Week #37

Gdje si lekcija?-Where are you lesson?

The title has to do with a story that I'll share later. But yes, I started with a great week training Sestra Compare. Sestra Compare and I have a mutual friend who I've been best friends with since we were little and Sestra Compare became best friends with this girl when they were in Africa together and deciding to go on missions together. It has been fun being caught up in this girl's life (who is on a mission right now) and hear some fun news about home. When Sestra Compare first arrived, I didn't realize that I had connections with 4/5 missionaries that arrived. First was Sestra Compare of course, and then Sestra Giles came to the MTC for our last TRC lesson (I forgot what it stands for, but it's when returned missionaries or pretty much anyone who comes in and volunteers and we practice teaching a lesson to them). Another connection was about an elder that one of my best friends ran into. I told about him a little bit the beginning of July. But it was nice to see a face to the name. Then a surprise I thought wasn't going to happen until next transfer. So one of the elders told me that his mom's last name is Jolley, so we figured out that we were 2nd cousins! I remembered my parents telling me that I had a cousin coming to the mission, but I forgot when. So it was fun to talk to him a bit, and another fun fact, is that another elder in this mission found out that his great-great-great grandpa's last name was Jolley. So we did some genealogy research and found out that we have the same great-something grandpa. And if you think that's crazy, one missionary who used to be here and his brother is coming in a transfer has the same last name as my Grandma's maiden name. So I think we'll just have some family reunions here in the Adriatic North Mission :) Crazy, huh? So it was fun on Tuesday to make all these connections. Then I found out Sestra Compare was going to be my new companion and we've had a great, busy week finding, teaching, and proclaiming the gospel!

The first few nights I felt a little bad because we weren't having the success like I was hoping for Sestra Compare's first week. Yes, we did find quite a few great potentials, but we didn't have any lessons with them only scheduled lessons for this upcoming week. So I was praying yesterday that we can at least have one lesson, so Sestra Compare can know what it's like to teach someone who hasn't already accepted the gospel. Before we went tracting yesterday, I was feeling it. The Holy Ghost was pushing me that yes we were going to have a lesson that night and we would have our first new investigator together. So I was excited and we went to a certain area we prayed about and there were a lot of closed doors and good conversations, but those conversations turned into a no. So it was about 7:45 and we were quite far away from home so we needed to end soon so we could get home by 9. After one of those conversations I said out loud, "Gdje si lekcija?" "Where are you lesson?" And Sestra Compare said simply, "The next door. Right there." So we walked up and talked to this lady who was outside with her son on the computer, asked about God and went into the Book of Mormon. We taught her about the Book of Mormon and what it was. Testified to her, and you could just see the Holy Ghost working in her through her eyes. She was touched. We asked if we could talk more about how she could use the Book of Mormon in her life for 10 minutes, but she said she was too busy at the moment. So we set up another time on Wednesday and Sestra Compare ended with a prayer. Our first lesson together with our first new investigator. It was so great. We celebrated a bit right after and I loved how we found her together. I am so grateful that she was able to experience that joy.

We have a potential investigator we're meeting with on Saturday, and she emphasized a lot on there's one God. She's talked to missionaries in the past, and I think she has the mind set (along with a bunch of people) that as long as you're a good person and do good things, we'll all return back to God. That's true, but there's more. I was thinking about it this morning and figured out that it's about following Jesus Christ. Being obedient to the example he set. In Mosiah 2:41, it promises us that as long as we're obedient then we can have temporal and spiritual blessings now and in the life to come. But we have to follow the commandments now. This is why I'm here on a mission. I'm telling people what the commandments are, so that they can choose for themselves if they want that happiness or not. Yes, there's one God and he is love, but we have to follow the commandments and know what those commandments are in order to return back to him. I love the gospel! I love being on a mission so I can realize all these truths! For God is my loving Heavenly Father and I know that I can return back to him one day as long as I listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and follow Christ's example. Will you follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost and follow Christ's example with me? I know if you do that you'll see the blessings in this life and the blessings that will come in the next life. Volim vas!!! Vidimo se!


Sa vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #36

Nove Promijene-New Changes

So crazy last week. I'm killing off my companion (aka she is going home). We just went from place to place talking to people she wanted to have one last lesson with and we tried to get ready for a baptism. Sadly the baptism didn't go through because we didn't get permission from the mom, BUT we did make progress, so I'm really hoping that the next few weeks there will be a baptism for this girl who has been wanting to be baptized for almost 5 years. More exciting/nerve racking news is that I will be training this transfer. AHH!!!! I don't feel old enough to train but then I realized that I will be hitting my 9 month mark next month. Weird. This has been a crazy ride. Again this is a short letter this week because we need to head to Zagreb, but I want to leave with the scripture in Words of Mormon 1:8. To me this is my purpose and describes exactly how I feel. I pray to God about my brethren that they may once again come to a knowledge of God and that we may rejoice together and be a delightsome people. I hope you feel this way towards the people around you and let's just celebrate together that we have knowledge that God's there and has a plan for our mistakes and to help us learn and grow. Thank goodness!!! I love you all a lot and we'll hear from each other next week! Volim vas puno i čujemo se sledeći tjedan!

Sa vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #35

Ljubljana-Ljubljana

This week I went on an exchange to Ljubljana!!! That's the capital of Slovenia! Now you might be wondering if the languages are the same or why a Croatian missionary is going to a different country for 5 days. So first off the languages have the same great-great-great grandpa but now they're way different. There are some grammar principles or words that are the same, but essentially I felt like a greenie again. It was great!!! It was difficult at times, but I remembered to look for body language because that is what helped me the most. I also saw how the Slovenian zone worked and I gained some insights and of course there were some things that wouldn't work in Croatia, but I have loved this experience and enjoyed remembering some things I need to work on and some ideas to make Zadar better. This week is going to be really short because we are headed off to Lake Bled!!! (google it, the Alps are in the background) Since this is probably my only time in Slovenia we're going to Bled to see the sights. But I want to leave with a success story and a scripture. The sisters found this woman tracting and she accepted baptism pretty much the first lesson. She's working on quitting smoking, but her heart is so pure and intune with the Spirit. It's wonderful!!! But the part that I was involved with is that this woman's friend came on one lesson and then called a few days later and was like, "So I'm going to get baptized the same day, ok?" We didn't even have to ask her if she wanted to get baptized, she invited herself! There are so many people that are prepared all around us. It's wonderful!!! This week we used Moroni 7:16 a lot. The light of Christ is in all of us so we can determine good and evil, but it's also good to remember that the light of Christ is in everyone else too. So look for the good in everyone!!! They need your love! Pure love! Volim vas puno!!!

Volim vas,

Sestra Jolley

Week #34

Zahvalnost- Gratitude

We found a great new investigator!!! We found her on our way to a lesson. Tried to talk about the gospel at first, but the subject got changed. So we small chit chatted and then she brought up what we believed about God. We asked her what she believes and see if there are similarities. The first 10 minutes we were exactly the same. The only difference after that conversation was what's God's name. She is Hara Krishna with a Catholic background and is interested in learning more about what we believe. We set up an appointment the next day (she didn't want to meet at her place because of all the dogs and everyone who lives there, we'll work on that :) ) and at first she didn't arrive. So we just sat at the designated place for about 10 minutes and then we got up to leave and she came up to us. She was busy that night, but she read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet we gave her and was really interested in learning more. I gave her a Book of Mormon and she said that she would read it, but she wants to do more than just read. She wants to discuss and learn. So we got her number (something she also was reluctant to give us the day before), and we're calling her today to see when we can meet. I'm very excited about her. She really does want to learn more and is searching for what God wants her to do. :D

Yesterday I had a neat little experience. Sestra C was on the phone, and I was just sitting until we could keep going. But in the mean time I was watching this elderly woman who took off her slipper and tried to zip up the zipper with one hand (the other one didn't work for some reason). At first I thought she got it, but then she stopped and tried again. On that second time, I walked over and asked if she would like some help. She said no at first, but as I walked away and looked back, she was looking at me. I asked her again if she would like some help. She nodded her head. I zipped up the zipper and put her foot in the slipper. She said thank you then I walked away. When I got back to Sestra C, I looked at the lady and she looked at me and started crossing herself and pointing to her heart. She was blessing me. It was so touching. I grabbed a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to give to her. She was still crossing herself and pointing to her heart and saying bless you while I gave it to her. She was so grateful for that little act I did for her. It reminded me of the story of the 10 lepers and only one coming back to say thank you. (Luke 17:11-19) She was so grateful for that little act and sometimes I am like the 9 lepers and forget to say thank you, even for the littlest things. A thing I noticed in verse 19 was interesting to me. Christ had already healed this man, and he said, "Thy faith had made thee whole." My first thought was that this man was already whole, so why did he say that? But then I realized that he was healed from leprosy and then when he came back, the man was made entirely whole-spiritually and physically. So as we say thank you to our Heavenly Father, we are becoming more and more whole/perfect. It was a nice little thought I had for personal study this morning :) Hope all of your scripture studies have been going well and don't forget to say Hvala! (Thanks) Volim vas!!!

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće