Our First Transfers

We have discovered that we do not like transfers very much.  Of course this transfer was made a bit more difficult than usual because two week before transfers Elder Corona was stollen from us to become the new Assistant to the President.  (No anger issues there!  Just kidding, we were excited for him).  This created a two week long chaotic covert operation.  No one in the mission, outside of Zagreb, could know that Elder Corona was no longer in Zadar but was actually in Zagreb with Elder Quigley, who was the other new assistant to the president.  Elder Danes, who was Elder Quigley's companion, came back from district conference with us on Sunday March 10, to be Elder Peterson's new companion.  Of course we could not let anyone see us bring him with us or leave Elder Corona in Zagreb.  

Things were made even more difficult because a week later we had to go back to Zagreb for Zone conference on Monday and Tuesday, March 18th and 19th.  We had to continue the illusion that Elder Peterson and Elder Corona were still companions and Elder Quigley and Elder Danes were still companions.  There were sneaky phone calls made by making calls and holding phones together so people believed elders where actually in places where they were not.  It was crazy and I guess fun but I sure was glad when transfer news came and we did not have to pretend anymore.

Transfers are hard.  I do not like missionaries to leave but I guess I will have to get used to it because it is just a part of missions.  We will always have a special place in our heats for Elder Corona and Elder Peterson because they were our first missionaries and they helped us adjust to life in Croatia. They made life’s transitions so much easier but we will miss them.  Having Elder Danes here has shown us that we will adjust to new missionaries and learn to love them too.

Elder Coron - Senior Companion - Trainer
From Australia - only has this and one more transfer
before going home

These two young Elder were and amazing companionship
They helped us so much to adjust to mission life

Elder Peterson was a new Elder being trained by Elder Corona
He is an amazing young man - This was his first transfer

Sunday Dinners With Bozo

We have a standing invitation for missionaries to eat at our home each Sunday.  On Sunday March 24, our 47th wedding anniversary, we had the added pleasure of having Bozo in our home for dinner along with Elder Peterson and Elder Danes.   Bozo is an amazing young man and member of the Zadar branch. He had an unusual conversion story.  He discovered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while he was on the internet.  He was interested in what he read and pursued his interest further.  Because of the lack of Elders to teach him where he was, he actually had his discussions over the computer, via Skype.  I think that is so amazing.  Through the discussions he became converted and was baptized.  He is the first internet convert I have met.  I am sure there are many more but just not any that I know.   

Anniversary Celebration in Croatia

On March 24, 1972, forty-seven years ago, on a beautiful Spring day, Dalen and I were not only married until death do you part, but we were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple for time and all eternity. We were young and really had no idea what we were in for when we decided to get married.   It has been an amazing adventure with ups and downs filled with joys, happiness and our fare share of challenges. Neither of us is perfect but God has given us the perfect marriage for us. The marriage we needed with the challenges and blessings we need to help us become the people we are today. Forty-seven years ago I thought I was in love but I really didn’t have any clue the kind of love it takes to create a wonderful marriage. In fact it is because of both the good and difficult challenges in a marriage that a deeper, more true love has grown. I love you Dalen more than anything in this world and look forward to an amazing eternity together. 

Having six children, two boys and four girls, and twenty-two grandchildren, thirteen boys and nine girls, has been both the most amazing blessing and the most difficult challenges we have had to face in out marriage but I would not change any of what has happened over the last forty-seven years.  Dalen and I would not be who we are if not for what we have gone through.  Thanks to a loving Father in Heaven that knew just what we needed and did not need to become the best versions of ourself that we can be.  At least the best for now.  I hope that we continue to live, and love, and learn together as we face future challenges and receive the blessing that are in store for us.

Our son Jason and his wife Kelly - Daughter Carol and her Husband Shane
Daughter Cindy and her husband Jeremy - Daughter Amy and her husband Luke
Our daughter Tamra and her husband Steve - Our son Kevin and his wife Kimberly
Polly and Dalen

Grandchildren's names but not by the pictures but by families
Kevin and Kim have Andrew, Jacob, Matthew, Benjamin, Aaron and Elijah
Jason and Kelly have Sam, Ethan and Grace
Carol and Shane have Payton, Tyson, Kayla, Parker and Brigham
Cindy and Jeremy have Kelsi, Shaylee and Courtney
Amy and Luke have Aubrey, Emily, Kylee, Melanie
Tamra and Steve have Craig

What an amazing legacy we are a part of.  We love them all with their faults, their amazing personalities and for the wonderful people they are becoming.  I pray the Lord will continue to bless us with much love and closeness and just the right amount of challenges that help us stretch and grow into strong followers of Christ.

Apple Rose Desserts

I do a lot of cooking on this mission. Some by assignment and some by choice. By choice we feed the missionaries on Sunday nights and for district meetings to save the Elders some precious time. I was looking through my recipes and came across the recipe for “Apple Dessert Roses”. I had not made this dessert since our last mission to South Africa. I saw that I had all the ingredients so I decided to make them for our elders here. I had forgotten how easy and fun they were to make. 

I also tried a new recipe Dalen had found that turned out really fun. It was Shepherd pie in a potato skin. It was easy and fun and definitely a do over. The missionaries enjoyed them both. They are so easy to please. Doing these meals serves at least two purposes. I get to feel creative and valuable and the missionaries get some food that they don’t have to cook and clean up from. I hope it is helping them stay righteously engaged in their missionary efforts.

Our First Zone Conference

Elder Peterson and Elder Danes excited for our covert operation

This is our third trip back to Zagreb since we got to Croatia.  On Monday, March 18th Elder Peterson, Elder Danes, Elder Edington and I left early in the morning for Zagreb.  We had to leave so early because none of the missionaries outside of Zagreb could know that Elder Danes has been here, in Zadar, for the past two weeks taking Elder Corona's place because he was assigned to be the new assistant to the president, along with Elder Quigley.   It has been quite the covert operation.  More than once there has had to be phone calls made to Elder Danes by putting two phones together so it appeared that Elder Danes was in Zagreb and not here in Zadar.  I posted things on facebook, after the fact, making it seem like Elder Corona was still here with Elder Peterson.  It was very important that the information not be let out until transfer, later in the week.

It was really hard to have Elder Corona leave.  He has been such an amazing young missionary.  He and Elder Peterson have taken such good care of us and really made our transition into the mission filed here in Croatia much smoother.  I can not imagine what we would have done had it not been for these two amazing young men.

As we traveled to Zagreb it was very rainy and very stormy and occasionally become a bit nerve racking but we made it early and without any incidents other than the fact that the Burger King was not open when we got there and we did not want to wait 45 minutes for it to open.  Our long awaited treat of an American hamburger had to be postponed until the next trip to Zagreb.  We can only go to Burger King on our way to Zagreb because it is on the side of the road heading to Zagreb and there is no way to cross over to the other side of the highway.  I am sure we will get another opportunity to go to Zagreb.

This is Elder Corona.  He is one of our favorite missionaries
along with Elder Peterson.  He has been called to serve as
one of the new assistants to the President

This is Elder Quigley.  He has also been called to be one
 of the new assistants to the President

After we ate out at a pizzeria we stayed with President and Sister Melonakos, at the mission home.  Elder and Sister Christensen stay there as well.  We had a lot of fun playing a game called "Code Names".  Surprisingly, even Dalen enjoyed it and encouraged me buy the game.  The Christensens are going to get us one in Rijeka and send it to us during transfers.  

On Tuesday we had a very spiritually uplifting Zone Conference that helped rejuvenate and encourage us to work harder and become more like Christ as we invite others to come unto Christ. After listening to President Melonokas we had a great lunch, birthday celebration, camp song, role plays and lots of fun. After all was finished we had to sneak away with Elder Danes and Elder Peterson so no one could see us.  We took them to get there stuff from the missionaries apartment and then headed to Zadar.  On our way home we had an amazing surprise.  When we hit the mountain areas there was snow on the hills and sides of the roads.  It was crazy. We traveled the same road the day before and there had been no snow at all and now there was snow everywhere for miles and miles. What a fun time we had over the last two days.

Our first trip to the Island

On preparation days (P-days) for short, the Junior missionaries are allowed some recreational time during the day.  This is when they contact friends and family, do laundry and have district activities.  They are now allowed to contact family by Skype or other chats and can still contact friends via email.  They have study time, language study and some contacting time but then they are allowed a few hours to do appropriate activities.  For a recent p-day Elder Corona, Elder Peterson and I got to go to one of the Islands near Zadar.  We set out with great anticipation and excitement because none of us had been to any of the islands yet.  It was a beautiful day and felt quite warm, or so we thought.  Not long after we boarded the boat and headed to the island we were all wishing we had brought jackets or even coats.  It came as quite a shock to all of us that there was a constant cold breeze as we traveled, much of which I am sure was just the movement of the boat on the water.  Non of us were prepared for how cold we felt but we laughed and talked and had a good time freezing our way across to the island.  Daniel Kolega picked us up at the port and took us to his home that he and his lovely wife Antonia are remodeling.   It is just above the ocean on a hill.  The view of the beach, the ocean and then Zadar in the distance was amazing and so fun to see.

Antonia had stayed home because their car was not large enough for all four missionaries, Daniel and her.  She had prepared for us a wonderful lunch including delicious pasta and meat sauce, some really good bread and a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing on it.  It was some of the best pasta I have ever eaten.

We had a lovely time visiting with Daniel and Antonia and were not looking forward to what we were sure would be a very cold and miserable trip back to Zadar.  The clouds had come up, the temperature had dropped and there was an increase in the wind and we had not even gotten on the boat.   To our surprise and pleasure we discovered there was a cafe on the top of the ferry.  We spent a very pleasant  trip back to Zadar, in a warm, comfortable, and inclosed cafe where we could enjoy each others company and reflect of the pleasures of the day.  The very brisk walk back to the church topped of our adventure.

This is the ferry that we went on to cross over to the island.

People stated to pour out of the ferry as soon as the doors were let down.

The dock was a bustle of traffic of those who were coming and those of us going.

If we wanted to, we could take our car across on the ferry.   Some of the members from the island do that.  Some people commute back and forth and use the ferry for their cars.

Elder Corona and Elder Edington were both in short sleeves and had no protection at all

At least Elder Peterson and I had long sleeve which still did not keep us very warm

This is the house that Daniel and Antonia are remodeling

The water is so clear and beautiful you can see clear to the bottom even when it is quite deep

Flower Stands On the Streets

I don't know why I am so fascinated by all the flower stand but if a girls wanted to get her hands on flowers around here it certainly would not be a difficult task.  In front of the City Gallery the flowers magically appear early in the morning and are there until around noon.  I have walked by them so many times and admired their beauty.  So many colors, so many kinds, so much fun.  It seems like everywhere we go when there is a market there are flowers to buy right along with the fruits and vegetable.  No matter if you are in Zagreb or Zadar the open markets and flowers go hand in hand. These open markets are so fun to see.