A Weekly Snippet.. 3 months worth.

December 14, 2015:   "Thursday was transfer day, I got up at 4 a.m. to catch the 6:45 a.m. train to Salzburg thenwaited a hour and went to München and from there to Passau.  Elder Faux is a cool guy he is 2 transfers older than me so he will hit his year mark this transfer but yeah there are sister in Passau and they are cool Friday we passed out Christmas cards to people here for a hour then went to the church so the church here well it's a branch and it's the smallest branch in our mission like 10-15 on a good day yeah but they are all super awesome and we have some cool investigators here too but yeah the church is in a office building I'll send a picture next week but it's nice here I like it a lot." 

December 21, 2015:   "I bought a giant pretzel and took a pic just for you haha but yeah so this week was pretty not interesting if you are not a missionary haha we just had appointments and went finding but Friday and Saturday we went caroling with the sister missionaries here, they are pretty cool, but we just went door to door and knocked and sang.  It was mostly old people who we sang to for some reason haha, but on Friday we only sang to 3 and the 3rd lady she invited us in, well we were talking and I saw a really old pug, btw it's mops in German, but I saw him and loved him so I think that's why she let us in, but she led us downstairs, she had a pretty big house, anyway and she gave us fruit tea and home made cookies that she made.  The pugs name was Otto and he had one eye and his tail was all droopy not at all curly but we talked and shared with her a Christmas video we have so she was nice.  Then Saturday caroling we sang more and well people wanted to give us money, well donations, haha and we klingled and there was a party going on full of old ladies and they were so happy and well the kinda pushed like 15€ on sister Fogg the brand new sister here, so sometimes there is nothing you can do about it cause people here kinda give out money haha.  We decided we are going to use it for fast offerings so nothing special haha."

December 28, 2015:   "Thursday so we went to the branch presidents house cause on the 24 is the big deal here, they open all their presents and what not. I did not take pictures cause we were always doing stuff sorry, and I also forgot my cord again so sorry about that.  For dinner we had meat fondue, like chunks of raw meat with a pot of boiling oil to cook them in and there were different dips you could put on your meat, it was really good.  Then we spent the night at the Landshut elders place cause it was 10 by the time everything was done, so we got up and went back to Passau.  We went to the Sagmeister place for Christmas, they are a really cool family, pretty much the Weaslelys  from Harry Potter, but we ate there and I skyped you also.  It was really great to see everyone but now that I think about it it feels like the Skype call was so long ago and that it has not been that long of a time, it's weird how time moves on your mission.  Some weeks are long and some fly by.  Saturday we just weekly planned and then went to an all you can eat Asian buffet a member took us to.  It had like kangaroo and alligator and ostrich, deer, elk and stuff like that.  You put the raw meat on your plate and they cook it and bring it to you table. Sunday was Sunday, church and then we did studies and went by on people so yeah, that's my week.  Today before we emailed we went to the Catholic Church organ concert, like its the largest organ in the world or in Europe at least.   It's 5 organs in one kinda thing, it was pretty cool."

Santa visits all good missionaries.

January 11, 2016:  Some times I just don't want to write home, sorry mom.  Friday night my left ear started ringing and it has not stopped ringing so yeah fun.  It's just a ringing, feels kinda numb like when your foot is asleep and you can feel it when you touch it but not really, that's how it feels.  Oh and I've had a headache since the ringing started so fun  Wednesday Elder Carr and I went by on a referral that took pretty much all day to find out where he lived cause it said 90 but it went from 89 to 91 and there was no 90! They do that pretty often though, they just skip house numbers like that but they we tried on number 9 cause maybe they messed up and put a 0 so we did and it was the guy  We both felt like we should try the 9 and when it was the guy we wanted it was pretty cool feeling. 

When Ben doesn't feel good we pretty much send goofy pictures to each other.  Sometimes writing home when your sick is just "uuuhhhh."


 *NOTE FROM MOM  Ben had a few hard weeks worth of emails, so I'm keeping those private but these few ending of several of the emails sums up that missions help produce strong, loving Men.  

"Thank you mom for well, everything!  You have done so much with and all the advice you have given me.  You really are the best mom in the whole world!   Even when I have a wife and she is a mom, you will still be number one.  I love you lots Love Elder Summers"  

Last week with Elder Faux

February 2, 2016:  "Well as I'm looking back through my planner I know that I did have blessings and that the Lord did bless me this week, a lot, but I don't remember the days that they happened so I'll just give a summary of what I saw.  So we have been doing a lot of finding lately and well, we are just not finding anyone.  Like we were out for 4 hours talking to people but not one potential, but later that day someone found us!  This week almost every day we have had people come up to us and start talking to us so yeah.  Not all of them turn out to be potentials but it was nice that they are talking to us. I have been reading in Alma, that's were I'm at, anyways I read that the Lord is unchanging and he does not change. So when he says "ask and ye shall receive", we shall receive!  That when he says I can learn this language and the gift of tongues is real, I can learn it!  That gave me hope this week.  Saturday I remember was a hard day but I made it through it so yeah. He has blessed me with all the wonderful people here and also back home who love and support me when I need it."

February 8, 2016:  "So while we were waiting for the S family to pick us up, some guy came up to us and said how he wanted to become Christian but he is a Viking and believes in Odin...so yeah, but he seemed sincere so yeah that was fun. A lot on Sunday, so yeah Sunday as we were going to church some lady came up to us and said are you Mormon and we said yeah and she got down on one knee and put her hands together and said God bless you and stuff like that so it was a great start haha. So this week was Fasching week, ask sister Tingey about it, but there were these 16-18 year old girls dressed up as clowns.....like a nose makeup but not the clothes really and they all had a bunch of roses and we walked past them and one of them broke off from the group and gave me and ES each a rose and said something but we did not understand so that was fun.."

February 15, 2016:  "Well this week was good for the most part yeah I'll just give you a general run down of my week:  We met with our Viking friend twice, had zone training, had tausch so I worked with elder Bliss,  had a lesson, went finding,  had a eating appointment, and some really drunk guy tried to show us around Passau and would not leave us alone so we walked with him as he talked English with us, the language of drunk people here in Passau is English, so fun."

February 22, 2016:  "I thank you so much for the prayers you have given for me, it really is such a nice feeling to know you have someone back home who is praying for you, We have eaten at the Sagmeisters every week and she is such a funny woman, like she is almost the German version of you haha!  But yeah we make schnitzel every week and it's so good you should try to make it, ask sister Tingey to help if you want.  Have you been to Aldi yet? It's a German food store in Tulsa you know where it is?  But yeah that's where I go shopping sometime in Austria it's called Hofer but yeah.  I bet they have German stuff there try the weiß Wurst it's so good.  You just boil and suck them out of the skin haha.  I'll show you when I get back home. But yeah this week was just full of normal missionary work haha Tuesday we had district meeting and then lunch with a member family, OH YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS DISH CALLED Dampf Nudeln!! Ok? You really need to try and make it it's soooooooo good.  we had apartment inspection from the Ehepaar from Linz we passed with flying colors so yay for us!  We had a lesson with a new convert who lives a good 15 away from Bahnhof and it was snowing and raining and guess who that day decided to not carry their umbrella with him.... Me.  So I was soaking wet when we got there and it was snowing even harder when we left, so fun.  We almost missed our train it would have come in another hour if we had missed it but it was late so that was a blessing ."

February 29, 2016:   "Friday we went to Neuötting and sang to old Bayerisch people in a old people home it was fun to see them all sing along with us as we sang older songs with them, it made me really happy. In Neuötting we missed our train, but that's ok it comes every hour.  We were stuck for a hour so all the pictures I sent are in Neuötting of the church's there.  Look it up.  I took a picture of a couple dead saints, like legit skeletons stuff it's so freaky and I bought a rosary while I was there cause I wanted one but yeah that was my week in a nut shell."

March 7, 2016:  "Thursday we helped sister Bishop with her bags and then we met with a lady who has come up to us a couple of times but this time we talked with her and yeah got her address and we went there on Thursday and she is pretty.....different.   She drinks a lot and speaks English with us but she is a lonely lady who said she feels all gross inside, but yeah we talked with her and said that we would like to help her and how we don't think she is gross and then she started to cry. So all in all it was nice" 

March 14, 2016:  "We only taught one lesson this week to a guy from Holland.  He is a artist and he showed us around a modern art thing for a hour so it was fun. He is a cool guy. We taught him the restoration and the Book of Mormon and he honestly seemed to like everything and agree with what we said but he is gone now he left Sunday but he was really cool I got a picture with him.  Was the Mormon message you watched called " Mountains to climb" ?  Because if so, I watched that one on Sunday, it was a rough day for me and it helped a lot actually, but yeah.  It's just been rough the past week.  I love you so just much mom I wished I would of listened to you more back home now that I'm here I realize how right you were about well everything haha I hope you are doing amazing g and that this week is great love you mom Love Elder Summers"

March 21, 2016:   "Ich weiß nicht was zu sagen aber es war eine gute Woche. Wir haben viele getan, ok nicht so viele getan aber ein bisschen Spaß gemacht. Hoffentlich nächste Versetzung  werde ich versetzt werden, weil ich schon hier drei Versetzung bin und schon drei mit dem Elder Staheli aber ja.   I hope that's good for you,it won't be all right with the adjective ending and word placements and stuff like that but I hope it makes sense to you.  Saturday we just cleaned the church and went by on a guy who we are wanting to do service for.  His place has mold and gnats everywhere so we were going to help him clean it but he was not feeling well so we ate linner, it's was at 4 so that's why it's called linner. Then found for a hour or so and that's my week for ya, nothing too exciting happening this week but next week I'll be in Landshut for Tuesday till Thursday morning or so should be fun."

  

Leaving Klangenfurt and being a little impish

So big news.........I'm transferred to Passau A. In Germany so yeah big changes.  Well to be honest this week was boring up till Friday.  So Friday we went up to Salzburg for a super exchange so I worked with a zone leader and Elder Nelson worked with the other, so yeah.  We just walk around Salzburg and yeah the picture with the butts is in Salzburg so yeah. Yeah Europe has naked statues everywhere so yeah I took a picture with a couple of them haha 

 I sent home Dropbox pics and a couple of videos.  But that night we went to a Krampus Lauf look it up I sent a video of the intro of it so yeah they were walking through the clouds and hitting people with sticks and what not.

 We spent the night in Salzburg with the zone leaders and then went to the Christmas conference and on the way there we saw protesters for abortions, they had on the signs that went on their chests and they were all older people and there were police and there were the people for abortion with a flag chanting something and they were all younger people, but yeah fun.  At the Christmas conference we had lunch and what not, did a gift exchange and yeah then watched a movie about how silent night was made, it was cool.  The package you sent me is in the mission home because Passau is in that zone so I did not get it then but did you get my package? Well then Sunday we had church told people I was leaving and yeah had dinner at a members home and we sang songs from that region and let's say that the German dialects are super hard!  Haha but it's not that bad really but in a nut shell that's my week.

 I'll let you know what my new address as soon as I know/can. So yeah I'm going and Elder Nelson is getting a new missionary haha so fun stuff. We did not put out our shoes for St. Nicholas we did not know what day it was on.  The ward here is super cool and the area is really pretty but yeah, I'm ok with leaving here, not happy or sad just ok. 

Well I'm pretty much done with this email so yeah.  I love you mom.  Before I forget did you get my package? And you can open it if you want but yeah.

 I love you lots and hope that this is a great week full of fun and awesome things, haha have a great one.

 Love,
Elder Summers 

Letter home November 30, 2015

So well 1st off I sent pictures home the one with the elder in glasses is Elder Wise

and the one with me and the Muslims,you will know which ones I'm talking about, so the one with the white cap on and the robe he is the "leader of his association" and well we talk about Islam,so now I know a lot about them, but yeah.  I'll tell you more about them when I Skype.  Also I saw the cutest pug on my way to emails he was so cute and I petted him and he licked my hand it made me so happy. But yeah Tuesday we were in St. Veit and found people but we came home from there a hour early cause well it as freezing and we both were numb so we found in klaggy for a hour.  Wednesday we had lunch at a members home she fed us turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes so it was kinda like thanksgiving and then we went dooring and we happened to door across a guy that had been investigating the church for a year and a half but does not really come to church so that was fun.  We talked for a bit and he is going to Wien in December 5, so yeah he is a cool guy. Thursday we were in Graz for a Thanksgiving lunch so that's what the picture of food is.  

Oh before I forget the moon and the castle, that was in St. Veit. So the refugees, well so at first the people that could get out got out like young men and well it's sad they left their families back in the war area, so they saved themselves first instead of with their families.  Now it's a lot of families, I can tell you more over Skype cause well, it's a lot to tell, so just from now on make a list of things you want to hear or questions and I can answer them when we talk, but it's a lot of families and they only speak Arabic so yeah. I did talk with one guy and a lot of people from other countries like, not war countries in the Middle East, and they are just trying to get into Europe to get a better life than they have back home.  So he said only the Syrians have a problem but yeah haha. 

The K's house, the bishop, it reminds me of home kinda.  No one has a dog yet but still I have not seen him since that time so I don't know yeah we teach the occasional lesson when the people we find are willing and want to meet.  Well it's a time thing, they don't have time so yeah, but one said come back in January so they can read the Book of Mormon and they went on a vacation so, but I feel good about them, kinda remind me of Grammy and Papa but yeah. 

Yeah it snowed on Thursday we got up at 5 to go to Graz and there was snow on the ground but it was all melted when we got back home so yeah.  It  just snowed that once but it's still freezing out here. Dang! That's crazy with the earthquakes, good old Oklahoma what don't we have?  Haha. 

But yeah that's about it, I love you mom you have a great week and a great day. 

Love you lots,

Elder Summers 

Thanksgiving Week in Klagenfurt- November 23, 2015

Elder Summers standing in front of the Klagenfurt, Austria building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Well Monday I sent a package home, so that's for Christmas, so yeah then we went dooring.  Tuesday was a lot of fun, we helped with the Sryian refugees all day,  Klaggy is a pass through station, so people stay a day or two and then go on to Germany, but yeah.  We helped clean up after them, picking up all the dirty sheets, and don't worry Mom, we wore gloves and a face cover thing like doctors wear. Then we helped set up more beds and what not. Next time we go we got permission to sign up with the Austria Red Cross so they can send us a text on when they need help and what not, but frankly it smells like bad stale BO. but yeah it's understandable why,but that was that. Wednesday we just went dooring and what not, Thursday we went to Völkermarkt and went by on a less active who does not live there any more but yeah then we went more dooring.  Friday we were in Salzburg for interviews with president, they went good but the trip took all day cause there was a president training, like he just talks to us after so yeah got back home at 9:45 or so and Saturday we went dooring in St. Veit found a couple people last time we went by on and yeah,should be fun but Sunday was church. 

 The pictures I sent you with the gun was at a members house. He found it as he was redoing a house he owned, so yeah fun. The water one was the channel that's in Klagenfurt that we door along I thought it was cool looking and well that's me week. and yes they do have Ricola here. I bought some cause my throat was a little sore don't worry mom I'm looking after myself.  Yeah I like the klaggy ward, it's a good one.  I love bishops family they are funny, like he is funny and his wife is funny and the kids are just really cool. They really remind me of our family I kinda want to say.

Thanksgiving we are going to Graz for a lunch with the "district" cause we don't have a district haha, but yeah then for dinner there is a senior couple here that honestly remind me of grandma and granddad haha so yeah we are going to dinner at their place. And when I say a senior couple, they are what the older Anderson's were so yeah. 

Yeah I'm glad that everything is going good back home.  Yeah I'll be with the zone leaders in Salzburg for exchanges me and elder Nelson are going up on Friday.  Saturday is the Christmas conference so we will spend the night in Salzburg.  So this upcoming Saturday is transfer calls, so I will hear it from them directly instead of over the phone.  I might go or might stay with white washing you never know.  Normally you stay in a area for 3-4 transfers I mean give or take its not set in stone but yeah.   But normally with a comp for 2 so you never know.  Elder Albrecht called Saturday night and we talked for a bit and he said I'm a quarter done with my mission already!   I just realized that yeah, I am.   Only 32 more days till Christmas that's crazy haha yeah I'm sure when it gets closer I'll get more info about skype yeah I was just st thinking that this time last year I got my call haha time goes by so fast.   But yeah that's about it. It's been below freezing most of the time here or right above freezing so it's pretty cold here I sent a picture of me in from of the church you can use that picture instead of the older one of me in Wien.

 Give everyone my love and wish them a great day.
 Love,
 Elder Summers

Playing Catch Up... Letter home from November 16. 2015

Well this week was relatively quite.  Monday Elder Nelson sent a package home and I'm sending one home today too, so yeah.  We had dinner at bishops house that night too. Tuesday the whole day we were in Salzburg for zone training so that was fun. Got up real early to catch the 6:45 train and then got home at 7:15 or so. it's a 3 hour ride so fun. Wednesday we had a lesson with a American who has lived here for 12 years, cool guy, wants to change his life cause he knows it needs to get better.  Then dooring the rest of the day, and then  ward council.  There is a Christmas party on the 11 of Dec but transfer day is on the 10th so one of us might be gone the day before the party, haha. Thursday we went to Kühnsdorf and went by on people.  Everyone we find said they need time or come back in December, so yeah. But there is this one couple that are a little older not old but yeah and said they would read the Book of Mormon and come by in January cause the husband is going on a month long vacation for stress.  That's a thing here, people take off work for a month for stress but yeah.  Friday we just weekly planned and went by on a less active and then a fireside in Villach.  But yeah Saturday we went to St.Veit,  doored found a couple of people that we are going back to next Saturday and Sunday was well church and dinner at bishops again. 

That's awesome that you had such a spiritual experience with band, haha but the power of prayer can do all! I pray for you guys every night just so you know, and don't ever feel bad about telling me the good in your week!  I like hearing about it, haha.  Honestly I won't tell you about the bad that happens during my week, if there is any bad so don't worry about it. 

Dang 4 wards? How big is each ward and the missionaries in the wards? And the new bishops? And times I want details about this, this is big news!!  Haha. Mom, don't worry about it, you will be fine being the young women's president, you love the girls and want them to do good.  It says in D&C the Lord will qualify those he calls so don't worry about it, and yes I will pray extra for this. 

Yeah I know about the bombing, president sent a text out about it and said he would tell us more and if it would effect the mission at all so don't worry. We have the local Muslims on our side, well there are 3 mosques in klaggy and we have the Moschee der Barmherzigkeit, so that's the mosque of the mercy, so we are cool, but honestly we won't be going by there much but we will still help when we can with the refugees.

 Well the food is good I'm mostly just eating add water stuff so yeah but it's cool.  I'm going to try and make banana bread today, I got a recipe from the senior couple here so fun.  The food here is not that different than back home, haha like nothing gross so far but I will let you know when I do but the package.  What I'll send home is for Christmas and it will have a little goodie in it for everyone, so yeah. Not much else happened this week, but yeah.

 I love you mom keep on being awesome and I know you will do great 

Love,
 Elder Summers 

New Experiences in Klaggy

Monday for P-day we just walked around Klagenfurt and what not and I got a picture in front of the Dragon Fountain (Lindwurmbrunnen).

That statue is of Hercules battling the dragon to save the town of Klagenfurt!

 The town is setting up their Christmas shops, so it will be awesome soon! I'll send pictures when they finally open, and yeah I'll get pictures of the apartment and church building also.  

Monday night we were invited to the local mosque to talk with the Muslims there, in English, well it was interesting and what not but I did get a Quran in Arabic with the English translation right next to it so yeah.  Tuesday, well we don't have a district just us, so president said we could go to Graz for district meeting so we did that.  It's a 2 hour bus ride there and Graz is not even in our zone haha.  Then we tried to help with the refugees here but there was nothing that we could do at the moment.  They said it's been crazy so we try and help as much as we can. And by them I mean  the Austrian Red Cross.  They still have no idea what to do with all the refugees and 6.000 are coming every day into Germany or Austria, so yeah it's crazy.   Wednesday we went to St. Veit, a city north of Klagenfurt and checked in on less actives in the area and we got invited into a Jehovah Witnesses family home and yeah, we are going back on Saturday, so yeah.  The family was a piece of cake compared to the Muslims! Friday we had ward work day.  We cleaned the Keller and there are so many rooms down there!  Like climb up a little wall and 6 or so feet tall rooms with dirt floors and mold, but we just moved all the canned bread that was canned in 1987-1988......haha!  Yeah old right?  Then that night we met with the Muslims again and learned a lot about Islam this time.  It's an interesting thing haha, but yeah they were not so happy, and when I say they I mean the leader guy, when I said he is doing all the question asking and yeah.  But we mostly just sit on the floor and eat nuts and Arabian gum and coconut, it's pretty good, and talk but yeah.  Saturday we just went finding in Villach, I sent a picture and video on Dropbox of it and yeah.  Sunday was Sunday.  We had a ward potluck after, that was fun and then went dooring in Klaggy. 

Yeah it seems like Katie and Jack are doing a lot of practices, haha but I hope they do good in Indy.  Don't worry about me mom haha that's the last thing I want you to do for me, I'm fine!  Yeah it's getting cold here but it's pretty warm today.  

So with daddy's day well I can tell you from how I feel is that forgetting the day or not thinking about it is just not the way to go, but that's just how I feel, so yeah.  

Yes mom, I am getting enough to eat and we have like 8 blankets and pillows and 7 mattresses so don't worry mom.  Austria is not some 3rd world country, haha.  Don't worry about shoes, well my shoes are good.  I did find another pair in the apartment here and they are in good condition so I have 2 now but my insoles are getting really bad like where the balls of my feet are it's well worn through, but I bought new ones to put over the old so it's all cool. 

That's awesome that Anna met the elders there is she having lessons or anything like that?  That would be awesome to get the mission weekly email and see her in it!  Haha, well I most likely won't see her again because I'm not aloud in Switzerland, only EU elders and sisters are so yeah, but maybe if she comes into Austria or Germany.  Well I hope I have not forgotten anything, but yeah I love you mom.  You have a great week.  Oh I forgot to tell you, on Sunday we had a guy come to church, and well it's been a while since a non member has come to church.  The members were happy and nice to him.  He said he would come back next week and that he had a great time here, so I'm excited for that.

 So you have a great week mom, you do you.  :)

 Love,
 Elder Summers

Have Fun, Work Hard, Do the Lord's Work...

This week was interesting I told you what I did Monday, hiking the Dobratsch....

Beauty as far as the eye can see.

Beautiful old chapel in the Dobratsch

McKendrick, Summers, Nelson, and Bybee on the Dobratsch summit above Klagenfurt, Austria

Elder Summers turning into a mountain goat.

"Climb every mountain..."

                                         


 Tuesday we went to the McOmbers, they do genealogy work and work with books that date back to 1630 or so, it was really cool to see that.  Then later we stopped by on people in Kühnsdorf and yeah, then we helped with the refugees in Klagenfurt.   We set up beds for them and what not, I'll send a pic.. 

Aiding the refugees in Klagenfurt

 Wednesday was tausch, which means we change comps for the day. I went with Elder Bybee to get his visa, then after we were done with that all of us went to an Asian buffet.  At the end they put down shots for us, as a "on the house" drink! Haha!  It's funny, if you look old enough to drink they give you drinks.   That night we had dinner at the Christisans, the senior couple here so that was fun.  Oh, that day we also met a drunk American that the other elders found and well, he was pissed because his phone had gotten stolen. He kept saying he was going to lead a life of crime now cause it was stolen and he was going to go beat up and kill Serbs cause they stole it.  So we (Elder Bybee and myself) spent a good half hour trying to get him not to kill or beat up anyone! So yeah, he was VERY drunk haha.  

Thursday we saw the other two elders off so now it's just me and Elder Nelson. 

McKendrick and Summers

Summers/Bybee goodbye

We also had a Skype lesson with a person who lives 3 hours away and well, if the gospel was a pool she jumped in the deep end, head first, without knowing how to swim, like watching the Temple video and yeah, stuff like that.  Then later we cleaned the apartment because it was really dirty, and yeah that was that.  

Friday was just dooring and on Saturday we doored some more.

Dooring the chapel in the Dobratsch 

 That was on Halloween day, then at night we helped with the ward kids party, but no trunk or treating here. So yeah, that's my week.

(Answering questions)  Yeah they do the fall back thing here also.  Well honestly we had no eating appointments this week so I just had what we had at home haha. (cereal) My German, well honestly it's coming along, but not where I would like it to be.  Like I can understand some but not all, and my comprehension is not that great like I hear the words and what not but it takes a while to register what they said, if that makes sense.  Well the blessing I have seen this week is with my German, it's getting better line upon line.  I'm just not that fast of a learner, but yeah.  

 I love you mom. You are the very best mom ever but you know that, haha.  Keep up all the hard work you do and be awesome.

 Love,
 Elder Summers