Wiener Neustadt
Liebe Mutter und Vater,
Hallo! First of all. I wanted to apologize for not calling you at the airport. Wednesday morning, we got up at 3:45, left at 4:50, and then got to the airport. We got through security at 6:50 (finally---we were in line for forever), but our flight left at 6:55, so we had to run to get to our gate on time. I'm so sorry. I thought about you a lot and wished so much that we could've talked---but it wasn't possible. :(
Questions and answers. :)
2. Sister Siems is in my mission. I'm so glad the pictures came through! She is the one with reddish hair, and I think she was wearing a green dress. She's from northern Germany. Everyone in our district from the MTC is in our mission, except for Sister Diethelm, who is from Switzerland and serving in Frankfurt. She's the one with short, dark hair, and is kind of shorter. It was sad to leave Sis. Siems.
3. The best part of the MTC was when we sang the EFY Medley. It was so strong: "We are as the army of Helaman, we have been taught in our youth, and we are now the Lord's missionaries to bring the world His truth!" So powerful. Only 50 of us, but it was so strong, and the Spirit was so strong.
4. Yes, I got to know President Edwards (the MTC president) some. He is very kind, very gentle, and wants us to follow the rules.
5. There was one sister who was in our district, Sister Bognar (she has bright blond hair), who had to stay in the MTC. She's from Hungary, took German for 13 years, but can't speak it. But she wrote an essay (?) or something, so the Church thought she had good enough German to stay in the MTC for two weeks, but she doesn't have quite that good German. So she stayed over a couple days until the 6-week German program came in on July 24. She is coming to our mission later.
7. German is great. If the Austrians speak Hoch Deutsch, I can understand them. It has been such a blessing, because I know I'm doing better than most goldens out here. (Golden is our mission's term for new missionaries.)
9. Yes. I got lots of post in the MTC. The sisters were jealous because I got post multiple times during the week, and what a blessing it was. I am getting all your letters.
10. Yes, there was a letter waiting for me in Germany, and then another one came right on the 25th before I left.
11. Yes, Natalie Howell (cousin) sent me treats in the MTC. Bless her. :) It made my day. I'll write her a quick note. So many people who work at the MTC came up and told me frequently that Natalie says hello, and she's so excited because her cousin's in the MTC!
I honestly cannot believe it's only been a week. I have been in three countries in the course of seven days---even three days, if you wanted to condense it.
It was so cool---we came into Germany, and I couldn't sit still on the plane---I just wanted to be down on the ground! As soon as the plane hit the ground, though, I felt like I was home. Sort of. I've never been to Europe before, but I could easily call Germany my second home. It was so good and I knew I was in the right place.
President and Sister Miles and a number of missionaries met us at the airport. Everyone was confused as to how I'm from Utah and why I went to the England MTC, but I explained it a lot. Pres. and Sister Miles are AMAZING. Ever so full of love, and they show that it everything they do and say. We waited for all the American missionaries to get here, then took the trains and talked with people and gave out copies of the Book of Mormon. Quite fun. The first woman we talked to was from Hamburg (I think), but not southern Germany. I really have been blessed---I'm understanding more than most missionaries understand in their first few days (weeks? I don't know).
Lunch was good, we had interviews with President, and then took a nap in the chapel. I was out cold for some time. Everyone was snoring. But then they woke us up for dinner, which was delish. Then we found out where we were going and with whom we'd be serving. During dinner, I actually had an impression that I would be going to Austria. Well, the Spirit is very smart. I was the last person to be announced. A lot of my friends from the MTC are serving in Switzerland, which is so cool. Elder Strauss gets to serve in the one Italian area that we have. It was wonderful.
Thursday, we had breakfast at the church, some instruction, and then went to the bahnhof, which was fun. We then took a train from München to Wien (which was four or five hours), and along the way, we went through Salzburg, which is gorgeous, and also got to see the rest of Austria. It is unbelievably beautiful here. :) A lot of missionaries were going to Wien, and then when we got to Wien Meidling, we got off and met our elders, Elders Helbig and Huff. (Elder Huff is from PG and is my age. We graduated at the same time, but never knew each other.) Then we took some trains to get to Wiener Neustadt, 30 minutes or so out from Vienna.
It is SO WARM---30s degrees Celsius (about 90s) PLUS humidity. It hasn't overwhelmed me yet. Usually I get pretty tired and exhausted, but I personally haven't hit that, even though it is warm and my hair is thick and long and poofy in humidity. But, I still love it here.
We are so blessed here---incredibly blessed. Some people have been worried about the noise (we leave our windows open at night), but the hardest thing for me is the light. About 5 a.m., our eastern-facing windows get quite bright, and I have a hard time sleeping again. :P Consistently. We'll see what happens. But, our apartment is so nice. The members and the ward have been helping put together cabinets, desks, and have brought us couches, supplies, food, and have been feeding us. We are so blessed here. In Wiener Neustadt, we have the elders, the Thurns (Ehepaar, a couple), and us. But we're white-washing---which means we start fresh---finding new investigators, meeting the ward, getting to know how to work here, because we start from ground 0 and build upwards.
Our bishop is AWESOME. We have had dinner over there twice so far. Sister is so sweet and is always talking with us and finding things that she can do to help us. Our ward is also amazing. They are SO excited to have sisters finally in the ward.
We are actually going to get a lot of things for our apartment and to help us when the Thurns leave in a month, but till then, we can manage---but we're not just surviving. :) But the most fun has been our bikes. I honestly never thought I would be riding a bike---not in this mission. But we have now just opened up the second bike-riding area for sisters. And also, I honestly never thought I would be grateful to ride a bike as a missionary, but I am. Very. Friday, we walked around a lot, and my brown pair of shoes isn't very well broken into yet, so I got a few blisters. But Bischof was determined to get us bikes, before the Thurns leave (because we will get theirs when they leave). So, by Friday night, we had two bikes that we're borrowing from the Hladkys. And it is such a blessing. We can get so many more places much quicker. The only two downsides are skirts, which aren't too big of an issue, except when they catch in the back tire and/or flip up in front. :P The other downside is that we can't talk to people as much. But I'm determined to stop while riding and talk to people.
The work is a little slow. Sister Scoggin says that's how it is with white-washing---you just have to figure out what works. I think we can do more still, though. I think we can talk to more people. We will do better this week.
We met with the GML (ward mission leader) on Saturday night. We've got plans, and are trying to involve the members and get them excited and involved in missionary work. The Spirit was strong. I think that we can do it. We have to be persistent. But they are so willing to help---we already have a number of appointments---for food and no food as well---set up, and I think that we can ask them to help by bringing friends that we can teach.
Something I've been learning about faith. We set goals every night. But we have to act in order to achieve them---we need to do all we can. Also, I was thinking yesterday with the sacrament prayers. It is so much more meaningful for missionaries: we arae literally taking the Lord's name upon us, and committing to obey Him, and always remember Him. That is what we do as missionaries. So that we can have His Spirit to be with us. It made me think a lot about my purpose and how I carry myself and how I act.
I love you so much! I have been getting your letters. :) There have been a couple times---not entire days, but parts of days, when I'm homesick, because everything's so unfamiliar and I'm here for 18 months.....but I know if I'm focusing on the work and on the Spirit and not on myself, it's fine. So my challenge for you for this week: if you have a friend who is a non-member or less active person, invite them to come to an activity, or church, or something. We have to do. We pray for the missionaries, we pray for those who aren't coming to church, but it is up to each of us to exercise that faith and do something about it. James 2:17: Faith without works is dead. So. That's #1. #2 is turn outward. Even in our hardest times, if we turn outward and focus on others' needs and not our own, we will gain more strength, we will be happier, we will have the Spirit with us, and we will have the help of our Heavenly Father with us. I know that.
Love,
Sister Elizabeth Winters
Mother dearest. :) Would you be willing to send me a couple things, please? The talk, "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox, as well as a banana bread recipe? It sounds like you're having a TON of fun! Give everyone my love---all my siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles. :) Have a wonderful week!
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