I'm lovin it ..... in Kosice

Package from  Richard (his brother) Peanut butter wrapped in a roll of duct tape

Well, there's now 11 days left in January and it's going to go quick. We've had some cool experiences this week as well as the training that we had in Bratislava on We

dnesday.  It was cool to be there but when we came back it was just nice to be home again.  It was rather funny on Tuesday when we had to leave for Bratislava because the sisters here were on a diet where they wouldn't eat any starches or sugars and they didn't have a cheat day.   However on trains it becomes rather difficult not to do that because you're in a seat for 6 hours and you're starving and you have to bring some food for the train ride or else you'll starve and die.   I was going to make cookies for the ride but they told me the night before not to so they could keep their diet. So Tuesday morning we go and buy our food from the grocery store and we prepare to get on the train and all of a sudden the sisters bring out their food and told us that they have abolished the diet and they're not following it any more haha. Probably partly because of the lack of sugar and partly because of all of our teasing (probably the most of it being mine). And then the rest of the trip both sisters were constantly asking us for chocolate or something, But we had already eaten all of our sugar stuff.   So because of them being off the diet we were all able to enjoy a nice juicy big burger on Friday, which I am so very grateful for.  It is so delicious. We've already decided to go there several times the last week before transfers just in case one of us (Elder Christensen) leaves.  I also received the package from Richard, 3 packets of seasonings and a giant duct taped roll of something, which took me probably 45 minutes to pull off,( if only I could buy duct tape here to get him back for that.) But when I got all the duct tape off, it was a giant jar of PEANUT BUTTER. I was so happy when I found out what it was.  Elder Christensen had bought some peanut butter from here and it's just not very good, and peanut butter from America is just magnificent. I am also stocked with enough taco seasoning forever so thank you for that too. So that's the food report for this week.

Next is the training, it was an interesting training because it was just the Slovak zone which doesn't happen very often but was very nice to have.   I don't imagine that they happen very often because of the fact that President has a family and he is a very busy individual but it was an awesome training and we were able to learn all about how our efforts worked out this past year and the amount of baptisms we had which was 73 I believe. ****NOTE: (This must be for the entire mission,  In 2012, according to the church baptismal records, there were 5 baptisms in Slovakia.)  He told us the reports for the last 4 years or so and we're exactly the same for all 4 years and we have less missionaries so he was pleased with that and this year they are bumping up the amount of missionaries in the mission so we're hoping to see progress with that. We also talked about goals for the next year and he told us to decide what would be the best bump to the branches in our areas and who is needed and stuff like that, and then we're to report it to him and then from there we're going to make our goals, so we did that and it's going to be awesome because the goals that we've made will be the only goals of the branch for the whole year. Then we  heard about what we should be doing as missionaries and just really having the faith that all of the people that we talk to and/or teach will get baptized and just really expect them to do that. Any one of them could and when we have faith, more people are willing to talk to us and meet us. It's really awesome because I've definitely seen the difference of when we wanted to talk to people and we expected people to stop and from when we went out not expecting anyone to stop for us, and so we have to expect these people to stop for us and to not be afraid from talking with them.   We can't be shy about the poeple that we're trying to teach and help out. Either they will accept the gospel or they won't and when it comes down to it, if you treat it as something special or precious people will see that and they won't think you're weird or whatever. We also had interviews and president told me at least that while we were watching a talk from Elder Cook talking about his experience and how people now will be called as senior companions and leadership positions earlier in their missions, he said that he was thinking about me and Elder Ringger while we watched that so that was just cool to me to see and feel. I also planted in his mind the fact that I needed to stay in Kosice.  He laughed and said we'll see, then told me that my mission is almost half over and told me how fast it goes. Then he siad that it's not up to me, you gotta tell Heavenly father that, so I did... I don't think I'm staying in Kosice. I truly love it here.  but I have hope! haha

The rest of this week was also awesome because we had a meeting with a young girl who was just very open and really cool and didn't have a lot to say or questions so I figured she wouldn't talk to us again but I would still try to set up with her. So I called her yesterday and she is very willing to meet again and is coming to FHE tonight! So it's just really cool with her, she's actually only 16 so we'll have to be careful with her.  We're trying to get her mom to meet with us because she says her mom knows all about us meeting and actually wanted to come to the first meeting so we're looking forward to that. It's nice to teach lessons and actually talk the language. I always feel better when I have the oppurtunity to jsut communicate in Slovak without any worries of people grading my Slovak or anything so I'm pretty content with that.

The rest of these last 2 weeks I'm looking forward to really finding more people and building up this area for the next group. I want to leave this place better than when I found it and I have faith that it will happen. I'ts been a little tough at the begining to really see what effect this mission will have on me and why I'm out here but I've finally caught it and understand. And I'm grateful for it, that's my favorite thing.   I'm so grateful for it already.  I love all of you and hope you're safe. Good luck with everything!

Elder Ferrell