Being friends with the Russians, an hour at Oktoberfest!

On train to Oktoberfest

   

 

Hello again to mom and all of the family that reads all my emails every week!

Another week has gone by and I am already pushing my way to being out for three months. I really can’t believe that it has really gone by this fast and that it really does seem to have gone by in the blink of an eye. It happens when you don’t even think about time and you just work, when that happens time goes by faster than you want it to go by.

Last week I talked about all the Russian investigators we have found and about how hard it was to talk to them in German because they simply did not understand it. Well, let me just tell you that we have found even more of them and they seem to understand less and less German the more we find. Most of the time they are very interested in the message of the restored gospel, but they simply can’t understand what we tell them most of the time. When we get into the smaller ideas of a topic they usually just have a blank stare on their face and they have no idea what we are talking about. The member that we have that speaks in Russian has to work alot so he is not always there. When he is there it makes it so much easier to teach and for them to understand. Naturally. so we keep trying to do our best and I actually really do love teaching them because they are the nicest people in the world even if they can’t understand. All of them still need the gospel in their lives. They are children of our Heavenly Father.

We were able to enjoy two sessions of conference that were happening in real time, but all the others we had to watch on Sunday simply because we are 8 time zones ahead of Utah. While the morning session was just about to start, it was about six o’clock here in Germany and the day was coming to an end, so we watched conference on Sunday. Let me just say that we are blessed to have a latter-day prophet that teaches us and guides us in these latter-days so that we are never lead astray. and that we have the apostles, as well, that guide us and teach us. On the topic of M. Russell Ballard, yes I was one of the 3,000 missionaries that he met and was able to talk to. It was really to cool to hear him say that and to be able to be part of that 3,000.

Now to tell you all more about what I bet you want to hear more about. Our district did have the opportunity to go to Oktoberfest for one hour with a member because it was a cultural event and we were only allowed if we are in the München zone which I am. Right after we got done with emails and shopping, we went straight to the train station where we met up with all the other elders and we headed for München. It was only about an hour train ride, so we got there pretty quickly. We got off the train and there were so many people in this city, it was packed with people from all over the world for this one event. There were police at every corner. We got on the subway and we made our way to the festival. When we got there, let me just say, that it was huge! Not only did they have giant rides and games but they had actually constructed giant buildings that were made simply to hold all the people that wanted to drink. They had one rule at Oktoberfest and that was you cannot stand up with a beer in your hand. So the halls were massive and full of people sitting and drinking and having a jolly old time. Each major beer company had their very own hall and there was about ten different company’s there. It was so much fun to be there and to experience the culture that was there and all the different people that were there. I was able to get a couple souvenirs that I will be sending home to the family. I did not however get a lederhosen because they were outrageous with prices. Maybe I will later when the prices go down. I did get something for myself. There is a player on the München soccer team that has the last name Martinez so I was able to go to a fan store and get a jersey with the players name on the back. I was so happy that I was able to get one. We actually spent most of our time getting to the festival so by the time we had spent the hour we were allowed, we had to head back home and get back to work. But the experience that I had was a once in a lifetime!.

My time is up and I do have to go. I would love to hear from all of you and the family, so feel free to email me and let me know how things are going back home. Until next time,

Elder Martinez.