Life is a gift

Family!! 

Hey great to hear from you this week, I am always impressed on how many activities you are involved in and that you are accomplishing many great things in life. That is what life is about, having a true purpose in it and fulfilling many great things of your own free will. I learned a little more about that on the different side of the picture this week. So for about a year now or so we have been able email investigators and those we meet on the street and its great to send them links and such about the church. I know a lot more is accomplish that what is seem but we usually dont receive anything back from those we meet on the streets but this week was different as a guy named Marcel emailed us back with his number saying to give him a call! I am not saying no one has ever emailed back but this was great progress and when you strive and do your best with many different people, there will be at least one who will respond as God has prepared them whether it be less actives or those on the streets. We meet many but there are very few that act upon our message. Anyways back to Marcel, so we give him a call and make out an appointment for the next day! It all works out and we met him at the bus stop and go back to his apartment. We get to know him a little better and find out he is 21 and already retired, he lives alone and I can imagine that he usually stays home at his computer. He also smokes and I just felt so bad as we left that he has his whole life in front of him and its already going down hill. It truly is so sad to see and how much hope and happiness there is in life. God has given us so much potential in life and I know Marcel can totally change his life 180 degrees. It wont be easy but it is possible with God and his son Jesus Christ. 

We also met a new friend this week named Marko, we found him through service. We met him last week and actually met in his apartment ending with a prayer if you remember that and we noticed he needed help in his apartment so this week we asked if we could come and help out. He accepted and we got some good work done finishing with talking about the gospel and the Book of Mormon. It was a win win situation. Service brings about much good for all of us. 

Yesterday there was a baptism in our ward for an 8 year old. It was so neat, the family is originally from Peru and so there was more than one language going on (German, Spanish and English) But it was neat to feel the Spirit strong no matter what the language was and even if you couldnt understand you could understand and recognize the truth of it through the power of the Spirit. We had two investigators there, Yisel and Marko and it was great for them to see. Something special for them and Yisel asked when can we plan her baptism! We are meeting this week and hopefully making a set appointment with her. Its time and she is ready. How neat it is to receive a confirming truth that this work is true including the covenants we make with our Father in Heaven. He is real and he loves us and wants us to return to him and we can as we make and keep our covenants, striving and enduring to the end. 

I love my family and so grateful for each one of you. Keep living life with a purpose! 

Much love,
Elder Jerman

 Today - Elder Howarth and I on top of the aquarium where you could go outside and look around Vienna.