Double Whammy

 

 

Hallo Meine Lieben

Melissa Alder.....my birthday was in May. Thanks for thinking of me though. I laughed quite a lot when I read your emails. Sis Nelson did too.

Tsolmon and Queen are officially the newest members of the ward!!! (Pic 1) Their baptism went smoothly, the only problem being that there was a slight disputation as to who went first. Since we'd found and taught Tsolmon for awhile and she had asked us weeks ago if she could be first...long before we met Queen. Then, Queen shows up to her baptism at 4pm (it didn't start till 6;30) and asks the Ward MIssion Leader if since she came first, she could be first. We weren'T there yet and he didn't know about us promising Tsolmon and so he said yes. We arrive and he lays the bomb on us and wants us to clean the mess up when I tell him what has already been planned. It all got straightened out and I had to do the dirty-work. Queen was very sad, but I compromised and told her she could receive the Holy Ghost first. Silly little frustrating problem! It was a beautiful baptism.

We had Special Training with Pres Miles this week and they introduced a new training program for missionaries. (And we got to see our whole zone...aka the other Sisters. Pic 6 is me with Sis Fokken from Nebraska...we are like two peas in a pod. She's been out for a month). It includes every companionship receiving person DVD players to use for study to watch the Preach My Gospel DVDs, and Proselyting DVDs. There's an extensive new study plan for new greenies (including now 2hr companion study). It' intense. President wanted to talk with me a little bit about how things are going and after that discussion, I feel a load taken off my heart. He reassured my that I have been a great missionary my whole mission and have seen much success because of it. He is grateful for how I have been with Sis Chapple and all of my other extremely difficult companions. He told me that I am the only one in the mission who could've handled them the way I did and he is grateful for that. WOW!! I feel like a million bucks

In order to understand the following, you will need to watch\have watched 'Errand of Angels'. In the movie, the Sister serves in Salzburg and is teaching many awesome people. The 'actors' in those scenes are actually members from VIENNA! There's a scene where they are teaching an old couple....Br and Sr Hirschmann. And then a scene where they are teaching a man and his Chinese wife.....Br Michael Hirschmann and Sr Yungling Hirschmann. (pic 2 is of Br and Sr Hirschmann). We go to their home every Thursday for missionary lunch. They are the sweetest!
I love the Sisters in Vienna 2nd Ward!!!!!!!!!!!! They keep me alive and sane.(Pic 3 and 4)

Vienna 4th ward is the best!!!!!! (Pic 5 is me with Sophia Appiateng and her 18yr old daughter, Joycelynn...my little buddy)

Gotta go!! The Joveros invited us over for dinner and we have a bunch of stuff still to do today Love you all!

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Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE

Queen's Bday Party and Conference

  

Dearest Family -

Before I go any further, I must stop dad before he writes his email. Sis Alder sent me an email about the BYU-U game. I am glad that I do not come home for a couple of months. Hopefully by then, dad will have forgotten to brag.

Queen'S birthday. Queen is getting baptized on Saturday and we (all 4 Sisters) decided that we'D throw a little party for her. She and I made a deal that if she'd teach me how to make something African, I'd teach her American. She chose Saturday to make American food. I made pizza crust and we all topped it. Sis Nelson and Sis Weed made rootbeer (sparkling water, root beer extract found in the apt, and LOTS of sugar). Sis Nelson made banana bread with a lemon glaze. We all met at the church and topped the pizza and watched 'Errand of Angels'. Queen wants to serve a mission so that was the movie she chose to watch. It was even better for me because I have served in EVERY area that the character serves in the movie. AND we saw a couple of the most memorable members here in Vienna also playing investigators in the movie. We stopped and rewound the movie a coupld of times. Really great!

Stake Conference was great. We sang a version of 'Näher Mein Heiland Zu Dir' (Nearer Dear Savior to THee) and Joseph SMith'S First Prayer as the Prelude music right before the conference began. I even got to see the Bruck an der Mur members....and Manuela. That was a blast from the past! It was great to see her because for a time she fell away (into anti-mormon crazy Martina). Now she's back! She saw me as Sis Nelson and I were greating people and practically jumped on me. She was so excited! When we were all inside, she came up to me and said that she'd saved a seat for me, right beside her. That did my heart good to have a person I found and baptized almost a year ago remembers me.

Also, SIS ALDER - - Manuela is going to have a baby in June-ish. That in and of itself is an odd story. Remind me to tell you sometime!

I got grandma's card she sent from PA

Not too much else to report. Still chugging along. I finished the Old Testament on Saturday and am now determined to finish the New Testament before November. My orginial goal was for Dec 1st, but I read to gosh darned fast that I'Ve had to recalculate my goal a hundred times. Now, at 5 pgs a day I'll finish before Dec. That's a piece a cake! Next, bring on Jesus the Christ for round 4. Sorry, I just reread this paragraph and I sound like a missionary...weird!!

Pic 1 - Me and Sister Nelson. Tay, she is 6´6! She is an English major who loves movie musicals and to cook. We are like two peas in a pod. AND she reminds me that I am not the tallest Sister in the mission anymore.
Pic 2 - Yoga class crew. Front row: Tsolmon and her kids (daughter Delga 10, son Ulzii 8), Sis Weed (Idaho), Queen (Nigeria). Back row: Tessy Okoro (member from Nigera), Sis Chapple (Colorado), Sis Nelson (Salt Lake)
Pic 3 - HeinzPeter (Manuela'S boyfriend who loves America and speaking English), Me, Sister Nelson, and Manuela (She doesn't wear a wig anymore) at Stake Conference.

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Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE

Hey all and all

Fam and co -

Not sure what's going on out here, but the weather can't decide between Summer and Fall. It gets chilly and windy one day, then blue skies and heat. MAKE UP YOUR MIND....I need to know whether or not to unpack the winter gear.

Queen (23, Nigeria) is so excited and ready for her baptism. We've taught her everything and she just devours it all. We can't copme up with lessons fast enough to keep up with her. Sept 24th can't come fast enough for her.

Tsolmon (40, Mongolia) is just as ready and prepared as Queen (and they're both being baptized the same day) but with a little less outward showyness (if that makes sense). She's more withdrawn and calm about it and she often gets a humble glow about her. We work on getting her family more and more involved, but for now, things are good. Since that first FHE we did, they have it every week and everyone likes it.

Blessing (25, Nigeria). She is new to our pack of cards and is so sweet. She has a 2 yr old daughter, Favor, who is my little shadow. We've only met with them once and invited them to church. When they showed up at the meeting place, Favor came running at me, arms open from all the way down the hall. She is adorable.

We attended a Nigerian birthday party. THEY know how to party! Sis Chapple is teaching a Yoga class every Friday. We had our first one this week and it was well attended. Great missionary tool...and it gives us an excuse to wear pants for an hour. My back still causes problems so I can't participate, but I love watching and listening to the weird music.

Sorry this is short, but that'S all I have time for. Stake conferecne is this Sat, Sun. I'm still in the choir and I have to play piano.

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Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE

Labor day Pday

Hallo meine Lieben-

Mom...in answer to your question about where the church is not. Working in the international ward, I get to see first hand where the church cannot or does not have ties. Iran (Persian-speaking world), China cannot have proselyting missionaries, and Turkey. Those are the only ones I can think of now. Go on to LDS.org and check around and it'll tell you. Even mormon.org is good for that kind of info.

Missionary materials we give out are available in 166 languages
340 missions
There are 152 temples throughout the world either in operation, under construction, or announced.
Countries with Family History Centers 127
Countries Receiving Humanitarian Aid Since 1985 is 178

Vienna looks like it wants to have a least a little Autumn as the weather is predicted to cool down. My favorite time of year is FINALLY here.

We have a new baptismal date set for October. Her name is Justyna and she'S form Poland. We met her while visiting the Panophur family (from Iran, only he speaks German, no English). THeir oldest son was there with his girlfriend. We had received a referral for a Polish-speaking person a couple of weeks ago, but had been unable to actually make contact. It'S hard when they only give an address and no phone-number. Vienna is NOT a small city so we don'T often get to travel all over it all the time. Anyway, I felt like I needed to keep the Polish BoM in my backpack and now I know why. JUSTYNA needed it. She was thrilled with the lesson we gave and even came to church. She is really great!

Tsolmon (Mongolia) continues to do well and will most definitely be ready for her baptism on Sept 24.

Queen (Nigeria) came to a baptism on Saturday. She went up front with the kids so she could see into the font better. After the ordinance, she slipped her shoes off and started heading for the font. I had to stop her and while laughing she said that she wanted to be baptized now. That's when we set a date with her, but she'll probably be one of those ready before the date, which is okay by me. NO need to 'procrastinate the day of your repentance'.

Ron and Sydna - Sophie Appiateng'S son Michael (age 20) was baptized on Sunday.

We had Zone Conference on Friday. It was the longest one I have ever been to (instead of being the short and sweet 9am-1pm like Pres Condie always did). We had an AMAZING conference from 9am-4.30pm. It was awesome. Sis Downs and I did a musical number. She sang (she studies Opera at BYU) and of course, I played. Then at the very end was testimony meeting. Not everyone gets to bear their testimony at these, just the new missionaries and anyone going home before the n ext one. As they announced who'd be going when, I wasn't among the list. Phew, I thought. Not old yet. Then, as Pres and Sis Miles took their seats down in the congregation instead of staying on the stand, Pres whispered to me that I would be testimonying too. oh man! We got to ask any question we wanted at one point and my hand shot up....we had a sisters conference last year for 3 days where all the sisters were together for special training. I asked if we were going to have one. Pres said it is already planned. YES!!!!!!!

Also, has anyone else seen the LDS.org website for the Sister Missionary dress standards? It blows my mind! So stylish and awesome. Wish I'd had THOSE choices a year ago. Oh well, in 3 months I'll be wearing whatever I want anyways. I feel that I'm stylish enough for my needs. As shown in the attached picture. My 'model pose' as snapped by Sister Nelson. And the 'twin shot' with Sis Weed (being trained by Sis Nelson. No we did not plan to wear the same thing).

We got to go see an Opera at the Rathaus this week. It was film version from the 70s of Zauberflöte by Strauss. Really awesome and it was free!!! Yeah for summer Movie festivals of really good stuff.

Have a great week!

Gma, Gpa, Pat, Lydia, and Paul - PLease make sure lots of fun is had, and pictures are taken. I am rather disappointed your visit couldn'T wait a month or three. Miss you all and hope you have an awesome time.

Tay - I got your letter mailed on July 25th. Only took a month to reach me this time. Next time, try writing in pen instead of marker...your handwriting is hard enough to read already.

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Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE