"Take the ghetto out of the apartment......" September 15, 2014 - from Solothurn

September 15, 2014

FAMILY!!!  Well I'll try and give you some updates. I'm just really not very good at trying to sum up my whole week of missionary life into this one email. I wanted to tell you AGAIN something really important though. Members are so important to missionary work!! I guess I just sort of missed that because we moved from the mission field when I was 4. (FYI- "Mission Field" is a term often used for areas outside of the areas where there are lots of LDS members.  Katie was born in Iowa where there are many fewer members.  For example, our children were the only church members in their elementary school.)  And I remember I was actually surprised by how much James talked about the members on his mission because I just sort of thought, "Aren't you with investigators?" But I get it now. MISSIONARY WORK DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT MEMBERS. I will tell you this tiny story because I do not want to forget it. One of my favorite members came up to me at church my last Sunday in Solothurn, gave me a hug, and said in English, "I will miss you." We never speak in English. It just really touched me. 

Also, I don't think a ward has ever been so welcoming as Luzern was yesterday. They were all so nice and asking me questions and making sure they welcomed me personally into the ward. Too bad I can't remember any of their names . . . but I’ll learn them!

One thing that I realize has really has bothered me is the attitude some people I have met here have about Utah Mormons, or even just American Mormons. I was just reminded of this because I heard someone complaining about how Utah Mormons call the rest of the world "the mission field."  We need to all appreciate each other and the role we are each playing in the restoration of the Gospel around the world. We believe in the Gospel and in the restoration of the true church, and so I hope that we all appreciate and are grateful for  the Utah church members …and for the pioneer ancestors that many Utah Mormons have. 

(I won't try and summarize the history of the LDS church here, but to make a very long story very short, the original church members when the church was restored in 1830 suffered a great deal of persecution, moved from place to place,  and ultimately many endured great hardship to go further west across the United States and settled in the area that eventually became the state of Utah. That's why the density of church members is highest in Utah and also comparatively high in some of the western states.) 

 I know my attitude about Utah hasn't always been the best, but now I stick up for it. At least a little. Sister Oswald has run into the same thing a lot and we have talked about some of the ways we have been treated as Americans and it has been nice to be able to talk to someone about that.  Some people seem bitter because there are so many more of us LDS in Utah/in the U.S.  In fact,  I really freak people out when I tell them there are 24 stakes (A "stake" is a group of congregations -known as wards- that are organized into a group.  Just as every ward has leadership, every stake does as well and certain activities take place on a stake level)  in my home town. Sister Bognar had a major attitude about it just from stories she has heard and some American missionaries who may not have always been the best and then generalizations are made. I wish more  people who have this attitude would read My Heritage. I've been reading it this week. I am so grateful for such good people who have sacrificed so much for the gospel of Jesus Christ. John Taylor's motto was, "The kingdom of God or nothing." 

There was a broadcast this week for all of the sisters in Europe. Sister Bognar and I watched it at a saintly member's house...wonderful.

Yesterday we went to Zollikofen for a baptism. Sister Oswald was in Thun before this and one of her investigators was getting baptized. Since Interlaken doesn't have a baptismal font, the service was held in Zollikofen.

So I believe I told you quite a bit about how much of a disaster the Schaffhausen apartment was when I got there. Well, I still can't decide if this apartment was worse or not. Maybe about the same. I think it is to Sister Blohm's credit that Solothurn was pretty clean when I got there, although I was still replacing Sister Falke. I remember I was surprised. So, Sister Oswald and I have literally had to take some time out of our normal missionary schedule this week to get our apartment in order. The first two pictures are what my bed and my desk looked like when I got there. But you don't understand how bad it was. You can also see pictures of me cleaning mold in the bathroom and going through ancient missionary pamphlets. But things are much better now! 

Guess she's learning some things about "deep cleaning"! 

And I want so much to make a difference in Luzern. The missionary work is very slow here. At least, it has been in the past. I have a lot to figure out about my area, and I'm excited to get to work! 

"You can take the ghetto out of the apartment but you can't take the apartment out of the ghetto."

That's from Sister Oswald. And yes, our apartment is in a ghetto. And yes, there is a brothel up the street. And yes, there are several bars and a few tattoo shops also on our street. And yes, there is also an erotic store on our street. And no, I did not even know what erotic meant until Sister Oswald told me.

Sister Oswald is really funny and I really like her. Even though she sometimes has a bit of an attitude.

Sister Kate with her new companion, Sister Oswald

It's funny when the guy who asked you out on the bus opens up opportunities for you to talk to the other people on the bus who were entertained by your conversation with him and your refusal to give him your number (actually I gave him our number because if he wants to come closer to Jesus Christ he can call but I told him it was the number of the church so that he won't call for me). So then I got to talk to the other people because they wanted to talk to me after about being careful about which boys I give my number to. Interesting finding technique. Except these people weren't quite ready for the gospel either.

Mommy. Zug is in my area. And you know who I am pretty sure lives in Zug? Alma's daughter who I visited one time. Will you please look into that for me and send me her contact information?

And yes, going on that scenic boat ride you see in the pictures was missionary work. It's how to get to the home of a less active member.. This area is so beautiful!!

I sang with Sister Hoareau in zone training and was asked to bear my testimony on Tuesday before I left the Bern zone.

Did I tell you I made my district hike the Weissenstein with me for a district p-day? Well I did before I left Solothurn.

I got to talk to Sister Bognar and Fadil came to church yesterday. He is back. Ivanka and Sara (her daugher) and Esther and Michelle (the 14-year-old) were also all there because Sister Bognar told them about the primary program.(FYI- "Primary Program" refers to the Sacrament Meeting once a year that  is given completely by the young children aged 3-12.  Sacrament Meeting  is the name given to the weekly worship service because taking the sacrament and renewing our covenants with Heavenly Father are the most important part of the meeting.)

Other quotes of the week:

Tatyana: "You are my American darling." That made me feel good. 

And notes like this from a Solothurn friend make me happy:

Dear Katherine,

it won't be the same without you, here in Solothurn ! I will miss you!
I wish you all the best in your life and please come back!
With love
Elvira

 **

Me: "I have never seen so many spiders before!"

Sister Bognar hates spiders/is fascinated by them and she cursed me because now I see more spiders than ever before.

**

Love you family,