Monday night we got a knock on our door which was weird because no one ever comes to our apartment. We opened the door to find two policeman. It was a little frightening at first but apparently it is normal. I had to go to the police station the next morning to answer questions for my Visa. They basically just wanted to know why I was here and how long I will be here. Nothing too harmful. The good news is it means I will be getting my Visa shortly.
Tuesday night the Elders had something run late so they werent going to be able to make it to English class. They usually teach the beginners class and we teach the advanced. So we had to combine classes and teach both of them. We were a little bit worried because we only found out about 15 minutes before so we didnt have much time to plan for it. And we like teaching advanced because they speak English really well whereas the beginners dont as well. So it made it a little bit more difficult to have to explain English grammar principles in Croatian but we managed to make it through and had a good class.
Wednesday we had district meeting. We usually do it on Tuesdays but the elders were in the middle of switching for an exchange when we would normally have it so we switched to Wednesday. The Elders were on an exchange during district meeting so we had one of the zone leaders at district meeting with us. I hate role playing. Hate it. But it is helpful so we still do it. Anyways not only did they decide to make us role play during district meeting they decided to make us do it with everyone watching and then they critiqued us after. I was not very excited about doing it but it ended up going really well. And after I got more compliments than critiques so it was good. We practiced contacting approaches which was good. I would rather go tracting than contacting. Contacting is just so awkward to me to just talk to random people on the street. But the Elders were able to give us some good contacting approaches and ways to go about it that make it not as awkward and we have been able to use some of their ideas this week and it has been really helpful. We made the cake that you sent for my birthday and took it to district meeting. It turned out really good! Everyone raved how good it was even though it was just a cake mix and store bought frosting. They were just excited to have an American treat. One of the members was at our district meeting and he didnt like it because he said that it was too sweet. And he looked at us like we were crazy when after district meeting we all got forks and just ate the rest of the cake out of the pan. It was really good!
After district meeting we had a lesson with J and E. J came to church that one Sunday and hasnt come since. So we are trying to get her to come again. Her son was at the lesson with us and told us that he really wants to come to church and reminded her on Sunday but she told him that they werent going. So we are hoping that if we can keep working with her and getting her son to want to come that he can help us get her there. We told her son that even if his Mom cant come we would love to have him come with his Grandma. We had a good lesson with them. They both have testimonies and they both know the Gospel really well...maybe even better than some of the members that come to church every Sunday. We think that the biggest reason why she doesnt come is because she feels guilty so we are trying to help her understand that no one is perfect and that it is ok.
After we left their house we decided to try some of our contacting approaches while waiting for the tram. There was a guy that we went up and started talking to. He told us that he wasnt interested and didnt want to talk to us. We then went and started talking to another guy who was again not interested. But as soon as we finished with the second guy the first guy came back up to us and asked us if he could see the book that we were holding. So we gave him a Book of Mormon and told him a little bit about it. He asked us where he could get one and we told him that he could have that one. We asked him if he would like to meet sometime and discuss it some more and he said that he would. He then asked us if we wanted his number so that we could call him to set up an appointment. The tram then came so we got on the tram and so did he. And the entire tram ride he was reading the Book of Mormon! We were really excited about it because when we first talked to him he did not seem interested but then after about 10 minutes he came back up to us and started talking to us. We know that he must have felt the Spirit and that it prompted him to come and talk to us.
Thursday was the fourth of July. It was a day just like any other. We had appointments, etc. We did wear red white and blue and for dinner we got together with the Prestons and the Elders and had a small barbeque to celebrate before English class.
Sister M, Investigator M, Sister Clark
Friday was a good day! We started off having a lesson with one of our members V. She comes to church every Sunday but she has a problem in that she believes everything she hears. Not only does she come to our church but she goes to a hari krišna church as well and believes their teachings. She wont read from the Book of Mormon either because she said that she has read it once and now it is boring. So we like to have contact with her at least once a week and encourage her to read from the Book of Mormon and try to help her understand why she doesnt need other religions in her life. We are still struggling to get her to read the Book of Mormon every day but we have been able to get her to read the Doctrine and Covenants and she is loving that. So its a start. Its better than reading her Hari Krišna books. We had a really good lesson with her on Friday and she told us that she is really trying to change and be better. But she still thinks it is ok to go to hari krišna too. She is a really sweet lady she is just super naive.
Friday night we had a meeting with M. It was a bittersweet meeting. We were hoping to commit him to a baptismal date. He told us that when we started meeting with him he was 100% for the Catholic church. Now he is 50% catholic and 50% Mormon. He has stopped going to the Catholic church he is just having a hard time giving up some of the Catholic traditions. He says he feels like he is turning his back on them. He also told us that he has been feeling a lot of pressure for baptism. We told him that we want to just keep teaching him about the Gospel and we will give it a little bit before we start talking about baptism again. The only problem is he has been jobless for over six months and finally got a job...in Germany...for 2 months...and he left today. At first we were really disappointed but we think it will be good. We gave him the address for the church in Germany and he said that he will go every Sunday (and he is one person that when he says he will do something he will do it). We are also trying to get ahold of missionaries in Germany where he will be to explain his situation and see if they can meet with him while he is there. We are excited for him to be in Germany and see how the church functions there because they actually have wards there rather than branches with only 20 active members. We have his contact info so that we can keep in contact with him while he is gone and he said he will be back the end of August and wants to meet with us still. When we were talking with him he talked about his future in the church and how he sees himself being baptized just not now. So we think these two months will be good and hopefully when he gets back things will pick up again and hopefully at least either me or my companion will still be here in Osijek when he gets back.
After meeting with M we had Aktivnost. We have found that the people that come to Aktivnost like it better when we just play games rather than actually planning something. So we played Mafia (the members LOVE this game! they request it every time- some of them understand it better than others but it is fun), fruit basket but with names of countries rather than fruit, and another game where you make animal noises. It was a lot of fun and pretty funny. They reminded me of games that we would play at home!
Saturday Sister Preston decided that she wanted to do a really good cleaning of the church. So we had some members come and with the 5 of them and us 6 missionaries we were able to do a good deep clean of the church in not very long. They put me in charge of cleaning out and organizing the kitchen cupboards because no one else wanted to do it. Little did they know I love organizing and was totally ok with doing it.
After we had a meeting with one of the members who lives in one of the towns not far from Osijek. Z is one of the members that we went and visited a few weeks ago with the Prestons. She called us Friday night and asked us if we could come and see her on Saturday. So we called the Prestons and they told us they couldnt come with us but we could take their car so we went and visited her. It was a really good visit. She has bad eyesight and is unable to read so we read a chapter from the Book of Mormon with her and then just talked to her. She told us that she is trying to find more peace in her life and she feels peace when we come visit so she wants us to come visit her more often. We found out that there is a bus that goes right by her house so we are going to go try to visit once a week. The Prestons also told her that if she would like they can pick her up and bring her to church each week which she was really excited about. Dad asked about cars and driving...none of the missionaries actually have cars but they sometimes drive the senior couples cars. You have to do a training before you can actually drive which I havent done yet so Im not really sure on your question.
Saturday night we played soccer. Normally I am ok with playing because there are only a few of us and no one cares if you arent good. But Saturday we had a big group come and they were all really competitive. So I chose to sat and watch. It was nice because one of the members didnt want to play either so while they were playing he helped me with Croatian and helped me practice speaking and understanding which was really helpful. Afterwards we went home and were looking through our cupboards to make dinner and realized we had no food. I then remembered that I had macaroni and cheese in my suitcase. So we made a box. And it was delicious. My companion laughed at me when I told her it was my favorite food. So we ate macaroni and cheese in the dark so that we could watch the lightening storm. It was great!
Sunday we had 18 members at church! So we are getting our numbers back up! Our goal is to get to 20...we can do it! We taught Primary which went well. I like teaching Primary and I think it is good for the kids to have things taught to them on their level because I dont think a lot of them get it in their homes. And it is good because the kids like it too so they are excited to come to church each Sunday! After church we went to the Prestons for dinner and then we went out finding for the night. We had a neighborhood that we really wanted to go to but we got lost trying to find it. While looking for it we ran into a lady that started talking to us. She is a native Croatian but has lived in Singapore for more than 30 years and is here visiting. She doesnt remember much Croatian but she knows English. She said that she was born and raised Catholic but doesnt agree with some of their teachings and so she has found a new faith. She told us that she thought she had found the truth and then she met us and now she isnt sure. We talked to her for over an hour and a lot of the things that she disagreed with about the Catholics we could give her answers of what we believe that she agreed with. The sad part is she is going back to Singapore on Friday. We tried to give her a Book of Mormon as well as some of the pamphlets that we have but we only had Croatian ones on us and she said that she doesnt understand Croatian but would like them in English. So we gave her the address of the church and our number and told her that we would love to meet her at the church and can give her them in English so that she can take them with her. She was really excited about it! We never found the neighborhood that we were looking for her but I dont really think that we were supposed to.
Dad asked about how often I get mail that is sent to the mission home. It kind of depends. We get it once a month at zone conferences. This week we got it because zone leader that came here on an exchange had been in Zagreb a few days before and had grabbed it. So it just kind of depends. Whenever there is anyone in Zagreb that comes to Osijek we get it. So not very often. But its ok.
We have gotten things finalized on our apartment and will be moving in this week which will be nice. Im just excited to have it over with. We have spent our exercise this time as well as one day Sister Preston came over for an hour and helped us to clean out things and start packing. Its great fun having to clean up after missionaries that have been living in this apartment for years. We have found some great treasures.
Things are going well. We are working hard every day and trying to find new people to teach. The language is still a work in progress...slowly but surely. I have found that when I am talking to someone and know that they are talking to me and can focus intently on what they are trying to say I can usually figure out what they are saying and then it takes me a few minutes to process a response. However if someone tries to talk to me and I am not aware that they are going to start talking to me I am doomed and do not pick up what they are saying. My grammar and speech is improving and my vocabulary is also increasing. Ive still got a ways to go but it is coming. I am trying to not get frustrated with the fact that it is taking time even though I would like to learn it a lot faster than I am I know I am trying my hardest and doing the best I can and that is all that I can ask for.
We are hoping for another good week this coming week and that we will be able to move upwards and help people learn and grow and progress. I am learning more about the Gospel every day and I am getting better at explaining it in terms that the people can understand and comprehend what I am saying. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be here in Osijek teaching people about the Gospel and I cant wait to see what is in store for the people and the branch here.
I hope that you all have a great week!
Volim vas!
Sestra Clark
Shoutouts!
Emails this week from Grandpa, Jordan, Mom, Dad and I also got a card in the mail from Grandpa
Sretan Rođendan Al and Lisa this week!
Also good job to Zach on stepping it up at Cottonwood. I heard that you did a great job with the drinks and that you saved Cottonwood! (Im putting this here because I dont have his email so make sure he sees this)
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