Dear Family,
Wow, two full months have come and gone since we've been here in Vienna and the work continues to be interesting, fun and challenging. Although it's not much numerically, we continue to be closely involved with three investigators that we have introduced to the missionaries. The first, our young lady from Kazakhstan, seems to be solidly continuing in her quest to learn more about the church. We had a crisis this week as our latest transfer involved two of the three sister missionaries going home who have been primarily involved in teaching her. She really wanted to see them off at the train station as they left but somehow got mixed up in her directions and they were gone before she turned up. We thought we'd never dry the tears in her eyes but she's hung in there since then and it looks like the work will carry on as it should. We always need to be cautious that an investigator is not just staying with us because they like a personality but are generally interested in being taught the gospel. That now seems to be the case so we'll hope that she can make the transition.
Another of our ladies with whom we have spoken several times and who was given a Book of Mormon several weeks ago, continues to come, primarily to learn English and is being taught by the Zone Leaders who are responsible for her area. She's a regular and is slowly making some progress in learning the gospel as well as bettering her English. We're not so directly involved with her any more but see her regularly as she comes in for her lessons.
Our third lady has been in now three or four times, seemingly on her own or at least not following any scheduled appointments but clearly fascinated by Mormonism and always comes in with lots of questions. She has been well taught in the past about the restoration and the Plan of Salvation and Elder Parker on at least three occasions has been very much involved in answering her questions. Earlier this week, she brought her brother with her for the first time and they both reappeared on Friday. They have lost their parents and were impressed that the Mormons are the only ones who teach baptism for the dead. They were very much interested in having their mother and father baptized, both of whom have been gone for a couple of years or more and wondered how we go about setting that up. We have been encouraging them that it would really be neat if they could perform those ordinances for their kindred themselves and no long waiting period is required once they themselves have been personally baptized. She's starting to take seriously the various commandments one must live to be a good Christian but is obviously concerned about her willingness to live the ones that would be tough for her. That seems to involve some Word of Wisdom issues though she hasn't specified what exactly she does she'd have to give up. She is forthright to say, "What if I say I've stopped drinking alcohol but I really haven't?" We told her that bearing false witness is one of the 10 commandments and she must certainly abide by that principle as well. I guess she just wanted to be clear that the commitment is a real commitment and not just saying a bunch of words. At any rate, our remaining sister missionary of the original three has been joined by two others, one relatively new and the other right from the MTC. She hung in there for a great lesson given by the senior companion and I while the other, who's been out about 3 months stayed busy with Sister Parker the other night preparing waffles. I asked our investigator if she would be willing to close with prayer after she was taught the basic principles. She was hesitant so the missionary offered to say one if she would follow which she did and I thought it was a very good progress step to make.
(Here's 20 or so of the more than 25 people who showed up. The fourth sister on the far left was here for just 10 days to try out missionary work and see if she might really want to do it for real. She was also leaving to return home at the end of her week and a half. The remaining sister in the black skirt is a native German from Hanover but speaks amazingly good English!)
I mentioned the transfer earlier and thought I'd fill everyone in on a little bit more about these regular events. Generally, they occur about every six weeks and the missionaries even tend to count their time by the fact that they've been out for one, six, or ten transfers. Not that every one gets moved around every time but the transfer of missionaries in and out definitely is an event, especially for Vienna. We're at the geographical far east end of the mission and four or five companionships will be affected every transfer with the result that the whole zone generally shows up at the train station to say goodbye to those who are leaving. We missed the first transfer that occurred about six weeks ago as we weren't needed to help with luggage and still didn't know very many of those involved. But this time we knew virtually everyone who was leaving, with three of them, our two sisters and one elder, coming to the end of their missions and really leaving for good. Generally speaking, those departing go to the mission home where they are feted to a farewell dinner by the mission president and his wife and then leave the next day after an overnight stay. They replace all the brand newies, formerly called greenies when we were young missionaries, but in this mission, referred to as the Goldens who have arrived and also been greeted by the mission president before receiving their first assignments and moving out to go to work. So everyone was leaving on a train for Munich at 8:30 AM with those arriving coming in later in the afternoon. Our remaining sister was without a companion for a few hours which Sister Parker supplied and so leaving me in the Center, she returned to the train station for the 5:30 arrival of two new sisters before returning and linking back up with me.
(One of our favorite sister missionaries, Sister Jencks, leaving for home back to Utah though her parents are coming to pick her up for a little touring first.)
(This is Elder Curtis, our Zone Leader who was being transferred to a new zone. He was the first person we met in Vienna, picking us up at the airport when we arrived.)
Here is Sister Christianson (below), departing for home with Elder Gomez-Torio waving good bye from the train. He's from Spain but being transferred to Switzerland where only European citizens are allowed to do missionary work. Even they are not allowed to go door-to-door but must rely on member referrals. The Swiss are concerned about the influx of Islam in the rest of Europe and and have place significant hindrances in the way of religious proselyting.
(Sister Parker) This is the Sister Christianson (above) that I helped teach an investigator with and had such a sweet experience. This week at District Mtg, Elder Parker and I were asked to talk about the "Gift of Tongues". As we were talking Sister Christianson shared her side of the story, or where I felt the spirit bear witness through me. She thought it was so awesome to see and feel it happening to someone else. She said she knew I felt hesitant about my German, but that I used words, verbs and scriptural thoughts beyond what she herself used. It is nice to know that it wasn't just yourself feeling a certain way, rather the Lord giving you what you need to say at the moment you need it. (D&C 100:6) It is also interesting that Elder Gomez -Torio is in this picture. Most of the European missionaries are sent to Preston, England MTC., where he had to first learn English in order to learn German through English instructions. He knew no English, so he was mostly taught English and was only able to pick up a few words in German. He was so overwhelmed by both languages and struggling so much because he was also brand new. But he was always upbeat doing his best - a big, sweet, humble young man with a big heart. We would ask each other at the Center, how the language was coming. So the last time I talked to him before his transfer to the Austrian, French border, he told me that he knew the spirit was helping him because he didn't know where the words were coming from that he was sharing in some investigator discussions. He has big challenges now as French is also spoken in this area, but he feels that somehow the Lord will see him through. I think it is miraculous to watch him learn both languages at once.
It is a great blessing to be at the Young Adult Center and to work with these great, enthusiastic elders, and sisters, also to meet their investigators and to be able to work with the Vienna young singles. I know our grandchildren will make great missionaries. Jeremy is already doing a wonderful job in California.
Thanks for your great support. We can feel the help from your prayers.
Mom and Dad, Grammy and Grampa, Elder and Sister Parker
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