Hi Everyone,
Winter seems to have finally departed and Spring is definitely in the air. We haven't had any really super warm days yet but the temperatures are frequently getting into the 50's and Elder Parker has gone out several times without an overcoat though he's still usually wearing at least a sweater. Sister Parker is not that convinced yet and is still hanging on to her coat as we march around the streets but we definitely see some crocuses, pansies and the like springing up here and there. Just as Fall didn't really demonstrate any fabulous colors as the summer ended, so the trees weren't really showing any buds yet but as we opened the window into our back Hof, suddenly there they were with lovely yellow forsythias, apparently previously hiding in the shadows!
Vienna seems to be gearing up for Easter just like they did for Christmas, though without all of the street markets everywhere. The grocery stores are full of dyed Easter eggs, already hard boiled and colored in all kinds of fancy designs. We were down in Wiener Neustadt on Wednesday to inspect two of the elders' apartments there and noticed them hanging huge colored egg-like lanterns in the trees on the plaza where two of the elders live. Coming up a week from last Friday is the beginning of Easter vacation which will go on for 11 days. We're told that everything pretty much shuts down with school out and we've been told we might as well close the center for the full Monday-Friday at least, so we're considering our options for maybe doing a little traveling again. We think this time we can stay within the mission with so many places we haven't ever seen. Our boundaries are so huge that we could go into eastern Austria, southern Germany and even Switzerland with just the president's OK and not have to get special permission from the area office in Frankfurt.
Speaking of Frankfurt, we had a very pleasant interview on Facetime this past week with the YSA supervisors in the area office, Brother and Sister Anderson. They put in their papers like everyone else does and were called to supervise the Young Singles work throughout the European Area. It was very uplifting talking to them and they gave us several things to help the work including a bunch of videos on how YSA's can assist less actives, investigators and newly baptized members which all originated from Elder Ballard when he was here in Europe last Fall.
We are continuing to have large numbers of internationals coming to our language classes this past week. We have 5 now from Poland including the man and wife who take an hour of German class, get a little break and then take another hour of English class. Elder Parker is continuing to see more and more success with the young lady from Hungary. With his encouragement, we finally got her husband to the center Friday evening when he finished with his work. He has fairly long hours but we assured them we would still be there late that night. About a quarter to nine, in he walked after his wife and I had earlier spent an hour reviewing what we'd learned teaching her German. He worked as a Catholic Church organist for many years and although they are Hungarian citizens, he spent most of his youth in Germany and speaks excellent German. But their piano is still back in Budapest until they can arrange to have it shipped to their apartment in Vienna so we encouraged her to let him know that we would really love to have him come try out our piano in the interim. Our two new "golden" missionaries both have some good piano skills but both had to leave by 8:30 in order to be back in their apartments by 9:00. So we had one member from Italy who was there with five or six of her friends when he walked in. Sister Parker was still cleaning up from Waffle Night but joined us a bit later as he began to play some of his favorite pieces. He did a couple of wonderfully nice jazz pieces and when I asked him if he knew anything classical he performed from memory "Ave Maria" along with some other memorable pieces whose names I couldn't remember. We showed him the church hymn book and suggested he try playing "Gently Raise the Sacred Strain." He initially played just the melody, then added the accompaniment and even finished with a little bit of wonderful homemade embellishment.
As it was getting later, we went out to our computer and tuned in on one of the episodes of "Music and the Spoken Word" which always starts with some beautiful scenery from southern Utah while Gently Raise is playing. We fast forwarded to Clay Christenson playing the organ, a piece where I could spot Laurel and Jessica singing along with Bro. Smith, three of whose babies I have delivered, and finished up with Richard Elliott's "Hot Pipes" on the Conference Center organ. We had a delightful time, I think he realizes we appreciate his musical talents and they already have a Book of Mormon at home along with the pamphlet on the restoration. We'll see where it all goes but so far so good.
This weekend we have Stake Conference with an opportunity to connect with people from all over western Austria and next Wednesday we leave for Salzburg for the Senior Conference which runs from Wednesday until Saturday. The Saturday night session was quite memorable with the visiting authority being Elder Leiman of the 70. He is the second counselor in the area presidency and gave a wonderful talk. A native German he was converted to the church while living in Colorado. It's quite interesting that both he and Elder Kaeron who talked to us back in January while we were in Munich are both converts to the church and very dynamic ones at that. We really felt the gift of tongues. Early on in this mission we were lucky to pick up 25-30% of what was being said but last night it seemed like we were close to 95%. The best scripture pair quoted by Elder Leiman were Moses 1:39 and D&C 11:20.
This morning we had a wonderful session of Stake Conference held at the Austria Center pictured above. It began with a choir of our young adults. Some said, they sounded like angels, especially as they sang "Lilies of the Field" and certainly setting a beautiful spirit for the conference. Pictured are some of the young people we work a lot with. The stake president is in the blue suit on the left and Elder Leiman is just going off the picture to his right. We ended up sitting with our latest convert, Nicole, legitimately the very newest member in the stake. I was pleased to help her a bit with the scriptures. All of the speakers were excellant, Our mission president's wife gave her testimony and some thoughts totally in German and did a great job. I'm sure she impressed the Austrians, that she is really trying to learn and speak German. The missionaries were quite impressed.
Most of the talks centered around the goals set for the European Area, printed on a little card: FRIEND SELF RELIANCE ANCESTORS. It means: help a friend convert to the church, learn to be self-sustaining and support your family and research your family history, starting with the little booklet "My Family" with pictures and helping to bring your family together. I wonder if the same things are being emphasized in the states? A lot of emphasis was given to bringing your family together with prayer, scripture study and attending church together. I was impressed with the emphasis on working together to help one another feel the Saviors love and change our lives to be more like His. Elder Leiman reminded us of the promised blessing to us and our families while we do Family History together and take names to the temple. Elder Bednar's promise is: "As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives."
I couldn't help but think of our wonderful family, of the strength and love we have together to help each other with life's problems. We are pleased with the way you have all kept in touch with each other and family needs. Let us all continue to pray for one another and be sensitive to each others concerns. It is love, especially the Saviors love that changes the world. One of our young adult sisters told me at conference today that even before we could communicate when we first came that she could feel the love that we shared with her. We all need to feel that love and we hope you can even from way over here.
LOVE AND HUGS
,
Grammy, Grampa,
Mom, Dad,
Elder and Sister Parker
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