Mission Update

Here's what Zach sent us this week:

I had a really good week this week. Once again NOTHING went as planned but it was still ok. I'm going to have to do the week backwards:

Yesterday I and Elder Hanke (Swedish) were on exchange and we went knocking...we only did one buzzer...and he let us in! Weird! That almost always means a Jehovah's Witness or someone who wants the opprotunity to yell at you to your face...not this time! Long robed and bearded was waiting for us on the top floor...or in other words, a Greek Papas! And not just any one, a bishop from the central Church in Athens...high in the food chain! He was very nice and his apartment was very nice and simple, not extravagant at all. It was nice to talk to a Papas who actually seemed to be in it for the right reasons. (Many people don't respect the clergy here because they're usually pretty rich and live very extravagantly). So we were able to get in a good explanation of the restoration and a good explanation of our beliefs. He thinks we're good kids and that we really believe what we believe but we're making a mistake...It was an interesting experience...He was actually kind of paranoid. He wouldn't tell us where he was a bishop and he asked us if we had a microphone hidden...he told us his name and we found out who he really was from our investigators who live below us. So that was last night...church was really good because there were a lot of members and some inactives. On Wednesday (New Year's Eve)we went over to the Hoovenere's house (embassy family) and ate some American burgers and hotdogs with root beer (the embassy has a commissary!) Then we played apples to apples and went home...all 8 of us, to our apartment...a scary idea. It was a ton of fun and we were so tired the next day... As far as I can remeber that was it for this week.

I remember something I want for my package! Otter Pops if you can fit them and A&D ointment...and yeah that's it. I'm not in too big of a hurry.

(I asked John and the kids to each sum up 2008 for our very late Christmas newsletter, this is what Zach sent): My year? Well, I've been here in Greece for all of 2008, that's weird to say. I've seen, heard and experienced a few things that couldn't have happened anywhere else. How do you put a year in a few lines? I've experienced the tender mercies of the Lord and I've seen the atonement at work. What more needs to be said? Oh, I also had a lot of fun..."

Sorry, that's all I can do. Talk to you next week!