First letter from Austria 10 October 2011

10 October 2011 Austria

Schöne Grüsse!
I am now here in Wiener Neustadt! This place is one of the furthest places away from my last area. It took about 10 hours to get here from my last area. This area is beautiful and it reminds me a little bit of America!!! Oh and I saw two pick up trucks my first day here..I feel like I am home. Its great here I have a new companion named Elder Talbot from San Diego area. He is a great missionary and is very hard working

My address is;
Elder Sonne
Kirche jesu Christi
Zehnergürtel 7/3/33
2700 Wiener Neustadt
Österreich

In this new area we have bikes! They are incredibly nice. We can get places so quickly! I’m super exited to spend less time traveling and more time teaching!!!
Yes...so the new dialect...they pronounce their A as O and their G as a K and their B is a P, so the word gehabt which means to have had something, changes to coped or about there. haha It's actually really funny sounding and some people sound like they are singing when they talk.. especially the bishop. He has a great accent! Well this area is primed for the word of God! We set a baptismal date on Thursday, my first day here. It is for the 13th of November! His name is Anthon Bosezky. He is from Austria and is 83 years old. He has really great insights to the gospel and is a very funny man. He didn’t end up coming to church but he will and is excited to hear the gospel.
And there is Christine Fuchs... Pronounced Christina. She came to church yesterday and I think she was crying after testimony meeting. She is having trouble with smoking but she knows that the church is true! She has had a really hard life and needs to feel the love of our heavenly father! We are meeting with her very often and i have a lot of hope for her!

And there is Völker Schäfer! He has a baptismal date for December sometime. He is a jolly man in his early 40s. He is very well read on everything having to do with the church and already has a great knowledge of the gospel. He said that he felt the spirit speaking through the apostles and the prophets at conference! wow! That is so great and he is so ready to be in the fold. His wife and kids are not too interested in the gospel however and we need prayers from them!

I am loving the area and can’t wait to really get to work here. I love being a missionary and playing for the lords team! It is so great to be here I think I may ask for a lifetime extension!
Bis Nächste Woche,
Elder Sonne

I am loving it here!!

7 November 2011 Fifth Letter from Austria

7 November 2011

Dear familie and freunde,

One cannot imagine what it really means to be a missionary for the lord. It cannot be described in a 1000 page book. It cannot be put into words. It’s tough and rewarding...the hardest and the best. It’s really great. One moment is full of success, the spirit of the lord and pure joy; the next is disappointing and discouraging. There is nothing better. haha. It’s crazy.

This week was not the most successful as according to the number of people or lessons we taught; however, it was successful because we were able to teach some people who really have questions about this life, the plan of salvation, and the meaning of the gospel. They (the Valas Family) are so prepared and I hope and pray they can feel the same burning spirit working through the light of Christ to illuminate their life and fill them with truth and happiness.

Yea we have been having really spiritual lessons lately and that is the only way the work will get done. I have just about gotten used to being rejected and stood up. I realize that all the trouble is worth finding one person who is ready to hear and accept the gospel. The work we are doing is difficult. We are asking people to change their lives. That is the whole purpose of the gospel and this life, but it is not easy it never was easy, not for Jesus, most definitely not for us.

Have a great week in America land.

Elder Sonne

Twelveth Letter from Germany 3 October 2011

Dear Familie und Freudliche Freunde,

Soo the transfer call came... and I am going to Wiener Neustadt in Austria. I am super excited!! I have heard that is the only area that you can see mountains from and that it is very beautiful... I’m not going to say that I miss mountains because that implies that I miss Utah... but yes I do miss mountains and I am very pumped to work there... Oh and apparently, they speak a more difficult dialect there than they do here... I thought I was called to the alpine GERMAN speaking mission... apparently it should be called the alpine schwaibish, byrisch, switzer deutsch, wienerisch speaking mission haha

P-day and the past couple of days have been super relaxing and I’m ready to get back to work. Was that not an amazing conference?! It is such a blessing to have the opportunity to have the prophet, a person like Moses who parted the red sea, speak to us. It is pure scripture coming out of their mouths! It’s like another Book of Mormon being written as they speak....

Anyway the talk about the need for the Book of Mormon was so perfect. It was good to see that I explain the importance of the Book of Mormon in a very similar way and use the same examples as the speaker did... It was cool to see that the gospel is true everywhere and people can be inspired across the world with the same inspiration because there is only one God and one faith and one baptism and one true church. The true gospel cannot provide two correct churches that teach different things. That type of thinking causes confusion and it doesn’t come from heaven.

I have been really thinking about the talks I have heard and about the missionary work and going through tough times and how I will be able to continue on... I continue to think about the scripture... Schriftstelle in Deutsch... where es steht well I think its a scripture... if the lord is with us, who can stand against us?? wow that gives me so much comfort and I love that scripture; if it is even a scripture, I don’t know. It sounds good though I’m pretty sure it’s a scripture.

The German comes and goes, depending upon how much I have spoken throughout the day... . My German is definitely improving and the Lord has really helped me to understand it as I give my best to try to focus on the people with whom I am speaking and as I truly study and memorize the rules of the language!

This week has been really great... I found a woman as we were getting off a train. Her name is Regita Schif. She agreed to meet with us and we committed her to baptism on the first appointment. It went picture perfect, but not quite as well as when Joe Schwarz asked us if we would baptize him, however it went really well! She agreed to be baptized on the 30th of Oktober! But, unfortunately I will be in Austria at that time.

Also, we met with the people we found at the street exhibition. Mathias and Anja Schoenfeld. We helped to do a little renovating on their house and talked about the Book of Mormon and faith and prophets while we were working on peeling paint off of a wall haha. It was really great and they fed us some amazing food.

Also during the week, Elder Hamilton and I spoke to a crowd of 15 or so 10 year olds who were pretty interested in us and our message...

I felt like an apostle in Jesus' time who had followings and crowds that waited on them! It was so cool! haha I love being a missionary!

The church is true. I know that it is true and it is our responsibility to tell the world about the greatest thing which has ever been established. The church of Christ! Bis Naechste Woche!

Elder Sonne

26 September 2011...Eleventh Letter from Germany

26 September 2011

Grütze familie und freunde,

This week has been just about the same as the other weeks.. some good and some bad... but with the help of the lord we can endure anything...

This week, we have received so much food from people... on Wednesday or Tuesday we got a 20-pound gift basket of vegetables from a less active member. On Thursday, we received three pizzas from one family and 2 meals worth of food from another family... we have actually ended up with more food today that we had a week ago after shopping... so we don’t actually have to shop for food this week haha.

My German has been getting much better this last week. I’m not sure why, but I think something in my head just clicked and I can pretty much communicate what I want to say. It occasionally comes aus (out) slow, however, it comes out eventually.... we had a street display on Saturday and towards the end, I started talking to some Americans and I couldn’t think of some English words to say because I had been thinking in German and speaking so much :) Also, during this street display, I found a couple who were actually very interested in the gospel and the Book of Mormon... He actually quoted to me Galatians 4 verse 10 to 12... do you have that scripture memorized?? It really caught me off guard because I was just about to quote it to him. It is about the gospel being laid upon a foundation of apostles and prophets... I also was telling him about Joseph smith and he said all right... that is great, but what does it mean to me? If God still speaks to men, shouldn’t he have a living prophet right now? YES HE DOes …it was so great... their names are the Schoenfelds!

So yesterday, I gave a talk in church.. It turned out to be the longest talk I have ever given because I was speaking super slowly... I spoke about the apostasy and the restoration.. I compared, as best I could in German, the apostasy to the darkness which covered the Nephites and Lamanites after the death of Jesus. It was so thick that the people could feel it. There could not be any light it was so dark. The gospel, the light and truth, came back to the world when Joseph smith had the first vision.. The heavens are once again open and we have the light of the gospel.. But most of the people in the world are still living in darkness.. They are living as though the restoration never took place. It is our responsibility to share the light... We are to be the light of the world. A city which is set upon a hill cannot be hid. Let our light shine and show people living in darkness to the light and the iron rod of the gospel. ... That’s the shortened version of it in English... it didn’t go over very well because I hand wrote it instead of just telling the story. My handwriting is awful so I could exactly read it; it was a little embarrassing but I got through it.

Today I found a talk from Elder Bednar in the apartment. In this talk he describes 3 ways to study the scriptures. The first is to read from front to back and understand the story and to feel the spirit. The second is to study by topic while reading from front to back. The third is to search by finding connections, patters, and themes within the scriptures. It was really good and it has changed the way that I plan to study. The church is true and I am so excited to hear the words of a living prophet who receives revelation for the entire world; For each and every person.

Bis Nächste woche!

Elder Sonne

19 September 2011...Tenth Letter from Germany

delicious lunch made by Elder sonne

September 19, 2011
Dear famile und freunde,

This week has been a roller coaster of experiences! First of all and most importantly, we were able to once more get in contact with my previous and golden investigator, Joe Schwartz and his girlfriend, Danielle.e hae been ringing their door bell for the past month and a half with no response... until mitwoch... Wednesday. We klingeled and they responded. We made an appointment for the next day. We found them in a pretty uneasy and depressed state. We taught them about the joy of the gospel and how they could find true and lasting happiness through the one and only church of God. We also taught them about priesthood authority and the importance of baptism. By the end of the appointment, the couple was beaming and we made an appointment for the next day. At the beginning of the next appointment, Joe asked us if we would baptize him!!!! Needless to say, that took me by surprise! After he said he wanted to be baptized, his girlfriend said, "ya, I would like that too!!" Yes, that was the miracle I have been praying for. That may be the first time that has happened in the country of Germany. haha wow... There is a small problem, however, they are moving within the next week and a half and will not be ready for baptism in that time frame.... But we are working towards that goal and they truly have a desire to be baptized and to be worthy for it.

We also met with Eckhart Steinat and he had been, as it says in 2 Nephi 32... feasting upon the words of Christ. He had post-it notes and had marked up all over the book of Mormon... When I saw his copy, I couldn’t contain myself and just started laughing uncontrollably. We asked him if he would be baptized when he finds out the book of Mormon is true and he said" you would really like that wouldn’t you" haha he likes to joke around and for some reason he just loves elder hamilton and I, although he hates America... anyway he said he would be baptized when he knows it is true!

We also made progress with Annette. We talked with her once again about baptism and she wants to eventually be baptized. She said she felt a special spirit at church a couple of weeks ago and knows that it is true... its amazing. She has also changed since our first visit. I can see more light and happiness in her eyes! She watched Jesus the Christ by herself and cried for 10 minutes straight. She said she didn’t know why she cried... and we told her" that is the spirit of God!!!!!!!" I love the work here.

Oh and Synthia doesn’t want to meet with us any longer and she gave back her Book or Mormon and the restoration DVD. It is unfortunate but we were in contact once more with Ziyeed who lives in the same complex. So it’s not a complete loss.

Not much else is new and I will report how everyone is progressing.

The gospel is true, but hard. With the lord nothing is impossible.

Elder Sonne

12 September 2011 Ninth letter from Germany

12 September 2011

Liebe Familie und freunde,

This week has been amazing and I have had so many great experiences.

Synthia first of all is not doing so well. She said that she does not have time to meet with us so we simply stopped by and shared a scripture. Her entire countenance changed by the time we left. At the beginning, she was not doing so well. She seemed almost in pain and sad, but by the time we left, she was smiling and was doing much better... I unfortunately do not think she will be ready to be baptized on the 25th :( We are planning on stopping by this week and somehow get her ready to be baptized!

We have been meeting with a less active member names br. seiler. He’s so great.. He calls me "Scott Sunshine" and was super funny this last appointment. He has a problem with cigarettes and we have been trying to help him quit and to be free from addiction. This past week we read the story of the anti nephi lehis and how they buried their swords or temptation in the earth. We related that to his smoking and he really wants to quit but he doesn’t think he can do it. We tried everything to have him quit. I showed him a picture of Jesus and put it in front of him so that the picture was right there. He didn’t want to quit for a couple of years and I said to tell that to Jesus and he talked to the picture and it was priceless and kind of funny in the middle of a really serious discussion. He is working on it and he can quit with the help of the lord.

It has been really difficult to get investigators to come to church... We didn’t have anyone attend this week and there aren’t many people progressing that we are teaching:( however we did have some really cool experiences this week.)

We taught Annette and 10 of her friends last Monday night and she seems to be getting more and more interested. We didn’t know it was going to be like a party... But when we got there, there were a bunch of people and food and stuff. The people started to ask why we were dressed up so weird and we ended up teaching the entire first lesson with the Joseph smith story... it went reasonably well and her sister is interested, We gave her a church DVD we had with us. We have another appointment with her on Saturday and are going to teach her over the phone during the week!

This week we also taught a new woman named Frau Fuehrtmueller. We tried to do a quick lesson and commit her to baptism but we ended up staying almost 2 hours and taught some pretty in-depth things about the book of Mormon and prophets and the restoration. She seemed pretty interested and it was fun to meet with her.

We meet regularly with a woman named Donna. Donna has been wondering about very deep doctrine and has been searching for mistakes within the book of Mormon. This week, she started to talk about the location of the new Jerusalem and arguing about Jerusalem and the promised land and so on and so forth. We stopped right there and had a testimony session for about 30 minutes. We (elder Hamilton, the member that was with us, and I) bore strong testimony of the truthfulness of the book of Mormon. We told her that we do not understand all the prophecies about the last days or about all the little things within the bible, but we do know one thing. We know that the book of Mormon is the word of god. We received the answer from heavenly father that the book is true and that’s enough. We dint have to try to prove the book wrong to know that it is true, or compare prophecies in the bible. It is true and we told her the only way to find out if it is true is to read the book with an open heart and pray about it... that is the only way.. That is final.

I hope she takes our advice and is open enough to receive answers !!!

We also met with a couple named the Schowalds. They are the most spiritual people... outside of the apostles that I have met... and maybe more spiritual than Eckhard Steinat... but I am not sure. We invited them to pray about the message and they are going to get an answer that it is true.

This week has been full of fun and we have many appointments this week and opportunities to bear strong testimony of the gospel... It is true and the work is going on.

I found a fairly long German word I thought everyone would enjoy. It is benachrichtigungssymbole.

The church is true and it is led by men who are led directly by God.

Elder Sonne

5 September 2011....Eighth Letter from Germany

Hallo familie und freunde ,

I’m having a great time here!!! and it’s pretty great to try to find people that will hear the gospel even if most of them don’t want anything to do with the church and the gospel. So the whole story with Eckhat...We started the waving thing a while ago and about 2 weeks ago, we saw someone that waved to us at a stop light and we hesitated to go up to the car. So, we decided that the next time we would go up to the car and give them a card or at least say hi....

so when we saw Eckhat waved back, we immediately ran and it worked out for the best.... Also during the lesson, he said that he felt something special about us when he saw us on the street! I love teaching the gospel.

This week elder Hamilton and i have so many appointments. I’m so pumped. Last week, we worked very hard and made many appointments with new people that we will meet this week. I’m so excited to invite these children of god back to Christ!!! We only need to keep up the work and we will see more and more miracles.

Yesterday I found some really interesting scriptures that I have decided to make my motto for this week. I don’t know exactly where it is because I’ve been looking up so many scriptures lately haha. but anyway the scripture is talking about the liahona and when lehi and his family were diligent and had faith, the liahona worked.... It was by the small and simple faith and diligence that miracles are accomplished... But when we slack off and are not so diligent and loose our faith, the miracles cease. I think it may be in alma 37:40 and 41 but I’m not sure... Speaking of miracles... yesterday a miracle took place! With a woman named Annette. I found her name and number on an old sheet of investigators. It was separate from the 'area book' but I decided that we should call her up and see if she would like to meet with us. She surprisingly wanted to meet with us the next day. SO we met Friday and taught her the plan of salvation... It went really well and she was interested. We invited her to church just the same as we invite everyone to church and... she came!!! However her commitment to come to church came with a condition, we would go to her church... A Harry Krishna 'temple' she said she felt a good spirit at church and she really enjoys the challenge and open invitation to ask God for yourself to find out if the church is true. We later went to the Harry Krishna temple. It was interesting to see how other churches worship God.... Afterwards, we tried to make an appointment with Annette and she said she would not have time this week to meet with us and didn’t want to come to church next week. I was really bummed out after this. I was upset that she was “kept” from the truth even though she knew where to find it. I was sad and frustrated and really down on myself and on missionary work. I thought that because I hadn’t said the right thing it was my fault that she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. After we got home and broke our fast, she texted us and asked us if we had time today at 6:30!!! wow I was really thinking she had slipped through our fingers! The spirit really works on people. ... So the temple was a little different. They sang songs for about 2 hours straight; one of which was accompanied with dancing... haha it was great. They believe in an enigmatic being as God who has a split personality and isn’t a father of our spirits. During this service and one of their talks, I had the strong impression that we are children of a heavenly father who loves us and he is there waiting for us. I love that the church is true. It’s so amazing that we have the entirety of the truth. We have the organization that Jesus established and that has always been. We have revelation from god that leads the church and its so amazing. The doctrines of the book of Mormon help us to understand the importance of the savior and the true purpose of his earthly ministry. It’s so true. I love it.