The Essence of Vienna

To Our Wonderful and Beloved Family,

This is about our latest letter ever but it's been very busy and getting busier.  We had Nancy and Randy here over the weekend as we mentioned in last week's letter. It seems like there is always something to show them that we haven't seen before and this time it was walking into the University of Vienna campus which is celebrating it's 650th anniversary. It's certainly not like a campus we'd see back home considering it's more like a huge courtyard surrounded by buildings but still it's an impressive place. Maybe you remember the race around the building in "The Chariots of Fire."  Pretty much like that. Still it was fun having them here, especially on our P day and we had, probably for about the last time, the opportunity to attend the International (English speaking) ward on Sunday. Many of the things we did we had only done with Brenda, Mindy and Benj and we ate at the same restaurant with the sudden decision to attend another Strauss/Mozart concert in the same hall where Strauss had originally conducted.

Since being assigned a total of 13 total apartments to inspect, up from our original 9, we now have the fulfillment of Sister Parker's desire to see the other two areas in the Vienna Stake we've never visited, namely Graz and Bruck an der Mur. One is about two hours away by train and the other is on the way so it will take us the better part of our P day on Saturday to get to them. One of our concerns is that Elder Parker had committed to teach a part of the missionary preparation course that same Saturday but we just barely got the news that so few had signed up that they're canceling it.  The Lord is in charge and we're happy to avoid the conflict.

  

For the rest of the week, things have gone really well.  Attendance numbers are still down but elementary school starts up this week and next so the kids are all back in town and the universities will not be too far behind. We continue to be the melting pot of Europe with our two best attenders being the young lady from Chili and the young man from Hungary. 100%, beating everybody else out. We have a young man from Spain who's really been showing up a lot because he can speak the same language as our beautiful young Chilean. 

One of our other young men, coming from Pakistan and baptized just last January, has received bad news that his application to remain in Austria has been denied. Apparently he came in illegally and has been skirting a bit around the edges but finally realized he had to make legal applications to stay and get ahead in things. He received word this week that his application has been denied and that they'll be deporting him in two weeks. His bishop actually works at the US embassy but feels the time is too far gone now with the official notice having been sent to intervene in any way. Fortunately, he hasn't told his family with whom he has very infrequent connections, anything about his conversion to Christianity so he may be safe for the time being until he can figure out a way to return here or elsewhere legally. The stake president sent out a notice to all of the wards here and read in sacrament meeting about the crisis with refugees starting to flood the European Union and to be aware of the church's approach to providing them help. We haven't kept up too much with everything that's going on but it sounds like another step in the direction of the Last Days.

    [Sister Parker] As Elder Parker said we don't tune into what's happening in the world too much as we are kept busy with the needs of the mission. But with all of the refugees coming our way and the stake presidents letter it has made us stop and think about the last days. Our mission president also spoke of the storms and natural disasters around the world as well as the flooding in of refugees as being a way for the Lord to reach those people (the lost tribes of Israel) where missionaries can't go and bringing them to Austria where missionaries are waiting for them.

    Along with this my sister Nancy pointed out some scriptures in Revelation 14 that just make so much sense. These verses talk about the Destroying Angels being sent out: one being sent out on the cloud and another having power over fire etc. and reaping the earth. We are all in the midst of these things and the Lord has allowed us to be part of His servants in the "Last Days." It is an exciting time but certainly, we can see the great and the terrible. Surely, it is a blessing to be here on the earth at this time and it is a privilege to be in among the missionaries. May the Lord bless us to do our part.              

Glad September is here. It is still hot but it looks like some rain and lower temperatures are on the way. Loved everyone's back to school pictures. Make sure your food storage is in order.

Hugs and Prayers,

Grammy, Grampa, Mom, Dad, Elder and Sister Parker