Week 30

Servus people of Orem!
Lieber Famile!
Grüß euch!

It was great to hear from some family members this week, and it sounds like
everything is coming alot great with the start of school and everything. I
cant believe the kids here are going back to school today! Its all been a
blur- I remember back when it was snowing everyday and the kids still had 3
months of school left... then it got warm and HOT and the school got out...
now school has started again and its COLD again. waking up this morning and
realizing how cold it was... ive almost been through a whole weather cycle,
all here in St. Pölten! and i guess thats an appropriate lead in to my big
announcement....
IM STAYING!!! Whoo! We had transfer calls on friday, and Im staying 6 more
weeks to finish training elder Parkinson. That means Ill have been here 7
months total by the time Im finished here (which is almost 99% positive,
next transfer) but I see it as a blessing because if I had left, I wouldnt
get to help Wolfgang prepare for Baptism!
I dont have loads of time, so Ill get right down to the nitty gritty.
Last monday I dropped like a million Euro on winter gear. Yay for
ridiculous Austrian prices. But now Im suited up for the cold weather! I
also had to buy a shoulder bag because of the new dress code. But we still
had a decently enjoyable Pday nonetheless!
Tuesday was our last distrikt meeting of the transfer, so, like tradition
states, WE ATE AT HERBS! My goodness, every time I am amazing. about 30
pounds of schnitzel later... its so good. We had an Austausch afterwards so
I stayed in Wien with Elder Niedens, and Elder Richman went back to ST.
Pölten with elder Parkinson. It was the first time in 3 transfers that I
didnt stay and work in my area... I was having a little bit of trust issues
handing over the keys to two Goldens, but they did alright. Elder Niedens
and I went and taught a bunch of really old less actives that afternoon
(one of them was really nice, and really liked me for some reason. when I
left and told him I wouldnt be coming back because I was in another ward,
he made me write down his email and house address and promise to write him
a letter, so I guess Ill do that this week. oh the things we do for
members) And then we talk German class at the Zentrum. I was teaching the
beginning German class to non-english speakers (yep, our only way to
communicate was through the language that these people hadnt exactly
learned yet) but we had lots of fun learning how to make phone calls!
The next day we taught some more less actives and did some streeting on a
main street in Wien- it always feels great to contact in Wien becasue there
are SO MANY PEOPLE. St. Pölten feels so empty sometimes. especially in
August- vacation month.
I got back to ST. Pölten alive, and the other two managed not to burn the
apartment down, so we call the exchange a success. That night we taught
Wolfgang- amazing as usual- then we were getting ready to go to a LEss
active appointment, when it started to DUMP rain. and we were about 30
minutes away... by bike. so we suited up and set out in the rain. we were
only SOAKED when we got there- super spiritual lesson though so it was
worth it! And when we got home, Sister Brunnsteiner came over. she had
bought us a GANG LOAD of groceries! SO COOL!
Thursday we took a 2 hour train out to meet a man named Aman. when we
showed up in his little dorf... surprise surprise. phone off. no response.
So we had to wait for a train going back and just ride back to st. Pölten.
Waste of my life haha. We did have a sweet member lesson with the
Brunnsteiners though! So it wasnt a total flop.
Friday, after a lot of planning, we had some appointments with Kurt and
Schwester Dressler- and found an AWESOME potential named Anton. he was the
one guy we singled out in the crowd to talk to... and he was so interested!
Miracles!
Saturday we spent the morning with the family Seliga- he is less active and
we just started teaching his wife who isnt a member! They live about 2
hours away in a BEAUTIFUL place called Klamm- my goodness it is amazing.
They are the nicest people and the only reason he doesnt come to church is
because  its so far away. But we are working on it! And his wife is
decently interested in hearing about what we believe- and they invited us
back in a week! That evening we had a lesson wiht Wolfgang again, and we
didnt even need to ask- he just announced he was coming to church. and HE
DID! It was his first time in the church and he loved it! He participated a
ton in the sunday school, and even quoted the BoM a couple times! AMAZING
it was sweet satisfaction that the last day of the transfer, after all of
our prayer and study and work that he came to church! He is so close and Im
so lucky to have the chance to work with him! I love missionary work! The
gospel is true!
Wish me luck as we begin the FIFTH TRANSFER! WHOOO!
Adventure is out there!
Elder Bartholomew
Ps. I put a gang load of pics on dropbox. Also- Happy Birthday to Nickelle!