Words from Elder Kyle James in Germany

"So.... yeah. Let me start off by saying that the y and the z on the keyboard are switchted, so if I mess up, that's why. And also... the computer thinks I'm spelling everything wrong.

So we got on a plane to Dallas and then from Dallas to Frankfurt. The plane ride took forever! We flew over Ireland, and I saw it from the window, and England, too. At the Dallas airport, a drunk German lady told us to "knock this §§§§ out" haha wow. People aren't too nice to us. Everyone thinks that we are JWs.

We got to the Frankfurt airport and made it through the border all right. Then some of us went to the Frankfurt church and had a meeting about passports and legal stuff. Then, some of us went and did street contacting in the middle of Frankfurt for an hour. WOW that was hard. "That´s not the language the taught me at the mtc."

I talked to a guy on a bike for like 20 minutes... and he was Atheist, i think. I just smiled and nodded my head. Street contacting is very hard. People just say "nein nein nein" and keep walking.

We then got to go to bed early in a hotel, and we got our own rooms! I had no idea how to turn on the lights. I figured out that you have to slide your hotel card in a slot. Crazy.

I did have horrible jet lag. I was sooooo out of it. But I'm alright now.

The hotel breakfast was awesome!! It was really just bread and salami. But it was awesome! So good!

We then had a pairing and area meeting, but you know where I am.

We took a bus through Köln (Cologne) and I saw the big church there. The German countryside is beautiful. There are large areas of green rolling hills spotted with little villages. It is so beautiful. Eveything is green. Moss grows on the sidewalks. I really can't describe how beautiful it is. And internet pictures don't do it any justice.

We live in the middle of Solingen, on the top floor of an apartment. Our area is interesting. We are in Solingen, but we take buses to smaller towns and stuff. One time, we had to hike in the Wald for like 20 minutes to get to a less-actives house. And it was beautiful.

But, It is hot. HOT. And... there is no AC... anywhere!! NOT ONE PLACE. Haha it is killing me!

Now the people. Holy crap. The people. People dress crazily. Like, 0 clothes. It is really weird. I must have bad culture shock. I have seen A LOT of weird things. I won't write about them, but remind me to tell you when I get home. The people are very hard hearted. Oh well. They all seem sad, too. One time, I stopped a guy on the road and said "Hallo! Guten Tag!" And he look at me like I was crazy. haha

I am starting to love them though. And, unfortunately, understand them.

We met with a less active, Bruder Küster, in Remsheid and HE is insane. He sings songs about us in German and stuff like that. Then, he took us into his basement, and gave us random haircuts while we read him scriptures. He is good at cutting hair though. He is super lonely and has a 19 year old Katte (cat) named Batman. He also has a venus fly trap. THAT was fun to watch. He lives in the best area here. Gorgeous. We live over a tattoo shop and a Hookah store!

 

The food is awesome. Döners are to die for!! SO GOOD!! I love döners.

(Note from Lisa- Doners are a Mediterranean food that consists of shaved lamb that has been cooked on a spit all day long. They are served in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and a mint yogurt sauce. This is cooked and sold on the street corners. I ate a similar version in Saudi Arabia called a schwarma. He is right, they are to die for!! So good!)

My companion is cool, and taller than I am. We stand out really well. He is from Utah, of course.

No, I don't have a bike

 

I don't know if it's a ward or branch, it's really small though. It was crazy. Our investigator who is looking toward baptism went. We taught her about tithing. When kids cry, moms don't take them out, so it's really loud. The bishop made me bear my testimony... yeah... haha.

Yeah... whoever said that everyone speaks English here is dumb. No one here speaks English. Good grief. Yes it is a German area! haha nothing but German.

Spiritually wise, I've been praying a lot for help. But then, I realized that I'm here for others, so I started praying for other people and that helped a lot. Also, it says in Moroni that we have to pray for charity to have it, so I've been doing that a lot. Charity is the best thing to have on a mission, next to the spirit.

I love Germany, even though I'm still culture shocked.

For example, we had dinner with a family last night. It was tacos! I ate 2 and was stuffed, but the grandma kept telling me to eat more! SO I had to keep eating. And then they brought desert... oh my.. too much food. hahaaha

CRAZY! The man of the house, Bruder Hansen, went to Africa on his mission, and he had a companion named Preston Wengert from Arizona... Zach Wengerts brother? I think so! All roads lead to SJ

What else? I'm sure there is more but I forgot my journal... SO we can always talk about it later.

And... I am SO sorry... I forgot my camera at our house. I took a lot of pictures, but youll have to see them later. SO SORRY. I feel horrible. Oh well, I'll just take even better ones. Really though, sorry.

German is coming along just fine.

What else? No Idea

I love you guys.

 

This week, work on charity again. Study it for family home evening maybe, It is an awesome thing to have. Also, pray always, it really does work. I know it.

Ich weiß dass die Kirche Jesu Christi wahr ist. Ich weiß dass. Ich weiß dass Gott uns liebt. Ich liebe sie. "