Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!! Well,
on Wednesday at least, but I can't email you then.
Elder Jensen and I are doing well.
We are getting along and working well together.
Elder Jensen can sing really well!
Klagnefurt Branch is pretty much the
best. We got the best members here. I get to play the piano in Primary
for a little bit every Sunday and I am the Choir pianist.
Woche der
Wundern
Montag
Monday was P-Day...
Dienstag
So, Elder Jensen made an appointment
with "N" to visit him and his son in the hospital today. The appointment was
made at 12.00ish for 13.00. Well, as it turns out, Elder Jensen meant
1400. So we told Norbert that we would be 15 minutes late. Well, we
got there at 13.45. Kind of late. Well, we meet "J" and "N" and
sit down in the lobby of the
second floor. We get talking about
his recovery and "J" is doing so
much better! The doctors are amazed
at how fast "J" is recovering.
He can walk pretty good now and said
that he feels a lot better! N" believes 100% that it was
because of the blessing from last week. Well, we
continue talking and show them
pictures of the temples.
Eventually some guy in a wheely chair thing rolls on by with a nurse
and his wife. I looked at him and
felt something, but shrugged it off as he passed. He eventually came back
and sat with us at the table to
eat a light snack. Elder Jensen asks
where he from, because he had a
British accent. Well, he is somewhere
from the Yorkshire area. And his wife is from Korneuburg, Niederösterreich. So, we start having a
large conversation all around the
table. It was great. Just a good
time. And then the patient("J") asks
us what we are doing. He reads our name badge and sees Jesus Christ.
So, we told him that we are missionaries and that speak to people
about Jesus Christ.
He then said, "and about Donald
Trump." Well, the conversation went into politics and about America being
not super free and about how
crazy Trump is. Well, he then asks
what makes the Mormons different
from other churches. What is supposed
to appeal to other people. So we
explained some of the fundamental
principles of our church. Prophets, God, Prayer, etc. We continue to
answer his questions about the church. Word of Wisdom (health code),
law of chastity. He agrees with it all. We continue
talking about faith and what it is.
He asks more questions and we answer them. "J" believes in a
higher energy ball thing. But it is the source of Light, life and love.
Awesome. And "N" even answers questions as if he were a member!
Talked a ton about free will. He then gets wheeled off to take some
meds, and as he gets wheeled off, "N" tells him that we can give
him a blessing if he wants.
So we start talking with the wife
some more, and she likes it. Well, we start
talking about life after death. So "J" comes back, and we continue
talking about life after death.
Pretty much the Plan of Salvation.
Where we go, and resurrection and
eternal life. He believes in
spiritual reincarnation. He
believes that this structural stuff is man
made. Well, we bear testimony of God and of our purpose and that it
comes from Him. We speak more about
faith and said that he wants it so bad, but just doesn't know how to
get it. Because he is an analyzer, that is literally his job. To get
evidence and analyze.
So we speak about it and how faith
works. It starts out small and we
just need to feed the seed. Do one
small action, such as prayer. And
all we need to do is ask. Nothing
special or crazy. He loves it!
Especially about the seed. He then
asks for a blessing and to teach
him about faith and prayer. So we
pray, and explain the blessing. He
is totally open to it. And the
entire time, his wife and "N" and "J" is listening. "N" is
actually helping answer and
explain. And the wife just kept
saying at how much she didn't know about her husband. He even
said that he is probably the most open
person we will meet today. He was right.
So we then go into his room with
just him and his wife, "A", to
perform the blessing. We explain
that it is based on his faith and the will of God. So we proceed.
The spirit was so strong! It was crazy strong! I couldn't help but just
shake. And he loved it! It was so peaceful in that room. And as we
were leaving he asked us if we could
help him with faith. We told him, of
course! So we left so he could get
dressed, and the wife was getting
emotional. And then he comes back
out and we continue to talk. Fear
is the driving emotion of the world.
But love should be the driving
emotion, just as the church preaches!
Well, we got his number, and said
we could come by one day. But they also told us that they got there
this morning to pick up meds and get
some mechanical implant thing for
his chemo. And that they were heading back the same day to go home. Which
is 40 minutes away by car. So, he
says bye and gives a giant hug and
says thanks! All of this took 3 1/2
hours.... The spirit was present
for every moment. Every single
second.
Mittwoch
We went finding and talked to people on the way to the church. We
were supposed to have a lesson with "H", but he never showed up.
So Br. Mauch and I talked about goals and
stuff. And then we had an inventory kind of thing from Meet the
Mormons. What went well, what will do better next time. The ward is
great! They did it, but also were springing missionary ideas left
and right as well!
Donnerstag
Thursday we ate lunch with the Suppersberger/Trippel family. We had Schnitzel, with veggies,
and some cooked potatoes. It was all so delicious! And then we had a
cake! It was some Wiener Apfelkuche cake! It was so sweet and sooooo good!
They are super awesome, the family! And then we talked to people on
the streets!
Freitag
Friday we had District Meeting with the Christensens. It was super good. Talked about
the importance of the Book of Mormon. And how it testifies of
Christ! Here are some facts:
These are many times these names are mentioned in the Book of Mormon.
Jesus- 216
Christ- 486
Savior- 15
Messiah- 43
Redeemer- 108
God- 1761
And countless other titles Christ has! The Book of Mormon is
literally another testament of Jesus Christ! It is such a powerful
witness of Him! So, later we went to Feldkirchen. Well, it was a nice town. Small,
and everyone is Catholic. And everyone has apparently seen the
Mormons on TV... So that was weird.
Samstag
Saturday, we had a Soccer Tournament. It was two teams from Linz (mixed with kids from the surrounding area)
and were both Mormon, for the most part. We had a team from Tschetschenien. It is some autonomous part of
Russia. South West Russia. Close to Armenia. Our team was called
"Mission Impossible" and we had 3 Persians, 2 Americans,
and an Italian. It was pretty great. I did better than I thought I
would, haha. Didn't die or pass out,
haha! But really, we had loads of fun.
We got third out of five. So not too bad. And our friends, the guys
on our team, had a blast!
Sonntag
Well, Sunday was good. Had some really good testimonies given! We
taught Br. Mauch a lesson during Sunday
School. We taught Repentance. It went really well! And then I got to
play piano for the Primary for a little bit during the last hour!
They are all so cute and innocent! It is always such a good reminder
to do what Jesus said. To become like a child! As in honest and
simple! Well, those were emphasized for me this last Sunday. The
gospel really is just so simple! And then we had lunch at the Casella's place with Sis. Schaunig and the two Senior couples! Man,
Italian food is so good!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so delicious! And we had
some specialty cake from Florence, Italy. It tasted similar to Angel
Food Cake, but not as fluffy.
Anyway, I love being on a mission. It is seriously the best
decision I have ever made! I love the gospel! It gives me the
knowledge of my Savior that I need! Because, the Savior is always
there for me! Literally, always!
