Missionary Experiences: Elder Lawrence John Glavinic

  Date: 6-26-63 Well, this is one of those days that is filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times. First, my watch stopped running, but after I kicked it a few times, it started to work again. Although it doesn’t change the days now. I guess I will have to take it to the repairman only after 2 months. It must be that the Swiss Watches, just like the Japanese watches, just can’t take a hard beating. I jumped on the tram for Rῠt, to meet my new companion. I barely left Zurich in time. In my hurry I got on the wrong tram. This gave me my first chance to see how poor my German was. Finally, the conductor made me pay an extra 1.30 francs because the tram I took went to Rῠt, by a longer route, but al l is well. I had to hoff it out to my companion’s place. It was quite a way out into the country. A fellow at the station offered me a ride. I should have taken it.  My new companion is the district leader for this area. The area covers about a ¼ of Switzerland. I bel...

  Date: 6-26-63 Well, this is one of those days that is filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times. First, my watch stopped running, but after I kicked it a few times, it started to work again. Although it doesn’t change the days now. I guess I will have to take it to the repairman only after 2 months. It must be that the Swiss Watches, just like the Japanese watches, just can’t take a hard beating. I jumped on the tram for Rῠt, to meet my new companion. I barely left Zurich in time. In my hurry I got on the wrong tram. This gave me my first chance to see how poor my German was. Finally, the conductor made me pay an extra 1.30 francs because the tram I took went to Rῠt, by a longer route, but al l is well. I had to hoff it out to my companion’s place. It was quite a way out into the country. A fellow at the station offered me a ride. I should have taken it.  My new companion is the district leader for this area. The area covers about a ¼ of Switzerland. I bel...

  Date: 6-22-63 The last two days the weather has been real warm. Last night, I couldn’t sleep because of the heat. Today it was about 30 degrees Celsius or 87 degrees Fahrenheit. This morning the assistants to the mission president called everyone tighter in our district. They explained further some new tracting methods. One was called “smile tracting”. It was sort of a method to pre-introducing yourself, so when you make your survey the people know how you are. This seems to get rid of much of the suspicion people have about foreigners. We were given dialogues to accompany this method of tracting which we are to learn. It looks real good.  This afternoon, we went and tried to chase down a lot of referrals but with little success. All the referrals were up on the side of the hill. We walked. Boy, with the heat and walking, I as about done in.  This evening, the GFV at a member- showed slides of South Africa. We were supposed to bring investigators but when we went to the...

  Date: 6-20-63 Things are going pretty much as usual. I’ve been spending my spare time that is the time between houses memorizing the first discussion. IT is a hard thing to do. Especially when you don’t know the language, but I am finding some success, if I keep it up over a coupe of days. This is sort of a change of life for me, because I had never enjoyed putting a lot of information to rot memory, but I believe there is a lot of wisdom in it. Once the ideal or method to present that idea is learnt, you can change the approach to fit the people you are teaching, but if you have not learned anything then you have nothing to adapt to the situation.  Got some news thought he grape vine about the arrival of 12 new missionaries next week. It sounds pretty positive that I will be leaving Zurich probably headed for a small Dorf [village]. Boy, I sure get a lot of mail. Everyone is so good, and they all write. I’ll have to end now to write a letter. 

  Date: 6-16-63 This morning I got up early and read the talk that my companion had translated for me last night. I didn’t have much time to study, in that the GFV had a boat trip on the lake (sea). We took a couple of contacts with us so that restricted the time even more. While on the boat, President Russon told me he had heard from Brother Elis that Penny gave a real good talk in church and was quite active. That made me feel real good! Practice a little of my poor German on our investigators, they got a big kick out of it. After a while, they got loosened up and started to nib me about being so quiet. You know it is a fact since I can’t say much I have even begun to say less when we find we can speak English. Well, gave my talk at Wadenswil. I did a lousy job. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying, but I’m just not or have ever been really good at reading. Everyone said I did a wonderful job for only being out 2 months. Matter of fact, the natives used the word “Prima”, but I belie...

  Date: 6-11-63 Today proved quite interesting. We had several real good discussions. Two that stand out in my mind were one with a Chemistry professor at the Hockschuler and the other was with a student working for his PHD in Chemistry. I guess it was sort of a coincidence them both being connected with the same phase of science. I believe them realizing that we were both engineering students helped some too.  To top the day off we got a ride home from our last cottage meeting. This was the first time I’ve been in a car for over a month. It was sort of a treat. This evening I will try to write my first talk in German. So, I guess I will end with this. 

  Date: 6-10-63 Yesterday evening, Sunday, we had our district conference meeting. Half-understanding, I found out that I will give a talk in a ward a few Kilometers out of town with my companion. It is supposed to last 10 minutes. I don’t know what I will talk about but it sure will be a wonderful experience. I believe I will write it in English and then translate it over into Deutsch. I think I will use some of the stories I picked up in the mission home that week. I just got snowed under with letters this week. I believe it is because of two reason: first, I sent-off a bunch of letters about a month ago, and second. Finals are over in the states which has given many people an opportunity to write. I’m not complaining a bit. It’s just, I’d like to write them all a return in a minute, but I just can’t find that much time.  Heard a bunch of new Elders will be coming into Zurich soon from the states so I probably wouldn’t be here much longer. Sure, meet the foreigners as we tra...

  Date: 6-6-63 We had an opportunity to talk with two English girls. They were working in homes here to learn the language. We made an appointment with them. Upon our return visit they said we couldn’t talk there at the house because of the domestic environment so they suggested a park to go to. So, we walked to a real lovely park not too far distant. When we got there, we sat down at some tables in the park. The park had a real pleasant view of the city. As hard as we tried, we couldn’t get the conversation turned to start in to the first discussion. Later after we got home, I noticed that a bird had “blasted the back of my coat” I wasn’t too happy, but now when I think of it, it has some interesting connotations. This evening as my senior companion and I kneeled down beside my bed as we always did, first one of us saying the group prayer then each of us saying our own personal prayer. I finished my prayers and began to wait for my companion to finish his, so we could shake hands ...

  Date: 6-4-63 Was I ever stiff today?! That playing horse was pretty hard on me. I guess I never use those back muscles.  Today had a lot of pleasurable moments. My companion (mit arbeiter) Elder Hendrickson, gave some G.B.D.S. to some real fine families. One fellow was a professor of Chemistry here at the “poly-Technic Institute” Also, when I got home this evening, I found some real interesting letters. One was from the Berges. When in the states, I gave them the 1st and 2nd discussions. They were Real fine people. Bob’s wife was really the organizer. She had neat inquisitive mind. I sure hope they join the church; it has so much to offer the people in helping them to develop their relents. Also, got a letter from Ron Schroeder, old colleague at Collings Radio. He wrote a wonderful letter about what they are doing back there, as well as, adding a lot of intellectual ideals that were compatible with my own. He said that I didn’t leave “to much undone” when I left. This mad me...

  Date: 6-3-63 Today was “Pfingsten Day” or “The day of Pentecost” It was the day the gift of the Holy Ghost was given. It seems everyone here in Switzerland leaves the city on this Holiday. They all go to the mountains or something. Pfingsten Day occurred on Monday so this increased the probability of not finding anyone home. Since the GFV was having an outing, we decided to take our contacts to this. We went up to the top of the highest mountain in the canton of Zurich. Which was just a little taller than the Uetliberg of the day before yesterday.  It seems in the last 3 days, I have climbed all the mountains in the canton. I am not complaining I just think it is interesting. This mountain was called the Hörnli Berg. At the top we played games and ate our lunches. We really played ourselves out. Then just as we left it began to rain. That was a lot of good timing. All is well but still don’t understand much. 

  Date: 6-2-63 I had sort of a bad day yesterday. It all started out so well. That afternoon Elder Hendrickson and I took an investigator on a walk to the mountains (Spaziergang). I took my camera and took some real nice pictures. However, we walked from 11am to 3:30 pm. With a short stop for lunch on top the Uetliberg. All the trouble started that evening. The first thing was my motor bike stopped running and the kick stand broke. I had to pedal all the way home. Since it was Saturday evening, we ate dinner then realized that tomorrow was first Sunday so we wouldn’t be able to eat until Sunday at the same time. Those were some of the hardest hours. Then to top the day off, the zipper on my pajamas broke. What a day! Today was much better. While at Priesthood meeting this morning, I talked with Elder Tooke. The bright sunshine here had affected his fair skin, so they were going to send him to Scotland to finish his mission. He’ll only have to stay 2 years there. They drive cars the...