So, we got transfer calls on Saturday! And the news is:
I will be going to Klagenfurt, southern part of Austria. I will be
with Elder Jensen. I am going to be a stepdad since I am going to
finish training him. Wooh!!!!!!!! Elder Ashcroft is going to stay with Elder Walker.
Don't know anything about him, so...
This week, I want to share a story instead of my day by day update:
Well, as you know, Elder McArthur and I whitewashed Linz. Which means,
that we were both brand new in Linz. And no Elders had been there for 6
weeks. And when someplace gets whitewashed after being closed for a
transfer(6 weeks), we have to start from nothing. Literally nothing.
No food, no investigators, no potentials, no relationships or
contacts. Our area book was also tiny and skimpy. So, Elder McArthur
and worked, and we worked hard. We knew that we needed investigators,
and quick. So our very first day we went finding. Found a couple of
people. Next day, one of them becomes an investigator. Not the miracle
I want to point out, but a miracle none the less. So, our first
Saturday, we go out finding again, explore the city. We find ourselves
in Hauptplatz. Well, we end up talking to some guy from Ecuador, "R".
Never heard of the church. So we invite him to come and visit it.
Well, he promises to meet us by McDonald's the next day, in order to go
to church. But we got no contact information! Well, we felt really
good about him anyway. So the next morning, we go to McDonald's to meet
him by our house, and he is there!!! No way, that never happens. So we
go to church with him. He loves it, feels the spirit strongly, and
says he is searching for a church. Well, we have a family home evening
with a member the next day. Now, we haven't even been here for a week!
Wow! We continue meeting with him. But, we eventually lose contact for
a couple of weeks. Well, we went finding one day early in the
morning. Like, at 9 or 10. Not normal and not really according to our
daily schedule, but we felt prompted to. Well, we found no one, and
started to head back. As we were waiting for the tram, "R" saw us and
came up to us. We get his new number, and his address. He has been in
the hospital! Contact made again. We start meeting again. Well, when
Elder Ashcroft gets here, we meet with him and invite him to baptism.
Wooh, he is somewhat overwhelmed by such a large decision, but knows
that it is right! He accepts! Well, contact becomes bad, no more
lessons. And then he gets busy with the holidays. Well, he comes to
church every now and then. Well, he was part of a concert put on at
the church. Way successful! And then contact becomes bad again. Well,
this last Saturday, he came to the baptism for "M". It is his first
baptism, other than his own that he has seen. Well, I get talking with
him beforehand. And he thanks me, for everything. He thanked us, for
the baptismal invitation. He knows it is right, and he is thankful for
it, but he wants to make sure he will stay here. He doesn't want to
bail out afterwards. He told me that he really wanted me to be here
for his baptism, but the Lord has other plans for me. Well, I know for
a fact, without a shadow of a doubt, that "R" would never have been
found on the street that day, if Linz wasn't whitewashed. The Elders
would have never met him, if they weren't completely new in the area.
Maybe years, and years later, but not this soon. I know that this was
the Lord's timing.
I have learned from that, to make the most of everything. If we are
brand new to something or to somewhere, that is no excuse! We still
need to work hard, and push forward. If we hadn't, "R" would still be
out there looking for something to fill the hole in his heart! He
wouldn't be enjoying the joy or peace from the gospel, and he wouldn't
be preparing to make sacred covenants with the Lord! Excuses, should
not exist! Ever! No matter what! If we trust the Lord, He will make up
the rest! As long as we do our part, diligently! We, of course, won't be
perfect or maybe even that good at the start, but the Lord will make
it up! I know that for a fact! I have seen it happen!
Well, have a great week!
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