(Pic with Constantine from Novi Sad)
Yeah, we're at that stage again. 9 came to church. Nobody new.
It was a bit of a rough awakening coming back, however there is a new person here on date, she is super solid. Her name is Marija, she is from Ukraine and she is legit. She came to our service project this week, and comes to everything (except church this week because of Easter). We are finding harder than I've ever found on my mission, and we are teaching with power. Everything I've ever learned, especially from Elder Wilson when we were here together, we are unloading. I have blisters on my blisters, and they bleed. But that's what I want for this last hill.
I admit, my first day hit me hard. Fears returned, feelings of isolation and of "the end" really ate at me. Satan relentlessly pounded on me with every inadequacy and every reality. The stormy sea was real. But prayers were answered, work was done, and the sea was calmed. Or, at least, I was.
-So first thing, my German companion Elder Uhlig is hilarious. He's a work horse but he's also just the funniest thing there is. I have a quote book dedicated to him, and it's long already. Here's a few golden ones:
"I like to feel a little bit starving. It makes me feel alive, you know?"
"Cute things don't move."
"We need to make a treaty with the phone companies here."
"Condamned."
"God blessed America with turkeys. And nobody else."
President Grant had a skype meeting with our district on Wednesday. He changed our work hours, he said we don't need to language study, that we still need to study the scriptures but that we can shorten that too, and we can adjust our schedule to be out earlier and stay out later. He again "changed our purpose" on this special assignment, saying that we must baptize here. If anything, he makes us feel like we're soldiers down here, and we're doing our all with it. He read with us many of the blessings from the dedication on Montenegro. They were powerful blessings and we were inspired. He then talked about our individual talents and why he felt we were each supposed to be here. When he talked about why I was supposed to be here, both he and I got the good red brimmage. He reminded me of the three times that the choice was made either to return or stay on this mission, all leading up to this time here in Podgorica. It was a powerful reminder and motivator. I love the heck out of President Grant.
We're teaching a girl named Tamara and a man named Safet, and both should be on date by this week's end. They're great. We have found loads of cool people this week too, I'm sure I'll tell you about them later, but my personal two favorites are Hou Leping and Steven. Yes, they're Asian. They are from China, they speak little English and no Serbian, but as we spoke with them in the simplest language I know how, the Spirit rushed in. I haven't felt that kind of outpouring in a long time. They asked if they could come to church every week and they want Book of Mormons in Mandarin. And they were just so happy. Asians might just be my favorite people ever. It was the highlight of my week. Now we just need to learn the baptismal and confirmation prayers in Mandarin...
That's all I have for this week. It's been a funny one and a great and powerful one. I believe in this last transfer. 50 days left to give my all on these training grounds.
All my love,
Elder Hixon
