December 17,2012, Glueckstadt

Hello family!

So, before I forget to tell you, Bettina will be getting baptized on January 6th! I'm really excited and I'm going to try to get permission to go to the baptism since I'm not too far away!

Also Brother Obregon came to church for the first time in 2 years! So exciting! We managed to say goodbye to all our investigators (except for Songsong :( ) and let them know that the zone leaders will be teaching them for the next 2 weeks until we get new missionaries there. We were all really surprised that Elder B got transferred too (up to Leer). But everything happens for a reason. Yeah, I feel a lot better about the transfer now. I think I was ready for a change, maybe I just didn't know it before. It was hard saying goodbye to the members and the investigators. I'm really going to miss them. But I have most of their addresses, so I can keep in contact throughout the mission.

   I'm in Glückstadt right now, and I have a sick companion! (in a good way, lol) He's a stud! He's been out for only 2 months, same amount as Elder B, but we have a lot of things in common. His names Elder A, he's 5' 8'' 150lbs, lives in Utah, about 30mins south of Salt Lake...can't remember the name of the town. He wrestled in high school, and then tried about a month of MMA before his mission. He's got a girlfriend at home, who's actually in Japan right now, and she's sent in her mission papers. So they'll be on missions and get home around the same time, lol. Kinda funny! He's way optimistic and excited about missionary work so we get along really well. I'm finishing training him, since he's got 2 more weeks in the new missionary program.

 Also, I'm District Leader . Glückstadt. Pinneberg, and Elmshorn are part of the District. Sisters are in Elmshorn, and Elders in Pinneberg. It's gonna be a lot of fun, and I'm excited about it. We had an awesome day of work yesterday. This city is really small too. There are 12,000 people in Glückstadt, and then 40,000 in a city called Itzahoe (about 15mins away by train) that also belongs to the area. It is a big difference from Hannover (500,000 people) lol. I'm really glad about the place -  it's pretty and quiet! The apartment was really clean when I got there. Elder Atkinson cleaned it up really well before I came so that was nice! He's really focused and a really prepared and humble missionary. There's a lake behind our building so we can look out on it. It used to be frozen because the last couple weeks have been freezing cold, but this week has been warm so all the snow and a lot of the ice has melted! It's been raining a bit here too, but mostly just cloudy and windy J fun fun. 

I'm really excited to skype with you guys again! Can't wait! I'm not sure what time, but I'll be doing it at a member’s house. The B family. They gave me their email to give to you, so that you can email them and figure out a time to skype!

Love,

Elder Luening!

My new address  is:

Elder Christopher Luening

Am Burggraben 1

25348 Glueckstadt

Germany