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!
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
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