Hallloo!!!

This week has been so crazy!! For the past 4 days the town of Mainz and most of Germany I think are celebrating Karnival. Basically what I have come to conclude is that it is Halloween and Mardi Gras mixed together, without the knocking from door to door for candy. Instead, everyone dresses up in costumes and drink alcohol for like a week. Today was the day for the Parade and it was on the street where our apartment is! It lasted for literally for 4 hours. It consisted or marching bands, floats, and people saying and screaming "Hallloo!!!" every 5 minutes. It was quite distracting during our study time :) My theory is that Germans do not say hello to you on the street or on the bus or in stores or anywhere because they have been saving them for today during the parade! They are quite elaborate with their costumes as well. I have seen Avatars, monkeys, giraffes, tigers, doctors, giant lizards, cock roaches, bumble bees and so many others!
On Sunday a 8 year old boy (Oscar) from our American Ward had his baptism :) Bishop Meyers asked me to speak about the Restoration because we usually have visitors come and watch so I did. Thankfully it was the American Ward :) The German ward is so sweet. They know that my German is taking its time to incorporate itself into my brain and so they try and speak slowly to me and when they know I don't understand they look to my companion to translate and of course she does :) I am grateful for her and her patience with me and my German. I love doing the Lord's work and love seeing the miracles that happen because of it!!~Sister Tuschling