Crazy Week

This week has been pretty good.  Only a couple of things really stood out to me this week, so this email will probably be really short.

On Wednesday, we went to a less active member's house to visit a man named Bruder [Brother] Rechs.  We stopped by and we shared a message with him.  We also talked a lot so we could get to know him and vice versa.  He then shows us this room that he had dedicated to Texas for the most part.  He visited and lived there for about 2 or 3 years.  He had a couple flags and some really nice cowboy hats.  He also had a couple guns that he showed us.  One was a gun used back in the 1800's Military.  It was a really nice looking black powder handgun with a foot long barrel.  He also had a super tiny one that was only about 4 or 5 inches long and was a revolver.  He has lots of cool knifes as well.  Apparently, this guy served in the US Military here in Germany.  He was also in a couple wars.  He was in Vietnam and one other.  This guy is super cool!  I was looking at a shelf and there was this really neat watch that was sitting there.  It has the German Reich flag in it from WWI, along with the bird and Iron Cross. I asked him, "This watch is really cool!  Where did you get this from?  How did you get it?"  All of the sudden, he takes the watch and looks at it for a moment, and then he stuffs it in my breast pocket and tells me I can have it.  Initially, it was shocked. I then pulled myself back together and told him that I could not take this from him.  He then said that he insists.  I had to make sure that he was ok with this and he said he was sure.  I could not believe what happened.  

He then goes into his closet and tells us to look at what he has.  He then gives us a couple of patches.  I was told that one is a Sergeant Major rank that is for the naval uniform.  The other patch is for the Army Combat Uniform.  I don't know what the rank is.  I have no means of looking it up and I have not played BF3 or 4 in a while [BF is a Video Game called Battlefield].  I still could not believe that he was giving me these things.  Elder Heil got the same ranks as well.  In addition, he then pulls out his medic box that he actually used in the field.  He carried it with him for 25 years.  It is beaten up and stained, but still in excellent condition.  Then, Bruder [Brother] Rechs says to Elder Heil, "You want to be a doctor right? Take this then. You can have it." Elder Heil denied it 3 times and then made sure it was ok 3 more times.  He was super shocked that something like this was just given to him.  I was too. It was unglaublich [incredible].

On Saturday, we listened to the transfer call.  This call happens on the last Saturday of the transfer and it goes through all the Zones.  This call informs us where people will be transferred.  I am staying here in Gelsenkirchen and Elder Heil is leaving to Ramstein (yes, that is a place as well as a singer).  He's going to be a Zone Leader.  He's super sad to leave.  He grew to love this place and it is his favorite place yet. I'm getting a new companion named Elder Pifer (I think his name is spelled right).  I know nothing about this kid but I was told by Elder Summerhase (who is also getting transferred) that he is a good kid.  That is all I know.  I will see him on Wednesday night I am guessing.  Shoot! I am really gonna miss my Father (missionary slang term for 'Trainer').  We've had a lot of fun together.  It is all good though, we will stay in contact every now and then.  Later that night, Elder Cassell and I will go to an appointment while our comps go to visit a family to say bye.  We went to a guy's house who was a previous investigator and we were a little late because of the soccer game.  We're let in and we're pretty excited.  I walk in and I set my backpack down next to the wall.  While I am looking down, I notice there is a giant poster on the wall.  It was huge and took the entire wall.  I looked up and it is just a ton of naked chicks.  I was taken by surprise and I quickly walk into the kitchen where he wants us to sit.  As I am walking in, there are two posters on a door to the left with two more girls.  At this point, I am pretty much staring at the table. I am glad that my seat was not facing all this stuff.  Elder Cassell and I make eye contact and we were both thinking the same thing.  What the heck!  We talk with him for a bit so that we can get to know him and then we tell him that we have an appointment soon and that we only have 15-20 minutes.  After that, we get his number and say a prayer with him and got out.  Last thing that I expected to see that day.  So yea, that was a crazy day as well.

Anyway, because Elder Heil is leaving, we are pretty much going to people's houses to eat and say bye and I am hanging out while he packs up his stuff.  We are also going around doing things that he has not gotten a change to do here yet and it has been fun.  I am excited to start off this next transfer with a new companion!  I am officially no longer being trained and I am hoping that I am ready.  Here in Gelsenkirchen I am the youngest missionary (in transfer numbers) but I have been here longer than all the other 3 in the city.  This week will be good and I will see [write] you all next week!

Elder Grow

P.S. If there is one thing I miss most from home, it is music. I treasure every moment in the hair cutting place here. They play good stuff sometimes. Green Day, Offspring, Nirvana, Pop from 2010, 80's.