September 26th Sorry About the Wait

But you still have to wait.

We had a crazy pday (nothing goes right for us) and today was full of meetings. (new baptismal date story!!!) We will have more time to email you tomorrow morning/afternoonish. So talk to you then. Hope the blog readers aren't freaking out. :)

Love you!!
adam


September 27th Your Wait is Over

Hello family! (And other readers! :)

Hope everything is perfect for you. It's been the same ol' same ol' around here in Kosice, meaning INSANE. On Monday we went running with Ivett, one of our members. I'm still sore. Next week president van Dalen is going to organize a mini-marathon for her. She had been training for the Kosice Marathon for months, then she met the missionaries, was baptized and decided that she would not run in the marathon because it is on Sunday. What a testimony. So we're going to organize a mini-marathon for her. After our warm-up run on Monday I am NOT excited for it. I'm not a runner. After our workout we went to Spissky Hrad (pictures to come when we have more time. PROMISE) Which is about an hour and half away. It was my second time there and it really is a sweet castle. We made a new friend on the trip named Alex from Canada. He's been backpacking around Eastern Europe and we he joined us for a little bit of our excursion. Love new friends. There is supposed to be a bus that would take us back to Kosice with plenty of time to email--- but of course, it only runs on Sunday. So we got in a little late and we were booked with meetings the rest of the night. Then yesterday was the same thing, we haven't had a second to catch up. But yesterday Elder Zabriskie and I committed a new investigator to be baptized and he accepted! Nov 5! He's a young guy, about 19 and def. a future missionary! (he doesn't know it yet...) And just hours before Elder Tenney and Hicken committed one of their investigators to baptism and he accepted! Kosice has three baptisms on the line and we're brimming with excitement.


Last Wednesday, the 21, we had "progression training" where I learned how to be a trainer and Elder Zabriskie learned how to call me out. It was a great training opportunity and we watched Elder Holland's MTC devotional talk again that is SO good. I am dying for a transcription of it. I gained so much more out of it the second time around. I realized during the training how much of a blessing it is to be serving with Elder Zabriskie. I am learning more from him everyday. (Here's a secret: HE'S coaching ME on my skolovanie! (declension)) We are a good team and I'm not looking forward to the day when we'll be split up.


Other than that it's been just a good week. Our new members are all excited for a new member temple trip where they'll be doing baptisms for the dead. The missionaries couldn't be more pleased. When we fix our eye to the temple, man, there ain't nothing that will stop us. Yesterday we had FHE with them at the Stiles where we watched Elder Oaks CES Fireside. (Which was fantastic) We committed them all to think of questions they need answer to, to prepare for General Conference and described this fireside as a warm-up. Ivett made the comment afterwards that she received an answer that she had during the fireside. She said that she didn't have to wait for Gen. Conf! I am still amazed at the spiritual growth these converts are making. It's been a ton of work, worry and prayers, but the dividends are definitely paying off.


Our Porac story continues: On Saturday President van Dalen took us to the little village, much faster, but still an hour and half. The same crowd wasn't there. Just the main guy, Vladimir, his wife, grandma and a cousin from Zvolen who was taught by the missionaries there. She already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, ect. Vladimir explained the Book of Mormon was really difficult to understand but he liked what he was hearing. He is going to England to work there for a couple of weeks so we will go back up there when he returns. His parents are working there and as far as I understand it are members. So maybe they can help explain some things and share their testimony. We're taking it slow with them because they are so isolated, but we're confident that things will turn up with them, especially after we get the Book of Mormon in Slovak. So more on that later!


Thank you for you love an support everyone! I think and pray about you all everyday!


s Laskou,
Starsi Williams