Slovensko - Week 9 in Trenčín (some names changed for privacy)

Easter Finding!!! Velikonoce/Vel´ka noc = Easter!

So last week we had a finding activity here in Trenčín on Tuesday with about half of our zone and it was so good! We did chalk displays and had the Easter video from last year playing. 

Then we went to Uherské Hradiště to do the same thing the next day. I was so excited to see everyone! I even got a picture with Elder Petersen from the MTC. And then guess what?! He´s now my district leader hahaha!

On Saturday night we had a "quiz night" to which we invited our members who came and some investigators and friends. About eight people showed up plus the four Trenčín missionaries plus the Hardwicks, a senior couple serving in Bratislava. It was so good!

I made lemon bars and banana bread which were a hit, and the Elders brought bryndzové halušky, the Hardwicks brought guláš and Sister Vaclavová brough a cake to show her appreciation to Starší Siikavaara´s service here in Trenčín for 9 months!

With my new companion; Sestra Farnsworth 

Today we started our newest transfer and I´m with Sister Farnsworth! who is in her fourth transfer, I´m in my seventh out of nine. 

And then we have our wonderful Trenčín elders, Elder Goddard, who is being follow-up trained by Elder Petersen.

Starsi Petersen, Sestra Sadler, Sestra Farnsworth, & Starsi Goddard

čau I love you all! Sorry this is kind of short, I had the slow computer today :)

YES! I got a haircut. One of the sisters in Brno is a cosmetologist. (pic Strait hair & pic w/natural waves)

Slovensko - Week 8 in Trenčín (some names changed for privacy)

So, new investigator! There's this lady named Alej who started coming to our free English classes and wanted more. So, on Wednesday we had a half and half lesson, half English, half spiritual lesson in which we showed her the amazing short video ''Hope of God's Light''. I love that video!

Then, today I was in Prague for some visa work! Sister Sawyer and I got to see some of the Ester trhy that they had set up already! I loved it! I love how they bring out all the little traditional things around Easter and Christmas :)

They are setting up the towns for the Easter celebrations

This week we did a lot of travelling. We went to Brno for our zone training and then the next day we went to one in Nová Spišska Ves, a new area we just opened up in Slovakia! It was so cool that we were able to see that and participate in a big finding activity. It was super cold. but we had tea going and an Easter video showing about the Savior Jesus Christ. 

On Sunday, we had a Relief Society activity because of the Relief Society's anniversary. And it was fun. We had lots of chlebičky, the little bread things with vegetables, and a few little treats.

Balloon games at the chapel

Some of our branch members

HERE IS A PICTURE OF OUR APARTMENT HERE IN TREčIN

Tomorrow we'll be back in Trenčín for a zone finding activity, the next day we'll be in Uherské Hradiště for the same thing! So exciting! We'll be talking to people about Easter and Jesus Christ and His resurrection.

Life is so good! I love you all! I hope you have an amazing week and time to may we think about all that we have because of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mám vás ráda!

We tried "trdelnik" (ice cream in a cinnamon pastry)

Slovensko - Week 7 in Trenčín (some names changed for privacy)

So, lots of funny stuff has happened this past week!

1. We'll start off with the service we did for a member, Sister Atěbžla. And she was so cute! She didn't want our hair to get dirty or dusty so she put little scarves on our heads that made us look so funny, but that's okay. 

2. I got aslked if I'm Polish or the second time this transfer. I don't know if it's my Czech/Slovak mixture that I sometimes use or me trying to speak Czech in a Slovak city. Maybe I look Polish! hahaha I have no idea! They're always so surprised when I say that I'm from America and the look at me like '' I don't trust that you're from America!'' hahahaha so funny!

3. The week before we had gone service tracting, which is where we ask people if they have any service we can do for them and we weren't having much luck but finally this old lady let us in from the cold and gave us some cookies with bananas and basically told us her life story. She kept telling us that we need to live our lives while we're young. Then at the very end she gave me what my companion calls a ''good game pat'', she basically patted me on the backside quite a bit as we were leaving her house... for fertility... hahahahaha, old ladies are some of the funniest!

4. We were tacting and found someone who was interested in what we had to say so we set up with him. We texted him on the day of our meeting and he told us we could meet at his house, he lives there alone, and he would love to make us some tea and dinner... emmmmm..... noooooo... so we told him we had rules against being with a man alone and he told us somewhere we could meet. He ended up bringing us to the Trenčín castle! And while we were there he, (Orim) told us that the sunset was beautiful - oh so sad that we missed it! we had another appointment we had to go to! - truly grateful hahahaha. But while we were there we ended up teaching him the Restoration and the importance of Sabbath day observance. He only moved my hair out of my face once.... awkward! 

5. Yesterday, not so funny, but yesterday I gave a talk in church! It was about hope and it was so good! 

Today we went hiking with Starsi Siikavaara and Starsi Goddard.  Here are some pictures from the hike...

And I'm out of time but I love you so much! Have an amazing week!

Mějte se hezký! Mám vás ráda!

Slovensko - Week 6 in Trenčín (some names changed for privacy)

​Super quick today, sorry I don't have much time but we got two new investigators this week! One is a lady named Atsalv who works at a little bakery shop near the train station here​ and she has been the missionaries' friend for quite a while now but we finally set up with her recently to read the Book of Mormon and talk about it. We're so excited about it! 

And the other night we were going through our former investigators book and found someone who was taught back in 2008 who was supposed to get contacted when a Slovak Book of Mormon came out. The Slovak Book of Mormon translation is still kind of a recent thing here, so we called him up and he set up to meet with us so that we could give him a Book of Mormon! Literally, the power of the Book of Mormon is so real, I love that book. It truly is the cornerstone of our religion!

I love you all! Have an amazing week!