Fast Sunday

Yesterday we cleaned the church and cleaned the courtyard at the church. You come in from the street into a wide corridor which takes you back into a courtyard and just before the courtyard is a door that that goes into the lobby of the church. The courtyard is covered in cement and had a single tall apricot tree growing in it. It had quite a bit of trash and old leaves which were rotting so we cleaned all of this up and planted two flower pots with pansies and a row of pansies around the tree base. It was surprising what a couple of hours can make. We also put up a poster on the outside street glass door that had a picture of Christ with meeting times and visitors welcome. Before they only had a small sign that said Church of Jesus Christ in one of the curtained windows. While I was working in the courtyard I noticed several people stopping outside to read the sign and they they would peer inside to see what I was doing so I think that it is a good sign that maybe people are actually realizing there is a Church there.
Today I had to be at church early to meet with the 1st Counselor in the District Presidency to be put in as 1st   Counselor in the Branch. I am also the Branch Clerk.   The President is the 26 year old Elder from Serbia that server his mission in Utah He is a very impressive young man. Elder O'Brien, one of the missionaries is sick with the flu and so they were not in attendance today. Today was Fast Sunday and a chance to bear testimonies. It was a very special as just before the meeting started A woman and a man came in that had met the missionaries on the street about a week ago and wanted to attend our meeting. Dee immediately met them and made them comfortable as well as you can when you can't speak the language. When we got someone that could speak the language we found out this woman was walking down the street and saw the Elders and felt this warm feeling about them and went to meet them. They gave her a Book of Mormon and she has been reading it. The Elders did not have her address but had left her a card with the church address and phone number.
Several members bore their testimony and let me tell you there are no better members or stronger people than them. It was very spiritual. Last week one of the members had the flu and had been sick for several days but needed to go back to work. When I was talking with I asked him if he would like a blessing and he almost seemed surprised as if it was not something he had thought of. I gave his a blessing in English and he only speaks Serbian but seemed to feel  good about it. This week his parents were there his dad is a very young looking 83 and his mother 80. He indicated after Sacrament meeting that his mother would like me to give her a blessing. I think he must of mentioned his blessing to her. He anointed and I gave her a blessing in English and blessed her that her back and knees would not bother her and she would be able to get around better. I did not know what her needs were but when the blessing was explained to her she said that that was what she needed as she had bad arthritis in her back and legs.
Our little investigators were there and asked if she could get a blessing also. I felt it better that the locals give  her and him the blessings so she could understand what was said in the blessings. After the blessings she just sat and sobbed and sobbed. She said that she felt the spirit so strong.  She has asked if we would come and visit her . She says that they are very poor and have just a little home but would like us to come. Needless to say we will.
We have expressed some of our frustrations with Serbia but this is the best of Serbia. This is why we are here. This is now our home for 18 months.

Our little pansy pots 

Alan doing what he loves..it's good for his soul!