Week #71

Vratim se domu!-I'm returning home!

 

No this is not announcing that I'll be returning back to my American home. For my last transfer, I'll be returning back to Rijeka!!! I'm going back to my first Croatian home! I'm sooo excited! I'll be the first sister there since I've been there last year. I'm so blessed. And another surprise is that I won't be training! I'll be with Sestra Compare. I'm very excited to be back with her especially since it will be my last transfer, and we'll just push each other beyond measure! I was surprised to not train, but the Lord wanted us to be together in Rijeka, so here come the baptisms! An even bigger surprise is that Sestra Mortensen is training and so are everyone of the sisters in her MTC group! If you didn't understand that let me explain. Every sister that came to this mission 2 months ago is training starting this Wednesday. Crazy huh? But they are so ready and prepared. They feel nervous, but I know each of them will do a fantastic job :)

 

Sad news of the week: D doesn't want to be baptized until October. She wants to wait for her friend to baptize her and he can't come out until October. But she's still the cutest little thing ever and I'm excited for whenever she does get baptized.

 

Miracle of the week: During companionship study, Sestra Mortensen read, "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Packer, the part where he speaks of his experience as a mission president and his elders set him up to speak at a college. Well, there are many colleges in Osijek and we live less than a block from a Theological college. Our plans were switched around a bit and we found ourselves with some extra time, so we decided to talk to the college if they even had forums or lectures which our mission president could speak with them. We started talking to some college students about who we would talk to and then 10 minutes later we are talking to one of the head directors. He said he loved the idea, but one more person needed to ok it and he was in America for a week. I won't be here to talk with this man (we found out later is the president of the college), but Sestra Mortensen and her greenie will do great! The forum will be super fantastic! But this wasn't the miracle. After speaking with this head director about our idea, he said, "I actually have been looking for Mormons for quite some time. I have a question. I was reading in the Bible and it suggests that Paul did baptisms for the dead. Do you believe in that?" We both looked at each other not expecting this to happen at all, then replied, "Yes. We do." Then continued on speaking about the Spirit World. This man has been in pain for about 15-20 years because his father died an atheist, and he believes his father and grandfather are burning in hell. He even admitted himself that this fact pains him and he can't see a loving Heavenly Father just allowing them to suffer with no hope to happiness just because they didn't know. After we spoke about the Spirit World he said he would like to talk more the next time we come back. He is so ready to find peace! I'm excited to hear how it all goes. And I'm excited to see how ready Rijeka is now. There were soooo many people who were so close to being baptized, was a year enough time for them? I am sure counting on it! I'm praying as I serve my last transfer that I'll be able to serve as it talks in Mosiah 2:21. I'll live and move and do according to his will because I want to serve with all my soul and not become an unprofitable servant. For I'm not serving a mission to gain for my own soul, but for the souls of others. Bring it on! Volim vas!