If you recognize the tie it's because it's the one I
gave him last transfer when he told me he really liked it"
How has your week been and how is church?
"Yeah I'm kept very busy translating, with Sacrament, Priesthood and Sunday school, but I love doing it though so it's no problem. As I speak Greek much more often than English now, it's gotten to the point where my natural instinct is to speak in Greek, and I have to exert effort to switch to English, instead of the other way around. it's so strange! I have moments when I finish a phone call or conversation in Greek, and I'm just so happy that I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn this language. I think I will miss it a lot when I come home!"
"It's so strange for me as well, I have some days when i don't speak English all day, and to think that all of you back home would have no idea what we were saying if you were in the room with us is so strange. Sometimes I have conversations with people in my head, like memories or something I'd say to someone (not in a crazy way, I'm pretty sure everyone does that) and it's in Greek, and then I stop and think, wait a second, that person doesn't speak Greek. it's so strange!"
"During the week Elder Tornar was ill with a cough/cold, so we were at home for most of the day for 2 days, but apart from that it was a good week. We didn't have any lessons unfortunately, despite planning 11! All of them were either no-shows or last minute cancellations unfortunately. We had a man in church though which was great, and hopefully we'll be able to have a lesson with him this week. We also had one of the best weeks of my mission so far in terms of names received, so hopefully they'll turn into lots of lessons for next week!"
"Haha it's the best mission in the world, I wouldn't choose to go anywhere else! It's so weird when we watch The District and see them planning a week with 34 lessons hahahaha, that would be insane here. It teaches us to see every small victory as something miraculous though, and give us a positive outlook on life!"
"The very English meal I cooked for Elder Tornar,
Chicken, veg, mash, and onion gravy, it was so good!"
"An ill Elder Tornar keeping warm in the bathroom (it's the warmest room). It wasn't even cold in the house, I was in a short sleeved shirt, he was just feeling really cold whilst he was ill."
"And he's feeling better now, this is him reading from the BofM in Greek this morning."
"The case I made for my Greek Preach My Gospel"
"The red mark on E. Tornar's head after he had an argument about
personal space with the automatic door on the bus."
"and my new books!"
"Just to let you know, I got my books bound this week. When I dropped them off he said he would sort them out and didn't know how much it would be until he found the leather and things to do it, but that he would do it for a "good price". They are real leather and have fancy embellishing, probably fancier than I would have chosen. They are really very nice though and will last the rest of my life, so I will definitely make good use of them."
Elder Teal used some money sent for Christmas and Birthday for these. The church doesn't publish a Bible in Greek, so he had his Greek Bible and his Greek Book of Mormon bound to match.
Some journal extracts about meeting people.
"...At Brother Todi's house we had some of his home made juice, then we had to leave in order to be home on time. As we were stood at the bus stop I knew we wouldn't be on time with the bus, so I said a prayer for a taxi to come. One did almost right away so we got in, and we had a really nice chat with the driver and left him a book..."
"We spoke to a man who took two copies of the Book of Mormon, one for his Mum, In return he gave us two drinking straws in packages? and told us to get coke because that's the best, or Fanta or Sprite?
Its so funny when we meet crazy people !"
"I had a man shout at me for being English. He asked me 'how many people did your Father kill in Vietnam?' Which doesn't make sense for quite a few different reasons"
"We talked to a lot of the guys who sell things in the street, as a lot of them are from Senegal and speak French. I was able to understand a couple of words from the conversations but I wouldn't be able to speak enough to start a conversation myself. So that's why its good that I have a French Companion !"
In other news Elder Teal informed me today:-
"Thess" is very English, Greeks say either Thes/niki or Saloniki! Just a fun fact ;)"
