Missionary Experiences: Elder Lawrence John Glavinic

Date:  9-26-63  Well, we have had a pretty eventful week. Between the Haus Frau and the Italians you just don't know what's going to happen next.  I guess it all started when we bought a 100 watt bulb to replace the 25 watt bulb in our room. The darn house Frau will do anything to save a few rapps. Even if tit means losing your eye sight. I was really upset this cheap and swiss house frau, but my companion held me back until my temper cooled a little. Then, Frau, during the day when we were working came in to change the bulb from a 100 watt to a 60 watt. But again my companion held me back from telling the house frau off. Advising me that we at least were better off with a 60 watt in comparison to a 25 watt bulb. But the darn house Frau stole our light bulb! The Swiss are perhaps the cheapest people in the world.  Anyway, after the ruckus with the light bulb died down, what do we find but one of the Italians that also live up here with us, had stolen Elder Workmann's...

  Date: 9-21-63 District Conference Presiding: President Russon Purpose: Regular conference and interview People Present: 2nd Counselor, Brother Weber, and 6 Elders from the Zurich Land District Place: Wetikon, ZH Procedure: opening remarks from District Leader Douglas Workmann 1) Talk from Elder Frehner           a. Questions that side tract discussion                          i. Answering them, or better yet, writing them down and answering them later                          ii. Analogy- Just like eating a meal you can’t eat it all in one bite, we have 6 discussions           b. Bear testimony OFTEN!           c. Be sincere when teaching the gospel           d. Question to ask self, “What would the C...

  Date: 9-15-63 Well, I have had a couple of days work with Elder Workmann. I seem to be becoming more conservative as the time goes on. At this moment I can’t really tell what I think of Brüder Workmann. His mannerisms are a little different than any of the Elders I’ve met so far. He is probably the most like Elder Hendrickson, however, he has a fairly good German. He studied Physics at the University of Utah. Evidently, he was a pretty smart boy at home. I find that he gives the lessons quite well. I hope that I will be able to do that good someday. He uses parts of the Crosby plan, that is examples of the Swiss Government being composed of seven men. This being some what like the 12 apostles.  Well, to my disappointment Brüder Workmann didn’t have an iron, so I guess I’ll have to take my stuff to the cleaners to get it pressed.

  Date: 9-10-63 Well, it’s almost five months since I have been on my mission. I do understand most everything that goes on now also. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to give the first discussion – which was quite an experience. I surely have learned a lot in the last two months. My biggest short coming is that I’m still too lazy and I couldn’t or wouldn’t push myself to learn anything. But I guess I can also rationalize in saying that it is hard to find time. But the old clique is always good you must make a little time. I’m also beginning to find a little oy in tracting now. For such a long time it seemed as though I was just beating my head against a brick wall. As the understanding comes, it’s a little more humane, but I still can’t understand the Schweizer Deutsch too well. It is as though they change every ei sound for ie and conversely, as well as z for s and abbreviating or contracting many sayings or word combinations e.g. ich bin gewesen (I have been) to ich gewesen. Whol...

  Date: 9-3-63 People will never stop amazing me. Today, we heard some of the most interesting things about the “Mormon Church” in a fallacious tone. One lady said she had heard that at 11pm every night the “Mormons” switch wives. Another that the “Mormons” won’t let negroes in the Church. Obviously both ideas were false, but to think that people would actually entertain such ideas. You would think that we still lived back in the 14th century or something. It is surprising that people are allowed to publish and say such things that aren’t true. This evening as we came home, I found a not saying that a Fraulein from Chicago had called on the phone and to return the call on a Winterthur number. I was completely bewildered because I didn’t know anyone from Chicago. Anyway, I attempted to call the Winterthur number to find out who it was. No one answered so I went home still in the darkness. As I got home, our house Fran suddenly came forth with a lot of information about the Fraulein ...