General Conference, Easter and a Quilting B

Daily scripture reading/review of Holy Week was a great way to prepare for Easter and General Conference. They fell on the same weekend this year. It was wonderful to hear all the messages of about Jesus Christ and His gospel. 

In Idaho, we would have watched General Conference at home, but here we gathered at the church. It was great to listen and learn with the young missionaries, congregation members and friends. With the time difference, we would participate in the 10 am/morning sessions at 6pm/Sarajevo time - lol. It was a special conference, as we sustained Dallin H. Oaks as the new prophet and president of the church and a new First Presidency and 2 new Apostles, who were called to fill vacancies in the Quorum of the 12, due to the passing of President Nelson and Elder Holland.

On Sunday, we were invited for Sunday Brunch at Elder and Sister Lamb's apartment. We were spoiled with American Easter candy (the Lamb's family had brought to Bosnia), shared a meal and colored eggs; Serbian-style. These beautiful dark red eggs are cooked and dyed simultaneously in water colored with dry "red onion skins" (which Sister Lamb has been saving for weeks). After one decorates the raw egg with small leaves or flowers, you secure the decorations in place by wrapping it in a nylon stocking. The results are lovely. 

 

On Monday, after Easter, we traveled to Belgrade for Zone conference. We all left early so we could stop at the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial Exhibition and Srebrenica-Potočari Cemetery. It is a very sad, but important place to visit. At this place, we saw man's inhumanity to his fellow man represented in film, photos and personal stories. It is a place of grief and deep reflection.

As we drive through Bosnia, we see posters and graffiti say, "Never Forget Srebenica". A Bosnian friend gave me this small brooch, the "symbol of remembrance". The 11 petals represent July 11, 1995, the day the genocide began. The white color signifies the innocence of the victims and the green center represents hope. I am inspired by the survivors and am heavyhearted for their pain. I pray that as we remember this and other terrible atrocities, that we will guard against their repeating.  

From outward appearances, the April Zone Conference may look like all the ones before - learning, laughter, fellowship, but I always learn something new and am glad to have this opportunity. I am grateful for the time we spend driving and talking with our Sarajevo sisters. It make me very happy to see young missionaries who have served in Sarajevo and now are in another area - to catch up and express care. The feeling of love and camaraderie that exists among the young missionaries is infectious and I always learn and I am buoyed up by our time together. There is much serious learning, but always lots of fun, too. 

The other adventure of this week was "Sarajevo's First Old-Fashioned Quilting B". 

Lot and I invest many hours laboring in our missionary responsibilities - but there are times when you need to practice some self-care and do something else. I need to do something creative. 

Anyone who knows me very well, will not be surprised that I have become "fast friends" with the ladies at the local fabric store. 

I have sewn a couple of quilt tops and this last week, I invited my fabric store friends and Sister Lamb to our apartment to help me come tie a small quilt. I was sad Alma could not come (due to a family conflict), but Berina, Sister Lamb and I had a grand time.

Stitching together creates a sacred place of understanding and grace. One comes to realize that in spite of differences of geography or culture, there are so many things we have in common - hope, humor, faith and dreams.

Spring Senior Conference

Twice per year all of the senior missionaries in our Mission have an opportunity to meet together for several days to receive instruction and to build relationships with each other. One of the unexpected joys of serving as a senior couple is the friendships that we develop with other seniors. Last week was no exception. We had a wonderful and uplifting time.

We have been fortunate to have the largest number of senior missionaries of any proselyting mission in the world. They come from many different backgrounds and walks of life, but we are all here to serve and love the people of these countries.

This time we gathered at the beautiful city of Pula, Croatia. It's on the north coast of the Adriatic Sea. Pula is very old dating back to before the Roman empire and the time of Christ. It has one of the best preserved Colosseums from the Roman era still erected. They still hold music concerts and the oldest film festival in Europe in this structure. There were several other sites to see as well.

Our friends, Elder and Sister Lamb, offered a walking tour of old town and the next day we visited a neighboring city of Rovinj. I think it was everyone's favorite place to visit. 

Helen and a few friends actually climbed all the way to the top of the bell tower. They said the old wooded stairs were very scary.

Our Mission Leaders, Brian and Angelika Cordray will finish their assignment here in June, so this is their last time for this event. We gave them a surprise tribute video from all of us. It was a very touching time for all present. It was truly an inspiring and uplifting time. 

It rained like crazy the last day. The wind was so strong that it was raining horizontally. Most of us got very wet

There is a coastal mountain range between the coast and the inland part of Croatia. We didn't realize until we prepared to depart that what was rain at the coast was snow on the mountains. Most of the roads were closed either from the snow or the downed trees from the wind. Everyone were able to arrive to their homes safely but many took several hours longer than we had planned. Because of the many detours we got to see parts of Croatia that we hadn't planned to see. haha

All in all, it was a very memorable week. We're not sure how to feel, that this is our last time we will be together with all of the seniors in our mission.