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 :)