Baptisms And Getting Jumped By "Hooligans"

We are always told to count our blessings, but this week I honestly lost track haha...

So setting up for the baptism was a whole process just on its own, getting the font built, figuring out how to fill the font with freezing cold water haha, getting all the AC units fixed, lights replaced, walls painted, cameras set up, food made, and programs organized and printed! Needless to say we were busy all week getting everything ready and what a day it ended up being :) 

A TON of friends and family showed up, packing the chapel with another 40 or so on zoom with 4 different mission presidents from past years present! The program was beautiful and the baptisms of Dormina and Dayana were really special. The Spirit filled that room as they made covenanted with Heavenly Father and were made clean. And being able to be a witness and participate in the confirmations was an amazing experience. I particularly loved their testimonies after and the spirit of all these amazing saints singing together during the meeting. So powerful, and a memory I will never forget. 

Crazy thing was after the baptisms and a little party outside, we were returning all the stuff back to the church and 10 big drunk Croatian guys came out of nowhere and started shouting and shoving us. Our mission president and another elder were wearing shirts from a rival soccer team here, and these guys were Armada fans so they pushed them up against the wall and tore the shirts off their backs. They stayed calm thankfully while they got manhandled and nothing worse happened, but it was a wild few minutes. It was pretty crazy to see how passionate people here are about the soccer clubs haha (and a fun story). Also these crazy fans are called "hooligans" here in Croatia, I thought it was a funny nickname haha but everyone else is pretty serious about them! 

Spiritual thought: 

2 Nephi 9:24 & 10:24 -

"But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God."

"Wherefore my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God."

This week I have thought about the words of the prophet recently and what he has urged us to do in regards to the pandemic. I feel like for many what we are being asked or urged to do is unreasonable or uncomfortable. I just wanted to share a thought my companion and I had. There are many examples in the past of times when God asked His people to do uncomfortable or unreasonable things. Whether it was Lehi and his family leaving their home, the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, or the pioneers fleeing from home to home, losing many lives along the way. I think that we can learn something about faith from these people. Faith to trust the words of the prophet. Faith to know that He is speaking the will of the Lord. And faith to follow and submit to the will of God, regardless of how uncomfortable or unreasonable it may seem. I have a testimony that Russel M. Nelson is a prophet of God and we will be blessed if we hearken the counsel of the Lord and His chosen servants.

Elder Neil 

Enjoy the pictures! Your prayers helped make this happen!

Also Please DO NOT share or post any pictures from the baptisms!!! 

Pictures:

-Buzet views (visit to one of our awesome members)

-went to this legendary place called Porkys with the Barrus and Drapers

-baptism pictures:)

-pictures with the visiting RMs and Mission President and wife