Hello all family, friends, dearests, special people, Americans, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, parents, and so forth (a little bored with the usual, you know? have to change it up sometimes!. :-) )
Life in Slovenija is wonderful. We had a TRULY MIRACULOUS week this week.
But you're weekly weather report from across the world. This week has been truly wonderful weather. Clear every day, sunny, and warm in the 70's, to cooling down probably into the 50's at night.... until Sunday. The storms rolled in, and the sun has been hidden. It has rained off and on (mostly drizzle, a down pour or two) also though, with the weather settling into around 50 degrees. A bit chilly, but you can't complain too much. It is starting to get to be that time of the year. I just remember last year this time it had already snowed, so no complaints at all! The benefit however, is that now we're past dan mrtvih (it was last Friday), the next holiday in Slovenija is the Christmas holiday!! And that means the Christmas lights should start coming up in the next weeks!! I just need to get some good winter socks and I will be able to make it though another European winter. Hey! Life in this kind of winter isn't always easy for a Texas kid who's worst winter days at home were drizzle in the 40's and 50's (sounds like the weather outside today...)
As I mentioned, this week has been a truly wonderful, miraculous week. The work with people who are not member of the church is suddenly taking off!! It all started really, a few weeks ago when we were on a visit with the less active who was less active for 8 years and finally has started coming back. (fun story about him in a bit!) At the end of the visit, we mentioned that we were going to go out for a few hours that night and go door to door, and if he had any suggestions on someplace where we should go. He at first said no, you can go anywhere, maybe a big bloc (apartment building), but then he said, well, actually, I have this friend who came to my baptism some 11 years ago. He told us his information, and we went out to go contact his friend. However, as it is with spontaneous visits, we came at an inconvenient time. And so we came back a few more times to his friend, not getting a specific return time.
Then we come to last Tuesday. I had an exchange with Elder Wilson from Ljubljana who was here for the day while Elder Lyman went over to Ljubljana for the day. At first when the exchange was originally planned, Elder Lyman was supposed to stay and be with Elder Wilson in Ljubljana, and so I planned an excellent day for them, a visit with a member, and two visits with less active members. Then, we also saw our referral and I said (actually out of accident) that we would come back Tuesday night, forgetting I wouldn't be there. None the less, I told Elder Lyman that he can come here and have contact with him, then if he doesn't go anywhere still you can try finding people in his bloc. However, the day before the exchange, we find out that Elder Wilson's plan had changed without us knowing, and I was going to be in Celje with Elder Wilson. No problems.
And so Tuesday came, Elder Wilson came up, and we went around teaching the less active lessons we had in the plan. Also, Elder Wilson broke Elder Lyman's bike. That's a side note. And so we go through the day, it was wonderful, and then we get to the night when we had told the referral we were going to be coming. We go, he answers, but says they just sat down for dinner, but we set a specific time to come back on Saturday, and suggested we would invite his friend who referred him to us to come along as well. And so we begin going through the bloc.
After a bit, we find this very nice woman who is interested in discussing about faith and almost lets us in, until we ask if she has a man home (as missionaries we can't be alone with people of the opposite sex). She doesn't, but says we can come back that next Saturday and she will invite her brother to be there with them. She also had a maybe 13 year old son we met there also. We keep going, and on the same floor, we meet another older lady who lets us in immediately and we teach her a quick lesson about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet her husband. She was very open and very kind.
And so we had some potential lessons set up for Saturday, in addition to a visit with our 8 year less active member. And the miracle is, everyone was interested. The lady who said she would tell her brother to come was home, just finishing lunch when we came, and we taught her, her brother, and her son all together. They are a very strong, very kind family. I can not wait to see how the gospel can bless and strengthen them still even more. Then the visit we had with our less active member was wonderful. He girlfriend stayed for the whole lesson, but she wasn't interested in talking, only listening, so she's not quite ready to meet with us for her, but she's so close!!! And then we went on to his friend (he couldn't come with us, he had another visit that night besides us), and the referral lets us in and we teach him and his girlfriend. They are good people, and will really progress, especially if his friend is there to support them.
And so we found a ton of people to meet with all in one day really, but you can see how the Lord has been preparing us to meet them, and I believe the Lord has been preparing them to meet us.
Otherwise, the little story about our friend. He said he would come to church in Celje for the first time on Saturday, given that it didn't rain as they didn't have umbrellas or jackets. The last week he had a surprise visit from his mom who brought lunch, so he wasn't able to come. And so, he said Sunday morning they get up, it was very cloudy and ominous looking, but it wasn't raining, so they get dressed and ready to go, he, his girlfriend, and his little 3 year old daughter, and leave. They are walking on the road to center for 5 minutes, however, when it begins to rain and the little girl begins to cry with a runny nose. And so they turned around and went back home... So close!!! I know they will soon come and will dramatically progress in the gospel of Christ.
But this was basically the highlights of the week. It has been a great week. Meeting and teaching individuals, couples, and families. Here's to the next week being just as wonderful! This week is also the last week of the transfer. But then again, since I am still training Elder Lyman, nothing will likely change for the two of us. Sister Legro is going home however from Celje, and so that will make Elder Burdette and me the most experienced missionaries in Slovenija. Weird.
Anyways, stay strong, safe, and warm. I know thanksgiving is coming up before too long. Enjoy the week! It's wonderful!
-Starešina Benson
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