Week #59

Kišapada Blagoslova-Raining of Blessings

Intense week! We went to Zagreb with President R, and it was great! We talked about the area and our companionship like how we plan and work in the area. He gave some good ideas how to focus our efforts and making our "jar of missionary work" filled with rocks instead of filling it with sand first. We arrived in Zagreb and enjoyed my first, in a long time, family home evening with teenagers and little kids. It was so much fun. Slept then the next morning went to the doctor's and received a diagnosis for Sestra B. Every thing's good, she just has low blood pressure. Prescription: more water and salt. So we are on a new diet and it's been really good for both of us which is great because the following week was busy full of finding and teaching!!! We went to many different homes of former investigators and two accepted to hear about the gospel again :) Then along with our time of tracting, two families (both single mothers) are interested to learn more about who we are and "what makes us have so much faith." On Wednesday, we did something I've never done on my mission: splits. Sestra Burton went to V's with a member and I went to a less-active member's home with the senior sister, Sestra I. We both had good, powerful lessons. It was hard because we both wanted to be there for both of the lessons, but the work needs to hasten. So we will be going on splits a lot more which is amazing to me that we have the capability and busyness to do that! Fun fact, we went to a less-active family this last week and they live about 3 kilometers from Hungary. So I saw Hungary for the first time this last week. Weird huh? Last Friday, we had a wonderful activity which I think about 40 people came (usually about 10-15 come each Friday). The church was more full than I have seen it my whole time here! And about half were non members! But one of the best parts was that V came to church, she even came an hour early! She thought it started at 9, but we hustled over after finding out she was early and then had a lesson with her before church started. It was so great! All these blessings just kept pouring and I haven't even mentioned half of the things that happened this week! I'm just grateful to gather the blessings and then keep going forward, so God can bless these people even more.

While I was talking with President R, he mentioned how I'm in an interesting part in my mission. I'm getting comfortable with the language and missionary work. Now what? Then he challenged me to study sacrifice. Therefore, this past week, I've been studying sacrifice mainly with Abraham's sacrifice. There are many things that I could point out, but the part that hit me most was that Abraham knew he was to sacrifice Isaac and he kept going having faith in God. I know if I was him that a lot of the time, I would be hoping that the ram would come along the first day or even when they arrived at the mountain, so I wouldn't have to get to the point of sacrificing my only son. I can only imagine what was going through Abraham's mind the entire time, but he had enough faith and obedience to raise the knife. Then God stopped him and blessed him with one of the greatest blessings heard. The trials we live through, the sacrifices we experience are hard. But the blessings come after we experience them. I can't even count the amount of times of nights we tracted but it's the last few minutes we are let in and have a wonderful lesson (like last night with one of the single mothers). And I know that's how it's going to be the rest of my life. I will be living through a trial, trying and finding the blessings, but then the greatest blessing comes in the last moment. Because Heavenly Father wants us to prove ourselves. Who am I? What am I willing to give up or put in? What will I do? Heavenly Father knows what we will do, but do we? We live through these trials so that we can prove to ourselves that we can do it. We can be faithful. We can have great faith. We can do it. Keep going! Find the faith! And then the blessings will come. Volim vas!

 

 

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #58

Što znaći vjera?- What does faith mean?

Sad news. Sestra B started getting dizzy this last week and it remains constant. Sometimes she is more dizzy than other times, but when she's not as dizzy usually she has a headache and it gets stronger all the time. So as she has been talking to the mission nurse and the area doctor, they decided we should go to Zagreb to have her see a doctor. Therefore after we have interviews with Pres. R, he's taking us up Zagreb. Three and a half hours with Pres. R...it will be an interesting ride. No, it will be good. I've just never had that much almost alone time, so it will be interesting. Then tomorrow we're going to the doctor and hopefully be back in Osijek right after that :) But I brought the area book just in case if we have some down time in Zagreb. Then we'll be heading to Zagreb again in 2 weeks for District Conference! I'm so excited!!! I'll see the people from Rijeka AND Zadar! I've missed them and can't wait to see them again, probably for the last time before I leave my mission :( But I'll see them and it will be great :)

Because of Sestra B's health weirdness, we've been taking it easy the last week. So my vision for Osijek couldn't be fulfilled this last week, but we're preparing for when we get back for all steam ahead!

This last week we were able to meet with V who set a baptismal date! She chose March 2!!! All she needs to do is stop smoking. We made a goal for tomorrow to be her last day, so hopefully that will be that. But she is just the sweetest little woman. She's ready to receive the blessings of the gospel.

This week I've been pondering a lot on what faith means. We talk about having faith throughout our trials, and an investigator of ours is going through a rough trial right now. She asked for a miracle and I said that the miracle will come when we have faith and quoted Pres. Monson that, "Our future is as bright as our faith." She replied that her future isn't very bright then because her faith is really down. She asked why she had to go through these trials when she didn't do anything to deserve it. I replied to prove ourselves. That we have to give our all at all times. It's hard because the question comes up "What is our all?" I gave her the example of Sestra B being sick right now, but she's a missionary. Why does she have to be sick when she's here for Him? There is something for us to learn. I referred her to this last conference when Elder Neil L. Andersen gave a talk Trial of Your Faith. It talks a little bit more about why and how we can go through trials. The scripture I thought for this week was D&C 98:12. When we're given a trial, it's the time for us to prove ourselves and show how faithful we are. This last week while Sestra B has had to rest, I had the opportunity to prove myself. I hope the way I used my time calling investigators, members, former investigators, and potentials was a good use of time. Hopefully it will help us be ready the next week when she gets back on her feet and ready to go! So my challenge for all of you is that during whatever trial you are going through right now, pray and ask Heavenly Father what you need to learn. I know I've been learning a lot this week and I will continue to learn as I continue on my mission. I love the trials that come about, because it gives me a chance to prove my faith by doing something. I'm so grateful to be here on a mission. Volim vas!!!

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #57

Anđeli-Angels

At first when I was thinking of this week, I was bummed because I thought that we hadn't reached what I wanted to see by the end of the week. But then as I looked more closely, I saw all the miracles that happened this week. Yes, we didn't reach where I wanted us to be, but we reached where we needed to be to start this next week. It started with a lesson with some Jehovah Witnesses. When Sestra B first told me we had some Jehovah Witnesses investigators. I was super nervous. All of my previous contact with Jehovah Witnesses went from frustrating to them yelling. So I was not too excited. But as we talked with them, they were open and just wanted to understand why we thought the way we do. It was great. We're meeting with them again tonight and I pray that the Spirit will speak to their hearts. Their minds are open, but they need to just open their hearts so the Holy Ghost can guide them to truth. A few other miracles this week was that we found an investigator whom we didn't have their number and she was always gone when we went to her place. We were walking on the street and just happened to meet with her. We then got her number and plan to meet with them this week. Another miracle is that a member's mom who wasn't willing to find truth a few years ago said that she is searching and needs help. She's ready now to learn what we and her daughter believes. Meeting with her tomorrow. These are just a few of the miracles this week. But most of all was that we met with V and her husband N. The lesson was all Spirit driven. Before the lesson, N wouldn't let V get baptized because she has been baptized before. Now she can get baptized. He still thinks that getting baptized, no matter the authority, is not right, but he will support his wife because he loves her. We were talking to her on the phone later and she said that N said we were a blessing to their home. I was so excited. He loves what we bring, but he just doesn't realize what it is that we bring. Helaman 5:36 describes my thoughts for these people perfectly. A Nephite who had once belonged to the church saw the faces of Nephi and Lehi (the missionaries there) through the cloud of darkness and saw their faces shining as angels and saw them seeing their eyes lift to heaven and talking as if they were talking to someone. Many people here are looking at us through clouds of darkness and see us as angels. They don't understand the feelings we bring and what we talk about. But when they understand, they know where to look to. They see the angels in their life and the miracles and how to receive more blessings in their life. It's amazing to me. I can't believe how much more love and desire I can feel for these people. I want the best for them and I can't wait to see what this next week brings. I hope we can reach my desire for them this week, but if not, then I pray I do the Lord's desire for us and them this week. I pray that you will do what the Lord desires for you this week too. Volim vas!

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #56

Jesam li u Americi?-Am I in America?

So I ask if I'm in America because I feel like we're busy enough now that it's like we're missionaries in America (Or at least from my perception). Most of my mission, we go out tracting or stop people on the street at least for an hour each day. The next three days are already booked and we have barely been tracting or contacting people on the street the last two weeks! I'm amazed that I'm in Croatia! I knew that Croatia would one day get to this point when I was in Rijeka and Zadar, but I'm seeing it here and now in Osijek. Wow, what a blessing. I'm just grateful for all the hard work of previous missionaries because I know how hard it must have been and now there are so many people who are willing to listen because they have had some contact with the missionaries or they are willing to just listen. It's been very nice. Yes, we talk to some people who aren't nice, naravno (naturally). But there's a special difference here, and I'm grateful to be here at this time.

One woman in particular, V, has been wanting to get baptized, but her husband doesn't understand authority and thinks since she has been baptized she doesn't need to again. But she feels the difference. The only problem is that she's still smoking. She's tried to stop several times, but it hasn't been sticking. So we'll keep trying and it will be great :) And the elders are teaching a few guys who are so close to. It's exciting!!!

I was reading in Helaman this last week and loved chapter 3 especially verse 25! The thought of being "astonished beyond measure" makes me think of Osijek. Osijek can get to the point of amazing people beyond measure. When missionaries, including myself, are called to this area of the world, people just speak about how hard it will probably be and that you don't see much success. And now I think, "Much success? Compared to whom?" Yes, if we were compared to Brazil, well yeah then it seems like it's small, but I'm so grateful to say I see success everyday. Going to three lessons yesterday and three new investigators coming out of it, to me that's one success. Going to church and seeing 3 less-active and two investigators come to church. That's another success. Going home at the end of the day so tired but so happy. That's success. Now having success beyond measure. That I'm excited to see, and Osijek can do it. Another verse which caught my eye was 35. Fast and pray oft. See the growth in your faith. Feel the purification of the Atonement from the Holy Ghost. And all this can happen as we yield our hearts unto God. I'm sooo sooo soooo grateful to be here, right now, in this time in my life. This mission has truly changed my life and I will always be in debt to my Heavenly Father for blessing me to be in this mission so I can learn who I am, what I'm made of, and see the miracles these people create from their faith every day. For miracles are happening everyday as we have faith. So keep up the faith! Allow God to bless you! For he surely does. I know this. Volim vas! Ćao!

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer,

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće