Rozlúčenie

Well this week has been a GIANT BANDAID RIPPING OFF PARTY FOR SISTER ABBOTT. 

But I did not once feel the slightest bit hungry this week, so that was a good time for me. Pretty sure I weigh 50 pound more after this week alone. JEJ.

We started off the week by visiting our dear friend Pani M, who made us chlebičky (sandwiches) and fruit and Tiramisu (unfortunately I had to take the hit for finding out that it was tiramisu and had coffee in it), So it was sad that we couldn't eat EVERYTHING she placed before us, but Pani M was a gem and was very understanding. 

And wow, she also gave us the CUTEST mugs and perfume(?) stuff and kinder eggs.

AND THEN, 

The next day we were in the building going outside, when it began to torrential downpour and alas nothing in the building but a broken umbrella, but that didn't stop us. We put our brains together found some tape and put that little umbrella back together! but let me tell you I would not advise that in the future, because the tape was a monster to take off.

OH BUT THEN, 

We went to our members house this is what Sis K said to us before we came over "hey bring your cameras!" and
GUESS WHAT?
We had a dress up party with swords, and costumes

Check it out:

NICE HUH?

but after this the week became a blur, 

somehow we ended up on a train to bratislava where we had a goodbye Halusky party before training, (im telling you guys, NEVER WAS HUNGRY) and then up at 4 in the morning to get on a train to brno, for the MOST INCREDIBLE AND EMOTIONAL TRAINING EVER!

I suddenly figured out that the four sisters are actually for real leaving me. and I just cried. 

like a baby 

srsly

like a baby, 

but president mcConkie had an incredible training about Joseph Smith. 

I KNOW THAT JOSEPH SMITH IS A PROPHET AND THAT HE RESTORED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE EARTH AGAIN!

https://www.lds.org/liahona/1984/01/praise-to-the-man?lang=eng

read this. its great.

S Laskou, 

Sestra Ratcliffe

Ps. We had the most incredible day yesterday. We taught a family that has so much desire to know the truth! It was SOOO INCREDIBLE. the 8 year old asked, "is it true that jesus touched someones eyes and they saw and with assurity we said "YES"

PSS If you don't already know, I am waiting on a little greenie. So I will go get her in prague on Wednesday.

reason number 517 how sister abbott has scared me this transfer

Found a binkie on the fence any takers?

Dear John

Sister Abbott and I have had this stinkin song stuck in our heads all week! 

DEAR JOHN... BLAH BLAH BLAH 

SOMEONE GET ME A NEW SONG! 

This week was just the greatest. Also I feel like I am walking around like it is May with a winter coat on. LIKE WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WHERES A COAT WITH THIS KIND OF WEATHER? 

Sister Abbott and I had some real fun. 

We were on the streets and Sister Abbott and I kept running into eachother, so then we were like, "sestra, stop hitting me.." and then we were running down the streets of Trencin playing tag. 

well that excalated quickly. 

but it was fun

Oh boy this is a good one. 

So we are talking to this guy on the street and we are chit chatting and asking him what he does for work and all of a sudden we hear this huge crash behind us. So we turn around and a taxi car completely smashed into another car.

Brief pause... 

uhhhh....

then the guy we are talking to just starts talking like nothing had happened

And Sister Abbott and I are standing there like a deer in the headlights. But I think all was well with the car accident and the guy we were talking to was really cool!

This week our branch presidents wife put on an event called paličkovanie. 

it was rough. 

We spent most of the time just trying to figure out how in the world you were actually supposed to do it. Listen, sorry that is so vague, If you would like more information, I am sure google can explain it for you, because I have no idea how to explain it. 

Also Church this week was incredible. 

one of our neighbors came with her kids and our members absolutely adored those kiddos. 

its been a while since a kid has be in the branch here, so it was a real party with those two! 

ALSO just a funny for the week that I forgot to mention happened a couple weeks ago, because I have been so lame in writing emails, 

but we were at dinner with president mcconkie and he was going around with all of us asking what our favorites foods were, and everyone was like burgers, mexican food, Halusky and president turns to me and asks what my favorite food is and I said, "well, I like PRIME RIB"

he got a real kick out of that one! 

well you should all watch this video https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-12-008-the-sabbath-is-a-delight?lang=eng

Have a wonderful week! 

S laskou, 

Sestra Ratcliffe

LOVE IS NATURAL

Isn't this just the cutest thing? and so true am I right? 

Well this week was just sooo good!

On Tuesday I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Russell, and boy was it fun. The second she stepped off the train platform in Trencin miracles were brought to pass. It was so fun. Its always a little weird when the exchange is over, TIME FLIES! 

Sister Russell and I saw some awesome miracles on our exchange! 

Especially since it was pouring rain, Sister Russell was especially a trooper when a car splashed her entire left side as he drove by. I felt like I was a sea world asking shamoo to splash us, thats how much water there was! 

We had our valentines concert. WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE

Our branch prezident sang a solo,

and we all just had fun with šišky (donuts) hudba (music) and laska (love) 

when we were handing out flyers, before our concert, for our concert everyone was like "šišky hudba láska!" As I walked passed them! I was just a good time. SIster Abbott is convinced that everyone came because of the šišky hudba láska. hahaha

Well this week was just wonderful. 

You should all read: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/love-the-essence-of-the-gospel?lang=eng

Its great! 

S Laskou, 

Sestra Ratcliffe

We are on the billboards in Trencianska Tepla

Trencianska Tepla bags

Valentines breakfast

Valentines breakfast

We made cookies and delivered with an invite to our concert

Sister Abbotts facial mask

getting some gifts from the members

More gifts

Elder Cantrells new name tag #frywithtartar

šišky, hudba, a láska

WELL I AM PRETTY SURE THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR WEEK WAS FOOD. 

Because thats basically all I wrote about in my planner, so we will see how this goes... 

On wednesday Sister Abbott and I were out on the streets making our way to the church building(our member wanted to give us donuts). We were about 20 minutes away, when we realized that we had to be to the building in 5 minutes. 

SPRINTING THROUGH THE CITY IN A SKIRT. 

TALENT

When we got to the building we were so excited that we made it in time, and we ate those donuts so fast! Workout and reward. Am I right? 

This week was Fašiangy

we went to a little village and had a party with our friends. turns out this party is an eat drink and be merry kind of fest. People were trying to hand us shots. Its was a great time to be a missionary and teach about the word of wisdom. As we left sister abbott was excited and exclaimed "I DID IT! I FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I SAID NO TO ALCOHOL" 

good times but we loved the free food! 

Also this week I made a really great purchase in the candy aisle. 

See for yourself: 

YEP. 

I love this talk from last conference from President Russell M. Nelson

(Fifty eight years ago I was asked to operate upon a little girl, gravely ill from congenital heart disease. Her olderbrother had previously died of a similar condition. Herparents pleaded for help. I was not optimistic about theoutcome but vowed to do all in my power to save herlife. Despite my best efforts, the child died. Later, thesame parents brought another daughter to me, thenjust 16 months old, also born with a malformed heart.Again, at their request, I performed an operation. Thischild also died. This third heartbreaking loss in onefamily literally undid me.

I went home grief stricken. I threw myself upon ourliving room floor and cried all night long. Dantzel stayed by my side, listening as I repeatedly declaredthat I would never perform another heart operation.Then, around 5:00 in the morning, Dantzel looked at meand lovingly asked, “Are you finished crying? Then get dressed. Go back to the lab. Go to work! You need tolearn more. If you quit now, others will have to painfully learn what you already know.”

Oh, how I needed my wife’s vision, grit, and love! I went back to work and learned more. If it weren’t for Dantzel’s inspired prodding, I would not have pursued open-heart surgery and would not have been prepared to do the operation in 1972 that saved the life of President Spencer W. Kimball.)​

I love it. Sometimes I feel like I need someone to get me on my feet to keep going and I know that the Lord can do that for us. God doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect progress. 

Its true.

the book is blue. 

S Laskou, 

Sestra Ratcliffe

look ma, I made it online! hahah 

Misionarčili Sme

SO FRIENDS. 

This week our apartment has become the scare floor in Monsters Inc. and Sister Abbott has taken it upon her self to scare me behind EVERY SINGLE DOOR I ENTER. I have never been so jumpy in my life.

This week was seriously one for the books. We have had the best of times, but I always feel that. Lets be real missions are the BEST.

So I am going to start with the funnies, because there are SOO MANY. 

a. On tuesday we have our free english class and one of our members came which was such a miracle. She is so cute, her daughter lives in America and she wants to be able to communicate with her son in law, because he only speaks english. 

THEN at night we were planning and I was saying the prayer and I was like " Thank you very much that this member came to VISIT US today.... WAIT" and then I realized that I had no idea what I was saying because she came to english not to visit us

IM LOSING IT.
It was really funny. Probably more of a had to be there moment.

ALSO we were at the building with the Elders studying Slovak and I was leaning on the back two legs of the chair when I lost control and started to fall backwards.
As I fell I realized that I was in a skirt(JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW I WAS WEARING LEGGINGS!) and Elders were there, so I bailed out of my chair and when I got back up one of the elders stated "I THINK THE HOLY GHOST MOVED MY EYES FOR ME." good. We had a good laugh.

We live by a river and we were walking across the bridge when we noticed all these rings in the water. We looked down and all the fish were literally flopping out of the water. We stood and watched for a little. ITS WAS Mezmerizing. (is that correct?) Just a fun fact. Then today on the way over they were doing it again! 

DON'T know why they are doing it, but I enjoy them.

ALSO TAUGHT SISTER ABBOTT HOW TO DO A HANDSTAND. 

YEAH. 

 We have some really good friends who we go and visit  and EVERYTIME we walk out with a ton of food. But yesterday we were over and I had my hair down. And I guess that it really threw them off because dedo was like "I can't even take you seriously. You look like a completely different person. Your hair needs to go up." So my hair went up. Lesson learned. DON'T BREAK TRADITION!

But wow. We have just seen miracles upon miracles. 

MIRACLES EXIST.
Elder Holland said:
“Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.”

I know that even when everything points to us losing hope that hope is never lost. I 100% agree with Elder Holland. 

TRUST IN MIRACLES.

LOVE YOU ALL LOTS!

S Laskou

Sestra Ratcliffe

beautiful vah

this is how sister ratcliffe gives me my snacks -sister abbott

So mom sent me an incredible jesus calendar and I bought a cat calendar and I think they suit eachother. 

I think I am funny. hahahhahah

Our dear friend bought us a photo album. "its from the chinese store, but I bought it in Slovakia so its SLOVAK!" -our friend

pictures of the week messing around