ziploc bag, mystery calls, galaxy leggings and other miracles!

me and the Družhkovci (Russian family in our branch)

Well, THIS WEEK. 

This week was a great one, let me tell you. It started out with some wonderful thrift store shopping, with two dresses for just a euro each. YEAH! (Sewed a hem onto the bottom of one of them..)

Then we went and bought groceries at a new potraviny which I cannot say was the most miraculous idea because for some reason they only had paper bags and then carrying them on the tram home was just a ruckus, but, nevertheless, we made it. With food.

This week was full of miracles! One amazing thing that happened was this: As we were walking down the beautiful path by the Danube, our phone began to ring, and a number we did not recognize popped up, which is not always the most relaxing feeling, so I answered the phone with the usual, "Dobrý Deň! Tu su sestry!" And was mirrored by an equally as awkward "Dobrý deň? Do you speak english?" I could not decide whether this was reassuring or not, but soon discovered the cutest little american mother talking to me on the other end of the phone. She invited us to her home (She is a military wife) and said we could share a

little message with her. And how wonderful it was! She has two little boys, aged 4 and 2, and they could not be cuter. She made us such american banana muffins and gave us orange juice. They had met with missionaries before in the states, and she had fantastic questions like, "Do you read the Bible and Book of Mormon together?" And "What is the Great Apostasy?" We fell in love with her all over again when she handed us an actual ziplock bag with more mini banana muffins in it as we stepped out the door. What a wonderful tender mercy! The homeless people also liked the muffins.

Then, for a second time, our phone rang with a mystery number on it. This time, it was a Slovak, and it was a man who we talked to in a park about a week earlier. He cordially invited us to come and eat at his restaurant/bar/winery and said he would feed us for free while we told him everything we needed to. This sounded like a great deal, until he told us that we could not wear our nametags. After much prayer and consideration, we decided that it would not be the best idea to go without our nametags, so we informed him (quite kindly) of this and invited him to church.

"you had logs?"..inside joke

And then, he came to church. With a friend!

And he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting. And talked all about how we talked to him in the park and how we were still invited to his restaurant. And he is going to meet with us again!

Then, one of our investigators came to church!! Which was truly a miracle because we have been trying and trying to get her to come, and she has a baptismal date, but things never work out, but then she came! And on top of that, she wore galaxy leggings. Winning.

our cute investigator

Also this week, I went to Trenčin again!! Wow right?? I got to go to Trenčin with Sister Wilson and boy, I so love that city and the members. I learned so much about them and so much about the history of the church there in Trenčin. That is where Slovakia was dedicated by Prezident Uchtdorf for missionary work! How cool is that? So cool. They are all members who have been faithful through communism, with their little red KM books in hand. I loved teaching with them, and got to go to dinner with them because...

Sister Seninger was here with her family! Her giant family! And it was great! I was in both trenčin and bratislava when she visited! It was incredible to show the members this huge, united family and to really feel the spirit when members reached out to them in love even when they could not understand anything that was going on. My translation skills were definitely put to the test.

ALSO we have a new slovak sister!! Sister Ratcliffe. She is so cute and fits in just perfectly with us. She is in Košice (Best city ever to be trained in) with Sister Parsons (Best trainer.) We love her.

And we had training. So that was incredible. As always.

And we talked about getting people on baptismal date during training, and I basically just committed someone to baptism on the street just five minutes ago! I was like, June 20th. She gave it a soft yes. On wednesday it will be a 100 percent yes I am sure.

This is super blurry, but it is us slovak sisters and two czech sisters.new sister ratcliffe is one in from the left.Also, that dress I got from the thrift store and sewed the hem on. Exciting things. And yes I know my legs are the only ones showing it is just because I am 80 feet taller than everyone and two people wore tights. 

Phew I am running out of breath typing this insane crazy email. THEN we also got to go to two of our members houses for dinner this week!! And food is incredible! I had both Russian and Slovak food and it is all deliciousness. I am pretty sure I have completely overcome my pickiness. I eat everything.

Also, someone showed me that Happy video that they did for general conference. So funny.

Okay well this is getting crazy and I am overwhelmed by how blessed we are here in Bratislava! We have so many solid progressing investigators just in our companionship that will build our branch. We know it is because of all the prayers and faith that go into our work!

Here is a poem, based on a story they tell about a man in Košice.

Penny Dime
He once told me of a beggar--
Covered with dirt and street sewage
Asking for a penny,
Penny dime, penny dime.
He pleaded with such certainty
He purchased a mansion with his words.
As he lived with his riches,
his smirk and his servants,
Tell me,
From where did his satisfaction come?
He breathed his last
surrounded by his loved ones--
The butler, pillow, and ash-tray.
Oblivious, still,
to the sounds of the starving
on the very street where he
made his living.
Asking for a penny,
Penny dime, penny dime.
What use is a nickel
When you do not value time?



Lastly, here is a quote by elder scott
"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day"

Love you! Talk to you soon!
Sestra Abbott