Week 89: Churros, Packing, and The Return (part 3)

Hello everybody! I'm back in Novi Sad again! Right back where I started my mission. Full circle. But, this time it's really hot here. It was also hot in Sremska before I left. Summer is here (too bad we skipped spring).

So, Tuesday was kinda crazy. We cleaned our apartment a bit, then went to the Deckers' for breakfast, which included some amazing American pancakes, and churros. So good. Then they came back with us to our apartment to do a cleaning check (which we passed, mind you). After that, Elder Heaton and I went out to visit that awesome guy that had texted us out of nowhere to ask for a copy of the Book of Mormon. This was our second visit with him, and it was even better than the first. At the end we committed him to be baptized on May 26th! I'll try to stay informed on how that's going. After that lesson we came home to try and squeeze in a quick language study, and then went with Elder Decker to visit a member that's been having a bit of a rough time recently and who'll be moving to Belgrade for work. So, we got to say goodbye to him, which was nice. Then we picked up Sister Decker and went to visit some other members. Our visit kinda went over, so then we had to rush back to the church to make it on time to do ECG, but everything turned out fine. After English, one of our participants stayed a bit, and ended up showing us some of his guitar skills. I can't even describe how amazing he plays guitar. It reminded me of the time in Sarajevo when we went to see part of the international guitar festival. It was incredible.

The weather has been beautiful...and hot!

Wednesday was slightly less crazy. We again started off with breakfast at the Deckers', though, but this time it was so they could invite a member of the Football team. He's a really great guy from the United States, and it was awesome to meet him. A bit later in the day we drove out to meet up with our other fairly solid investigator, the one who can't come to church because he lives so far away and there's no public transit on Sundays. We got lunch with him and walked around a bit, and it was good to get to see him before I left Sremska. When we got back we had district meeting, and worked on some translation stuff, and the rest of the day was pretty boring, haha.

On Thursday morning we went with the Deckers again to visit some members, this time so Elder Decker could teach one of our younger members guitar. It was once again really nice to get to see them before I left. Later in the evening we had one of the members come to the church so I could help her with some family history stuff.

Friday was almost exclusively packing and cleaning the apartment. So much fun. At the end of the day, the former Osijek Elders, Elders Christensen and Rosenvall, showed up so we could do transfers. The only problem is that they arrived late enough that they had to sleep over for the night. We were fine with that though, haha.

Beautiful spring in Serbia

On Saturday morning Elder Rosenvall stayed with Elder Heaton and I headed out with Elder Christensen so we could go to Novi Sad. After an oddly large amount of traffic between Sremska Mitrovica and Novi Sad, we arrived to our new home, and I managed to remember how to get to the apartment, and then even what floor it was on, even though I haven't even thought about that in over a year, since I got transferred out of Novi Sad to Sarajevo last January. We unloaded our stuff, then went over to the church to help the Sisters and our senior couple clean the church. Our sisters here are Sisters Marinković and Smith, and the senior couple are Elder and Sister Nield. The rest of the day included getting some stuff set up on the branch's new computer, and unpacking.

Sunday of course included going to church, and me re-meeting all the members that were here when I was here last time. Elder Christensen and I each gave a talk, and we all had a great Sunday School. The rest of the day included planning, our phone temporarily losing it's ability to make or receive calls (but it could still send texts), and helping the sisters figure out what to do for visa problems, plus doing more set-up on the branch computer.

One of my favorite places to eat in Sremska.

Your homework for this week is to read Mosiah 16! It's a short one, and hopefully you know the context because you did your homework last time, 2 weeks ago ;) Have a great week! Here's a photo of one of our favorite food places in Sremska, Tešić, and a cool town square.
--

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

Week 88: Over the River, and Transfer Info

Hello everybody! Sorry if last week's email seemed rushed. We went up to a national park here last Monday and got to enjoy some nature, so we were a bit short on time for emailing. I have some pictures though.

We have new about transfers! I'm going back to Novi Sad! That's the city here in Serbia where I started my mission, and I'm really excited to go back. I'll be companions with Elder Christensen, who's now on his last transfer before going home. That means, if you take the average mission-age of all the companionships in the mission (the average of how long each missionary has been out on the mission), we're going to be the oldest companionship in the mission by a notable amount.

A cute little brick house in the little village we visited.

Anyway, Tuesday started off with us going across the river to a little village that we don't visit very often. Right as we arrived, a guy on a bike stopped and started talking to us. He apparently has met missionaries before, and so gave us his address and said he'd come to church. Awesome. Also, it turns out there are some pretty nice houses back there. We saw some kids playing handball, and later got a bit lost and ended up walking through some huge fields to try to get back. Later in the day we had some work to do like translating things, and then ECG at the end when not even the regular guy came. Oh well.

A fountain in the village.

On Wednesday the weather seemed cool enough that I decided to put on a jacket before we went out contacting. Turns out it was warm enough that I was definitely regretting the jacket by the time we were done. After lunch we had a great district meeting with the Deckers about agency, and then went to visit a member couple for her birthday. They'd made some food, and Sister Decker brought dessert, and it was really great to get to spend some time with them. They have a son on a mission, and really appreciate seeing us, since we remind them of him.

Thursday's activities included setting up a table in the center of down with our big whiteboard. An old man stopped to talk to us, but he only really wanted to argue with us. There were some younger guys that stopped and asked us some questions, and then took a copy of the Book of Mormon. That evening for ECG we had a whole 5 people come, which is an unusually large number for us here. That was good. After that we went to have dinner with another member family, and they'd made Sarma for us, one of my all-time favorites (and you can't really buy it anywhere, either).

Out in a field with Elder Heaton

Friday morning was transfer announcements! That's when we found out that I'm going back to Novi Sad, and Elder Heaton is staying here in Sremska to get a new companion. Also, as a really cool sidenote, this transfer they're putting sister missionaries in the country of Montenegro for the first time ever! Legendary. In any case, after lunch we went over the river again to that little village to look for that guy who gave us his address. We found his address, but the guy that lived there was not the same guy, and said that there's no one on that whole street with the name of the guy we were looking for. But, the good news is that there's a street with the same name way on the other side of Sremska, so we'll try to find him there soon.

Saturday started off with a lesson with that really awsome investigator from the start of the transfer who lives pretty far outside of Sremska. He's been busy recently, but as soon as he had time he texted us to say he could meet up. Man, this guy is awesome. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and the 10 commandments, and apparently he already lives all of it, which is extremely remarkable to me. He's very prepared. After that we made some phone calls, had lunch, did some studies, etc, and then in the evening cleaned the church, wrote some talks for Sunday, and had dinner.

Yesterday, Sunday, the Deckers and some members were out of town, so there was a really small number of people at church compared to normal, but everyone that was there really helped pull it together like any normal week. Elder Heaton and I gave talks, and I played the piano in place of Sister Decker. It was a pretty good Sunday.

 A scene from Fruška Gora last week.

Today we did some work, and then met up with Elders Rasmussen and Jones to get lunch, since they were driving through on their way to Zagreb for Elder Rasmussen to finish his mission. It was of course really great to see both of them.

Your homework for this week is to read Alma 5, which is a bit of a sermon from the prophet Alma telling us what we need to do in this life to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. It's a good one.

Here are some photos from Fruška Gora last week, plus some from over the river this week.

Have a great week!​

--

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

Week 87: Self-referral(!), an Arizonian, and Conferences

Hello everyone!

I really don't have much time at all, so this is going to be short. I apologize.

Tuesday we went with the Deckers to renew their visas, but ran into some problems. We went to visit some members with them, and it was wonderful. These people are great.

Wednesday of course included District Meeting, and a fair amount of contacting. It was really hot. We played basketball for "sports night" that evening, and there was a group of guys that seemed to be gymnasts, practicing at a nearby set of gymnastics bars.

Thursday included some phone calls, and then visiting that guy that texted us on Sunday from an unknown number asking for a copy of the Book of Mormon. We were initially at the wrong door, but once we found the right one we had a wonderful lesson, and he's looking very promising! He knows the Bible really well and is willing to really listen to what we say, and understands it all very well. That was exciting. Later on in the day we visited some other members and did more contacting.

Me and some other missionaries, including the Christensens, a senior missionary couple.

Friday was Zone Conferences! We loaded up in the car and drove to Belgrade. We had great messages from all of our leaders, plus of course great socialization at lunch and briefly after the meetings. We also got to hear a wonderful testimony from our departing friend, Elder Rasmussen, who goes home next week. That night the two normal Assistants to the President (APs) stayed the night with us, including a certain 3rd elder that'll officially be revealed this week with transfer announcements.

Saturday included getting lunch with the APs, as well as the Christensens, a senior couple that recently arrived in the mission that was passing through. The weather was really really good, and the lemonade I got was wonderful.

Sunday was District Conference! That's like stake conference, but we don't have a stake. So, all of Serbia gathered to the Belgrade church. For our branch, that included taking a rented 21-seater minibus so that people had transportation. Right as we arrived, a man speaking English asked me where the church was. Turns out he's a member from Arizona, so I showed him in and we became pretty good friends. After lunch, for the second half of the conference, a number of us missionaries helped out in the nursery. Man, those kids are LOUD. It was fun though. It was also really good at the conference to see members from Novi Sad that I haven't seen in over a year.

We got to visit a Serbian National Park...Fruška Gora is a mountain that used to be an island.

Today we got haircuts and went to a Serbian National park! I'm sorry that I don't have photos right now, I'll send them with next week's email! Gotta go now! Have a great week!

--

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