Week 16 Thessaloniki

We received post from Elder Teal this week !!! The top picture is of the map he sent us with his own descriptions added. In the envelope we also all received a postcard. There were a few items of church literature in Greek, his weeks shopping receipt (they are eating healthy) A bus ticket and a random picture of Paul Sleem cut out from a Greek pass along card !?!

Today's emails contained several pictures and it sounds like he is still loving Thessaloniki.

"It's been a good week! We've got a lot done and we had quite a few lessons so that was good! We were in Kavala again on Thursday, and the rest of the time here in Thess"

 

 

"Pictures from our lesson with S, the lawyer who is 83. He was super keen for us to take photos of him, it was hilarious.The brass plaque is like the Hippocratic oath that doctors have, but for lawyers. it talks about defending rights and upholding the law, he was very proud of it. I loved all his old books, I'm so excited to be able to read Greek books when I get home!"

"Some ruins in Thess, I'm not quite sure what it is because we didn't have time to stop, but we'll go back on a P-Day sometime "

"An old car Elder Lyttel liked" 

"D, a man we had a lesson with in Kavala this week in his workshop" 

"I had a strange experience with Sacrament yesterday, it was the first time when I've done both prayers! (Bread and Water) It was even stranger because one is in Greek and one in English! Because we have members that don't speak Greek fluently, so they still get to here one of the sacrament prayers.

Unfortunately P. still hasn't come to church, and we've not been able to arrange another lesson with him yet, so it's not looking good. 

G. is doing great! he was at church again (in a suit this time) and brought his girlfriend with him! They both loved it and stayed for Priesthood/Relief Society, and then we had a lesson with them afterwards about the Plan of Salvation. They are both so willing to learn, and we're really excited about them.

We also met a guy called M, he's from Nigeria. he started a conversation with us on the bus which ended with him asking if he could give us his number to meet up some time, he's so ready! He was stood right there in the doorway when we got on the bus, placed right in our path!"

It takes a really long time for us to get any post to Elder Teal. Everything gets sent to the mission office in Athens and then gets distributed as and when people are travelling to various areas. But this week, like buses they all arrived for him at once !

"I got all of my parcels and letters this week! The Howells were up from Athens and brought it all with them that was there, it was like an early Christmas! thanks for everything you all sent, I'll try to write replies to some of the letters this week but some will probable have to be next week as well. As well as from you I had letters from the Peel family, and Grandad Phillip" 

 

"Thanks for the packages as well, the Greeny one and the Halloween things, and the Wests have just received a package for me today, which I'll get from them tomorrow at District Meeting probably :) "

A Greeny is a missionary that is new out, we sent a package full of green items to mark the occasion

"I'll get a better picture of the Greece shirt"

The shirt is a gift from Elder Teals peers at home

 

"Enjoying the packages Spaghetti!"

"Elder Lyttel selfie"

We commented he always seems to be wearing his maroon cardigan, you all thought it too !!

"Haha it's just a coincidence that I'm wearing it when I'm in photos, I only wear it like once a week :P I may buy another though!"

"A lovely squat toilet in the building where Stephanos' offices are. That's the first one I've seen, but Elder West tells me he's seen them in other places as well"

A mission here is sooo different to a mission in Manchester! 

For a start the fact that we teach people that are 2 hours away! We have one Zone Leader for the whole country, and the nearest set of Elders is 6 hours away by car! Our area is huge. And we are actually working two proselyting areas, Sikies and Kalamaria (both regions of Thess), so we have two area books and two sets of records to stay on top of!  

There are so many things that happen that I don't have time to tell you about, I feel like Mormon putting a hundreth part into his record! It is enough to say that I am probably the happiest I've been in my life, I love every single day. Of course there are hard times as well but it's part of the experience, and it's so worth it for the amazing, hilarious, spiritual, uplifting times. Thank you for your continued love and support, I love you!

We love having Elder Teal on a mission, we are learning so much from his experiences. It is changing us a little each week as we learn how to be missionary parents. Its a constant amazement that these two young men are so confident in a land with what appears to us to be such a hard language to learn. Elder Teal commented that while on the bus a Greek asked him how many years he had been living there! They seem to have gained enough respect from a man with a Phd last week and a Lawyer this week, to have them listen to their message. They are certainly young men for parents to be proud of.


(As always clicking on any image will enlarge it)