beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that publishes peace

I cannot even begin to describe the wonderful week we have had here in Trenčin.

We have been tromping around in all kinds of weather, from incredible thunderstorms to 40 degree celsius skin frying heat (actually, I think most of you would be surprised to hear that I have yet to be sunburned on my mission. I am doing quite well in the sunscreen application department and have settled into an unusual tan). People think we are crazy but that is the best part about missionary work!

This week I learned eight different words for sparkly.

We had a very successful (is that how you spell that?) english class this week when we talked about fear. it was pretty interesting to see what people are afraid of. And as we were discussing, I thought how interesting it is that the wonderful news that is the gospel resolves and calms so many fears. I would be so afraid if I didnt have the knowledge that I do! And when we are afraid, much of the time it is really the "Fear of the Unknown" dun dun dun. But that is why it is so great to be a Latter Day Saint! Really, we are constantly learning, and the big unknowns that are so frightening to people do not have to be so frightening. When we have knowledge and faith, we will have no room to fear.
PS still afraid a little of the ocean because I still do not know what is in it.

Then we had a great day on wednesday--haha as I look back at it, I realize that it really was the most
wonderful day!! It was Elder Garlickˇs birthday, so of course we were invited to Sestra Alžbetas house to make him some halušky. It was so fun. Her daughters came over and taught us how to really make halušky--we even had to whip the sour cream by hand! We arranged some slovak sweets on a plate and really had a delicious meal. Sestra Alžbeta (She is 80 or 90 years old) LOVES to sing Happy Birthday (yeah, they dont really have a birthday song so they sing english), so we literally sang it eight times to everyone that was there. It was really wonderful.

Then we went and had a chalk display which was just so creative and fun! People kept passing by and staring at us drawing the plan of salvation and we would just ask "Chcete s nami kresliť?" Hahah some people drew with us and we actually had some really great conversations about the plan of salvation! We were surprised at how successful it was! (SO yay! we are doing it again this week!)

THEN we had joga with the branch. Yep, yoga. Except like it is called "Five Tibet Monks" in Slovak. It was really interesting.. Hahaha it was really funny and great. There are five different exercises and you repeat each of them 21 times. My favorite one was the one where you just put your arms outstretched and turn in a circle.

THEN THE FUN REALLY STARTED BECAUSE....

I returned to Košice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It missed me so much.
It is so beautiful.
I love it.
It is the land of miracles.
It is also really far away hahaha.

BUT

the day spent on exchanges in Košice was probably the singular most miraculous day of my entire mission.

And that is not even a joke.

Sister Eggers was with Sister Parsons, and I was SO lucky to be able to serve with Sestra Bartusz for

a day (She is a hungarian member who speaks slovak and english, and was just baptized in Nitra in November. She is incredible! She is serving a mini mission right now in Košice with Sister Parsons for five weeks.) It was the best thing that has ever happened. We taught So much. And found SO many people. I seriously am still in awe at the numbers they had this last week. The faith that carries those sisters is so powerful! And four sisters in one city is really a spiritual hurricane!

Speaking of hurricanes, that same day, we were going to do a singing display with the Elders in Košice, where we sing hymns on the street and some of us try to talk to people. So we began, and the rain came POURING down. There was thunder and lightning and we were all crowded under a little ledge belting out Count Your Blessings in the rain. I have to say, I think we brightened up some days.

SO that was miraculous. The other miraculous thing was that despite being out of Trenčin for almost three days, we still had a very successful week! The law of compensation is a real thing.

The funniest thing happened to us yesterday. Last week, we were tracting, and a nine year old boy let us in his yard. We asked if his parents were home, but he just got his older brother, who was just like, hey we arent interested (besides, it was awkward because the dog was attacking us) The little boy asked us if we believed in ghosts. We had a great little conversation with him about spirits and about how we all have one. It was a great little experience and we went off contentedly.

But then on saturday, we were walking across the bridge, and we see a little boy with a bag over his head (apparently so his head would not sunburn.) He stopped right in front of us, said hello, and then said, Hey! Dont you want to talk to me? And we were super confused. We asked, about what? And he said, Like last time! So we talked to him about the plan of salvation and gave him a pamphlet. We walked away, thinking it was a little strange that a little boy had just contacted us, and then we realized that it was that same little boy! He is the most elect child in Trenčin.

The last, most miraculous thing that happened to us this week, is that our wonderful Zuzana in Bratislava was baptized. Sister Eggers and I both taught her, and although we were a little too far away on saturday to make it to the baptism, we are exploding with happiness. It is so cool to see that this is truly the Lords work and that he truly does bless us and know what is right for our branches here in Slovakia and across the world! I could not be more grateful for those who helped her to be baptized and could never ask for a bigger blessing. My heart is really overflowing with gratitude. The gospel is true and it does change lives! I have learned more from faith that people in Slovakia have than I ever have learned before and I do not understand how privelaged I have been. The Lord is in every footstep and I hope I will never become accustomed to His constant presence in my life!