Sretna Nova Godina! Jan. 4th, 2016

Happy New Year everybody! 

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are ready to get back to school and work! You will all be in my prayers as always. So quick update on this week.

Helping people clean their cars
with quality tools!

New Years was great. We went to bed at 10 and sat in our bed for 30 min listening to fireworks *which over here actually just sound like bombs* and listening to Elder Hollands byu address from 2009 and not looking back. It was probably one of my favorite New Years Eve's thus far. And on January 1 we went for a run at 6.30 as some people were getting off the tram...coming home. Haha, needless to say, there were not many people to talk to that day. 

The cold cold fog is gone and it turned to three days of snow. I am very very grateful for my giant tall person coat and the snow boots that I almost didn't bring. They are a game changer. However, everyone has oddly been super happy. Maybe it is a new year goal. But we have been able to talk to a lot of great people and last night gave away two books of mormon in less than an hour! Then we pranced through the knee deep snow to make a bus. Very enjoyable. One is never too old to play in the snow. Also, Zagreb is very beautiful in the snow...especially when all the graffiti is cover up. 

We have some promises of "when we get back from the holidays" get to gethers...so hoping that happens this week or next. We have had quite a bit of tracting time as well. Not going to lie...that is one of Sister Rhodes weakness...knocking on strangers doors. You would think it would be a lot easier after you have done it 1000002033345546 times, but it still take quite a bit of courage. Well after that one man called the office and wanted to get baptized we started teaching him then gave him to the elders and now are not sure if he is going to be ready for baptism...for many many years. However, we feel that Heavenly Father did not just bring him into our lives for nothing, so we are going to tract every apartment building in his vicinity to find a very prepared person. Family actually. We are aiming for a family.  

There are some really miraculous things happening in Ljubljana right now as well! A really cool couple has been investigating for a while and going through ups and downs and it is true and I can't do this ...until finally one of them moved to Ireland for a short amount of time. Well, that helped! The girl got baptized in Ljubljana and her (now) fiance who is living in Ireland for a short amount of time just got baptized there! AND all his family and fiance were there over skype and now HIS mom sees the difference that the church has made in her son and wants to be taught. The gospel definitely grows through families! I have a testimony of that! So miracles everywere! I am also so happy because Sister Robertson got to be a part of that and she is going home this next transfer and she deserves to teach some lessons! She is a great missionary and it will be said when she and Elder Brown (Maribor elder i served with for a while) leave Slovenia in a month! 

Overall, progress is being had! I feel like my Croatian is improving, my relationships with the members, our success in talking to people went up this week, and it is a matter of fact that everyone is happier when they see success. Well this week, we saw it in different small and big forms. The church is true and I KNOW Heavenly Father is watching out for every one of us. We grow when we go through hard things and luckily, He has the vision and loves us enough to give us things in life that will help us grow become for like Him so we can then live WITH Him. I love you all and wish you a week of keep resolutions and staying warm in this beautiful snow! 

Lots of love from Zagreb,

Sestra Rhodes 

ps. Sometimes (even though we say the word Mormon and the name of the church repetitively) people still think we are Catholic. We gave a very old baka a picture of Jesus Christ with our information while tracting and she thought we were Catholic and was SO SO grateful. I honestly felt so loved for giving that one pass along card. She said thank you so many times and waved to us for a solid 30 seconds. That is 28 seconds longer than most door contacts and 100 percent nicer. Haha, we laughed for a while. At least her day was made. :)

The size of most my companions...aka Sis. Allred

ps...i saved the hot chocolate you sent in the package... it was worth waiting. Also...the watch. I put this on LAST Christmas and think I have not worn it all of 2 days....so. That was one of the best purchases yet. Love you!