So this week was fantastic! A lot of weeks this last transfer were a little slow, but it's really starting to pick up. We've been meeting with more and more people, finding more people, and seeing a lot of miracles!
One of the most exciting things about this week was that English class started up again. And guess who came: our good friend Jon Benjamin, that 19-year-old who stopped us on the street a week or two ago! He came with a friend, and said he'll be inviting more. On Thursday he came again and stayed for the spiritual thought (this time a church tour). After that he was asking Sister Flanders and I a lot of questions about the church, and he agreed to accept lessons! I'm super excited--he's definitely getting baptized!
All of Thursday itself was evidence of the fact that things are starting to pick up. We had 5 lessons, PLUS English class! Normally we only get 2 or 3, so 5 was exciting! There were a lot of great things that happened in the lessons, as well. Last week we gave Medina a stop smoking program and asked her to read through it so we could go over it the next time. We went back on Thursday, and she had started it on her own! Today will be her week mark, and she hasn't smoked one cigarette since last Monday! We also taught an inactive member named Renata. The last time, we had assigned her to read Alma 36. She did, and she told us she had felt the Holy Ghost for the first time! She told us like she had felt that she wasn't alone, and she heard a man's voice telling her that she could call that feeling back whenever she wanted. She also told us that she knew it would come back if she read again!
Friday we had Zone Conference. It was a really good one! We talked about baptism, why it's important, and the importance of invitations. We practiced explaining why we want people to be baptized, and it was really good. I'm excited to study and practice more and get some baptismal dates this week! ;)
Sunday was absolutely amazing. Last week, attendance was sparse; only about 15 people came. This week, there were 33 people at church, including 4 investigators and 2 visitors! Jon Benjamin came (after simply inviting him at the church tour and sending him a reminder text the night before), plus Jolanda and her partner, Igor. It was Igor's first time at church, and he said he really liked it and felt very good! It was a good week for people to come, too. The district president and one of his councilors came, and it was a really great meeting.
I've also started a little book where I write at least one daily miracle and one hard thing I've done that day (one of our standards of excellence is to do something hard every day). It's been a really cool experience. I've noticed that the more hard things I do, and as I make a conscious effort to work hard, the Lord gives us even more miracles. And the Lord always gives multiple miracles for even just one hard thing. His hand is ever-present in our lives and in missionary work. I know He is with us!
Things are looking up--it's going to be a great week!
Na svidenje!
Sestra Erin Jones
PS: I forgot to mention this, but we found out about transfers! (I may or may not have mentioned that Slovenia is on a 9-week transfer schedule now.) I'm still in Celje with Sister Flanders, and Elder Hunt is coming here from Maribor to replace Elder Benson, who will be in Ljubljana. I'm going to be the only one still here from the "original" Celje district when I first got here. Weird!
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