On the Border
Friday, August 05, 2016
Last Monday we took the train to Heinburg and hiked to the top of the mount. Although from the forested trail we ould not see the castle, we soon discovered a mighty fortress of 1000 years. How wild it was to trace my fingers along the same gray stone walls payed for by the ransom of Richard the Lionhearted... This place was called "ruins" as early as the 1600's, but the long-ago devastation by Ottoman Turks could still not dim the majesty of a place designed for the emperors. Even more incredible was the view- from one side was the River Danube, and from the other was the country Slovakia and its distant city of Bratislava!
So yeah. It's safe to say this week started with a bang, but I will be honest that it has just flown by. It was so crazy that I'm struggling to remember what happened. We have had some teaching opportunities, and this week we were so happy to have 5 of our friends show up at church!
I just want to say that I am so grateful for the members here. They treat us so wonderfully, sometimes I think we are just spoiled with the numbers of bags of treats and sometimes even clothes we bring home, as well as all the appointments, all the compliments, and all the help with the work. I especially cannot express enough gratitude to those who take those new at church under their wings. It really truly means a lot, both to those new and to us.
Well, if you want to know what being a Sister Training Leader is like, we seriously have so many spontaneous exchanges. Literally this week we had three exchanges. We met up with all the sisters for Pday and then split up for tausch with Wiener Neustadt until the next day. Wednesday was fairly normal but then Thursday we got to visit two people on opposite sides of town followed by us teaching Deutsch course followed by soccer night followed by another exchange. Sister Gunnderson is so cute and on our exchange we got up at 5:30 for a run to the top of Shönbrunn. We had a lesson with a member so we could teach her son, and the four of us hiked up this hill for a picnic with a lovely view. To be honest, I was freaking out because Sister Gunnderson is still a golden which means nobody would be there to help me if I didn't understand the German.... But our prayers were answered
and it went PERFECTLY! I understood almost everything and we just chit chatted away the entire time! Even better, she is Peruvian so along with Deutsch I also got to practice an eensie bit of Español too. Then right after that exchange ended my comps and I raced over and had ANOTHER picnic on a totally different but even more gorgeous mount Kalenberg! Gosh I love our members to death. We watched their cute dog run around in the
flower-speckled grass whilst we ate, and then they led us to the Sisi-Capelle snug in the forest before finally we stood at the edge of the mount to watch the magnificent sundown over a glittering Vienna. But before that appointment even ended we got a call from Wiener Neudstadt saying that they were on their way to spend the night in our appointment for another tausch. I'm tellin you guys, it's all a little nuts. I'm tired. But it's good.
This week I would invite you to always remember your divine worth. Even when life is stressful, take pleasure in knowing that you are a creation of God and He wants you to succeed. No, it won't always be easy and sometimes life is just exhausting, but remember that he has given you gifts that make you YOU. So use them, and push forward!
XOXO,
Sister Lundgreen
1 comments
I enjoy each post as I follow your mission and journey. Today's post was extremely close to my heart. When I read you went to Heinburg I smiled. And when u talked about the castle my heart leapt but when you mentioned Richard the Lion heart tears came to my eyes. I am a descendant of Richard! Thanks for this one today.
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