What!? I am in Serbia! How neat is that!

So two weeks ago, president called and told me I was getting transferred early to Belgrade, Serbia, and that I would leave the next day! So I packed my bags and said goodbye to my dear, beloved Zagreb and hitched a ride (a.k.a. drove a mission-owned vehicle) to Beograd, Srbija, population 2.5 million (about 3 times as much as Zagreb). Big city means big changes. We have a big, beautiful apartment and a big, beautiful branch of members here (although not that many more than in Zagreb) and we meet in a big, beautiful rented apartment building for our meetings. The members here are lovely and the other missionaries I'm working with are stellar. I miss Zagreb with all of my heart, but I wouldn't have chosen any other city besides Beograd to be next. I'm pretty happy here.

In case you're wondering, I still have not figured out the bus system completely. But don't worry, that will come with time. Sometimes I have to resort to the baby duck method, waddling behind Sister Kawai, nipping her heels as she navigates the steep hills and complex metro transport, panting with exertion as I go. It's hot, okay?

Yesterday was district conference, with means that all of Serbia either gathered here or watched a broadcast of our special church service. We had a guest from the 70 (meaning he's a regional leader of our church, like a cardinal or something, if I'm trying to relate it to Catholicism. I think that's a good equivalent.) named Elder Boom from the Netherlands. That was fantastic. The whole conference had a focus on keeping the Sabbath Day holy (see Exodus 20, The Holy Bible), and it was impressed on my mind that dedicating our entire Sabbath to the Lord is crucial. God has set apart that day for us to rest and to worship, and that does not just mean going to church. It means that our entire day must be focused on Him. I don't shop, I don't play sports, watch TV, etc. because I want to focus on things that are important to Him that day. Elder Boom had a really good analogy. He said that when we get an ice cream sundae, we don't put pickles and cheese on it. There's a time and a place for those, and that time is not sundae. Or Sunday. Get it? I thought it was cool. We spend our Sundays doing things that will bring us closer to our families and to the Lord, like having family dinner and doing genealogy, playing games as a family, reading scriptures and other good book, etc. And the Lord has promised us that we will be happier because of it.

Alright, friends. It's been a good week. I'm headed back up to Zagreb today for the monthly Mission Leader Council. I can't wait to see everything/everyone again!

Have a good week!

Fraza Dana:

Bre (bray) -- no translation. It's a word used for emphasis, mostly by the young people, and specifically in Serbia. Kind of like how we would use bro, but it is not the same meaning. Like "come at me bro!" But remember, it does NOT mean bro.

Love y'all!

Sestra Watts