Sestra Erin Rhodes: Time For Change

Hallo family!

Wow! You all really came through on the birthday emails. Thanks for all the good wishes! Haha I think everyone mentioned that it was cool to have a birthday on a P-day. Which is true! Today something very novel is going to happen for the celebration. It's called, Indian food. Sister Pratt and her family went this week and her son said (and I quote) "I have had Indian food now on four continents, and this was the best." WAHOO. So we are going with senior sisters and the Hallings. They are so awesome. When I came into the office for emails I was welcomed with a rendition of happy birthday song in Croatian and gifted a GIANT, soft, chocolate chip cookie from Sister Halling. I am well taken care of. :)

So....now that I am 21, something HAD to change. So another sister is coming from Slovenia tomorrow to take my spot here in the public affairs busniess. She will be companions with sister Davis and I will be serving WITH A MINI MISSIONARY FOR THREE WEEKS! I am BEYOND excited. Having a native companion in these countries is . . . next to rare. The only way to serve with a native is if you get a mini missionary. She is coming from Serbia and we will be bunking with the other sisters in Zagreb for three weeks...so I will be living out of suitcases. Wahoo. I will train the new sister from Slovenia and then be full time with my new sestra! However she is only here until August 8th, so who knows what I will be doing the last week of my mission! (Except for being her the sat. before i leave for Bakas baptism.)

We taught a lot of lessons this week. It has been so much fun. We are now consistently having lessons with two guys (at different times) that we met street contacting and they are both really open and receptive. However when I asked him to be baptized he just said 'I don't get it.' So then the member that was there (which usually helps) asks him the same thing in even more flawless Croatian. But he just says again, 'I don't get it.' He did NOT grasp the concept that his baptism was not valid the first time...so back to the restoration of the priesthood!

Also, last night we were talking to people in a beautiful park and after talking to this young girl she asked if she could ask us something personal . . . so we sat on a bench, she told us her situation and how she has a boyfriend but doesnt know what to study or do in life and has been thinking about becoming a nun... In my mind I am thinking 'perfect, now we can tell her NOT to do that.' It wasn't until later that she told us, the entire time she thought WE were nuns. Nuns giving advice not to become nuns . . . haha. She still took a book of mormon and recognized that is was not a coincidence to meet us right as she decided to take a walk in the park to 'ponder' all that was going on.

Baka is still doing well and is holding strong for her baptismal date in August. She is actually coming and staying to meetings more than her granddaughter who just got baptized. So wait to be the example baka!

Here's to another great week ahead of us all! Love you a lot!

Sestra Rhodes