HI HI FAMILY!!!!
WOW! If there was one week of my life I could just live over and over again... it would be this one! Best week ever! At the beginning of the transfer, I was told "I hope Maribor is as good to you as you are to it." So I decided to give my all to this place and OH am I seeing it, ten fold back!
We taught 22 lessons this week. That is actually a lot for here! We were running to and from and it was just so much fun! I LOVE TEACHING!!!! I always feel the Spirit and I go into every teaching opportunity knowing I am about to feel the Spirit and so is my investigator. I need to be better at planning time though, because I can not tell you how many times the following scene happened-- Two sister missionaries bundled up in every coat they own, sprinting down the side of the road in the POURING rain with our umbrellas flying, as our bags full of apples and other treats we received while tracting were pulling us back and our pockets full of muffins we cooked for a service activity... literally every night this week. But, it always ended in laughter at how wet we were and a commitment to try harder the next time to be on time for the bus or train home.
At the beginning of this week, we had a REALLY rough morning. We went out contacting and the first man to talk to us just tore the religion apart and was very hard to talk to. The next person we said "hello" to simply responded with "forget about it." UGH! I felt every second of that. I asked if we could stop and say a prayer because I just wanted to give up. I decided to offer it and as we bowed our heads in the pouring rain, I remembered the scripture I had read that morning about how when their hearts were depressed and they were about to turn back they were comforted. I burst into tears as I pleaded for comfort and strength to do all that was needed that day. I felt so much comfort! Immediately, I had energy and desire to continue. The comfort stayed with me every time I invited someone to learn about the restored gospel. It was a life-changing morning.
We had the most amazing opportunity to go to Ljubliana this week for zone conference again! This time our area Presidency came. We were instructed and spiritually fed by Brother and Sister Charles. I have never received so much inspiration! I was a different missionary walking out of there! IT WAS AMAZING! Not to mention, they both had the cutest British accents! I LOVE THEM! I learned so much! After zone conference, we had to get back to center to catch our train home to Maribor and the Ljub sisters were headed to center as well so we all got on the same bus. We were all pumped up from the spirit of zone conference and started to contact. It was probably the most beautiful sight; none of us sitting together but sitting or standing by someone and teaching them the gospel. (I personally had 3 people listening and engaged in conversation). BEAUTIFUL! Well, I saw our stop come and noticed Sister N. in front of me wrap up her conversation and stand up. So, I got off and met up with her as we waited for our companions... Then the bus left. I made eye contact with Sister C. and she waved to me to go to the next stop to pick her up. I waved at her to stay on the bus with Sister R. Anyway, not too stressful because we all had a companion. Sister N. and I walked to the next bus station together and had a really cool moment. We both just spoke in Slovene. When I was her companion, I couldn't just talk all day in Slovene about normal topics. But this time I could! It was cool to feel the growth! And her Slovene has improved so much as well! Well, we get to the intersection before the stop and see Sister C. walking towards us... Problem-- where is Sister R.!?! So stressed! SO us three run to the next bus stop to see if she got off and she didn't.... after a prayer and more searching, we finally received a call from Sister R. who had ridden the bus to the end of the line. Needless to say, we missed our train home helping Sister N. find her companion! hahaha But we did end up getting home! And since it was late and we were pretty much alone on the train, we ended up having one of the most tender moments as a companionship. I love Sister C.
One thing we talked about at zone conference is "The lower lights." In the song, "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy," it talks about the lower lights on the shore. Well, they explained that when the sea man was coming in from the dark night on the sea, the lighthouse on the shore was not enough to protect him from the rocky bottom. So the village people would come out with lights and line the rocks so he knew where they were. These were called the lower lights. WE ARE THE LOWER LIGHTS! We are there to lead people back to the lighthouse and protect them from the rocks at the bottom. GO read the song. It is so cool!
Saturday afternoon I was asked to give a 10 minute talk in Slovene on Sunday. STRESS! But, I was blessed and was able to talk about the Holy ghost. That really is what is different between our church and others! Ours is led by God through continuing revelation. Live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Without it... we are just any other church.
One other funny story from this week: Yesterday, we were invited into a home to teach a lesson while tracting. She was a sweet older lady and started offering us everything she had. We settled for some herbal tea. Well. pretty soon, she was not in the room and we had no idea where she went, but we heard a door shut. So we waited. Eventually we got nervous. We were alone in this house! "SIster C. where is our investiagator?!?" Haha Apparently Slovene is hard to understand or something because we had no idea where she had gone. About 20 minutes later, she comes back with some fresh treats from the bakery hahahahaha. You know you are not fluent when...!
This week was amazing! We are being so blessed here! God is aware of us and the people in Maribor! PEOPLE ARE PREPARED! I love being an instrument in God's hand! And watching the gospel become alive in the people I am teaching. The church is true!
Sestra Higgins
WOW! If there was one week of my life I could just live over and over again... it would be this one! Best week ever! At the beginning of the transfer, I was told "I hope Maribor is as good to you as you are to it." So I decided to give my all to this place and OH am I seeing it, ten fold back!
We taught 22 lessons this week. That is actually a lot for here! We were running to and from and it was just so much fun! I LOVE TEACHING!!!! I always feel the Spirit and I go into every teaching opportunity knowing I am about to feel the Spirit and so is my investigator. I need to be better at planning time though, because I can not tell you how many times the following scene happened-- Two sister missionaries bundled up in every coat they own, sprinting down the side of the road in the POURING rain with our umbrellas flying, as our bags full of apples and other treats we received while tracting were pulling us back and our pockets full of muffins we cooked for a service activity... literally every night this week. But, it always ended in laughter at how wet we were and a commitment to try harder the next time to be on time for the bus or train home.
At the beginning of this week, we had a REALLY rough morning. We went out contacting and the first man to talk to us just tore the religion apart and was very hard to talk to. The next person we said "hello" to simply responded with "forget about it." UGH! I felt every second of that. I asked if we could stop and say a prayer because I just wanted to give up. I decided to offer it and as we bowed our heads in the pouring rain, I remembered the scripture I had read that morning about how when their hearts were depressed and they were about to turn back they were comforted. I burst into tears as I pleaded for comfort and strength to do all that was needed that day. I felt so much comfort! Immediately, I had energy and desire to continue. The comfort stayed with me every time I invited someone to learn about the restored gospel. It was a life-changing morning.
We had the most amazing opportunity to go to Ljubliana this week for zone conference again! This time our area Presidency came. We were instructed and spiritually fed by Brother and Sister Charles. I have never received so much inspiration! I was a different missionary walking out of there! IT WAS AMAZING! Not to mention, they both had the cutest British accents! I LOVE THEM! I learned so much! After zone conference, we had to get back to center to catch our train home to Maribor and the Ljub sisters were headed to center as well so we all got on the same bus. We were all pumped up from the spirit of zone conference and started to contact. It was probably the most beautiful sight; none of us sitting together but sitting or standing by someone and teaching them the gospel. (I personally had 3 people listening and engaged in conversation). BEAUTIFUL! Well, I saw our stop come and noticed Sister N. in front of me wrap up her conversation and stand up. So, I got off and met up with her as we waited for our companions... Then the bus left. I made eye contact with Sister C. and she waved to me to go to the next stop to pick her up. I waved at her to stay on the bus with Sister R. Anyway, not too stressful because we all had a companion. Sister N. and I walked to the next bus station together and had a really cool moment. We both just spoke in Slovene. When I was her companion, I couldn't just talk all day in Slovene about normal topics. But this time I could! It was cool to feel the growth! And her Slovene has improved so much as well! Well, we get to the intersection before the stop and see Sister C. walking towards us... Problem-- where is Sister R.!?! So stressed! SO us three run to the next bus stop to see if she got off and she didn't.... after a prayer and more searching, we finally received a call from Sister R. who had ridden the bus to the end of the line. Needless to say, we missed our train home helping Sister N. find her companion! hahaha But we did end up getting home! And since it was late and we were pretty much alone on the train, we ended up having one of the most tender moments as a companionship. I love Sister C.
One thing we talked about at zone conference is "The lower lights." In the song, "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy," it talks about the lower lights on the shore. Well, they explained that when the sea man was coming in from the dark night on the sea, the lighthouse on the shore was not enough to protect him from the rocky bottom. So the village people would come out with lights and line the rocks so he knew where they were. These were called the lower lights. WE ARE THE LOWER LIGHTS! We are there to lead people back to the lighthouse and protect them from the rocks at the bottom. GO read the song. It is so cool!
Saturday afternoon I was asked to give a 10 minute talk in Slovene on Sunday. STRESS! But, I was blessed and was able to talk about the Holy ghost. That really is what is different between our church and others! Ours is led by God through continuing revelation. Live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Without it... we are just any other church.
One other funny story from this week: Yesterday, we were invited into a home to teach a lesson while tracting. She was a sweet older lady and started offering us everything she had. We settled for some herbal tea. Well. pretty soon, she was not in the room and we had no idea where she went, but we heard a door shut. So we waited. Eventually we got nervous. We were alone in this house! "SIster C. where is our investiagator?!?" Haha Apparently Slovene is hard to understand or something because we had no idea where she had gone. About 20 minutes later, she comes back with some fresh treats from the bakery hahahahaha. You know you are not fluent when...!
This week was amazing! We are being so blessed here! God is aware of us and the people in Maribor! PEOPLE ARE PREPARED! I love being an instrument in God's hand! And watching the gospel become alive in the people I am teaching. The church is true!
Sestra Higgins