Monday...Monday night we went and checked up on some potentials. Actually first, we had received a referral from church headquarters so we went to find her. We went to the address we were given but apparently it was her cousins house and not hers. We talked to her cousin briefly and she told us if we came back on Wednesday that she would be there. We then had a few potentials that we checked up on. The first one her gate was locked and we couldnt get into her yard. The second one was home and let us in but when we got inside he started telling us all of the things that he had looked up online and how awful it all was. We were very nice and corrected the things that he said but he still unfortunately wouldnt listen to us. We then went to the P's and did a family home evening with them. We all shared our favorite scriptures and talked about the importance of daily scripture study...individual and family. In case you were wondering my current favorite scripture (it changes daily) is Mosiah 2:41"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." I love the phrase "a state of never-ending happiness". Not only can we have happiness in this life but we can have never-ending happiness if we keep ALL the commandments of God.
Tuesday...Tuesday morning we decided it had been a long time since we had met with Z and for some reason we had a feeling that we should meet with him. So we met him and we wont be doing it again. He has no desire to learn at this point...unfortunately. We then had District Meeting and failed to be informed again that we were combining it with Branch Council again...gotta love the miscommunication. Then we went to Z's house to see her and her family because they left this week to go to India for two months. We had a good lesson with Z and her whole family was there too so it was good. Then S had invited us over to her house because it was her son L (non member) birthday. We had cake and talked with her and her family and then we shared a message at the end.
Wednesday...we started off the morning checking on some former investigators over in Centar and then we had a meeting with the missionaries as well as some members to discuss less active members and get information about them and how we can best try to rescue them. It was kind of a chaotic meeting but ended up being good and we have some inactive members that we are in charge of trying to get in contact with over the next couple weeks. I am really excited about it because working with less actives has been one of my favorite things so far on my mission. We had English which was good and then we went back to get in contact with the referral that we went to find on Monday. She was there and we were able to talk to A and her cousin. They were both super nice and said we are more than willing to stay in contact with them but they arent interested in learning about the church. But we will keep them in our prayers!
Thursday...we met with L in the morning. It was an interesting lesson. She was talking to us about some things that are troubling her in her life right now and we showed her a Mormon message. She was just in a really weird mood. We did weekly planning and then we went and had a lesson with S. It ended up being a really good lesson. Last time we met with him we talked to him about faith and what faith was. So today we talked to him about acting on that faith so that it can grow.
Friday...we met with A in the morning. We discussed the chapters that he had read in D&C. Then we talked to him about the importance of gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. We told him how he can know it is true but it isnt until you have a testimony of it, until you have a spiritual witness, that you will have the desire to act on it. We had a meeting on Friday with a man named B. We met him by the coast about a week ago and have had a hard time getting in contact with him. We shared with him the first lesson and told him that we know that our church is the only true church on the earth. He asked us how we knew that and what made us different than other churches because if you ask anyone they say their church is true. We told him we knew because we prayed about it and we found out for ourselves that it was true and that its not because someone else told us that we should believe in it. He was really taken back by that. He had started reading the Book of Mormon and said he will continue to do so.
We then went to a potential we had, E. She is actually the sister of an investigator in Osijek, D. We have been trying to go see her since I got here but she has never been home. She was finally home and let us in! We got to know her and then we talked to her about the Book of Mormon and what our purpose is as missionaries and asked her if she would be interested in us coming back and teaching her about our church. She asked us a lot of questions and told us that she would be interested in learning...we have an appointment to go back on Tuesday!
Saturday morning we had a lesson with G Ćosić who is the Sister of Krešimir. He was the only member in his family. She has gone in spurts of meeting with missionaries and not. But she is so nice! We had a good visit with her and we talked about Gods love for us and read some scriptures. We then spent the morning trying to find some less actives. One of them we found her house and talked to her husband but she wasnt home. The other one we tried all 3 addresses we had. 2 of them she didnt live at and the other one was her parents...but they were not about to give us any of her information...unfortunately.
We then had a lesson with L. It turned out to be a really good lesson. We were talking to her about forgiveness because she said that she has had a hard time forgiving people in the past. We talked to her about how Christ is the only one that can judge and that it is required of us to forgive all men. We talked to her about the Atonement and how through repentance our sins are remembered no more and that is how we should be towards others. Sister Maxwell shared with her her conversion story (she is a convert to the church) and it was so powerful. The spirit was so strong and L was in tears. At the end, we were sitting in the church and there is a big picture of Christ being baptized hanging on the wall. Sister Maxwell directed her to the picture and we talked about how Christ was perfect and he was baptized to show an example for us. We then gave her the baptismal commitment...there was a long pause...and then a no...heart sink! It was kind of disappointing because the spirit was so strong but after we discussed why and now know some of her concerns and what we need to teach her next. After L we had English. For the spiritual though I played a hymn and everyone sang...they loved it.
Z had asked us to feed her cats because her Dad wouldnt be here until Sunday to take care of them. So we quickly ran there to feed her cats...it was pitch black and we got there and the gate was locked. We had no other choice so we jumped the gate...in our skirts...and fed the cats. I dont even like cats.
Sunday we had church which was good. L and Z came and loved primary again! After church we went out to Z's to feed her cats again but her Dad had gotten there so we didnt have to...we also realized the gate had a latch on it to open it that we hadnt seen the night before since it was dark...so we didnt need to jump it after all. But we decided since we were halfway there we would go see A, a member so we walked out and visited her. We havent been able to get in contact with her for a few weeks so it was good. We had a good lesson with her and talked about enduring to the end and the importance of coming to church each Sunday. After A we took the long trek back (Im not kidding, we walked over 10 miles on Sunday...my legs were exhausted by the time we got home) and contacted along the way and then went to D and L's. We had a good lesson with them discussing the Book of Mormon.
This week for language study we have been doing language study together. We have been going through the grammar book that I got in the MTC and I am teaching Sister Maxwell exactly how they taught us in the MTC. It seems to be helping things to start clicking a little bit better. Im glad that I had the MTC time to help to actually learn how to speak rather than just being thrown into the country with nothing at all. But...this seems to be helping!
This week during comp study one day we had a deep conversation of why it is so hard here. The church is so small and is growing so slowly...and sometimes it is frustrating. People barely let us say a word before they close the door on us. So we were talking about things to say when we are talking to people that lets them know of the importance of the messages that we have for them. We thought about things such as we have your salvation in our hands, listen to us or you will be damned, and other things like that but decided that was a little too harsh and probably wouldnt go over very well. So I have been thinking about it a lot and the thought came to my head to start by asking a question...which I do quite often on doorsteps. So I was thinking about good questions that I could ask that would get them thinking and help them to realize how important our message is. I thought of the question how do you know that God loves you? I started thinking about that question and applied it to my own life. I thought of the answers such as I have a family and friends, I have food, shelter, etc., I am able to go to school, I am here right now in Croatia. And then I thought those are all great answers but there is so much more. So I started to think about the most important reason that I know He loves me. And that is exactly what I am here teaching others. The plan that He has for me and the things that he has given me to live that plan...the gospel, the Holy Ghost. He wants us to return to live with him...what greater way is there to show His love for us than that. And He has given us the way that we can do that...he has given us everything that we need, we just need to realize it and accept it. He loves us and He wants nothing more than for us to feel that love that He has for us.
I hope that you all have a great week! I love you lots and keep you in my prayers every night!
Volim vas!
Sestra Clark
Shoutouts!
Emails...Mom, Dad, Carrie, Lex, Grandpa, Chris, Tyson
Sretan Rođendan Jordan!
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