Week 37 - mountains and famous ppl

 Okay this is so awkward this is like the 3rd week in a row where I promised I would be all caught up with email. Don't worry I am getting closer and closer. This email will just be a bunch of bullet points because I don't have too much time :( this is for the week of Sept 19-25th

- We had zone conference this week and it was super fire!!!

- For our big super pday we went to slemenova špica which is close to the Soča Valley and it is equally as gorgeous

Pls ignore my exposed ankles

Group photo @ super pday 

Russian church + all of the missionaries

- We did a super pretty hike there and it was such a pretty day (it was kinda cold but then warmed up)

My favorite photo ever of Sestra Williams and I - It's just two girls chattin on a mountain

- I ate a new traditional slovene dish while there - it is called jota and I wasn't the biggest fan of it because it was filled with sauerkraut and very very sour haha

Jota

- We visited with the first person to be baptised in Slovenia and she gave me her ring because I told her it was pretty :,) what a pure soul

The ring that she gave me :,) 

- One day sestra hancock and I just went outside and started talking to random people and we met these two super cute girls. We talked to them for a bit and exchanged instagrams and turns out they are literally slovene CELEBRITIES?!?!?!?!?! WHAT?!?!??! So know we are friends with 2 slovene celebrities and will hopefully meet up with them again soon

City center selfie

 A sign for people who want to learn french - if you couldn't tell there are two kids holding hands with angel wings - interesting.

- all of the sisters and I visited one of our members and she lives in such a pretty place

Our favorite bus stop -IYKYK

- we met with Mayte again and were able to read from the Book of Mormon

- On Sunday we sung during church and it was so pretty. We sung We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet because general conference is coming up WOOOOOOO

- we also had a luncheon afterwards and that was so fun

- It was really good to be able to meet more of the members and get to know them

A LOVELY WEEK OVERALL!!

Bus selfie

But one thing that was really hard for me this week was on Wednesday, I found out that one of my close friends back at home passed away. I was filled with grief as I thought about the fact that I never was able to saay goodbye to him before I left. I thought about all of the memoriese I had with him during study halls and wrestling matches. It was really hard but during those moments of hardship, I felt God closer than ever. When I would read my scriptures or pray, I felt overwhelmed with peace. My testimony of the plan of salvation is stronger now. I know that I will see him again. I know that I will see my uncles Danny, Jeremy, and LeRoy again. I know that I will see my other friends and loved ones who have passed on as well. This peace and knowledge is available to anyone who is looking. I love you all so much and hope you have wonderful weeks :) <3

Ice cream count: 2 !!!!

Ice creaaammmm (this time Rose flavored and it slaps just like lavender - eat more flowers folks)

Ice creeeaaammmm (pt. 2 but LAVENDER)

Week 36 - bdayyyyy

 Monday 9/12:

Today was my BIRTHDAYYYYYY. I am 20 what. so weird but honestly this day was the best birthday I have ever had. So many small blessings and miracles happened. Okay so to start off we decided to go to Celje because I want to visit one of my favorite members, Mirko. I've talked a lot about him so if you don't know him by now go do some research in my other emails haha. So sestra Hancock and I go with the other elders on the train to Celje and it was a HARRY POTTER TRAIN. It was one of those trains that has the separate compartments like in Harry Potter and it was so cool because I have ALWAYS wanted to go on one but never did. 

The Harry Potter Train WOOOOOO

Once we got into Celje it took a bit to figure out how to get to Mirkos house because it would have been over an hour of walking. Finally we figured out a bus that would get us there and then walked for 15 minutes up to his house. And wow once we got there he was just so happy and excited to see us!!

@ Mirko's for my bday

Sestra Chandler and the new sister, Sestra Smith joined us later but it was such a blast. He gave me a whole chocolate bar as a gift. Him and Elder Hughes played a game of chess. Afterwards we walked back towards town to meet up with the other missionaries at the church and play games. As we were walking we saw MILKA!!! One of my other favorite members!! I never got to say goodbye to her so this was just so amazing. 

The Gang :)

We played games in the church for a while and then went back home and it was so fun. I also got to open up a package from my family and they sent me RANCH DRESSING MIX!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO! I am so blessed. 

Tuesday 9/13:

In the morning Sestra Hancock and I spent forever trying to figure out how to get her fingerprints. We walked all over from place to place as they kept saying no don't go here go here. So fun. We met up with a cute girl named Mayte later on. She is a cute girl from Peru. We went out for ice cream (yes!!!) and that was so fun. 

Meetup with Mayte :)

Afterwards Sestra Hancock and I were walking around center when we saw a vender selling corn on the cob. Of course we bought it. It was heavenly. 10/10 would reccommend. 

Corn on the cob :)

Oh also I can't remember if I mentioned this in my last email but last Sunday sestra hancock and I were at the bus stop and this guy started talking to us. He was asking where he could buy a card but he was speaking straight serbian. I couldn't understand much but I was able to understand enough to walk with him to the area where you could buy one and exchange contact information. one of the elders here actually served in serbia so I got them in contact. Well fast forward to today and we got a message from the elders saying hey he is getting a tour of the church in an hour and wants you to come too. what. the. heck. SO FREAKING COOL WHAT.  We showed up and it was super awesome. We all prayed together and him and Elder Strauss were talking in Serbian. I didn't understand jack squat but I can understand the language of the Holy Ghost and man it was strong. Sadly he was just visiting Slovenia but we did get him into contact with the missionaries in Serbia and hopefully things will keep rolling there. 

This was found in H&M haha

Wednesday 9/14:

Today was so fun. Ever missionary in slovenia gathered together at the Ašler's house in Celje to harvest potatoes!! We spent almost all day digging around in the dirt and it was amazing. 

Sestra Voigt and I picking potatoes

Potato group photo

They prepared a HEAVENLY lunch for us and it was just so fun to be able to physically serve and be back in Celje. When we got back to Ljubljana, we had choir practice for a bit and then went home and did our studies. 

Thursday 9/15: 

In the morning we had district council. The rest of the day was filled with meetings and online calls. Pretty good though.

Pretty sunset :)

Friday 9/16:

Remember that guy darko who would come to Celje so Sestra Chandler could teach him piano and I could teach him cotton eyed joe? Yeah well since I now live in Ljubljana we still do that haha. He has mastered the cotton eyed joe and is now learning footloose haha. Later for lunch Sestra Hancock and I were craving soup because it had been downpouring all day. We found this really really yummy soup place right by the river and man that was good. 

Next to Teja and Nalu's house to teach Nalu english. Nalu is about 11 years old and one of the funniest kids I have ever met. His mom, Teja is just absolutely amazing. She makes a treat every time we come over. Later that evening we taught our very first Book of Mormon class! Every Friday the missionaries hold a class where anyone can come and we can read from the Book of Mormon and discuss it with each other. It was super fun.

Saturday 9/17:

Today there were lots of cancelations. It was a big catch up day. We did eat dinner at mexican place though and it was really yummy.

Mexican place with yummy nachos

Yummy soup

Sunday 9/18:

Really good! We had a meeting with the branch president and he brought us rootbeeeeerrr wooooooo!!

ROOOTTTBBEEERRR

ice cream count: 1

Highlights:

- my bday

- mirko gave me a chocolate bar as a bday present

- we saw milka 

- we picked potatoes at the ašler's house all day and they made some FIRE food for us

- I ate corn on the cob  

- I got rootbeer 

- ate lots of yummy food this week 

Week 35 - covid man + ljubljana

Hi guys I don't have time to write an email so I am just going to explain all of the photos in big detail but they aren't in order rip. 

I know I promised week 36 and 37 today too but idk how well that will go but I promise with all of my heart that I will get them next week. I PROMISE! thanks love you 

1. One of the many pictures you will see from my balcony. You will probably get a sunset balcony pic every week hahaha

2. This is part of the view from my apartment. It has a balcony that I am absolutely in love with. We can see the sunset every night. Love it 

3. One morning for our exercise we hike up to the Ljubljana castle and this was the view of the city walking up to it. Suppppeerrr cool. 

4. I got covid which sucked. I honestly felt fine and didn't even think that I had it but elder barrus tested positive so we tested too just to be safe and boom I am positive. I am sadly no longer the only member of my family to not have gotten covid dang it. I had to quarantine for Monday and Tuesday and then wear a mask for the rest of the week until Sunday. Sestra Chandler also had to isolate herself in the other room - I am sorry :( 

5. First meal out with new comp!! We were craving mexican and walked into center to this supposedly really good mexican restaurant. news flash not very good and not at all authentic haha. It did not have a hint of mexican hahaha sorry for the bad introduction Sestra Hancock. 

6. One of the days was a little on the rough side. We got lost on the bus system quite a bit and we also had to go to three different police stations and register Sestra Hancock so she didn't get kicked out of the country. Woooooo!! It was a pretty stressful day and I was really really craving McDonalds. Me? Craving McDonalds? Crazy I know right?Elder Barrus would be proud of me haha so we marched right on over to the nearest mcdonalds and I got myself a 20 piece chicken nugget box. That was a good meal haha. 

7. Positive covid test - this sucked because it meant that I couldn't go down to Ljubljana until Wednesday so we couldn't change areas on Monday like everyone else but instead on WEDNESDAY - I was fomoing so bad - again sorry sestra chandler haha

8. In the rain! We were walking to a person's house. We were going to teach their kid english and it per usual we had no clue who we were meeting, where we were going, or what we were doing. We were actually given the wrong address and accidentally knocked on the branch president's house haha. For context the branch president and his family are all American and are part of the embassy here so it was a little confusing when the gate opened and a woman speaking fluent english with an American accent answered. Thankfully she was able to walk us over to where we were supposed to go and it went really well. 

9. New comp Sestra Hancock - she is really cool and is absolutely hilarious 

10. Saying goodbye to sestra chandler ft. the mask :,( She a real one man

11. One the way back from teaching english to that one family, we got lost. This is another common theme so uh rip. But we ended up walking all over trying to find a bus stop. We literally trecked through the woods to this one random bus station in the middle of nowhere. We nicknamed it the ghetto even though it is literally in a super nice neighborhood. 

Overall this week was stressful but really good. Sestra Hancock and I still don't know what we are doing but hey we are trying and that is good haha. I love you all and have a great day!

Week 34 - Last week in Celje :(

Disclaimer: this email was written forever ago and only has a brief summary of what happened because sadly I have no time to write more details but enjoy!

That is right folks. Sadly this was my last week in Celje because of transfers. You will hear more about where I am going and who I will be with later in the email (Thursday). 

I am a farm girl 

Monday 8/29: 

Honestly I have no clue what we did today. I think we went shopping and I bought a cute new sweater and coat. I know for sure we got ice cream haha but other than that I have no clue haha rip. 

Tuesday 8/30

We met up with our friend Lana and that was super fun. We got ice cream and just chitchatted

Then we met up with mario and that was also good

We ended off on a good note by getting some ribs at stari pisker mmmmmm

Stari Pisker !!!!

Wednesday 8/31:

We visited the fidlers today and that was SO FUN. I learned how to make sauerkraut which was super cool. Afterwards we had district council and then finished off with our studies. 

Me making sauerkraut (yes I am on my tiptoes)

Thursday 9/1:

We visited Mirko today which was super nice. We went to check out a place for a potential picnic and it was right by this beautful vineyard with a white peach tree. We were able to taste fresh grapes and white peaches. Yum! This was also a really precious visit because I showed him pictures of the temple and my family and he just absolutely loved it. What an amazing time.

Mirko :,)

Mirko picking me some white peaches in the middle of a grape vineyard

 Then we met up with marko and took a fun little walk with him around Celje. Then we met up with filip to say goodbye and he showed off his juggling skills. Metod came later. The whole Day I was anxious because I didn't know where I would be going. But lo and behold, transfer calls came a little bit later and I AM BEING MOVED TO LJUBLJANA AND MY COMP IS SISTER HANCOCK WHO IS A MISSIONARY IN CROATIA WHAAAATTT. SOOOOO crazy!! I'm interested in what will happen but woo!!! 

transfer announcements!! This will be very interesting because she and I will figure out the new area together since neither of us know how Ljubljana works. Transfers will be on Monday. I am going to miss Celje and also Sestra Chandler :,(. 

Friday 9/2:

We got breakfast at a cute side cafe and it was really good mmm 

Yummy cafe breakfast 

We also did our language study at a cute little cafe and that was great 

We met with tjaša again and I made poppy seed bread. It was a really cool meet up. She said she had a present to give me tomorrow if we come by her work really fast. She also wanted a Book of Mormon so WOOOO!!! Later in the day we went to go pick up something from sister barrus and there was a whole medieval festival going on! There were people sword fighting in center. There were people dancing. There were people on horses! Man it was just so funny to walk out and BOOM medieval festival out of nowhere. 

The horse for the medieval festival 

Saturday 9/3:

We met with fila in the morning real fast to help he cut up some things to eat. We did out studies and then went to the waghorns for dinner and hmmmmmm she made stuffed peppers and man they were good. ALSO my brother Kyler and Sister in law Shaylee just had their second child today!! His name is Baylor and he is the most precious baby ever. I can't wait to meet him in person :,) 

Precious Baby Baylor :,) 

Sunday 9/4:

Today was the absolute perfect sendoff. It was fast sunday which means that anyone is able to get up and share their testimony. I went up and bore my testimony. It was really cool because I found the notes I had made from the first time I shared my testimony in Celje so I was able to see just how much I grew and improved since then. We also had a fun little cake eating celebration afterwards which was so sweet.

Ice cream count: I believe 2 ? maybe?