Oh, wow

Monday

We did our shopping, almost walked away with out paying. Dang so close to free groceries. Then we had an English class that evening, and after we had some pie and ice cream and played cards for Elder Oyewole's 20th birthday! Cheers boyo.

Tuesday 

We vacuumed, had a video lesson, Thompson and I 1v1'd in cards. Then we played And It Came To Pass with the boys, and the first round I got dealt a hand worth 0 points, which not only is incredibly rare but in this game it's an automatic win. Poor Elder Oyewole on the other hand had 150+ points. Oh also for dinner I made 4 boxes of white shell cheddar Pastaroni and added in some perfectly seasoned and fried ground beef, with a drink of lemonade on the side, it was magnificent.

Wednesday 

We finally took my mom's advice more seriously and we went on an actual walk instead of just to the dumpster. We walked to a nearby lake and passed 3 Buddhist temples and 2 Christian churches on our way, all within like 500 yards, then we flipped a 180 to go past our complex in the other direction to a gas station, we pit stopped at the house for Sime's wallet and an emergency bathroom break. Then we went to the gas station and their soft serve ice cream was lowkey fire. That evening, Thompson and Oyewole went and dropped off a Book of Mormon at some lady's house while Sime and I had a video lesson. Both went really well! We had a very spiritual call with our friend we're teaching. After we of course played some cards.

Thursday

In the morning Thompson and I drove to our district leader's apartment for district council. We're in a new district, and it's just 4 companionships of elders which is actually pretty fun. We have 2 Korean speakers, 4 Spanish speakers, 1 Portuguese speaker and 1 ASL speaker... signer? But anyways that's pretty cool. Hit us up for all your translational needs. And also their members are dropping off tons of food so they sent us home with 2 extra boxes of food, clutch. Also, I was very blessed to be able to watch a live stream of the funeral service of my dear Granny, it was very special and spiritual and I am so grateful I got to experience it through technology. It was beautiful.

Friday

Some cards to start the day. (By start the day I mean this is after morning studies and lunch don't worry) Great news though, I am finally qualified to drive! So Thompson and I went on a wee little drive for gas and boy does this car GO, no more flooring it to accelerate. Salute to my 2001 Plymouth Neon. That night we finally went and visited the other elders in our apartment complex after only seeing them once. We played cards and it was really fun, we'll have to visit them more.

Saturday

Had a zoom call at 10:30 for the reassigned missionaries and of course we just played a kahoot. They sent us the text informing us like 10:10, while I was studying in my pajamas so I took a speed shower you know how it is. We played some cards in the afternoon. I made some yummy dinner and then ate some ice cream and I was feeling pretty full when our mission leader called us offering to bring us food. We of course still kindly accepted. He brought us some huge tortas sandwiches, I just put mine in the fridge so I didn't die haha. Elder Sime made a cool connection though! Sime served in the hometown of our mission leader, and in the ward of his brother! So that's crazy. And then a zone zoom call, just another kahoot. After we had an international zoom call (foreign language speakers) where we played yet another kahoot. Horror story included below

Sunday

We watched a nice sabbath movie you know how it goes. I warmed up that torta sandwich and it was impossible to heat up. The sheer mass was too great for the microwave, I gave up and ate it half hot half ice cold. Yummo. We had a zoom call with our mission president, it was incredible! We may or may not have done sacrament in our room at 11:00 PM, there are no witnesses, nobody will ever truly know.

Love, Elder Jerman

The Great Communicator

The Most Mature Man Alive

Local Chef Legend

Modern Day Ken Miles

God of Hydration

Bullet Beans

• One night, Elder Thompson had to enter the restroom, and we've learned the hard way that when turning on the light, your pupils die, even if you're on the other side of the room the light still reaches you and burns them. So Thompson, being the hero he is, closed the door after him as to not expose me to the light. "Thompson," my voice shaky with fear "no, you'll die." Without a word the door sealed shut. Through the cracks of the frame, light came blasting through and all I could hear was the faint and muffled cry of pain from behind the door. We lost a good one.

• One night we went out for fast food and you know how they have the extra glass on the window? So their upper bodies are covered? Well it really inhibits their hearing haha. The nice employee at Arby's asked me what sauce I wanted, and I said "What sauce is good?"

She responded with "What? Oh you want Arby's Sauce?"

I said "Is that good?"

And then she goes "Okay cool."

But even after all that I didn't even get any Arby's Sauce #nohate.

• Here is my horror story. During the international zone kahoot, the person in charge shares their screen so it displays the kahoot for everyone else. Zoom also gives you the ability to draw notes on the screen whilst a screen share is active. I thought "Surely the notes are private and not visible to the whole call." Well no, no they are not private, and how did I find that out? By drawing all over the screen. At first it was mere scribbles, then my comedically powered mind thought it would be amusing the spell out the first half of a word, nothing bad or inappropriate, it just would've been embarrassing. Luckily the first 3 letters were not enough to identify it. For all my boys out there, "turning this ______ to bread." They'll know which word. BUT after, I wrote POOP because it really is just that funny. Then to my surprise, dismay, and horror, the senior missionary in charge mutters these bone chilling words, "Whoever is writing we can all see it, please stop" And boy did I stop quick, my companion and I died laughing as I died on the inside. At least, when writing notes it does not identify who you are. Counting my lucky stars. Now just to put you all at ease, it wasn't anything I would've gotten in trouble for or anything like that, it just would have been embarrassing haha. YOLO.

Pics

- My grocery slaves (Race did not affect my "employment" choices)

- Our freezer, "Healthy wife healthy life" that's what I always say

 

- Pictures from our lil walk

- My miraculous winning hand in AICTP

- First time driving! I can't wait until I can drive without a parent 

#GrannyRocks

Alright alright alright

Tuesday

Let's see, we were blessed to have the opportunity to have Elder and Sister Bednar join our mission in a zoom call, it was absolutely awesome! Later we had to make a quick run back to Walmart because we forgot to put the ground beef back in our cart after we scanned it so we went back to get it haha. Plus Elder Sime lost his razor on his way here so the man had a full grown beard so we bought him a razor.

Wednesday

This day was a real nice day. Had some good companionship language study, and later I finished reviewing my endless pages of vocab I'd written down so that felt productive. Then while the other Elders were teaching a lesson, Thompson and I looked at our ceiling fan and said "We should clean that." My mom would be so proud of me, we washed the glass light bowl thing, and all the blades. Then we said "We should clean the bathroom." And I'm talking a deep cleanse, we only had toilet cleaner and bleach spray, so of course we used to toilet cleaner in the toilet bowl and then sprayed literally everything in bleach, a generous coating mind you. We covered the counter, the toilet, the mirror, the sink, the tub, the ground, the walls. We swept, mopped, then mopped again. Meanwhile the bleach had replaced all the oxygen molecules in the air and for 30 minutes our bodies only inhaled bleach. We almost died but it was worth, the bathroom is very clean. Then we vacuumed our room. Victorious day, but it wasn't enough so we made german pancakes again. This time we remembered peanut butter on top. Victorious once more. Then a lil meeting with the other missionaries and the bishop. Then cards and ice cream. Top 10 days in the history of mankind for sure.

Thursday

I did some work on my familysearch, and then we met with some other missionaries at the church for our facebook live english class, that went really well this week. I got my first package on the mission woot woot! Some snacks and card games from the mother, very cool. Then I was able to fill out the driving forms in order to drive cars in this mission so I can't wait for that! Oh and a big shoutout to my sister Kayleigh because she got ENGAGED! And I'm just going to say it. Who in the world is this Alex character I've been hearing about? Love you Kaylita. 

Friday

For "Sime's Sweet 16 Months," which is a celebration he made up so we could have a party, we bought soda and a bunch of pizza. After we ate ice cream and played some of the new games my mom sent us. Good party.

Saturday

We made some bomb chocolate chip pancakes. We've been playing a lot of this one new game in particular that my mom sent us, it's becoming our governmental system. Then there was an English class.

Sunday

We had ward council, and after I did a fireside for my ward with 2 other elders in my ward, Tanner and Dal. It was so fun and good to see them both! Then we had a little ward come follow me over zoom. More cards after of course. Nice productive day.

Bullet Beans

• At Walmart a sweet employee said to me "How you doin baby" and I said "I'm doing well how are you? She said "I'm gucci" Then later that same employee was helping us with our checkout and she called me baby a couple more times and now I can die peacefully knowing I've been called baby by a kind southern woman.

• So on our German pancakes, I may have put too much peanut butter and syrup. I had to drink like 8 glasses of milk to wash it down so my throat didn't close up. This is why we have a "Who drank all the milk problem." It's me. I drank all the milk.

• This week I found a small tear in the seam of one of my pant legs. Luckily in the quarantine war of Larriera 1022 (my apartment in Uruguay, if you remember the war from several emails ago) I also took the role of medic, so I have sown many wounds in my day, much more difficult then a mere seam tear. So it was swift work. Some of my best.

• While I was showering one day, the power went out. If you remember back a few emails ago, our apartment in Uruguay didn't have power for like 3 days. I had flashbacks to those 3 days, showering in the pitch black, ice cold water. Staggering around looking for food, only finding chunky milk and rotten food. My pupils had taken over the entirety of my eyeball, there was no longer a "white of the eye." We had nothing, only the quiet sound of the slow, steady breathing of one another... But then the power came back on and I snapped out of it.

• We took my mom's advice and went on a walk, we took out our trash and then walked to the sister's apartment in our complex. We broke in and stole the key to the car that we share with them. It's okay though I took out their trash so it's fine. (Nobody worry they were gone and left the door unlocked and gave us permission)

• When we were buying the pizza on Thursday, it was through the Little Caesar's drive through where you order at the window. We ordered 4 pizzas and I heard someone in the back say "Dang these boys is hungry" and then she walked into my line of sight and I just nodded up and down smiling. She laughed and was like "OH you heard me!?!" She came over laughing and apologized and of course we were all laughing. We quickly became friends, rapid fired 3 lessons out in 5 minutes and then I crawled through the window and baptized her in the big sink for dishes. Cool lady.

• I created an absolute abomination of a sandwich. Originally it was a quirky idea. Whisk eggs and pour into a pan, then place 2 frozen waffles in the pan. Let eggs cook until flibbable, then flip, add cheese, then fold to create a sandwich. Then I realized they were blueberry waffles, then I added ketchup, then I added syrup because it didn't taste good and the whole process was just unenjoyable and a waste of time. It made me sad and unhappy. I'm coming home again. No just kidding the sandwich just sucked.

Pics

- Perfect peanut butter and syrup proportions

- Just some guy in the mirror

- Very nice ice cream root beer float, hold the cream only ice

- A record and the root of our financial problems

- Sandwich abomination that I hate, but still ate the whole thing

- Lol just that one time I got kidnapped, great trunk space

- The game, "And It Came To Pass." Currency these days.

Missionary Fireside

Our ward planned a Missionary Fireside to hear from the missionaries who came home early due to Covid 19.  Zac came home from Uruguay after 4 months, Dallin Price finished at 21 months in the New Jersey Mission and Tanner Norton finished at 18 months in the Cape Verde Mission.  

Zac was suddenly called back out to Georgia, but being in quarantine, it was very nice for him to be able to participate. 

Zac was so excited to see Dallin Price. 

Wait where am I where's my mom

Okayyyyyy I'm back baby, first a brief summary

I am companions with Elder Thompson of Arizona. We were in the MTC together, and actually sat next to eachother on the bus to the Mexico airport. I live in a house of 4 with my comp, and then Elder Oyewole from Colorado, and Elder Sime from Cali/SLC. Elders Oyewole and Thompson were companions in this area in Lilburn GA, 25 minutes out of Atlanta, then they split to accept both Elder Sime and I. Elder Sime served in Pachuca Mexico. I've been blessed to have been assigned spanish speaking, and I'm in a ward for the first time, a big Spanish one. There are 6 missionary companionship, 3 elders 3 sisters. 2 of which are actually in the other Atlanta mission. I've loved it! Any questions?

Tuesday

Woke up at 7, beaned over the the airport with my parents and Amy and Kayleigh (sisters) also my boys Matt and Isaac. Shout out, they're some real homies. Then I met with many other missionaries headed to Atlanta with me, we connected in Tulsa, then made it to ATL at 5. Right away my new comps picked me up and we went to our very nice apartment. I unpacked, then we went to chill at another house of elders which I guess this mission is really chill with stuff like that. On the way we grabbed my first meal of the day.

Wednesday

I woke up and died. Not gonna lie the first couple days were tough. That morning I just sat in the shower and stared at the wall. It was that type of mood haha. We went to the airport and picked up Elder Sime. So this week we got 100 missionaries in 2 days, and next week we will get 50 more. Only 10 of those 150 are here on regular assignments. We cleaned and organized our rooms, and then the other house of elders came over for cards.

Thursday

We realized we were running out of food, so we went and got groceries. Then per mission tradition (bars) we got Zaxbys, which is much better here in the south. The Kickin Chicken meal absolutely slaps your taste buds. It's funny because not even a week before, me and my boy Isaac were flaming the entire chain because the one in AF gets no traffic (right next to an in n out) we said it'd be better used as a second location to in n out haha. Turns out it's good though. Then the whole mission had a zoom call.

Friday

In the morning, the comp and I made some delicious German pancakes. Absolute yummo. That night we had a zoom call with the mission and had John Bytheway as a speaker, it was so awesome! Then the other elders came over for cards. 

Saturday

But uh we had to do emergency shopping because we downed the milk and syrup. We got only what we needed until monday. 1 gal milk and 1 thing of syrup. Then we went to the other house of elders for cards.

Sunday

MOTHERS DAY HAPPY TO MY MOM SHE IS LOVELY I LOVE HER. We had a zoom call with the 6 companionships in the ward, then a ward council later which was nice to see faces of leaders and introduce ourselves. Then set off the fire alarm for the 4th time that week between just Elder Sime and I. Then sacrament then the other elders came over for cards. Oh remember that milk we bought? It ran out in 24 hours, it just was gone, I don't even remember drinking it. The syrup disappeared too. But anyways then the other elders came over for cards.

Monday

We chilled, napped, made 8,000 pancakes, then had a nerf war. Then went and bought a ton of groceries. We should be set. Then we had a big online english class and Zaxby's again. Oh also this morning the other elders came over for cards. Another thing, did I mention the other elders came over? Nice guys, I feel like I've known them for years, I don't even know their names, they just come over, put down some cards on the table and then leave again.

Bullet Beans

- I made a PB&J, okay so pretty basic, but then, I took a PB&J Uncrustable and put it inside. Holyyyyyyyyy it was good

- So this apartment is so nice compared to my one in Uruguay #nohate. It has carpet, a laundry room, a couch, a closet, and most importantly 2 bathrooms. I cannot tell you how many times in my other apartment I sat outside the bathroom door in tears with 3 of my major bodily systems failing, just banging on the door, losing energy and hope. So it's nice to have 2 bathrooms.

- My comp has a TMNT Rafael plushie and I threw it at the ceiling fan, which in turn wiped clean one of the blades, launching sticky dust towards him at light speed. It left a huge gunk of dust on his white shirt, nice guy. Put a nerf gun to my head and made me apologize.

- Speaking of, another time my Como walked in the room, stared at me, then raised his nerf gun and shot me in the face. Can't even be mad, the guys a good shot.

- We've had some pretty intense nerf battles, a true test of survival and marksmanship. Also I made the mistake of throwing a ball at Elder Sime and got chased and body slammed by a 280 lb Tongan as a result.

- Also I came without my luggage, just one duffel bag of study material and one carry on suitcase with clothes. But luckily in this mission everybody leaves everything in old apartments so I have adopted some stuff.

- Summary of my overall feelings in a nutshell: I basically had to decide if I was going to be grateful that I'm here, or be wishing I was still at home with a reassignment that gave me 2 more months to prepare. I basically just had to accept it how it was and forget it. I'm just making the best of what I have and I'm thrivin now folks. I'm having lots of fun and good laughs, and always lots of growth. Thanks for all's y'alls support, I sure love each one of you.

Love, Elder Jerman

Running for Mayor of Atlanta

Uncrustable Chef

Milk Drinker

Sniper in the 8th Division, Nerf Battalion of the South (this time we don't hate black people)

Smoke Alarm Specialist

God of Pancakes

ATTENTION GRADUATING SENIORS: Send me your graduation thing :) Anybody else is welcome to mail me as well

1150 COLE DR SW

Lilburn GA 30047

Pics

- PB&J supremacy

- Elder Sime and I with our signs we have put up. A bit of an explanation for the smoke alarms; Elder Sime and I set it off 4 days in a row just trying to make some food

- Pancake plate fit for a king

- German Pancakes

- Rainy day

- That one time I hit Elder Sime really hard in the head as a joke and he died, what a prankster

- Our freezer currently. We're bound to get scurvy. I haven't seen a vegetable in weeks

- Your boy(s) next to the hometown sign

Left to right: Elder Thompson - Future cartoon voice actor

Elder Jerman: He jus vibin

Elder Sime: Can tell a story about anything, eater of worlds
Elder Oyewole: Modern day Alan Turing, heterosexual edition

Elder Jerman