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Monday, July 22, 2013

Woche 24- Sleeping on the train tracks... like missionaries do.

Lieber Familie,
Grüß euch!!!!
Well, It was the final week of the transfer, and it was an interesting week to say the least. Everything was building up to the big transfer call on friday... so I guess Ill just start there with the big news...
Im staying in St. Pölten for a couple more transfers, and im TRAINING again! looks like Im going to have 2 sons in my first 4 transfers. crazy stuff.
As for exciting things that have taken place this last week...
Wednesday was Interviews with president Miles... it was my second interview- I guess that makes me kinda old! President Miles said right when I walked in "wow elder, already to your second interview! it seems like yesterday. These are road marks you dont wanna hit!" It was crazy to think Ive been here long enough to have two.. and I will almost surely still be in Wien 1 district for my next interview too! The interview went awesome, it was way cool to spend time with president miles- he is inspired of the lord!
After the interviews we had a massive lunch at Herbs- Schnitzel. District Tradition.
Thursday we had 4 appointments with new investigators lined up... and wouldnt cha know it. They all fell out. It was rather dissappointing. But a small miracle- we were WAY out in the middle of nowhere- and we had the potential of being REALLY late to our next appointment. But as we were all running (in our church clothes) a bus shows up out of nowhere, and Elder Horlacher just jumps on! After we jumped on, we asked the bus driver if he was going in the direction we needed- turns out he was going exactly where we needed to go! and when we got there, he didnt even make us pay. Miracles.
Friday was the day of the big call- usually the president calls us early morning (between 7-8) but this time we didnt get a call until 9:35! It was nerve racking for sure... and we were actually at a service project when it finally came! We were helping old Bruder Seitz stack his wood pile, which was covered in fire ants. Poor bruder Seitz is 94 years old and couldnt even see the ants, so he was picking up the wood and they started crawling all over him- we kept telling him to be careful and not to touch it, but he is a stubborn old guy haha. Elder Mongia is getting Elder Herzog as a companion, I got the news that I am training one more time, and Elder Horlacher is the new Zone Leader in Stuttgart! I guess that makes 2 of my companions that have become Zone leaders. I told Elder Mongia either he or my greenie needs to become zoneleader in 2 tranfers to keep it a perfect streak!
Friday after we had a bonfire with Bruder Bauer- he invited us to help him move stuff in his woodshop- then we had the bonfire with a boy named Florian Räder. He grew up in the ward, moved to america for 6 years, became Atheist, then moved back to Austria. Bruder Bauer is doing a lot for him, trying to help him come back. It was sad to talk with him and hear him pull out every excuse in the book why being Atheist is ok- to be honest it is all just one big excuse to break the word of wisdom- he thinks its cool to drink and brags about it quite openly even though hes only 16. real sad.
Saturday we had dinner with the Hirschmanns and the Brunnsteiners- which was awesome because Herr Brunnsteiner is not a member, so it was good to get a little closer to him. the members seem to think hes the closest "non member spose" in our ward to being baptised. Sister Hirschman (the one from china) cooked us a traditional chinese meal- and you would all be so proud to know I clean my plate without a single complaint. it was actually quite tasty. Even the seaweed soup we had was great! PLUS I learned to use chopsticks, and I ate the whole rice/vegatable bowl with chopsticks. whats up?
Now the exciting part of the week.
Bruder Kerschbaum, the less active we have been working with alot lately, needs help getting to church because he is a little anxious to ride alone (its a psychological thing- but it is a real problem) and we wanted to do all we could to help him. So we decided to ride the train to him in the morning before church, and ride with him to church. The catch. There is only one train to where he lives (a dorf called Maria Anzbach) and it leaves St. Pölten at 5 am. and then the train rides back at 8 (its only a 25 minute train ride) So... we wake up at 4, get to his dorf by 5:25, and we have 2 hours before we need to go pick him up. So we all layed down next to the train tracks in our sunday suits and tool naps. It must have looked hilarious, but we were so tired it didnt matter. It was quite the experience! Plus he came to church!
All in all, it was a schön week. Plus, earlier today, for Elder Horlachers last P-Day in St. Pölten, we took this little tiny train (called the Mariazell) on a scenic train ride through BEAUTIFUL austria. it was unbelievable- ill send some pictures. WOW. it was incredible. Straight out of sound of music.
Well, I sure love you all. Please pray for my greenie. He needs it more than I do his first week.
Adventure is out there!
Elder Bartholomew

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