Sister Kane's Letter 11_04_13

I have officially had my first vanilla Kofola!!

Christmas is on it's way! Wow! Time is such an oddity when you're a
missionary. Days turn into eternities and months turn into seconds.

Sunday one of the members here in Bratislava was teasing me for all of
my materials I carry around. "Sister Kane, I don't think you could
ever have enough books" :)
I guess I'm probably quite the sight walking the streets of Bratislava
carrying scripture journals, journals, book of mormon in english and
slovak, bible, and manuals for church.

It's such a blessing to have sooo much knowledge in our day and age. I
love the prophets and I am soooo grateful for them.

I have started reading "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Ballard. He
is a phenomenal writer :D I love how simple it is. I found another new
favorite book! (along with Dorian Gray and Modoc still ;)

It is getting COLD here. Whenever we take clothes out of the washer to
hang on the line outside, steam just comes off of them like crazy!
Sister Baird and I are also seeing our breath in the mornings now!
(when we go running at 6:30 Am sharp :)
There is a cemetery by our apartment that we always pass. This week as
been so interesting as it has been a time of mourning and remembering
the dead. The cemetery has been filled with flowers and candles. They
burn all night and the entire cemetery glows. I've never seen anything
like it. We have talked to sooo many people this week who just start
crying as they talk about their lost loved ones. I'm so grateful to
know that, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, the priesthood has been restored so that we can have eternal
families. I am so happy I know that they are never really lost :)

We had a very powerful lesson this week. We taught the plan of
salvation to one of our investigators and as we talked about the
atonement I asked him "Why did the Savior need to die for us?" he sat
for a few moments. It's so fascinating for me to watch people think :)
to watch the spirit teaching some one :)
"now that," he responded, "is something I have never understood."

whoa! We then were privileged to testify of our Savior Jesus Christ
and the power of being made clean through his atonement so that we can
one day live with God again.

I am learning that there is power in seeing the miracles every day.
God is 100% involved in our lives. Before my mission, I never really
realized how MUCH he truly is guiding my life.
I have seen it over and over again in my mission. Being in the right
place at the right time. Sister Baird told me one night "sister Kane,
we need to go at 11 am tomorrow to visit that family we met a couple
weeks ago that lives over by Milan."
"okay? but we have language study. Should we just do language study at night?"
yes.
So off we go.
and the family is home! And we start teaching them about God, as we
knew they were atheist from our previous week's visit. It was a
beautiful miracle! God is SO cool. I'm grateful for the spirit. We
also met this 97 year old man. He started telling us about the war and
how he was saved from death 11 times. WHOA. people here have the
COOLEST faith in Jesus Christ. Now we just need to help them realize
His gospel has been restored :)

There is such a great power in trusting in the Lord.

There is a great power in being able to sit still. To ponder.
The spirit can speak to us in those moments and testify to us of truth.
I have been impressed this week by the story of the brother of Jared.
What great faith he must have had. And you know what? I think he
gained it by the small and simple means (like Alma talks about :)
I see the power EVERY DAY in studying the book of mormon. In prayer.
In attending church every week. These little things add up :) I love
the gospel. I love how simple it is.

Love you all!
s laskou - sestra Kane