Week 38

Hey Fam,

So this week has been crazy.  But full of great stuff. I will try not to expand so much.  I know it gets a little boring and dry.  So Mom no worries your not getting old.  I have a list every week of what I am going to write home about.  I don't want to forget anything.  So I will get started....

Well Monday we had that big storm which I sent pictures of.  It was fun to go down to the sea organ and hear it during a storm.  I have a video but it was to big to attach so the pictures will have to do for now.  I know I have been saying this for a while but I really am getting close to sending a camera card. 

Tuesday we had district meeting.  Because I am the district leader I get the ¨privilege¨ of planning and organizing that every week.  It can be tough sometimes especially being so busy.  But I am trying harder everyday to seek the Lords will for my small little district.  I just want to be sure that I can be of the best help to the Lord in the work here in Zadar.  So they are getting better. Just another opportunity to learn and grow.  The better I get at this the better I will be able to lead board meetings when I am a CEO HAHA. 

So Elvino that I talked about a little before, our investigator, is doing better.  He is still so quiet and I keep trying to talk to him but he just is that way.  I know this is such a different personality type to deal with lol.  But we are working slowly and hope to be able to help him.  His mom is really sick so I just want to let him know that he can find peace and hope in the Gospel.  So cool experience this week.  We were over teaching them and just talking with them both.  His mom likes to talk to us a lot and just lays on her bed, because she is so sick, and says whatever see pleases her, which is not such a different personality type lol.  Elvino had asked us to come and give her another blessing and so that was good that he requested it his time and it wasn't solicited to him by a member.  So we went over and before we left Truman stood up and we walked over to her but then Truman just offered a pray at her bedside.  I was so confused.  Why wouldn't he give her a blessing.  We sat down and talked a little more but I was just thinking that we should really give her a blessing.  We have the priesthood.  Anyone can offer a pray, but we have the priesthood and use it!  I thought of the talk by Pres. Uchtdorf titled, ˝Your Potential, Your privilege˝ that he gave in priesthood session.  I was convinced that we were living below our potential and not using the privilege that we had, at that moment.  I thought well maybe I should give the blessing??  I quickly backed down to the fact that my companion had felt that a prayer was better and we should stick together on this.  I left that apartment that night not pleased with myself at all.  I knew that I should have said something and I didn't.  As we walked home in silence I honestly felt that I had failed the Lord.  He had sent me a prompting and an opportunity and I didn't take it.  My night was ruined.  As we got home I knew I had to say something to Truman.  So I asked him, ˝why didn't you want to use your priesthood?˝  He of course felt attacked and I expressed to him what I was filling and why.  He said maybe I wasn't supposed to use my priesthood.  I knew then more clearly that a blessing was supposed to be given and by me.  Dang it, I thought, I don't know Croatian but this lady is supposed to be given a blessing and I am the one who needs to give it.  I took this as my second chance and without calling we walked back over and had explained that I was sorry but I forgot to do something before I left and asked if it would be ok that I give her a blessing.  So I proceeded.  It was hard to translate the voice of the Lord into Croatian.  I knew that the language that I said it in was important only so that they could know what I was saying.  As I finished Elvino told me I could have done it in English, I told him that she needed to be able to understand.  I said thank you for the opportunity and we left. 

That night I didn't just learn how to give an blessing in Croatian.  I learned a great lesson that will bless me for the rest of my life.  I have the priesthood.  I can bless people's lives.  The Lord is will to give me personal revelation only if I am willing to listen and follow.  I was fortunate enough to have a second chance.  I hope that I wont need 2 in the future that I can be bold enough and in tune enough to follow it the first time.

In other news we had a baptism this week.  It was the daughter of a couple here.  They are both members making this the FIRST EVER full family in Zadar!  This is just another of those experience that I talked about last week about being able to see church history form here. It was great and now we just wait for them to be able to go to the temple together!

Last night we were at Elvino's again and they insist on feeding us every time we are over there.  So they made us grilled pork chops.  Don't be jealous they aren't that great.  Then in the grease of that they fried eggs.  I like fried eggs but even for me they had a bit to much grease.  So on Trumans he was scrapping every last bit of grease.  So just to tease Truman I told them that he loves eggs especially like this.  He glared at me then said I will give you 100 Kuna ($20) if you eat these.  I couldn't resist so I did it.  I'm sure it was worth it though.  I made 20 bucks on eating 2 eggs that just had a little extra grease.  SWEET DEAL!

That is about all the fun for this week.  President is working on breaking down the barrier between the countries.  We already have a huge barrier called language, but he wants us to get to know and interact with each other more.  So one of the sisters from here is in Slovenia this week.  He told me he would be doing this with elders to so I may be going on a little trip to be a greenie again. 

Ok Ryan this is for you but I want everyone to hear it.  Timmeri Blair!!  That is so weird to me!  How did that even happen!?  I'm pretty sure she hated me in high school.  Have you kissed her yet.  You cant possibly let Tommy beat you right now!  When I heard that I squirmed a little like I imagine Dani does about her brother dating her friend.  Well have fun!

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!