Week #79 "My Peace I Leave with You"

Well, I hit my 18 month mark this week. That was kind of unreal because it does not really feel like it has been that long but so it goes. The week itself was really good. We did a bit of finding in the rain and snow and we were still successful in finding people to teach. 

We were messing around with my tablet and the selfie camera when Sister Thyme came in. 

An update about some of our friends... Erik is still meeting us regularly. He told us that he likes meeting with us and learning more. He is quite a cool guy. Sadly Vera has to leave the country but we hope to refer her soon. We are still meeting with Latif but it looks like he could be leaving Austria too. We met again with Chi Lau. Our meetings usually happen every month and he is still open to learn more so that is great. During our lesson, we got to show him the baptismal font and what baptism is all about. He is not quite ready yet but it is on his mind now. 

We are starting to find some new people to teach. We met a guy named Florian on Thursday. He has met the church before and he wants to learn more about what our church is really about. We also met a friend named Jahan, who took a Book of Mormon but his interest right now is not really there. It was still a great opportunity to share something that can be life changing. We had a similar experience today. We met with a friend named Valerie. She is actually from Ulm, which is my first area. She had a lot of good questions about the Plan of Salvation and she committed to read Alma 40 to learn more about the Resurrection. She was really open to meet up more and talk about how faith can help. Some appointments just make the mission so worth it! Teaching is such a privilege. Feeling the Spirit touch me and seeing it touch others has been a great experience. 

We have seen some miracles in finding this week as well. We had 4 hours of finding planned yesterday. It was raining and there were not a ton of people out. Despite of that, we kept going and we found 7 potentials. I was shocked that it went so well. I am grateful that the Lord knew where we were and sent us in the paths of others who need the Gospel now. 

I did not know about this until I came to Innsbruck but in the Women's session in April 2017, President Henry B. Eyring mentions a time he was in Innsbruck. Here is the quote:

One memory that the Spirit often brings to my mind is of an evening sacrament meeting held many years ago in a metal shed in Innsbruck, Austria. The shed was under a railroad track. There were only about a dozen people present, sitting on wooden chairs. Most of them were women, some younger and some older. I saw tears of gratitude as the sacrament was passed among the small congregation. I felt the love of the Savior for those Saints, and so did they. But the miracle I remember most clearly was the light that seemed to fill that metal shed, bringing with it a feeling of peace. It was nighttime and there were no windows, and yet the room was lit as if by noonday sunshine.

The light of the Holy Spirit was bright and abundant that evening. And the windows that let in the light were the humble hearts of those Saints, who had come before the Lord seeking forgiveness of their sins and committing to always remember Him. It was not hard to remember Him then, and my memory of that sacred experience has made it easier for me to remember Him and His Atonement in the years that have followed. That day the promise in the sacrament prayer that the Spirit will be with us was fulfilled and so brought feelings of light and peace.

Elder Gates had the smart idea to ask Bishop if he knew where it was. He gave us the address and we checked out before we came to write emails. Unlike how it was then, there was a window and now it is a board game shop. However, it was touching to stand there and realize that this little store used to be the church for Innsbruck. It was a place where the Sacrament was blessed and passed. And like President Eyring said, the Spirit was present there many times. 

Here is the spot where the church was at. Just like he said it was underneath railroad tracks. I have probably drove over this spot before without knowing it

It does not matter where we are. The Spirit is available to anyone who is willing to receive it. As long as we keep remembering Christ in our busy lives, the strong peace that the Spirit brings can be abundance anywhere on earth. 

I hope you can feel the Spirit more this week as you try to remember more about Christ and His ultimate sacrifice for us. 

Love you all! Bis nächste Woche!

Elder Evans 

Uludağ- A Turkish soda that you can buy at Kebap. Tastes like Bubble gum. Way good!