Jaj.

This week was so full of unexpected miracles and new friends and great surprises. I absolutely adore Trenčín. I am in love with my neighbors who surround me and with those people I see all around. They have really become my big family and I feel like I really belong here. I am always greeted by familiar faces (And new faces, surprisingly), and lots of cheek kisses and hugs everywhere.

This week, I have to say, just so you all can picture this in your heads, was all four seasons mixed into one. Just picture two very confused sister missionaries dressing all up in their winter clothes to go out, then walking outside and discovering that the sun is beating down on them and the birds are singing and the snow is melted. So the next day, they go out a little less prepared, leaving their hats and gloves and scarves, and immediately a huge snow cloud builds above them and pours out the windiest, iciest snowstorm you ever did see! If you want to guess further, the next day we had a really wet rainstorm. Anyway. It was just really fun.

I am trying not to write about food because I do not want everyone to think my missionary purpose is "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel and eating their food", but the food is always just so great I cannot not write about it! First of all, our great french neighbor made us this like lemon tart that was SO delicious. It was just like lemon bars but a little more sour and it was so perfect. I was in heaven. I forgot how good stuff like that is. YUM

Then, on Saturday, there was something called Fašiangy here in slovakia, which is basically a huge "Eat, Drink and be Merry party" for tomorrow the Catholic fast of forty days starts. They have this huge party where they just drink and kill pigs and eat meat and have a costume party for the kids and make homemade donuts with apricot filling and just give them to you for free! Anyway it was really a super great time. We were offered a lot of shots but people got so funny about our nametags when they saw them. We happily ate many donuts and fruit tea and shyed away from some of the scary meat that was happening. There were a lot of people there who said I looked just like I belonged right there in their town! I seriously love slovakia.

We had a really sweet testimony meeting this week. I adore the members here and adore their

fašiangy when they cry over the tuba because...no more parties

examples of converted, constant missionary work. One of our members decided that she was going to read her Book of Mormon on the bus when she took her weekly grocery trip to the mall. It is just a short 15 min bus ride but she decided to utilize it. As she was reading, a woman was reading over her shoulder. When it came about time to get off, the woman asked her what the book was. With all her heart, our little member testified that the Book of Mormon was a treasure, and from God. The woman asked her where she could purchase one. Our dear member hopefully gave her the address for our little church building, and hopped off the bus.

And the woman came to the building! Of course, we were not there at the time, but she saw the Elders phone number and gave them a call, explaining the entire story and asking when they could meet so she could have a copy of that beautiful book. The elders excitedly agreed and they are meeting this week! You never know when or where you are being a missionary and who is watching you. Our member expressed gratitude in sacrament meeting and curiosity at who else on the bus may have heard her simple testimony. I just about died with happiness when she stood again and bore testimony of the truthfulness of this book. It was so powerful!

angry bird suckers

Okay this is about to be long, but this is what has really been exciting for me this week. I have been so amazed at our bodies, and at eternity, and I am confused and really overwhelmed by the greatness of it all! Life is so good! Prezident Nelson had a great talk in Oct. 2013 called Decisions for Eternity. Here is an exerpt that I love:

"My professional years as a medical doctor gave me a profound respect for the human body. Created by God as a gift to you, it is absolutely amazing! Think of your eyes that see, ears that hear, and fingers that feel all the wondrous things around you. Your brain lets you learn, think, and reason. Your heart pumps tirelessly day and night, almost without your awareness.8

Your body protects itself. Pain comes as a warning that something is wrong and needs attention. Infectious illnesses strike from time to time, and when they do, antibodies are formed that increase your resistence to subsequent infection.

Your body repairs itself. Cuts and bruises heal. Broken bones can become strong once again. I have cited but a tiny sample of the many amazing God-given qualities of your body.

Even so, it seems that in every family, if not in every person, some physical conditions exist that require special care.9 A pattern for coping with such a challenge has been given by the Lord. He said, “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; … for if they humble themselves … and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”10

Stellar spirits are often housed in imperfect bodies.11 The gift of such a body can actually strengthen a family as parents and siblings willingly build their lives around that child born with special needs."
anyway, necham to s vami,
s laskou,
sestra abbott