Life is good

Dear Family,

Life is good here in Vienna as a missionary. We met with the Familie Kostić, Christina Bräuer, Ivana and Brother Patrick, Frau Niernberger, Brigitta and Victoria Varga and Alexander Haller and many less actives and members. We LOVE being busy here! My companion turned 27 on Saturday and we celebrated. Our members are great and reached out to say happy birthday, too. Our elevator broke on Friday and we live on the 6th floor, so we have been getting double to exercise and surely are able to climb and not be weary ...

We got a new Ward Mission Leader this week! He is Peter Zornig and used to work in advertising (I think he is retired. He is 60). He is very bold and passionate and very funny. He met with us right after church and came with us to both of our appointments Sunday evening. He is passionate about Family History Work and never leaves a meeting or appointment without putting in his plug or giving his card for family history work. We love our Gemeinemissionsleiter!

We also had a nice visit from our sisters near Graz. They came for a Lesung with Doris Pikal, an author of excellent German poetry. In between her readings, a few missionaries performed piano and vocal pieces. It was great and we had one investigator, one potential investigator and one person who was invited on the street attend (and the Elders had some there, too). It was great! We got home late because of the concert and discovered our broken elevator. It was lots of fun!

We have a "Frauentag" this Saturday, where all the sisters who want to come in the Relief Society will tour Vienna and the Sister Missionaries will teach them how to give out pass-along cards. We are excited for this opportunity to teach "every member a missionary."

Besides having lots of fun, we are seeing lots of joy that comes from serving the Lord. I know that this is His restored gospel and that missionary work is the most important work that can take place on the face of the earth today. I know that our Heavenly Father loves all of His children and really wants them to return to Him. We have a latter-day prophet on the earth today, who holds the authority from Jesus Christ to receive revelation for the entire world. Joseph Smith truly saw God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ and he truly translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. This book is physical proof that we can fall back on in every concern. I know this gospel is true. It is true in every nation and in every tongue.

--
Sister Carla June Carroll