Email - October 27, 2014

 Speaking of your nose starting to bleed, I just wanted to share with you all my three nose-bleed-worthy events of the week:

 The first has to do with the worst decision humans ever made. Daylight Saving is the worst. I'm gonna live in Arizona where you don't have to worry about it. Every Sunday here in Frankfurt there is a meeting in the morning right before church where all us missionaries in the ward get together and get on the same page. We're usually five or so minutes late, and they always are on our case, but it's only because we don't live next door to the church like the rest of those hooligans. So yesterday we decided to be on time. We sprinted through our morning routine, sprinted out to the car, and made it to the church five minutes early, waiting with smug little grins for the rest to come in. 10 minutes. Nobody. 20 minutes. Still no one. We call to check where they all are, so proud of our accomplishment. That's when we realize that we never switched our clocks, and LOST our extra hour of sleep, and hauled to the church to be there an HOUR early. Still a little upset about that. Do you get blessings for getting up at 5:30?

 The next: We had an great appointment with a member from Japan, and we came home with a bag full of left overs for the next day. We got home late, so we all just wanted to get to bed, and Elder Emery just set the bag of food down on the couch and turned the lights off. The next morning I got up, went into the other room, jumped on the couch, and landed in something wet. Just thinking it's water, I turn on the lights and realize that that weird smell and liquid is SOY SAUCE. We came home with a jar of soy sauce which tipped over in the bag during the night, and spilled out all over the couch. And then onto my face in the morning.

 And last but not least: Saturday morning we're in the Mission Home with President Stoddard, doing the mission-wide transfer call. It's toward the end, and Sister Stoddard has just finished giving her advice about "the winter flu season preparation", and now it's time for Pres. to wrap it up with his closing remarks. So we (meaning I), turn the phone around so President can talk more clearly into it, but what we don't realize is that when I turned the phone around, the cord underneath it came unplugged, and the phone turned off. Did we realize that? Sure didn't. So President proceeds to give his closing remarks for 10 minutes, and then we closed with a prayer. No one but us heard any of that. We didn't realize what happened until afterwards, so we had to send out a mass text to tell everyone to sign back onto the call so President could give his closing remarks one more time. But they all signed back on, President got his practice round out and shared some amazing comments, and everything ran smoothly. Just a minor technical difficulty.

 But it's all okay, because the Frankfurt Germany Mission is still up and running, AND this guy got to drive President's really nice Opel. I don't even know what kind it is, but it's black with chrome accents, a really really nice interior, and it's diesel. Just an all around beast. Plus President and Sister Stoddard had an awesome time in Portugal and learned a lot that they're excited to integrate into the mission. And they said that different Zones came and sang to them from the Portugal Lisbon Mission, so they probably gotta see Mckay! #jealous.

 I know I started off on a negative note, so of course I have to end with a positive note, so listen up! We had an appointment with a family this week named the Roas. They are from Columbia, but moved here when the oldest 18 year old boy was about 7 or 6. They are incredible. They used to be completely inactive, and I honestly can't blame them, because they had gone through hell. The ex-step dad here in Germany is a drug addict who would abuse the family verbally and physically, who only causes problems. So many I can't name, and Camillo, the 18 year old, is the man of the house, and does all he can to protect his family, but sometimes he doesn't stand a chance. Well, Elder Lindsey started working with them when he first got to Frankfurt and ever since then, and then one of the sons got baptized, and he and now we, have met with them about every week since then. We were there for Elder Lindsey's last appointment with them, and Camillo and his mom started crying. After about a 2 minute pause, he got his emotions under control for just long enough to tell us "Thank you for serving a mission." and then how if we hadn't, his family would maybe not be here anymore, and anytime he wants to slack off, he thinks of how much we give every day for two years, and knows he has no excuse. I wish you all knew Camillo. He has defended and taken care of his family as a brother, son, and father with everything he has, at 18 years old, and now he is working towards getting the Melchezidek Priesthood. His words "thank you for serving a mission" were the most touching words I've heard in my entire 2 years, because of how sincere it really was from him. That made all the rejection in the world absolutely worth it, just to hear him say that.

 It was a very emotional appointment, but now just like Camillo does, I know the Church is true. I'm grateful for my mission. I can't imagine how "unchanged" I would be without it. There is absolutely nothing more worthwhile you can do between the ages of 18-24, whenever you decide to serve. Nothing more worthwhile. I love it and will always love it. The Gospel mends broken hearts, glues broken families together, and enhances every positive emotion life has to offer. I love it and I live it. And I hope you all do too.

 Have an amazing week, I'm looking forward to hearing from you next week after this crazy week of transfers and goldens and leavers and all! You're all the best. Especially you, Mom!

 -- Elder McGinn