Week 57 - last week w/ Channy :,(

Hello fam and friends and welcome to this beast of an email. Don't get too excited this is yet again another catchup email hahaha but this week was honestly one of the best weeks of my entire mission because every single second of this week was spent meeting with all of our friends, members, and Sestra Chandler's family members. 

I just wanna start out and get a little sappy because I swear every time I write an email the feels just hit me like a ton of bricks haha. But as you have probably guessed this was my last week with Sestra Chandler and in case you don't remember, I served with her for 3 months last year in the summer and so being able to serve again for just this short amount of time has been amazing. I don't think I can or will ever be able to express how precious each of my experiences are. 

So on that note, let's dive into it (February 13th to 19th):

- We started off on a high note with pday - in the morning we went and visited Darinka and Gabriel who are a sweet older couple that have been in contact with the missionaries for forever. Our favorite thing to do in help them in their garden. It also helps that Darinka is an amazing cook and always has something for us. 

- After that amazing and precious visit, we met up with all of the missionaries and hiked up to the top of Tivoli where they have a yummy restaurant at the top and of course I got myself some fire Goulaš 

- Later in the day we had a visit with the Rwankuba family and they are also so so so so so amazing - they made us homemade curry with naan bread and wow that was heavenly 

- The next day was Valentines Day! Happy late Valentines day everyone! We did service again at slovenska filantropija picking up food from Hofer and then sorting it for families to pick up - that was so fun - the senior couple will be taking that up so we showed them the ropes

- We also met with Tisa for lunch which was so good - I love Tisa - she has been a friend of missionaries for years and is just the funniest person ever

- Then we met up with Nina and Rosa (a  mom and daughter who we teach the daughter english even though she is literally fluent in english so it is more like just talking haha) and they are some of the coolest people ever. They gave us homemade kompot made from cherries and then we just talked about missions and life and wow it was so good.

- Since it was Valentine's Day, there were dragon mascots in the center taking pictures with everyone and of course I had to get a picture with them 

-  And then we went over to the Tonih's house for dinner and they made us a really yummy pasta. They have the cutest family and it was cool because we were able to share a spiritual thought with them and feel the spirit. 

- The next day we met with Hana who was a girl that Sestra Chandler and I both met in Celje. We had breakfast together at a this amazing cafe and ate one of the best acai bowls I have ever eaten. We were also able to talk to Hana a little bit more about missionary work before we had to go which was awesome!

- Later on the senior couple drove us to Kranj so we could go visit Sestra Chandler's family! It was one of the girls' 15th birthday so we went to surprise her and it was so so so good. They are just such a welcoming family (they are the same ones who showed me the serbian song called London). It was funny because they were talking about all the adventures we would go on together after Sestra Chandler left haha. 

- After that we went and visited the Majc family who are members. They are so amazing. I really love them so much. We all made kettlecorn together and the dad showed us all of his professional cameras and pictures. It took us at least 10 minutes to try and figure out the setup for a group photo hahahaha!

- The next day was another amazing one too! We went and visited one of our members Bojana who I swear is the sweetest woman I have ever met. Ever. I would trust with everything I have. She also lives in one of the prettiest areas ever. It was so cool because she talked about her conversion story and that was so cool to hear from her why she joined the church. The spirit was so strong!!! 

- We also met with Suzana and had an absolutely beautiful discussion about the gospel and just beliefs in general and wow. It was so cool. 

- And then we met up with Jona who is our age and is just the coolest member ever. She is just so cool and I admire her so so so so much!

- and then we had 

TRANSFER ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!!

and I am staying in Ljubljana and my companion is.........

SISTER VOIGT!!! She was my companion in the mtc and so this is so crazy that we will be together again after all this time!!! Ahhhhh!! So cool!!

- moving on, the next day we went and got breakfast with the sisters at the same exact place that Sestra Chandler and I went to with Hana because it was that good haha

- we also went around Ljubljana doing our lunch time to pick up some last minute souveniers. 

- and then we met up with Teja and Nalu (similar situation as Nina and Rosa - and I taught them english all the time in the past but it switched to the other sisters when we did our mid transfer) and I love them so much. They didn't know I was coming and so when we went up the stairs it was so cool to see their reactions. I legit almost cried. They are just the coolest people ever 

- The next day was PUST!! Which is their sort of equivalent to Halloween. Essentially they throw on a giant festival to chase off the spirits of winter and bring on spring and summer. We went with a family who we are friends with and it was so fun. All of the kids dressed up with their schools and then did a parade. They also had the traditional kurenti which are scary monster looking outfits with cow bells attached to their waists to ward of winter. If you want a video of them just ask I have plenty haha

- but that was soooo cool 

- we then had a visit with the Kralj family and that was so good. They are such strong members and they fed us three separate traditional slovene dishes and man those were heavy. and then they gave us krofs (similar to donuts) and more dessert. I genuinely don't know how I walked after that visit. 

WAIT: MIRACLE MOMENT TIME

- so on the train to the Kraljs there were like no seats and so Sestra Chandler and I had to sit separately but I was minding my business when I saw someone I recognized sitting in the seat across the row. It was the girl I met a couple of weeks ago on the train with Sesta McConkie?!?!? WHAT?!?! So cool and so we started talking again and set up a time to meet up and it was just so so so cool

- okay to continue on the way back from the Kraljs we met with Mehtab who is one of our friends and he is so funny. We met in McDonald's and just chatted with him for a bit. 

- and now we go to the highlight of the entire week *~*sunday~*~

- it was my favorite Sunday I have ever experience and man there have been some good ones

- a good amount of Sestra Chandler's family came and it was so so so sweet - they just showed up out of nowhere and were so supportive - we also saw a lot of members and friends come who haven't come in a really long time - it was just such a precious day and Sestra Chandler's talk was just so so so so so good. I cried. A lot haha. It was so fulfilling to see the chapel filled with people. 

- Later on we went and visited the Majc family (the son of the family we visited earlier) and that was so much fun - they have a bunch of younger kids who shared their pust candy with us. It was just such a good visit and I really love their family. 

- and then our last visit was with the Shaha's (the branch president and his family) which was also so good - they are just such powerhouses and examples to me

Congrats you made it to the end! Or congrats you scrolled to the end! Either way good job haha!!

Times talked about food: at least 20 let's be real

Cry count: 5 (good cries)

Photos:

They do not want to stay in order and I don't want to write it all out again so just enjoy the pictures :)

WEEK 56 - Še ker migam - I'm still kicking

 

Hi guys

It's been forever but guess what I'm still kicking. I just learned how to say that in slovene which makes me so happy.

Anyways I'll give a better update but I have no time so here is a quick update. 

I'm still with Sister Chandler in Ljubljana but she goes home next Monday - tears  - and on Thursday we have transfer announcements and honestly I have no clue what will happen. None at all. But hey we will see. 

Here are a couple fun pictures to keep you entertained 

Also ice cream count is back: 1

Send me a good roast or phrase so I can try and translate it into slovene. 

Photos:

Week 56 - i love this place

Hi guys! Another catchup email here. I swear one day I will actually consistently send emails on time. 

This email is for Feb 6th to 12th

Highlights:

- We went to Maribor for our pday and it was so fun!

Cowgirls ;) 

- at the start we ate breakfast with the celje sisters and it was a 4/10 - we all made the mistake of ordering the exact same thing hahaha and it wasn't even that good

- we met up with all of the other missionaries and did the dreaded stairs - it is a straight uphill stretch of over 100 steps and the incline is so steep. It kind of kills you but you gotta do it 

.All of us getting ready to hike the Maribor stairs

- we went to the church after that and played games then met with one of our members so Sestra Chandler could say goodbye 

- then we went and ate at Jack and Joe's (so freaking fire) with one of our friends in Maribor

The pizza burger at Jack and Joe's - so so so so so good

- on Wednesday is was a holiday where all of the museums in slovenia are FREE!! so of course we had to go with one of our friends! the first museum we went to was pretty chill - I wasn't a fan of the first part of it but once we got to more of the landscape paintings it was really cool 

Pretty paintings

- then we went to a second musuem which was an optical illusion museum and we waited outside in line for over an hour in the freezing cold and attempting to eat (we sent two of the sisters to go get mcdonalds) only to get to the front of the line and for them to say actually it isn't free - it was like 14 euros per person which is way too insane. so we left 

- but it is okay because then Sestra Chandler and I went and visited one of the member families here and it was so fun - especially the 40 minute walk through the woods and sus areas to get there (not really sus I am just over exaggerating haha)

- they are just the sweetest people ever and the youngest baked us some brownies

The Marina family <3

- my favorite part was the lesson we prepared for them - we brought a bag of random things like a flashlight, tissue, umbrella, etc and had them tell how that object represented Jesus Christ and it was just so cool to see their different perspectives and insights. It just goes to show that everything connects back to Christ. He is always with us! 

- I love them :,)

- We also had exchanges this week and I went with Sestra Williams and that was so fun- I love her so much and we had a lot of fun laughs together 

Williams and I on exchanges - love this girl

- We also had lunch together with Alejandra and she made us her special pasta which was so so so so so fire - her roommate joined us and she is also so freaking cool

- we also went to a cafe and met up with estefania but firsrt ran into Mayte and her mom! So cool! 

- we also met up with Monika (one of the members from Celje) and spent some time with her looking for costumes for her kids (their version of halloween is next week - it is called pust)

- we also went to a really big training at one of the charity organizations here in slovenia and that was so cool! we couldn't stay the whole time but it was cool to learn more about how specifically we could help more in the community and get certified for all of them

- we met with one of our friends, Maria, from Celje! She came down just to say goodbye to Sestra Chandler which was so sweet - she is so cool 

Maria - our buddie from Celje

- oh we also got a senior couple this week!! which was so insane because Ljubljana was not had a senior couple in years and years so they have been such a blessing 

- they drove us on Sunday to meet up with one of our members Tanja and her son - they are one of my favorite people in this entire world

Tanja, us, and the new senior couple!

- she is just such a sweet soul and she loves volleyball so those two combined = amazing in my eyes 

- she made us a homemade pasta sauce from almonds, water, spices and a blender - so good 

Essentially this week was just a nice one with a lot of meetups and fun. 

I am not creative enough to think of a count this week - I am so sorry

Photos - also the photos will def be out of order but I cannot find it in me to try and fix it for the third time - thanks <3: 

Week 55 - good week :)

Dang three emails in a day? Let's goooo!!!! This was another fire week not gonna lie. Let's not waste any time and just jump right on in!

This is for January 20th to February 5th

- I forgot to say in the last email but we ended up getting back home from Bosnia pretty late and so of course we are super tired but guess what we decided to do the next morning?

a sunrise hike 

Sunrise hike buddies :)

- a whole sunrise hike but honestly it was worth it because we met up with the other sisters (Sestra Williams and Smith) and two of our friends who are our age. It was so so so so so fun and wow the sunset was so pretty even though it was so early and absolutely freezing. 

Sunrise <3

- after the hike we ended up going to the girls' house and they made us palačinke which is like crepes but thinker and so good. 

- the other sisters and I were so dead after this that we all went back to our apartment and just crashed for a couple of hours

my bosnian copatis (i forgot what word they use for it - my b)

- and then later that night, we went to say goodbye to one of our members - she is actually from Taiwan but has been here for a school semester - she is the sweetest person ever and her smile can just brighten up an entire country 

us and our buddy mehtab . 

- later this week sister chandler and I went and visited more of her family - this one specific relative is such a firecracker - her name is Romana and honestly she is one of my favorite people in the entire world - she is such a firecracker and says some of the sassiest things ever 

- we went over and she cooked us lunch wich was so sweet - while we were waiting for the chicken to cook she gave us some cookies and was explaining that she had made them herself and that the cardboard box it was in was actually "crystal bowl" and not something bought from the store. What a firecracker. I love her. a little bit later into the visit the same family members that we visited a couple of weeks ago came too but they didn't know that Sestra Chandler and I would be there so it was a good surprise. 

Sestra Chandler's family (they are also my family now - it is decided)

- later that day we had interviews in person with the mission president and his wife and they were good

- this week we also had exchanges with Celje and I was with Sestra McConkie again in Ljubljana - that was fun - we didn't do anything too crazy but we did find a bunch of slovene jazz

Pretty river 

Celje Sestri :)

McConkie and I 

- oh wait but we did have a really cool moment - on the way back to Ljubljana on the train, we had to sit with another girl across from us because there wasn't enough seats but of crouse we start talking to her and she is so cool! She sends us a bunch of links to learn slovene, asks for our instagram, and what we believe. We had her read the introduction of the Book of Mormon and just talked to her the whole time. She wanted to meet up again and was super cool! I'll keep you posted about her

- on Saturday it was Sestra Voigt's birthday so when Sestra Chandler and her came back to Ljubljana they met up in our apartment - I attempted to give her a hug tackle but it backfired and my nose started bleeding hahaha which was so funny because a year ago this date both Sestra Voigt and I got a nose bleed

Sister Voigt's bday ft my bloody nose ft pic of us one year ago exactly with bloody noses

- We went to the Kralj's again with the sisters and that was good again - of course as always there was an amazing amount of food and it all tasted delicious - I love the Kraljs so much 

- and then afterwards we went and visited one of our members in an retirement home and she was so sweet and such a strong member. it was just so cool to visit her and build our relationship with her - she is such a strong member and has a powerful testimony that she is not afraid to share 

Sestra Chandler and I with the sweet member in the retirement home

- a couple more things happened this week but I don't have the brainpower to explain it fully so I'll explain it in the photo section

I love you all