Chur and the beautiful mountains.

Hello, Mom!

Or how everyone says it in Swiss German: Grüetzi!

Haha EVERYONE keeps saying I will love Kolton, and I'm pretty sure I already do! He sounds like an awesome guy and it sounds like Rachel just couldn't be happier. I can't wait to meet him and challenge him to epic battles of all sorts. Ping Pong, games, etc.

Things are going great with me :) I am happier than ever before, and this area is my dream!    I feel like I'm living in Lord of the Rings! There are mountains everywhere, without end!! My companion is amazing too! His name is Elder Chisholm, and he's a super hard worker and a great guy. We're already really good friends! Chur is so beautiful, and we have a car. This week has been so cool. The language is crazy though! Swiss German is another language! I'll send you guys a video sometime of me comparing it to regular German, and you will see!

Elder Chisholm

This week was kind of a blur... We had some last appointments with investigators and members. Tears were shed, goodbyes were said, and an Elder Larson boarded the train to Zürich. I was sad. I had to say goodbye to my son, Elder Ormsby! He was super nervous to get his new companion, but ready to take over the area. It was a sad, but ready goodbye. I boarded the train with 6 other elders and we headed to Zürich. I got to Zürich and found my new companion. Elder Chisholm helped me get my bags and we gathered with the other missionaries. I was just standing there, minding my own business, when I was all of a sudden blindsided by a blindingly white Arian man, who hug/tackled me.

Lo and behold, it was Elder Hale!! We shared a tender bromance moment in embrace, while the other missionaries stared awkwardly. It was great. We got to catch up a little bit. Then Elder Chisholm and I boarded a train to Chur and got to chat the whole time, getting to know each other. He's awesome! He's a sporty guy from Salt Lake City! He's a very determined missionary and we get along really well! We've already had all kinds of shenanigans together.

Not a bad view!

Misty Mountains.

We got to go to lunch with a French member who owns and manages a hotel here when he's not in the Middle East. We got to meet up with some members, do lots of service (cutting trees and such) and go to church in this wonderful little branch. The branch president is super cool! His name is president Embly, and he's almost 40. He's American, and was on his mission in Switzerland! He speaks perfect Swiss German (im jealous) and he married a Swiss woman whom he had met on his mission! (It's not what you think XD) they have an awesome family. 

 

Learning Swiss German

 We also got to speak to lots of people on the street this week and it was so much fun! This town is amazing and you can spend the entire day walking around talking to people and never getting bored. We went and visited an investigator refugee named Johannes, who only speaks Tigrinya (an old language almost no one speaks.) it was great. I felt so much love for him I hugged him! He was surprised at first, but just laughed and hugged me back. It's amazing, how much love you can develop for these people in a short amount of time. On the way we got to drive these crazy winding country roads that were so beautiful! We got out and took some pictures. This place is literally so beautiful I can look out the window as we drive and I just can't stop smiling. It affects me so much. I have been so much more confident than in my last areas. I've been feeling so light and happy.  We got to visit a couple members and I've already made some good friends in the ward, and I'm talking on Sunday in a couple weeks!

A beautiful Mountain Village!

This country is crazy expensive! We went shopping today and i paid almost 8 euro for 500g of ground beef! The missionaries get twice as much a month here.

Mountains!

I wish I could say more but I really don't have as much time as I normally would to give all the details. That will come next week for sure :)

I love you so much mom. I'll say it again because I can't say it enough. The Church is true. The Gospel is true. It's all true. I'm giving everything I know to give for that. And I'm loving every second of it. :) I love you, and I miss you, and I can't wait to hear from you next week!

Until then!

Tchau mitenand! (Swiss German)

Elder Tanner Larson