July 2, 2012

Vela Stastia

Hey Everyone!

So sounds like everything is going really well still! Glad to hear it. Thanks for all the emails again. I really appreciate hearing all the spiritual highlights of everyone's week.

 

So this week was a really really good one. First of all, the mission. As a mission we are doing so well! The mission has seriously never been doing so good since I got here. In Slovakia this transfer alone, there are 8 baptisms. Thats 8 baptisms in 2 months, more then all of Slovakia got in 2010! We are really just doing so well right now, as Elder Christofferson told us, the work is starting to speed up here, and we're so lucky to be here during it. I really feel that I am the best missionary I have been since getting here too.

 

So, right now it's is so hot. It was the most difficult fast Sunday I have ever had, and I went home and drank liters and liters of water and a liter of chocolate milk. It was really hot. Elder Zabriskie and I we're talking about fasting in relation to missionary work though, and it was really cool. We see how in both cases, we give up something that's not necessarily a bad thing (24 hours of food and water or 2 years of giving up things to be a missionary). The reason we do it though, is for something better. By doing so, we show God that we are willing to draw closer to Him, by following His commandments, and He blessed us with spiritual strength and knowledge. It's really a great trade off.

 

Things are so good here though. Our investigator is still working towards baptism, and we'll probably be going to Zilina this weekend with her to see a baptism there, so we're looking forward to that. We had a lesson on Alma 32 and asked her what we can do to nourish our "trees"and she knew all the things we should do. It was a really cool lesson. She is definitely going to be ready on the 14 of July and we're looking forward to it as well as she is!

 

We had so many cool experiences this week, and I just can't tell all of them. There was this one where this guy kept doing everything he could to disagree with us, whenever we found a common ground, so we had a cool Zeezrom moment and caught him in his words. I learned that if we really teach the gospel, we cannot be caught in our own words, because we are speaking nothing but true doctrine.

 

I have been looking a lot at the Christlike attribute of Humility this week. It is such an important attribute. When we are humble, we admit that we don't have it all figured out. We know that we can't rely wholly on our own wisdom and learning, or the wisdom and learning of others. We realize that only through God can we learn what the truth is and what isn't. In John 5:30, we can see that even Jesus Christ didn't rely on His own learning and understanding, but that of His Father in heaven. Even Jesus Christ was humble and willing looked to His Father for the answers. If only we all could do that. I face that everyday, people who just aren't willing to admit that maybe they don't have it all figured out, and it's sad to see, but we just have to find those who are willing. Humility - 2 Nephi 9:42-43

 

Another word of advice, the more we go out of our way to give to the Lord, the more He will go out of His way to bless us. I'm really learning that a lot.

 

So everything else is going really great! We're really trying to help others as best we can and we're really seeing miracles this transfer! The work is pressing on, the work is true and the church is true! Just remember that, and keep working hard everyone! Keep doing all that you do, you really help us out here a lot with your prayers! Remember, sacrifice obedience and faith=miracles!

Love you all! Have a great week!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas