Guten Tag from Graz, Austria!
I am here and doing wonderful! Graz may or may not have my heart!
It is a DREAM here! Graz is in southern Austria and is awesome! It is comparable to the size of Salt Lake but has all the charm of Europe!
It still feels like a dream waking up here everyday. Super blessed.
So to start out with...I want to explain my first few days arriving here and tell you my experiences!
So getting on the bus at 4 AM and leaving Provo was pretty hard! I took a last look at the Provo temple and before I knew it I was at the airport. It was bitter sweet leaving the MTC - i had really grown to love and appreciate my time there. Anyways, we got on our flight just fine and landed in Atlanta. It was so fun and great to talk to most of you then. I don't know how I got so blessed with such a great family. After I hung up with you all - I boarded the plane to Munich! It was probably the fastest 9 hour flight ever! My emotions were going crazy! I was super nervous, excited, anxious, and happy! It was actually a lot harder than I thought to be honest. I was leaving everthing that was familiar to me and was heading into a world with countless unknowns. It was a huge step of faith. I was heading into "Babylon" and I was really thinking if I was prepared or not. It was actually really neat because as I was thinking and pondering on the plane - I felt the Spirit really strong! I felt God's love for me. I knew that what I was doing was right and that He would be with me. There were quite a few Germans on the plane which was neat. My companion and I actually spoke to a nice German who was muslim. He was really open minded and thought what we were doing was great. We were able to bear testimony to him which was a really neat experience. About one hour before we landed I was reading in the scriptures. I read D&C 31. In this section it talks to Thomas Marsh about his mission call but it was really cool because it applied to me perfectly at that moment.
In verse 3 it reads "the hour of your mission has come"...and that was ME! I love in verse 7 also where it says that the Lord will "open the hearts of the people and they will recieve you..." And then finally in verse 13: "Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor of men, but of me, even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the Father. Amen."
How cool is that? I then read a few other scriptures that spoke of missionary work.
I am so grateful for the scriptures and the beautiful peace, beauty, and clarity they give to our lives.
So once we landed, we met our wonderful President and Sister Miles and the AP's. We got German Books of Mormon and headed to street contact! haha
It was super hard, but I was able to place 2 and passed out quite a few cards! The first lady we spoke to was really sweet. We talked about God and how religion is important. She accepted the Book of Mormon and said that she thinks it was "meant to be" that we met her that day. I think so too. Super cool.
So after we street contacted we went to the mission home and were fed and trained. The jet lag was awful -most of the training was a blur. haha
That night President Miles announced where each of the new missionaries would be serving and we met our trainers!
It was then that I found out I would be serving in Graz, Austria!!!!! My trainer is Sister Holmstead and she is awesome! I already love her.
So we headed here to Graz the next day! Graz is a city of miracles! The work is going well and people are accepting the gospel! I think it is a city of miracles.
We have had a few appointments everyday! Church was great yesterday. People talk SUPER fast here, but I do understand quite a bit (the gift of tongues is real).
I have simply opened my mouth and the Lord has helped me already. I have a lot to learn - but with the Lord anything is possible!
So being in a foreign country with a crazy language has been difficult.
There is no way i could ever do this work alone. I have never prayed harder than I have here already.
I know that the Lord is with me. I realize that there is a very real power beyond my own and that is definitely the Lord.
It is very clear to me the reality of my call here in Graz. The people are ready and NEED the gospel.
They need to know God and feel His love.
I am super humbled by the idea that the Lord has called me here to Graz to help His children. It is a beautiful thing.
I love our Savior. I am super grateful to wear this little black name tag and be a representative of our Savior.
The Lord knows us individually and does hear our prayers.
Ich liebe euch!!
Schwester Jaynes
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