Hi everyone! How is the week going in America? (or elsewhere, I guess) 

My week was great. Three of the days were really warm and sunny. One day I even took off my jacket and was just in a long-sleeved shirt! That was nice. 

Last week was also Zone conference, which was a blast. So good to get together with a bunch of other wonderful people and learn how to be better missionaries. I learned a lot, and we also got to watch Meet the Mormons! That's the movie the church released in theaters about our church. It was sooooo good. Everyone should watch it, especially people who aren't LDS. Although I'm not sure if it's out for sale yet. You'll have to check that. Watch it!!!

This Saturday, the 24th, the elders have an investigator getting baptized! I think I've talked about Toma before. He is so excited, and we are too. Even though we weren't even the ones who taught him the lessons, we feel like we were a part of his conversion too, since he was in our English class. We teach intermediate and the elders teach beginner, so Toma was in our class, and then when he expressed interest in the church, we let the elders teach him. He is so solid. He believes everything he learns so strongly. His parents are a little worried about him since they aren't members though, so Toma has brought his mom or dad to lessons sometimes. Last week his mother came to one, and apparently she was very against his getting baptized. It was so sweet, though, because Toma brought up a verse he had read in the Book of Mormon the night before, which was the prophet Nephi writing about how much he rejoiced in the gospel. It's in 2 Nephi chapter 4, where he says that his heart was "carried away on the wings of the Spirit." Toma pointed that verse out to his mother and to the elders and said, "That is how I feel about this gospel." He said he didn't really have a purpose in life before he found this church, and now he has never been more happy. I cannot wait until he is baptized and can receive the blessings that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints brings.

This year, President Grant (the president of the mission) has decided that the focus of the mission will be obedience. We have talked a lot about it so far, and I am very excited. I believe firmly that obedience to the laws of the gospel is the best way to be happy that our life on earth has to offer. Rules are not a constraint. They are a release. They make it so that my mind and body are free of the burdens of addictions, sadness, and general unpleasant things that come with the idea of "doing whatever you want" (a.k.a. "YOLO"). Because you don't only live once. You live forever, continually, and the decisions you make on this earth will affect you not only here but in the afterlife as well. I know this to be true. Do not sacrifice an eternity of happiness so that you can be happy for the next five minutes or even the next five months. Please. And I know that I am nowhere near perfection, and I struggle with certain things every single day. But I try and I try, and when that is not enough, which happens constantly, I trust and I rely on a Savior who is perfect, and who has overcome every single weakness. That is what I have dedicated 18 months of my precious life to teaching. I owe nothing less to a loving Heavenly Father who has literally given me everything. 

With that, I hope that all of you have a wonderful week. And I hope that you are happy. And I beg that if you aren't that you will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is not irrelevant. He is not old-fashioned. And even if you deny Him, He is there, and He wants you to come back to Him.

I love you all and miss you, and wish you all the best.

Love,

Sister Katarina Watts

A picture of the Karlovac sister missionaries on the Karlovac tjednik Facebook news page.