Liebe Familie!
grüß euch!!
Tuesday was Zone Training- and they introduced a new "member
family plan" program to us that is seriously going to CHANGE this
mission! I am so excited about bringing it to the members! It is going
to really increase the work and bring the gospel to so many people! I am
beyond excited for this program! I really feel like the lord has been
preparing the ward to recieve this program too- 5 months ago it would
not have worked. But the members have really warmed up to the
missionaries, and are so excited for the work now! There will be some
serious miracles in this area!
Wednesday was the funeral of the mother of sister Schildböck
in Wilhelmsburg. We took a bus down there, and were able to take part in
the funeral. It was a very somber event, but good. The ward choir sang
at the graveside, and they asked me to sing in the quartet- it was a
very traditional catholic ceremony (the mother was catholic) so it was
interesting to see. Afterwards the whole family drove up into a little
dorf to have lunch at a real medival tavern. it was pretty awesome!
Thursday we taught andreas in the morning- and we had to drop
him. He is certainly not ready for baptism, and he told us there was no
point in meeting anymore because he doesnt want to change. In the
evening, we taught Wolfgang with President Sztraceny (the branch
president) and he gave a special presentation on the first vision- a
very powerful experience!
Friday we got the call- needless to say, we were pretty
excited about the news! The other elders are all staying in St. Pölten,
and Elder Parkinson is getting Elder Phillips as a companion- hes a
little younger than i am in mission age, so they will be two young pups
together! Then we met with a man named Jabagji- he is from Syria. and he
is a serious seeker of the truth- we found him last week on the street.
He told us on friday "when my small daughters ask me who god is... i
dont know what to tell them. I need to know!" we told him about the
first vision- he asked us "do you really believe that? is that true?"
when we answered yes, the spirit was SO STRONG. There is a pretty hefty
language barrier because he only speaks a little english, but he is
determined to read the book of mormon now to find out if it is true. SO
COOL!
Saturday was SO GREAT! We did a lot of tracting during the
day, but in the evening we finally got to visit Birgit, and stephan
again! She was so nice to us and we talked for FOREVER. she had some
super questions about the book of mormon, and it was a sweet visit. Im
pumped for the elders to keep visiting with her family. What happened
after was the best part. Bruder Bauer picked us up to take us to our
joint teach with wolfgang, and in the car he told us about an AWESOME
missionary experience he had! Before General Konferenz we committed him
to pray about a missionary experience he could have- he had been praying
really hard, and so had we. And last week, on of the people he works
for (someone he said he would have NEVER guessed would have interest)
just randomly told him he was discontent with the catholic church and
was visiting other churches. Bruder Bauer simply told him to come visit
us and he committed to meet the missionaries! IT WAS AN ANSWER TO OUR
PRAYERS! I know that when we pray for chances to share, the Lord will
put the people in our paths. we dont need to do crazy things, just to be
ready to open our mouths! Sunday,
my last sunday in the church, was pretty hard. they asked me to bear my
last testimony, and i broke down and cried at the pulpit. These
members, these investigators, this area... it all means so much to me.
this truly is my home! I love this place with all my heart- it will
always be special to me. Luckily the members all rushed us to invite us
to dinner before i go... i just wish they had always been so eager for
us to come! ;)
After church was one of the best experiences of my mission.
We had lunch with the Hirschmanns- and they invited a lady named Doris
over. She is one of the people we helped with the flood clean up- about 4
months ago. she told us all during dinner how grateful she was for our
help and how she will never forget it. Afterwards, we were singing
primary songs all together from the primary book, and we sang "a childs
prayer" (in german obviously) and during the song- the spirit was so
strong, and Doris just broke down and wept. It was one of the most
powerful moments of my mission. I had the chance to bear a simple
testimony afterwards and talk with Doris. She didnt agree immediately to
meet with the missionaries or anything, but i recieved the witness that
her heart was softened and that she will someday remember that day and
accept the gospel. so powerful!
The mission is so powerful! I love it!
Please wish me luck as i move on to this new adventure! Im going to need it! I love you all and i love St. Pölten!
Adventure is out there!
Elder Bartholomew
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