Weeks 4 and 5

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for not sending a fun big letter last week, there was a black out in the library and we had to go somewhere else and we didn't have much time. I knew I should have done the big email first.

Anyway, I'll start with zone conference. Elder Causse from the seventy came and it was so great. He talked about widening our vision of not just here and now but how it is going to be. We are here while the church is just starting and just getting it's feet under it and we are working to get a good foundation here. Soon, in forty years or so, there will be stakes and wards here. Plus that isn't just wishful thinking that is what was in the dedicatory prayer that Thomas S. Monson gave when he dedicated Yugoslavia. Sometimes it's hard to keep the vision, but I just look around sacrament and try to envision the families and all the kids that will be there. Right now the church is made up of a lot of single members.

I think I talked about the branches here last email but I will do it again. I am in Zagreb, the Capital of Croatia and the larges city here. There are about 30 people that come every Sunday which is sad because a few years ago it was about 90 who came regularly. But right now there is a lot happening in Zagreb and a lot of teaching and there have actually been baptisms!!!! For example, one of our investigators has decided TO GET BAPTIZED!!!!!! We are so happy and it is all we talk about. She is amazing and is truly going to be a huge help to the church here. She doesn't take crap and she has a good heart. She has been looking for the truth for four years now and has finally found it! It's so funny she can't stop smiling and she is so happy.

The language is still not here, but it's finally easier saying little things. I love the language but it doesn't make it any easier to learn or understand or speak. I am glad that I get to be humbled by it because I am learning so many things. I haven't really made any funny mistakes...well I make mistakes in the language all the time they just aren't funny they are normal. My companions jump in and save the day all them time.

Last week we went to a local zoo, and I am going to be honest...it was the creepiest zoo ever. For one, all the animals were weird creepy things and most of them kept turning their behind to us and pooping. Plus, we knew we were in for it when we, as in all the missionaries, showed up in sweaters and Kiki (a member here, KiKi short for Christian) was wearing a huge jacket....it was freezing that day, I don't know what we were thinking. The Lions were cool though as they usually are and one started roaring, and I loved it.

We have been starting to tract more. The best part about Zagreb is there is a good sized teaching pool and it takes so long to get places that you don't have time for tracting....only contacting which is so much better to me. But the other day we went to these buildings and everyone said no except for this one guy named Igor. He got a restoration pamphlet before and read it and was interested in learning more. He is meeting with the elders this next week and we are so excited because they don't have anyone to teach right now, only the other set of elders who are the zone larders here do. Another time when we went tracting, this older guy in a tank top answered the door and we all just stared at each other smiling for thirty seconds, then Sister Whitaker broke the silence with, misionarke smo....and then he said ne hvala, no thank you and closed the door. It was really funny...because it was really awkward.

Oh I don't think I wrote this one home yet, we were coming home one night on the bus and it was a bit crowded. So our stop came and we couldn't get to the door fast enough, Sister Whitaker got out and was standing there looking at us and then all the sudden the doors closed on Sister Fitzsimmons. So I hope you get the picture, the doors closed ON HER! So she was trying to chicken wing her arms out so the doors would open all the way, but apparently she wasn't strong enough because the doors won and closed the rest of the way on her arm and her hand was sticking out the door. So Sister Whitaker was outside and we were on the bus still. Then Sister Fitzsimmon's hand is still out the door and waves to Sister Whitaker as we are driving off and sucks her hand back in. It was very funny because people look at us weird just being missionaries, but they got to watch this whole scene. Fortunately, the next stop isn't very far and we just walked back to her.

It is starting to heat up around here which is nice except today because it rained last night and now it is just humid.

Oh so there are a few other cities opened here in Croatia. Vraštin (vdashteen) has about 5 active members and it is to the north east of Zagreb. Then there is Pula, Rijeka (riyeka) and Zadar which is on the coast and all of those have about four or five members too. There are only sister in Zagreb and Zadar and we are getting a new sister next transfer so we get to open a new city up to sisters, wohooo! Oh and there is Karlovac (karlovats) which has about 15 members there. I have a feeling that Sister Fitzsimmons and I are going to stay here which will be fun and wonderful. We think that Sister Whitaker will go back to Zadar were she started, which she is excited about if that happens.

I actually bought jeans because I was missing wearing them so much during pdays and I felt like a bum walking around in sweats all the time. So right now I am wearing jeans.......and it's awesome!

I was reading about Ammon fighting King Lamonhi’s father the other day. It's has been so awesome reading about the sons of Mosiah as a missionary. It is just such a different perspective and sooooo helpful. I think they are amazing examples, even now in these days. I keep forgetting that having faith means exercising it and not just hoping. It's good to have hope, but then there comes a time when out right faith is required and I get the opportunity to practice that right now, everyday.

Well, thank you so much for your letters and all the support, I miss you tons and I pray for you and hope your are doing well.

Ask any question you may have because I always forget what to write.

Love,

Sister Dillender