Week 43: Lessons, ECG friends, and Plitvica

Hey Everyone! Here's a short one.

So, last week I forgot to mention last time that on Monday we visited that recent convert and his investigator friend, and gave them a copy of the new translation of the Book of Mormon after we read a chapter together. We also then got a text from one of our main investigators that we hadn't been able to see in over a week, and he asked if we could meet up right about then. So we had a lesson! It was great. He really is a friend by now. We talked about the 10 commandments, talking about what each one means in life nowadays. When we got to "though shall not kill" we didn't really have anything to explain, and it was pretty funny. Of course at the end of the lesson, we invited him to branch conference. Usually when you invite anybody to anything, they say something like "If I can find time". Some "if" sentence. But, this time he just said a simple "yes, I will" and it was great that he wasn't even questioning whether he'd come or not. We also invited him to bring his family. I feel like we're really friends with him now. He's doing really well. Later that day Elder King and I got haircuts, and like last time, as soon as we walked in the haircut place, all my vocab and grammar went out the window. I don't know why that always happens with haircuts.

The beautiful Croatian countryside.

Anyway, Tuesday was plenty of normal stuff, including ECG. There's a young brother/sister pair that started coming recently, and they're really awesome.

On Wednesday we had district meeting and talked about hope. What an interesting thing. We learned that hope comes from faith, and hope makes us sure in our path. You should study it. A bit later in the day, the sisters had a lesson with an investigator that apparently Elder Perry and I had tracted into once, but the sisters met him on the street again recently, and he decided to listen to them (your welcome, sisters). And the lesson was really good, apparently. Things seem to be picking up here a bit in Sarajevo.

On Thursday we got Elder King's visa stuff finished, briefly ran into the sisters as they were switching back from exchanges, and then taxied home. We also heard through the Newtons that Elder King's brother got his mission call. That night for ECG that same participant that took a pamphlet and a Book of Mormon came of course, as well as her brother like usual, and it's really great to have them. We're already getting to be good friends with them, and talking a little bit about religion stuff. Elder King even got out a pamphlet and a copy of the Book of Mormon to the sister. I always love it when that kind of thing happens. ECG is a really good way to meet new investigators. We also invited everyone to come to church.

Me, Elder King, Brother and Sister Newton, Sister McColm, and Sister Martineau at Plitvica Lakes.

 Friday started off with Elder King doing his "mother's day" call (he got permission to move it) so he could see his brother open his mission call. Cool stuff. A bit later that morning we also had a lesson with out main investigator, the one that texted us on Monday to have a lesson, and had Haris in on it. It was some really good stuff. It's super useful to have not only a member on a lesson, but a member that is a native of this country and knows the culture here. Right after that, Haris went into with a lesson with the sisters and their main investigator that had that awesome lesson earlier in the week. Apparently it was also a pretty incredible lesson. Stuff is really starting to light up here, and Haris is only helping it. He has some really great tools up his sleeve.

Sister Newton has me do all the mathematical calculations for the construction projects.

On Saturday we started off with service. I really like doing that stuff. This time we were helping build a "sensory trail" to help with the therapy for children with disabilities.

Here we are preparing pool noodles to hang for part of the sensory trail at Riders of Hope.

Elder King and I helping with the sensory trail at Riders of Hope. This one has rain gutters that a ball will roll down.

The rest of the day, we just did a lot of contacting. But it was some pretty good contacting, since we tried asking some different starter questions from usual. Near the end we ran into that girl from ECG (but not her brother) and reminded her about church, and also apparently she'd been reading the Book of Mormon and had a lot of questions. Good stuff.

On Sunday in church I spoke, as well as Haris, and it was really great to hear from him and hear some of his experiences. We also had a few investigators there, and it was really great. The brother and sister from ECG didn't come, but they texted us later saying they were free to meet up, and we immediately went to meet up with them. She had a lot of great questions, he had a lot of good comments, and her Book of Mormon looked like a coloring book. It was some really good stuff. I also really appreciate that we're already just friends with them. That night we did some cleaning and packing up to head out for zone conference in Croatia.

Our road trip to Plitvica Lakes. We had Cool Ranch Doritos!

Today, Monday, we went on a bit of a road trip with the Newtons and the sisters, including a stop at Plitvica lakes in Croatia. That's some really cool stuff. Pretty scenery. Also, the Newtons had brought American snacks! The best. I'm really excited for conference.

Plitvica Lakes is a National Park. You can see why. It's very beautiful there.

Your homework for this week is to read Mosiah 3. It's part of King Benjamin's address. My favorite part is when he asks us to abound in good works so that the Lord can "seal us his". When we obey the commandments, he can better protect us.

Here are a few pictures from Plitvica. Have a great week!

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Elder Ryan Echols
Adriatic North Mission
Svačićev Trg 3/1
HR-10000 Zagreb
Croatia