Week #19

Busy week!

I can't believe this week is already over. So much has happened. We were going through the Area Book and we found this woman who is a great girl, but her telephone number didn't work. But there was an e-mail address, so I e-mailed her last Monday. Then a few hours later she called us! She goes to school in Zagreb now, so we made arrangements to meet in Zagreb on Thursday because we had a zone conference to go to. So after our last English class :( (Our English class was so great. They are all such good friends now and when we invited them to bring food for our last class party, they brought tons of food. But didn't eat anything but my cookies! We felt like they brought all the chips and cookies for payment or something.), anyways. After our last English class on Wednesday, we went to Zagreb and slept over at the Bake ( ba-kay, Grandmas in Croatian, Senior Sister missionaries in missionary language). They're so cute and so much fun. Then we had the lesson with the woman we were in contact through e-mail. In the lesson, we found out she just wanted to hang out with missionaries again and not interested in the Book of Mormon. She's found what she needs to do in life. But hopefully we'll be able to help more in the future!

The Zone Conference was great! President and Sister Teixera were the guest speakers. President Teixera is the 1st counselor of our Area now, but will become the President in August. We received some great counsel and encouragement. There's so much potential for our area! We just got to step it up and see how much success we can have! Our mission president thinks that we can have 20 baptisms a month. (There were only 38 baptisms all last year.) So it's a huge jump, but we can get up to that point if we have faith and do the things the Lord wants us to do.

On that note, we met with three people the next day and after each lesson we just felt like we hit a wall. Two investigators who feel like they don't need to change and a less-active who is having a hard time being active because her daughter is filling her with lies. So after that hard day then we had some great lessons! Two with investigators we had about 2 months ago and haven't had lessons with them because of their jobs, but during the lessons you could just see in their eyes their desire to have more truth, hope, and happiness in their lives. It was so great! It just got us pumped for how the rest of this week will go. Can I give you a hint? This week will be...AMAZING! We'll let you know how it goes
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Funny story: So we were heading to Zagreb and when we exited a tunnel on the other side of the mountain, we looked out the window and their was snow! We couldn't believe it! It's May right? I expect these sort of things from Utah but my beautiful Croatia? Zanimljevo (Interesting).

Sveto Pismo Tjedna: (Scripture of the Week) This scripture just kept coming up to share with investigators so I'll share it this week. Mosiah 24:14. This is when the Alma's people were in bondage and did they turn their backs on God and decide he was not there? No! They prayed. And they didn't just pray for their burdens to be gone. They prayed for their backs to be strengthened. They became stronger from the trials they were going through. So if you are going through any sort of trial right now (which typically is all the time), ask for a stronger back. God will give it to you. He will help you through because He loves you. He loves every single one of us. Keep going! Keep enduring! This life is only a moment. Hold on for one moment longer. Volim vas puno! Vidimo se!

One Comment

During our conversation with Kristine on skype yesterday I asked her how her name is pronounced in Croation.  She told us and then said that the comment that she gets most often is her last name like Angelina Jolie. Sounds close...but she is not the like the person.

Week #18

Novi tjedan! (A new week!)

A new week and this is also transfer week! Sestra L and I are blessed to work with each other for another 2 months, but Elder Baldwin is heading to Zagreb and Elder Moulder from Vadaržin is coming. We don't know a lot about him, but we will very soon! The end of my first transfer...AHHH!!

The past few weeks we were preparing for classes on questions of the soul like "Does God exist?" and "Is there life after death?" Last week we had two classes on "Does God exist?" and "How can I make life in my home happier and safer?" The first class, only one person came and then one English student decided to stay. The person who came was kind of so-so. I think we answered his question, but he wasn't interested in learning more. But the English student was interested in learning more, so the elders are going to teach him! If anything, this class was for him. The second class, well, we had less who came then before. I think you can do the math. But we used this lesson for Sunday School the next day, so we wouldn't have to prepare two lessons. Then I realized how blessed I am. When we asked if they did any religious traditions together as a family. No one said anything. Only missionaries told of times when their family would pray together or read scriptures or have family home evening. I thought of what my life would have been like with out these simple things. Life would be rough. How would I know how to pray or that reading scriptures every day was important if I didn't see my family doing it? And since yesterday was Mother's Day, I was able to Skype my family! I didn't get to see everyone or talk too long, but I realized that my whole family are more than the active members in the branch I'm serving. It was a light that went on about how important families are. Even if my friends don't believe what I believe or understand what I'm going through my life, my family knows. They have seen me grow up and seen me through all of my stages. Family is the basis and the core for the gospel to thrive in. But it has to start somewhere. First we are individuals and then we are strengthened as family members are involved with our life and the gospel. I saw this picture of a man and a woman at the bottom of a triangle and Christ at the top. As the man and woman came closer to Christ, they grew closer together. Same with families. The closer we come to Christ the closer we come together and are able to help each other. Big family week realizations for me :)

Funny story: So we were tracting and right off the bat this older man came up to us when we knocked at his home. He was coming home and he just held out his hands and money was in it. We said we didn't want his money, but wanted to give him a free lesson on how his life could be happier. He said he just wanted to help us and to take his money. We had to pretty much fight him off for giving us his money. He couldn't hear very well, so it was even harder to explain. He put his money on Sestra L's Book of Mormon and then I gave him a pamphlet. After that I put the money in his shirt pocket. He smiled and then we said Doviđenja (do-vee-jen-ya, Good-bye). It was no point to try to explain more why we were there. He couldn't understand, but it was funny trying to stop him.

Scripture of the week is Ether 4:19. This just says it plainly about enduring to the end. If we are found faithful at the last day, not at the day before the last day or on the last day we're good. We need to be faithful throughout all our days including the end. Yes, God is merciful and will help us in the times when we are not faithful, but how will he judge us if we knowingly go against Him? If we know about a commandment and then choose to do something else? Someone yesterday asked us why do we live the Law of Chasity? Because he said he knew someone who slept around and then became a nun. What's the big deal? We said we knew the promises and that's why we keep it now. Why reject the promises? That goes for any commandment, why reject the promises? I want to endure not just to be happy now, but to be happy for eternity. That's why I'm keeping God's commandments and doing the things that He tells me to do even when it's hard. Izdržavanje do kraja! Endure to the end! Volim vas!!!

Pictures...Finally

Okay,  I have had to learn how to get Kristine's pictures from her email to this blog.  And when I finally get the pictures here blogspot has change how the pictures are loading on.  I like the change but the pictures are in a random order.  So, here we go!!

Kristine and her companion are racing the "How to Train your Dragon" toys from their Happy Meals.

They went to Plitvicka which is know for their beautiful waterfalls.

 Blossoms

 Top picture:  On the shore by Rijeka

Below: With her companion

 Looking down a stairwell in an apartment while tracting.

 Flashback to the MTC

 Her apartment in Rijeka

The building in the front, top left apartment.

 View of Rijeka

 Easter morning in Trsat

This meadow reminded Kristine of "Anne of Green Gables" when Anne and Gilbert were dancing after Diana's wedding.

Week #17

Pula!

I don't have a lot of time today because we went to Pula for Sestra L's year mark entrance into the MTC and her birthday! (Not all on the same day or today but this P-day works). Pula was awesome and a lot of fun and rain! But we were able to see everything without getting too wet. We were at a Roman Theater and these two people were just playing with their dogs right there at the theater! I realized that these people have been living with these hundreds of years of history and it's a part of their lives. I came to tour this theater and love the history in it, and it's their backyard. America is just a little baby compared to the rest of the world. But we are the pioneers for this history. Just like how the members in Croatia are the pioneers for their future. It's crazy to me not to meet another Mormon down the street or in an apartment building. It gets me all the time. I've always lived with many members surrounding me. But the church needs to start somewhere and needs to stay strong somewhere. Everywhere! Whoever is reading this, someone needs you! Whether it's someone who knows the gospel, forgotten it, or doesn't even know what the word gospel means. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." God wants us to help everyone. He wants us to stay strong ourselves so we can reach out and pull others to the iron rod. We need each other! Find someone to love today! I know this is short and probably doesn't make sense all the time, but I do know that we need to keep doing the simple things to build our foundation, so when the winds and trials come, we won't break down. Stay strong! Volim vas!

Mama i Tata,

I'm so happy everything's going so great! Again, I don't have a lot of time, so I'll save my thoughts for Sunday! And pictures for Monday. Sorry for this being so short, but I'll talk to you very soon!

S vjećnom ljubavi,

Vaš kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley

Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Back to work! :)