Hi Everyone!

Terry is getting to be quite the judge of quality of the Islamic call to prayer called the Adhan, here in Istanbul. Along with the prayer sounds, we hear dogs throughout the area howling as the prayer begins! We thought perhaps the prayers were recordings but as we have listened to these calls 5 times per day, we realize they are sung by different people.  Terry has his favorites and has decided that the early morning 5:30 prayer is a newer man that is coming up in the ranks, and the evening prayer is the most accomplished prayer. We are becoming accustomed to the prayers and they remind us to pray as well!

We hope you all got a chance to see and listen to Conference this weekend. Our Branch President is one of the Turkish interpreters and is SLC this week. We will have a showing of conference at the Branch next Sunday.

The Muslim families are so much lıke the Mormon families it’s quite amazing! They are very conservative, family oriented, humble and kind. Of course Mormons are not the only ones who behave in this way but we are so happy to see how important families are over here. Islam and Mormonism are very very similar in so many ways. The good people who live their religion are not the ones we hear about on the news. Don’t believe everything you hear about Islamic people, you would seriously love and care for them as you do your neighbors at home. As you probably know alcoholic drinks are not allowed in the Islamic faith, and I have never seen a person drinking alcohol over here.

Its election time over here and the assembly of people on the streets has been impressive. Police have been our breaking up the groups of political demonstrators as they walk in the streets and stop traffic. The prime minister has blocked Youtube and Twitter access because some negative political messages were posted about him, and people are very upset.  I was brushing up on my piano on Youtube and have been “cut off”! It feels very strange to not have the freedom of access to communication as we did in the USA.

We met a young man who works at one of the local restaurants where we like to have lunch and he has agreed to teach us Turkish. Hopefully he can make more sense of the language for us!

Thanks for you emails and words on Facebook. It is so wonderful to know you are alive and well!

The Gospel is so vital and so important to study and I am eternally grateful for the Book of Mormon! Get your hands on a copy and read it with a prayer in your heart to know of the truthfulness of it.

You are in our prayers and we love you all!

Elder and Sister Ercanbrack

Hello Everyone!

We were studying Turkish today and decided if we could think upside down and backwards we could better understand the way sentences are constructed here! Slowly but surely it is coming! The sun is shining and the pollen is flying, but the Magnolia trees smell wonderful along the street we walk every day. People have wonderful little gardens, and the area is kept very clean by people whose job it is to sweep the sidewalks and cobble stones. The taste of décor here reminds us of the styles that were popular in the 60’s in the USA. We live near two huge malls located about a 20 min. walk from our place. The area we live in is called Levent, and our Turkish dictionary says it means “Good looking, strapping young men” from the marines in the Ottoman military called Leventler. Anyway,…that’s a little insight into our surroundings.

Saturday evening we took the Metrobus to an area about 30 min. from home, with the Elders to a home of a couple and their two children. After getting off the bus and walking for about 15 min., we came to a very busy area with shops selling everything you can imagine. Suddenly we stopped between a couple of shops, knocked on an old battered steel door, and one of the Elders called on the phone to let the family know we were there. After the buzzer rang, we climbed two flights of steep stone stairs and we went into their apartment.  The apt. was so small that we all sat on two small couches, knee to knee. It was kind of uncomfortable for a few minutes! The Elders and the wife (husband could not be home in time) spoke Turkish and interpreted for us. These are humble people who are so honest and genuine in their love for the Savior. We are working on getting a fridge for these people because they have a 3 year old and a 4 month old baby, and had to leave their fridge at their old apartment. The Land Lord at their old apt. kept their fridge as they couldn’t pay their rent. We don’t always realize the blessings we have with our homes and surroundings. We’re praying that the husband can find a job and will be able to move his family to a nicer place.

It has been an exciting week with Zone Conference and being able to meet the Elders from Ankara and the Assistants to the President from Bulgaria. We had lunch with President and Sister Wilstead (our Mission President and his wife), who are genuinely some of the nicest hardest working people we know. Their love for the Missionaries and this work is so contagious and humbling. Pres. And Sister Wilstead taught the youth yesterday. They can reach people of any age with their knowledge of the Gospel and their life experience. The youth here are outstanding people who have such great knowledge of the Gospel who are bright, hardworking, fun loving, and who are teaching us about their love for the Savior and the Atonement.

It’s so fun to hear how everyone is doing at home. We truly love to see pictures of the new babies (thanks Anna, and congratulations Mallory and Jason!) and hearing about what everyone is up to.  

Love you all,

Sister Ercanbrack (and Elder Ercanbrack)

Remember the Elder with the old violin that needed a new E string? Well, we held a Music Fireside last evening where Elder Dougherty played his violin with the new E string, and it was wonderful! He is such a sweet and humble young man. He played “Oh How Lovely Was the Morning” as we watched the video “The First Vision” on a TV screen (no sound).   It was so touching to see him play the old violin that the other Elders had purchased for him for $50.00. A member from Nigeria sang “I Need Thee Every Hour” in his broken English. It was so beautiful. I had to cry a little and just appreciate the simplicity with which the Spirit can touch our lives. I sat next to an investigator who is blind. He seemed to enjoy the music and seemed very interested in the Elder’s talks. These Elders are incredible! The Spirit is so strong in our meetings. My testimony is being strengthened greatly!

Life in our apartment has taken a little getting accustomed to. The bed we’re sleeping on has no springs or foundation. We found some boards and placed them under the mattress, but it does not support our heads. We find our shoulders and heads on a downward angle every morning. We’re thinking about buying another bed! Please remember to be grateful for what you have and the simple comforts of home! Our oven sits on top of the counter top (kind of adult “Easy Bake Oven” style), in the kitchen and can bake one sheet of cookies at a time. We are grateful we can bake and the Elders have enjoyed the cinnamon rolls I have made for them. As Jean knows, we have to substitute ingredients for those we can by in the States. I made brown sugar the other day by pouring molasses over white sugar and letting it soak in. It worked!

We have a neighbor who lives two floors below us, and we have exchanged “good mornings’” with her a couple of times. She is an architect and very friendly. The Elders came to dinner last Wednesday and ran into her as they were leaving the building. Of course they stopped and introduced themselves, and told her they had had dinner with us.  She told them she was interested in learning English and they relayed the message to me. I went down stairs to talk to her this afternoon, and now she has my phone number and said she would call me. Perhaps she can teach me Turkish while I help her with English. We’ll see where this goes.

I just found out I will be playing the piano for Sacrament Meeting this summer!!! Those are exclamation points of fear!!! Our piano player, Sister Bauer, is going home in June, and the other piano players will be on vacation in Utah. Are you laughing yet?? I am practicing every day at the branch and studying music theory on line to try to remember what I learned as a child.  Please pray for me!

We hope everyone is doing well at home. Of course we miss you, but know we are in the right place doing the right thing. It’s a great feeling!

Thanks for the emails and pictures, they keep us going!

Love lots,

Elder and Sister Ercanbrack

It's incredibly rainy today for P day!  We got splashed on few times but luckily we had on P day clothes so nothing nice got wet and they're now hanging up to dry. One of our Elders, Elder Dougherty, plays the violin. Two of the Elders in another area found a violin for $20 and bought it for him. It needed an E string and some rosin so we went out today to find those things. We met the nicest woman at the music store from Lybia, who speaks a little English. We told her we were volunteers (can't say missionary), for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and she said "that is so nice, my  friend's father does the same thing in Syria"! We thought, "hey someone friendly to Christians"!! So, we thought we would think of something else to buy for the little violin, and take the Elders to the store and introduce them. You never know who your next contact will be!
We've been studying the language every day and slowly being able to say things that people can understand. I've never had so many goofy facial expressions returned for my attempts at a word/phrase in Turkish. People have the funniest ways of telling you by their facial expressions that they don't have a clue what you are asking!!
We are being able to contribute a little more to our Branch by being called to be the Sunday School Pres. and Secretary. We are also the new building coordinators! So that, plus YM and YW Pres., we're learning how the Branch operates! Our Branch President, Pres. Cakir has been extremely helpful to us in so many ways. We heard we would be frustrated by him, but I can say we have not seen that at all. Maybe he turned over a new leaf!
I've included some pictures and the first picture is in the Relief Society room where we have cookie night each second Sunday of the month. The Elders behind us are so wonderful! Seriously, they are amazing as I'm sure all Elders are who are that committed. Cari, the Elder behind me is Elder Johnson (the taller one, third from the left). Jean, you'll recognize the Bauers!
We love this mission! We're learning so much about Muslims and their need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is absolutely the greatest work on earth and wherever teaching is being done, people are finally being taught the truth. Thanks for your faith and prayers.
We think of you all often and love you so much!
Elder and Sister Ercanbrack

Hello Everyone!

We were dodging traffic last night as we left a discussion at a member’s home in an area about 1 hour from our apartment. We had taken buses to get to the member’s home and it was about 8:30 p.m. and dark. We needed to grab a cab to get the Elders home by 9:30, and Elder Johnson took off up the street running after a cab he thought was empty. The rest of us were dodging cars similar to what you see in a movie, and I was thinking, “I don’t want to die in Turkey!” There happened to be two people in the cab and the driver told the people to get out (because he had a better fare as it would an hour to get us home), so the people got out and let us have the cab. We apologized like crazy, and they said “no problem”, they were only a block away from home.

The cab driver drove all the back roads and took us on an unnecessary tour of Istanbul that lengthened our cab ride. This kind of frustrated the Elders as they said cab drivers will do this if they can get away with it. The ride was interesting for what you can see at night, and we learned that Istanbul is one extremely large city!

Our last Sacrament meeting was very interesting as it was Fast Sunday. Those who bore their testimonies all spoke Turkish and we had President Cakir interpret. These people have such an abiding love for the Savior and Gospel. They are so appreciative of the lessons they have learned and how to apply them in their lives. It was a moving meeting. We have French, Philippino/Tagalog and Turkish languages all being interpreted during these meetings, so it makes it very interesting. The Gospel is true in all these languagesJ!

We have District meeting every Wednesday where we get together with the Elders and another mission couple. We are growing to love these people while we witness their love for the Savior and the work being done. I gave them my appreciation last week, and said I realized that they are doing work similar to what the early missionaries did in Switzerland. As you know our Grandfather Christian Kunz had a dream that two missionaries would come to his home in Bern, Switzerland and tell him of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ on earth. Of course we know that the Elders did find Grandfather Kunz and he came to America and settled Bern, Idaho, raising a family true to the Gospel. So, we call these missionaries our pioneers. Sitting in Sacrament meeting with 30 people is so different that attending church with 250-300 in our ward at home.

We are praying the Lord will bless this area and that the people here can hear the truth, and have their hearts softened to the missionaries and all of us sharing our testimonies.

We pray for you every day and hope you are finding joy in your lives.

Love to all of you,

Elder and Sister Ercanbrack