Anyway...on to last week! It was a great week! Monday night we had YSA FHE. We did it at one of the members and another one of the members gave the lesson. She talked about how we all have potential to become something great and worthwhile but it doesnt happen without effort. She shared the story that was shared in the General Relief Society Meeting about the Provo Tabernacle which is now being turned into a temple. As she was talking about it it got me thinking about the temple and how much I missed it. But then I looked around the room at the members. 2 of them have been to the temple, only one is endowed. The nearest temple from them is hours away. They dont know if or when they will be able to go to it again. And then I thought, I can do this for this short time because I know that when I go home there will be multiple temples within a short drive and these members will probably never know what that is like.
Tuesday...we finally got our transfer call. And as you already know I am in Osijek for another transfer with Sister Frampton. And we dont have another set of missionaries yet. I have mixed emotions on it. Part of me was ready for a change and the other part of me wanted to stay here to be able to see some of the results from the efforts. I know this is where I need to be for another transfer and I know that it will be a good transfer! We sat down Tuesday and made some good goals individually and as a companionship for the transfer. We decided that the reason that they waited until Tuesday to call is because by Tuesday we were ok with staying together in Osijek. If they would have called us on Friday and told us we were both staying we might have been a bit upset because at that point we were both ready for a change. But now we are ok with it!
Tuesday we also had District Meeting which went well...I was hoping that someone else would come and be in charge so I didnt have to run those anymore but I guess I get to do it for another transfer. We also had English class Tuesday night which was good.
Wednesday...Sister Preston suggested to us that we go tract the Elders old apartment because missionaries havent lived there for 4 months now and it was Elders not Sisters. So we went for it. We found one man that was really close to letting us in but then told us it would be better if we came back another time. We have gone back a few more times but he hasnt been home. But we arent giving up on him! We then went to another building and a super nice old lady let us in...we get old ladies that let us in quite often. They are super nice and will usually listen to our message but say they are old and dont need to change. This lady invited us over for Christmas...dont know if we will take her up on that but she was very nice. We went down one floor and a man answered the door. He invited us in but he was home alone so we told him we couldnt come in. So he came into the hall and we talked to him briefly about the Book of Mormon. He gave us his phone number...and had us call his phone right then so that we know it was right...and told us to call him and we could set up a time to come back when his wife was home!
We did Family History which went well. It is starting to become sort of repetitive. We have gotten to the point where we have entered all of the information in so now we are just trying to help them look for information on their family. It is kind of hard and we arent having much luck because of the limited information that we have. But one of these days we will find something and it will be worth it. After, we were in an area where a member lives that we have tried to visit multiple times but they will never answer the door. We decided to go and her husband answered the door! He was so nice and we talked to him for a good 5 to 10 minutes. We told him that we just want them to know that we are thinking about them and care about them. His wife wasnt home but he told us that he will talk to her and that we can come back in a couple of days. We also went to a girls house named V. We had met her a few nights before and she was heading out the door but told us to come back. So we did and we talked to her about the Restoration. She said she isnt interested in changing but just was curious...but I think that she felt something and that there is potential for her.
Thursday morning we did weekly planning and then we went to L's...she is a member. We had a really good lesson with her. She teaches Sunday School and the week before had taught about the Sacrament but we were teaching primary so werent there. So we talked to her about that and how the reason that we go to church is to take the Sacrament and how important it is for us to go every week. We talked about that we go to church for ourselves and we decide if we are going to feel of the Spirit or not. She brought up some concerns and we were able to answer them perfectly in a way that didnt offend her but we said it how it is. It ended up being a really great lesson!
We then went and met the Prestons and ate for Elder Prestons birthday and then we went to the church and met with A. She was speaking in church on Sunday and wanted some help with her talk. So we gave her some resources to use and let her write it. She was so cute...she would think of a sentence and then say it out loud and ask us how it was. We would say that is great and then she would write it down. And then she wanted to practice. So we went in the chapel and she practiced sitting down and walking up to the pulpit and giving her talk. Anna really is the future of the church here. As we were meeting with her on Thursday I kept thinking of her as a missionary a few years down the road. She has a testimony and she is reading the Book of Mormon every day as a 12 year old. If she can continue on this path she is going to do great things in her life. She is going to be the turning point for her family and for so many other people and I am so lucky that I get to share a small part in her learning experience.
Friday...sometimes as a missionary I feel like a detective. We have so many members that we have absolutely no information about them so when we are home at nights I have been reading through all of their information trying to find any clues as to where they could be. And then when we find information we have to find ways to get into the building that they live in and such. Anyway...I was reading through one of the members information and found the name of a former investigator and an address. So we decided to go check it out. We went out there and she wasnt home but we walked down a few doors and I had a feeling to knock on the door. So we did. A man answered named Robert. He was so nice and we gave a brief introduction of the Restoration and he gave us his information and told us to come back to talk more about it!
We then went to an elementary school. For awhile we have wanted to start a childs english class because we have had a lot of people express interest in it. Our other English classes have been going so well that we decided to try it. There is an elementary school right by our house so we decided to run there and just see if they would let their students know about it. We talked to the principal who took us all over the school looking for the English teacher who wasnt there. So we set up an appointment with them to go back this morning. We went this morning and had a meeting with the Principal and English teachers and kind of told them what it was that we were doing and showed them our program. They were so nice and told us they would tell their students about it! The Principal even asked if she could come! It definitely ended up being a good thing and was kind of fun to see into what the schools are like here.
After we went to the special needs place for a few minutes. We had seen some of the people on the streets and they kept asking us when we were going to come back. So we decided we had to. We only stayed for about fifteen minutes and just said hi to everyone. And then we went to E and J's. We have had a hard time getting in to visit them because E has been sick. But they finally were able to schedule with us and we had a great meeting with them. D came out and talked to us and was singing us the songs that he is learning in school to learn English! I had never heard any of them before but it was really cute! It is so hard with them because they let us come and we always have really good lessons with them but then they dont come to church. But we will keep trying. They live right by B and E so after we decided to go see if they were home. We have been trying to go for a long time but they are never home when we go. He is the one that read the Book of Mormon in 2 weeks. We went and they were finally home! They were so nice and let us in and we had a good discussion with them but they just arent interested in learning about the church. It makes me so sad because he has read the Book of Mormon all the way through but he just doesnt see a need for him to make a change in his life. We then had Aktivnost and we played charades which ended up being a lot of fun and we had a really good turnout!
Saturday...The Prestons wanted to go out to a village to find an inactive member and asked us if we would go with them. We didnt realize until we were heading there that they really meant find him. They didnt have an address they just knew the village. So their goal was to go out there and ask people and find him. Well, yes it was a village but it was still pretty big. We went to several different places and asked people but no one seemed to know who he was. So we had no luck. After we went with them to M's parents. M is in Germany but Sister Preston wanted to make him a family history book for Christmas. So she wanted to go out there to schedule a time with his parents that we could come back and ask them some questions about their family history so that she can do that for them. They were so happy to see us and were so nice to us as usual. They are such a great family! And I think as soon as M finally makes the decision for baptism his family will follow suit! We just need to get him there...as soon as he gets back from Germany!
When we got back to Osijek we did some tracting and then we had an appointment with F. We had arranged for M to be there for a member present lesson. But F never showed up. But we made the best of the situation and just decided to have a lesson with M which turned out to be really good! We read scriptures with him...I had just read Alma 17 a few days earlier and had liked it so I shared what I had learned with him from that. We talked to him about his baptism and what first got him interested in the church and how he felt. We really got him to open up to us and it ended up being great!
Then we went and had a lesson with N and V. They were both awake this time! We read with them from the Book of Mormon and left a copy of one of the conference talks for them to read. V came to church on Sunday...but N didnt. He says that he wants to be baptized he just needs to do it slowly...but he isnt doing anything to show that he wants it.
Sunday...was a good day! A spoke in Sacrament meeting and did a great job! She talked about Faith! The rest of church went great as well. Through my detective work I was able to find a possible address for a member that we havent been in contact with or had any way to get in contact with her. So we went out to find her. The paper I found said that she lived in one of two buildings. We didnt recognize any of the last names so we just decided to tract both buildings. The first building everyone was completely rude...part of me thinks that she actually lives in that building. Because people are always rude but they were extremely rude in this building. So we went to the next building. The second door we knocked on a man answered and invited us in. We asked him if anyone else was home because we werent allowed to be alone with males...he responded just an old Grandma...we'll take it! So we went in! They were so nice! It is just the two of them there. She has had a stroke in the past so he takes care of her. We had a great first lesson with them and committed them to read the Book of Mormon and we are going to go back this week to meet with them again! We never found the member we were looking for but I know we were supposed to go to these buildings for a reason!
We then met the Prestons and went to D's to sing with him and then went to D's and talked with her. She is sick...still or again? not sure which. She says she feels great spiritually but not physically. We are just trying to get her to come to church. She says that she will come when she feels better but she has been sick since I have been in Osijek. But one of these days she will realize that church is important and that she needs to come!
Anyway...it has been a good busy week. We had several great first lessons and a lot of return appointments that are going to go just as great this week! I am excited for another transfer here in Osijek and know that I will be able to see more people make changes in their lives as they come closer to the Savior through the Spirit and through the blessings of the Atonement. I love this Gospel and I love how much I am learning about it every day as I get to share it with others. Remember that I love you all! Have a great week!
Sestra Clark
Shoutouts!
Thanks for the emails from Jord, Dad, Lex, Grandpa, Mom, Carrie
Sretan Rođendan Valori and Zach!
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