A Plan of Peace & Happiness for Everyone

Hello!

This week was pretty crazy. Sister Leonard and I found so many potential investigators it was crazy. Really, I've never found so many on my mission before.

One day we were going to the Bahnhof (train station) to meet the Wels sisters after a series of events that made them lose something and Sister Leonard lost her tablet and it was all very complicated and annoying and to make matters worse, I arrive at Hauptbahnhof and realize that my companion wasn't with me anymore or even on the tram I was on. Haha so I stand there and wait, hoping she'll find some way to call me since I have the phone and suddenly this guy comes up to me and asks me if I'm Italian. Hahaha but don't worry he wasn't flirting! He was super cool and is trying to figure out with his girlfriend in what religion they want to raise the child they're expecting. He's Muslim and she's Catholic and he just has a bunch of questions about Christianity. Super pumped to meet up with him again. And don't worry, Sister Leonard found her way back to me before the conversation with the guy was even through, so we weren't separated for too long.

The next day I made a really dumb transportation mistake that made it so that we would miss our appointment with a less active member and suddenly had a solid two hours of finding. But it really was amazing because we ended up find so many people in just that short time.

I wish I could write all about the people I meet, that come from all over the world, some from really really horrific circumstances. I wish I could write about every single time Sister Leonard and I are able to just sit there and listen to them tell about their stories and also about their faith, or lack there of. I wish you could really be there when Sister Leonard and I are able to testify, really with this incredible spirit that just fills the whole room with silence, and peace and joy and this undeniable feeling that God is real. It's incredible. But I have to respect people's privacy a bit, and most of the time, you just have to be there.

One family for example: while sister Leonard was ringing on the doorbells of this apartment building, I went up and talked to this lady walking down the street. I think I startled her a bit haha. She told me she was on her way to work but I asked her if we could share a message about God with her when she is home. She didn't want to tell me her name and just kind of waved me off saying she lived on the 7th floor of the building there.

Well we went back and looked for her, twice, and found her! Turns out she's super super sweet, from Romania and, she just can barely speak any German. After some awkward attempts to communicate with her and explain who we were she finally just let us in. She has a son, about our age, who spoke some English that he's learned from League of Legends haha. Instead of using the words "they" or "she" or "it", he always says "he" so that was a bit confusing, but other than that he more or less translated what we were saying to his mom. 

They have only been here a few months and have barely anything, thankfully she found a part time job, but their apartment was gross and tiny and it broke my heart. The son had an accident 10 years ago that stunted his growth and really just broke all his dreams of playing the saxophone and studying in college and being an athlete. Now all he does all day is smoke and play league of legends while his mom works for them.

Heartbreaking, really really heartbreaking, but we were able to talk to them a bit and plan on going back next week with more Romanian church reading material. Haha when we asked when we could come back, both of them looked shocked and said, What!? You want to come back?? Ok!! Why?? Haha "Because we love you! And God loves you! And we have so much to explain to you and that will help you!!" ....although the boy really isn't a good translator because from all of that, all he translated was, "She said that she loves you." And then I think the mom got a bit creeped out and scooted further away from me on the couch haha.

So this experience along with many many others, opens my eyes so much to the world and what a horrific place it can be. And even more my eyes are opened to the fact that God is real and He is leading us and all of His willing children to those that are seeking for Him. He truly has a plan of peace and happiness for everyone, whether that plan is to be fulfilled now or in the next life.

Have a wonderful week!

From Linz with <3

Last Pday was a spontaneous little day trip with Sheila our best friend/investigator, but mostly just friend :)

Pöstlingberg view over Linz

Pöstlingberg selfies.

I'm gonna get hair like this when I get back. 

Had Zone training in Salzburg again

Sister Leonard was super distracted by the snowflakes that stuck and stayed in my hair while we were dooring. Haha seriously like every single day this week, multiple times a day I hear, " Sister Lehmann! You have a snowflake in your hair!"

"Sister Lehmann!!  You look like the abominable Snowman!" Thank you Sister Leonard :)