Liebe Familie,

This week was another great one:]

Last Monday, we were in Salzburg. We (the other elders in our district, Sister Armstrong, and I) did the tour of downtown Salzburg and saw the building where Mozart was born. That was pretty darn exciting. We stood and stared for a few minutes before moving on. Then we saw the cathedral. That was very cool. Apparently it has been destroyed four times (the last times was when the Americans (oops...) dropped a bomb on it a week before WWII ended). But every time, they have built it right back up. Then we took a hike up the mountain, and checked out the fortress. That was also very cool. We got some great views of the city, and learned a lot about the history of the area. 

We found a lot more cool people through our area book this week, too. We met with a 13 year old boy named Stefan. He lives across the street from the church and loved coming to activities at the church. He was very cool, and we are excited to help him progress. He doesn't like reading, but Sister Armstrong and I have a plan. So don't you worry:]

Thursday, we made calls all day. One of the calls was quite crazy. It actually took place on Wednesday night, but still. Anyway, I called this woman who had met with missionaries about ten years ago. I told her that we had seen that she had met with missionaries earlier, and we were wondering if she had any interest to meet with us. She said that we didn't know each other. I reminded her that we could. That didn't sound appealing to her. She then asked how I got her number. I tried to explain that we keep records of people we meet with so when the new missionaries come, we know with whom we can meet. Either she didn't understand, or she wasn't having any of it. The next thing she asked was if I knew the elders with whom she had met (I was especially impressed because she named them). I said that I knew who they were, and she said, "No. You don't know them. You don't know anything. What is your name?" "Sister Reid," I told her. "I see. And where are you from?" I had a fear that she was tracking me down so she would know where to send her sniper team. I told her Utah, and she asked which city. I told her Salt Lake City. She again told me she didn't believe me. I wasn't lying; I was born there. I am technically from there. As I endured her crazy trivia questions and "I don't believe you" after every answer I gave, just kept thinking, "Just endure this conversation, let her drop you, and it will be okay." She also asked if I knew a David Zechmann. I noticed that he had been the joint teach a couple of times. Also, there are a lot of Davids in our ward. So I didn't know that he wasn't one of them. I told her I did - that he was a member in our ward. She said, "And what country is he in? Tell me. Tell it to me. What country is David in?" I told her Austria. And she again told me I was stupid and didn't know anything. But then a few minutes later, she said she wanted to meet with us. So we have a meeting with her for this week. It was a 20 minute conversation, ps. After the conversation, I told Sister Armstrong all about it (who was busting a gut the whole time, ps). She told me that David had moved to Dubai. We wrote that on the record for future missionaries. But then guess what. Yesterday, in church, guess who gave the closing prayer. That is right. He is back in Austria. So, I have decided to bring him with us to this appointment. 

Thursday night, we had a member come with us to Bobi and Anita's. It was an INCREDIBLE appointment! Our joint teach started talking about church, and how the schedule goes. Anita said there was a church they visited in Romania that was like that. She said, "I can't remember the exact name of the church. But it said 'Jesus Christ' in big letters on the side of the builing. It was in Temisora (the town that we told them a few weeks ago had the closest church to their home there). We really liked it there. But what was the name of the church? Yeah, the Church of Jesus Christ. I think that was it." We asked, "The Church of Jesus Christ... of Latter-day Saints?" "That could have been it. I really don't remember." I grabbed her Romanian Book of Mormon from off the table, turned it over, and pointed to the name of the church. "Was that it?" I asked. "YES!! That was it! Wow! How did you know?" We tried to explain that that was the name of our church! She and Bobi both said that they thought we were the Mormons. We laughed a little as we told them that was a nickname, not the official name. Then they told us that Anita has an aunt who was a member, Bobi has a cousin who is a member. And they LOVED that branch in Romania. Now they are even more excited to get baptized!! Then Bobi said, "I wonder where that nickname came from... Mormons..." We suggested that it could have come from the Book of Mormon. And Bobi thought that sounded like a good idea.

We also had dinner with them last night. They heard that I worked at Taco Amigo for three years, and they told us they had never had Mexican food. They bought the ingredients, and we came over and cooked for them. Next week we will experience Romanian food with them:]

Bis nächste Woche!!

Liebe,

Sister Stephanie Reid