Email - June 17, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! Fröhlich Geburtstag zum glück! Fröhlich Geburtstag zum Glück! Fröhlich Geburtstag alles gute! Fröhlich Geburtstag zum Glück! That was from me and President Schwartz, who I told it was your birthday on the day I was in Frankfurt to pick up the new goldens! Just because I didn't say it in the email last week doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you and celebrating by eating delicious baked goods in the bakeries! It sounds like a good one, I must say!

 And now… Happy Father's Day too! Wow, isn't it just Dad week? Geez, I must admit, I did forget about that one because Father's Day is later here in Germany. But I hope it was a really good one!

My turn? I guess it is! And here is the news you have all been waiting for: My Golden. His name is Elder Nikora Anderson, from South Jordan, Utah. He went to Bingham High the same year as me, so I hate him. Haha no, just kidding. He's way cool! I lucked out big time, not gonna lie. He reminds me all too well of what it was like to be there 3 months ago. Jet lagged out of his mind, struggling to stay awake, confused at what is going on, and shadowing my every footstep. And now I'm on the other side of that relationship, and I'm kind of jealous of him.

 Now we are in Erlangen, and life is crazy. We have the nicest, biggest missionary apartment I have ever seen, (even Pres. said so), except the members who helped set it up for some reason gave us separate bedrooms…strange. So we spent our whole first night playing musical bedrooms and rearranging everything into the same room! Only one tiny paint chip on the door frame, you should be proud, Mama. :)

 We also had an appointment with the other Elders that same first night with one of their investigators, where they challenged and committed her to baptism! Already. One day here and there's a baptismal date. I'm just waiting for the success to take off. The next afternoon the four of us went "sport contacting" with a football to the park. To make a long story short, we ended up playing a pick-up game with 15 kids who are actually out doing service for their church, and they invited us to a big dinner party thing of theirs, and we got all their numbers and they are interested in taking English lessons from us and also curious about our church and why the heck four Americans are in Germany playing football with kids. There's just so much potential in this group, we can't even wait.

 We then had church, which was a blast, I already love this ward. Afterwards we had a big barbeque for an American family that is leaving this week...dang it. I love the Americans. And now here we are, trying to find our way around, still a wee bit stressed out, but loving life! I 'm sorry if this email feels a little rushed and rambling, cause it is. We're trying to catch an appointment pretty soon, and so we gotta haul! But I promise we will give you a more detailed down low next time!

 I love you all and keep enjoying your summers without me! Go to a lot of snow shacks for me, and I'll go to Italian ice cream shops for you. Just know it's hot, I love it, and I'll hear from you all soon. And the church is still true here in the south, where people speak crazy fast and weird German! I'm so grateful for every day I have here, and the opportunities it gives me to get better. The Lord has blessed me so much thus far into my mission, and I have the faith that he will continue to as we work as hard and as diligently as we can.

 Bis nächstes mal, mein geliebter menschen! Tschauii!! (Until next time, my beloved people! Tschauii!)

 -- Elder McGinn (might lose his mind)