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