Week #75

Plitvička Jezora-Plitvice Lakes

So the reason why I'm writing so late is because yesterday we went to the Lakes! And it down poured!!! A lot of us missionaries went "swimming" because of all the rain. It was crazy, but a lot of fun to be together and just get some more energy from the entire group. I don't know how it is in other missions, but sometimes it can be lonely serving with just one or two sets of other missionaries. It's nice to get together sometimes. A fun miracle of the week was I got on the bus on Sunday, and I just barely sat down before someone asked me, "Do you hold Bible discussions?" I said, "Well, yes, they are more personal and we talk about Jesus Christ." She said, "Now I'm interested in that!" We talked for a few minutes and she was really interested. I showed her my Book of Mormon and she got soo excited! I told her we didn't have an extra copy, so we can come by her place. I got her address and she didn't remember her number but we gave her our information and we'll see if we get a Best Two Years miracle and have her call us. If anything, we'll just stop by her place ;) But my favorite miracle of the day I found out about two hours ago. I talked to Sestra Mortensen last week and things were looking really good with Mario, the investigator from Osijek who wanted to follow the commandments so badly. I told her to give me a call as soon as he accepts baptism....well, today she called. AHH!!! He is down to 2 cigarettes, we made a goal with him a month ago to stop smoking this week, and he is definitely focused on it! AHH!!! I can't wait! Pray for him on July 22. So I'll still be in the country when he gets baptized ;)

Another miracle, we have a new building here in Rijeka. It is absolutely gorgeous!!! We had an open house which consisted of about 65 people attending! Then at church we had 21 people in Sunday School class. Last year we were lucky to get 8! And this weekend the Elders have a baptism to this awesome man who has been involved with the Book of Mormon for 10 years! Crazy right? What the miracles!

Sestra Compare and I had an interesting discussion about instruments. For the Lord makes us an instrument in His hands, but sometimes we are used as different tools: hammer, chisel, brush, etc.. The Lord needs everyone of us in different ways, and depending on the situation. So my challenge to everyone is be an instrument that isn't gathering dust! Find an instrument that you are needed for right now and go to work! You'll be great as long as it's what the Lord wants! Sretno! Good luck! Volim vas!

Week #74

Okrijepi-To comfort

This week wasn't as successful as I hoped it would be...but you know what that means? We just have to wait a little bit longer :) For the miracles will come. We were able to contact a less-active member who was baptized right before I got to Rijeka last year, so I knew him and it was good to see him again! But the result of the visit was pretty much he didn't want to talk to missionaries anymore and that he will let us know if he wants contact again. It was really rough and we gave him some options of any sort of contact, but it all comes down to what he chooses. Life is all about free agency which is ALWAYS a blessing. Sometimes it may seem like a curse, but in the long run it's a blessing. I felt like Alma this week in Alma 31:31-35. I'm praying for the Lord to comfort my soul because of the choices of others. I'm praying for the Lord to comfort those who I work with that they may feel strength. For I am weak. I can't without him. Please comfort us in Christ. Help us to help them how to find comfort. Comfort us with enough peace and hope to help others. Okrijepi nas. Comfort us. Sometimes it's scary to start a new day or a new week, but with Christ we can do all things. We just need to do a few things. Pray, read scriptures, rely on the Lord. Easier said than done, but it's not impossible. Have a faith filled week this week and see the hope of tomorrow so you can show your faith and fulfill what you need to do. Volim vas!

 

 

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer, 

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #73

Pozdrav iz mora! Greetings from the sea! The weather has been on and off this past week. We went from beautiful morning to dark rainy afternoons to clear gorgeous sunsets. It was quite lopsided, but I love it :) I'm officially back with Sestra C! We arrived last night together and ready to work hard this week to get things done! I was surprised this past week didn't go as planned. But how come that surprised me? That's missionary life. We pray and plan to be where the Lord wants us to be, but then things happen and we aren't where we planned, but we are where the Lord wants us to be anyways. So this week we worked hard, and I was surprised by the numbers. I don't think I had this low of numbers since Zadar. When I told Sestra C this, she was like, "Well, not everywhere is like Osijek." That hit me, oh yeah, I was very happy with all the success we were having in Osijek. Not as many baptisms that should have happened, but definitely filled with lessons. So now I'm back to starting from ground zero, but the thing is that I can see Rijeka being like Osijek. I see us seeing these people all the time in lessons not just at the doors. I see these people's eyes filled with the light of the Holy Ghost despite the darkness and sadness they have experienced throughout their life. I see them with an eye of faith. I realized this week that this is what my mission has done to me. Seeing everything and everyone with an eye of faith. I always thought that I had faith for people but what I had was hope. I saw where they could be, but I didn't always act that they could reach that point. Having faith for something is acting. Having faith is continually striving to be better. Having faith is loving the Lord and doing exactly what he says. I love how it says in Ether 12:19, their "faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came,...but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad." Having faith keeps us happy. Having faith continually gives us a reason to keep going. Having faith gives us love from everyone and our Lord who loves us more than we can comprehend. Have faith. Volim vas.

Week #72

Nisam očekovala-I didn't expect

This was a week of full of unexpected events. We expected to leave Tuesday to go to Zagreb to meet the new missionaries, but then they were stuck in Seattle!! So we planned to come in Wednesday morning. Well...surprise they were stuck in another place (I still don't know where) but then we were told not to come in until Wednesday night. So we had to figure a lot of last minute plans and to use our time wisely. But it was a nice last few days in Osijek and then we arrived in Rijeka!!! I didn't arrive with Sestra Compare as planned though, she had some things she needed to finish up in Beograd and will be joining me this upcoming Saturday. So who am I with in Rijeka you may be asking? The wonderful Baka Rowe, (Grandma Rowe) this is President Rowe's mother who came on a mission for two years. She's here helping me recontact my old investigators and the members and find some new people who are ready. We take a taxi everywhere and have received 2 numbers, placed 1 Book of Mormon, and made many friends. It's wonderful! It's been interesting to see how many things in Rijeka haven't changed and new developments that have taken place. It just feels so right to be back. I didn't realize how much I have missed Rijeka until I first saw it coming over the hill on the bus. I love living in this beautiful area and being with these beautiful people. We didn't have the success that I thought we were going to have right off the bat, but we are preparing for a shoot off when Sestra Compare gets here. We are just doing what we can do, and I can't wait to fulfill the purposes that I'm meant to do here. I have faith in these people. I have seen the growth in them and in myself. I know that if I push as hard as I can to do what the Lord wants to do that we will succeed together. And because of that fulfillment and our faith, our joy will be full (3 Nephi 17:20). I love that phrase, "Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full." I didn't expect this week to go the way it has, but I have faith to continue on and I know that even though we won't have 200 baptisms during the time I'm here, that I have the faith to fulfill the purposes God has for me here, and the joy will come. The joy is already here for me. I'm blessed to return to this wonderful place. I'm so happy, so jolly ;) Have a wonderful day and feel the joy. Volim vas!