Dear Friends & Family-
Wow, what a week! I am sorry I was unable to send a big email out last week. We were on a full blown missionary field trip!! What, you didn't know missionaries took field trips, well neither did I, but that's what happens if you are given the right companion :)
Last Sunday, Sister Erdenetsogt and I took a train to Vienna
so that we could pick up her visa on Monday. She has had a lot of
complications with visa stuff, especially because she is the first Mongolian
missionary to serve in this part of the world, so NOBODY knows what kind of
paperwork she needs! She already has her Austrian visa, but because she
lived in Vienna before her mission, President Miles told her that as soon as
she gets her German visa from the embassy than she will be transferred to Germany
and spend the rest of her mission there. We were always kind of nervous
for the day her visa would be ready to pick up, because we knew that meant that
we would only be together for a limited amount of time. On the bright
side though, that meant we also knew that we'd get to travel to Vienna to pick up her
visa from the German embassy.Which was the purpose of our hiatus from normal P-Day activities.
So, I'm just going to say... HELLO, VIENNA!
Hands down, Vienna is the most amazing place I have ever
been. I will still say that Switzerland is the most gorgeous and
beautiful, but there is just something about the business, the artsi-ness, the
atmosphere of Vienna that just makes you want to sing. We did not have
much time, only one day, but we went and saw as much as we could!
We saw the Schönbrunn castle, Belvedera, City Hall, Parliament, the International
Library, Stephamsdom church; we went shopping and to the missionary famous Wienerschnitzel
restaraunt. Honestly we tried to do EVERYTHING!
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| Opera House |
I had to keep reminding myself that I was a
missionary. As amazing as it was though, it reconfirmed my thoughts that
I would NEVER want to be a missionary in a city like Vienna or Munich. I'm afraid that I
would just want to play all day, it would be hard to focus, hard to do work.
I don't know, maybe I would change my mind once I actually was serving in
a city like that. But for now, I am grateful that I get a relatively big,
but not too touristy, place like Linz to serve :)
I finally learned how to cook Mongolian food! I was
with Sister Wunderli for 12 weeks and kept begging her to teach me how to cook
Hungarian, but she never did. I wasn't about to
let Sister Erdenetsogt get away without teaching me a few things! This
week was the start of Asian New Year, and I guess in Mongolia, the way they
celebrate New Year is by making one or two thousand dumplings, and then
inviting friends and family over for a week or two and eating dumplings
together. Because we have a few Mongolian potentials, we were
invited over a few times for this simple celebration. I learned how to make Mongolian dumplings and
Mongolian fried bread, which is actually pretty easy to make. Did you ever think a person could learn so much on a mission!
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| Sitting down to wienerschnitzel... |
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| The workers know the missionaries don't drink beer with their wienerschnitzel |
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| ... definitely what you feel like after eating wienerschnitzel |
We don't really like to go door-to-door to find people, I
mean, we will sometimes if appointments fall out and we have to fill time, but
most of the time we try to avoid dooring. Well, we got to learn what is
like on the OTHER side of the door this week. Sister Erdenetsogt and I
were sitting at our desks doing the training program, and we get a knock on the
door. I got up to open the door and see two Jehovah Witnesses, who immediately
start their door approach. As they are talking about the Bible and
showing me some sort of pamphlet, the wheels in my head start slowly turning,
'Oh my gosh, I just got doored by JWs!' I try to think back of some nice
way that people have kindly told me on my mission that they aren't interested without
being rude or offensive, but the thing in Europe is, is that you need to learn
to be BOLD and not sugar coat things (not like how us Americans do it!)
Luckily, Sister Erdenetsogt came up to the door as well, her name tag
clearly visible, and they point at the name tag, say something like 'They're
those Mormon missionaries, let's keep going!' They very kindly wished us a good day,
and headed back on their way. Well, you know what they say, if you want to
be a good missionary and a good teacher you need to know what it's like on the
other side of the teaching!
Although Sister Erdenetsogt and I have been feeling like we
have been doing good in our missionary work, we couldn't help but feeling that
our work would go a lot faster and be a lot more effective if we used the members
more. We haven't had any names of less-actives to visit, we struggle
sometimes with finding members to come with us to lessons, and we have had the
feeling that the Elders are a lot more public with the ward than the Sisters
are (partially because there hasn't been Sisters in Linz for a long time.)
Well, anyways, Sister Erdenetsogt and I made a goal to work in more unity
with the ward, and this Sunday we decided to use all of our time getting to
know members, seeing what more we can do, and helping them help us with our
work as well. Man, were we TIRED after church!
But as a result, we
got a lot of names from the Relief Society President of ladies to visit, we
matched up a few families to help us with Family Home Evenings to a few investigators
we are teaching, and we scheduled a lot of people to come with us to lessons to
friendship our investigators. And the weirdest thing, as I asked people
to help us out, instead of acting like what we were asking was a burden to
them, their excitement to help actually increased. People started coming up to
us to ask what they could do and if they could help in any way. The whole
attitude started to change. I think lots of times I am nervous to ask for
help from members because they are so busy, when I really forget that members
are also called to take part in the work of salvation. We are all doing
the same work-to bring people to Christ and then to help strengthen the members
we already have-we just have different callings and responsibilities. I
am excited to witness the change in our work as we use the members more and
help them learn what their role as friend-shippers are. I am so grateful
for the members of the church-there is NO WAY that I could do this work alone!
We just never know why someone is in our lives. What is important to know is that the Lord puts us all together for a reason. There is NO mistakes when it comes to human relationships. We all have need of a little love and connection. We may not be teaching or we may never have the opportunity to serve full time, but remember when you look around at who is next you- you are in their life because they need this connection with you at this time. Remember that your role as the frienshippers is of greater or equal
importance to that role of the missionaries
Sister Erdenetsogt
has dubbed me as the official chocolate chip cookie maker. There is just
something about being American that makes my companions think I am
automatically the personal treat and touch maker. She told me once that she wanted
to make cookies to bring by on less actives and investigators. I walked
in to the kitchen, thinking that she had already started on the cookies.
I saw her sitting on the table, and she said 'I have been waiting for
you! Aren't YOU going to make chocolate chip cookies?' and she has
done that about 4-5 times since then. Its just a part of life I have
accepted
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| We found CUPCAKES |
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| Sister E trying to make a weird American face :) |
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| My weird American face :) |
Thank you all for your support and help not only to me, but
to all of the missionaries that serve in your areas. We love you and pray
for you and your success and happiness every day :) Have a great week!
It's February, Yikes!
-Sister Peterson
