Darmstadt

Hey everyone! This week was quite hectic but everything is finally settled in and I am in my new area now. Darmstadt is such a pretty area and what makes it super cool is there is a Christmas Market here. Darmstadt is a massive city too it feels like. We live right next to TU University and so that is our job as the new elders here in the area.

But first, last week was my last week in Friedrichsdorf and it was super sad to leave. Tuesday we were super busy with everything and also Wednesday. We had one last big Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night where a lot of families that I had to say goodbye to were there. It was really cool. Sister Kutchke in the ward set up a little party at the ward house and we were able to eat together and just enjoy the time there. It was a lot more different than the normal Thanksgiving dinner at home. I missed my mom’s home dinner. But it was good enough. At the end of the night it was time to go. I said goodbye to a couple families and then Thomas, Shirley and David were the last. It was soo hard to say goodbye to them. It was hard saying goodbye to them. But I know they will do great and Elder Smith will continue to keep that area going.

Thursday morning is where we all met at the train station in Frankfurt and we met together and met all of our companions. An elder came up to Elder Bruneel and I and gave us a paper and it was a map on Google maps and said, "Well, here’s how to get to your apartment. Good luck." So that made the adventure of finding our apartment fun. Long story short it took a while but we finally found it. It’s a pretty nice apartment too so that’s good. Darmstadt is super pretty. Elder Bruneel and I are called as University elders so we will specifically be working with the Young Single Adults and spend most our time up on the University. We are still coming up with ideas of how we can best work that. But it’s something new. We are brand new elders in the area so it’s a little tough to get around. We get lost a lot of times but that’s part of the fun. People are so friendly here too. The ward has about 200 people and some of the nicest people I have ever met. They were so cool and coming up to ask us when we need appointments and telling us about who they have been teaching. It was a really cool Sunday. Also, what’s really cool is there are 9 missionaries here in Darmstadt. There is a set of "City" Elders here. And then there are 3 sisters and then we have a senior couple. So that makes it a lot of fun. We all work together and it is fun. I really like the other elders too.

My companion is Elder Bruneel. He is full of energy and is super excited about the work. He and I have a lot of similarities. He actually played basketball for some Jr. College up in Washington. It’s been super cool to be working with him. And yes Dad, his brother is the one that plays for Utah Valley University. He is really a cool kid and I know I will learn a lot from him. The Lord sent us here for a reason and I am super excited to find that reason out. But I know we will help each other and stay really busy. This is going to be such a fun time.

Anyways, I think that’s all that happened this week. I hope that everyone is doing well. Thanks for all the emails. I love you all. If you have any questions just let me know.

Elder Emery