A land holy and pure (with photos)

Tatra Mountains

Elders from Zilina

It is the final week for me, and the 2nd to last email that I'll be sending as a missionary, and it's just finally starting to hit me that I'll be going home soon, but not yet, not really I don't think, I get little pangs every now and again but not often enough to have any real sense of leaving, I simply feel the same like I always have for the last 2 years, that I'm never going home-that I will just keep on being a missionary. All other missionaries can testify of that for me. Anyways though, this past week was filled with tons of stuff.  It was quite a way to spend a second to last week and I'm glad I was able to be here and be a part of it. We just went on a lot of vylets or trips with the Seidlovci, so it was good haha but I'll get into it.

This one may be a shorter one but we basically just went to the Tatry this week and then we were also able to help Brat Seidl with his work. We helped him cut down and destroy a big willow tree in a park near his house. He works for the city in that park so it's a lot of constant work for him. He said he hates the willow because it's just a really annoying tree because it has a lot of branches and a lot of leaves and is just thicker than normal so it's the hardest tree for him to cut down. However, we managed well enough I think so it was pretty good. I got all scratched up and got a few nice bruises but nothing too bad. Then after that as fun=wise we went of a branch party to a place called Lietavsky Hrad which is only about 15 minutes from Zilina. You can actually see the whole city from the top of the castle so it's pretty close. We had about 15 people there so it was pretty good considering only 3 were members. It was really cool and because Brat Seidl climbs trees for a living there was a climbing thing is one of the trees. It was a competition for all of us to climb up the tree and see who can get to the top the fastest. We had a harness but it was really cool. I accidentally went without gloves and roughed up my hands but meh, not too big of a deal. I went in 34 seconds, and Elder Lyman did 33 and everyone else did slower, except Brat Seidl he went in 23 seconds. It was way cool and then we also went to the castle again and took pictures and all that. I had already been there so it wasn't anything new. 

As far as investigators go, this week was difficult for our investigators that we actually have because we didn't meet with them at all. We taught lessons and we did a fine job but all of the people that we usually meet with were sick or just couldn't meet with us then so it was pretty hard in that respect. WE did however find decently well, and we found some really cool people for the future. We had a husband and wife come to the barbeque that we had and they're really cool and I hope that they'll make the step to meeting with us sometime soon. She is from Brazil and he is from here and they have known Mormons for a long time and she comes to English every week. It's pretty hard to teach her because she doesn’t know English or Slovak so it's pretty interesting haha. It's okay though we’re working hard and we're trying to finish until the end even if we have opposition from everything including the blazing hot weather. It'll be fine though I'm sure we've had a good transfer and it's not stopping now.

Well, this one is a little short but I don't really have much to say, it's been really hot this week and really everything is going fine. It will be a good last week, I still don't know who will be replacing me as the Branch President, but I will find out on Sunday or probably earlier than that, we'll see. I know that no missionaries will be coming in to replace my group and that there are 8 of us leaving so 4 areas have to close this transfer. President has already sent out a notice to everyone, so it will be harder for everyone after me but I think they'll be just fine. Transfer calls will be this week also and I'll be going to Prague next Wednesday with Elder Scherf and Elder Ringger.  We're buying a cake but  thanks for everything and for all the support my entire mission.  Have a good week and we'll talk to you all next week for the final email, alright, see ya.

 

Elder Ferrell