Zdravo!!! I am so so so so happy to be back to saying zdravo!
So hi family! I sure love you all!
This week was incredible. It seems like it lasted 2 months.
On Tuesday morning, Sister Martineau and I had a nice 4-hour drive together. It was our last day together... and sadly the last time I will see her until she comes home next August haha. I was a little sad on that one. We drove to a place where we met some other sisters to exchange. We all got our new companions and switched our cars around and that was that. I said a sad goodbye and was off with my new companion Sister Bushong. We drove into Bosnia and my heart immediately was at peace. I know this is where I was supposed to finish my mission. Real embarrassing, I cried right off the bat. I am NOT a crier but lately I’ve been real emotional haha. I think Sister Bushong might be in for a long transfer with me. But no, I cried because I really did feel the spirit. I was sad and devastated that I would not see sister Martineau or Rollins again until they come home. I was really emotional about this being my last transfer... but for the most part, I was crying because of the peace I felt. I felt like I really had given my all to Croatia and Croatian and that he was pleased with my work there. It was an overwhelming feeling to start off my new transfer.
Getting moved in took some time because it took a little while to find the apartment. It’s a great apartment! I have no complaints! We got some groceries and familiarized ourselves with the area and the changes in brands and all that stuff. The next day, we got some transfer planning done. One weakness I have... I HATE... absolutely HATE being inside. especially on my mission. if we plan outside maybe someone will come talk to us. Plus, I have served in the most beautiful places in the world... I want to be out in them. With that being said, we found ourselves a nice spot on the wall of the fortress near our house looking onto the river where we did our planning. It was going well until I spotted a snake on my companion’s bag.... we will be finding a new planning area for the rest of our transfer not to mention a therapist for my traumatized companion.
SO! For Banja Luka. I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Might just be my favorite city ever. It is green and hilly like Slovenia, it is sweet and simple and humble. I absolutely adore the people here. They are so so so so kind. We get to spend a ton of time this transfer finding and that is my dream final transfer. Just being out with the people and searching for gods elect. We spent quite a bit of time on the streets contacting this week. I loved it. We found some really awesome people and taught some really awesome lessons. One lesson, we ended up walking over to a cafe and having a lesson. My poor white companion sat in the direct sunlight and ended up getting a bad sunburn... but it was still a really incredible lesson. I love teaching God’s children the gospel!
I LOVE BOSNIA! I love Serbian! It is so much fun! it really is coming along. I love the promise that if you seek the word he will put in your mouth what you need to say. Well... 3rd language means I have to trust in the lords promises right? I need his help. On a mission when learning a new language, it is so tempting and easy to just say what you know how to say. It is comfortable and it will come out right. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT GIFT OF TONGUES MEANS! I have learned that saying what I know how to say is not as important as saying what I know to be true. I have been forced to be a simple teacher on my mission since I never have had the opportunity to know every word in the book. I am so so so thankful for that! If I am in a lesson or a contact or whatever... it is tempting to just say the 2 phrases I know and go on. But teaching the gospel is not like that. I say what I know to be true and language always comes. that is one way I have felt the gift of tongues on my mission. Just always saying what the Lord puts in my mouth and not worry about it. I really love sharing the truth in every language.
I am so happy! And I love you all! Thank you for the support as always.
Sestra Higgins
So hi family! I sure love you all!
This week was incredible. It seems like it lasted 2 months.
On Tuesday morning, Sister Martineau and I had a nice 4-hour drive together. It was our last day together... and sadly the last time I will see her until she comes home next August haha. I was a little sad on that one. We drove to a place where we met some other sisters to exchange. We all got our new companions and switched our cars around and that was that. I said a sad goodbye and was off with my new companion Sister Bushong. We drove into Bosnia and my heart immediately was at peace. I know this is where I was supposed to finish my mission. Real embarrassing, I cried right off the bat. I am NOT a crier but lately I’ve been real emotional haha. I think Sister Bushong might be in for a long transfer with me. But no, I cried because I really did feel the spirit. I was sad and devastated that I would not see sister Martineau or Rollins again until they come home. I was really emotional about this being my last transfer... but for the most part, I was crying because of the peace I felt. I felt like I really had given my all to Croatia and Croatian and that he was pleased with my work there. It was an overwhelming feeling to start off my new transfer.
Getting moved in took some time because it took a little while to find the apartment. It’s a great apartment! I have no complaints! We got some groceries and familiarized ourselves with the area and the changes in brands and all that stuff. The next day, we got some transfer planning done. One weakness I have... I HATE... absolutely HATE being inside. especially on my mission. if we plan outside maybe someone will come talk to us. Plus, I have served in the most beautiful places in the world... I want to be out in them. With that being said, we found ourselves a nice spot on the wall of the fortress near our house looking onto the river where we did our planning. It was going well until I spotted a snake on my companion’s bag.... we will be finding a new planning area for the rest of our transfer not to mention a therapist for my traumatized companion.
SO! For Banja Luka. I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Might just be my favorite city ever. It is green and hilly like Slovenia, it is sweet and simple and humble. I absolutely adore the people here. They are so so so so kind. We get to spend a ton of time this transfer finding and that is my dream final transfer. Just being out with the people and searching for gods elect. We spent quite a bit of time on the streets contacting this week. I loved it. We found some really awesome people and taught some really awesome lessons. One lesson, we ended up walking over to a cafe and having a lesson. My poor white companion sat in the direct sunlight and ended up getting a bad sunburn... but it was still a really incredible lesson. I love teaching God’s children the gospel!
I LOVE BOSNIA! I love Serbian! It is so much fun! it really is coming along. I love the promise that if you seek the word he will put in your mouth what you need to say. Well... 3rd language means I have to trust in the lords promises right? I need his help. On a mission when learning a new language, it is so tempting and easy to just say what you know how to say. It is comfortable and it will come out right. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT GIFT OF TONGUES MEANS! I have learned that saying what I know how to say is not as important as saying what I know to be true. I have been forced to be a simple teacher on my mission since I never have had the opportunity to know every word in the book. I am so so so thankful for that! If I am in a lesson or a contact or whatever... it is tempting to just say the 2 phrases I know and go on. But teaching the gospel is not like that. I say what I know to be true and language always comes. that is one way I have felt the gift of tongues on my mission. Just always saying what the Lord puts in my mouth and not worry about it. I really love sharing the truth in every language.
I am so happy! And I love you all! Thank you for the support as always.
Sestra Higgins