I love Graz. Without a doubt, I know this is where I am suppose to be! I have never felt so much like I need to be in any of my areas like I feel with this one. It is so weird how familiar Graz already has been to me. Man, I just KNOW that this is where the Lord needs me and I know he prepared me in both München and Singen so I could serve here. I hope that makes sense, but there is definitely a reason I am here. I have already fallen in love with the people, the city, the members, and I have only been here about 10 days!! So if I never come back to America...I am sorry! I just feel so at home here and love it here in Austria way too much:)
Well we saw some incredible miracles this past week. Monday night we were doing weekly planning (yes I know, way late), and I went through a list of old potential investigators from over a year ago and I noticed that a lot of potentials had never been contacted, so I decided to call a few! There was a name really stuck out to me so I gave her a call, and sure enough she stil wanted a Book of Mormon. She gave me her address and we made a plan to go take her one on Wednesday. Well Wednedsay we went to deliver this Book of Mormon. When we got to the address we couldn't find her name anywhere on the Klingle! Well as we were searching for the name this guy named Phillip came up to us and asked us if we needed help. We told him we were looking for a lady who spoke Spanish. He was all confused and didn't know. We ended up talking to him about the Book of Mormon and the church. Ends up that his friend is an investigator of the Elders (who has a baptismal date), and another one of his friends is a member! He just talked about how both these friends have totally changed their life with alcohol and drugs because of the church. We bore testimony to him about the gospel and the Book of Mormon and were able to give him one. We got his information and he said he would love to meet sometime! We were both so excited. We then said our goodbyes and he went into his house. We continued searching but still weren't have any luck. About 5 minutes later, Phillip walks out of his house and says "Wait, are you looking for my wife??? She isn't spanish, but she is from the Dominican Republic!" HIS WIFE WAS WHO WE WERE LOOKING FOR! It was such a tender mercy because Heavenly Father led us to a family that had interest in learning about the Gospel!! We were so happy, because sometimes it is so hard to find families here, but the Lord blessed us! We were so excited! We were able to meet with them yesterday and it was the best first lesson I have ever had with anyone! O man. The family is just the cutest ever. Phillip is 34 an Austrian, his wife is Dominican, and they have 3 kids together: Jasmin (12), David (10), and Amber (9 months). When we got to the appointment Phillip had prepared dinner for us-he was just so excited! The wife, Yajiera (sp?) had actually met with missionaries before in Domincan Republic. She had lost her Book of Mormon and wanted another. Sadly when we had the lesson after dinner, she went with the 9 month old to lay down, but we still had a great lesson with Phillip and David. I just cannot even begin to describe how wonderful this lesson was. Phillip and his son soaked everything up like a sponge. They both have such a strong desire to know if the Book of Mormon is true. Philip had actually read a little bit in the Book of Mormon and had looked up some things online before our visit. We read some of the introduction with them and also Moroni 10:3-5. Everything they read they really liked. Phillip just kept saying that he knew in order to get an answer that the Book of Mormon is true he had to give his whole heart and do his part. He just kept saying he knew that he really had to search and want an answer. It was incredible! David was also so excited to read with us and after the lesson ended he asked, "Dad, Can they come back tomorrow??" haha It was so cute. We have a Fasching Party at the church on Tuesday and they are going to come and we also made out another appointment for Saturday. It was just so amazing and the Spirit was so strong throughout the entire lesson. They are both soo prepared. Before we left the just keep thanking us and were so excited to meet again. It was seriously such a miracle and we are both so happy. We are so thankful that the Lord led us to Philip and his family!!
Sister Regnier and I both feel that Graz is about to explode. The past year hasn't been the most successful with work here in Graz, but we know it is about to get crazy. We are working soo hard and using our time as wisely as possible. Because of it I know the Lord is blessing us so much!
Something else I love about Graz is that we get to work really closely to the JAE's. The Ehepaar here and our GML wants us trying to go to the JAE Fhe, institute, and waffle night as much as we can. Of course I love that! I already love the JAEs here so much! I had actually met a few of them before in Wien! Crazy huh? Tuesday we did splits with two of the girls Rahel, and Kristin. It was so fun for us! I was able to go with Kristin to teach our investigator Paul, and Sister Regnier went with Rahel to teach a less active. It was such a great opportunity for us. Kristin is seriously the coolest and is a returned missionary! She served in the St. George, Utah mission and inspired me so much while I was with her! We also had a really cool experience with one of the JAEs on Monday. We went to play basketball with the Elders and we invited some of the JAEs. Only Raphy Knap came but we all had such a blast. Raphy is seriously so cool! He is 27 and the Gemeinde Secretary. Well yesterday during fast and testimony meeting he got up and bore the cutest testimony. He said how he was just so grateful for us and the Elders and that we invited him to play basketbal with us. He said we invited him just when he need it. He said over the pulpit "Yes the investigators need the missionaries, but so do we, the members, because they can strengthen each of us, like they strengthened me on Monday!" It was so sweet. All of us were just teery eyed. It is crazy how the spirit tells us to do something when we don't even know the spirit is speaking to us. I know it wasn't just a coincidence that we played basketball last Monday and invited him, it was definitely the Spirit that helped it all work out.
My first real Sunday in the ward was awesome! I already love everyone so much, but I still hardly know anyone! I just feel so at home in the ward and everyone and everything is so familiar. I am not going to lie, at first it was super overwhelming because the ward is HUGE but then as church went on it got so much better! o man. I think it as big as the Mars Hill Ward which is crazy for here in Austria, but I am so excited. I LOVED Sunday. The Bishop is also just so awesome, and the members. Man. I am just so happy to be here. I can't even describe my happiness. This is where I am suppose to be!
Yesterday in Sunday School we had a great lesson on prayer. I really have taken prayer for granted since I have been on my mission. We are praying so much that sometimes I forget how powerful prayer really is! I was reading in Mosiah 27 and I read a verse that pierced my soul! This chapter is when Alma the younger was persecuting the church and then an Angel appears to him. Here is the verse that just was so powerful: "And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath aheard the prayers of his people, and also the bprayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has cprayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the dknowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to econvince thee of the power and authority of God, that the fprayersof his servants might be answered according to their faith."
Is that not incredible? The only reason the Angel appeared to Alma the Younger is because of the faithful prayers of his father! It is so easy to forget the power of prayer, but we should remember when we are praying with all the faith of our soul, we can move mountains! It is so amazing!! Man. I am just so happy! I love being a missionary. There is no where in the world that I would rather be, besides here bringing great tidings of joy to people! This is the best!
Thank you for all the prayers. I feel them and I am so grateful. This is the best thing in the world and I am just so happy to be here! I am praying for yall and I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Sister Allman:)
Here is one of the only pictures I took this week! We decided to go grab a pizza for lunch one day, so here we are together at the pizza place!
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