Last week in Blava...

Yes, I have left the city of busy busses and heat and delicious ice cream. A perfect four and a half months in Košice and a altogether too perfect four and a half  months in Bratislava. I have to admit, when I got the call I was pretty sad. Pretty sad. It helped that there was a random huge fireworks show outside our window. I love Bratislava! My little hlavne mesto is just in my little heart. I will be returning soon, I hope!

This last week was full of craziness and just fun. We got to do our culture moment, which was just so so so fun. We had permission to go to this concert in the bottom of one of these river boats, and a man played flamenco music on his guitar. It was just the hippest thing that has ever happened to us in Blava. We also ate giant pizza and honestly I have no idea what was on mine but it was 1) Huge and 2) Delicious. I am starting to eat literally anything and everything. The thing about your tastebuds changing when you get older is completely false. They change on your mission.

Then, we had a concert!!!! Yay! It was so great. The best was that we apparently were singing much faster than we had originally planned, so we  had to throw in a couple of improv solos and songs. That was super interesting but it is a good thing we have a musical district! Sister Russell had an angelic voice and we had a lot of success. Plus, we had about 800000 chocolate desserts afterwards, so life turned out pretty great.

We did a lot of exploring in Blava this week. We found a chocolate factory, as well as an electric fenced bridge, a bridge which accidentally led us into a forest...all is well, folks, and Bratislava is a never ending adventure land.

We found a really cool man this week who, at first, had no idea who we were, until he realized that he uses familysearch.org! This was super cool. Really, though. He talked to us about his ancestors, and about how he has used our site for about twenty years now. He is searching at this moment for his great grandparents, because many records were lost in a fire in the czech republic. Family history is really incredible! You can feel when people have the spirit with them because of the love they feel for their ancestors. It is kind of weird.

The best part of that contact was that he told us that, in his opinion, when we died, we would all go to see an angelic dentist so that we would all have really nice teeth.

Well, more things happened. Oh! We in Bratislava also had a baptism on Saturday! Wanda was baptized in the Morava river. She is so wonderful and is already a wonderful member. It was really cool to be there for her confirmation on Sunday, and to really feel the spirit testifying to each of us that this gospel IS true! She decided for herself because she found out for herself. I love that the gospel gives us so much freedom to choose, and to choose paths that will bring us such incredible joy.

Also, today, was so fun, because I got to move to Trenčin, right? Yes. So the train is only about an hour and a half, so I hopped (Okay, not actually that limber with three suitcases) onto a train at about 8 in the morning. I was lucky, because as soon as I got on, I got into a conversation with this woman across from me, so I didnt really have a moment to cry (Phew.) We really became bestest friends (family pictures, book of mormon and all) and she told me about all the good slovak cheese besides Bryndza that I need to eat, and all the original slovak liquers. SO then we get to trnava, which is about the halfway point to Trenčin, and the train breaks down! Of course. So the man on the speaker says it will be about a half hour delay. Fine, so I wait, right? I mean, when traveling across an entire european country without a phone, there is only so much you can do. Well, this woman, her name was Marta, she and the other woman next to me begin to decide to leave the train.

ANYWAY

long story short,

 

They announced that the train would be stopped for longer, and Marta tells me, you need to get on this other train that is coming. It goes to Trenčin. (They were telling everyone to do this, that tickets were free). And I am thinking that this probably is not the best idea since I dont have anyones phone numbers and I dont have a phone or anything, and we are already late...she then becomes my slovak mother and tells me, here is my phone, we will go on this other train with you and help you with your suitcases.

 

Luckily I had the zone leaders numbers written down (strange coincidences) and ended up getting on another train and somehow put into first class riding to Trenčin!

 

Thanks Marta. Thanks Slovak mom.

Well, I feel like that story took a lot of my energy. I am already sore from lugging my luggage across Trenčin! Hahahah

 

BUT HAPPY BECAUSE IT IS AMERICAN WEEK AT LIDL THIS WEEK

 

do you know what that means!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

POOR QUALITY PEANUT BUTTER WE HAVE!!!! And marshmallows!!! And Caesar dressing! And we had frozen chicken nuggets for lunch!

 

Unbelievable.

WELL I am starting a new transfer as sister training leader now and am excited to be travelling all over slovakia and the czech republic! I love this work and love these people more than anything. They do not realize how blessed we really are to serve them. I cannot help but be grateful for their examples of Christlike love, everyday. If you become their friend, you are their friend forever.

s laskou,

sestra abbott