October 11, 2010

MUTTI!!!!!!!!!!

Wow what a great stressful and wonderfully tiring week. I am so dead. I stressed so much that heidis baptism would go well. With elder simon here now he didnt have that strong of a relationship with heidi before her baptism and so he wasnt too stressed out, but as for me i have developed such a love (dont worry its christlike) for Heidemarie Pohorsky. So this week we started out great we had interviews with president. Elder simon and i had to plan a workshop that we would give four different times to the four different disttricts of our zone. that took the whole day and we didnt get the chance to eat anything, then we ran on that same day to have the baptismal interview with heidi. That went great then on the next day we had exchange with the wien 4 elders. We had several appointments in the middle of all these things. then we excahanged back together elder simon and i were together for 2 hours on a train ride to graz where we talked to a really cool guy named bernhard. He told me where i could get a super schick suit tailored and everything for about 200 euro. That would or could be something for christmas. but im not wanting to think about that right now because that means time is going by much to much to fast.

Speaking of everything going by too fast ja oktoberfest is already past and i only got to wear my lederhosen 2 times or so. But it was cool. In austria they dont have to much of a big party, because everybody in austria goes to Munich for the fest. But cool stuff we were in munchen as it was oktoberfest time. there were so many people going around in lederhosen and dirndls. Speaking of dirndls they are probably the best looking dresses that there is. my wife is totally going to have one. but anyhow.

WE were in graz, the elders there are not doing so hot and they havent found a new investigator for the past 6 weeks and they have only taught 1 lesson a week for the past transfer as well. so we got there, elder simon and i and after being together for about 2 hours we separated again adn tore it up in graz. we showed them how it is done. made out 6 appointments for them, built relationships with the ward and found new investigators and new potential investigators. than after leaving a wake of gospel truth in graz we made our way home and talked with a super cool lady for two hours on the train ride home. Her name is eva. She thinks that missionaries are awesome. She also wanted to come to heidis baptism but wasnt able to make it. WE have her information however, but with her we had the best conversation about the gospel and we were able to also have a good laugh. Super funny conversation. By this point it was already friday night. we met with the burgholzers a part member family. Christian is so cool. He really likes us and has such a great trust in us. He actually compared us with other missionaries that have been there earlier and said that he hopes we dont get transferred because we are so good.

saturday we met with heidi, she made us amazing food, and was excited about the baptism and a little bit nervous as well and so we just talked to her about that, and we practiced the baptism. then we planned a bit for the next week because we didnt get that done, and then we had to clean out the baptismal font. ya it was a little bit... unused for the past long time.

then we had an amazing sunday, the day of the baptism. I was a little nervous as well. But we had an amazing turnout. so many people came to the baptism. Lots of investigators that we invited and it just went really good. The musical numbers were unbelievable and the baptismal font here in wien 2 ward is uncomparable. it was made in mosiaic form from an artist member who tried to capture the feeling of a rising sun. The tiles on the wall are all hand placed and it looks just amazing. The speakers marvin till and Sister Wade a senior sister here spoke wonderfully. Then it came time for the baptism. I was stressed and nervous all up untill the point that my foot touched that warm water. It seemed as if the warmth of the water ran from the tip of my toe up my whole body, though i know that it was the Spirit of the Lord bearing witness to the holiness of the ordinance of baptism. i remembered in the clearest vision the meaning of my own baptism and the feelings i had there. i waded across the water to the other side to grab heidi by the hand and lead her down the steps into the water. She was crying, and smiling, her own tears adding to the water in the font. Silence. for a moment. I felt the spirit fill me. So amazing. I performed the ordinance of baptism and then let heidi slowly in the water. Her dress filled with air and i had to push her lower into the water. then i lifted her up an out of the symbolic grave. It was truly a wonderfull and spiritual experience.

I found time a little earlier before my study time this week and i took that time to paint Heidi a picture. A member had given me a pretty cool watercolor set a while ago, and i painted a pretty decent picture on that and wrote my personal thoughts and feelings and testimony on the backside for heidi, she said later aftter reading it that she loves me, and that she wants to adopt me. She is such a wonderful lady. After her baptism she gave her personal testimony and she said that she knows that her family just got a lot bigger, we adopted her. She bore her testimony and said that she knows that her family is there for her and that she would be there for the family as well.

Im so happy. Heidi said to me that she was eternally greatful. A lot of other members also expressed their thanks to me for being such a good elder.

I have been thinking about wanting to live here and study here after my mission. The relationships that i have made with people in salzburg, bamberg, innsbruck and especially here in wien are so amazing. i have expressed this desire to a lot of people here and they have told me that they would be willing to do anything for me. Heidi said that i could live with her other members have said that as well . Other members have offered me jobs. I have seriously pondered that. THey have also told me that my passion for the language and how good i have mastered it would be a waste if i didnt live here. I could really see that as a reality, living here and ya living. well my words that i have written cannot describe a thousanth of the feelings i have about the love for my mission and for the love for the people here. I wish you all a wonderfull week. may the Lord bless your buttons and i hope that you have fun. :)

LOVIES FROM
AUSTRIAS NEXT TOP MODEL (oops wrong title)

(i meant) ELDER ADAMS

ps my camera i paid for it to have it fixed adn whatnot but the guy didnt fix it right. When i take pictures it has crappy lines through the whole thing and so im going to see if i can fix that again today that is why i dont have a lot of pics from the baptism because my own camera doesnt work. :)