Bloom where you're planted - even when you are replanted - Ljubljana

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

Captured by a Kurent in Ptuj

We went to Pust at Ptuj which is basically a huge celebration to chase away winter. There is a large group of Slovenes in Cleveland actually and they celebrated Pust there this year. We all went as a Slovenian zone for P Day to Ptuj to celebrate and that was really fun.

At PUST, these creatures, called Kurents, dance
 around to chase away winter. 
We need some in Spokane.

Well, the dreaded transfers have come and gone and I have left my beloved Maribor for Ljubljana to be with Sister Jennings. I am sad. I would be lying if I didn't acknowledge that. I think I'm a little heartbroken, in fact. I love the people of Maribor. 

But I have faith that the Lord wants me and needs me somewhere else right now and that He will take care of those people who I love in Maribor. Elder Jensen got to go to Maribor and I have great faith and trust that he will take care of the people who I love there. 

Not a lot of time, but I would just like to say that I believe in Jesus Christ and that I have felt him lifting and supporting me this last week. I have received strength beyond me own to bear up under the burdens I have felt. I know that He will do that for each of us who will sincerely turn to Him and ask. I am grateful for the peace that comes from living like Christ lived. We need peace and He will give it. I love you! 

Keep your chin up and find the joy in the life you're living right now. Someone said at church yesterday that problems are good things because they help us grow. I can't say I'm always grateful for trials in the moment they are happening, but I can say that when I have looked forward with faith through the storms of trial and turned to the Lord, relying on His strength, He has made me stronger and built me up. 

Sestra Stephanie Brown

Pozdravljeni!

Pozdravljeni!

This week has been great. We've seen miracles all around us and we've seen the Lord guiding our footsteps to be where we need to be at the time we need to be there.

The other day we were knocking on doors and asking if we could sing a song about Jesus Christ for people. We were planning to stop by the train station afterwards to buy train tickets we needed for a trip to Ljubljana the next day. 

While we had planned that morning, I had had a very specific thought that we should walk a certain path which we don't normally walk. Well, after leaving the area we were working, we headed toward the train station along this specific path.

Lo and behold, we ran into our friend in a completely different area of town than we had last found him. He told us that he had had a great experience at church the week before. He told us that he had felt something really special with the members in Maribor. He told us that he was searching for a good change in his life. He asked us why there were so many churches on the earth if God is only one. Wow. Does he sound prepared and sincere or what? So that was a neat miracle!

We had an early train to catch Sunday morning and we planned to leave our apartment by 6:30 in order to get there. Well, I set the alarm for 5:30...or so I thought. After laying in bed for a long time, I decided to get up and check what time it was because it seemed like the alarm should have already rung. Well, I walked into the kitchen to see that it was in fact 6:20! Incredibly, ten minutes later we found ourselves walking out the door, fully clothed and teeth brushed. No, I never did imagine that on my mission I would find myself doing my hair and makeup in a train station bathroom at 6:40 in the morning, but I guess it happens :) Have a great week! Choose to be happy and shine with love for God. He loves you and he wants you to know that. And I love you too!

Love, Sestra Brown

Miracles in Maribor again!

Miracles in Maribor again!

Lots of good things happened this week, but it all climaxed on Sunday.

Let me back up a few weeks. This all begins with Elder Draxler. he and his wife were living here in Maribor when I first moved here. Elder Draxler always encouraged me to avoid filling up the gas tank at a specific gas station because it was owned by the governent. So in honor with his wishes, I started a habit of using a particular gas station just outside of town. It was perfectly on my way every time I came home from Ljubljana or Zagreb. 

Over the last month, Sister Squires and I have made friends with a man who works in the gas station. It all began with a friendly hello and keeping our hair off our shoulders so he could see our nametags :) We told him who we were and invited him to come to sacrament meeting. After four or five exchanges like this over the period of 7 weeks, we saw a miracle in him walking into the chapel EARLY Sunday morning to join us for sacrament meeting and our 2nd hour. I think that he loved it and he loved what he felt while he was there.

I love the opportunity to take the sacrament and the strength that Jesus Christ can offer us as we humbly desire to change. I feel lighter and more full of love when I take the sacrament with a sincere desire to become more like my Savior and to live a little more like He lives.

Have a great week! Spread a little cheer and give someone a hug from Sister Brown who is far away in Slovenija.

Ping Pong, Parents, and Pho.

Ping Pong, Parents, and Pho.

Parents. I spent half my week in Ljubljana with my "mission mom" or my trainer, Sister Kanell and it was so good! Serving with Sister Kanell is definitely a highlight of my mission. I don't think I appreciated her while we were companions as much as I realize now that I should have. Shout out to a stellar missionary who the ANM will definitely miss when she heads home next month. We had a great exchange and she sent me home to Maribor with a little more energy and excitement to go at it and do the Lord's work.

Ping Pong. We had a wonderful branch activity this weekend where Sister Squires demolished the ping pong tournament. She even gave President Fidler a little taste of humility :) We had a blast and it was the most successful and enjoyable branch event I've yet seen out here. It is always good to bring people together and to have fun!

Sometimes we get so weighed down the heaviness of the things ahead of us that we don't smile and enjoy our lives. "men are that they might have joy." Our Father in Heaven is loving and He wants us to have joy.

It doesn't mean that circumstances will be easy, but we always have a choice to smile. I mean to be light hearted because I know that people experience very very trying and difficult things which I can't even begin to imagine, but I do think that God will help us to be happy even through the hard times if we will turn to and trust in him. He will strengthen us to be able to bear up our burdens and smile.

Pho. There is this great vietnamese restaurant. To be honest, I didn't eat Pho there. I can't actually even remember is Pho is Vietnamese or not, I just needed something that started with a P for the headline of the email. I digress. The food is really great there. As we were walking past the restaurant the other night, I looked through the window to see a man and a woman doing dishes. They looked like they were closing up. I had the thought that maybe we ought to go inside and my immediate reaction was to reject the idea. They look busy and I don't want to interrupt. They're anxious to get home. We're anxious to get home. It's late. Etc. Well, I mentioned it to Sister Squires and we headed in. We were able to meet with this couple later in the week and share with them about God's loving plan for us and the restoration of his gospel and authority to the earth. They werew so thrilled as we gave them each a copy of the Book of Mormon in their native language - Vietnamese and Slovene. I know the Lord will lead us as we desire to listen and have courage to act. I have seen my life changed and blessed and lightened as I study the word of God contained in the Book of Mormon and I really believe that God loves us and leads us through a living prophet, Russel Nelson.

I believe in Jesus Christ

My favorite moment of this week happened Tuesday evening. There is a friend here who graduated from music school and is a very talented pianist. I've lived in Maribor for three months and had never heard him play, but on Tuesday he had been researching his family history with Sister Crnich and afterwards he sat down at the piano and began to play. It was so beautiful. The music was incredible, but even more beautiful was to see him have the courage to do something he loved despite the fear which he felt. He faced his fear and overcame it and it brought light into the lives of those who were blessed to be there.

Sometimes our fears hold us back and keep us from reaching the limitless potential which resides in us as children of God, particularly in those who have made powerful covenants with God.

I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that he has the power and ability to lift us and strengthen us and change us. I have felt his strength buoy me up this week at times when I couldn't find any strength within myself. I have felt him take the burdens from my soul and bring me peace. I testify that He lives. I testify that He knows us each as the individuals who we are and this enables him to lift us in the individual way that we need.

Have a great week! 

Give an extra smile, laugh, and lift somebody who needs lifting.

Sestra Stephanie Brown

Družina

Draga družina moja, 

I just have a few miracle stories to relate. The other day we had planned to do our companionship study just after personal study in the morning - with the new schedule we are able to decide for ourselves when in the day is the best time to do companionship study. Well we sat down and began our study when Sister Squires said that she felt we ought to go out into the park across the street for thirty minutes. So we went out to the park and began talking with people. No one really wanted to talk to people. We eventually saw a woman sittting on a bench, with earbuds in each ear. We headed over to talk with her and as we approached she looked us up and down and then decided to pull out her headphones. We came to learn that she was actually a member of the church from Ukraine. She now lives in Slovenija with her husband and daughter. It was pretty amazing to see that the Lord inspired Sister Squires to go out at that specific time to that specific park so that we could find this woman. We told her that it was a miracle that we had come and found her at that time and she agreed. She isn't actively participating in church right now, but she appreciates the standards we live by and told us that it is what she wants for her daughter. I believe that God inspires people today all throughout the world to be His hands and go where He would go. I believe that He can and will inspire you to be His hands if you will listen, just like He did Sister Squires.

Second story. There is a beautiful family here. Parents and a young son. They invited Sister Squires and myself along with Elder and Sister Crnich to join them for a little obisk in their home the other night. It was so obvious that their family meant the world to them and it was so beautiful to see. We weren't really able to teach during this visit, but we did learn some of what they believe. As we were getting ready to leave I asked them if it would be alright if we prayed with them. Being in their home had been such a blessing to us and we were able to feel the warmth and love of a family. They graciously agreed and, though we had been having our entire conversation in English so that the Crnichs could understand, I felt like I ought to pray in Slovene. At the close of the prayer, the spirit was so present and I looked up to see this beautiful mother in tears because she was feeling something she had never felt before. That was a miracle to me. I believe that when we pray from the sincerity of our hearts that our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers and He sends the Holy Ghost to comfort our hearts. 

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ because it brings my family closer together and helps us to have joy even when life is tough. 

I love you all and wish you a happy new year! 

Love, 

Sestra Brown