Sunday, March 3, 2013

This wasn't expected!!!!!

 February 4, 2013

So hey everyone!!!

I have news for you! Just 1 and a half short weeks in Plzen was all that was in store for me. That's right, just that long. Elder Salas has taken the long train across the border to the sweet city of Banska Bystrica!!! Back in Slovakia, back speaking Slovak! Wow what a great surprise. But I couldn't be more excited!
 
Update on the area. Banska Bystrica has about 80,000 inhabitants. The branch...isn't even a branch. It's part of the Zilina branch, it's just a unit. Also Zvolen which is in the distract is just a unit. There are about 3 or 4 active members and they are just the best! I love them so much! The unit leader is Elder Nye who is a senior missionary. He is so great and him and his wife do so much for us here!
I just got settled in completely on Saturday night so we haven't had much time to do much, but I am so excited to do this work here! It is a really exciting work to do, so much to be done! I don't know why, but I get really excited working in an area where the church is just beginning. There's just so much to do and I'm so grateful I get to be here and help out with it! We're looking for a solid family who can strengthen and support this branch!
We've got some big goals and I'm ready to get working! 
 
Met a few of our investigators and they are great. We just taught this girl and she is so cool! I just loved teaching her. She's really loving the gospel and feels the difference in her life it makes, which is such a testimony builder to me. I'm so grateful that we have the fullness of the gospel!
 
I'm serving with Elder Hammond, another companion from Utah! (most missionaries here over the years are from Utah) He is so great though. He has been in the country 6 months and is so great! I love him so much! He's a really stocky guy, probably about 5 foot 8 or something. He's just so great though.
 
We're working hard though and just loving it! Don't have any pictures today, but I'll try to remember for next week.
When it was just warming up in Plzen, it is snowing here in Banska. It fine though. It's a beautiful city, and I'm so glad to be here. Elder Zabriskia and Elder Meredith are in our zone, and they are in Zvolen. I served with Elder Zabriskie in Trencin, so it's really great to be around him again.
 
It was a cool miracle to me when I was in Plzen though because the other Elders in the city, the other companionship both got sick on different days, but because we had 3, we were able to go on exchanges and keep their area going. Just when we had helped them out, the Lord called me elsewhere. Just a testimony builder to me that the Lord knows whats going on. Our investigators there are in good hands, and are doing fine, so I'm not worried too much.
 
I was really excited to hear from everyone this last week though! Thanks for all your emails and all your support. I love you all so very much! Have a great week!!!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

ps Salaš in Slovak means "some sort of cottage that shepards stay in" -Can't tell you how many times I've heard that
-other note, the Slovak book of Mormon should be coming really really soon, this transfer! They have never had the Slovak translation, they just use Czech here

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