Es regnet ziemlich oft!....Week 2 in Klagenfurt

     Today is my first day this week with blue sky! A wonderful start to a new week. But as you are reading this... you're more interested in what I did last week eh? But before I come to that I want to point out a little fact. My first area was Ellwangen :) That blessed place. There my town was about 26,000 people. I moved up a bit to Wiener Neustadt which has about 46,000 people and now I'm enjoying life in a bigger city, Klagenfurt, which is home to about 90,000 people. Slowly moving up in the size of place where I live. I thought that was a nifty little fact. 

     But it rains here. I guess to be fair I have been here 2 weeks. And my first week was gorgeous! But when it rains from Tuesday -Sunday.... its feels a lot longer than 6 days. But all in all... life is good. Its gonna rain more this next week too I hear! JOY ;)

     Ohhhhhh! I said joy. Made me think of Christmas. less than 7 weeks! YESSSS! I've decorated already... with all the stuff I have... which isn't a lot... but it suffices! And man oh man has the Christmas Music been going or what! Wow we have been listening to it now for a week and I'm lovin' it! "Oh Holy Night" and "Where are you Christmas" are on the top right now :) Oh I've listened to them sooo much! Christmas rocks! Its so happy. I'm looking forward to that! FOR SURE! 

     I went running this morning. 45 minutes. About 40 of runnning. And man! We made it to the Wörthersee!! Which will mean nothing to you... but to me it means that I ran a lot. Haha and to a beautiful lake! Of which I must still take pictures of! I'm sore though. I havent been this sore since.... like.... 9 months ago when I last went running! haha oh man. 

     Epic story of my week- We got a new investigator. It was a mess. Kinda. So we called her out of the potential lists and set up an appointment :) She is really nice. Well, we looked on the map, and we mistakenly picked the wrong address. Kinda. We took a train and then had to get another one, and as we were about to get on the other one... I took out the map and felt like we should check the address again. Well we found out that we were wrong. And then I blew it. I thought we were at a different train station than we actually were and the new address was just beside it. So we started walking, checked the map again and realized that we were at the wrong train station and that we could have taken that train anyway..... just to a different stop. AH! 

     But by the time we realized this the train had left... So we walked 40 minutes. And this whole time it was pouring rain. We got drenched. Like to the bone, soaking wet. In German we would say 'klatschnass'. Well. We got there, had a great talk and stuff. Well, her husband wasn't there for the main talk... walked in and realized we were Missionaries and sure wasn't happy that we were in his house. But the wife likes us :) and we set up a new appointment and are going back! 

     She really is great! We have a ton of potential with Her! Life is great! Its going wonderfully! The rest of the week went by relatively unharmed! Eating with members, love and fun and goodness! I love our apartment-ship, we get along well and have fun :) And we work great too! 

     Up To Salzburg tomorrow for a Zone Training and then back home and then our meeting with our new friend :) Life rocks! I love it! Serving here is so awesome! I am so blessed!

Thanks for the love, the emails and the prayers. I appreciate it all, even though I can't express that all quite well! You rock! LOVEEE! I wish you all the best week! LOVE YOU!

Elder Rodgers <3

Lots of pictures this week to make up for last week. First is good-byes in Wiener Neustadt then the trip through the Alps then a couple of  his new area.

Elder Croft, Durrant & Worthen

Elder Durrant

Elder Worthen

Train to Klagenfurt!

The ALPS!!!

still the ALPS!!!

    

new companion Elder Sumsion

soaked after walking in the rain!

cookie a little girl made the Elders

Kärnten eh?.....Week 1 in Klagenfurt

     Wow. So many things to say, but in the end I think I wont even get out half of what I want to say. My journal this week was great! If you get to ever read it... man will you ever have a good laugh. So much that has happened. Its a build up of suspense but also a build up of things that cant be said, only expressed. I think I'm getting back into my love sermon again. Oops. Getting used to new things this time around has been a lot easier than last time. I do not know why. Saying goodbye wasn't any easier though.. Thats for sure.

     I honestly wasn't ready mentally to leave Wiener Neustadt. It takes a lot more preparation that I thought. Habits, everything that I have done for 7 months.... suddenly changed in the blink of an eye. No more habits at all. Everything new. Its not easy. But in the end its necessary. I've lost 7 pounds already since I've arrived here. I cant tell you why though.. not cuz its a weird reason.. but cuz I don't know why! Its clearly not stress.. stress isn't a part of my life haha. It may be different eating habits... but I've eaten a ton here... and more healthy too. I dont know. But thats that. Changes eh? 

     My ride on Tuesday was epic. Left the house at 7 am for a train to Vienna at 7:30. Train from Vienna at 8:55, but from a different train station. Awesome ride to Salzburg :) 5 other Missionaries in the train with me, we all rode in the same car. Ok, spent 2 hours on a layover in Salzburg, ate at the Missionary Couple house there. Then at about 2:50 we took off down to Klagenfurt on a train. Took us 10 mins to get out of the city area and into the gorgeous blue sky mountains of Austria! And it was the best ride of my life! So magnificent! The whole ride... mountains, valleys and snow! It was fantastic! Watched it all the way until it got too dark. 

     Got here, our Missionary Couple (Ehepaar) living here picked us up and brought us to the church where they made us supper and it was lovely! Oh I love this place! We have 4 Elders and our Ehepaar, the Wades. It's great! I met some of the ward too, they were at an activity. 

     Our apartment is huge too, definitely no complaints here. We use a ton of buses in this place, I'll send a picture of the bus routes and stuff home later. There are a ton of lines, but I like that, I'm a memorizing type of guy and I've already got a great start on learning the area! Which is huge by the way... HUGE! 

     We don't have very many real investigators is the word I got when I arrived, well that was right, but we have a ton of records of un-contacted people and also of previously taught people who we wanna meet up with again, so we have started organizing all that and we are on the way to success. On Saturday I called over 200 people, 75% of which answered, and of all that we set up 7 appointments and a few people who said to call back in a week or something of the sorts. A good start indeed!  

     Sunday I got to introduce myself, we had testimony meeting. Long Sunday. For me Sundays are always the longest cuz its a lot of sitting and we also study at home. But I got over it. I always do. The most stress I have in this moment is based on the uncomfortable position in which I am sitting. Thats all. No worries at all. Ok like a bit, but nothing to do with me. 

     Life eh? Love eh? Canadian eh? 

     We have a goal to love more than we have ever loved before... Elder Sumsion and me are gonna love this ward and these people until they are so full of love that we are taken up to heaven like the people of Enoch. I hope thats the actual name of him.. lol You get it though!

     Life. I love it, life is fantabulous! I love you all and wish you the best first week of November of your lives! Go share the Gospel with that friend who has been on your mind for a while! Make this week that week! Yay! 

Love you!

Elder Rodgers <3

                   Sorry no pictures today he forgot his camera at his apartment

Love and Goodbyes.....Week 30 in Wiener Neustadt

     Hello World. I greet you today! My last day in Wiener Neustadt. Wait. That means that I've been transferred. That would be presumably correct. Is it worth me saying this early off the bat? If I do you could just get distracted and not read further and as we have all come to realize, attention is part of me. Therefore I feel not yet ready to reveal the place to which I have been transferred. I'll start out slow. 

     Many of you know me relatively well. Others perhaps not so much. Many of you I would like to get to know... but for those who are aware of who I am, you will be familiar with my deep love for God's creations, namely the mountains. And hmmm.. .I've been called to serve in the Alpine Mission, meaning that there will likely be a chance to serve in.... the Alps. 

     I'll be companions with Elder Sumsion. He is a cute little man. We have been previously acquainted with one another, setting us up for a wonderful companionship. He will be my first non Utah companion (nothing against Utah comps)  since Elder Carlson of California. But he is from Idaho... so that is almost the same right? 

     Well .... I guess I can tell you. I'll be living... in... a 4 person apartment! Ha tricked y'all. Elder Pope and Elder Bliss will be there. A Canadian among Americans. Welcome to my life. Ok, I'm running out of things to say to avoid saying it so..... I'm going to be working in Klagenfurt :-)

     In the mountains of Austria, there is a Canadian to be found. I'm definitely excited to be going there. Right in the downtown of the Alps. Doesn't suck at all! I will be living down there in the mountains of Klagenfurt :) I'm really excited too! 

     So that means this week sucked. I had to say goodbye to all the people I love! That's the worst part of being on a mission! Saying goodbye. It's so hard. Never gets easier. Not at all. I found out on Thursday morning that I would be leaving. We had stake conference this week so that means no Sunday to say goodbye to everyone. It was rough. So I had to use time wisely to plan to see as many people as I could and to tell them all bye. 

     We had meetings with Investigators and members and it is still so sad saying goodbye! I love these people. Ah! And so ya. 

     Conference was really cool though, It was a really good meeting. Everything went well, great talks and thoughts, great goodness everywhere! And an outpouring of love from missionaries and members at the end! Aww, I'll miss this place!

     I've learned a ton here, I was here for 7 months. You really come to love people in that time. Really. And it's not fun leaving. I do look forward to loving more people and experiencing the blessing of being a missionary and having an ever expandable heart! There is always room for another person :) And those who were in there will remain. 

     I wish I could express better how much I love the people here and in Ellwangen. I think about them everyday. All the time. Memories here last forever, and for that reason I am so grateful to be on a mission! 

I wish you all the best this week! Go share your love with someone :) Love is the most powerful thing I know <3

Love,

Elder Rodgers!

MTC teacher  Jared Jentzsch

Elder Rodgers, Elder Oviat, Elder Phillips

In Vienna