Hi hi family!
I am a proud "mom" this week of Sister M. For the first time this week, it actually felt like I was training. Every once in a while when I have to explain how random things work, I feel like a trainer, but for the most part she didn't come as a "greenie" but rather a missionary. However, this week I felt like a proper trainer
We had our new missionary meeting called Return and Report. Hers was in Zagreb, so early Tuesday morning we went to Zagreb to meet with all the trainees currently in the mission and their trainers (yes, I got to see sister Rollins!) it was such a good meeting! First off, it was so cool to see how much everyone had progressed from that first day I met them all. second, it was faith building to hear all the successes from each of them! This new group is on fire! I love them all! The only scary or hard part of the return and report meeting is the 5 minute lesson. The trainee has to get up in front of everyone and teach a 5 minute lesson on one of the 4 lessons. I remember being so scared for mine haha but that was because we didn't practice or even really talk about it when I was being trained haha. We practiced and practiced and taught them on the street. I knew she was ready and we went in confident.
SHE DID A GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone told me I looked like a beaming mom haha. I was so proud of her. She blew it out of the water. It was the best she had ever done it. She taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson (cute... the same one I had to teach when I was being trained). Anyways. It was awesome. I love showing her off.
The other time I felt like a proper trainer this week....
WE WENT TO SLOVENIA!!!!!!
Can I just express how awkward training in Croatia has been for me? Especially since I don't know the areas where I am training! When I was being trained, my companion had been there for a long time and knew all the fun things to take me to see and do and it was so much fun! I felt like she was showing me all of her favorite things all the time and teaching me the things she loved about the culture. Well, its been weird not knowing where the church is let alone the best place to go for P-day.
Being in Slovenia for a day was perfect. The second we crossed the border, the landscape screamed Slovenia. Big green beautiful rolling hills PLASTERED with churches and castles. She loved it. For the first time, I felt like I was showing her something I loved. When we got to Ljubliana for lunch, we went to SUBWAY!!! I have missed that. It was fun to take the elders there who have not had subway in over a year. Hidden gem of Slovenia. THEN, we had a special missionary-like fireside thing with Brothers Cardall and Archuleta. It was so weird meeting the artists who have been the soundtrack of my mission while still being on my mission. They both took a half hour and performed just for us and shared their testimonies. It was SOOOO powerful. Brother Cardall is here doing family history things. His wife is Slovene. He shared his story with the spirit of Elijah and made me want to do more family history work. Brother Archuleta talked about his mission and what it was like recording "Glorious" as a missionary and then he shared his family's conversion story. So. POWERFUL! One of the songs he sang was "Come, Come ye Saints" and it brought the Spirit extra powerfully. I loved it.
Then president Grant surprised us and let us go to Lake Bled. I LOVED showing that to Sister Martineau. She adored it the same way I did. Just about a year ago, I was there right after my own return and report. That was cute and sentimental. It was fun to be back there with Sister Rhodes seeing how 1 year ago we were both Slovenia missionaries and now we are both in Croatia. It was just cute and fun.
The concert that night was so so so so so great. I got to see a ton of members from Slovenia whom I have missed. I got to see the senior couple from Celje and Maribor. It was so much fun to speak in Slovene again to the members and missionaries. The whole day, when I ordered food or payed for gas I spoke in Slovene. SO much fun. I was just beaming the whole time and I got tons of compliments on my Slovene. I missed that. The concert was announced in Slovene. It felt like I had been on a trip to Austrailia or something and I was finally hearing my own accent again. It was beautiful and clear. I love how Slavik and harsh Croatian is, but my heart lies with my melodic sweet Slovene.
I had some really spiritual moments this week while working. Just yesterday while contacting, we were speaking to a man and I was testifying of repentance and I was on the edge of tears the entire time as the Spirit touched me. It was so so cool. I love moments like that.
It is rainy and colder this week. The people are ALWAYS outside in Rijeka so we always have people to talk to. I got to see all my favorite people from my mission. I am so happy this week!
Sestra Higgins
I am a proud "mom" this week of Sister M. For the first time this week, it actually felt like I was training. Every once in a while when I have to explain how random things work, I feel like a trainer, but for the most part she didn't come as a "greenie" but rather a missionary. However, this week I felt like a proper trainer
We had our new missionary meeting called Return and Report. Hers was in Zagreb, so early Tuesday morning we went to Zagreb to meet with all the trainees currently in the mission and their trainers (yes, I got to see sister Rollins!) it was such a good meeting! First off, it was so cool to see how much everyone had progressed from that first day I met them all. second, it was faith building to hear all the successes from each of them! This new group is on fire! I love them all! The only scary or hard part of the return and report meeting is the 5 minute lesson. The trainee has to get up in front of everyone and teach a 5 minute lesson on one of the 4 lessons. I remember being so scared for mine haha but that was because we didn't practice or even really talk about it when I was being trained haha. We practiced and practiced and taught them on the street. I knew she was ready and we went in confident.
SHE DID A GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone told me I looked like a beaming mom haha. I was so proud of her. She blew it out of the water. It was the best she had ever done it. She taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson (cute... the same one I had to teach when I was being trained). Anyways. It was awesome. I love showing her off.
The other time I felt like a proper trainer this week....
WE WENT TO SLOVENIA!!!!!!
Can I just express how awkward training in Croatia has been for me? Especially since I don't know the areas where I am training! When I was being trained, my companion had been there for a long time and knew all the fun things to take me to see and do and it was so much fun! I felt like she was showing me all of her favorite things all the time and teaching me the things she loved about the culture. Well, its been weird not knowing where the church is let alone the best place to go for P-day.
Being in Slovenia for a day was perfect. The second we crossed the border, the landscape screamed Slovenia. Big green beautiful rolling hills PLASTERED with churches and castles. She loved it. For the first time, I felt like I was showing her something I loved. When we got to Ljubliana for lunch, we went to SUBWAY!!! I have missed that. It was fun to take the elders there who have not had subway in over a year. Hidden gem of Slovenia. THEN, we had a special missionary-like fireside thing with Brothers Cardall and Archuleta. It was so weird meeting the artists who have been the soundtrack of my mission while still being on my mission. They both took a half hour and performed just for us and shared their testimonies. It was SOOOO powerful. Brother Cardall is here doing family history things. His wife is Slovene. He shared his story with the spirit of Elijah and made me want to do more family history work. Brother Archuleta talked about his mission and what it was like recording "Glorious" as a missionary and then he shared his family's conversion story. So. POWERFUL! One of the songs he sang was "Come, Come ye Saints" and it brought the Spirit extra powerfully. I loved it.
Then president Grant surprised us and let us go to Lake Bled. I LOVED showing that to Sister Martineau. She adored it the same way I did. Just about a year ago, I was there right after my own return and report. That was cute and sentimental. It was fun to be back there with Sister Rhodes seeing how 1 year ago we were both Slovenia missionaries and now we are both in Croatia. It was just cute and fun.
The concert that night was so so so so so great. I got to see a ton of members from Slovenia whom I have missed. I got to see the senior couple from Celje and Maribor. It was so much fun to speak in Slovene again to the members and missionaries. The whole day, when I ordered food or payed for gas I spoke in Slovene. SO much fun. I was just beaming the whole time and I got tons of compliments on my Slovene. I missed that. The concert was announced in Slovene. It felt like I had been on a trip to Austrailia or something and I was finally hearing my own accent again. It was beautiful and clear. I love how Slavik and harsh Croatian is, but my heart lies with my melodic sweet Slovene.
I had some really spiritual moments this week while working. Just yesterday while contacting, we were speaking to a man and I was testifying of repentance and I was on the edge of tears the entire time as the Spirit touched me. It was so so cool. I love moments like that.
It is rainy and colder this week. The people are ALWAYS outside in Rijeka so we always have people to talk to. I got to see all my favorite people from my mission. I am so happy this week!
Sestra Higgins