Hello everyone!
So this week has been one of the biggest up and down weeks of my mission! We had the best 2 days at the beginning of the week and then some of the slowest and hardest days for me at the end of the week. Weird how that happens huh? I won't talk too much about the last couple of days...there isn't too much to write about. but Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday were great!! We got 2 new investigators this week! And we had a lesson with Elena (remember her?) who said she wants to be baptized! She has several concerns but I don't doubt that we will be able to overcome them! Do you remember Nataša our English class student who doesn't believe in God? Listen to this. So when transfers were coming up we told her that one of us might be leaving...she didn't like that. ( I probably already told the basic story but here are some more details)
I said " Hey can we take a picture just in case one of us leaves next week?"
Nataša: "No"
Sister staheli: " yeah just it case?"
Me: Please just in case?
Nataša: " I don't like this 'case'!!"
It made us laugh:)
the next week we told her we would both be staying and she said that she had prayed that we would stay. (thank you inspired mission president!)We said "We thought you didn't believe in God" she said "Well you believe in God and I thought if I prayed to your God he would probably listen". yeah God hears all of our prayers! Last week we asked her to read Alma 32. This week she came back and said she really connected to that chapter. She said that she doesn't believe in God...but she is willing to take the challenge in Alma 32 and make a place in her heart to plant a seed to see if it grows. To find out if God exists and if she is his daughter. Sister Staheli and I were so excited we were practically jumping out of our chairs!! nataša just laughed. I love her so much and I really hope we can be in tune with the spirit to teach her to her needs. She is amazing!
Our other new investigator is the friend of a less active...I may have written about her last week. Marjanca ( her daughter has epilepsy). We asked her if she wanted to learn more this week and she said " Well I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to find out what this was!" She is a very blunt woman but has a great desire to know Christ better. I am so excited for her!
So this week I had a talk in Sacrament meeting...and as those things always go for missionaries here I had about 2 hours to prepare, 1 the evening before and 1 hour the morning of. I can't tell you how many times I have been grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and that was definitely one of those times!¨ Scriptures kept coming to mind and quotes that I wanted to use and it was amazing. Last time I gave a talk I had it all written out, exactly what I wanted to say and then I had Monika correct it for me. This time....just a couple of notes, no Monika, just me and the Holy Ghost and God's word. It was a neat experience for me if for no one else. But sister Staheli said that she got an answer to a prayer during it so I know it was inspired. I love it when that happens! I am so grateful for how much the Lord loves his missionaries and blesses us!
Ok enough for now I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
11-7-11
Whew!! Hey everyone!
This week has been a whirlwind! So many good things happened and I went through so many different emotions that I am not sure quite what to think! Sister Black was here in Ljubljana all this week and we are switching back companions today. I am really excited to switch back, but I am sad to see her go. I have learned so much from her! She is a newby... only 2 months in country. So it was really interesting for me because I have always had someone to rely on to help me when I didn't understand something...not this week. It was a HUGE gowing experience for me. But the Lord truly blessed me! I can honestly say that this entire week I had the gift of tongues. I have improved a ton this transfer and understand basically everything and can finally feel confident in expressing the things that I want to in Slovene....but this week was miraculous. I found phrases coming to mind and found myself speaking more confidently and by the Spirit more and more. Wow the Holy Ghost is amazing! At the same time I failed at being a good leader and giving Sister Black adequate opportunities to teach and take the lead. She was truly amazing though. I was so inspired with her vision of missionary work and will use a lot of the things that she taught me in this upcoming transfer!
Speaking of which guess what!? Ljubljana just can't let me go! Or I have a lesson that I have to learn here and I am just to stubborn to learn it....I'm hoping it is the former. Nothing is going to change for this upcoming transfer! I am really excited. This last transfer I have grown so much and been so impacted by the people I have been working with and am excited for it to continue! We have so many good things going on and I would have been really sad to leave in the middle of such great progress! I still have a lot to learn though!
That is another thing that happened this week. I got spiritually slapped several times this week and severely chastened by the Spirit...mainly during district meeting. Once again hooray for an amazing district leader! (even if it did hurt my pride a little...or a lot). I realized a lot of things that I need to be doing better and realized that a lot of times my motivation for doing missionary work is not what it should be. I need to love the people more and focus so much more on looking outside of my self and relying on the Lord! It is so stinking easy to lose track of what is really important and focus on yourself!!! whew. I have a long way to go....but the first step to repentance is recognition right? now i just have to find the courage to do it. That is one of the talents that Pres. Topham said would be uncovered on my mission...and I bet it has to do with me being willing to change for that to actually happen. Darn that agency! except not really. It truly is a blessing and the only way we can grow!
So a quick little story and then I should go. So we are teaching an absolutely amazing woman named Tončka. I am so excited for her! She asks amazing questions and truly has a desire to understand. We were talking about faith and reading through parts of Alma 32 this week. She said that she has a hard time reading the book of mormon and she says she thinks one of the reasons is she doesn't have enough faith. As we were closing the lesson I committed her to read 2 Nephi 31 (we are going to commit her to baptism this week!) and when she said she would I started to promise her blessings because of it...as i started I got a prompting to promise her something a little more specific than what I was planning on. I promised her that as she read the Book of Mormon her faith would grow. Really simple right? but different from what I was planning on saying. but as soon as I said it I felt the Spirit testify that this simple promise was exactly what she needed to hear. Once again I love revelation and the Holy Ghost!
I love you all and I love this gospel. I am learning so much and am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord and the People in Slovenia! More next week!
Love,
Sestra Powell
This week has been a whirlwind! So many good things happened and I went through so many different emotions that I am not sure quite what to think! Sister Black was here in Ljubljana all this week and we are switching back companions today. I am really excited to switch back, but I am sad to see her go. I have learned so much from her! She is a newby... only 2 months in country. So it was really interesting for me because I have always had someone to rely on to help me when I didn't understand something...not this week. It was a HUGE gowing experience for me. But the Lord truly blessed me! I can honestly say that this entire week I had the gift of tongues. I have improved a ton this transfer and understand basically everything and can finally feel confident in expressing the things that I want to in Slovene....but this week was miraculous. I found phrases coming to mind and found myself speaking more confidently and by the Spirit more and more. Wow the Holy Ghost is amazing! At the same time I failed at being a good leader and giving Sister Black adequate opportunities to teach and take the lead. She was truly amazing though. I was so inspired with her vision of missionary work and will use a lot of the things that she taught me in this upcoming transfer!
Speaking of which guess what!? Ljubljana just can't let me go! Or I have a lesson that I have to learn here and I am just to stubborn to learn it....I'm hoping it is the former. Nothing is going to change for this upcoming transfer! I am really excited. This last transfer I have grown so much and been so impacted by the people I have been working with and am excited for it to continue! We have so many good things going on and I would have been really sad to leave in the middle of such great progress! I still have a lot to learn though!
That is another thing that happened this week. I got spiritually slapped several times this week and severely chastened by the Spirit...mainly during district meeting. Once again hooray for an amazing district leader! (even if it did hurt my pride a little...or a lot). I realized a lot of things that I need to be doing better and realized that a lot of times my motivation for doing missionary work is not what it should be. I need to love the people more and focus so much more on looking outside of my self and relying on the Lord! It is so stinking easy to lose track of what is really important and focus on yourself!!! whew. I have a long way to go....but the first step to repentance is recognition right? now i just have to find the courage to do it. That is one of the talents that Pres. Topham said would be uncovered on my mission...and I bet it has to do with me being willing to change for that to actually happen. Darn that agency! except not really. It truly is a blessing and the only way we can grow!
So a quick little story and then I should go. So we are teaching an absolutely amazing woman named Tončka. I am so excited for her! She asks amazing questions and truly has a desire to understand. We were talking about faith and reading through parts of Alma 32 this week. She said that she has a hard time reading the book of mormon and she says she thinks one of the reasons is she doesn't have enough faith. As we were closing the lesson I committed her to read 2 Nephi 31 (we are going to commit her to baptism this week!) and when she said she would I started to promise her blessings because of it...as i started I got a prompting to promise her something a little more specific than what I was planning on. I promised her that as she read the Book of Mormon her faith would grow. Really simple right? but different from what I was planning on saying. but as soon as I said it I felt the Spirit testify that this simple promise was exactly what she needed to hear. Once again I love revelation and the Holy Ghost!
I love you all and I love this gospel. I am learning so much and am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord and the People in Slovenia! More next week!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tadeja is getting baptized!
Hey errybody!
So...This week is Tadeja's baptism!! It is really looking like she is finally going to make it into the water this time! We are so excited. She had her interview and passed with flying colors. Her boyfriend is coming in on Thursday and the baptism is on Saturday. GOOD STUFF!!!!!!(see all those exclamation marks mom? Now THAT is freaking out..baha!) This Saturday our mission is having a total of 4 baptisms! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!! So cool.
This week has been the week of me being grateful for inspired missionaries! I am so grateful for my companion and our elders here! Sister Staheli and I have had several experiences where I have been at a loss for what to say or do and she (following the Spirit) has come up with the perfect action or answer. I am really trying to follow her example! Also our district leader Elder Shillabeer had a whole district meeting planned but the day of he told us that he was told to change it...and as he told us what topic he had changed it to I felt the spirit so strongly and knew that it had been changed for me. The whole meeting was an answer to my prayers and I was so grateful! The Spirit was so strong and i truly felt the Lord's love for me. He is aware of us and knows our needs and will never forsake us! That is amazing and that is the message i have for the world! So good:)
So we had several interesting strike outs this week. We have been trying to visit a less active member for awhile and there is a random guy living with her. Every time he answers the phone or the door he says she isn't home. We went to visit and again he said she wasn't there...we got in the blok and he said we could even search the apartment. We looked around and there was one door that was locked...it just happened to be her room... we'll see what happens with that. We had a couple of other fruitless efforts as well but I won't waste my time telling about the frustrations. How about an amazing English class student! her name is Nataša and we love her! She says that she isn't interested in the gospel but she feels the spirit every time and says that we just have a good energy. At the beginning she claimed she didn't even believe in God...now she is saying she believes in something and sometimes even prays! It is a slow process but she is coming closer to God without even knowing it and it is so neat! I love the way the Lord works. This week she came and told us some minor problems she is having in life and we asked if we could come to her house and teach her family about having FHE. She said she would think about it! That was a big step for her:)
I am so excited about this week and looking forward to more miracles! Thank you for your prayers and love!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Hi all! Annie's story confused me a bit (why would a missionary take somebody up on an offer to search their apartment for somebody who doesn't want them to be there?) So, I've included an excerpt from Sestra Staheli's letter (Annie's companion). It helps clarify...just in case you want to know! (LP)
Here it is:
One of our members, Lucija, is deaf, and has this guy living with her. And he HATES us. We called her, and finally she answered instead of him, and we set up the next day. We got there, he answered the buzz, and said she wasn't there. I was just like, Georgie, JE doma, VRATA PROSIM. (She IS home, DOOR PLEASE) He buzzed us in, and let us search the house. Only problem, one door was mysteriously locked, and the door, her bedroom... so we knocked, but she is deaf, so probably didn't hear. It is insane.
So...This week is Tadeja's baptism!! It is really looking like she is finally going to make it into the water this time! We are so excited. She had her interview and passed with flying colors. Her boyfriend is coming in on Thursday and the baptism is on Saturday. GOOD STUFF!!!!!!(see all those exclamation marks mom? Now THAT is freaking out..baha!) This Saturday our mission is having a total of 4 baptisms! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!! So cool.
This week has been the week of me being grateful for inspired missionaries! I am so grateful for my companion and our elders here! Sister Staheli and I have had several experiences where I have been at a loss for what to say or do and she (following the Spirit) has come up with the perfect action or answer. I am really trying to follow her example! Also our district leader Elder Shillabeer had a whole district meeting planned but the day of he told us that he was told to change it...and as he told us what topic he had changed it to I felt the spirit so strongly and knew that it had been changed for me. The whole meeting was an answer to my prayers and I was so grateful! The Spirit was so strong and i truly felt the Lord's love for me. He is aware of us and knows our needs and will never forsake us! That is amazing and that is the message i have for the world! So good:)
So we had several interesting strike outs this week. We have been trying to visit a less active member for awhile and there is a random guy living with her. Every time he answers the phone or the door he says she isn't home. We went to visit and again he said she wasn't there...we got in the blok and he said we could even search the apartment. We looked around and there was one door that was locked...it just happened to be her room... we'll see what happens with that. We had a couple of other fruitless efforts as well but I won't waste my time telling about the frustrations. How about an amazing English class student! her name is Nataša and we love her! She says that she isn't interested in the gospel but she feels the spirit every time and says that we just have a good energy. At the beginning she claimed she didn't even believe in God...now she is saying she believes in something and sometimes even prays! It is a slow process but she is coming closer to God without even knowing it and it is so neat! I love the way the Lord works. This week she came and told us some minor problems she is having in life and we asked if we could come to her house and teach her family about having FHE. She said she would think about it! That was a big step for her:)
I am so excited about this week and looking forward to more miracles! Thank you for your prayers and love!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Hi all! Annie's story confused me a bit (why would a missionary take somebody up on an offer to search their apartment for somebody who doesn't want them to be there?) So, I've included an excerpt from Sestra Staheli's letter (Annie's companion). It helps clarify...just in case you want to know! (LP)
Here it is:
One of our members, Lucija, is deaf, and has this guy living with her. And he HATES us. We called her, and finally she answered instead of him, and we set up the next day. We got there, he answered the buzz, and said she wasn't there. I was just like, Georgie, JE doma, VRATA PROSIM. (She IS home, DOOR PLEASE) He buzzed us in, and let us search the house. Only problem, one door was mysteriously locked, and the door, her bedroom... so we knocked, but she is deaf, so probably didn't hear. It is insane.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
10-10-11
Dobro Jutro!!!
Actually it is more like dober dan now ...almost 12...anyway. So I am glad that you all got a kick out of sister staheli's story last week:) The elders tried calling him this week and he didn't answer...so his "elect"ness is yet to be determined. I'll keep you updated!
This week has gone pretty well....other than the temperature drop from 24 C to 9 in one day....not fun. Mom soon I'm going to have to get a better winter wardrobe...new boots and a warmer coat...and stuff... so if there are some large purchases from my cards just know that that it is for my sanity and safety. I've already been warned that as a St. Georgian I am going to freeze. Joj. We spent a lot of time handing out English flyers in the rain...and my new umbrella broke because it was so windy! The rain was pretty though:)
Ok so for some of the miracles this week!
Tadeja has a baptismal date!....again:) but this time I really think it is going to go through. Her boyfriend in coming in on october 21 and she is getting baptized on the 22! She is so ready and has been preparing and investigating for a long time. I think almost all of the missionaries here have taught her atleast once:) So it is a whole mission baptism:) That is one thing I love about this mission. There are so few missionaries that when we have baptism everyone has had a part in the investigator's conversion in some way or the other. I'm not sure how it is in other missions but it is really neat! We had another baptism on Saturday. A woman the kranj elder's have been teaching finally got baptized. She was dropped a couple of times but they never gave up on her. She is such a sweet woman! her name is Antonija and she really wants the sisters to go up to Kranj for a visit atleast once:) So fun!
We had a really good lesson with Helena this week!...well it was really good for us. It was a really neat experience for me because I honestly have never prayed so hard for the spirit to be on a lesson as I did on that one. My prayers were definitely answered and the spirit was so strong. We taught about our relationship with christ and how the Book of Mormon testifies of him. We all got down and prayed for her to find out if it was true. Helena said that she didn't really feel anything …I guess that is just evidence of the scripture that says that we can only bring the spirit unto the hearts of the children of men. I really hope we can break down her shell. She truly does want to do the right thing, she is reading from the Book of Mormon every day, but I'm afraid she has put up some walls and she will have to let them down before she will be able to truly feel the spirit and receive answers to her prayers. It was a huge testimony builder for me and I am grateful for the spirit and it's guidance!
Well we are going to go have a picnic with the elders so I'd better get going:)
Rada vas imam!
Sestra Powell
Actually it is more like dober dan now ...almost 12...anyway. So I am glad that you all got a kick out of sister staheli's story last week:) The elders tried calling him this week and he didn't answer...so his "elect"ness is yet to be determined. I'll keep you updated!
This week has gone pretty well....other than the temperature drop from 24 C to 9 in one day....not fun. Mom soon I'm going to have to get a better winter wardrobe...new boots and a warmer coat...and stuff... so if there are some large purchases from my cards just know that that it is for my sanity and safety. I've already been warned that as a St. Georgian I am going to freeze. Joj. We spent a lot of time handing out English flyers in the rain...and my new umbrella broke because it was so windy! The rain was pretty though:)
Ok so for some of the miracles this week!
Tadeja has a baptismal date!....again:) but this time I really think it is going to go through. Her boyfriend in coming in on october 21 and she is getting baptized on the 22! She is so ready and has been preparing and investigating for a long time. I think almost all of the missionaries here have taught her atleast once:) So it is a whole mission baptism:) That is one thing I love about this mission. There are so few missionaries that when we have baptism everyone has had a part in the investigator's conversion in some way or the other. I'm not sure how it is in other missions but it is really neat! We had another baptism on Saturday. A woman the kranj elder's have been teaching finally got baptized. She was dropped a couple of times but they never gave up on her. She is such a sweet woman! her name is Antonija and she really wants the sisters to go up to Kranj for a visit atleast once:) So fun!
We had a really good lesson with Helena this week!...well it was really good for us. It was a really neat experience for me because I honestly have never prayed so hard for the spirit to be on a lesson as I did on that one. My prayers were definitely answered and the spirit was so strong. We taught about our relationship with christ and how the Book of Mormon testifies of him. We all got down and prayed for her to find out if it was true. Helena said that she didn't really feel anything …I guess that is just evidence of the scripture that says that we can only bring the spirit unto the hearts of the children of men. I really hope we can break down her shell. She truly does want to do the right thing, she is reading from the Book of Mormon every day, but I'm afraid she has put up some walls and she will have to let them down before she will be able to truly feel the spirit and receive answers to her prayers. It was a huge testimony builder for me and I am grateful for the spirit and it's guidance!
Well we are going to go have a picnic with the elders so I'd better get going:)
Rada vas imam!
Sestra Powell
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
10/4/11
Hey everyone!
So this week has been a rough week. Only one of our investigators was able to even set up! We had about 13 lessons cancel, most of them the day of the lesson and it was just a slow week. What happened to last week!? I guess that just proves the ups and downs of the life of a missionary doesn't it? lets hope this week goes back up!
The one lesson we had with our investigator was really good! Her name is Cvetka and she is the friend of the district president. She is a sweet lady and made us some really good soup that made sister staheli sick afterwards because it had peppers...not so good. anyway. We asked her to be baptized and she...kind of in a round about way said yes!! She said that she wasn't prepared, but she asked a TON of questions about baptism. I'm really excited about her. Pres. Juhart said last week that she will be baptized but she nees some time and a little bit of pushing...I'm getting a little better with the boldness so we'll see how it goes:)
So want to hear some good news? Sister Staheli thinks I'm funny Really, I have never had someone laugh so much at random things that I do, haha it makes me laugh and so it makes for some good times.
So the highlight of the week! GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!! It felt like my Birthday or Christmas or something. I got to watch 3 1/2 sessions and I was so spiritually fed and I can't wait to reread more than half of them! I don't even know what insights to share I had so many....most of them about things I need to improve as a missionary. There are so many and It is a little bit overwhelming because I have so many ways I need to improve. I'm still working on a love for the Slovene people... and how many talks were on Charity? I love the members here sooooo much and also our investigators...but I'm still working on the love for the complete strangers (especially creepy guys who give us there phone number...yeah sorry I left that out last week family It was one of the things I meant to put in but just didn't have time! we have come in contact with several strange...homeless...drunk...men here and sometimes it's funny, sometimes a little nerveracking, in učasih just plain bizarre). The slovene people are very closed people. For example we ask people on the street how God helps them in their lives and they respond " yeah, he helps". thinking that that is a completely adequate answer. They aren't willing to give away much. and then if they do open up most of them are completely content with where they are in life and don't think we have anything different to offer...that is probably a pretty universal mind set though in the world right now. Lukewarm people. JOJ. Well I just got off on a tangent....sorry about that. So general conference. One of my favorite talks was Deiter F. Uchtdorfs...and also Carl B. Cooks. I loved the story he told about president Monson " It is better to look up"! I thought that was really profound and helped me receive a little bit of revelation about how I need to be someone constantly who can help people redirect thier wordly perspectives to the lord. If that makes any sense. I'm no prophet...obviously, but I am a servant of the Lord who is here to help others do just that.
O.K I'd better go. I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
So this week has been a rough week. Only one of our investigators was able to even set up! We had about 13 lessons cancel, most of them the day of the lesson and it was just a slow week. What happened to last week!? I guess that just proves the ups and downs of the life of a missionary doesn't it? lets hope this week goes back up!
The one lesson we had with our investigator was really good! Her name is Cvetka and she is the friend of the district president. She is a sweet lady and made us some really good soup that made sister staheli sick afterwards because it had peppers...not so good. anyway. We asked her to be baptized and she...kind of in a round about way said yes!! She said that she wasn't prepared, but she asked a TON of questions about baptism. I'm really excited about her. Pres. Juhart said last week that she will be baptized but she nees some time and a little bit of pushing...I'm getting a little better with the boldness so we'll see how it goes:)
So want to hear some good news? Sister Staheli thinks I'm funny Really, I have never had someone laugh so much at random things that I do, haha it makes me laugh and so it makes for some good times.
So the highlight of the week! GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!! It felt like my Birthday or Christmas or something. I got to watch 3 1/2 sessions and I was so spiritually fed and I can't wait to reread more than half of them! I don't even know what insights to share I had so many....most of them about things I need to improve as a missionary. There are so many and It is a little bit overwhelming because I have so many ways I need to improve. I'm still working on a love for the Slovene people... and how many talks were on Charity? I love the members here sooooo much and also our investigators...but I'm still working on the love for the complete strangers (especially creepy guys who give us there phone number...yeah sorry I left that out last week family It was one of the things I meant to put in but just didn't have time! we have come in contact with several strange...homeless...drunk...men here and sometimes it's funny, sometimes a little nerveracking, in učasih just plain bizarre). The slovene people are very closed people. For example we ask people on the street how God helps them in their lives and they respond " yeah, he helps". thinking that that is a completely adequate answer. They aren't willing to give away much. and then if they do open up most of them are completely content with where they are in life and don't think we have anything different to offer...that is probably a pretty universal mind set though in the world right now. Lukewarm people. JOJ. Well I just got off on a tangent....sorry about that. So general conference. One of my favorite talks was Deiter F. Uchtdorfs...and also Carl B. Cooks. I loved the story he told about president Monson " It is better to look up"! I thought that was really profound and helped me receive a little bit of revelation about how I need to be someone constantly who can help people redirect thier wordly perspectives to the lord. If that makes any sense. I'm no prophet...obviously, but I am a servant of the Lord who is here to help others do just that.
O.K I'd better go. I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Annie has been out 9 months!! Halfway!
Hello everyone!
This week was absolutely amazing! We had so many good things happen!
first of all Urša wasn't able to come to Družinski Večer this week...sounds like a bad thing right? Well guess what she did? She had a 2 hour family home evening at home with her mom and sister! Her mom was asking her about God...I can't remember exactly what...but she pulled out Alma 30:44! (I'll let you look it up and be amazed:))! She is such a great missionary!
Also this week I feel like I have gotten more bold and more confident in sharing the gospel. We went contacting one morning and it just felt good! I was able to say things that I would never have dreamed of saying a couple weeks before. I am understanding more and more each day and have found that, although my slovene is ages away from being perfect(or even good;)) I can communicate with people the same way I do in English...maybe just not as smoothly. We also committed a few of our English class students to baptism, with no yeses, but we combined it with a lesson on how we find truth and we really got them to open up and really think about the source of all truth and how we can tap into it. It was really neat for me and I have realized that it is time for me to "Get Out of the Boat" and exercise more faith As pres. Rowe has been emphasizing! Two cheers for an amazing inspired mission president!
We had a first english lesson with one woman who is amazing! We talked basically the whole time about life and which led wonderfully into gospel topics. We ended talking about families and gave her a Family Proclamation to the world. Guess what? She agreed with every word of it!!! In Slovenia? NO WAY!!!!!! I have so much hope for her excepting the gospel and am sooo excited to teach her more. When she read the part about eternal families and that we can live together forever she said Really? now that I didn't know! ...this week we will teach the plan of salvation:)
Also another little miracle of the week. We have a less active member who has recently been coming back to church. She didn't come last week and we found we didn't have her correct number... so we decided to go visit her. We knew which blok she lived in but not the floor and the entry door and all of the hallway doors are locked so...we didn't know what we were going to do once we got there...but we figured we would give it a try. We got there and rang her doorbell (there is a panel of all of the doorbells on the outside of the main door.) and there was no answer. We had something that we wanted to leave her so we still wanted to get in. Luckily some people unlocked the door for us....then we had the hall doors to take into account and which side of the hall did she live on? We went up to her floor and the one door was magically unlocked! We found her door and were about to knock when we heard the keys turning and she came out. perfect timing. We had an amazing lesson about the atonement and got her new number! Yeah all the doors and locks probably don't make much sense...but to put it simply the Lord intervened and we experienced a little miracle!
We also had a branch picnic this week and Magdalena came. We also made contact with a couple of members friends who are now potentials! We are excited about that.
Ok I have a couple of other little things I wanted to share but I have already written too much! Once again this week has been great and the Lord is blessing this mission! I am so grateful for this gospel and for the opportunity I have to share it!
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
This week was absolutely amazing! We had so many good things happen!
first of all Urša wasn't able to come to Družinski Večer this week...sounds like a bad thing right? Well guess what she did? She had a 2 hour family home evening at home with her mom and sister! Her mom was asking her about God...I can't remember exactly what...but she pulled out Alma 30:44! (I'll let you look it up and be amazed:))! She is such a great missionary!
Also this week I feel like I have gotten more bold and more confident in sharing the gospel. We went contacting one morning and it just felt good! I was able to say things that I would never have dreamed of saying a couple weeks before. I am understanding more and more each day and have found that, although my slovene is ages away from being perfect(or even good;)) I can communicate with people the same way I do in English...maybe just not as smoothly. We also committed a few of our English class students to baptism, with no yeses, but we combined it with a lesson on how we find truth and we really got them to open up and really think about the source of all truth and how we can tap into it. It was really neat for me and I have realized that it is time for me to "Get Out of the Boat" and exercise more faith As pres. Rowe has been emphasizing! Two cheers for an amazing inspired mission president!
We had a first english lesson with one woman who is amazing! We talked basically the whole time about life and which led wonderfully into gospel topics. We ended talking about families and gave her a Family Proclamation to the world. Guess what? She agreed with every word of it!!! In Slovenia? NO WAY!!!!!! I have so much hope for her excepting the gospel and am sooo excited to teach her more. When she read the part about eternal families and that we can live together forever she said Really? now that I didn't know! ...this week we will teach the plan of salvation:)
Also another little miracle of the week. We have a less active member who has recently been coming back to church. She didn't come last week and we found we didn't have her correct number... so we decided to go visit her. We knew which blok she lived in but not the floor and the entry door and all of the hallway doors are locked so...we didn't know what we were going to do once we got there...but we figured we would give it a try. We got there and rang her doorbell (there is a panel of all of the doorbells on the outside of the main door.) and there was no answer. We had something that we wanted to leave her so we still wanted to get in. Luckily some people unlocked the door for us....then we had the hall doors to take into account and which side of the hall did she live on? We went up to her floor and the one door was magically unlocked! We found her door and were about to knock when we heard the keys turning and she came out. perfect timing. We had an amazing lesson about the atonement and got her new number! Yeah all the doors and locks probably don't make much sense...but to put it simply the Lord intervened and we experienced a little miracle!
We also had a branch picnic this week and Magdalena came. We also made contact with a couple of members friends who are now potentials! We are excited about that.
Ok I have a couple of other little things I wanted to share but I have already written too much! Once again this week has been great and the Lord is blessing this mission! I am so grateful for this gospel and for the opportunity I have to share it!
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
letter 9/18/11
Pozdravljeni dragi brati in sestre!
haha that is how everyone here opens their talks on Sundays so I thought I'd start my letter like that:) So. This week was a lot faster than last week! I can hardly believe its Monday again already! We had a lot of really good things happen. Emy our little friend from the Philippines is quite the missionary! On Sunday she brought one of her Slovene friends to church and set up a lesson with us! She called during the week and said Katja couldn't come but she would bring one of her friends Margie who is also from the Philippines! The lesson was pretty ok. We spoke in English...and It was really hard!! I never thought I would say that but it was true! I kept on throwing in Slovene words. Kind of a bitter sweet experience because that means I'm learning Slovene but we were also trying to teach the gospel and it was a little rough. The Spirit was there though so that is all that matters:)
Our investigator Helena read from the Book of Mormon every day this week!! We are so excited she seems to be doing well...now we just have to get her to stop going to mass and come to church! (she has paid for a bunch of masses to be held in her mothers honor and won't miss them...every sunday...*sigh*).
And 2 huge pieces of news!!!
KSENIJA WAS BAPTISED!!! I was sooooooo happy. The Elders have been teaching her and from what we heard and what I have seen she has made leaps and bounds from where she was before. She was so happy and I am so glad that she continued to learn. We were going to have a musical number at the baptism...but Pres. Majc thought it would be better for the members to do it... we agreed, although it would have been fun:) The baptism was really neat and I felt the Spirit so strongly. I felt the Lord's love for her and his joy that she was making this big step in her life. It was a neat experience for me.
Second piece of news,
Tadeja is back from Switzerland!! She has been gone all summer and just got back. She came to church and we are going to have a lesson with her on Wednesday. I am so excited for her because now that she is back I'm sure her baptism won't be far away. Good stuff!
We also had a really good training meeting with Pres. Rowe this week. We talked alot about being agents...those who act not those who are acted upon. I took so much from it and Sister Staheli and I had a really good goal setting session afterwards. I have never been more excited about missionary work than when we got done with that companionship inventory and I hope that excitement continues to grow! Anyway it has been a good week and I am excited to see what the next weeks bring! sorry once again a scattered letter. I never feel like I can adequately describe all that is going on so it sounds insincere...it's not, I promiseOk well I'd better get going.
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
haha that is how everyone here opens their talks on Sundays so I thought I'd start my letter like that:) So. This week was a lot faster than last week! I can hardly believe its Monday again already! We had a lot of really good things happen. Emy our little friend from the Philippines is quite the missionary! On Sunday she brought one of her Slovene friends to church and set up a lesson with us! She called during the week and said Katja couldn't come but she would bring one of her friends Margie who is also from the Philippines! The lesson was pretty ok. We spoke in English...and It was really hard!! I never thought I would say that but it was true! I kept on throwing in Slovene words. Kind of a bitter sweet experience because that means I'm learning Slovene but we were also trying to teach the gospel and it was a little rough. The Spirit was there though so that is all that matters:)
Our investigator Helena read from the Book of Mormon every day this week!! We are so excited she seems to be doing well...now we just have to get her to stop going to mass and come to church! (she has paid for a bunch of masses to be held in her mothers honor and won't miss them...every sunday...*sigh*).
And 2 huge pieces of news!!!
KSENIJA WAS BAPTISED!!! I was sooooooo happy. The Elders have been teaching her and from what we heard and what I have seen she has made leaps and bounds from where she was before. She was so happy and I am so glad that she continued to learn. We were going to have a musical number at the baptism...but Pres. Majc thought it would be better for the members to do it... we agreed, although it would have been fun:) The baptism was really neat and I felt the Spirit so strongly. I felt the Lord's love for her and his joy that she was making this big step in her life. It was a neat experience for me.
Second piece of news,
Tadeja is back from Switzerland!! She has been gone all summer and just got back. She came to church and we are going to have a lesson with her on Wednesday. I am so excited for her because now that she is back I'm sure her baptism won't be far away. Good stuff!
We also had a really good training meeting with Pres. Rowe this week. We talked alot about being agents...those who act not those who are acted upon. I took so much from it and Sister Staheli and I had a really good goal setting session afterwards. I have never been more excited about missionary work than when we got done with that companionship inventory and I hope that excitement continues to grow! Anyway it has been a good week and I am excited to see what the next weeks bring! sorry once again a scattered letter. I never feel like I can adequately describe all that is going on so it sounds insincere...it's not, I promiseOk well I'd better get going.
I love you all!
Love,
Sestra Powell
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