Servus!
Transfer calls came and we got one....We'r both staying. Another Sister is joining us so we will be a dritt (triplet). It'll be nice because then we have a permanent Joint-teach and can teach all of the men we keep getting. Sweet!
Don't have very long today. There was a holiday (Catholic = National holiday here) so we couldn't email. We spent the day with MT (the friend Ron and Sydna Pope got me to contact). We went to a Benedictine Monastary and actually got in free because we were 'nuns' according to everyone who works there. Sweet! It was beautiful!
Guess who I ran into all the way out here in Vienna Austria?!?!? Matt Chandler from BYU. We were walking to the center and I turned to the side and saw a guy who looked familiar. I walked up to him and there he was. Its odd but every time I'm in Europe, Matt follows me. Sweet!
Parviz's baptism was beautiful!
Awesome spiritual appointments that i'll have to talk about later.
Sis C lost our phone after I asked her to start taking some responsibility and helping out. Let's just say...the phone took a bus ride without us. LUkcily ther was an extra around in the Zone leaders' hands
Don't have time for pictures so I'll send 'em all next week
Mom and Dad - official release date is now December 1st.
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Still in Vienna...still raining
Schöne Grüße aus Wien -
Sister Alder showed up this week. President called to say that she would be with us for a whole week. Boy, was I excited. It has been nice to have someone else here so I don't have to shoulder this whole area...and a brand new member\missionary\non-german speaker\companion all by myself. It has been so nice to have SIs Alder here to help. I am SO grateful she is here. She has been traveling around the mission as an assistant to all the Sisters. She stays somewhere and works then moves on. She will be going down to Bruck an der Mur on Thurs for her last week as a missionary. Yes, that's right, she goes home next week. That is so weird that we served together this time last year and weren't even thinking about home stuff, now it's here and things are crazy.
President called to ask about how Vienna (and I) are doing. I asked him about release date being Dec 29th. He asked if I was planning on going back to school in the winter and whe nI said yes he told me he'd work on getting me home in the November transfer. Meaning...I may be home by THanksgiving. I will keep you posted on that as soon as I hear more.
Parviz is getting baptized on Saturday and he is soooooooooo excited. We watched the Restoration DVD with him and he cried. It is his favorite movie now, he says. He even picked the songs for his baptism from it and wants everyone we meet with, or he sees, to watch it. (Yes, I AM playing the piano...again. Seems that everyone in the stake knows I play piano and so I play for everything now. I'm not even that good, but apparently no one plays.)
I am also teaching the Institute center bi-weekly German class. It is a joy to teach, but so stressful to find the time to prepare the lessons as we have absolutely NO free time. (We taught 35 lessons this week). The class has grown since I started teaching. It went from 2 students (Sister Brosnahan from the institute couple, and Sis Chapple) to a total of 12 students. We had to move into the bigger classroom. Hopefully, there will be a way to split the class if it keeps growing because there are always new people coming and we don't have enough time to get to everybody.
We have 3 new investigators from Romania - two of them speak English, one does not (but he is more ready than the others). The first, Adryan (ENglish and some german), is 20 and was found by the Elders. We taught him, and then the next time, he brought his brother in law, Ciprian (no English or German). The next time, Ciprian brought his wife Carmen (speaks English). They came to church yesterday and will be baptized on Sept 3.
Saw a jar of Nutella wearing Lederhosen, thought of Keri!
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Sister Alder showed up this week. President called to say that she would be with us for a whole week. Boy, was I excited. It has been nice to have someone else here so I don't have to shoulder this whole area...and a brand new member\missionary\non-german speaker\companion all by myself. It has been so nice to have SIs Alder here to help. I am SO grateful she is here. She has been traveling around the mission as an assistant to all the Sisters. She stays somewhere and works then moves on. She will be going down to Bruck an der Mur on Thurs for her last week as a missionary. Yes, that's right, she goes home next week. That is so weird that we served together this time last year and weren't even thinking about home stuff, now it's here and things are crazy.
President called to ask about how Vienna (and I) are doing. I asked him about release date being Dec 29th. He asked if I was planning on going back to school in the winter and whe nI said yes he told me he'd work on getting me home in the November transfer. Meaning...I may be home by THanksgiving. I will keep you posted on that as soon as I hear more.
Parviz is getting baptized on Saturday and he is soooooooooo excited. We watched the Restoration DVD with him and he cried. It is his favorite movie now, he says. He even picked the songs for his baptism from it and wants everyone we meet with, or he sees, to watch it. (Yes, I AM playing the piano...again. Seems that everyone in the stake knows I play piano and so I play for everything now. I'm not even that good, but apparently no one plays.)
I am also teaching the Institute center bi-weekly German class. It is a joy to teach, but so stressful to find the time to prepare the lessons as we have absolutely NO free time. (We taught 35 lessons this week). The class has grown since I started teaching. It went from 2 students (Sister Brosnahan from the institute couple, and Sis Chapple) to a total of 12 students. We had to move into the bigger classroom. Hopefully, there will be a way to split the class if it keeps growing because there are always new people coming and we don't have enough time to get to everybody.
We have 3 new investigators from Romania - two of them speak English, one does not (but he is more ready than the others). The first, Adryan (ENglish and some german), is 20 and was found by the Elders. We taught him, and then the next time, he brought his brother in law, Ciprian (no English or German). The next time, Ciprian brought his wife Carmen (speaks English). They came to church yesterday and will be baptized on Sept 3.
Saw a jar of Nutella wearing Lederhosen, thought of Keri!
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Monday, August 1, 2011
Where did summer go?
Okay, so it's the 1st of August and I wear a coat and scarf daily...NOT COOL!
This week I got to go back to Bruck an der Mur...it'S been a whole year since I served there. I went because we were on an Austausch (24 hr Exchange) with Sister Downs. She and I are mission 'Sisters' meaning that we were trained by the same person. It was so nice to serve with her and really made me appreciate working with experienced Sisters...it makes things go A LOT faster and easier because you just 'know the flow'. Got to teach someone that I found while still there and see a couple of the members as they came on Joint-teaches. Manuela is coming back into activity. Remember the extreme Anti Martina and how we were teaching Manuela and Anton (the reason I had to be transferred out)? Apparently, Martina got them back into her clutches and Manuela requested her name to be removed from the records. She started coming back, though Anton is still gone, and luckily the request to have her name removed never made it to Salt Lake so she may not need to be baptized again. It was kind of weird to go back even for the 24hrs. Things physically were the same, but I felt so funky being there again.
Sis Downs and I were talking up a storm on the 2hr train to and from Bruck and we realized that in 2 weeks we are the oldest Sisters in the mission. Then, we counted how many Sisters are going home in 2 weeks...8!!!!! There are also 6 coming in. We then speculated (grandpa and grandma would be so proud) about who would train. There are 7 possibilities. Sis Downs is convinced it'll be me, but I think it'll be her. We'll see. Everyone else is a definite, just not the last one. There's a can of Almdudler (like Gingerale) and a Candybar on the line so we'll see.
President Miles came for Leadership Training (usually just Zone- and District- Leaders, but Sisters are always asked to come as well). It was really great. Right after the training I left for Bruck with Sis Downs, and President ended up going to a couple of appointments with Sis Chapple and 24hr companion. He even came to our ward on Sunday. He is really a WONDERFUL person and very open and personable with everyone. I really feel that he cares about each and every individual. I'm pretty sure I'm staying in the international ward and it would really be silly to train someone in an ENGLISH speaking ward.
Parviz is still progressing in leaps and bounds. The ward is just swallowing him up and are really great with him. He just has the kind of personality that he says doesn'T really like to be around all kinds of other people so he usually just hangs aorund us on SUnday and in the Institute Center. We're working on getting members to come to all appointments. Last Monday, we spent the day with him wandering around the sights in Vienna and then he took us to a Persian restaurant for dinner. THe food was...interesting. We got to see the Mozart gardens and go up to a lookout tower and have ice cream in a rotating cafe up top. SCARY!!!
No exciting stories to tell. SOrry!
Sister Covey is now officially home from her mission. She and her family were at the church on SUnday (we go to all 3 hours of the German ward now). Her dad, Stephen M.R. Covey gave a fireside about trust from his book 'The Speed of Trust'. It was really a great seminar and President Miles told us to come since all of the YSA are out of town for the week for a Temple trip. Dad, you would find his book really interesting.
PIc 1 - Mozart garden
Pic 2 - that is way high up...beeellliiieeeevvveee me
Pic 3 - Me and Sister Downs (my mission older Sister...Sis Dietz is our little sister)
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Monday, July 25, 2011
No weird title needed
Hallo -
It'S so funny to read the emails mom and dad send to me since they tell both sides of all the stories. It's great to hear the progress on the house...even when it'S the silly comments about each other and what you do. It's also interesting to see what you focus on in your letters. With dad, it's a quick update on lots of people...with mom, it's an indepth study of a couple of them. Thank you both for your letters. It makes the week go by so much quicker. I usually take a picture of your email on my camera and then read them throughout the week as I'm lying in bed or taking a break to eat.
I got to meet MT Brittinger this week!!!! (She's Ron and Sydna's friend from the UN). We went on a tour of the UN and then she took us for 'Coffee and Cake'. Dad - don'T worry I will take you on a tour there when you come. You would LOVE it. It is amazing and I want to see it again. THEN, she says she'll be right back and shows up with a huge paper grocery bag full of American goodies...for me!! Peanut Butter, Hershey Kisses, Taco Seasoning, Cheddar Cheese, etc. It was quite a surprise and I really didn't expect that. BUT I really appreciated it. She is a WONDERFUL person and I can'T wait to get to know her better soon. She wants to take us out of the city for Pday to see some of the sights. We've got a date planned for mid-August. I can't wait. While she and I were talking, we found out that we have yet another connection.....she used to live near Bruck an der Mur...AND, I've actually been to her old house. Weird!!!!
Tay - you WOULD walk in doggie do with new shoes. Sister COvey has a keychain of a sneaker and everytime I see it, I think of your obsession with shoes. AND, I found out that I have the biggest feet in the ward. Not exactly sure how they figured that, but someone checked on it...not cool!! That's what happens when the whole ward is 4' petite Philipino or African with super short toes. It made for a good laugh. Also, Sophie Appiateng told me that I could be Sydna's daughter. (I spoke in church on Sunday and everyone told me I was just like her). Janette (Sophie's sister) came in when I taught Gospel Principles and afterwards, she told me she'll come every week if I teach.
Mom, would you tell me the story of how your grandparents found the church and such. Where exactly were they from? The bishop's wife is from Wales and I told her that's where my family came from....then she asked where and I couldn't answer. Please, tell me more. Also, please go ahead and throw out some of my stuff. Just let me know what you're contemplating tossing. Sis Covey and Sis Olsen go home on Wednesday and so I was keeping Sis Covey company while she was packing. I can't wait to get rid of stuff I've got here that I WILL NOT be wearing or using ever again.
I knew Annabelle Fike really well! I was her YCL at Girl's Camp a couple of times and her older sister (Lauren) is my age (and we were really close at Camp and beyond). Annie was getting married when I left so that'S good to get an update on her. Lauren had a baby my freshman year of college or so. Great girls form the Lewisberry ward.
No one came to church...literally. Saturday was the wedding reception for Tracy and Tibor Ryssmann and it went from 2pm-midnight. It was quite a party and no one came to church the next day. We had a max 30 people in Sacrament meeting and even less by the time we got to RS.....max 10 in RS. It was kind of like Sundays at home during the summer when everyone goes to the beach. We made an appearance at the reception for 30 min. We got there at 4 (remember the reception started at 2) and the couple hadn't even arrived yet. They were sitting out in their car. Then, they had a big elaborate procession, Nigeria style as their entrance. It was like no reception I have EVER seen. It was pure Nigeria and I loved it!!!!! They even had the President and Amabassador of Nigeria there. Big deal!
Parviz (musician from Iran) is progressing so well! He feels so happy and says he sees a good difference. We meet with him everyday and I teach him German and the gospel. It's a great combination with him. He's SO strong. We have many new investigators (shocking...not) and a lot of people are meetin gwith us every day. It definitely keeps us hopping!
We have special training with Presdient on friday so I'll ask about release date.
Love you all and miss you loads. Tay - stay doggie do free...for awhile.
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Pic 1 - Me and MT just before the tour.
Pic 2 - Me in front of the flags at the UN
Pic 3 - Parviz loves meeting with us.
Pic 4 - Bishop Sunday Talabi (former bishop) at the reception. Picture his outfit times 100 and that was the reception.
It'S so funny to read the emails mom and dad send to me since they tell both sides of all the stories. It's great to hear the progress on the house...even when it'S the silly comments about each other and what you do. It's also interesting to see what you focus on in your letters. With dad, it's a quick update on lots of people...with mom, it's an indepth study of a couple of them. Thank you both for your letters. It makes the week go by so much quicker. I usually take a picture of your email on my camera and then read them throughout the week as I'm lying in bed or taking a break to eat.
I got to meet MT Brittinger this week!!!! (She's Ron and Sydna's friend from the UN). We went on a tour of the UN and then she took us for 'Coffee and Cake'. Dad - don'T worry I will take you on a tour there when you come. You would LOVE it. It is amazing and I want to see it again. THEN, she says she'll be right back and shows up with a huge paper grocery bag full of American goodies...for me!! Peanut Butter, Hershey Kisses, Taco Seasoning, Cheddar Cheese, etc. It was quite a surprise and I really didn't expect that. BUT I really appreciated it. She is a WONDERFUL person and I can'T wait to get to know her better soon. She wants to take us out of the city for Pday to see some of the sights. We've got a date planned for mid-August. I can't wait. While she and I were talking, we found out that we have yet another connection.....she used to live near Bruck an der Mur...AND, I've actually been to her old house. Weird!!!!
Tay - you WOULD walk in doggie do with new shoes. Sister COvey has a keychain of a sneaker and everytime I see it, I think of your obsession with shoes. AND, I found out that I have the biggest feet in the ward. Not exactly sure how they figured that, but someone checked on it...not cool!! That's what happens when the whole ward is 4' petite Philipino or African with super short toes. It made for a good laugh. Also, Sophie Appiateng told me that I could be Sydna's daughter. (I spoke in church on Sunday and everyone told me I was just like her). Janette (Sophie's sister) came in when I taught Gospel Principles and afterwards, she told me she'll come every week if I teach.
Mom, would you tell me the story of how your grandparents found the church and such. Where exactly were they from? The bishop's wife is from Wales and I told her that's where my family came from....then she asked where and I couldn't answer. Please, tell me more. Also, please go ahead and throw out some of my stuff. Just let me know what you're contemplating tossing. Sis Covey and Sis Olsen go home on Wednesday and so I was keeping Sis Covey company while she was packing. I can't wait to get rid of stuff I've got here that I WILL NOT be wearing or using ever again.
I knew Annabelle Fike really well! I was her YCL at Girl's Camp a couple of times and her older sister (Lauren) is my age (and we were really close at Camp and beyond). Annie was getting married when I left so that'S good to get an update on her. Lauren had a baby my freshman year of college or so. Great girls form the Lewisberry ward.
No one came to church...literally. Saturday was the wedding reception for Tracy and Tibor Ryssmann and it went from 2pm-midnight. It was quite a party and no one came to church the next day. We had a max 30 people in Sacrament meeting and even less by the time we got to RS.....max 10 in RS. It was kind of like Sundays at home during the summer when everyone goes to the beach. We made an appearance at the reception for 30 min. We got there at 4 (remember the reception started at 2) and the couple hadn't even arrived yet. They were sitting out in their car. Then, they had a big elaborate procession, Nigeria style as their entrance. It was like no reception I have EVER seen. It was pure Nigeria and I loved it!!!!! They even had the President and Amabassador of Nigeria there. Big deal!
Parviz (musician from Iran) is progressing so well! He feels so happy and says he sees a good difference. We meet with him everyday and I teach him German and the gospel. It's a great combination with him. He's SO strong. We have many new investigators (shocking...not) and a lot of people are meetin gwith us every day. It definitely keeps us hopping!
We have special training with Presdient on friday so I'll ask about release date.
Love you all and miss you loads. Tay - stay doggie do free...for awhile.
--
Alles Liebe SISTER CHOCOLATE
Pic 1 - Me and MT just before the tour.
Pic 2 - Me in front of the flags at the UN
Pic 3 - Parviz loves meeting with us.
Pic 4 - Bishop Sunday Talabi (former bishop) at the reception. Picture his outfit times 100 and that was the reception.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Vienna in the heat
Hallo -
It's gotten even hotter this week.......38°C. OUCH!! We melt all day and roast all night. Who would've thought I'd be sent to South America. THen again, you'd think it was the middle of winter because I caught a really bad cold. I don't like being laid up, but no energy is not conducive to missionary work.
Ivana got baptized on Saturday. There were only a small handful of members and a lot of missionaries there, but it was still a BEAUTIFUL service. Ivana had asked me to do a musical number so I got Sis Olsen and Sis Covey to sing while I played. They sang 'When I am Baptized' (I like to look for rainbows) and I'd combined and arranged the song to tie in with 'I love to see the temple'. It was really cool and everyone loved it.
Other than that, not too much is going on here. Busy busy as always and appointments coming in and falling out all the time...as usual. I had to jump in last minute to teach Gospel Principles class (investigator class) bc the teacher forgot and I'll have to speak in church next Sunday.
Sis Chapple is SOOOOOOOOO new to everysthing. She'S been a member for 1 1\2 years and been on her mission for 3 mo. Because she's a senior sistser (over 50) she's not suppsed to be out proselyting, but for some reason the office couldn't handle her so she's out in the field. She did not get any MTC training at all so everything is new. She doesn't know how to do anything, and doesn't speak any German. It's reallly difficult for me because I feel like I'm teaching 2 investigators instead of us teaching 1. She stops the lesson and asks questions and raises concerns. Definitely an odd thing. I teach all by myself because she doesn't want to. Just another challenge to add to my mission.
Popes - I got a hold of MT this week and we're going to meet her on Tuesday. She got us in to a tour of the VIC and will then take us out to 'Tea and Cake' as she called it. She'S super wonderful and I'm so excited.
I hope Emily is doing good. I'm glad she got to someone to figure out what's up. She's such a fighter!! I have been praying for her especially since the summer heat started. I know how brutal the East Coast gets.
Because I'm on strong cold medicine, that's all I can think of to write. I hope and pray everyone is doing good.
--
Alles Liebe
SISTER CHOCOLATE
It's gotten even hotter this week.......38°C. OUCH!! We melt all day and roast all night. Who would've thought I'd be sent to South America. THen again, you'd think it was the middle of winter because I caught a really bad cold. I don't like being laid up, but no energy is not conducive to missionary work.
Ivana got baptized on Saturday. There were only a small handful of members and a lot of missionaries there, but it was still a BEAUTIFUL service. Ivana had asked me to do a musical number so I got Sis Olsen and Sis Covey to sing while I played. They sang 'When I am Baptized' (I like to look for rainbows) and I'd combined and arranged the song to tie in with 'I love to see the temple'. It was really cool and everyone loved it.
Other than that, not too much is going on here. Busy busy as always and appointments coming in and falling out all the time...as usual. I had to jump in last minute to teach Gospel Principles class (investigator class) bc the teacher forgot and I'll have to speak in church next Sunday.
Sis Chapple is SOOOOOOOOO new to everysthing. She'S been a member for 1 1\2 years and been on her mission for 3 mo. Because she's a senior sistser (over 50) she's not suppsed to be out proselyting, but for some reason the office couldn't handle her so she's out in the field. She did not get any MTC training at all so everything is new. She doesn't know how to do anything, and doesn't speak any German. It's reallly difficult for me because I feel like I'm teaching 2 investigators instead of us teaching 1. She stops the lesson and asks questions and raises concerns. Definitely an odd thing. I teach all by myself because she doesn't want to. Just another challenge to add to my mission.
Popes - I got a hold of MT this week and we're going to meet her on Tuesday. She got us in to a tour of the VIC and will then take us out to 'Tea and Cake' as she called it. She'S super wonderful and I'm so excited.
I hope Emily is doing good. I'm glad she got to someone to figure out what's up. She's such a fighter!! I have been praying for her especially since the summer heat started. I know how brutal the East Coast gets.
Because I'm on strong cold medicine, that's all I can think of to write. I hope and pray everyone is doing good.
--
Alles Liebe
SISTER CHOCOLATE
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Monday, July 11, 2011
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