Week 16: Shaffhausen and Singen

Hallo Freunde und Familie!!

This week was interesting haha! Sister Bauman and I are both a little confused on how to navigate the area since both of us are still pretty new to the mission. We've already had some pretty interesting experiences, and it's only been a week.

Last Tuesday, I was in Munich for my visa appointment, so we didn't really do anything for p-day. While we were there, a bunch of new missionaries arrived in the field. We went to the match-up meeting where they find out who their trainers will be and what area they'll be serving in. It was interesting to go to that and think about how it's already been 3 months since I got to the field.

On Wednesday, I travelled to my new area. My new area is so beautiful! Singen is more of an industrial town and Schaffhausen is not an industrial town at all haha. It's also been a bit hard for me because we're always bouncing between Schaffhausen and Singen. I wish that I could stay in one area because it can be hard to stay focused with all the traveling. I'm sure I will adapt soon, though.

It's also been a little difficult this week because I miss Salzburg and Sister Carter. It's always hard for me to leave behind a companion after I've become such good friends with them. However, Sister Bauman and I have already become good friends, and I look forward to working with her more. Even if it is hard to adjust, I know that Singen and Schaffhausen are the places that I need to be. :)

We did a lot of finding this week, and we were able to meet with some members and a couple friends. I wasn't able to meet a lot of members from the Singen branch and Schaffhausen branch because there was stake conference this weekend. The ones that I did meet, though, were lovely.

Sister Bauman and I went door knocking this week. We didn't really have any success, but I just thought I would share a funny experience: Sister Bauman and I were going down the street, came to a house, and knocked on the door. We were immediately buzzed in, and the door was unlocked. We waited for someone to answer the door but nothing. Sister Bauman and I looked at each other and decided that we should just walk in. (In Germany, they have these shared houses that open up with an entry-way, and then there are doors that lead to each individual apartment.) We turned the knob and walked in, but it wasn't a shared house! We just waltzed straight into this person's living room haha!! Then, a woman came downstairs and had the most shocked expression on her face. Sister Bauman and I didn't know what to do, so we just stood there and quickly explained that we were missionaries and that we had a short message. She told us that she was waiting for her kids to get home from school, but we could come back another time. (I think she said that just to get us out of her house haha!!) Anyway, Sister Bauman and I had a good laugh about how clueless we still are when it comes to German culture and missionary work.

We've got a lot to learn, so this next week is going to be interesting!

Große Liebe,

Sister Gladwell 

1. Sister Bauman and I in Schaffhausen

2. Us with one of our friends

3. Luzern - We did an Ausstellung there