Craziness

Liebe Familie,

This week was crazy! It was technically shorter because we had Vorbereitungstag on Tuesday, but it felt longer. We had 20 lessons this week including Wednesday, where we had 8 appointments fall through all at once. We also moved apartments this week which took a lot of time. We had some amazing lessons especially with Favour and Ben and Simon and Great (all from Nigeria). Favour and Ben are preparing for baptism on 16 July 2011 and we met them on Monday. We also met with Ivana and Matthew McCann. Matthew is a member but has been inactive for a long time. He is from Scottland and moved to Vienna for work a while back. He met and married Ivana who is from Serbia. (They are not new, they have met with missionaries for a long time). We talked about coming to church and about the plan of Salvation and invited Ivana to be baptized. It is really hard for them to come to church because they own a Pub and it closes at 4 am and church starts at 9:30 am, but they made the commitment to come for the next three weeks and then Ivana will be baptized on 09 July 2011, then they BOTH came to church for 3 hours!! It was Ivana's first time and Matthew's first time back in many, many years. I could not stop smiling all of church. We also had Chao, Ekarin, Nancy, Simon and Binbin at church. BinBin and Ekarin will be baptized on the 02. July. We will probably just have two different serviced back to back. I am so grateful I get to work with these wonderful people. I also found out that this transfer will be 7 weeks due to President and Sister Miles coming, so that means I will be present for all the baptisms on 02, 09 and 16 of July! Yay!! I hope I will continue to stay in this area.

Funny story for the week: so we moved into my previous apartment (at Rennweg) where Sisters Covey and Olsen live and Sister Downs is visiting for at least a week. We all got home from the day at the same time and proceded to try to defy the laws of physics by all cramming into the Elevator that was supposed to only take 3 people. Whoops! Turns out physics won (surprise) and the elevator broke. We went down a few centimeters, but were able to make the door open and climb out. Sister Lind and I just walked up to the 6th floor and thought the other sisters were right behind us, but they had gone to tell the Hausbesorger. When they got back the told us that we had to pay the repairs of over €1000 .. then they said "just kidding"!! :) Turns out our Hausbesorger was really kind and insisted that this happens often and we don't need to pay. So we all learned our lesson.

We just had so many amazing lessons this week I don't know where to start. I love being a missionary so much. There has never been a moment where I did not have a trial that I did not think I could overcome, but I have seen like Nephi did that the Lord always provides a way for His children to keep his commandments. I am so grateful to be on a mission especially here in Vienna. I love this work and I have come to know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ better than ever before. I have also come to understand and know my Heavenly Father on a deeper level. All of these promises are available to ALL missionaries (young and old) so I think it is worth it for all to go.

Alles Liebe!!!!
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Sister Carla June Carroll