Tuesday 26 April 2016

Vienna (Wien) 4/4/16 - 18/4/16 Woche 89 und 90 von 102- Tausch, Wien Team Lunch, Schönbrunn Picknick, Herbs, Versetzungstag und...... ja!

Woche 89 von 102- Tausch, Wien Team Lunch und Versetzungsanruf!
Hallo!
How was your guys' week? Can you believe that today marks the beginning of my second to last transfer..... Time is going way too quickly!  Well, anyways, onto this past week!
So P-day was a pretty dead one. Not much happened. After studies, we quickly popped to the shop and then had to wait in for our new washing machine to arrive as ours’ died on us last week, so yeah! During the wait and after we just cleaned the apartment and just did a real good clean of it, as like we don't get those spring clean days in our mission like Ash did. Once we finished here, we popped over to the chapel and did emails, then we basically started working early and went into the first district for some finding. It was pretty sucky. Too many people and nobody wanted to stop. So yeah! Then we headed to the Instizentrum to have a lesson with M. We went through a recap of the Restoration, as it has been forever since missionaries last met with him. It went well, then we did some more finding before coming home for dinner - and that was our pretty lame pday!
Dienstag - After studies, we headed off to the Centre for Distriktessen und DM, because we did lunch on Sunday and the Sisters did dinner. St. Pölten got to cook us all lunch for district meeting today. So that was super good! Then we had DM! It was probably one of the best I've had in a while. Then we waited around a little for the ZLs to arrive, as today we were going on a Tausch with them. Then we tausched! I'm in Wien 2 with Elder Mitchell, so we started heading back to their apartment, so I could drop off my tausch stuff and we could do some Sprach. On our way back we just like bumped into 3 Americans who started speaking to us. It was super weird. Like the first one was by the Rathaus. She just stopped us asking where we're from, because she's from Utah and studied at BYU. That was cool! Then we take the U-bahn and on there the person opposite us is from California. She’s an exchange student in England and just took a trip to Wien. Then as we were leaving the Bahnhof we walked past this cafe where some lady starts frantically waving at us beckoning us to come inside; so we did and she's a member from Atlanta, Georgia so we got chatting to her. Haha. It was crazy! Then we finally got to their enormous apartment, dropped off my tausch bag and did some Sprach, before heading over to an investigator called W. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and it was so cool! It feels like ages since I last taught someone who is hearing this for the first time, like A and his J were the last ones, but it was so cool! Just seeing that glow in somebody’s eyes who is learning for the first time what God’s Plan for them truly is, it's such a beautiful experience! Then after that, we headed to a less active lady called N. That was an interesting appointment. She's a little bit crazy! She was telling us how she was at this course for unemployed people, like the ones they do in the UK I think and this guy did something she didn't like; so she grabbed his bag and threw it out the window! Like what the fetch. Then he grabbed his phone out to call the police on her, so she wacked him one over the head to stop him and then she’s going off on one at us how she is always bumping into devils. It was actually rather humorous.. but yeah! Then home and we had dinner. And that was Dienstag!
Mittwoch was a cool day! So we began with our studies before heading out and doing a bit of finding on our way to the Tennis Club, as it was time again for Lunch with Bruder V (from Wien 4, who takes all of the Wien team out to lunch once a month).



Lunch was awesome. Starter was Broccoli Soup, then this time I had the spare ribs and it was like an entire rack of ribs with little potato wedges and a salad- it was soooooooooooo good! Like legit! Then Elder Mitchell and I shared the spiritual thought. We did the thankful pen game and based it on gratitude, especially with being grateful for two special things which today is the date of- 1) The birth of Christ (D&C 20:1) and 2) The organisation of the restored Church in the Latter-days! It went pretty well, then we also had some cookies which we shared with everyone to show our gratitude for the work which everybody does! It was cool! Then we tausched back and we headed to the centre to teach M and B. We basically read with them and then taught a lesson from gospel principles, as they also have a copy of that in Farsi! Then M was still feeling ill, so we gave him a blessing! That was super nice- it feels weird giving blessings auf Englisch, but it was still really nice! Then we headed out and did some finding for a good solid few hours before finding out our service appointment this evening fell out, but the member who organised it felt bad about it, so took us out for dinner instead. It was one of the JAE, so he took us to Maccies and then we just chatted and ate and then home and that was our day! Pretty cool, huh!
So Donnerstag after studies we headed off to the chapel to do ticket orders for St Pöltens train tickets to DM on Tuesday, then back home for Mittagsessen! After essen we headed out to Josefstadt to do some finding in the nähe from the Instizentrum. It was interesting, not too many convos, like people were super closed today for some reason. Then we headed to the centre to do Englischkurs for our two students. This time we planned to do it before Deutschkurs, as our students also do that and we had an appointment at 17; so we needed to head over to that part way through Deutschkurs. After Englisch, one of the Sisters asked me if I could give her a blessing. It was a really nice experience again, but doing it auf Englisch is still a little strange, but legit having the opportunity to exercise the Priesthood and to give Priesthood blessings is such a beautiful experience. I am so grateful for the Priesthood and the blessings I see it bring each day! Like I feel so lightheaded after giving a blessing, it's a real beautiful, yet strange feeling- like you just enter such a holy and sacred sphere of influence as those words come out. I love it! After that we began to leave and Elder Neugebauer cracks one- "White for me, white for me" then proceeds to tell us this story about working with someone who pronounced weight and wait, as white. I think he actually just thought he was funny insinuating something....! Then we get a text and the appointment cancels on us, which sucks, so we did some more finding and tried to hunt for someone that Elder Brady taught last year, but we couldn't find him, so we went home quickly to check the area book for the address and back out! So the plan was to go by this guy, now we had his actual address, but an Ehemaliger wanted to meet! So we met him up at Karlsplatz (Errand of Angels moment) and then we walked up to Schottentor with him, which took a while; chatting about life and talking about the gospel, answering some of his questions, etc. Then we grabbed something to eat together, chatted some more and that was our evening.
Freitag began nice and early, so I finally caved and went for a run with Elder Meiners. Then after studies we popped over to the chapel to check and see if Bishop had replied to an email we sent him yesterday, but while we were there the offline maps app (we have decided to automatically update), needed to re-download all of the maps again, which was stupid, which also meant it lasted a little longer than planned. Then we popped back home for mittagessen and do weekly planning. We also got a text from M saying that the blessing we gave him back on Wednesday worked, cause he is now almost perfectly fine. So that was really sweet! Then after that, we met up with him and his brother again, but this time we had a senior missionary sister who also speaks Farsi - Skype in. It was pretty cool! We went through a few baptismal interview questions with them and their answers were amazing! Like they are so prepared and ready to be baptised. Definitely our most progressing investigators. Then we went out and did a few vorbeis and finding before coming home and having a bit of abendessen.
Samstag- Transfel Call Day! So after frühsport we waited a little while for transfer calls to come and then they finally rang! So..... Elder Brady is going to enter the most beautiful country ever and he'll be going to Biel! He best get learning some Français! Haha. I am going to be getting my third Deutscher Mitarbeiter, Elder Bonnke!!! He was also in my MTC group, but as a German he dies the transfer after I do, so he may well be killing me off. I'm also going to be the District Leader, so that will be fun! My District will be staying the same except for us and the Sisters; Sister Jest is dying and Sister Price is going to be getting a Golden! Sooo excited we're gonna have a Golden in the ward and District! So excited for that! Well, after that and studies and a bit of Mittagessen we headed to the Instizentrum for Englischkurs. It was a good class, then we sorted a few other things whilst there before heading to the baptism of Bischof Soucek's daughter. It was a really cute baptism and M and B came. I love going to baptisms, they are the best! Then we met with M and B and read with them. They chose to read 2 Nephi 31 with us and spoke about baptism. It was such a spiritually lead meeting with them. I love those guys - they are so prepared! We set a conditional baptismal date with them for the 25th June!!! (I'm hoping it's gonna happen just to make my birthday complete). They are like the most sincere people I have ever taught. Like they are exactly what it means to come before the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit! Wow! Then we did a load of vorbeis this evening and that was basically our day!
Elder Brady und Sister Jest's letzte Sonntag in der Gemeinde Wien 1!!! It was actually a pretty nice day. Sacrament was really nice- fast and testimony meeting was actually really nice and we got a new counsellor on the Bishopric. That was cool, but also sad; as the old counsellor is moving out of the ward! Then Gospel Principles was cool, then Priesthood was also pretty good! After church we had GMK and then headed to a relative of Elder Brady who lives in Wien. So she is like his second cousin, twice removed or something like that. So we went round for mittags and they did a bit of family history together. It was cool! Then we headed home and did our studies and that was basically our Sunday!
Oh, did I mention I also cut my hair again this week. It was getting really quite long, so I really needed a cut! Well, yeah! That is that!
Love you Millions,
Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxx

Woche 90 von 102- Schönbrunn Picknick, Herbs, Versetzungstag und...... ja!
Grüezi wohl! (I miss a lil bit of Schwiezerdüetsch so you get some this week!)
Montag began after personal with Elder Brady having his Swiss Conference Call- Anyways, after that we headed to Schönbrunn again, as we had an appointment there with one of our members for a picnic. We went and it was like a district p-day with our member, had a picnic and played some games!


Then we headed to the chapel, did emails, popped home and got changed before going off to Ottakring to grab a few things before going to Baagii with M and B! It was a really fun evening! Then home and that was our P-day!
Dienstag began and actually continued without any proper studies, as we needed to go get Elder Brady Abmelded before he takes that lovely long train ride to Zürich tomorrow! So after that, we popped to the Instizentrum to sort a few things and make a few lesson plans before having district meeting. Our last meeting with this district. It was kind of sad! Then we met up with the other two Wien districts at "Herbs" (the place is actually called Schnitzelwert, but mission culture has it as Herbs. I think it's like the name of the old owner or something and they love missionaries there) for lunch and like an end of transfer thing. It was sooo good, and sooooo filling! Then we headed back to the centre to meet with M, M and B! That was a cool lesson. We did the third one in Gospel Principles, which talks about Christ being pre-ordained. Then after them, we met with R. Then we did Englischkurs, before heading to the chapel for Gemeinderat! That was fun! It was a really fun day!
So transfer day is officially now on Mittwoch. So this morning began bright and early, as we needed to head down to Wien Meidling for 8.30 for Elder Brady's train to Salzburg. It was so weird, like next time I am heading down to Meidling, with suitcases, it will more than likely be in 12 weeks when I die! Scared much! So we got there like 15mins before his train, chatted a bit with other missionaries. So my two Britts are leaving the zone, so now I'm the only Brit here! Sad times! Sister Jest is going home, and Freeke is heading to die Schweiz for her last transfer, so it was so weird just to think that the next time we ever see each other will be back in the motherland in just 12 weeks’ time! Super strange! Time just goes way too fast!
Transfer Day at the Bahnhof


Then I got to spend the time with Elder Lyman while we waited for our new comps to come in! So we headed back to the Wien 2 apartment, did our studies, had Mittags and then headed out to teach a potential investigator. We spoke to her about the Book of Mormon and she fed us some cake. Then we did a few vorbeis before heading back to Wien Meidling to pick up the 17.30 income. So that load was the group that were coming in from Deutschland or somewhere else in Austria. Then we waited for like an hour until Elder Bonnke came in at like 18.30, cause there wasn't too much time to go anywhere and Lyman’s new comp had his suitcases with him, so we just waited. Then we headed home, let my comp unpack, had dinner and that was transfer day!
Did I actually ever mention how I'm getting a bit better again with doing Frühsport? So every second day Elder Meiners and I will go out for a run in the morning and Donnerstag was one of those run mornings. It kills me every time, but at least I'm doing my Frühsport! So during studies I thought about planning DM for next week and then realised that actually I don't need to worry about that one, cause it will be zone training instead. Well that makes life easier. So after studies we headed out and did a bit of finding. We got one potential and had a few good conversations. I actually like the way Elder Bonnke finds, it's great! Then we came back for Mittags, headed over to the chapel, as we had an appointment with this guy who was making some sort of film for the Burgtheater (big Theatre opposite Rathaus) about happiness and what happiness means to us and in terms of Religion; so he was going round a few different religious groups and asked us to do it as well, so we got it all approved and sorted through Public Affairs and stuff and then today was it. So he like interviewed us on camera about it. It was actually pretty quick and he said that we'll get a copy of the film once it's complete. So we shall see how that goes! Then we came back home, did a little area update, looked through the area book and did some calls; then we headed out to get Elder Bonnke his Vorteilscard at Westbahnhof and then did some finding out and about around Vienna, giving him a nice guided tour of the city whilst talking to people about the restored gospel. It was fun! I'm quite surprised actually that we didn't get lost, but so far, so good! Then we popped to the Instizentrum for the end of Deutschkurs to set up a time and topic for the guys we also do Englischkurs with. Then headed back to the chapel, to get a call from the guy we were supposed to meet to say he will be there an hour later, so we did some vorbeis nearby, then he called again as we got back to the chapel saying he won't be able to come at all tonight, so we did some more vorbeis and finding and then had Abendessen. What a day!!!
Freitag was actually really quite boring the majority of the day. Studies, essen, weekly planning, etc. Weekly Planning was like mega long, but kind of a typical big area catch up and sorting this area out in a more organised/European manner! Then we headed off to Stadtpark for some finding, which was absolutely beautiful there and then did a load of vorbeis before meeting up with B and M for a skype lesson with the lady in the States who speaks Farsi. It was really good and that was basically our entire day!
So after another run and fruit smoothies, Samstag morgen began with helping the Familie L move house. It was actually a really nice move, as they had already got everything packed and all of the furniture they took apart to makes it easier to transport and stuff. Now that is how sensible people move house- forget the whole take the entire built up wardrobe down 20 flights of stairs rubbish! So it was really nice and easy, plus a decent amount of people from the ward came to help out. Then after that, we headed home to shower and get changed before popping down to meet a potential whom Elder Brady and I found a month or so back. So we met him at work, which wasn't quite ideal, but it worked out easier for him. He works at a pizza place, so we taught him the restoration, with it being his work there were a few distractions with customers/deliveries coming and going, but it was quite quiet most of the time. So that was cool, then he gave us lunch on the house! It was super good pizza to be fair! So that was a cool appointment. Then we headed home to finally do some studies for the day before heading to the centre to do Englischkurs. That was fun! I taught them conditional sentences, so the whole 'if-clauses'- that was fun! I only confused myself about 20 times..... Oh the joys! Then we did a few vorbeis and some finding before heading home and having dinner whilst watching 'Errand of Angels' (it's approved for us Austrian Missionaries- hahaha!) It was so funny to see places where we have been and even worked and the best bit was just not even having to read the English subs when they speak Deutsch- which made it even better, as the English subs give the translation in correct English, but the Deutsch is actually absolutely terrible from Sister Taylor, which makes the commentary from Sister Kellar even better! Hahahaha! We'll have to watch it when I get home and I can explain bits to you, so it actually makes sense to be funny!
This month is flying by so quickly, like we are over half way through and it only started like last week or something! Time is going way too quickly! Well Sonntag was a fun day- so last transfer I left Elder Brady to do all of the translating, but now he isn't here and I have a Deutscher, I get the joy of doing it all. Legit, it is so difficult. I have no idea how to say half of that stuff auf Englisch- Ich verstehe schon, aber..... I can just NOT translate properly. So most of Sacrament meeting was an Elder Robertson made up show, which sort of went along with what the speakers were actually saying and then even when I was getting it in a good flow of translating, I would Denglisch that thing so bad it was untrue! Then Gospel Principles came round and the topic was on fasting. Again, I got the joy of translating cause the teacher refused to do it auf Englisch, even though everyone who was there could speak and understand English perfectly fine. So I got it again- although this time it was so much easier! Then we had Priesthood and Elder Bonnke and I had to teach that one, but to be fair the theme passed pretty well with the teachers as it was Ch.8 of Howard W Hunter about Sharing the Gospel throughout the World. It went really well. We got them all involved and it was actually a really spiritual priesthood lesson. Then after church we did a load of the chitchat business, set up some appointments for this week and then home for lunch and studies! After that, we headed back over to the Gemeindehaus to meet A. So A was a former in the area book who we called up on Thursday to ask if we could meet again and he said sure, so we set up an appointment for Sonntag abend. Well at church today we were speaking with who we thought was another A’s who comes to church every week, but isn't a baptised member and he tells us that we are meeting with him tonight. So that was pretty cool! So we met him and went for a walk together, spoke about all sorts of things, got to know his story and what is keeping him from baptism, etc. It was really quite interesting and none of it was written on his record, so that was good to get to know! Then we did a bit of finding in the humid rain, then home for dinner. Planning and my first calling up to collect numbers. This district is so cool, I love them all.
Mega viäl Liäbi,
Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday 9 April 2016

Vienna (Wien) 21/3/16 - 4/4/16 Woche 87 & 88 von 102- Lederhosen Eingekauft, Tausch in St. Pölten, Ostern Vortrag und Dienstprojekt! Schönbrunn, Karlsplatz, Gelato, 100 Days, Dienstprojekt und General Konferenz!!

Woche 87 von 102- Lederhosen Eingekauft, Tausch in St. Pölten, Ostern Vortrag und Dienstprojekt!

Hallo!

So, after studies we began p-day by heading to the centre, so that Elder Brady could sort Uni stuff out on the computers there. So I did a bit of emails while he did that and sorted a few other things, then when he finished we decided we would just keep doing emails then, so we did. Then we headed out- I printed pictures off to do some Tschüssbuch entries and then we went Lederhosen shopping for my comp. We found a place where the hosen were on sale, so he got some and I couldn't resist, so I also got some. Although I didn't get the full outfit and just got the hosen and socks. You know, Lederhosen are actually super comfortable! They're great! Then we headed back home, went food shopping and it was time to work. This evening we were invited over to dinner and FHE by Familie S. It was a really nice evening. The Sisters did a really nice spiritual thought, then P asked us for a blessing, as he was ill. So we did! They are a really cool family! Then home, planned, had a Lederhosen party and the day was over! 
Lederhosen Party

So Dienstag morgen began with a bit of studies before heading back to the Lederhosen shop, as they forgot to give Elder Brady his change back and he didn't realise till we were almost home yesterday; so we went back to pick that up this morning and we went in and they were like completely einverstanden and gave him his change. They said that they did realise they were a little over on the till, so it all made sense! Then we headed this time to Pfahlhaus to have district meeting. It was pretty good, based on commitments again. Then after DM we joined with the other two Wien districts and practiced our missionary musical number for the thing on Friday. We finally settled with 'I Know that my Redeemer Lives', went through it a few times and we ended up sounding pretty darn good. Then we tausched and I headed to St. Pöllten with Elder Gappmayer, so when we got here we headed over to the GML (I think that's who he was) and gave him a blessing and then they also fed us dinner. After that, we headed over to the Chapel where they were having a course for teachers and they wanted us to join in and input and stuff, so that filled most of the evening; then we headed home, did Sprach, planned and now I am writing my journal!

Mittwoch began with studies and lunch before Elder Gappmayer and I headed out to do some finding in the Innenstadt for like 3 hours or so before tausching back. Then Elder Brady and I headed back to Wien, popped home to drop my bag off and sort out a progress record before heading off to the H's for GMK. They're both ward missionaries, so we do it at their place. Then we did some finding before heading home for dinner. I still really need to sort some Tschüssbuchs out, so that was my day! Oh, I forgot the crazy circus girl story. So as Elder Gappmayer and I were finding we stopped this guy and had a little chat with him and whilst we were talking to him, this woman/girl stopped and started lingering around us, then the convo with this guy ends and just before we start walking - this girl starts shouting at us at like the top of her lungs about animal abuse and how wrong it is. Like who knows where that all came from! I'm guessing she just wanted a rant and figured that we would listen to it. Then she's going on about how animals have feelings, just like humans and how they only get vicious because of the way humans react and treat them. Then she goes on about how she was born and raised in the circus and has like a pet tiger and bear and how next time she comes out to town she's gonna come out with her tiger on her shoulder and her bear, which is like this tall (as she gets on her tiptoes and reaches as high as she can); and she won't even put a lead on them, as she'll just let them roam and then we'll see what happens. Then she just went on and on forever about how evil people are to animals. It was fun! It was just like one of those crazy tausch moments.

So, Donnerstag began with studies before heading out to do some finding for a few hours before heading back for a late lunch. So, finding began by the chapel as we saw a guy waiting outside reading the notice board they have, so we thought we'd stop him and see if we can help. He said he wanted a Book of Mormon, so we gave him one and got to know him a bit- he didn't have any interest to meet, but told us his religious background, of which he believes Joseph Smith is a prophet and that Christ, Mohammed and Joseph Smith will all come down in an UFO for the second coming - and our genetics will change, so we can live for 1000 years, it was crazy! Then the rest of finding sucked, nobody wanted to know, let alone stop to speak with us. Then home to eat and then out again. Headed to the centre for Deutsch course, then we taught our less active who has now started going to Deutsch course. It was cool. Then we helped the Sisters sort the thing for tomorrow's Easter devotional and that was our day! 

So, Freitag was a very plain day for the majority of it, so studies, lunch, weekly planning. Then after we finished with that we headed to the Instizentrum to finish a few preperations for tonight, practiced our musical number and then we had a quick 15 min lesson with a guy who has fallen out every time since I've been here, until he came for tonight's thing, so we nabbed the opportunity to teach him. Then it was our Easter Fireside. It was actually pretty well attended- and the majority of them were non-members, granted they were from Deutschkurs, but it was really well attended and went really well. It was a really nice evening. Plus I made some Choc Fudge Cake and it went down pretty well! 

Singing at our Easter Fireside

So Samstag was all planned out and we were going to have a real power find today, but then last night Wien 5 asked us if we could come and help out with a service project, as a family in their ward was moving house and they needed more hands than were available, plus it was one of our Bishop's brothers, so we agreed and got up nice and early to get to Deutsch-Wagram for 9.00 this morning. So we basically took stuff out, loaded the van and then drove over to the new place and unloaded it. It took quite a while, plus some of that stuff was beastly! Like my biceps are gonna be way sore in the morning and my back might be a little achy aswell. So it took like 3 trips as well and each time that van was chocka, but it was fun! They also fed us lunch during. Then we needed to head home to get re-showered and changed before heading to the other side of Wien for a dinner appointment. It was really nice and the Sisters took the spiritual thought again.... Then to the centre for a lesson with M and B! It was soooo good! We told them last time that this time we want them to teach us the restoration, so they need to prepare. So tonight was it.... It was soooo good! They are the sweetest guys ever and they did such a great job, legit the Spirit was there as they taught, it was sooo cool! Then we headed home and hopefully can get an early night after today and seen as the clocks go forward tonight.....

Sonntag was a tiredsome day! I like just died, but we were still in good time for church to greet people and get given colourful boiled eggs... Very different to getting a chocolate egg back in the mother land.... Here we get colourful boiled eggs; but church was great. The talks were all based on Easter, the Atonement and the Resurrection. It was really nice. Then Sunday School was on the Sacrament linked into Easter again. It was really good! Priesthood was also pretty good, so yeah! Then we set some appointments! We set up a J appointment as well, which we are super excited about (Bruder J was one of our MTC teachers). Then a few people turned up to church at the very end of the meetings, so we had a chat and tried to get a potential or two out of it. Then we finally got home, had lunch and did studies before heading over to Sister P for dinner. It was soooo good and we got the spiritual thought this time. Wahey! Then we did a bit of dooring and had a funny/terrible experience. So Elder Brady was at the Klingle and all of a sudden one of the bells just got stuck in and kept ringing and just wouldn't come out, so he pressed the next one to try and stop it, but then that one also got stuck in, so we had two bells ringing on a constant ring and couldn't stop it. So we try like everything and then managed to stop them. Then it was just too awkward to keep dooring there, or ringing the klingel at the front door of this apartment block. Plus, it was close to our time to go home, so we just walked it and that was our day!
It was an okay week. It kind of sucked, like we could barely get in contact with anyone we wanted to and next to nobody wanted to speak to us on the street, but hey, it happens! Well, I have no idea what the plan is today, so we shall see next week what happened.... Have a great week guys! Love you loads and loads!
Fröhe Ostern!
Alles Liebe,
Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxx

Woche 88 von 102- Schönbrunn, Karlsplatz, Gelato, 100 Days, Dienstprojekt und General Konferenz!!

Höi! 

So, Montag began with Personal study, then we headed to the chapel to watch some of the Women's General session of General Conference, cause like you know! It was actually really good! Then we did emails, which is also fun before heading home for essen. Then the afternoon was the real P-day. So we began by heading to Schönbrunn, walked around the grounds and took some pictures, then we felt like a bit of Errand of Angels, so headed to Karlsplatz and took some pictures and walked around for a bit, then we popped up to Schwedenplatz and had some Eis/Gelato at that place which is supposed to be the best in Vienna, so I'm guessing that's the one Dad or Mom mentioned a few weeks back that's supposed to be the best in Europe or whatever it was. It was soooooooo good! I had Hazelnut, Mango Cream, Raspberry Cream, Strawberry Yoghurt and Praline. They were all soooooo good!
P-Day in Vienna




And they even have authentic Italian Gelato

Then we headed to do some work - did some vorbeis and finding. Then we were close by a member who the GML mentioned to us hasn't had HT/VTs for a while, even though they are like super active, so we went by and they let us in. Got to know them a bit and it was super cool. We shared a spiritual thought and they invited us to come back again on Thursday, but this time for food as well. It was super awesome and they are really cool! Then we did some more vorbeis and finding and that was the day!

So Dienstag began with studies before heading off to district meeting. So this week my assignment was to speak about district meetings and why we have them and so on. It seemed to go pretty well. So yeah! I also got my '100-day' poem from Papa- loved it! Doing a bit of Maths with today being 100 days to go - Did you know that it will be 2 years and 103 days between the moment I opened my Mission Call to the moment I step off that horrible plane journey.... Craziness! Well, after DM we met with M and B. It was good! Then we did a bit of finding around the Rathaus and found a guy from England. He lives in Leicester and just graduated last year from DeMontfort, so that was cool! He was totally open to meet with missionaries, so we got his details and then when we popped back to the centre for Deutschkurs, I put his stuff into the referral system. It was so cool, but weird - sending a referral back to my home mission! Then we helped a bit with Deutschkurs, before going shopping as all the shops were closed yesterday, so Pres told us to shop on Tuesday instead. Then home, did Sprach and had essen!

What a looooooonnnnggggg day! So Mittwoch studies consisted of personal and then leaving the apartment to get to a less active members' to help her move house. Meine Güte!! It was craziness! The Sisters were there helping all of last night and got there early this morning to help sort stuff and pack it all into boxes and bags and stuff .. and we got there this morning at 10 and the place was still crazy. Like my goodness! So we went and basically carried everything from the top floor of this building and down the stairs (which was like a narrow, windy staircase)! It was crazy and there were some beastly items, like 2 washing machines and a monster of a cupboard, a giant sofa and like boxes which were absolutely chocka full of books! It was mental! So we were there most of the morning and early afternoon, before we took a lunch break. So we headed with the Sisters to this Indian restaurant, which they wanted to try out. It was actually really good, and a good price as well.
hungry and weary from Service we went and got Dinner (Indian)
Then we headed back to help some more before we needed to pop home to get changed to have a few lessons. So we headed to the Instizentrum and met with F. We spoke about the 10 Commandments with him and stuff. It was a good lesson. Then we had a bit of time to think of what we were gonna do for the next one. So there's two guys who are part of Deutschkurs who also want to do Englisch to improve their Englisch, but we are supposed to do Englisch, the same time as Deutsch, but no-one ever comes for it, so we decided we could do another Englisch class for them, so we had our first one with them. We basically just did a getting to know/conversation based class, so we could come to know how much Englisch they can speak and what areas we can actually teach, to help them. Legit though, their Englisch is great, so we are kind of stumped, but they are gonna come up with some things they want to learn and will let us know tomorrow at Deutschkurs. So that was cool. Then we were about to leave the centre and the Sisters call us to say that this less active we were helping still needs help and could we come and help. So like we are in missionary clothes, it's 19.00 and if we went home to get changed and then back to hers we wouldn't get there till 20.00 at the earliest, so we just went in our missionary clothes. It was like the most unorganised move ever. But we also had the help of M and B this evening. They are legit the coolest investigators ever! I love them! So we help with all of that and then didn't end up getting home until late. These are the times when a 4-man apartment is the best, cause we just called them up and said we are like 10 mins away; can you throw a pizza or something in the oven, cause like we were starving at this point and tired and sore, but it was a pretty effective day, even if we did do way more than our allowed 4-hours of service a week.

So Donnerstag after studies we headed out to the Familie S for lunch and ate soooo much Schnitzel it was unbelievable! Then we did a bit of finding before going to set up for Deutschkurs and helped out with it. Then cleared away, spoke with our Englisch course friends and then headed out to the lady we helped yesterday, as we needed to collect B's jacket, which he left in the moving van - and she also wanted a blessing. Then we met them to give him his jacket back before being back out on the street, before coming home for dinner .. and that was the day! 

April Fools! Freitag after Comp study we headed off to the J's and so we went round to just talk about missionary work and see how we can help them and how they can help us in the work and to get to know them better. It was a really cool appointment and of course we had to get a picture with him. Then we headed home for lunch, did sprach and then weekly planning. Sorted a Fortschrittsbericht and then headed to the H's for GMK and dinner. It was a pretty chilled day, which was kind of needed after Wednesday's moving.

So after studies we headed off to the centre to meet with the Deutschkurs students who we are also teaching English to, so we met them and taught them about Tenses in English. My mind was blown! Teaching your native language is so difficult. Then after that, we did some finding, bought a new Monatskarte seen as ours run out today, then headed to a member's. It was a really strange appointment. Like super weird! Then we rushed it to Pfahlhaus to get there just in time for General Konferenz! The signal kept dropping so it really sucked, but from what we got, it was a really good session! Oh, also I saw something cool today on a wall as we drove past on the tram. It was like engraved, but not engraved, I don't know how you call it, like it was sticking out of the wall, but written on it and it basically said: "Don't be an Apple if you are a Banana, you will always be a second rate Apple" I thought that was pretty cool, like don't try to be something you're not, don't try to be someone else, or even like someone else, cause you will only ever get to second best, but when you are the original you, you are the best you. I just found that super cool, so figured I'd share it.

Sonntag morgen after studies we headed off to Pfahlhaus for a beautiful day filled with Conference!! This time everything worked perfectly, like I think they decided to use the internet today, cause the satelite was being real bad yesterday and we missed half of it, but today was no problem! It was all just awesome! I loved the Priesthood session and the other ones of course, but I just got sooo much out of the Priesthood one! A lot of it was based on Marriage and Family, which was kind of strange with being a missionary, but it was also a really good Conference! Although my favorite line came from President Uchtdorf when he said: "Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es... For those of you who do not speak the Celestial Language......." Hahahaha! That was just my favorite line from the whole thing! It just made it even funnier considering we all understood it anyway and then he pulls the whole celestial language card! Hahaha! It was the best! Also, for meals we did lunch for our district and then the Sisters did Dinner and for that they did a Roast Dinner! It was super good - with Yorkshire Puds and everything! It was a really good day, but I am so tired!

Sorry this email is really short and not much happened this week, but I do have a load of pictures, so I hope that will make up for it!

Alles Liebe,

Elder Ammon Robertson xxxxxxxxxx