November 3, 2013 - Košice

Hello everyone!! So I really hope I remember everything I want to tell you but I'm bound to forget something! But here I go....

      First off Monday was excellent because I finally found a pair of boots!! After 5 hours of shopping over 3 different preparation days, I am successful!! It's wonderful! We also had some sadness as we said goodbye to V because she's leaving for two months or so. :(  But we are definitely going to stay in contact with her. She's so golden!
  

     Then the next day we went to Zone Conference, we arrived the day before and stayed with the Brno Sisters (Sestry Schoen, Steglich, and Cooper). They are so great and wonderfully sweet! Plus I really love Sister Steglich...she was in my MTC group! The Zone Conference on Wednesday was excellent and  my district performed! We sang/played "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" (in Slovak, of course! Starsi Guymon translated it for us). I played the piano, Elders Guymon and Ferrell and Sister Jones sang, and the best part...President McConkie played on his violin with us. Just so you all know...I feel super accomplished because I wrote/arranged the music. I also recorded it so you can enjoy it! ;)  [We didn't receive the recording--maybe next week.]

     Leaving conference was crazy--we missed our train and instead of staying in Zilina as planned we stayed in Bratislava (a good 6 hours from home). We wanted to be home at a reasonable time plus we had things on plan (like a singing display with the Zone Leaders) so we got up at 4 in the morning to catch an early train!! We arrived in Košice, ate lunch with the Elders, did a singing display, taught a few lessons, and by the end of the day we were sooo tired! But as the phrase goes...you can sleep when you're dead.

     On Saturday we had a baptism. One of the Elders' investigators was baptized and it was awesome. But there was one funny thing...I play the piano for all services and unfortunately the cord for the electrical piano was forgotten! Luckily for us I had Tibor with me because we missionaries were doing a musical number, which turned out beautiful--We did a mash of "I like to look for Rainbows" and "I feel my Savior's Love". So for the service I got to sight read some hymns on my uke. It was cool but so ridiculously funny (so I just realized I haven't told you about Tibor yet...He's a guitarlele I bought for the Hudobny Vecer [musical evening]. He is super great and Sister Jones and I have had lots and lots of fun with him. [Sister Johnson & siblings all played in the school orchestra and it is a tradition to name your musical instrument.]  Sunday was wet. The weather is turning cold. And rainy. But we had church and it was great! J received the gift of the Holy Ghost and Elder Ferrell was confirming! It was just amazing. He did so well and the prayer was beautiful..

    Well sadly our teaching pool is dwindling...we had a couple of investigators and now  haven't been able to reach them.  V is away for awhile.  On the plus side, the other day during studies Sister Jones and I received a call from an unknown number...turns out it was PK's husband! So the whole time we've been teaching her, we've been volunteering our service/time and she's always been hesitant but she told her husband that we offered to work in their garden and so he called us! It's a great opportunity for us to meet her family! We are really excited. And P is doing pretty good...We fasted with him about his situation and next week when President returns from the temple, we'll try to work our a solution to his being baptized.

    So the diet thing is going great. Mostly I eat lots of eggs. I actually think I've lost a couple pounds but I'm not really sure. Honestly I kind of don't want to just because then I'll have to take in my clothes which sounds like a hassle! And honestly I don't know how long I actually want to do it...eating healthy is great and all but I really love food! and the halusky, bread and chocolate is great here!  On Sunday, Elder Ferrell and I were talking about American food, like Mac and Cheese and tapioca pudding and chocolate chips...I miss the taste of America sometimes but lucky for us we have Big Burger...the best hamburger joint in Kosice!

     I love you so have a fantastic day!!

S Laksou,

Sestra Whitney Sarah Johnson <3