Transfer!!

So, the big news for this week is that I'm being transferred! Everyone was expecting us to either stay the same, or that Elder Marcek would leave, but apparently (I've heard from other missionaries) President Rowe loves "the shock value" when he does transfers. So, Elder Marcek will be staying in Karlovac, but he and his new companion will now be the Zone Leaders, and I'll be headed off to Rijeka with Elder Scirkovich. If you don't remember, Elder Scirkovich was in my MTC group, he's 23 and from New Zealand. I'm pretty pumped because Rijeka is a lot warmer and is on the sea, and everyone says it's really beautiful. 

I'm a little bummed that I'm leaving Karlovac so soon, and I probably won't see M's baptism, but that's just how being a missionary goes. Also that means that in less than 2 days I'll probably be the better Croatian speaking companion, which will be hilarious. Also this week we had our final Family History class. Our branch president, President Raić, and his wife, Đuli, came. After, we had a little dinner and some refreshments and President Raić pretty much taught one of the guys there the entire 1st lesson and gave him a Book of Mormon, so that was way cool. 

Also this week we walked 3 or 4 miles out to this little village trying to find this ladies address, we didn't find it but we found this cool 22 year old kid named T. He is a firefighter in Karlovac and is the Fire Chief of the volunteer fire department in his village (Hrnetić). He just let us right in and we taught him a first lesson and everything. 

Also we met with two of our English students, N..d and N..a to play ping-pong one last time because I'm leaving. Before they left I gave them both Books of Mormon, and they happily accepted them. After, Elder Marcek told me that he had tried that 4 months ago when he first met them, but they wouldn't take them. Also while we were playing N..d was asking questions about what you have to do to be a member of our church. Like, "do you have to go on a mission to be a member" or "if you become a member does your whole family have to join to?". We jokingly asked if he was planning on becoming a Mormon, and he sort of sheepishly answered "Aww, no, but.. I don't know... (mumble mumble mumble).

After being in the 50's and 60's and melting all of the final bits of snow earlier this week,it snowed AGAIN yesterday and is snowing even more today. There are already a few inches on the ground in some places. 

Earlier this morning we went with the Higbees up to a castle in Ozalj, it was super cool, and the up in the mountains and in the village were really cool. Of course the inside of the castle was closed, but we stayed and walked around the outside and took pictures for a while. It's up on a big hill and has a really good view over the Kupa river.

Here you can still see the wheel thing in the wall were the draw bridge used to be

Here is a view of some of the village from the castle.

Elder Marcek hugging me on the bridge in front of a power plant that looks like a castle.

The river Kupa with me standing in front of it.

It sounds like you are all doing all kinds of fun stuff, and it looks like the Harmon family camp out went just a goofily as was expected. Of course my favorite picture is of Wayne "being fed". I'm proud that Grandpa made it up to Angels Landing. Also in the one whole family picture it took me a couple minutes to figure out who Bruce was, because he's obscuring he face, and he has long hair. It also looks like Chad has cut his hair, which is good. 

Also, as for sending stuff, it seems like there isn't really a problem getting stuff here. My companion has gotten multiple packages and tons of letters and stuff just fine using the US postal service. It usually takes about 1.5 to 2 weeks for stuff to get here (to the mission office), and then it could be anywhere from the day it arrives to 2 or 3 weeks before someone is able to get it from the mission office (we have zone conference once a month in Zagreb, but we sometimes go up for other stuff, and the senior couples usually go for stuff to and bring our mail back). 

Also it's nice to hear that you're "saving" my car. I really miss driving it. There is 1 red Honda civic in Karlovac, and every time I see it I miss little old Jerry Garcia.

 I'll tell you all about how Rijeka is next week, and hopefully I'll remember to get pictures of the apartment and stuff (I hear that the apartment has a killer view of the sea). Thanks for being an awesome family, until next week, I love you guys.
Elder Schyler Harmon