Monday, April 22, 2013

Tractor Riding!

      Hey heyyyy! Things are really started to warm up around here! Whoo, this Vienna weather has been jump-started right into summer :). I'm loving it. Every day I am here things just get better and better. I got the city down now and my German is finally up to par! It's a lot of work opening a new program, but it is a blast at the same time! Transfer calls are this week, and I am pretty certain I will get to stay in this beautiful city......I will be so sad if the verdict is contrary ;(.
      I have been getting a lot of questions about my companion and the sisters I live with, so I will expound upon that! My companion is Sister Armstrong. She is 26 and has lived in Arizona and Washington for most of her life. She graduated in linguistics from BYU a few years ago. I think I can confidently say she is the most opposite person from me that I have ever met. haha, like really though. The only thing that we have been able to find in common the last 3.5weeks together is foods. Other than our taste buds, we got nothing. She is a woman of few words and doesn't like social situations. But, that doesn't mean we don't get along. Every companionship is completely different. Its fitting as every companion is different.
      As for the sisters I live with......I couldn't ask for better roomies. I love those girls a ton. Both are definitely people I will hang out with after the mission. Sister Drury and I have lots in common, almost to a freaky point. She is from Idaho and ran track at BYU. Sister Woods is from Springville, Utah. She is a fun loving ball of energy with a kick of granola in her. She is the only other fellow U of U attender I have found on my mission, woot woot! These girls make every morning and night just straight laughs. They are another reason I really would love to be able to stay in Vienna.
      This week we continued to work a lot with the less actives in our ward. They need all the help and attention they can get right now! I told a little bit about Lida last week. She is definitely someone I feel I came here specifically for. We have met with her 3 times this week and have been getting through some major obstacles with her. She always gives me the biggest hugs and calls me her daughter. She is great :) just a little confused is all, but we are working on that!
      We also have had a really neat situation with a muslim man. He is seriously incredible. We have to be VERY careful we how we approach teaching muslims because often times it creates a life or death situation for them. We have to make sure they have no plans on returning to their country along with a long list of other requirements. But......shahjahn has met every darn requirement. He has accepted everything we have taught him with amazement. It is so interesting teaching someone that has no knowledge of christianity. Its not my first time that I have run into this, but it is the first time that it has continued to the level its at with him. It is a test to us as his teachers to really be able to go as simple as we can and build from there. We met with him 4 times last week and have another appointment with him tonight. He is so prepared!!
      This week I had a exchange with sister Drury (funniest day of my mission), interviews with our mission president, and stake conference with a member of the 70s. Craziness I say! It was an awesome week though! I love my new mission president and his wife! They are the sweetest people! Stake conference was amazing too! President Richards, who handled my mission reassignment, spoke. He came right up to me and made sure I was liking my new mission. I assured him everything was amazing here :). My exchange with sister Drury was straight laughs.......seriously. We had the craziest experiences ever, and even rode on a TRACTOR. Yep, I thought for sure I was in Idaho for a second or something. It was hilarious. We actually have another exchange together for 2 days this week, I will give more reports on that soon!
      We have had some fun appointments at members houses just trying to get to know everyone! They have all been so nice to us and are sure to tell us how they love the sisters are here! We love it too! Last monday we did the prettiest hike with one of our members from Mongolia. We hiked up to a look out of the city....I will send pics it was soooo gorgeous! I LOVE VIENNA!!!
      Austria is amazing. The people are great! The only thing that is better in Germany are the prices......everything is so darn expensive here!! Darn it! Even just sending a letter cost nearly 3 dollars......so sorry if letters don't come as frequent now haha. We definitely have to be much more careful here to make sure our dollars stretch to cover everything.
      Spiritual Thought:So I stole this from stake conference :)......Even a small piece of straw when thrown in the air, can tell us the direction of the wind. As does the little things in our life can tell us which direction our heart is turned. Little things such as scripture reading, prayer, or honesty add up to the direction our heart faces. Be aware of the little breezes or events in our life that throw the straw just a little bit. We all need to throw our straw up in the air and see if we need to re correct our path.
      Thanks for all the love and support! I miss you like crazy! Transfer calls this week.........:)
sister linford

Kirche Jesu Christi
Sister Jessica Linford
Hormayr Gasse 59 Top 9
Wien 9 A-1170
Austria

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