Happy to……

Happy to……..

Be a missionary.

Dear Family, Friends and various users of the Internet.

I am glad you are there and I hope you are pushing on with strength. I hope that your trials are helping you learn and that you are looking for the good. I hope that this mixed up world is not weighing too much on you and that you are feeling the confidence of knowing your purpose and plan on the earth, on the earth and beyond.   To Infinity and Beyond!!!!!

Good Morning Wiener Neustadt!

Well with that cheesy segue; I wanted to talk a little bit about glow in the dark stars and being brave enough to take a step into the dark.

This is the basic idea of my metaphor today. You can only see the glowing effect of these planetarium moneymakers if you turn off the light. Only in the dark do they start to glow. If you choose to keep a flashlight on or the nightlight plugged in, you do not see these plastic stars in their splendor. We have to be brave enough to turn off our own light, our own way our own plan, and take faith in the way that God is leading us. I will find the scripture or talk snippet for you next week that started this idea in my head. When we rely on the way of Christ our eyes are opened to the beauty and understanding that was always there, but not yet so visible. When we trust, we see the new perspective even though initially it was terrifying to be plunged into dark. Without the dark we would never see the stars and how beautiful they are.

Austrian Parliament Building

This week was good. This week was fun. Next week is another one. We worked hard and some things were hard. I saw my strengths and weaknesses, I found people who were ready, some that were not. I shared my heart; I shared Christ’s love. I worried and then was relieved. I smiled and sometimes my brow furrowed in thought. I sighed and laughed and took breaths in and out, I woke up, used my voice and heard other voices. I lived. That is what we are doing, all working at. And it is beautiful.

Does this mean it is Fall?

We did service and taught German classes, we ate pizza with new friends from Ecuador, we strengthened weaken testimonies, we reminded people of their divine heritage, we went to a birthday party. we picked up chestnuts and tried white wurst (Weisswurst). We took transportation to meet with single ladies in little dorfs (towns), we prepared people to be baptized, made phone calls, wrote notes, spoke in German, planned, dreamed and stretched. We sang. We petted little cats at a home still filled with returned missionary fire. We prayed. I did not burn the second batch of cookies.

Meeting with our Recently Returned missionary friend that is so happy to help us.

It was a good week, and a week that somehow was able to penetrate some of the more stubborn parts of my heart and soul and help me refocus and work to more follow the Example of Jesus Christ. Dear friends he taught us to love one another. He taught us to care.

Dinner with the WN family.

This week holds conference. Wahoo! (Jumping up and down)….. and then a sudden pause. Wait a second! I watched the last conference in the MTC.

“Fame is fleeting, but the incident is forever.” -Ferb.

Ha, really cheesy quote, but basically what it means to me is just enjoy and work hard. Be glad and take care of each day as the gift it is.

I made big spirit prompted promises to W about answers he could get during conference this week. I trust in the spirit, but a few more prayers would not hurt.

All my love,

Sister Gardner

p.s. if you ever have the missionaries over, member or not, please turn off The Fairly OddParents. Though certainly charming, Cosmos´s green hair and little wand are not helpful for my focus, or the spirit.  Ha ha! I hope that one put a funny picture in your head. Well, like I said before…

LOOOOOVVVEEE Ya!

New signs at the train station. And Elder Call

W and S gave us a ride home Friday night, and I forgot my sneakers from sport night in their car, I come to the church today and in the place I put my helmet are my shoes and these cookies. They are so nice to us. I am excited to get the taufe (baptism) program all typed up for him.

Little Street in Vienna

Theresian Military Academy : The Academy is located in the castle of Wiener Neustadt in Lower Austria. It is one of the oldest military academy in the world. The Wehrmacht installed a war school for non-commissioned officers at the castle of Wiener Neustadt. After World War II and the Austrian State Treaty which was signed in 1955 the demolished castle was rebuilt and in 1958 the military academy.

St Stephens Cathedral in Vienna, Austria withSister Pratt.

A Birthday party we were invited to. Sister Pratt, Elder Chilcutt and Elder Call

Things that are Good

1. Reading Journal entries from the MTC
2. Birthday parties with little kids and hurriedly decorated houses
3. A cup of my favorite herbal tea
4. Ping pong for sport night when it was raining
5. General conference is this week
6. W is getting baptized
7. We spoke German to each other all last week
8. The guy we see all the time who knows missionaries and greets us by shouting Obama
9. Practicing for Musical abend (evening/ fireside)
10. Sister Pratt

How to Succeed on your Mission Without Really Trying

How to Succeed on your Mission Without Really Trying.

Overture comes to a screeching halt as I stride on stage and rip the mic tape off of the window-washing singer, and proclaim, (Preach my Gospel book in hand)….
“There is no such way!”
Bows slightly and then walks off the stage.
The End.

Wien Zone Meeting

I have most certainly learned this during my time on the mission. I knew it would be hard and I knew I was up for the challenge, but really there is no easy way to complete a mission because, “salvation was not a cheap experience”… Every morning we recite a few scriptures and our purpose as missionaries.

1. (Our Purpose)  Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

2. D&C 4 1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

3.  3 Nephi 5:13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

The goal is to serve with all our hearts, might mind and strength… I am always working towards this.

This week, like the weeks before it was filled, filled with the work to bring others to Christ.

Fall has come to the plaza.

I love the little tiny things!!!

Some good things:
• Monday: We had a family home evening with the C’s and then they invited us to eat lunch with them the next day.
• Tuesday: German class went really well and we are going to start using these Hungarian grammar sheets that a member found for us.
• Wednesday: was an adventure in and of itself. Written on the border of my planner for that day is…. ” The day of the Eating”. We had five appointments that included some sort of eating that day. It seriously rivaled some sort of Thanksgiving. We had appointment back to back the whole day starting after companion study and all the way until we had to go back for the day. We had a member appointment, part member family, helped the Elders with two of their appointments that their investigators invited us to, and also the wife of one of our church investigating friends who is now probably going to become an investigator too. Wow, it was so, so busy. I saw that God answers even our most small desires and prayers when Sister Pratt prayed the night before for a bigger stomach.
• Thursday: we went and got the P’s house ready for the big move on Saturday. We took tape off the newly painted walls and cleaned up paint-splattered papers spread on the floor. We also biked to the old house to get the baby care items she needed so that she did not have to take all the kids back to the old house. Yeah for service. I really love it.
• Friday: We had a member appointment with the elders and with one of the former investigators. It was one of the roughest appointments so far on my mission …… yeah. It was a little too interesting. But the day ended on a lovely note when we met with W.  It is so wonderful how much spirit and peace I feel when I teach with Sister Pratt during these lessons with him and his wife. They gave me the baptism program plan so I can type it up and make the program. I am so, so excited.
• Saturday: We did the big move, it was really fun because many in the ward came and helped. We also met with sister E and wrote down exactly her plan on paper, in pen, with a date of how she will get herself to the temple. We are going to help her all the way. We also started the special clean out of our home and personalities; it is a goal for our zone.
• Sunday: I think I may have found a picture of my former German teacher in one of the guest books in the member’s house that we visited last week, it was a blessing to be able to sing with her and bring the spirit to her house.

My WIener Neustadt Family
Elder Call, Elder Chilcutt, Sister Pratt on the train.

Well, that was the quick version. Basically I could never explain everything I do even if I wrote for hours and hours. Heh heh. Well, this day begins our week of only speaking in German. Oh my Goodness, I need to break some habits. But Sister Pratt and are working on it together. We have also had the pleasure to get to know our neighbors a bit. I really need to be done, but thank you for your support.

I know that through the lord, we can do hard things; we can stand against negative feelings either from others, situations, or ourselves. We are eternal beings with eternal potential. I know that the choices we make here and now on earth are so important because they will shape our entire not fully comprehensible existence. And Christ is the one who brings us there. I love you…

Love,
Sister Gardner.

Sunset Skyline

Scripture of the Week: D & C 64:33

33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.ee

Love it, Theme for this transfer.

Through our building arch.

What Makes Me Happy

What Makes Me Happy
1. I’M
2. A
3. M
4. I
5. S
6. S
7. I
8. O
9. N
10.A
11.R
12.Y

The Writing on the Wall

The WRITING ON THE WALL

But more than that,

More than what solution fits the crime,

What I’ve learned is life is bits of time,

And you fight for every tiny speck ……

Is it clear?

If you hear my voice then you’re alive,

What a blessed marvel we survive,

When you think of ever trial you face

In this grand human race……..

And give up never!

The fight – you’ll need the wherewithal!

Can’t you heed the lighting

As I plead.

Inciting you to read the writing on the wall.

(Song from The Mystery of Edwin Drood)

This is debatably one of the most influential musical theater songs in my life, the other now inspires the very name of my blog you may be reading.  Though high school musical theater holds little weight in the grand scheme of things, the love and effort put into this single little moment in a school auditorium really resonates with the efforts in a little city in a right hand corner of Austria. Compared with the vast expanse of missionary progress in South America, one might be tempted to compare our 36 baptisms mission wide as some sort of small single Lego in the middle of a large model of the Incredible Hulk or a complete to scale model of New York City. But just like throwing a starfish into the ocean after a storm, it makes a difference to that one.

Sister Gardner and Sister Pratt in Wiener Neustadt

“Life is bits of time… And you fight for every tiny speck…” Every moment on my mission is a moment of the Lords. I am on his time so I try to always look for ways to serve or at least put on a smile so I can truly share that my work is a work of joy. I am not always perfect at this, indeed I feel pushed down or discouraged occasionally but it gives no excuse to sit down and give up. I have tried my whole life to never be that. And it has inspired a sort of stubborn and blessed obstinacy that has kept me going through good and bad. It has grown as I have experienced what life has to throw at me or give me, it has grown through experiences and choices and it is all made possible by the atonement of Jesus Christ.

This week marks the end of my first transfer in Wiener Neustadt, luckily for me, I get to stay another one with my dear Sister Pratt.  She gets to put up with my occasionally “sherlockianness” another transfer, good thing we will be singing all the way. My district stayed the same for this transfer, and almost all the sisters are staying the same. Some changes with elders but not too crazy. My original Graz family is all out of Graz as it welcomes yet another golden into it’s arms. One big difference is that the sister training leaders are now living in Wiener Neustadt. I am so grateful for this opportunity to love and serve my sisters even more than before. Also lifting some lost lambs in Graz on tausch (exchange) will be a blessing for I find I have been thinking of them.

Well this week held many wonderful things, I am glad when our weeks are busy, I like to be busy and if we are not, I work to find time to meet new friends that will, be blessed by this gospel.

No rolling green hills right at hand so how about “This Field is Alive with the sound of Music”

We went to opera house last week and it was so, so wonderful to be in a theater again. I could smell those set changes. I asked out tour guide if she had ever sang on the stage she said no with a smile but said that I could. My district was teasing me a bit, and of course I would not try and really sing, but I did sing a bit under my breath imagining how wonderful it would be to be out on stage again. It makes me happy more than anything, second only to teaching someone with the spirit and seeing their souls be touched and their hearts softened.

Our German courses went well this week. I ended up teaching all of the Tuesday class. We had a tausch (exchange) with the Vienna sisters and I was with Sister Eden so it was fun to do a little bit of training for the day. I tried to really make it a really good and fun learning experience. I was also glad to help our GML (ward mission leader) with his moving. Running up and down stairs is fun. Sister Pratt and Ahlm had a late appointment so they did not have time to tausch back so I packed an overnight bag and joined all of the others in Vienna for the night. It was so fun to fill up all the beds in the two bunk beds and feel what it would be like to live with another companionship or in a dritt. (trio) Sister Pratt told us some scary stories and I kept interjecting with things like, “and the butterfly flew gracefully across the…” And other things like that when ever sister Eden started to get really freaked out. Sister Eden and I where singing astonishing as we cooked toast without a toaster for breakfast for the four of us.

An exchange with Sister Eden.

Zone training was amazing, a super spiritual and motivating experience, more than any one I have been to this whole time. It really helped me see some ways to improve and realize that though I am improving I need to re evaluate and really focus on becoming the missionary I always thought I could be, my dream. I made a little poster banner of sorts in red paper to remind me of the attributes I am trying to exemplify.

We met with sister E, she is a less active and has so much desire to come back and get her patriarchal blessing and go get prepared for the temple. We are trying to help her feel the love and know that God will support her through any trial and cheers at each progress no matter how small. We know she has the desire and we are working to make it happen.

W fixed our bike problem by buying us lights and a new bike.  Luckily he is going to let us pay him back for the bike but he bought the missionaries a pump for the bike as a gift. He is trying so hard and has been making so much process in reading and testimony building since the first time we met. We were able to meet with C. a young single mom Hungarian woman we met through the German class. She has just been feeling alone and the church has really been giving her a place to belong and she has felt good just being there. She is going back to Hungary for a while but the missionaries and ward already know she is coming thanks to some lovely member help.

J and E are still trying to work things out. T got back in touch with us after we had been trying and so we are going to meet this week.

I really love K’s mom R. I can tell she feels the spirit at church but we just need to keep gently inviting her to pray about the truth, she is so lovely. Her curly, curly black hair and little yellow hair clips, she works so hard to help with translating and I just really love her. I hope that as the elders keep teaching K and we keep getting invited to the appointments so we can keep her progress going. I finally also this week met the cousin of J, A, she was helping with the moving and is an investigator. She is a cool lady. I really hope we get to start teaching her.

Also Bishop and his wife where feeling sick this week so we brought them a card.

Well that was a big long email of names and people that you have never met, but I suppose you can gain comfort in knowing that all over the world the Lords work is moving forward. One little slice of the giant plan of the pie of salvation. Heh heh.

Beautiful Countryside

In other news I gave a talk on Sunday and Sister P said we should wear dirndls because it was some holiday but I get to the church and no one is wearing them, just Sister Pratt and myself. I was so embarrassed, but when sister P and all the little P’s children got there I wasn’t so alone but it was a little nerve wracking to give the talk.  Usually it is just fine, I love giving talks, speaking in front of others. But, I had only found out about it on Friday night so it was not all translated, written in English yes and thought, and prayed over but not yet translated. I was very nervous. But then as I was standing at the door greeting people trying not to worry, who comes walking in with her son in law, but the Stake young women’s president. And that just happens to be sister K from Gemeinde, Graz. I started crying happy tears when I saw her. She was like a mother figure for me when I was in Graz, she gave me a big hug and a little chocolate heart she brought for me. Then when she was sitting on the stand (as the important visitor she was) I got to sit by her until it was time to give my talk. God sent me this tender mercy in my time of being nervous.

I love you so much and I wish you well for this week. Look for little tender mercies

Love, Sister Gardner

My limerick as promised:

Bounded in blue, yes, this is a true book

Let me explain, while you take a good look.

Maroni ten three through five

Do it while you are alive

Ask in real intent; a spirit shook.

No Good Can Come From Bad

No Good Can Come From Bad

Therefore using this same logic: No Bad can come from Good.

So therefore, every good effort is not wasted because it is putting a little more good into the world that was not there before. Thus increasing the overall fraction of the good inside the world as other forces work hard to bring just as much bad. Basically by adding to this good, I am adding to the confusion because of my clarity. Because the good presents something different than what is the norm and therefore makes people ask themselves why is this random person being nice to me? Why do I feel this good feeling? For the norm of the world would not have you feel that way. Rather a sort of smudgie grey color. But I am really trying to inspire a bit more sunshine a bit more light and color into your life. Putting in good because the bad will get me nowhere nice.

Are you confused yet?

The beginning of this letter acts not only as a true expression of an idea but also a portrayal of what happens when there is not simple teaching with the spirit. In my physical science class, I learned about how a refrigerator works. The air is made cold but actually still produces heat thus adding to the “chaos” in the world. A refrigerator only works if it has the closed off space to create the climate to keep your leftover spaghetti edible. If you leave the door open it does not act as an air conditioner, actually a very ineffective space heater.

This is how I am trying to explain teaching with the spirit. If the door is not closed, meaning if the spirit is not there, I could put all the energy I want into trying to help them understand it, but it will not work, it will not be effective. I have been working on teaching simply, teaching to the needs of the person, and most importantly teaching with the spirit.

SO…..with that image in mind. Think how you can keep your own “refrigerator” effective to the promptings and guidance of the spirit.

Vienna on a Cloudy Day

Vienna

Hofberg Palace

In other news, let me share a bit of how I have tried to add some good to the world this week.

In Vienna on Wednesday I got talking to a man who wanted to sell me a ticket to an orchestra concert I could not attend. The topic turned to religion and he looked at me with shock when I told him that there was a living prophet today. Then as quickly as he had felt this little twinge of truth, he pushed it away. He looked at me and told me not to lie to myself. I was able to look him in the eyes and say with total confidence that I knew that God has given us a prophet in this day and age to lead and guide us. I could just sense his confusion. I wanted to teach him, but often people are just not quite ready to hear it all. That is when I am glad that I have already been able to find out for myself and raise a warning voice.

St Stephens Cathedral

So other interesting things: We went out to the little dorf called, Eggendorf and went tried to visit some lost lambs. We left the lambs little papers that will hopefully remind them that their Father in Heaven loves them and that their brother Jesus Christ is always knocking just waiting for us to open the door and let him in…. knock, knock, knocking -open the door and let him in.

We had a great lesson with W. We are just continuing to fast and pray for his progress. He is an amazingly determined man and his wife is a spunky inspiration to me. It is truly a blessing to teach them.

Sister Pratt Gave me all the blue ones because they are my favorite.

I was able to meet the J family. The husband will be baptized he just needs to find a job that does not require him to work on Sundays. It is really important to him. He showed up with his wife who is a member and their little baby in full traditional African clothing. They looked like beautiful exotic tropicals in a garden of Austrian wildflowers.

Sister Pratt with Härtigs

I was also able to meet with E. E is an Egyptian man who writes poetry to help him cope with what he feels.

We were surprised on Sunday when we had seven investigators at church!! Oh my goodness. 5 of them speak Spanish, so suddenly I am sitting in a Spanish investigator class all in Spanish doing my best to follow along with church vocabulary. I had been trying to learn some Spanish, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Well, I need to go so that we can catch our train to Vienna because today we are going to tour an OPERA HOUSE. Cue the phantom of the opera overture. I am a little bit….okay, a lot excited..

Opera House backstage tour. We don’t look excited at all. Ha Ha!  I almost cried it felt so good to be so near a stage. 

Opera House Backstage Tour in Vienna

Thank you Elder Chilcutt and Call for going with us.

Sister Gardner on a Sunny day.

Well. I just want to remind you that gaining a testimony is just an act of remembering what you already knew. It is blessing to know of our heavenly heritage. You are all sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves you…

and guess who else loves you…

Oh, you clever people.

Me.

Love,

Sister Calee Gardner

Going out on a limerick

I would write you a limerick for this weeks post but sadly I see now the qualifications and my time for today’s email makes this task a bit difficult. But I am leaving you with the instructions and I will give you some snappy little number for next week, if you make one for me too? Well, what say ye?

A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five lines. The first, second, and fifth lines must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm. The third and fourth lines only have to have five to seven syllables, and have to rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm.

Have a go my loves.

From the Aquarium last week – ” And here we have”

Wiener Neustadt Elders Elder Call and Elder Chilcutt

Which Stop to take.

I’ve Got Sunshine On a Cloudy Day

I’ve Got Sunshine On a Cloudy Day

1. Little kids on the street all decked out for the first day of school.
2. We found placemats for our table and a really wrinkly tablecloth that was quickly folded back up as soon as we pulled it out.
3. The way people who speak Spanish beam when you throw in Hola and Gracias amid other phrases throughout your German speaking with them.
4. Clomping up an ivy covered wall to retrieve a soccer ball and all of the little kids are cheering. (Don’t worry there was much safety to this process and many ready hands below) The funniest part had to be sifting through the thick foliage growing on the shed roof to actually find the ball.
5. Liebekuchen (Cookie)
6. Sweater weather approaches.
7. Opera houses are a thing.
8. My vegetable soup attempt was not a flop.
9. People want to be baptized.
10. I love the moon that lights the way when it is dark.

Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead

“Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead. Don’t try to think what move might be the best use the heart that beats within your chest never rest don’t quit while your a head just press your blessed luck instead”.

I think I like this one so much for missionary work. You just keep trying, and working and loving, never giving up or settling for just all right. Because through God’s plan we become the excellent form of ourselves.

Sister Gardner and Sister Pratt in Vienna

This week held the biggest roller coaster of feelings. Suddenly meeting a woman who is so prepared for the gospel that you feel like you are on a hidden camera show to suddenly being faced with a classroom filled with thirty five people waiting for you to teach them how to speak German, to laughing so hard in a pizza shop in Vienna and then feeling so low as Satan tried to drag me down to a discouraged place you have not been in for years. What a week.

Whenever Satan tries to bring you down he also creates a bigger problem for himself because it only creates more motivation for us to hold on. A bigger difference between what is light and the darkness that tries to grasp us from his efforts of distraction and destruction. That is the mindset you have to cling to. I know that I was able to receive direction, guidance and peace from words of scriptures and from my companion’s words of blessings and the feelings I got when I knelt imploring my God for strength to face the trials and feelings at the moment.

Flower Market on the Hauptlatz outside our door.

What better way to greet the outside world each morning.

We met with T Thursday of last week and today she has a baptismal date, and her son and her husband will follow them too. I cannot even explain how much faith this woman has. She says that normally she does not listen to people like this she tells them to go away or that she is busy but she explained to us today that she feels like she has known us for years and years. She said that she was able to let go of all of her stress and worry for that brief time during church.

The Wiener Neustadt District – Elder Chilcutt, Elder Call, Sister Pratt and Sister Gardner in Vienna.

W is praying this week to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true, if the true prophet today is the prophet Thomas S. Monson, and if the church was truly restored. It was interesting to hear that he had never truly asked. He knows it is true because of the examples of people he has seen, because of the feeling he feels and his own faith grown through the faith of his wife. I am so glad we get the opportunity to help him really discover for himself. What joy.

In other news I have been to Vienna everyday this week including Sunday. We had interviews and training and district meeting. It has been very busy. But it is so good to come all together and be supported by all of our work. Also, not bad singing all together really loudly.

Ok, does “Spidey” live here undercover or just a true fan. Either way it is a great gate.

I need to close this up, but I want to do something a bit different, I want to invite you to share with me or at least think about how you deal with times you are feeling the pressure of the world. How do you stay strong? How do you try to stay strong? Then I want you to write it all down so that the next time you find yourself feeling gray or blue or an unhealthy shade of red you can pull this out and try to remember that you are just living this test and that tomorrow can be brighter and that you are a son or daughter of a king.

All my love,
Sister Gardner

(Mom’s Note- They went the the Hous Der Meers” for P-day last week roughly translated to House the Ocean-She said “It is a huge world war watch tower that has been turned into a 10 story aquarium with all kinds of fish and frogs and sharks and jellyfish and sea turtles and leaf cutter ants and sting rays and a pretty koi fish pond. There is also a whole half that has monkeys and bird with rope bridges going through the sanctuary so it is like you are in the jungle. It was beautiful”)

Haus Der Meers- Giant Aquarium in Vienna

Beautiful!

Underwater Investigators

Little Fishies