God Needed Me in Austria

Illustration by Agnieszka Więckowska

After returning from my mission to Spain, I felt ready for my next step in life. I wanted to experience the Church in a bigger way, beyond the borders of my home in Vienna, Austria, where members are devoted but relatively few.

I felt that I needed to be among like-minded young people at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA, and I hoped to meet a young woman there whom I could marry and with whom I could start a family. I passed the English language test and was soon admitted. My parents offered to help pay my expenses.

One nagging thought, however, troubled me. I hadn’t consulted the Lord. “Why do I need to ask?” I reasoned. Was I not “engaged in a good cause,” not needing to be directed in all things? (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–27). How could heaven possibly object?

But the Holy Ghost kept prompting me, “You need to pray before deciding.” Fully expecting the Lord to approve, I thought, “OK.”

An answer came swift and strong—one of the clearest answers I have ever received. I heard in my heart, “I need you here in Austria to build up the kingdom.”

I put the BYU class schedule away and canceled my plans. I thought about my family, how the Lord had helped us immigrate to Austria from Uruguay when I was young. I realized that maybe the Lord did need me here. With a new spirit, I focused on building the kingdom in Austria, which is drenched in beauty, rich in history, and home to many great musical masters, like Beethoven and Mozart.

Only a few weeks later, I met a young woman who, like me, had emigrated from South America with her family. We became close friends. She was not a Latter-day Saint but carefully studied my devotion to the Savior and His Church and eventually gained her own testimony. Two years later we got married.

Since being sealed in the temple, Katerin and I have raised three sons and a daughter, who are steady and devoted. We strive to let our light shine (see Matthew 5:16) by being friendly with all and open about our beliefs in our home in Austria. I am grateful for the gift of personal revelation to help guide our lives as we serve the Lord.