Week 4

I haven't really told everyone about what goes on in the classroom, so I guess I can try to do that now in 15 or so minutes. So there are 5 companionships in my classroom which makes up a district. There's Elders Haskell & Brant who get along really, really well. Elder Brant ONLY speaks German now, even though he doesn't know very much and it's hard for him. Despite that though, he's always smiling and loves to tell storiesand make people feel great. Elder Haskell doesn't speak as much German, but he tries to. He doesn't really know how to go about the best way to learn it, so I think he gets kinda discouraged with that. He's a really funny character though, and he's always cracking jokes likes saying "Wie Bitte?" (Pardon/What did you say?) as if he's an old man when somebody says something quietly, or timidly, etc. There the Elders who share a room with Elder Gillette and me. Elder Brant loves how the hymns sound in German, so often he'll be singing before we go to sleep, while other times Elder Haskell starts rubber band wars. They're awesome.

The other Elders, Elder James and Elder Clark live caddy corner from us with some other Frankfurter Elders in a different district. That's Elder Smith from England and Elder Hatch. Elder James is a very classy kind of guy who has sweet glasses that somehow match his suit and shoes and always does his hair the same distinguished sort of way. He's had a lot influence in his life from Eastern teachings like Bhuddism, so he's a really relaxed, intelligent guy. However, he was a way with expressions and he's usually the one who exchanges "Wie Bitte?"s with Elder Haskell. Love that man. His companion Elder James is a bit shorter that I am, but he's got this presence about him that kinda lets you know size isn't an issue with him. I could imagine him as a really good Businessman. He's got a great smile and is really good with words and talking to people. When he gets the language, he'll be a super persuasive speaker. Like Elder Haskell, though, he doesn't know very well which is the best way to go about studying, so he struggles sometimes with the German. I really respect him though, because he's actually very sincere and let's you know when somethings going well or not.

There are two companionships of Sisters, Sister Hansen and Sister Breitweiser, and Sister Shipton and Sister Miller. Sister Hansen is tall and knows a lot of German already, I guess it makes sense to her more than others. She likes to tell stories about her Star Child sister, and how the spirit's helped her to strengthen their relationship. Sister Breitweiser is short and is very, very focused. Sometimes she gets a little stressed about ... pretty  much everything, and I think it's not good for her. Actually, she's been quite sick off and on since we got here, so I try to help her when I can. Sister Miller is kind of reserved most of the time, and at first we all thought she was super shy, which I guess she is a little, but it turns out that she can be very loud at times. It's crazy though, because she's turns it off like a switch at the most unexpected times, flat in the middle of a laughing fit. She also likes to run. Sister Shipton is Sister Miller's companion, and she kind of reminds me of Kira. She has pretty dark hair and loves music and Harry Potter, and a few other things. She also gets the language kind of well and enjoys telling stories.

I'm out of time in the computer lab, and my laundry in the dryer was probably done 10 minutes ago. I love you all, very, very much!

Aufwiedersehen!

~Elder Standring

Week 3

Yea, thanks so much! I got all those mail-items you mentioned, the candy-cookies package, the postcard from Colorado, and my Vibrams! (I think I already told you that of the four missionaries in my "residence", three have Vibram Fivefinger shoes! That's not an accurate ratio of the whole MTC, though, I think I've only seen a couple other missionaries with fivefingers besides us.)

Everything is really changing at the MTC. I didn't know this before I came, but the 90-something Deutscher missionaries

are doubling our missions. Most of the Europeans are going to the Alpine mission, since Americans aren't really getting into 'der Schweiz' (d-air Sch-white-ts) right now, but hopefully that will change really soon. There is one English Elder going to the Frankfurt mission, named Elder Smith. I'll try to get a picture with him this next week, so Kira can see him. He's really awesome, and he says some funny stuff.

There's about 800-900 new missionaries coming in every week I think, so the MTC is getting pretty crowded. Email/Laundry time is the worst. Most "residence"s are getting an extra bunkbed because of that (ours hasn't, yet). Right now there's a little more than 3000 missionaries in the MTC, which is the most EVER. That's nothing compared to the 8,000 that will be here in the summer. Like I said, everything is really changing.

Love you all so much,

~Elder Standring

Elder Standring with the Germany map on his new missionary plaque!

Elder Standring's missionary plaque arrived!

We received Elder Standring's missionary plaque on 2/25/2013!  This will go up on the church meeting house wall!  (Then after his 2 years, we get to bring it home to display with his brothers' plaques!)

Week 2

I sent off my other letter today so you'll get that soon. I'm also sending a letter for Kira, so that should get there about the same time. I have to go check my laundry soon. I only have half an hour to be on the Myldsmail.net.
Yep, so Sister Allen's left, and like you said, Drake Allen is reporting I think next week so it will be good to see him. Eventually I think I will have to get a bigger scripture case, because the German Scriptures I was given are about an inch too big. Also I think the machines in the laundry room like to eat my socks, because I've lost like three pairs already. If if wouldn't be too much trouble, I think I could benefit from a couple pairs of black ankle socks. Also, thanks so much for sending my vibrams. That will be really helpful!

Gotta go, we'll be taking group pictures today, and I'll see if I can't send you a picture of my companion too.

Love Elder Standring

German Flag Flying over my Study Desk

Here's Elder Standring's mini-German flag (gotten for him by his grandparents before he left) on his study desk at the MTC and also on the background is his native Hawaiian Happiness statue!

Like Christmas!--New Watch!

A missionary there just gave Elder Standring this watch!  Mark offered to trade him something, but he said no, it was fine!  He said it was kind of like a 2nd Christmas!