March 13, 2013 Update

Kay and Gary at District Conference in Zagreb March 2013

Elders Bell/Kirkham
Sisters Burton / Jolley
Elder & Sister Ivins

Đakavo Cathedral

Elder Kirkham, Elder Bell, Sister Burton, Sister Jolley

Đakavo Cathedral

Sister Jolley passing out our temple pass-along cards

Sarjevo, Bosnia i Herzegovina

Bosnia i Herzegovina

Haystack in Bosnia  2012

Wednesday March 13, 2013

Dear Family,

We have been busy today getting ready to go to Serbia tomorrow for our zone conference in Beograd and then we have our Nać Glaybe ("Night of Music") concert at the Church Friday night.  I made cookie bars to take to the conference and chocolate chip cookies for the night of music with the last of the chocolate chips from Andy.  We’ll make some lemon bars when we get back to also take to the Music night.  Dad has been preparing some things at the church for the audit still.  He is just now renting the famous kombie to drive all of us missionaries from Osijek to Beograd.  Our car only holds 5 so we are renting the kombie so the 6 of us can go together.  It is cheaper to all go together in the rented kombie than take the bus and more comfortable.  The missionaries play the piano very well and will play and also sing a couple of songs with one of the members for our noč glazbe.  One of our investigators brought his electric guitar and microphones to the church so that will all be used.  We may see if we can find some karaoke so the audience can all participate.  I am going to play "Claire de Lune" (or at least attempt to).  We have invited our landlord and their sons and also our friends from Ilok.  We are hopeful we will have lots of people.

We returned Saturday from Bosnia i Herzegovina;  Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Tuzla.  It was such a beautiful drive;  beautiful country, mountainous with the Bosnia river running along the road, still some snow on the hill sides, beautiful blue skies and clouds.  Gorgeous country!  Homes were scattered all over the hill sides up high, goats and sheep but no cows.  Many people live in Sarajevo, one of the three  major cities of the former Yugoslavia. along with Beograd and Zagreb.  We have missionaries in all three places, but only a branch in Sarajevo since Christmas.  Tuzla and Banja Luka are growing, but they are still more like a twig.  The missionaries are doing a good work, finding people and have had a few baptisms.  We did the audit with the Branch President who is from America.  Dad spent some time training him and taught him well.  Dad has learned much and is a good teacher.  (In a pinch I could step in because I have also been trained by him.)  We spent Friday night in President and Sister Smartt's home.  They have a very nice apartment that was also used for church in Sarajevo before they rented a regular building for Church. They fed us a 10 star meal; filets no less!  It was nice to be in their home and visit.  They are a great couple who have done so much to get the church recognized in Bosnia. They served years ago as mission president in Oakland, CA.

We have decided to take FHE into our members’ homes, one family at a time.  The Elders, the sisters and we will do this each Monday.  Our family wanted to meet at the church for FHE so we met with a young single mom and her daughter (11) and son (9) and with Pres. Zoran and his nephew (10) along with a young woman (Laurel) from the branch.  Dad taught the lesson, and we sang a song and the kids gave the two prayers.  After, we ate brownies and popcorn and played ping pong, sort of a scar pong without the scars.  The two kids want to learn to play the piano so I told them I will teach them on Sundays after church.  We think this will be extra motivation to come to church every Sunday.  It was a fun evening and we hope to do it again for the next few weeks and get the members to start having it in their own homes.  We are grateful you have FHE in your homes.  We hope to hear about the arrival of baby Isla before this is published.   Christian and Amy were hopeful that her birthday would be 03/13/13.  But they may have to settle for 3.14 (pi).   We love you all so much.  Have a good week.  Write and send more pictures.

Love, Mom and Dad/ Mutti/Bumpa