week 11 in C Bud

Ahoj! 5 Aug 2013 This week was kind of crazy, like usual. My birthday was really fun, we went up the black tower at lunch, because it's right by the church and I'lve been wanting to go up it since my first day (it was built in the 1500s). Pretty awesome. And we got mcflurries :) Oh and I did get your package in time mom, forgot to tell you that last week. And I got my hair cut! halleujah. Sister Regnier is awesome, we are getting along great, she's really easy to talk to. Elder Bahr stayed too, but Elder Greener is the new branch president. He's super enthusastic so that's been really good for our district. And the senior couple gets here next week!! Can't wait. What else happened...oh I finished my first language level!! finally. It took foooreeever, had to memorize so much sklonovani (the cases) But I was really happy about that. Oh and we got 15 lessons this week, which was the highest I've gotten in C Bud, so that was exciting too. Our investigator Michal is progressing so well, but he leaves for another month this week. Which is really lame. But I think he might make it to baptism, he wants to be baptized, he just doesn't feel like he understands things well enough yet, which makes sense. I feel like I've really connected with him though, he's a professional violinist, and he's so sweet. So that was neat to see his progress. And we had a really good lesson at English as well, George was the only one there, and he says he doesn't believe in God, but he's been asking more and more questions during the spiritual thought :) That was exciting. And Jarda's back!! miracle of miracles. We met with him, and he was totally closed at the beginning of the lesson, basically like, I appreciate what you are doing, but it's not for me. And then Sister Regnier shared her dad's conversion story, and how grateful she is that he gave the sisters a chance, and by the end he agreed to pray! I ended up teaching the whole Restoration too even though we didn't have it on plan. And he wants to meet with us again! (He's moving to Qatar in a month....but I'm hoping that that doesn't happen.) Our new investigator Angela was so cool, and then we taught her on Sunday and she got super closed--Sister Regnier thinks it's because she has realized it might be true and got scared. But she said we can still meet with her, so we'll see. This week was kind of the opposite of the last couple, we had really good progress with our investigators, but the less-actives freaked out. And Constantin, who isn't a member but is more active than most of them. So that was lame. One started smoking again, both bailed at coming to church, and Constantin started drinking coffee again. (Because the previous sisters said they would send him postcards when they got home and then didn't...he concluded that we are all liars, and the church isn't true. But the Book of Mormon still is.) Gah. So that was rough. Oh yeah and then that kid that hit on Sister Hicken last week was being ridiculous yesterday, he does not take a hint. So we asked the elders to tell him to back off, we'll see if that works, it's getting really obnoxious. Well I think that is about it...we had another family history activity, and a lot more people came this time, so that was neat. Oh yeah and I taught Relief Society. I do feel more responsibility for the sisters now actually, which is interesting. We had two come on Sunday, so we really need to find some more women. I'm learning a lot about people being here in C Bud. I feel like I'm continuing to learn more about myself, how important it is to be grateful for the things I have, how grateful I am to have a work ethic and to have a supportive family back home, and what attributes matter most to me. It's amazing how much personal growth comes when I spend all day every day thinking about others. It's so true that when we lose ourselves in the work, we find ourselves! Love you!! Sestra Cooper