Monika Fellner

From the moment we arrived in Austria, I wanted to make friends with a neighbor in our apartment building.  After some false starts and rejections it finally happened!

Here is one of my journal entries dated December 29 2022 7:09 PM:

"What a sweet and beautiful answer to our prayers! Ever since we arrived in Leoben we prayed and reached out to numerous people in our building.  We thought we were making headway with Elizabeth and suddenly she wouldn't ever speak to us!  The same thing happened with Angelika.  She actually wrote us a sweet thank-you note and that really meant a lot.  That being said, when we showed up at her door on Christmas evening, with the missionaries in our district to sing carols for her, she held her hand up and said, "Please stop!"   We were embarrassed and discouraged.  One of the missionaries in our district is from England and he said that in England they love to welcome carolers!  Oh well, nice try!

Well, tonight it was so sweet because I was on my way home from shopping at the mall and Monika, a neighbor in our building, who I had met before, spoke to me and we had a wonderful chat!  I had taken her treats on Christmas day and she really appreciated it.  I know we are going to become friends!  I can't express how grateful I am.  My prayers have been answered, as they always are.  She is the warmest, kindest neighbor we have met here in our apartment complex!  I am grateful and looking forward to knowing her and loving her."

It really happened and Monika became my friend.  We enjoyed wonderful walks in our  neighborhood as we became acquainted.  I also invited Monika to hike with me and a group of  Austrian women that hike the Alps every Monday.  I was privileged to hike with them on a number of delightful occasions.  I was invited to join this group of women hikers through our beloved friend and branch member Anneliese.

How very choice friends are… in our lives!  Our cup runneth over with so many dear friends.  We have always had a lot of friends, however since going on our mission, the sheer number of our friends has increased exponentially!  Now that it has been a year since our return, each week we are trying to call at least one or two per week.  We love and miss each of them very much.  As I always say:  “We are blessed beyond belief” to have many dear friends!