Lots of Highlights
So this week was FABULOUS! I made many good memories and had some incredible experiences. So here goes:
Ok so the first highlight of the week was our meeting with Brüder Kubic. He is a really old member of the ward, he lives by himself, and he is awesome. We went all the way out to Trofaiach to meet with him. We got there and he wanted to show me something. He pulled out this absolutely ancient Organ that he had. So I played some of the songs in one of his books for him. He was singing along and having a great time. Then we shared a spiritual thought with him and when we were finished he told us that he wanted to show us something. He then pulled out this box, in which was an ACCORDIAN! Oh man! it was so stinking cool. This old guy playing the accordian in austria! Doesnt get much better than that! I have a picture of it I'll sent later. I also took a video but I dont know if I'll be able to send it! So that was fun.
Next was our experience with Schwester Cseh. Side note ( Grandma would be BEST FRIENDS with Schw. Cseh! She is the coolest lady, goes all the way to Frankfurt to attend the temple for like 2 weeks at a time! She is the best) anyway....We went over to her house because she wanted to feed us icecream so that was awesome, then we gave a small lesson and after we had finished, she asked us to give her a blessing. She had an opperation a week earlier and it didnt go well. Elder Botcherby gave a super sweet blessing and I was able to stand in. It was such a tender moment.
Next cool experience from last week happened on thursday. Elder B and I had an appointment made out to go and visit a less active family in a small little town far away from our house. We had to take a train and just as we were about to get on our train she called us and cancelled the appointment. We were super bummed because that was basically our entire days plans. So we had to decide what we were going to do for the next few hours. We then thought about on of the people we had found earlier in the week. We found a lady while dooring her building. She told us that she didnt have much time and that she couldnt read German very well. Turns out she is ROMANIAN! (maybe Gma and Gpa can help) so we told her that we would bring by a Cartea Lui Mormon (romanian B o M). So we went back on thursday and she welcomed us in!!!!! (Doesnt usually happen) We taught her and her husband. The woman's mother lives in Romania and has had lessons with the missionaries already. I have a good feeling about them. Hopefully I can report to you their progress in following emails! It was a good lesson that sometimes the Lord has different plans than us. Like we learn in Isaiah his thoughts are not our thoughts neither are his ways our ways. But even though we were frustrated because of our dropped appointment, we were able to meet with the people the Lord wanted us to meet with.
Probably my favorite highlight this week came from our service efforts! We had plans to do service at Brüder Tschiesche's house all day friday. It took about two hours to get there by train so it was basically an all day thing. We got there and he told us that we would be picking cherries for him! He lives at the very bottom of Austria. He lives on Südsteirishe-Weinstrasse (thats the street) you should look it up on Google earth. So we picked cherries and while we were doing that his wife was taking the cherries that we picked and making Cherry syrup with it! Then they fed us fried chicken and some super awesome potato salad! it was so stinking good! Then Bruder Tschiesche decided to take us the long way to the train station. Turns out he took us into SLOVANIA!!!!!!!! It was so stinking crazy! We could see Italy and on a clear day we could have seen the Adriatic Sea. The pictures are absolutely stunning. You should for sure check it out on Google earth or something. I may have been in Brother Moore's mission! Who knows?!!? So yeah that was quite the adventure.
Man I'm full of highlights this week. The next on happened just yesterday. Two random people showed up to sacrament meeting! A Romanian man (figures) and his austrian wife! It was super cool. We are going to go teach them in a few days. Hopefully it turns out ok!
Last highlight....We got to go to Wien again for our Zone training meeting. I met some of the new missionaries which was really cool :) We as a zone decided to start counting all of the little miracles that we see everyday. Just like it says in Moroni 7: The day of miracles has not ceased. It is according to our faith that miracles are brought to pass. It is really awesome to look back at the day and see the hand of the Lord in our work. Even if we didnt teach any lessons or find anyone cool it is still awesome to count the small miracles.
Something that really stood out to me in my personal studies this past week was Mosiah 2:6. Here King Benjamin is beginning his remarks to his people and all of the people come to listen with their tents.
6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his atent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;
It just made me think about how greatful I am to have lived in a home that was pointed at the temple. Just like the people here our homes must be focused on the temple. Thank you for "pitching our tent towards the temple". Sooner than I would even like to think about it I will be home from my mission and will be trying to point my family towards the temple. It is super important. The second verse that I really liked was at the end of the same chapter, verse 41.
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out cfaithful to the end they are received into dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
I have a testimony that those people who face the temple, and keep the commandments of God, will be blessed, not just in spiritual things but also in temporal things. "Remember these things."
So yeah. Thats pretty much it from me. The transfer is over at the end of the week and we will be getting our transfer calls on Friday. I hope I stay here with Elder B for at least one more transfer!. Its pretty crazy to think that next transfer I will hit my 6 month mark!
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. Mom, Im not sure If you were able to talk to Ben Green or Sister Green for that matter about BYU stuff? I would just like to get some more details on that! Thanks.
Well, I love ya'll,
Bis Nexte Woche!
Elder Spencer
Oh meine gute, I just love reading these young missionaries' incredible letters. You must feel so "well pleased"as parents! He is a great young man!
ReplyDelete