This last week was crazy! I experienced my first companionship exchange! We took a train (as we usually do) to Wien aka Vienna! I was so intimidated when I got off the train though... In Bruck an der Mur, we have the population density similar to that of LaVista/Papillion area... Wien, it is like Las Vegas!! There are 2 million people in Vienna alone. And it's huge! The map for Vienna is an entire book! But I got to learn how to use it! We got to Vienna on Thursday morning and we exchanged and so my new companion was Sister Lind! She is awesome! Totally reminds me of Shantelle in so many ways. It was great! We even got to teach a lesson in English! I was super excited! We went to a family who is active but is considered less active because they don't stay for all three meetings because the wife doesn't understand English OR German... Anyways, their son, Ali (25 or so) had his girlfriend over and she was from Romania! We had four languages in that room alone... German, Persian, English and Romanian. The girl friend though isn't a member and she is totally ready for the gospel and was excited to pray about the Book of Mormon and to come to church! She gave us her address and phone number and it was just so great! Ahh, Love IT!! Also I ate a peach at that appointment... I can't remember the last time I had peaches??? Mom, can you? Once again, the Lord blessed my tastebuds ;)
Then Zone Conference was the next day and it was awesome! Just so motivational and helps to build up ones confidence to spread the word once again! Our mission is known as the "sleeping giant" in that there are so many people that are being prepared right now, they will soon all be ready to accept the gospel and missionary work in Europe will explode! I hope to be part of that bringing about thousands!
Then we came home and life just keeps getting better. Yesterday after church we went to go visit a girl named Aline who speaks english and Romanian and was here for the summer helping her cousin as a nanny basically. Well this cousin is actually a less-active man that we go visit every once in a while. When the sisters found her, they knew that is why they needed to visit the Costans. So yesterday we talked about Christ's earthly ministry and she was astounded that he suffered so much for us. And the best part was at the end she prayed from her heart instead of from her usual 'recited' prayer! It was so great!
Then we walked down the street to follow up on a man we met in the parking lot a few weeks ago and he and two of his other friends committed to an appointment for this week. The blessings kept flowing as we attempted to contact another less active family and they weren't home so we went door to door and found another less active that we have been looking for, another man who has a Book of Mormon but doesn't understand it, and another woman to wants to know more about the gospel! Blessings all around!
I know the Lord answers prayers and this IS His work. May the Lord bless you and may you SEE those blessings in your daily lives. I promise you they are there and if you will CHOOSE to see them and express gratitude FOR them, you will be so much happier.
Until next time,
Sister Fokken
Pictures:
This first one is me and Aline (Uh-leen-uh) and she is Romanian but was visiting her cousin who is less active and we found her when we went to go visit this less active family.
The second one is me over looking Bruck an der Mur, the sweetest little town ever! We hiked up to an old Fort on the top of the hill and can see the whole town from there!
The last one is actually in Vienna with the other sisters there. We had Zone Conference this last Friday and went on an "Austausch" (ow-s-t-ow-sh) or what is known as "exchanges" while we were there! I went with Sister Lind and she is amazing! Reminds me a lot of Shantelle actually! From left to right those sisters are: Sister Chappel, Sister Lind, Sister Nelson, Sister Weed and then Sister Fokken :)
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