Week 68

It has been a busy two weeks in the Greece Athens Mission. As a consequence Elder Teal only got a brief moment to drop us an email. We have pieced together events as best we can and are grateful to all those who have shared pictures on Facebook.

A flight up to Thessaloniki two weekends ago started the hectic time. 

Elder Klestrup and Elder Teal accompanying President Heder.

Then last week, training at a Zone Conference in Athens followed by repeating it at a Zone Conference in Cyprus. As the church in Greece and Cyprus is organised as a district that the mission President presides over, we assume that the assistants would have been involved in arrangements for the District conference held last Sunday in Cyprus. Elder Charles of the Quorum of the Seventy attended all three of these meetings

"I'll just let you all know a little about how the week's been!

First of all we got back from district conference over in Cyprus on monday night. It was so good to see everyone there, especially Robin who was looking smart in his suit and tie!

On Monday we had the training for trainers in the morning, and in the evening the new missionaries arrived. They're all great and we had a good time getting to know them.

On Tuesday we had training and coordination with the new missionaries, and they made such a great impression. They all seem so excited to be here, and are all doing great."

 

Cue an opportunity for silly pics, its a missionary get together thing !

 

 

Family ..Elder Teal with his sons and grandson.

(A second grandson will be trained by Elder Burton)

On Monday of this week a new group of missionaries arrived from the Preston MTC. 

So more training opportunities

 

With the new missionaries arrival comes a new assignment for Elder Klestrup to train. So as of Monday Elder Teal had a new companion .. Elder Peel seen here in the centre with Elder Teal. 

For those who have not been following along, Elder Teal has been great friends with Elder Peel since the MTC and our family have had the privilege to get to meet and know his family

Finally, today we have learnt that Elder Ballard of the Quorum of the 12 apostles 

has visited the mission.,. But technically that is a story for week 69 !

Week 67 Athens

Today we've been busy planning next week. Tomorrow we have zone conference here in Athens, on Thursday in Cyprus, District Conference in Cyprus Saturday and Sunday, and then on Monday the new missionaries arrive! And Elder Charles of the Quorum of the Seventy arrived today. He will be here until the end of the District Conference on Sunday. So we've been busy!

And next week I'm not sure when we'll get to do our emails as P-Day will be on Saturday (as the new missionaries arrive on Monday), and we will be in Cyprus on Saturday. We'll find some time during the week to do emails, it will probably be on Tuesday night at the earliest.

The logistics of 10 missionaries arriving all at once, and then sorting out transfers across two countries and 3 areas which are a flight apart, over two days, are just crazy!

Yeah it is exciting!

Attached are my journal pictures, and some pictures from the photo-shoot I had in the apartment with Elder Klestrup this morning. I realised that I hadn't taken any photos whilst in Thessaloniki and wanted some to send home!

It was so good to be back in Thessaloniki, it was like going back to my home branch. They were all so happy to see me and I to see them. I love that place! I'm pretty sure that I'll serve there again before the end of my mission

It's pretty cold now! When you've spent the summer at 40 degrees, a day that would seem nice in England is absolutely freezing! (It was 19C the day he wrote this!)

By the way, I made the banana bread, it went really well and it was really easy too, I think I'll do it more often

Week 66 Athens

Sister Heder shared this picture on Facebook

"Dinner on the run, in between meetings, Greek class, and a baptism"

"It's been a good week, busy!"

"I've really gotten to love Gospel Doctrine classes whilst I've been on my mission. I think a big part of it is that we're studying the New Testament in Greek, it's great. And here in Halandri the teacher is really good, and I'm learning a lot of new words as we go as she speaks extremely good Greek.

We didn't get to see Robin and Edward last week in Cyprus unfortunately, but we'll be over there for District Conference soon so we'll see them then. From what I've heard they're doing well!

We've been busy this week planning for lots of upcoming training's. This weekend we'll be going up to Thessaloniki, and I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the members at church there on Sunday. Then after that we have District Conference in Cyprus and zone conferences in both zones, as well as leadership council, and then the week after that (2 weeks today) we have the new missionaries coming in! So busy busy busy! But it's good, and I'm glad that I have the opportunity to use my studies to learn things that will help the other missionaries.

We didn't have any lessons no, although our investigator E was at church so that was really good!

Oh wow I didn't realise that no! Only nine months left? Crazy!"

An insight from Elder Teals Journals 
(The understanding gained from reading the New Testament in its original Greek)

"I had really interesting personal study this morning, where I read from John 21, in the ancient Greek Text. It was particularly interesting where Jesus asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me?" in the Greek its not the same question 3 times. The first two times Jesus uses the word for reverential love, a word which at that time was only used as the love between man and Deity, or love... inspired by Deity. It is the word that is translated as 'Charity" in the King James Version. 
The third time he asks, Jesus uses the word for the love between friends. and this is when Peter realises the full meaning of his question and is saddened, as he remembers his denial. It brought a new level of understanding to the passage which is a little strange in English, and I really enjoyed it."

And an email entry about study using LDS Bible Videos 

"Recently we've been watching the Bible videos during our meal times. They're really well done and really bring it to life. I really like this one:"

"I think it shows really well Jesus' desire for them to change, and despair that they won't listen to him. It must be so discouraging to preach to people when you can discern people's thoughts perfectly, and know they aren't going to change.

"Why can ye not understand my speech?" that's a powerful line

"And I think a big part of is as well is that the Saviour can discern the thoughts of everyone present, and it may be that He speaks to a huge group of people who He knows will not listen, because there's one person in the crowd who will"

Another Facebook picture shared by Sister Heder

Week 65 Athens

We received a couple more pictures of last weeks Zone trip. Including the one above and the two below. President Heder looking out over the city below. The description Elder Teal shared ...

"Just after I reminded President that he's responsible for every single person in every single house we could see from up there" 

Ever the Job's comforter !

 

This week Elder Klestrup and Elder Teal accompanied President Heder to Cyprus to conduct some training.(Flight 19 & 20)

"It's been a great week, and we really enjoyed our trip to Cyprus! It was my first time in Paphos so it was nice to finally see it, even though we didn't actually see much of the city. We had a really good meeting with the missionaries there, and also attended the branch there on Sunday. It was nice to spend time with Elder Klestrup and President Heder all weekend, and we had a lot of fun together.

Whilst we were in Larnaca we visited Pavlos, as well as Panayiotis and Georgia. It was really good to see them and catch up a little bit, I've missed them! We also saw the missionaries there which was nice too."

"In the evening we went out near the church and met a man in the street who had been a student in Manchester and said his best friend is from Oldham. Small world! He was a really nice guy with a young family and it was so great that the spirit guides us to exactly the right place at the right time, where we were able to talk to him and get his phone number. "

"As we got in the car to leave, a police car pulled up next to us and asked to see out ID. It was the first time in my mission that I've had to produce my passport but there were no problems." 

"We went to Corinth again and this time I just focused on looking and enjoying it. It's strange to think that so much happened there and that it was so significant to the people there at the time, but to us it's old rocks and ruins. I'm so grateful to be serving in such a beautiful country with such rich history. I'm grateful to be following the footsteps of Paul and other early missionaries in sharing the gospel with the Greeks." 

Week 64 Zone P-day visit

The Athens Missionaries went on a Zone trip with President and Sister Heder on P-day

Not sure what Elder Teal and Elder Peel are up to in this picture,

 but perhaps the bit of artistic licence below may cast some light on it ? 

Then it got even sillier !

The Temple of Apollo, Corinth

More info HERE

"It's been a good week!

We didn't have any lessons this week unfortunately, but we did have the chance to get out quite a lot to do door knocking. We were in quite a rich area so it's different to the areas I've served in in the past, and we knocked the doors of some really big fancy houses. Unfortunately we didn't get into any of the houses, but we'll keep trying!

This weekend we'll be going to Cyprus which will be fun, We'll be going to Paphos to do training there and we'll be at the branch there on Sunday. It will be my first time to go to Paphos, so I'm quite looking forward to it. We're also planning to visit Panayiotis and Pavlos whilst we're there, so that will be good too.

And we'll probably get up to Thessaloniki next month for training there, which I'm excited about too!

I really enjoyed our trip yesterday, it was a lot of fun to be out with all of the missionaries! And I'm really sorry but in all of the rushing I forgot to take pictures of my journal entries! I'll have to send you two sets next week, sorry about that! But I did write a letter today, so that should be there soon."

So we didn't get much written content this week, but are grateful to Sister Heder for taking so many pictures and then emailing them to all the missionaries to forward home !

As always clicking on any picture will make it bigger. 

 

Palamidi (Παλαμήδι) is a fortress to the east of the Acronauplia in the town of Nafplio in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. More info Here 

The training shoes with Missionary attire was a sensible move to tackle the 1000 steps at Nafplio, 

In the Book of Acts Chapter 18 vs 12-16 it refers to the Judgement Seat at Corinth. A raised stone platform had been built from which Gallio would sit atop and pass Judgement. Paul was brought before him here

'And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:

But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; 

for I will be no judge of such matters.

And he drave them from the judgment seat.'

Above: Standing on the Judgment Seat platform:  

The sign bḗma (from bainō, "to step, ascend") – properly, a platform to which someone walked up to receive judgment

Below: Sitting on the Judgement seat 

Driving

We also received a picture of Elder Teal driving from Elder Peels parents

(A scary thought for us parents, wrong side of the road for him)

Looks a little scary for Elder Peel too !

In Other News 

This Week the Missionaries and Members in Athens were involved in a Humanitarian Aid Activity organised by Elder and Sister Perry. Hygiene kits for refugees moving through Greece. Thanks to Alinda Heder for sharing these pictures to the Facebook Group
Missionary Families and Friends Of The Greece Athens Mission.

When haircuts go wrong....

"I took one of the guards off to change it, then went into the other room to do something. When I came back I forgot that I'd taken the guard off, and took the clipper to the side of my head on a zero. At first I thought, hmm that's cutting a lot, and then I realised"

Every Missionary has a least one "bad" haircut ?!