Monday, June 25, 2012

Fried food night

Cau cau,

Hope everyone is happy and enjoying their summer! Elder Clem and I,
per usual, are having a blast and working very hard! We have seen
amazing results this week-- 3 of our investigators are on track for
baptism and I have taught more this week then ever before. I feel like
the worst Slovak speaker as a result-- I'm using it a lot more now lately, so that's
good. We never improve if we don't practice-- right?? We are very
thankful for the success the Lord has given us seeing as we were
walking into this week with pretty much nothing concrete on plan.
Today we are planning on working out with one of the other Elders'
amazing investigator. A woman who just walked into church a couple
weeks ago who was dying to know everything. She's getting baptized
this Saturday and is SO excited for it. The whole branch is really
pumped for her too. She is a personal trainer and owns her own studio
so she is going to beat up all the missionaries today. We're excited.
Do you know when the last workout was for me??
I'm grateful to be in Bratislava and seeing that there really are
people here who are looking for, and recognize, the truth. Sometimes
you find someone who is already radiating with light and as they learn
about the gospel, as they start learning and living the commandments
they start to shine even brighter. They are happier than they thought they
were before. It's amazing to see and is humbling and exciting to
witness first hand.
Other than real missionary work, something Elder Clem and I have been
experimenting in the kitchen and we've come up with fried food night.
On Wednesday we fried all sorts of stuff: peppers and cream cheese,
mushrooms, sausages, byndza (how jealous are you Joe?), onions,
cheese, etc. It was quite the feast and we went to bed absolutely sick
(pictures coming soon). We can't wait to do it again. :) Right now we are
trying to perfect biscuits. My dream is biscuits and gravy. Uvidime.
I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week! Don't be
afraid to write me! ;)

Elder Williams

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Hot in Blava

Hellooooo everyone!

It is getting hot in Bratislava. Today was pushing 32 degrees
(Celsius, I'm in Europe, remember??) Which is better than the
impossible winter, but still. It is better for finding, but harder during
studies. I miss studying with a hot mug of caj....

As far as new things, nothing much to report. (weekly updates make it
hard to come up with something new) The work in Slovakia is still
taking off-- especially in member lessons. We hit 50 as a country-not
sure if that ever happened before- so that's exciting. Elder Clem and
I are still plunking away and working hard. We have an exciting day on
the plan with some lessons with some new people/ people we're trying
to get progressing. Our baptismal date dropped off the face of the
Earth-- again. So we'll see about that...

On Friday we had Zone Conference that was fantastic! I love when we
get together. It was with half the mission in Brno. I'm crossing my
fingers that we have another one next transfer. I always hear what I
need to hear and I am reminded of what I need to do.

Sunday was a busy day for us. We had Branch Conference so it was a
packed house. President and Sister Irwin were there as well as some
other leaders from the District. My companion and I had nursery duty
for some of the Czech kids that came. Nursery kids are very
uncooperative-- especially when they speak Czech and we speak Slovak. We just
drew pictures on the black board and then their mom sang songs to them
in Czech. After church we jetted off to Nitra where we hold church for
about 5 members once a month. It was a different experience and I'm
already looking forward to next month. On the way there I left
my scriptures at a bus stop. :(  That is the third set of scriptures I've
misplaced. I think I'm just going to wait until I go home to get
another set. I still have my blue paperback Book of Mormon-- so that's
good. BUT I had just started the D&C and I wanted to finish it by the
time I go home. Oh well.  I could order another set-- but by the time
they come it will be time for me to go.

I love you all and I hope to hear from you all soon!
Elder Williams

Monday, June 11, 2012

Losing Track of Time

Hey everyone!

It's been another great week for us in Bratislava. Elder Clem and I are having a blast together. We are starting to lose track of time--which is always a good sign. It means you're too wrapped up in what's happening around you to worry about how long it's taken. I had an exchange with Elder Nichol--that was fun. It's amazing to me that we've known each other for nearly 2 years already. Two years is a long time--but it flies by. Elder Clem and I are getting close to breaking some Bratislava district numbers, and that is very exciting. We've been really motivated to go out and just do our best and it's paying off. We are meeting with a lot of interesting people that are progressing nicely. We're just hoping and praying that they continue and start coming to church! That's been a huge challenge for us lately: getting people to church. They can't join the church if they don't go to it. Part of the big mission vision is to get a new building in Bratislava-this one is a little too small for what we want/need, but to get it we need to start getting around 50 people to church every week. We're about 10 people short of that goal, so we're just plugging along trying to invite the in-actives back and finding new members. I love being back here- I wasn't here for very long last year and it's been good to get back and see how much the branch has changed and grown and help it move along. The members here have supported us so much in teaching with us and fellowshipping our investigators. Nothing beats member work :) Emily: did you know that both of our companions are from Florida?! He's from Tampa. Where is yours from? ps if I send in a referral to HQ do you get those?? We have an investigator from Georgia (the country, I'm in Europe you know) who is going to the US to work and then to Holland for school. Logan: I'm so excited for you! So much is happening for you right now! Isn't it exciting?? (I sent you a letter, a response would be nice, but I won't hold my breath...) Aaron: Hi. I hope you all have a great and happy week! Looking forward to talking to you next time!
Elder Williams

ps Mom, I got the picture book from Aunt Patti-- I sent them a letter thanking them. It was perfect! I got it right before I left Zilina.

 pps My address is:
Radarová 8
821 02 Bratislava
Slovakia Now you can all write me letters! :)

Monday, June 4, 2012

June is Busting Out All Over

Hello rodina!
Nothing too much to report this week. Elder Clem and I are doing well.
I'm really sorry for the quality of my emails. It seems that as time
goes on my emails get more boring. I hope I don't get too boring for
you all before I get home...
Elder Clem and I have been working hard and literally running around
trying to meet with as many people as we can. We had just as many meetings
this week then I had my entire last transfer. So it's refreshing. :)
One of our investigators is an older woman who is in the hospital and
we've been trying to meet with her throughout the week. We planned to
go out there on Saturday with the Ostergaards (the AMAZING senior
couple here). We took the bus, obvi, and when it came time to do a bus
transfer Elder Clem got off and then the doors shut and the bus took
off. All I saw was my companion waving us off. It was quite the ordeal
getting back together, Elder Clem waited for us to just get on the
next bus back to that stop--but that particular bus only goes in one
direction, and we were already at the end of the line.  (Sometimes I
wish we had separate phones like we did in Zilina) So the Ostergaards
and I went on some other buses trying to get back to Elder Clem (It
was great bonding time, I adore them both)  and when we FINALLY got
there maybe 45 min later he was gone! So Elder Ostergaard went ahead
to see if he went on to the next stop or the church building and
Sister Ostergaard and I went to the hospital. With prayers in our
hearts we opened the hospital room door and there he was chatting with
our investigator! He had waited a long time and figured that we went
on to the hospital. He was there for maybe 10 minutes when we walked
in. We agreed never to separate again. I really do love the guy.
We also went to Nitra this past week to visit with some members. Its a
beautiful city about an hour outside of Bratislava. There used to be
missionaries there and we're trying to start a branch-- but the
members are few and not terribly thrilled at the thought of callings
and running everything-- so maybe that will have to wait. But my
companion and I have to go down once a month and have a little
sacrament meeting/sunday school. It will be fun and I'm looking
forward to being there more.
Nothing much more to report-- thanks again grandma for the package, my
companion and I polished off those oreos no problem ;)
This is going to be an exciting week for sure-- nothing too much on
the plan, yet. We have a baptismal date that we are trying to get
solid and we know he will get there. In our district we have about 6
people planned for baptism on June 30! It's going to be a huge day! We
got lots of work ahead of us :)
Love you all!

Elder Williams