Oct 19: Christmas is coming!!

The weather is getting chilly and I am so excited for Christmas!!

Hahaha was that premature? I don't think so because this week at our grocery store they are pulling out the Christmas decorations!! Who is excited? (Raises hand).

I have been pulling out all of my tights from last years winter and remembering that they all have holes in them...

This week was really wonderful. The weather was perfectly chilly, not too cold and not too warm, just right for a light jacket.

We found a lot of friends this week. It was truly a joy. First of all, I have to tell this cool story which happened to us...two days ago. Saturday. We were trying to catch a bus to go visit our friend at work, and we had about ten minutes before it came, and nobody was at the stop. So naturally, we decided to contact to the next bus stop. We went along dandily and we see a dad with a twin-stroller. So of course we bee-line to him, and have a wonderful conversation. He has five kids, the two youngest are twin babies, one is at the hospital with his wife right now. Then, he remembers that his oldest child knows English! So obviously he is excited because we are Americans and wants us to talk to his oldest boy. He calls him and he is right down the street so we went down there to talk to him, a little in a hurry and a little skeptical. He ended up being this really cool 20 year old boy who knew English very well. He was so happy to see us and exclaimed that he was meeting with the missionaries before! We asked him what happened and he said he just moved to Denmark for a little while and lost contact with the missionaries. We are really excited to start meeting with him and his dad this week.

Probably the funniest thing that happened this week.
Is that Sister Ross, has this thing, where she is super jumpy and gets really scared really easily. It is kind of the best thing ever. I have never loved jumping out from behind corners so much.

BUT

We were walking home, and it was dark, and I looked up at the stars and realized how incredibly visible they were and how bright and beautiful, so I suddenly reached out to Sister Ross and let out a little excited gasp!

And I think she just about died! She ended up pretty much dislocating my thumb, giving me a nice bruise on my shoulder, and kicking me in the thigh.

I will never be excited again.

As well, we did our district culture night this week! IT WAS THE BEST. Because Nitra is in our

district, we all got to go to Bojnice Zamok, which is basically the most beautiful Disney-like castle ever. I felt truly like a princess. People lived there up until the middle of the 1900s so it was very nice! Really I could not believe how beautiful it was. The worst part about this is that I forgot to bring my camera to the library, so I do not have pictures this week. I will get one from Sister Ross but seriously it was so beautiful.

We had another awesome day this week where we were out talking to people. and we made a bad decision and went on a business street right during lunch break. SO really, nobody had time, and it seemed like we were just repeating ourselves over and over again like robots. So I was like, okay, that is it, we are finding new investigators NOW. And we prayed and left the street, and proceeded to contact a man, who re set up for Monday. And after him we found and taught two more people who set up as well. We were so grateful for the Lord! It was one of those times where you do all you can and you know that the Lord has to just make up the difference.

Well, I think lastly, is that I just am so grateful for the Spirit we have felt this week! After listening to konference I tried to make a conscious goal to recognize and try harder to feel the spirit with me always. And it really did make all the difference! I cannot believe how often I can feel the small promptings the Holy Ghost gives me and all the times I can feel Gods love for me and for His children around me. I have never been more grateful for my baptismal covenant and for the sacrament! I wish everyone could feel like this all the time.

My scripture for this week was Mormon 3-22.

22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt it! I am so grateful for this work and really do wish I could persuade everyone. It is a good thing that the Lord leads us to His elect!

Love you all!

Sestra Abbott (Sestra Bodka)