Pozdravljeni!
The Ljubljana branch has around 200 listed members. On
Sunday I think we had about nineteen members on Sunday. At ten o lock, when the
meeting actually started, there were about three. And in a real church it feels
pretty darn empty. So that's tough. But it was really good! I spoke which was
poorly done, and then we taught Sunday school and it went really really well!
Then I was the pianist and translator in primary, so that was fun.
I will take my turn translating sacrament meeting every few
weeks. There are now only two sets of missionaries in Ljubljana, so my turn
will come quick every time.
It is really cold these days. The wind is intense and it is
freezing my brain. I have been having terrible headaches when we are outside in
the wind. Awful! But that's okay!
It's been a great week and I have learned a number of
things! First, you can bloom where you're planted and you can love it. You can
also bloom when you've had yourself ripped out of the soil and put into a new
pot, and you can still love it! Second, the Lord will sustain us and in some of
our toughest times, if we will choose to turn to Him, he will use us as instruments
in his loving hands.
We have been inviting people right and left to come into our
church building and go on a tour of the church with us. We've only had one so
far, but it was incredible and the spirit was so strong. As we stood together
in the chapel and talked about Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us, she
hugged us and said that she was "just so happy!" It was a sweet sweet
thing and I feel so grateful for Jesus Christ. I am grateful for his life which
was an example of pure love and selflessness. I am grateful for his suffering
in the garden and on the cross because he give me healing in my own pain and
suffering. I am grateful for his resurrection and ministry among the Nephites
because it fills me with hope for our future.
So yesterday....we were headed out to visit a couple women
on a list given to us from the Elders Quorum president. These are women who we
have never met before and for whom we did not have phone numbers. They didnt'
live in our area, so we had asked President for permission to visit them. We
got in the car and put the first address in our GPS. It was about a 45 minute
drive. We debated if we should still go because it was so far away. We prayed
about it and both felt that we should go. So we went! We found ourselves in the
cutest little Slovene vas on top of these beautiful snow-covered hills on a
teeny tiny "two lane" road which barely had room for our little car.
We passed 17 Tepe in search for 31 Tepe. Well....after driving away from 17, we
suddenly found ourselves staring at 69! Unsure about how this had happened, but
unsurprised because the numbering system in this country is a disaster, we just
parked our car in the street and started knocking doors for help. Up walks an
adorable Slovene couple, complete with hiking sticks :) They told us that we
should keep going and then we'd hit a really steep down hill, take a sharp left
and we would find it. They themselves lived at 30. 31 was nowhere near their
house...As we drove away, he informed us that the people who live in 31 are
Mormons, "just so ya know." :) It was so funny. Well, after much
searching and more door knocking, we did finally find ourselves outside 31b.
And there was a growling barking dog. Seriously? Well I was not to be stopped
by a dog and luckily I have a dog-LOVING companion, so she distracted him while
I made my way to the door and knocked. We were so excited to meet this woman
who we had been searching for quite a while and was known by the people
roundabouts as "a mormon." So the door opened and I was all ready to
greet her....and out pops the head of our relief society president... huh? :)
Yep. haha.
Turns our we were looking for her daughter who had actually moved
out about five years ago :) So we had kosilo with Dragica and Maja and it was a
wonderful little surprise and blessing! And turned out to be a pretty hilarious
story.
Have a great week! Love you!
Sestra Brown
Waw nice stephanie😎🙌👌💓
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