Drive Elder Smith, drive!

This past week was a week of travel. On Monday, we traveled about 5 hours NE to Belgrade. We went to to Missionary Zone Conference with Sisters Gunson and McKinnon. This was our second trip to Belgrade and it's always easier and more familiar the second time around. Elder Smith is the 'great European driver' and I am the 'designated navigator and trip coordinator'. We found a new route to Belgrade, that utilized a newly constructed freeway. In fact, it was so new that Google maps kept telling us to exit the freeway and travel through the little towns - as it didn't recognize the finished road. We ignored the suggestion and just 'kept on a truckin'. The weather was good for traveling and we had a fine trip, both there and back. 

As with our first zone conference, there where many activities and much learning, both in large and small group.

We learned about using Family Search to do family History and enjoyed sacred music.

It was chilly in Belgrade the 2 days we were there, so coats were fitting for group pictures.

After a day back in Sarajevo to do laundry and repack, we were on the road again. We tease each other that it is about 5-6 hours to anywhere and so it is with the trip to Podgorica, Montenegro. It's only 230 km (about 140 miles) to the SE, but it take almost 6 hour. We drive through some beautiful scenery, just not very fast - lol

Cultural Learning: Burek is a flaky, philo-type dough filled that comes in a variety of shapes and fillings. It can take many shapes; spiral, half moon, cigar or sharp triangles. Fillings can be savory or sweet. 

We ate our first burek at at our friend, Ljubica's - it was made with love, meat filled and and it kind of spoiled us for the future - lol. Our first experience ordering burek was from a little shop on the corner near the church in Sarajevo.Burek is the only thing they sell and they sell a lot. We ate mid-afternoon and they were still cranking piping hot pans out of the ovens.It also was pretty tasty. (the spinach and cheese i ordered was tasty, but I do have to admit that I had order envy when I tasted Lot's meat filled). 

On previous trips through Jablanica we had seen the signs/hand painted advertisements on concrete walls, for Burek King. As we pulled into the parking area, we could see the giant bureks baking in outside traditional charcoal fired oven. On this day we bought one to share (we had just eaten breakfast), but from now on, we will not be sharing! - lol

The rest of our travel was uneventful and we arrived in Podgorica in time to join the sisters  for game night, at the church. Saturday was filled with a Zoom district meeting, cleaning the church with Sisters Auna and Crittenden and working on preparing our talks for Sacrament meeting the next day. The evening was beautiful and so we did a little exploring of Podgorica on foot.  

The Millennial Bridge  

Spiritual Thought - Make Known His Deeds Among the People

Psalm 105:1-3

   1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people. 

   2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works.     

   3 Glory ye in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 

My heart has "rejoiced" as I seek the Lord. I have found great joy in all of the things listed in this scripture; giving thanks, singing, talking of his wondrous works and glorying in His name. A mission can sometimes be challenging - spiritually, culturally and physically, BUT, I have been filled with much joy. 

I am grateful each day for the opportunity I have to "talk of His wondrous works" and "make known his deeds among the people". Each day I feel God's love for me and for His children in Bosnia and Montenegro and so I "give thanks unto the Lord".