ΕΠΙΤΕΛΟΥΣ (FINALLY)

Baptism in Larnaca!
photo cred: Elder Fleming

Monday, July 2, 2018

Hey, guys! It has been a quick week with a lot of movement again. The transfer is already over, and I feel like I just got here yesterday.

TUESDAY: We had studies and then saw our friend D. She is a seamstress and fixes all of our problems for free, haha. We then had District Meeting based around succoring and how we can learn to succor others as Christ succors us. It went pretty well. It is really hard to try and condense all the stuff that we learn from a week of studies down into only a short meeting. But, it is a good challenge. The Zone Leaders came to check on us and to make sure we weren’t just messing around. ;) I went with Elder C. back to Larnaca for our exchange, hence the title of the email. He became Zone Leader the day I arrived in the mission field and has been my zone leader the entire time I have been in Cyprus. But, I have NEVER had an exchange with him! So, FINALLY, after 6 months, I had a rockin’ exchange with him. It was full of a 5k run, weight liftin’, and training both body and spirit. We had a great time, and I am grateful for his great wisdom (I hope he reads this, lol) and cheeky smile.

WEDNESDAY: We had a lesson (still with Elder C.) and taught the Restoration in Greek. It was good. The guy came to the baptism on Saturday (wait a second, you'll see) as well. We had a good time at Bible Study in the evening, and I can't remember what else happened this day. 

THURSDAY: Thursday we saw our friend C. and our “mom,” N. They were at their café, and we got the greatest tuna wraps and the best green detox smoothies in the world for lunch. We had a long weekly planning session. I don't remember what else we did though, lol.

FRIDAY: We had service at the charity shop and heard some more crazy stories from our friend there, lol. She has lived a CRAZY life! We went and saw a member, and I learned again how dry British humor is. Elder V. and he just tease each other about their rival football teams. MAN CITY FOR LIFE! 

We had an appointment with the Chinese family and the R. family. They made me pountze [Editor’s note: This is Elder Müller’s original spelling. I’ve tried looking up this food, but I can’t find any information about it or anything spelled or phonetically similar, so I’m assuming it is a local or family name for this food.]. It is like a dumpling. They couldn't believe that I had never had dumplings before. So, as I was eating with chopsticks, I was doing very well, until I bit into the third dumpling, and it shifted. It fell and splattered soy sauce all over me, right before I was supposed to go to Larnaca. So, we ran home, and I grabbed the LAST clean shirt from the closet and went to the bus-stop to pick up Elder S.

Elders V. and K. stayed in Limassol, and Elder S. and I went to the bus-stop by the beach to catch a bus to Larnaca. We had the wrong bus schedule so ended up waiting a long time, but it was a miracle. We saw a friend that we have been trying to get in contact with and made friends with some Chinese tourists! They asked to take a photo with us, so you will see that here, haha! Elder S. and I eventually made it to Larnaca safely and only 15 minutes past curfew. We stayed with Elder C. and Elder F. for the night. [Editor's note: Elder Muller's pictures did not upload properly. Hopefully, next week we will receive them.]

SATURDAY: We got up early and went for another 5k run down the beach. It was eeeeeeasy, mate—so easy. These kids need to run in Limassol with Elder V. Larnaca is flat and easy. In Limassol, we climb Everest every two feet, and I have to keep up with the Fastest Red-Head in the Mediterranean. After the run, we got everything ready and went to church so I could practice a musical number for the baptism. That's right! F. GOT BAPTIZED! He is our friend from Nicosia who is originally from Cameroon. Elder S. and I started teaching him, and so we were allowed to go see the baptism. I played and sang "Gethsemane" (no there is no recording of it, Mom) and then went to the beach to watch him get baptized. It was great. We exchanged back once we came back to Limassol on the bus. 

SUNDAY: We had church, and Elder V. and I sang “Come unto Christ” before the testimony meeting started. We have had Sister B. in town for a few days (she served here and just returned home a few months ago; she is here for a short visit), and so the crowds came in to welcome her back. We had a good branch council after church and then lunch with A. (our Cypriot father). We went back to his shop and spent a few minutes with him and N. We had a great visit with Γιώργος και Δέσποινα (G. and D.), and they fed us dinner.

That's about it for the week!

LIMASSOL IS THE GREATEST PLACE IN CYPRUS AND GREECE!!!

- Elder Müller