Greetings from a bright, sunny and really WARM and springlike Vienna, Austria! (It was a bad idea to wear boots and tights today, that's how warm it is!) Experiencing Vienna in Spring brings on a whole new meaning to the world heavenly. Today we're headed off to explore the catacombs at Stephan's dome....how awesome is that?!
This week was really fantastic. We had Zone Training on Tuesday and Sister Allman (one of my mom's close friends daughter!) and I had Austausch directly after. Sister Allman has been on her mission for over a year, and before her mission did study abroad with BYU here in Vienna. (We actually met before the mission at the Study Abroad Orientation back in October 2012, and we talked for the whole 2 hours! Little did I know we would end up being in the same mission and would have the chance to work together! Sister Allman's aunt is also a close friend of my moms..Kathleen Covey!!) Sister Allman is a fiesty, energetic missionary who is compassionate, loving, and very down to earth. We worked SO well together!! We took a special dinner break, got some seafood from Nordsee, and enjoyed shrimp and potatoes in front of the Opera House. (Perks of being with Sister Allman, who during study abroad found some great secret places here in Vienna!) We talked and talked and talked and TALKED. We met some super cool people, made appointments for this week, and then talked and talked some more. I think we talked the entire Austausch. :) It is always fun to work with other sisters, to get their ideas and learn different skills in day to day missionary work.
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| SINGING Toilets in Vienna!!!! Everything is so musical here….. |
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| I LOVED working with Sister Allman!!! |
Friday we met with Nicole again. We taught a lesson on Captain Moroni, and even made a Banner der Freiheit (Title of Liberty). For a change Nicole was late to her own appointment, and was a little flustered from just picking up Davin from school. A young newlywed couple in our ward, Anna and Emmanuel, came as our joint teaches. It was really neat to see how, after Emmanuel gave the opening prayer, the Spirit came into the room, the kids settled down, and we were able to read the story in Alma 48. From my hairline down to my toes, a warm sensation buzzed in my body as we read Alma 48:17, where we read what kind of man Moroni was. Davin took off his shirt and waved around our handmade Title of Liberty and would shout "Ich bin Maroni! Ich bin Maroni!" (Maroni is a type of food found here in Vienna, a nut-sort of warm treat.) We got a great laugh out of it, and Nicole loved the story. She shared an experience where, after we sent her her daily text message with a scripture, she kept reading, and read the entire chapter we assigned her!! Nicole seemed to burst when she said she felt so good when she did that, and she want us to assign her chapters to read now instead of verses. We didn't want to push her or overwhelm her with reading, and although we wanted it to be consisent, we are so proud of her and the progress she is making. I have a firm belief that she will be baptized in the near future. Her marital situation is still not the best, but I know God will provide a way for Nicole to make that covenant, especially as she continues to fast and pray for it.
UH OH.."it" happened: Sister Green and I got separated AGAIN on the bahn (train) this week!! AARGH! We were on the Strassenbahn coming home from the Young Adult Center, and I got off one Strassenbahn to get on to another strassenbahn line which would take us right home. It took me awhile to realize that Sister Green did NOT get off the bahn with me and kept riding it for 3 whole stops!! It was super crowded and I thought she was behind me. I went to the nearest call shop, called our phone, where a paniked Sister Green says "I'M SO SORRY BUT I GAVE SOMEBODY A BOOK OF MORMON PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME!" Such a testimony that the Lord watches out for us: I was blessed with comfort and patience as we were separated all the while my wonderful comp Sister Green gave somebody a Book of Mormon.
Tuesday we had Zone Training, and our main topic of discussion was that of VIRTUE. Virtue means that we are clean and worthy, in thought and in deed, but also Virtue means that we are not prideful. Virtue means that we are repentant and meek, that we always seek after "that which is praiseworthy and of good report." (Article of Faith 13). Before my mission, virtue was something that I learned about in Young Women's, and had to do a 10 hour project for. But being a full-time missionary, I have coem to learn that we cannot go a day without virtue. When we are not having clean, righteous, UPLIFTING thoughts, our work is behindert. Who would have ever thought that virtue also means being Positive?....GOOD TO KNOW, huh???
I am so grateful for the support and love I get from each and every one of you. Almost 10 months out in the field, and not a day has gone by or has gone by that I forget to kneel in prayer of gratitude for the marvelous support team I have. I have been so blessed with stalwart and righteous friends, a loyal and loving and eternal family, and incredible, supportive ward members. I love you all so dearly, and from the very bottom of my heart I thank you for all that each of you have done to make my mission experience a little easier and more rewarding. I love you!!
Have a FANTASTIC week!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Natalie Hannah Motto
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| "I have no idea what they are saying…." |
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| "Sister Green, where is the my dictionary? No idea here." |
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