Welcome to Limassol (A.K.A. The Sweaty City)

Group Photo Before Transfers
Photo Cred. Elder Fleming

Elder Fleming, Elder R., zone leader (England), Elder S., district leader (England), Elder R., who is going home (England), Elder Muller, district leader (Belgium/U.S.A.), Elder A. (Finland) and Elder C., zone leader (England). On the female row, starting beside Sister Fleming is Sister H., who is going home (England) and Sister R. (Finland).

Monday, May 28, 2018

Hey, everyone! It has been a long week in Cyprus, and the summer is definitely hitting us. 

TUESDAY: What a great day it was. We were packed with appointments, saying goodbye to everyone. We met up with our Chinese friend and walked together to Caritas. We introduced the Flemings and the other elders there, so they can take over the service, seeing as Elder S. and I were both leaving. We said goodbye to our fellow volunteers and our Chinese friend. We then went to Larnaca for our District Meeting. It was my "Graduate District Leader Training Meeting," which means I pretty much needed to be able to do it by myself. Elder S. was a great trainer for me. I think it went pretty well, except for the part where I forgot to tell the sisters they needed to do a role play but made them do it anyways. :) (sorry, Sister R.)

Saying Goodbye to Volunteers

Saying Goodbye to our Friend
He's a lad!

Speaking of sisters, I got to see Sister S. for the first time in 6 months! It was super weird but great. Elder S. and I were the other half of the role play with the sisters, and it never ceases to amaze me how strange it is to see someone from your MTC group and then speak Greek with them. The sisters killed it in the role play as well, by the way. When we got back to Nicosia, we went to see a member and had snacks with her as always. She always takes care of us when we go there because of how hot it is outside. We then had a dinner appointment with an American family, and we cooked for them—spaghetti and meat sauce! It was great. 

Sister S. and Elder Muller!
They hadn't seen each other since leaving the MTC together.
Sister S. has been serving in Thessaloniki for six months

Here is the note from Elder Muller regarding the pictures with Sister S.:

"The Duchess! She ordered a photo shoot for my mom. Being but a common peasant, I was forced to oblige." 

(I love Elder Muller's sense of humor! - Duchess was the nickname given to Sister S. in the MTC. A very funny story!)

Our "mom" member!

WEDNESDAY: Transfer days are always interesting. We got to Limassol and ate gyros together with everyone. Then, Elder S. and I were in a trio with Elder V. for a few hours before Elder Sampson drove through Limassol to pick up Elder S. We visited some people and hit the hay.

Eating delicious gyros
Photo Cred Elder Fleming
Elder H., Elder Muller, Elder V. (new companion), Elder S., and Elder A.

THURSDAY: We went all day long. Poor Elder V. is Branch President, Co-District Leader, and training me in the area and my Greek. Talk about stress for his last 3 months! Elder V. made a great curry for lunch, and we just had appointments and stuff to do all day long. I'm trying to get used to the humidity again. I take cold showers in the morning because it is the only time of the day or night that I'm not sweating. We had a leadership meeting from the Cyprus District. The zone leaders got lost in Limassol on their way to the church building and ended up walking for two hours and power walking for 30 minutes. We went on a 15-minute quest to find them and eventually did. We missed most of the meeting, haha. We also started are healthy eating plan.

FRIDAY: We got up and went for a run in the morning. I think Elder V. was trying to kill me. I didn't expect to run from our apartment TO THE END OF THE PIER and back again within 20 minutes. I was literally dying when I fell into a chair at the apartment. Elder V. wasn't even winded. WHAT?!?!? We did Weekly Planning and had a lesson with one of our investigators. It was okay, and he promised to finish reading the Book of Mormon. 

SATURDAY: We had a lesson with the husband of a member here. After years, he said by Tuesday, he will finally give us his answer about if he will be baptized or not. We played football and also visited our Cypriot parents. They are a couple who own a betting shop and treat us like their kids. The guy lived in, of all places, Louisiana for 20 years! He has a part-Cypriot, part-Louisianan accent in English. He's awesome. They also own a cafe and make amazing sandwiches.

SUNDAY: It was a good first Sunday in Limassol. We had good meetings and had a potluck after the meeting. The food was good, and everyone had a good time. Elder R. showed us some family history stuff. We had a meet up with a Russian friend, and we learned the Russian alphabet. We did trash pick-up down by the boardwalk and in front of the sea. It was packed with people.

That's about it. We are extremely busy due to taking over the sisters’ area now, District Leader responsibilities, Elder V.'s Branch President responsibilities, and just normal missionary life. I love the city already and am learning so much. I tell everybody that I have been in training my entire mission, and that is extremely true for this transfer. I feel greener now than when I entered the mission. 

Love you all!

- Πρεσβύτερος Μούλερ

Elder S. Loves Selfies (& Elder Muller!)

          They wanted us to be the same height. 

    This is me hurting every part of my body to comply

Elder S. taking pics of Sister R. taking pics of Elder Muller & Sister S.

The most unified companionship that there ever was.
Elder Muller and Elder S. One transfer together in Nicosia
"Hearts Knit Together as One"

Photos from the football match in Paphos
May 18th, Zone Conference
Elder Muller and Elder S.
(Photos from Sister Heder/Elder Fleming)

Elder Muller and Elder S. and the Sisters
May 18th, Zone Conference
(Photos from Sister Heder/Elder Fleming)

Elders from May 18th Zone Conference

" 'Cause I Was Transferrreeeeed. I Was on My Owwwwwn."

Monday, May 21, 2018

Photo Cred Sister Heder

Sister Heder, Elder Muller and Elder S.

Zone Conference May 17th and 18th
Paphos, Cyprus
Football Match with friends

Cyprus Zone Conference May 17th and 18th
Photo from Sister Heder/Elder Fleming

Hello, everyone. 

This week has flown by with lots of service, meetings, and transfer stuff.

TUESDAY: We did our annual mission survey from church headquarters. It went pretty well. We had district meeting here in Nicosia for the last time with Sister H. and Elder R. We had a co-visit with the other elders and one of our members. She fed us sausage rolls (pigs in a blanket), apple pie, ice cream, chocolate cake, etc. And, you guys wonder why I say I am gaining weight. 

WEDNESDAY: We went out early in the morning to follow a prompting that Elder S. had. We just followed it whenever we came to a turn or a decision point. We ended up walking to the top of Aglantzia and meeting some people Elder S. did service with before at a park. On our way back, we felt we should knock on an apartment building, so we did. A guy answered but wasn't interested. Elder S. helped me to stay positive by reminding me that Heavenly Father loves that guy so much that he sent us out on a two-hour walk, just to knock on his door and give him a chance to receive the gospel. He said no this time, but we don't know how our visit will affect his view of missionaries in the future. That is the type of love that we must develop for our fellow man. We must be willing to walk for 2 hours in 40-degree Celsius weather (104 degrees Fahrenheit) to knock a door and give someone a chance. It was a good reminder; Elder S. is a great example to me.

We went back to Caritas and started helping out there! The volunteers invited us to come along and say goodbye to the other volunteers who are leaving. We spent an hour at a coffee shop with them and got to know everybody. By the way, Europeans don't understand what a "milkshake" is. They put ice and milk and chocolate syrup in a cup and mix it. What the heck is that?!? WHERE IS MY ICE CREAM, MADAM? 

THURSDAY: We volunteered at Caritas for most of the day, and the volunteers like us. I got to juice a huge bag of oranges. It brought me back to the good ol’ days at Chick-fil-A when I would juice 1,000 lemons every morning. Not much else happened.

FRIDAY: We had service at the football pitch, drawing the lines with our Cypriot friend. It was 40 degrees (104 degrees Fahrenheit) outside and has been pretty much all week. We went from service there to Caritas and juiced more oranges! We came home and started Weekly Planning and then studied and hit the hay after calls with the district. 

SATURDAY: We had a good day cleaning the church with all the missionaries and President E. (the branch president).  We learned some French from Elder R. and had weekly planning and studies. We had dinner at a less active member's home. His wife is Filipino and makes a feast for us to take home. Her cheesecake is touched by angels, I swear. We had to be home early to get transfer calls. We got them, and I will be serving in Limassol with Elder V. His group is the next group going home, in August. He is awesome, and I am super excited to learn from him. Elder S. will be going to my home town! Paphos!!! He will be in Pano Paphos with Elder K. I will be co-district leader with Elder V. That means our area is closing and being absorbed into the other elders’ area. With Elder R. heading home, Elder A. will be with Elder H. So, we are sad because we won't be here for our friend's baptism but are excited for our new adventures.

French Lessons

SUNDAY: We didn't sleep well because we were too excited/nervous after transfer calls. We decided to head to church as soon as we could and make a whitewashing instruction list (“whitewashing” is a term for when both elders are brand-new to an area, so this list will help the new missionaries coming to where Elder Müller is currently serving. Elder Muller and Elder S. just whitewashed the are six weeks ago!). The new area in Nicosia will be massive and will have a LOT of investigators. So, we created a "Help the missionaries" list so no one gets forgotten or left behind. We had church and a lesson with our friend during second hour. We taught the Word of Wisdom and tithing. He accepted both after we explained the “why” behind no coffee or tea. He is just amazing!!!! We went to the Fleming's home that evening to have Spotted Dick...yeah, English people have strange names for desserts. Elder Fleming wanted to make it for Elder R. before he went home. It was good. It was a busy day, and we were super tired when we got home.

Overall, it has been a great week and a fast one. Congrats to Tristan on his mission call! (Tristan is a friend of Elder Müller from Florida.) Join me in the "outside the USA club"!!! Love you all!

- Elder Müller

Chinese Restaurant that a member owns.
We eat here free every Monday night!

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

From the building we door knocked.

A nasty smoothie we poured down the toilet.

Pictures with members on our last Sunday in Nicosia

Pictures with members on our last Sunday in Nicosia

The following are pictures from the Cyprus Zone Conference, May 17th and 18th, 2018. Photo Cred to Sister Heder and Elder Fleming.

President and Sister Heder

Elder Muller & Elder S.

The following pictures are from the football match they played in Paphos during Zone Conference. See Elder Muller's letter from May 14th. (Photo cred Sister Heder/Elder Fleming) The following description is from Sister Heder:

I wanted to share these pics (the good ones were taken by Elder Fleming) from a football game that the missionaries organized with their friends in Paphos. The missionaries began with a prayer and told the young men why they were serving missions for their church for two years, and after the game, two of the Elders taught about the restoration on the field and got a follow up lesson. I was so proud of these young men and WOW they have amazing football skills as well. We all enjoyed cheering for them.

President Heder, Elder S., Elder Muller and a Friend

Elder C. (Italy) in blue

Elder R., former companion in Paphos

President Heder