An unexpected bus ride

Family!! 

Sounds like you had a great 4th of July! I can tell you it wasnt quite the same here in Austria but it still was a great day and one I wont remember. That evening we had a Sport Night that was put together by our Ward Mission Leader, it was for all members and non members to come and play American football with the missionaries and also have some American goodies. We brought chocolate chip cookies that we made. It was a pretty good turn out as we had a few less actives and investigators. It was a great night playing a little football and just as always all went well until some got hurt. Elder Gomez Torio landed wrong and his shoulder and couldnt move his shoulder. We knew that he hadnt broken anything but he wanted to go to a professional to see what it was so he could know to what extend he could still work and so forth. So that night we spend the night in the hospital with our great Ward Mission Leader, but no worries he is well and had just strained his muscle. We were back at it Saturday morning safe and healthy just with a sore shoulder.  We are grateful that we are watched out for and protected, thank you for your many prayers and concerns. We are truly blessed every day as we live. 

Its been a overall great week, Monday night was a great night as we were with a member family as well as their friends that we have met before. This family is wonderful and neat as we got to share the message of the Restoration and have a group discussion where questions where asked and testimonies were given. We are working with both the mother and her son and he actually came on Friday to the activity. We hope to work well with him this week and have this great member family experience the joy that comes from sharing the gospel. Its been neat to come here and start a 2nd part of this ward. Its neat to see growth week after week just these few weeks I have been here. We have been focused on less actives as there are so many unfortunately. We have seen some great success this last week, we have gone by many the past few weeks(many not home or moved away) but this week we went by one and they talked through the voice box and said we could come back the next day. We came back and met him and its neat to know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can help everyone in every situation. We also visited a member who is having a rough time and I am so grateful that we get to share this wonderful message and to know as we live we will overcome all. As we face every challenge in life with intent prayer and trust in the Lord we will be able to become like Him and understand His plan for us. 

Vienna is a great city and it has been fun getting to learn this city. Its a good size city and the transportation here is really really good. Its either really easy to get lost or it helps you out really well. I know we have been lead many times and received help from on high. As we serve righteously and do our best we receive what we need. A small neat story which might mean a lot but which I loved, is we had just went by on someone and was walking on the street trying to figure out where we exactly were and how to get to our next place. Well a bus pulls us and we both thought we should get in. We both had no idea where it was headed but after a few stops I recognized where we were and we got out to visit a less active we had visited a few days before and they werent there. This time the door was open and we were able to go in and up the stairs to their door. Unfortunately they werent home again but there was a trash bag outside their door and we decided to leave a note expressing our love for them and then we took the garbage out. It was something simple but the Lord works in mysterious ways and who knows what will come from it! 

I love you all and I am so grateful for my family, its been so neat this week doing a little with my family history and sharing it with others. As I do I feel the connection of love we have even though we are over seas. Families are forever and the gospel is what makes us happy. Have a great week! 

Much love,

Elder Jerman