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| One of our sweet investigators, Sandra:) |
I am so overwhelmed with
gratitude reading the letters and emails that I have received from you. I
am so lucky to have so many incredible people in my life! Thank you for
the updates and the thoughts and prayers. I am the luckiest!
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| Our investigator, Jelena in Fojinica! |
A few fun things happened this week:
1)
We were able to take a 2-hour bus ride to teach a referral, named
Jelena, in the little town of Fojinica. It was literally a fairytale.
The mountains are just like the mountains at home and the cottages
looked like they were out of a picture book. Each house had a huge
garden in the front yard where they grow their own food, there are HUGE
beef cattle grazing all over and colorful clothes hanging on the line. I
think I'm going to retire in Fojinica. haha
2) I got kissed by a little person (midget.)
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| I love Jelena's home and the perfect woodpile outside! |
3) I got the "opportunity" to use a standing up toilet this week! I will never be giving myself that opportunity again. :)
4) Funny Language Moment: I was having a good conversation
with a woman we met about the problems in the world today and about the
problems especially in Bosnia. She kept using this word that I didn't
know that sounded like "Traoumau" or something like that. Around the 3rd
time she used it I realized that I needed to know what the heck she was
talking about. I asked what it meant and she couldn't really explain it
so I turned to Elder Shillabeer just a few feet away and asked him what
the word was. He informed me that the word she was using was TRAUMA, IN
ENGLISH! The poor woman was using an english word that I couldn't even
understand. Woof.
Miracles are happening here in Sarajevo. Sestra
Trumbo and I are continuing to find and teach all that will hear us and
we are finding success! We are lucky enough to be meeting people who are
prepared for us. It's an amazing experience as we begin teaching them
about the Book of Mormon and asking them about their lives that the
things I had studied in my scriptures that very morning were meant for
this person. I love being able to feel the love that Heavenly Father has
for each person we encounter.
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| Some of our students:) |
One of the biggest blessings we have in our work
right now is English class! It has become our best finding tool. People
first come to learn English, but most of them tell us that they keep
coming back because "They like our positivity" or "They feel good when
they are with us". It is a testimony to me of the Light of Christ that
is given to all of us when we come to this earth. They spirits long for
the peace and joy they feel when they are with servants of the Lord and
are out of the way of all the drugs, immorality and violence of the
outside world. I love every single one of our students. I can hardly
keep myself on the ground I get so excited to see them every week! This
week Elder Brown gave the spiritual thought at the end of our class
about prayer and then invited them all to conference. He looked over the
quiet room of 25 people and said, "I can see right now that you want to
come and if you want to feel the way you are feeling right now again,
you need to come". It was silent for about 30 seconds after and we could
all see the spirit working on them.
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| I love English class! |
The real miracle came as we arrived at the church
for Conference on Saturday night. We watched it live so it was 6:00pm on
Saturday for us. We had pizza before conference and then we all went
into the chapel and got ready to watch. Here's the miracle: There were 11 investigators
there to watch General Conference! We had people from a Dad (TOTALLY
future branch president material) and his two sons ages 15 and 9, an old
woman with her son and some of our English students!!!! It was
incredible for all of us who were actually members to be outnumbered.
The Saturday session of conference was absolutely perfect for the people
that were there, talking about the importance of teaching good morals
starting in the home, the plan of salvation and the importance of
missionary service. As we looked around the room to the different groups
of people you could see how the things that were said may have been new
to their ears, but to their hearts it was familiar. It was a great
session.
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| Milk drinkers and mustache makers!!! |
The announcement of the new ages for both Sisters
and Elders almost turned me into a puddle, okay, let's be honest, it
did! haha My heart was so full and it still is. As I am here in Bosnia I
can see the impact this new knowledge is having on the people and WE
NEED MORE MISSIONARIES! Last Monday our Zone Leader told us that
President Rowe had just put in an "order" for 8 more sisters to be sent
to our mission. What better timing than this? The first face that popped
into my head was Maddie's. I think about the person she is and the
example she is and I can understand why the age was changed. They have
been prepared! GO MISSIONARIES!
I also loved Elder Holland's talk, another one for
the record books. It is such a blessing to listen to their advice and be
able to apply it as a missionary. As he was pounding the pulpit asking,
"Do ye love me?" my heart was racing. Sometimes as we are contacting I
get intimidated because I don't know what I am going to say, or how I am
going to say it or even if the person wants or cares about what I am
going to say etc. But as I listened to his talk I realized that if I
REALLY loved Him I wouldn't let my fear of men get in the way of my love
for His gospel, the love for the ability I have to wear His name on my
chest. We each need to love him, by trusting in His power, His gospel
and His will.
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| Thanks for all the love and support! |
I love you all. Remember to step back and remember your blessings, we have a lot to be thankful for!
Volim vas,
Sestra Giles
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