geeked out about Cottbus and all our peeps down there. I heard yesterday that one of our investigators, Chi-Yu FINALLY has a Taufdatum, but it's not until September, but that was great to hear. I heard it from Sis. Anderson my "step mom"--I called her yesterday because she's going home this week and I wanted to say goodbye before she goes back to "the other side" to the REAL world.

 

But anyway, Rostock is amazingly beautiful--I forget how much my cities are so DDRish and stuck in the past, so it'll be interesting being away from the DDR blocks for a while. But we took pictures by the harbor and such, so cool! Their branch is a lot smaller than ours--their church building is weirdly situated above a NETTO but next to a dental practice and a bellydancing studio. Go figure.

 

So this week we have new less actives to visit, but we've been going through our area book and finding cool people to try and teach again--awesome! We're teaching again a few ladies that were investigators 2 years ago. One of them, her husband just died, so she really wants to know where he is and if she'll ever see him again. The area book is full of people who still still still need the gospel!

 

Ack, so I don't think I have the usual novel to write today--just lots of trying to visit people, both active and inactive and tie up loose ends before I leave. I've only seen Parmeer once this transfer, and I'll get to see her today and take pictures and hopefully invite her to baptism! If someone stellar here gets baptized I'm sorely tempted to make the journey back to see it. I miss my twin cities already.

 

Oh, in case you were wondering, tomorrow, I'll be riding the train for almost 5 hours. Holy mensch! I'll be going from here, to Cottbus, to Leipzig, (Leipschhh as people here say) and then to Chemnitz. I checked and I should have plenty of time to get from one Gleis to the next without too much difficulties...Mal gucken. But that means a lot of time to catch up on my journal.

 

Oh, and that's right, here's my new new new address, send me letters, people!

Matthes straße 56

09113 Chemnitz

 

I love you guys! Think of me sitting on suitcases! :)

love,

Sis. Whit