Perfect Timing

Lep Pozdrav family and friends!

 

Today is the first day back to school for the public elementary, middle, and high schools, and the weather reflects that idea that Summer is over too. I've had to put on sweatpants and a pullover recently at night, and today. Also, the city is gearing up for a first in Slovenia's history. For the next three weeks or so, Slovenia is hosting the Euro basket, basically like the national championship tournament for all of Europe. Everyone says this is the first time in all of Slovenia's history to host an event this big for all of Europe. Celje is one of 4 cities hosting the games. Temporary tents are getting set up, the downtown has basically been all remodeled, and all the lines on the street have all been repainted with a fresh coat of paint. Thousands of Slovenes and Europeans are about to flood into Celje and Slovenija this week. It's going to be exciting!

 

Over the last few weeks, one of the less active women we have been working with disappeared. She had gotten to the point of coming every other week with our help when she just suddenly disappeared shortly after Elder Baldwin arrived. We would call her, she wouldn't answer. We would stop by her place, no one was home. We talked to other members who were her friends, and they said she hadn't answered their calls either or seen her for a few weeks. Uh oh. So eventually, we resolve that we will do whatever it takes to find her. However, that extra work wasn't necessary. Last night, we felt we should go visit some of the people who hadn't come to church today, and we felt first about going and seeing her. We go up, still trying despite the weight of many former repeated failed attempts, and ring her name outside the apartment. We wait a few moments to silence when we hear a calm, quiet, ˝Hello?˝ She was home!! We asked if we could come up and she said yes and began having a wonderful conversation at her doorstep.

 

Then, as we are talking, another amazing member whom we were worried about because she hadn't come to church that day either, called. I rejected the call, focusing on the conversation we were having, but soon the feeling and idea hit me. She lives only around the corner from this less active we are talking to. Her son will be at home. Why don't we go have a lesson with the two of them right now??!! Taking advantage of the opportunity, I quickly call back and ask if it's possible, and then we head over for a great visit. We counsel, set up, and comfort our two sisters who didn't get that from church today, and set up for the next week with them. At the end, the sister who called while we were having the conversation explained she didn't know who she had called, just the first number she saw on her phone, expecting her son or husband, but found it was us! The Lord guided her to us as we were guiding our less active sister back for the perfect scenario, impossible without His help.

 

In other news, Celje's old first counselor in the branch presidency was released and a return missionary was called to fill the spot. We are starting (very limitedly right now) to use facebook as missionaries and as a mission. And I think that's all for exciting news.

 

Stay warm at heart and cool in body (or warm depending on your climate)!

-Starešina Benson