Solothurn - Week 1

Hello Switzerland!

Goodbye Munich!

Elder Hadfield & Fred

Hello all ya'll! 

WOW. I don't even know where to begin.

This week has been insane. So many goodbyes and hellos and long train rides and culture shock that my head is still spinning. I'm relatively exhausted I guess you could say. Things are great though.

Goodbyes were pretty difficult. Especially with the people I've taught and that have been baptized. Even the ones I had been currently teaching. Fwas a tough one to say goodbye too. He seemed pretty down until Elder Carr and I got him on a computer and registered him for a new email address so we can keep in touch. S was even harder. We met with her on Tuesday night and she made us food for the last time. We read D&C 18 with her, which just made me cry really hard. As we left, our Joint Teach Chris, a YSA, said, 'That's the best thing you can have. A New Convert wishing you the best of luck in your new area.' He was definitely right. I couldn't have asked for more. She wrote me a note and gave me a gift, which turned out to be a Bayern Munich jersey. HOLY COW. I love that woman. She's the miracle of my mission. But I do have to admit. I don't think she was the hardest goodbye. 

The hardest one easily by far was with Elder Carr. Man, I love that kid. He freaking cried at Bahnhof (okay maybe I started it) and we had to give each other our last bro hug. It broke my heart to get on that train and have it pull away. I cried and cried until we were past the city limits of Munich. That city has meant so much to me. It's a miracle for me that I got to serve there for the past 7 months with Elder Croft and Elder Carr. I've made life long friends, and memories I will never ever forget in Munich. Change sucks. That will make my parents laugh because they know how much I hate change. But sometimes it's really good for you. 

So the 4 and a half train ride from Munich to Zurich ensued. It was extremely beautiful. We went right through Bodensee and Landau, through the Alps, down into the beautiful rolling hills of Switzerland. It's amazing here. Everything is like an upgrade in beauty. Well, I got off the train in Zurich, and met Elder Harradine, my new comp, and Sister Tauche, who is also in the area. Elder Harradine is such a boss. We are doing great together. Sometimes it's really good to get a new companion so you can realize what you've been lacking on and enforce yourself to work towards new goals. Elder Harradine is about 6 months out now. He just seems very experienced though. He knows everybody in the big ward here in Solothurn. He's a smart missionary, very obedient, and goal oriented. Just way fun to work with. We are doing fabulous. 

So I mentioned the ward is huge. It is. I don't know exactly how big, because yesterday was Stake Conference. I met a ton of people from our ward though. We've had like 3 eating appts so far, it's so much different from Munich, where we hardly had an eating appointment with a member family in 7 months. Everything here revolves around the members, which is so different from anything I've ever done on my mission. So I'm learning how to do missionary work again. We have a great Ward Mission Leader, who follows up with us every night. 

So I mentioned a little culture shock. Switzerland is so completely different from Germany. I'm not sure I could explain it very well, but everything just feels, looks, and sounds way different. Everything is as expensive as crap. It's quite shocking to see how rich people actually are. Haha. The language is NOT German, I don't care what anybody tells you. I can't get a word of this Swiss-German yet. I've had a few people who I just stand and stare back at with my jaw dropped, wondering how in the world someone could make sense of what they just said. 

Anyways, things really are very good. I'm loving it so far. Living in a 2 man apartment is an adjustment for sure, but a good one. Stake Conference was so good yesterday. President Kearon came and was just his normal 'blow you away' self. He did such a good job, talked about letting things go through the Atonement in order to make progress in our area plan and moreover in our eternal progression. Everyone really enjoyed it. I've got some great impressions I had from it. 

Well. I've said too much. Nobody will read this because it's so long. Tomorrow will be one of the greatest days of my mission. I get to go to the temple again. After a year of not going. I'm so excited I can hardly contain it. I hope I never go another year in my life without visiting a temple. Speaking of the temple, here's a picture.

Bern Switzerland Temple

Solothurn

Elders Harradine & Hadfield

Love you all, make good choices this week. (:
Elder Hadfield

Elder Sam Hadfield

Fritz-Kaeserstrasse 16

CH-4562 Biberist

Solothurn

Die Schweiz