Training, Splits (and Pictures)

FIRST AND FOREMOST: HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASSIE!! I was really mad at myself last week when I got home and realized although it wasn't 14th, that the 14th fell two days before I could send another E-mail home. I didn't forget it was your birthday, just forgot that I needed to say it 5 days in advance in order to not be late! I sent You a letter, which I hope arrived on Saturday, but if not than it should come today.

Well Transfers... What can I say? Elder Esplin is going to Linz. I will be staying here. So now you are wondering who my companion will be. Guess what? I don't know! He hasn't even left the MTC Yet. Yup,, I am now a Trainer. Elder Esplin recommended me to President Miles. I am filled with many various emotions. Normally only well experienced Missionaries Train, and I feel a bit overwhelmed, at the same time I am excited, it is one of the greatest assignments to have on a mission and not many people do get to train. It is a great trust from the Mission President, and from the Lord. Its going to be quite the jump though, from Junior companion to Trainer, never mind Senior companion, District Leader, Zone Leader,(or AP in some peoples opinion) I am going right to Trainer!

So I get to take a 3 hour train ride to Munich on Wednesday, have dinner with all the other trainers, new missionaries, and President and Sister Miles. Then we will find out who is training who, I will spend the night in Munich, have a 2 hour training seminar the next day, then take a 4 hour train ride back to Dornbirn (yes, for some reason the trains are different). I am still a bit astonished by it, It pretty much blows everything out of the Water. This e-mail may be a whole lot shorter than the others, because I can't really remember anything else that happened this week except for Transfer Calls. 

Elder Sampson really boosted my confidence yesterday. I talked to him on the phone last night, and the first thing he said to me was "Do you remember what I told you Elder Christensen?" "You tell me a lot of things Elder Sampson, I'm afraid you will need to be more specific." " I told you that you were going to train!". When we each made predictions on Tuesday as to what was going to happen, to his credit he did say that he thought I was going to train.  :-) He went on to say more things that really boosted my self esteem, but what he said need not be mentioned here. Needless to say I love Elder Sampson, He always seems to say this that really pick me up when I feel inadequate. :-) 

A few hours after Transfer Calls, I went on an Exchange in Winterthur. That was fun, we committed someone to be baptized on September 5th. We rode bikes, which was a greatly appreciated change to the typical Bus/Train/foot thing. In a very strange set of circumstances I was in Zürich for an hour and a half on Friday, It is a really neat city. Its been awhile since I have been in a large city like that. Elder Allen gave me a quick tour of the city while we were waiting for the Bonstätten Elders to come get Elder Allen. Elder Jacklin and him were going to the temple that day. And were meeting in Zürich, and because it was more convenient for me to take a train from Zürich I went as well. The architecture was amazing! I took a few pictures, but they are on the other memory card which I left at the apartment... So I will send pictures next week!

Yesterday was neat. The Bishop invited us to go with him and his wife to visit an older sister who lived about an hour and a half away, to bring her the sacrament. Having only planned to go door to door the entire day, we went with them.  She is an incredibly faithful member of the church who has had a hard life. She originally comes from a country in Africa, I am not sure which one, but it is currently having a lot of war problems. She lived in Portugal for a long time, then moved here to Austria (RIGHT on the border to Germany). She is 65 but because of the war in the country she originates in, she has no paperwork, and therefore cannot qualify for retirement or pension. Her daughter is incredibly sick and can also not work, so she works to support herself, her daughter and her grandson ( who is 16). Because of work, she cannot come to church, in the past 10 years she has only been able to get 2 Sundays off. Her daughter is a member, but hasn't come to church in a very long time, and her Grandson is not a member.

So we went out there, and essentially had a miniature Sacrament meeting, we sang an opening song, had a prayer, Elder Esplin and I blessed the sacrament, and then we ended up teaching Marcus ( the Grandson) about the plan of Salvation. After teaching it, I explained that he could find out if the plan was true or not through reading the Book of Mormon. And then asked him if he wanted to be baptized, AND HE SAID YES!! He lives in Kaufbayerns area, so when I get the phone number of the Kaufbayern Elders I will let them know that they have a baptismal Candidate :-). I am excited for that phone call :-). In a week Marcus will go to Portugal for about 4 weeks, but I hope that will give him time to read the Book of Mormon and Pray about it. Then the Kaufbayern Elders can set a date with him. :-)

But the car drive there was scenic, but BRUTAL. There was a two mile stretch where the longest straight section of the road was probably 15 feet or so. Right, left, right, left, and if that wasn't bad enough, it went up and down, with small potholes and divets. And Josh thinks that Alpine loop there is bad, try the REAL ALPINE loop ;-). When we hit the summit we stopped and took a bit of a break, which is where I took those pictures that you see. Way deep in the Bregenzer Wald. Absolutely gorgeous, just treacherous to get there. :-)

It was the only road out there though ( without taking an extra hour to up through Lindau (Germany)). But it was really neat. I find it funny that I have invited two people if they want to be baptized and they have both accepted, but neither of them are in our area! ( Go figure... ;-) ). 

But yeah, I don't remember anything that happened before Wednesday, I don't have my other Planner with me, so I am completely clueless as to what happened before that. I taught the youth Sunday school class last week, and Elders Quorum yesterday, but other than that everything else is a blur. Thanks for the letters, e-mails, support and prayers it means a lot. I could really use it about now, as I feel rather out of place. But I know my way around really well, I have a testimony that the scriptures are really true, which means I have at least 1 Nephi 3:7 to rely on. Its going to be quite the interesting transfer, but I think it will be a really great one as well, probably the best up to this point.

Anyway, I hope all is well at home! I hope that the fires are getting more under Control as well. :-) Its weird to think that is happening there, because there is no trace of it here :-).

Have a great week!

Love, 

Elder Ryan K. Christensen