Sestra Erin Jones serving in Celje, Slovenia 

Zdravo!

Winter is getting closer, which means that in Slovenia, it's getting cold and there's a lot of rain. It rained literally all day yesterday--it didn't stop once! But luckily, despite the weather, it's been a good week.

We had another exchange this last week. After we went to a cool castle called Trakošćan, we went to Varašdin. Our exchange was with the Varašdin sisters, so we went out to eat with the missionaries there and made the exchange. It was a weird exchange, since Sister Mortinson (the sister who came with me to Celje) is a Croatian missionary. Meaning she doesn't know Slovene. It made lessons a little interesting. Most Slovenes understand Croatian, but Croatians don't always understand Slovene. We had lessons that were taught in a mixture of my beginner's Slovene, some Croatian, and some English. Thank goodness most people here know at least a little English! One lesson was a little weird, because we were teaching a lady from Serbia who's lived here for years. She doesn't like Slovene, so as soon as she found out Sister Mortinson spoke Croatian (which is almost the same as Serbian), the rest of the lesson was in Croatian!

The coolest part of the exchange was when we taught a personal English class with this girl named Mateja. She needs English for work, but couldn't come at the time we teach everyone else. Sister Mortinson really likes using the questions of the soul from PMG to teach, so we printed those out and used them to talk about the Book of Mormon. Mateja said she had asked herself almost all of the questions on there! She said she had read some from the Book of Mormon we gave her last time, and that she would study to find the answers to some of the question of the soul. Super cool!

Another cool lesson we had this week was when we went looking up potentials. We knocked on the door of one apartment, looking for a man Sister Legro had met a few months ago, and a lady answered the door. Turns out we had the wrong apartment! But she let us in and we taught her the first lesson. She seems interested, and said she would read the entire Book of Mormon. She's just worried that her husband won't let her learn, but she promised to talk to him about it.

On Friday, we had another leadership meeting in Zagreb. (That meant that, with the exchange, we were in Croatia every other day this week!). I really love those meetings. I really love exchanges and the leadership meetings--I would love to either be the companion of a leader or a leader for my whole mission even. The travel on exchanges can be a pain and you're a little more busy that way, but it's been a really good experience.

Sunday was another really good day. I gave a talk in church! It wasn't super great or anything, but it went well. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare for it, so I just translated some main points and key words, but I was still able to go up and talk fairly decent Slovene for 10 minutes. The members are all great, too. It's not that scary to speak in front of 10 people, all of whom you know, and who are always helping you and complementing you on the language. The best part of church, though, was that Anka (Prayer Lady) came! We taught her a few weeks ago and haven't seen her since other than the occasional "Hi, how are you" on the street. I think I mentioned this story, but when we taught her, she said she wasn't too interested. We gave her a Book of Mormon, though, and she came to church on her own! She also said we can come by sometime this week. I'm super excited!

That's about all I have for this week. Missionary work is as hard as ever, but it's so great!

Adio!

Sestra Erin Jones

 

She often sends us an extra email to answer our questions. This is one we received today:

Sometimes I do forget people don't always call me Sestra. It's been funny :)

Our branch is great--there are about 15-20 people who come to church each week. There's a branch mission leader, but we don't always have meetings with him. For the most part, the members get along really well with the missionaries. They're all great missionaries themselves, and share the gospel with everyone around them. One member even gave a Book of Mormon to a man who came to her door selling stain remover!

Zone conference was with all of the Slovene and Croatian missionaries (not sure how many there were). It was actually two zones together, since travel is hard between so many countries. We have the 4 open cities in Slovenia and then Varašdin from Croatia in our zone. Our zone is pretty close, too, since Slovenia is small and we get to see each other fairly often.

Love you!

Sestra Erin Jones

Elder Tanner Clement, Sept. 25, 2013

 I survived the hurricane!  Ok, it just barely missed us by a few miles. :)  But I do have a picture of me on the roof with it in the background that I will attach.

Thanks for all the questions!  Feel free to ask anything you would like to know.

Last week we had to write on Tuesday because it was Mexican independence day and the computer places were closed.

That´s cool that you were able to see our house!   Yes, I like my area.  It is very big but I am getting more used to the city.

I actually do get to play the piano quite often before and after church and before and after our english classes.  But I´ve only played once so far in sacrament meeting.  I am loving the piano books I have.  It is a great spiritual rest.

Brad's 4th Week

This week has gone by super fast! I am still loving it!! It is awesome here! And yes there is a place that we like to eat! Panda Express is our favorite!

We are teaching a family of 10 and its going really good and I have been loving it! She works 3 jobs so its always hard to come across a good time to visit her! But that's okay! 

 

We have been teaching this kid named Ralph, he is 18 and he isn't a member! But he wants go on a mission! I told him you can only go on a mission if you become a member by being baptized! So he committed and he is going to be baptized! It's amazing that the things you say and do can really influence people that are watching you! But here is the sad thing! He is moving tomorrow and so we are going to have the other missionaries baptize him! So lucky them! Me and my comp brought him to the gates of the kingdom! All he has to do is be baptized to enter! I did that it was soo cool! 

I also was on my other e mail and saw that I had a message from Darren so I clicked on it and it was about 8 months old but it was a poem that really hit me! It can be used in so many ways! I have used it in a lesson and the family loved it!

This past Wednesday we were tracting and we came across this one lady whose husband just died and I was working on my door approach and I have never said this or would have thought to say this so I knocked on the door and this old lady answered and she had a tear in her eye, I then said "Hi my name is Elder Riley and this is Elder Heninger from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I felt inspired to come to your house to share with you a message that our Father in Heaven wants you to hear that is specific to your needs. She said she wasn't interested but I then said really quick as she was closing the door that we can be with our families forever even after we die!!

She opened the door again and said what do you mean? I said there is a plan that Heavenly Father gave to us so we can be with him again and our families! She then told me her husband died and where was he at? If she would see him again and we told her everything that she needed to hear! By the time we had to leave she told us I knew that you were true messengers!

 

So we are teaching her now so things are going great!

Elder Brad Riley

 

 

Elder Jansen Hall - September 23, 2013

Hey Yall!

This week was a great week! It has been sunny and hot some days and cooling down other days. On Saturday we had a ton of rain but that was good for this area we really did need it. Today its overcast and there is a breeze that feels amazing! It is reminding me of back home and how I should be in pad and practicing right now:) haha but I have better things that im doin!

We were able to do our Family Home Evening and we had 4 people show up. Right now its hard to see the success of this because we are just starting out, but I have to keep being positive and seeing how it can affect families in the future. I can start it off and help it grow for future missionaries to come in. Everyone that comes loves it so hopefully tonight will be a success as well:) 

This is a family that usually never gets together. Maybe like 1 time in a year and I got them all together so I could take a pic with them. This is at the birthday party we went to:) I was so excited to get a pic with all of them!

Elder Sorensen in Valencia, Spain

A Very Fast Week

Today´s been a very fast week.  It seems like I emailed last time yesterday. We´ve been busy visiting investigators and less actives and eating at members' houses all week.

It´s great to hear about what´s going on at home. And thanks for the pictures!

The highlight of this week, was, of course, the baptism. We were going to have Peter´s member friend from Nigeria baptize him, but he was busy so I did it. It was a little stressful because I got out of a meeting 15 minutes before the baptism was supposed to start, went to change into white clothes, and found that one of the other people (there were three baptisms that day) had taken and was wearing my baptismal clothes. It was a mad scramble trying to find clothes, change, take pictures, show Peter what he needed to do, and figure out how to pronounce Peters Chukwuemeka Ikpeamaezeh in 15 minutes. But, the baptism went smoothly and I was able to confirm him on Sunday as well.

Peter was a golden investigator. No, he was better than that. We´d ask him if he had any questions/concerns, and he'd say "I´d have questions if I didn't believe something that you´re saying, but I know it's all true." He´s the best.

Elder Tanner Clement, Sept. 19, 2013

Elder Tanner Clement, Sept. 19, 2013

It has been raining here and like I said last week, the storms down here are quite intense!  Also, apparently there's a big hurricane heading our way the next few days so that should be interesting as well...

This last week was pretty great!  On Wednesday we had a special conference with Elder DeHoyos, the area president came down with his wife and Presidente and Hermana Munive as well.  The conference was mainly on working with the members and working on all sides of missionary work, with Investigators, Less-active members, Active members, and New members alike.  I'm not sure if I said this earlier but we don't knock doors or street contact in this mission.  Everything we do is by referrals.  And even more so now.  They told us to ask two questions at the end of every lesson (with members or investigators): 1) Do you know anyone else who would benefit from the gospel message, and 2) Do you know anyone else?

Well, we put these teachings into action later that day with Hermana Flor, a good friend of ours.

Valencia, Spain
Elder Dana Sorensen

Thanks for all your emails. I enjoy reading them and I especially enjoy the pictures!

This has been a really great week. Our investigators are progressing, I´m starting to remember some of the names of the members, I´m starting to get the hang of Spanish, and I´m having fun!

Do you remember Peter, who I told you about last week? He´s from Nigeria. We met with him last Monday night and taught him about the restoration. And... we committed him to be baptized this Saturday (21st)! He has a lot of faith and a good friend that´s been a member for a year. It´s exciting to share with him the Gospel.

Sister Catherine Aldous, July and August 2013

Hello, Everyone!

Catherine has just been transferred to Philomath, OR which is a 15-minute drive west from Corvallis, at the north end of the mission boundaries. Philomath means "lover of learning," and got this name because a small college was here in the 1800s. Its population is 4,000-something. 

The Aldouses will appreciate that yesterday I received an email from a member in Philomath who is a first cousin of Catherine's grandfather. Her mother was June's sister Beth. It was a large family with a big age span, so we never knew about this lady, but she recognized Catherine's last name and asked her about it. I have included her picture, which also has Catherine's new companion, Sister Levy from Tahiti.

Here are some updates from Catherine. News from transfers this week:

"I will be serving in PHILOMATH!!! (pronounced fill-low'-muth) The Coquille Ward YW leader said, 'Where in the Philomath is Philomath?' It's by Corvalis, at the northern end of the mission. Still pretty rural. No Walmart. But it does have a McDonald's, which Coquille did not.

Sister Brianna Fox - September 9, 2013

Hello Family and Friends!!

I kept trying to think of a clever title as I tried to compose this email. But there's this little yellow box in the corner of my screen counting down the seconds. And I don't have enough seconds to be clever right now. So that explains the title. 

Hello! I felt like I just wrote y'all an email! Cuz. . . I did! And it actually hasn't been that eventful since Wednesday. But I'll try to keep this entertaining. Another reason why I couldn't think of a clever title; I can't think of something in particular that has characterized my week. But anyway.

So, Tennessee gets tons of rain and flash floods a lot. And every time it pours I think, "Wow. Utah just doesn't understand what rain and floods really are." And then I got tons of emails just barely talking about what's going on in Utah. It's crazy to hear about all the flooding! Last year it was fire, this year it's floods. Sounds like baptism backwards. Anyway, Utah will be in my prayers! I hope none of the damage is too extensive. 

Do you know what struck me as odd this week?

Latest family email from Elder Clement

Latest family email from Elder Clement.

It sounds like you guys are staying nice and busy at home!  Thanks for the updates on everyone.  

I am attaching a picture of our room.  It is a pretty decent apartment with a kitchen, iron/fridge/supplies room, a room with our closets, a bathroom (we have warm shower water which is cool), a laundry room, and a room that we don't even use.  We walk through two gates, a flight of stairs, and a big door to get into our yellow home.  Very fortunately we have Air Conditioning as well.  It is a good home.  The only less-good part is our constant war with cockroaches.

The Spanish is coming very well.  I must say some of the slang here is pretty funny.

Elder Jansen Hall - September 9, 2013

Hey Yall!

Golly! Yall would not believe what happened this week! Im fixin to share with yall one of the coolest stories ive had on my mission! But before I do that I just wanted to talk about a couple other things. One thing ive learned while down south is that ya don't put sugar on your grits. Haha I still do it anyway because that makes it super good. But everyone down here freaks out if ya do that! 

Worlds largest peanut boil.... remember down south its peanut (bowl) :)

Elder Dana Sorensen -- Hello from Valencia!

September 9, 2013

What a crazy week! 

So we left Tuesday morning and rode by train to the Mission Home in Barcelona. The train ride only took 2.5 hours, and it was awesome to see all the countryside of Spain flying by at 300km/h.

There were 43 new missionaries in Barcelona, the biggest group ever, so it took two days to get everyone´s residency paperwork done. We stayed in a hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. During those days we had temporary companions that we went out street contacting with in the afternoons. It´s tiring but satisfying work!

Thursday afternoon we all gathered to find out where and who we were going to be serving with. I was the first one called, and I´m serving in Valencia with Élder Pérez (native Spanish speaker from Chile)! Valencia is a pretty big city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, further south that Madrid. It´s hot and humid, but I´m getting used to it.

Anyway, I met with Élder Pérez and we left immediately for a 3 hour train ride to Valencia.

Valencia, Spain

 Valencia is amazing! Élder Pérez is the best trainer (and I know that for a fact because I´m his fourth trainee). He´s been in Valencia for 6 months, and knows everybody really well. The members are amazing and help so much with the investigators. This is the only part of the Barcelona mission (that I know of) where we get fed by members every single day. This is the area where everyone gains 20 pounds.

Sister Brianna Fox - September 4, 2013

Hey y'all!!

So, it's Wednesday. And the library is gonna close soon. So I don't actually have that much time to write this email. Apologies if it sounds shortened or scattered! So much has happened and I'm just about to throw it all out on the table. So here goes. 

Last Wednesday was transfers!! We went to the meeting and I said a final goodbye to Sister Paxton and Sister Walker. I will miss those two; they are fantastic missionaries. I am so lucky to have two excellent companions now though! Sister Bedke is my fellow Sister Training Leader and she's been out 14 months. She has a really sweet and relaxed personality, and so far we've been getting along splendidly! Our trainee is Sister Roundy. She is the cutest little thing (4'10) and has an excellent personality to match! She is learning really fast and is happy to be out here! This being my third trio, I can tell that we will work together really well. I'm looking forward to this transfer! Since I received news of where I was going and who my companions were going to be, I have had a feeling of excitement. Big things are happening, I can feel it in the air!

Elder Jansen Hall - September 2, 2013

Hey Yall!

Let the cougars out and the tide roll! Haha football season is back and on its way. Im not gonna lie, this past Saturday we were able to stay busy, but it has been killing me to try and not get to into or caught up in all the football. Literally everyone ages 3 weeks to 100 years old is watching football down here! Haha but ill be able to handle it! Its just a very different experience!

 

Elder Dana Sorensen, Madrid CCM

August 29, 2013

Hello family!

So great to hear from you! I guess I´ll just dive in with the highlights of my week:

Last p-day for our night devotional we listened to Elder Bednar´s "Character of Christ" talk. It's the "number one" talk for the MTC that missionaries always talk about. It was an answer to my prayers. I´ve been praying and studying on how I can become more humble. The idea behind Elder Bednar´s talk was that Christ´s very nature was to turn outward, especially in times of trial, whereas the natural man always turns inward. It was very inspiring, and I´ve been trying to turn outward more in my life and have definitely seen and felt a difference.

The days are going by faster and faster. It seems like all we do is sleep and eat, and I feel like p-day is every other day. Friday we had Domino´s Pizza for lunch. I never thought I could miss good pizza so much in my life. The event was President and Sister Sitterud´s 43rd Anniversary. It was the first time that we´d seen Sister Sitterud since her accident.

Last Saturday I had an amazing experience in the Park. This week I really tried to focus on trusting in the Lord, fearing no man, and being happy. I learned that those three things go hand in hand. Normally at the park we get waved off by just about everything we approach. However, this week we were able to have 3 or 4 20+ minute conversations right after another. Most of them weren´t super interested in our message, but were fun to talk to and get to know. We talked to one man, who just moved from Latin America a month ago with his wife and 6-month old son. He had never been approached by missionaries before and didn´t know what our church believed. We talked to him for half an hour, and he ate up everything we said. We gave him a Book of Mormon, taught him about the restoration, and got his number so that the missionaries in Madrid could meet with him. Going to the park each week has stopped being a dreaded thing and now it´s something I look forward to. It´s great to be able to have a taste of what my life will be like for the next 2 years.

At the Park