25 srpnja 2011

I almost forgot to tell you, but I cut my hair! nothing fancy, but here you go! and as you can see I got the package you sent! thanks for the letters and pictures and candies! and headbands. It was so so much fun!!

me and Sister Creager at the baptism in Zagreb, with president's youngest daughters (6 years old and twins. they really like us)

the đakovo cathedral, that's where we went last week for pday

I would stay on my mission just for pdays and getting emails from everyone! It is so great to hear from people!

I found out today that one of my old companions, Sister Nelson, is ENGAGED! She got home.. the fourth of July. So she's one of those fast-movers, too. BUT her and her man have been writing letters to each other for 3 years (his mission, and then hers) so she deserves to be married. She's so great and they are perfect together. Cool cool.

If only pdays lasted the rest of our lives!

So my dear family, how are you all?? I know that you're great, because I got emails from all of you. You're being so faithful at the end of my mission! Thank you so much!
My week was good. English classes started. Tuesday was a good class, more people showed up than I was expecting and then THURSDAY we had more people show up, because they'd heard about it from otehr people. So that is really great and it should be a great class, really fun. Some younger kids are coming and they are great because they automatically love good people, so they automatically love us. haha. We assign "homework" at the end, and one of the girls finished her homework before she left, and one of her sentences was "Sister Creager and Laws are nice." it was really cute. She's 12 but she looks 9 or 10 to me.
We had a lesson with one of the members here, she's active but we just met up with her. And she is Hungarian! She has a Hungarian book of Mormon that she brings to church. It's cool-looking. AND we had a lesson with another member, her son is a member but her husband isn't. We went over to her house and had like "family home evening" and her husband sat in on the lesson and her son's friend that was over sat in, it was a fun lesson. And THEN her husband came to the fireside that we had yesterday! woohoo!
The fireside was good, President Rowe came, it's the first time he's visited Osijek so all the members were happy to meet him.
Ooh, I bought a CD. It's from a band called 2cellos - you've probably all already heard about that because I guess they were a youtube hit. But we happened to see a commercial for them on tv at a restaurant one time, and they look cool. So I bought a cd. They are jamming celloists. Oh, but I haven't listened to the CD or anything, that sounds like I have. haha. They did more pop music I think. So I'm excited to actually listen to my cd when I get home.
It's been rainy the last couple of days. I love rain. And it makes everything cooler which is better, it was pretty hot the week before. Osijek is cool, it has a lot of parks and it's right next to the river, and it has a cool bridge. We ate lunch one day on a restaurant that's a boat on the river. It had mexican food, haha. and it was pretty good Mexican food, too. It's kinda funny, because it seems like a lot of people in Croatia are interested in Mexico, because they have these Mexican soap operas that everyone watches, and whenever someone does a Spanish class lots of people come. So now they're moving on to loving the food, I guess.
AND that is basically everything I did this week.

Kelsey - that NF1 walk sounds cool, I am in. GO OLIVIA'S TEAM!!!

Amelia: good luck with the move! and have fun in your new house, I like making new spaces homey.
everyone: I LOVE YOU!

Čut ćemo se!
i vidimo se za ŠEST TJEDANA!!
potpuno ludilo!

Sestra Laws

18 srpnja 2011

Hi family!
I am so blessed today because I heard from ALL of you and from some of my old companions. It feels good to be loved!

Well, where to start?
First off, we're in a hurry because we're heading over to Đakovo today, and we're supposed to catch a bus at 11. (it's 10:25) It should be really fun. One reason I'm glad to be in Osijek is seeing a whole new part of Croatia that I thought I'd never get to. Starting with today.
My last week was good. We mostly tried meeting with members, active and inactive alike, so we can start getting a feel for the branch and start working with them. There are about... I want to say 40 people who are members and maybe 8 or so who are active. Some people live farther away and that's why they don't come. So anyway, back to a small branch. I like it. It means we really can work with every single one of them. And those are our plans. We had a less-than-great english class sign-ups. It's the summer and english class always has fewer people in the summer. It's too hot to learn english. And the actual classes start up on Tuesday, that should be good. um, THEN on Saturday we went down to Zagreb on a train, it's about a 4 and half hour train ride. And we saw the baptism of the brother and sister we taught. It was nice. Their non-member mother came and it looked like she was really touched by it. And it was nice to see our friends in Zagreb, seems like we haven't been there in a long time, but really, it's only been a week! That's kinda crazy to think about.
So the pronunciation of Osijek: oh-see-yek, the j makes a y sound. and the emphasis is on the first syllable. OH-see-yek. We serve here with two elders, Elder Warren who is going home at the same time as me, and Elder Schouten, who just got here. They are doing a lot of great work. Elder Warren is the branch president. There isn't a senior couple.
Đakovo apparently has a really great cathedral, that's what we're planning on seeing there. Oh, and because of our close vicinity with Serbia the war hit this area pretty hard. There are bullet holes in a lot of the buildings, and we're planning on going to Vukovar, where the most recent war started, the one between Serbia and Croatia. That's kinda interesting to see, I saw some of that stuff in Zadar but here in Osijek it is everywhere.
Yesterday I gave a talk. I tried writing it on the train ride down to Zagreb, but I didn't get very far and we were talking to the people in our compartment a lot of the ride, well some of the ride. And so I wrote it on the drive back to Osijek, we left Zagreb at 7 and the APs drove us, by car so it was a lot faster, and so we got back to church in time for me to give this talk, that I barely finished writing. I got nervous right before it, because of the lack of preparation. But it went well. It was on patience. It's kinda interesting how giving a talk isn't as hard as it used to be. you know? We give talks all the time and now it's kinda, maybe not fun, but interesting. Not scary anymore. Now, in front of 200 people back in Idaho Falls, I'm guessing it's going to be scary again! September 11th will be a nerve-wracking Sunday!
I hear that Elder Fowler is engaged, I know mom said that it was a maybe, but I heard it's officially official! Pretty crazy! That is not for me. Too fast.
Fall Finale sounds good. And the Harry Potter marathon, too! Actually Rebekah wrote me today and mentioned that, too! Funny! She said we have to read all the books together and then watch all the movies. Sounds like a LOT of good-spent time :)
Oh, I started to read a really good article this morning from Bednar in an ensign, talking about the dangers of reality worlds and knowing real from unreal. It was highly fascinating. I'll tell you more about it next time because we gotta go!
Love you all tons!
Sister Laws


Hello family!
Well here I am again.
We went to Đakovo and back already. It was fun. Small, too.
We went to the famous cathedral, I guess it's like the biggest one in Croatia or something. And my camera died after we'd been there for a little while. And then we had to leave because it was closed for cleaning in the afternoon. And then we went and saw these horses. I guess it's a breeding place and they have a bunch of pure-bred Croatian horses. I can't remember the name of the horse, but they're born black and then turn white as they grow up. Pretty beautiful horses. And now we're back here at internet, because none of us finished this morning. Too many good things to report!
So that article I mentioned. I finished it on the bus. It's called "Things as they Really Are" by Bednar, it's a June 2010 ensign but it was first given as a BYU Idaho devotional. It was really good. He was warning against basically living in reality worlds and in video games and computers because that's one way Satan gets us to be disconnected from our bodies, since he doesn't have a body. I recommend it. It made me think.
So the people here: for some reason I feel like I recognize all of them. It must be something to do with living in Croatia for almost a year and a half now. But for some reason, almost all the people I see I think, Wait, have I seen you before?? And I know that isn't possible since we've only been in Osijek for a week. Really weird. People are generally nice. Like everywhere. Nice and not very interested in what we're sharing. That's kinda the life here in Croatia! Sister Creager's brother is serving his mission in Argentina and he just barely got there last week so she heard from him today and she was like, "what? He already has two baptismal dates?" And I had to tell her, we cannot compare missions! I've always thought that way, because every mission has its own challenge. Missionary work is never easy! But it's always worth it.
Oh hey, I almost forgot. Mom said they went to a body exhibit. I'm pretty sure that (I'm guessing it was the same one) SAME body exhibit was here in Croatia last year. Some of the missionaries told me about it. I'm not sure I would enjoy it.
I feel like there was something else I was going to mention. Can't remember. I would attach pictures but my camera died! Next time!
LOVE YOU ALL
Sister Laws

Pictures

Me and sister creager with a rainbow, in Zagreb. Most of Zagreb does not look like this! we were on the outside of Zagreb at a member's house. This was last Wednesday. It was sunny AND sprinkled on us a little bit. hence the rainbow :)



A picture of Zagreb's main square. This is much more like Zagreb. Busy, big, lots of people and trams. This was Thursday after we found out we would not be serving in Zagreb anymore, which meant I would never serve there again (since this is my last transfer!)



Me and sister creager at zone conference, which was... last month, the 22nd or later. Can't remember the date exactly :)



The sunflower fields we passed on our way in. beautiful!



This is Osijek's cathedral. we went inside already, it was pretty nice. as nice as any catholic cathedral is. Mostly today we've been walking around EVERYWHERE, because we've been doing the police stuff again (i forgot to bring important papers, which I always do) and going from here to there just looking and trying things. we went to an ice-cream place for one of the elders, it is his birthday today, and then to the cathedral, we just took a break from internet and ate at a fast food place and came back, etc. etc. Lots of fun.



Inside the cathedral. this was the least catholic part and it was really pretty.

11 srpnja 2011

YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW!!!!

I am in OSIJEK!

OSIJEK!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this is the story, Sister Creager and I have been transferred to Osijek.
On Thursday, in the early afternoon the assistants called us and asked us to come to the mission office for an interview with President Rowe. Well, we had just had interviews with President Rowe the Saturday before that, so we're like, this isn't just an interview. And we started joking about getting sent to Bosnia.

(In case I haven't said anything about this, and I don't think I have, probably a little more than a month ago the first senior couple was sent into Bosnia, as full-time proselyting missionaries. So that's huge, and we've been hearing rumors about missionaries being taken from our mission to start up the work and also that they might send missionaries in to get some signatures, to petition so that we can send the other missionaries in.)

So we were joking about it. It was one of those, so long-shot that it would be impossible but still really fun to think about jokes.
So a few hours later we go to the mission office in centar and we go in to President Rowe's half-put-together office. And we sit down. He says "You are an answer to my prayer" and personally I was like, Oh this really IS serious, like not just an interview etc.
And he says "I need you in Osijek" and we both, well, we were extremely surprised so we both start laughing. And he explains a little more and we say yes, of course. And so he said, Is Sunday too early for you to leave? And we're like, well, we guess not! It's a little fast, but ok. So we leave the office and we're standing in centar and I'm like, this is the last time we're going to be here, what do we need to do here?? So we actually went and bought a few little Zagreb souvenirs, haha, and then went home and we PACKED.
The assistants called us and asked us to make the move on Saturday instead of Sunday so we could attend church on Sunday here. And we basically packed all of our stuff Thursday night. And we called all the members and told them that we were leaving. We set up a couple of appointments with them for Friday. Friday we had to go to the police station for our legal stuff and the insurance office and then we went to the church for some stuff there -- we ended up having to cancel with the members because we didn't have time -- and then had a lesson with two of our investigators.
And I feel bad for not having mentioned this, but yes Mom, they have baptismal dates. They are getting baptized this Saturday, the 16th, and President already said we could come back for the baptism. So we'll be in Zagreb on Saturday. They are a brother and a sister, 18 and 20, their dad is a member, and the other sisters started teaching them last transfer, so we inherited them, and now we've passed them on to a set of Elders, because now there are 10 elders in Zagreb! That's a lot.
So that's pretty cool. Actually it felt like with them that we were just filling in for the sisters, didn't feel like they were our investigators, and then this last week I was like, wow, some of OUR investigators are getting baptized! And then.. we had to pass them off. Kinda funny.
So yeah, we had a last lesson with them and then went home and CLEANED Friday night, because we switched apartments with the elders, so we had to make it "elder proof" and then Saturday morning we cleaned some more.

The assistants came and drove us to Osijek. Thankfully they drove us because we had a lot of stuff, because it really felt like we were moving apartments, which we were, rather than just being transferred so there was some extra stuff we had to take, like a new tupperware bowl that we had just bought and some food that we had just got from America from Sister Nelson's family. We weren't going to leave that stuff!
So they drove us and first of all, all you hear about going to Osijek is that it's the most boring drive ever. Everyone tells us that. And it went by pretty fast, a little boring because the car's cd player went kaput so we didn't have music or anything. But we got there in good time, since we were driving and weren't on a train. And it was actually really pretty. There were sunflowers growing everywhere, huge sunflower fields, and everyone said that it was really flat but there were hills and little towns every-so-often. I'm guessing it's a lot worse on the train because the trip really wasn't bad at all. about 3 hours by car. And we came into Osijek and it was extremely hot. And we pulled up to our apartment, it's actually like, ok it's in this yard type thing with the front doors to several places all right there, and it's more like a house. because we have our own separate front door, and we have a downstairs with a kitchen (which is nicer than the Zagreb one) and a front room and an UPSTAIRS with a couple of bedrooms and there are two bathrooms one upstairs and one downstairs. It's a nice place, and actually missionaries just started renting it like, last December or something. So gross Elders haven't lived in it for too long, haha. And it's pretty nice. The bedroom has an air conditioner. That has been a lifesaver. But the first night, the elders had it set at 17 degrees celcius, which is like, 61 degrees F, and I just FROZE I was so cold. I woke up in the middle of the night and had to turn it off. We've turned it up to like, 23 C now. It's a lot better.
So on Sunday we went to church. There were... probably more than ten people there including missionaries. So I'm back in a small branch, which I'm excited about.
It's a little weird, too, because I got used to church for 3 hours, but now it's only two again. But it's really great. I am really excited to be here.
And if any of you are keeping track, this is my FOURTH city. Which like, is unheard of for sisters. It's really exciting. Most sisters get 2 cities and 3 if they're lucky. I'm extra lucky I guess. I'm really really excited! In case you can't tell, I'm really excited.
So we had a kinda crazy week! It was great. Now why are we here? Well, that is all in the brains of President. There are a lot of women, the newest converts are all women, and it's been about 2-3 years since sisters have served here. So we've got a lot of opportunity to talk to a lot of women. We have a lot of work ahead of us! And the Lord works in mysterious ways, so He knows why we're here on the spur of the moment. it's really great.
Um... questions that you (mostly Mom) had. Yes, Dad sent the stuff about Nelnet, etc. Thank you!
Um, the first movie you quoted Mom, was French Kiss. The second one I have absolutely no idea.
The frozen t-shirt thing: you fold up a t-shirt and stick it in the freezer until it's frozen, obviously. And the competition is seeing who can unfold the t-shirt and put it on first, since it's frozen. It's a family tradition of the Rowes'.
The mission home and the mission office ARE separate, which is different than it has been in the past and probably in other places, too. I think it's because he's got a family and they had a good space for the office which was already church-owned but too small for him and his family to live in. Yeah, that's my best guess.
Um, will I help with September sharing time? I'm guessing yes, but you didn't give me any details at all so I'm a little scared. But yes, I can't imagine why I wouldn't be able to.
When do I want my homecoming? Well, I have no idea. That is a hard question, because I don't exactly have a preference. It would be probably easier for everyone (and the most fun for me) if you all came when I got off the plane, like at the airport, and then if it was the following Sunday, because that wouldn't be two trips. But if you all can't come for basically a whole week, then it would be ok with me if it was a week to a couple of weeks after I got home. So I am basically no help at all with that question! I really don't know when is best. Let me know if anyone wants it sooner or later.
AND I believe that is everything.
Wow, busy week. Kinda crazy. I'll try to send some pictures, but I don't know what I'll be able to do. We shall see.
Kelsey - I can't believe that Nyah almost died. that's what it seems like to me, what a crazy story! and I am very jealous of Kurt (and I can't believe that he was like, really close to where I am! he should have stopped by in Zagreb and met the new misison president or something, like, I know he can't see me but he was really close to Croatia. He should have got a ferry over to Zadar or Rijeka or something.)
Amelia - I wish you all the good fortune you can get. hang in there, everything will work out.
Jesse - I didn't realize how light Jude's hair is! did it get lighter because of the sun or was I just missing something? And I am so glad you let some JWs in, because there really aren't that many people who let us in. I would never want to be a Jehovah's witness, they are all missionaries. They believe in "every member a missionary" to a whole new degree. It's like, some kind of requirement for them to get a certain number of hours proselyting or something. I don't know the details, though. Oh, and I had no idea that the new Harry Potter movie was coming out. Crazy! It's the last one! Weird.
Michael- hope you're doing good.
Parents - I love you SO much and you've been a lot of help to me while I've been here. I haven't gotten the package, no surprise, and now it might be a little while before I get it, since I'm in OSIJEK! Oh, I don't know if you know where it is. It's really close to Serbia. I'm in the east, the Slavonian region of Croatia. I'm like, in a whole different country out here, because Serbia is to the east and Hungary is to the north... It's pretty cool.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Laws

04 July 2011

FAMILY!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY / INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Well we have had yet another quite crazy week.
last Tuesday, we had Sister milius with us still. That was cool. She's a good missionary. We had a lesson with some investigators about the Holy Ghost and we hid some chocolate in the church and said, There is chocolate for you here in this building, you can look for it. And they did for a little while. And then one of us was the Holy Ghost and gave them directions and they found it so much faster and then we talked about how the Holy Ghost gives us directions, etc. It was kinda fun. That was Sister Creager's idea. She's pretty good at coming up with object lessons. The investigators actually did expect chocolate, so when they found it they were like, oh wow! Funny.
Then Tuesday night Sister Lethco came! Sister Milius' new companion, straight from the MTC. She was tired. We didn't have a lot of time with her to get to know her, because she got in at ten at night and then we sent them off first thing the next morning on a bus to Zadar. But all the missionaries from the whole mission are coming up tomorrow for a meeting with the new mission president! So we'll see the sisters again there.
So that was Wednesday morning. Then we had district meeting on Wednesday and a lesson with a member that night. Standard day.
Thursday, me and Sister Creager got to go over to the new mission home and help make beds! That was kinda fun. We got a sneak-peak at the house. And we had heard like, that it was big. We had heard that it was maybe a little extravagent or whatever. You would not believe this house. I took pictures. First floor, ground floor, there's a very nice kitchen. A good sized dining room. A large front room. Goes out to a nice balcony. Basement, an indoor swimming pool. Walk out to the patio where there's a barbecue and picnic tables, a second kitchen with some locker-rooms, because there's some stairs down to a TENNIS COURT! They have a clay tennis court in their backyard. Then you go down some more stairs and there's a little miniature orchard with cherry and apple trees and stuff. Crazy! So you go upstairs and you have the master bedroom with bathroom that has a garden-tub, bedrooms and office, and then you go up one more floor and you reach some more bedrooms, and it has a little balcony that looks off to the best view of the whole house. It is so crazy! And there's enough beds and bedrooms that they are going to have missionaries stay the night there like, when they're coming and going. So that will be cool at the end of this transfer! Really nice house. It's kinda far away, too, that kinda sucks. Oh, and while I'm on this subject. They do have the mission office here now. It's in center so not too far away. I've been to it, it's pretty spacious and nice. Should be cool to have there.
Also on Thursday I talked to President Hill on the phone. It was his last day and he was here in Zagreb, he wanted to maybe do some interviews with us but we had a busy day and he did, too, so our schedules didn't match up. :( That would have been really nice. And I talked to Sister Hill, too. She's so great. She said, "yeah, we're flying out tomorrow. It's so sad!" and I was thinking, yeah, I bet! I can't believe how weird and crazy that would be. 3 years in one place doing the same thing and then.. you go home. weird!
Friday night we had a branch activity at a park. It was fun. There were lots of people, including Sister Nelson and her parents and sister, they've been touring Croatia this past week. They actually flew out this morning. It was great to have them here.
On Saturday we had interviews with the new president! And we were fervently cleaning our apartment because it was planned that he would come to each of us, but they called Saturday morning and asked us to come to the mission home so that we could meet his wife and kids, too. Only the two youngest are here for now, 6-year-old twin girls. They are cute. The older ones are visiting family and working etc. The next oldest (9years old I think?) is coming next week. And Sister Rowe is really nice. They are a young family, so it's quite a bit different than having President and Sister Hill. Just different, still good.
And this is exciting. President Rowe told me for my last transfer he wants me and Sister Creager to focus most of our time on inactive people. And he told me to reactive someone before I go home! I am really excited about that because I really like doing things with inactive people. Should be a really great transfer.
Also on Saturday we all went to dinner with the Nelsons. Fun, and Sister Nelson showed me all her purchases- they had been shopping a lot and the best thing she got was a bunch of movies! Some of them are sinchronised into Croatian and the other ones have subtitles. It made me want to go shopping, haha. But we'll see what I come home with. The best looking movie was a Croatian classic that Sister Nelson got, a member went with them to the store and said it's a movie that they always watch when they're young and like, basically Disney for us. I'll probably look into getting that one. ANYWAY!
Sunday after church we had a little get-together with the members and the new mission president and family. And then we went to work. and now it's today.
So TODAY we went over to the mission mansion again for a fourth of July celebration! It was short and sweet, the elders who have tennis rackets brought them and we all took turns playing, and they had a frozen t-shirt competition and we ate lots of good food. Everyone brought something and then sister Rowe made the meat, delicious. And two of the Elders found some sparklers for the girls. It wasn't dark yet so it wasn't that cool, but it was fun. And now here I am at internet! So that was my whole week! It was great!
Glad to hear that you're all doing well. amelia- good luck with everything. You've got a lot of faith! Mom, that's crazy that you met Elder Fowler! He did just get home, like, almost two weeks ago now. That's cool. he was a good missionary. Oh, and thanks for the wimbledone updates. Actually on our walk here one of the elders got a newspaper, because there's a daily newspaper here that they hand out for free and he likes checking the weather. So I looked at there was a picture of Dokovic. I can't believe he won! That's kinda cool, since he's been wanting to win for so long. And he's a Serb! Cool! Of course, I still wish that Federer had won, but I guess we can't get everything that we want.

I hope you all have another fantastic week!
Love you!
Sister Laws