To start this I would like to tell everyone that is sitting in snow that I can hear a lawnmower right now. That sound should be reserved for summer. I miss snow!
And another thing to make up for my not posting anything at all: a video!
I'm sorry everyone, I think the video is too big for this. I will find a way to make up for it. Please look for the video on my facebook account!
So this is in Bern, Switzerland! It is called Baerengraben--bearpits. Unfortunately, there is only one bear right now. And the pit is not a very healthy-looking one, though there are rocks and stuff. Fortunately they already have the plans for a new, spacious, happy bear pit that runs along the river--they will actually divert part of the river into the pit. It will also have a walkway with plexiglass so people can see in on the bears--it looks like more are in the planning.
And this isn't a new thing, either. As Graydon states, one of the reasons Bern is named that has to do with the fact that they've always had bears in the middle of the city--kind of like how Sky View used to have a bobcat. It sounds like they've upgraded (and probably moved) the bear pits a few times before.
We love this movie because it shows the bear. You can see how the bear walks over to people who have food, and then sits on it's haunches, and catches the food with it's mouth. Pretty domesticated, and entirely undomesticated. I hope not many people from Bern try to visit Yellowstone! :) I was surprised to see people feeding it at first (they were feeding it french-fries when we got there), but found out later that you could by little bags of food-tomatoes, apple slices, grapes and things-to feed to the bear. There was also a security guard who would stop people from feeding it other things. Like french fries (okay, I was pretty disgusted about that).
Another good thing: We have a washing machine! I will post a picture of the kitchen + washing machine. It gets stuck on one cycle, but we got it for only 90 Euro (a steal for a washing machine--I never knew they were so expensive!). I was complaining at a dinner last Sunday night where there were us, two Elders, two sisters, and the missionary couple, all invited to a friend's house--Enriqo? I'm not sure how to spell it. Anyways, Sister Duke (who is from Cache Valley with her husband!) gave us a number to contact, then Elder Norris (who got transfered today :( ) called them for us (they only speak German). And they had one, and brought it by on Monday! Patrick McGaffin and our friend Bertram helped me carry it upstairs, since Graydon had to be at school, and we played some Canasta while we waited and had some leftover lasagna from the night before.
Oh, yes! On this past Sunday, it was our turn to feed the missionaries! We invited the sisters and the Elders, and Patrick and our neighbors upstairs! We made a HUGE lasagna and two small ones. And it fed everyone + leftovers! I had lasagna the next day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
I forgot to tell you why we were even in Bern! Our friends John and Betty invited us to go down with them to the temple! After a few months, it was so much like going home--I miss that place so much! We stayed in a guest house--sort of like a youth hostel-- and ate breakfast/walked across the street to the temple the next day! It was really cool to stay at the guest house. There was a ward up from Italy (I really think there's a reason there will be a temple in Rome!), and it was so cool to be there with them! Even though we couldn't really communicate with each other, we knew we loved one another and that was enough. It was really special.
We also found a distribution center, where we bought a German triple combination, German preach my gospel (and almost one in English--of the three we have together, none of them made it in the suitcase! Rats.), and a small German hymnbook.
The temple was amazing, as usual. Since there were so many english speakers, the session was done in English. But everyone else there were not English speakers! It even seemed like there was more french than English, even though Bern is in the German part of Switzerland! Gee-whiz. It was really special!
But it's time for me to go get ready for school now. And make sure the washing machine goes to the next cycle. Remember: We love you all!!!
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