Week #79

To je to-That's that

This is it. I'm sitting here in the mission office writing my last e-mail. I have been very bipolar yesterday and today. I get really excited about home and then the next second I start crying when I think about leaving these people because of the miracles that have happened. For instance, we were walking on Korzo (the main strip) and I saw a woman who looked familiar. I called out a name to her then she turned around. She was a former English student who I have been praying to find. I hadn't been able to find her number and she wasn't answering her e-mails. So I just assumed she was gone. But then God blessed us to be at the right place at the right time. Miracle number 2, two women who we have been working with, Z and S, who have both said for some reason why they wouldn't get baptized yet, said yes this last week. October 5 is a long ways away, but it's in the Lord's time. It's the time they need. Miracle number 3, a woman who we have been doing service for, met up with us this last week to say good-bye. She was there at the open house and has watched us as missionaries and the members in our branch. A, this woman, lit up as we talked about the open house. She said that she had been thinking about our religion and has been talking to her husband, her family, and her neighbors about us. And I asked her what she thought. "You have something different," she said. I then asked her if she knew anything about the Book of Mormon. A replied, "I know nothing, I'm like in the 1st grade." I explained a bit about it, then asked her if she would like one because I had one especially for her. She got so excited. When I handed her the Book of Mormon, she cradled it in her hands then pressed it to her heart. I've never seen someone care for the Book of Mormon so much. As she opened it and started reading, the Spirit came in so strongly and quickly, it almost knocked me over. We talked a little more and she said that once she got back from holiday (which starts on Wednesday), she is going to come to church and focus on learning about our church. Just now thinking about it, if we had asked her to be baptized she probably would have accepted!! I don't know why we didn't but anyways. She will. Miracle number 4, the member who we found who lives near Pula came to Rijeka and partook of the sacrament for the first time in almost 5 years. Being there with all the missionaries partaking the sacrament with him. It just felt so good. I talked to him last night and he found his old missionary tag and had a new excitement in him when he was talking about his mission. He's back. Miracle number 5 needs a background story. The first couple I met in Rijeka became my brother and sister my first two transfers. We kept a little bit of connection, the little that I could do. Then I returned back, and things had gotten really bad at their place. The husband is Bosnian and has had visa troubles and the wife is working full-time but the pay is not enough to pay for everything. And so many missionaries have come and gone, he didn't want to see me because he would get happy then just get sad when I left again. We went over to their places many times, I wrote many notes, but nothing. Then this last Friday, we were sitting down on Korzo making calls, and I look up, and there he is walking with his wife. I ran up to them. We talked for a few minutes and made plans to play basketball the next day. I couldn't believe it. I thought I would go my whole time in Rijeka and not see him again. The next day, basketball was awesome and fun. Then last night, we went to their place to have brownies and ice cream. It was so good. It still is a dream to me that it actually happened. I don't know how many prayers I have prayed for this couple, my brother and sister. And it finally came true. As we left, Sestra Palmer turned to me and said, "Now that's a way to end a night." And it was. They were the first people I met and the last I visited with. All of this has been happening because of Jesus Christ. The man who believes in 2nd chances, 3rd, 4th,...chances. The man who did everything so we could have this chance. The man who understands us so well and believes in us so he gave us this second chance so we can return to our Heavenly Father and live in happiness forever (Alma 7:11-13). This is it. This is the end. But now the beginning of the rest of my life. And as President told me in my final interview, I'm in no better position right now to begin the rest of my life. Through the habits I have learned and the strength I have gained, there's no way that I can keep Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ out of my life. It's not possible. Their love for me and my love for them will not change or go anywhere. And that love I have for you all will stay forever also. Volim vas. To je to.

Week #78

Nemogu vjeovat'-I can't believe it

This is it. My last week. I can't believe it. Where has the time gone? Where will it go this next week? But something that I do know that it will be filled with miracles because this last week I can't believe. This last week we decided to go to Pula which has the biggest, full coliseum in the world! (Rome is partial) There was a branch there 3 years ago, so we went through the area book to see who we could find. We were able to talk to 7 old investigators who said they would love to visit with us! We also went through our members and one woman said we could meet up who has been in active for at least a few years. Then two nights before we were to be in Pula, Sestra Palmer turned to me and said, "Sestra, there are more people we need to contact." So we went through the area book again, and found a member's old teaching record who wasn't on the membership records. But there was another name on the record in the spot where we write down if there were any members who helped on the lessons. We called the number. He answered. I asked, "Is this Bojan? My name is Sestra Jolley from the Church of Jesus Christ. This might sound weird, but we found your name and number and have no idea why. Can you explain to us why?" He just laughed and said, "I'm a member of your church." We got really excited and what happened was that he lives in Rovinj, about half an hour from Pula, working with tourism and half of the year he's in Rovinj and the other half in Italy, but too far away from church to make it on Sundays. He continues on with his story that he was baptized 11 years ago, he went on a mission to Virginia, came back became the branch president in Rijeka. Then he had to move to Zagreb, then left Zagreb for the job he has now. He hasn't really heard from the church for 5 years except an e-mail invitation two years ago. He just felt forgotten from the Church. But then we were able to see him in Pula a few days later. While we met with him, we barely brought about his own conversion and that he knows he needs to do better. I asked the question, "So what are you going to do?" And he answered in reply like a little kid who knows he did something wrong, "I know. I know. Yes, I will!" I hadn't even asked him to do anything! We had a great chit chat with him, then later that night we sent a text and he replied, "It was really pleasure to meeting you and really a blessing to re-connect with the Church. I am grateful to have this opportunity that Heavenly Father showed me through you that He thinks of me even when I ignore him for so long time!" I can't believe it! I also can't believe from our trip to Pula we talked to three people who want to keep in contact with us over the phone. So we received three new investigators! I can't believe it!

This week, we also did a creative inviting idea that Sestra Lethco and I came up with last summer, but never got around to it. This last week Ann Madsen who was the American mother of Krešimir Čosić and who serves on the General Sunday School Board came to ex-Yugoslavia to talk to everyone about the new curriculum. To advertise we past around water bottles with the message "Are you thirsty?" John 4:14 and an advertisement to come and never be thirsty again. I have never had so much fun with a finding idea. It was so much fun handing out water bottles and asking if they are thirsty then following up that through Jesus Christ they'll never be thirsty again. And the result, about 20 members came and 3 people who we invited on the street. One took a Book of Mormon and said she would come to church. She didn't come to church, but who knows? Maybe she will this week. I can't believe how much fun we had and the result of it.

Another can't believe is that we met some 7th Day Adventists (that's not the can't believe part). But as we talked, we invited them to church and they said they'll come if we come to theirs. So we surprised them by going on Saturday. One of the ladies said that she wasn't sure if we were coming. Surprise! But then after the service, one other member of the congregation invited us over for lunch. It was a nice surprise. Her and her family actually lived in California during the war, so some spoke English (but since some didn't speak English so we spoke only in Croatian which I can handle now, poor Sestra Palmer). It was so nice of this woman to invite us to her home and we were able to have "Sunday" dinner with them on Saturday. While she was driving us back, she said that while growing up if there were guests at church, her mom would invite them over to eat lunch. Sometimes they would come, sometimes not. But that's how she is too. Sestra Palmer and I talked about it later that we were both a little nervous that they invited us over to have a bash session on which day the Sabbath is, but that never happened. We shared some of our beliefs, they shared some of theirs, we gave them a pamphlet, they gave us lunch. It was just a really nice hour. Then the next day at church, the woman who invited us to church at the beginning followed through with her deal and came to church. She said she liked it, and we invited her to learn more. She agreed. I can't believe it. 

PS the Elders have two baptismal dates from these boys who are 11 and 13. Our own little deacons quorum starting up!

PSS Z said she wanted to get baptized, but that she was scared and wouldn't set a date.

These are just a few of the things that happened this week that I can't believe. But as I was reading in General Conference this last April Elder Holland's talk "Lord, I Believe" reminds me of my own faith. I feel like the man in Mark 9:24. Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief. I believe miracles can happen here in Rijeka, but Lord help my lack of vision. Help me see what you see. I believe and try so hard, but give me the strength to do thy will. Now as I go into my last week, I believe I can go home with no regrets and talk to each person I need to. But Lord, help me with my unbelief. Show me the miracles that I can't see. Push me until I see. Keep following the promptings the Lord has given you so you can see the miracles he has planned for all of you. Samo još tjedan dana. Only more one week. Volim vas! 

 

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer, 

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #77

Prsti-Fingers and Toes

This week's title has to do with the numbers of fingers and toes. This week we had more new investigators than the 6 weeks before that combined!!! It was so great! Yes, I can count on one hand how many investigators that is, but it's still more! One new investigator we met one month ago, and she didn't seem too interested, but accepted a Book of Mormon and gave us her number. We finally were able to meet up with her and she just opened up about how she's been looking for what God wants her to do more. She wants to follow Jesus Christ, but so many people around her don't know who He is. But a few days after she met us, she felt peace and knew we knew who Jesus Christ is. She started reading the Book of Mormon and is in 1 Nephi 18! She absolutely loves it! She feels like a child could understand it, and she applies it to her life now. For instance, she spoke of Lehi ("the one man who took his family into the wilderness"). She understood how that felt because of raising her family sometimes life brings them into situations that she doesn't know what to expect. But she keeps going with faith anyways. As Z was baring her testimony of the Book of Mormon, you could just feel her know the truthfulness of it and how much God has sent this as scripture and not just as another good book. It was so good to hear and feel! At the end of our lesson, I asked her to think about for next time, "Why do we have the Book of Mormon and the Bible?" We'll see what she thinks when we get to it next time. 

This last week I had my last zone conference. It was a little unreal. I felt like my normal self until it came time for the testimony meeting. Usually the leaving missionaries stand up and bare their testimony. I felt the Spirit prompting me to bare my testimony, but my fear overcame me. I thought, "What is this? Fear? This is not me. This is not the missionary who I am. I bare my testimony all day every day, why is this time so difficult?" As I was sorting out my concern, I realized that I didn't want it to be my last not because I didn't want to go home, or because I love Croatia so much (which I do love home and Croatia), but I was afraid to go home. I was afraid to go to a new life. I was afraid that I wasn't going to find my purpose as a returned missionary which purpose I came to know and love as a missionary. Then I realized that this is must be how it feels like to those who I have seen be baptized. It's scary because it's a new life. There is no way I can go back to the person who I used to be. And scared that I will go back to the person who I was which was not a bad person, but not the person who I need to be now. My fear overcame my faith, but as I realized my fear, I took a deep breath and had my faith overcome my fear. There are still times now that I feel that fear, but I'm trying to do like Alma in Alma 17:11. I'm trying to show these people to be a good example. I want to show them that our fear CANNOT overcome our faith. So these last 15 days, I will act on faith over my fears. I love you all and I hope that you'll overcome your fears. Volim vas!

 

 

S vjećnom ljubavlju,
Vaša kćer, 

Sestra Kristine Jolley
Uvijek Sljedići Braće

Week #76

Ljubav-Love

I absolutely love this town. I love waking up in the morning, getting on my knees, asking for the Lord to bless these people who I love. I love studying the scriptures for an hour, discuss with my companion how we can learn and grow and help those people come closer to God's love. I love going out with the energy, hope, and faith to find people who are ready to learn more. I love walking along the sea with the breeze constantly pushing us as if it knows that there are people ready and supporting us to keep moving. I love coming home, feeling entirely exhausted, praying and accounting for our day's work, and praying that tomorrow we can be better than we were the day before. I love sitting on our balcony, overlooking my beautiful Rijeka, seeing where we have traveled, remember the people we have met, the people who have influenced me for good. I love my dear companion Sestra Compare who sadly was mid-transfer transferred to Banja Luka :(, but I love my new companion Sestra Palmer who is starting to love Rijeka as much as I do. I love that she's been out for only 5 weeks and has already learned so much of what it means to be a missionary. I love how already our brainwaves work together and while we were making goals, the goals lined up so perfectly. I love how excited I am for how much potential my last month has. I love being a missionary. As I was studying about love this past week I realized in Moroni 7:40-48 it gives the steps of how to attain faith, but it all starts with a prayer that I could be filled with love. It hit me this week and I experienced this week that love isn't about what you receive. It's all about giving. If I expect something in return, then that isn't true love. I'm willing to go out tracting for three hours because I love the people, and I love the gospel, but I don't expect baptisms in return. Yes, I have faith that it could, but that's not what matters. What matters is that I'm giving my all for them, so they can have just a chance to be happy. It's not a waste if something doesn't happen. It's all because I love them. I hate the fact that I can count on one hand how many weeks I have left, but only because I love you and I love them. Have a great week full of love! Volim vas.