Salty Syrup

OKAY OKAY.

WE gave in. Sister eggers and I could not resist seeing the cupcake mix and american frosting sitting in my package any longer.

It was daunting. 

So we made christmas cupcakes a little prematurely. 

I think that it was a very good decision! It is very interesting, because food here is very plain and then you eat a thing from america the is literally just sugar and you tastebuds go for a little joy ride.

ALSO KRAFT MAC N CHEESE AM I RIGHT?? wow.

that also came in the package. 

We ate it.

Good now onto spiritual things. 

So this week we had a singing display and our new elder was out contacting and we were singing when we saw a guy that we contacted from that morning. Sister Eggers and I jumped out of singing and started yelling for him to come over. HE DID. Then we sang with them and chit-chatted for a little bit, but wow that was a miracle that he just happened to walk by us right at that moment.

ANOTHER wild miracle, was when we were contacting this neighborhood, and we stopped this boy and asked him who jesus was for him. and he was like "well its a little different for me, because I believe that Jesus was in the American continent. not just Jerusalem"

HUH?

ME TOO I BELIEVE THAT TOO!!!!

so we taught him about the book of mormon and told him all about jesus in America and he didnt freak out. Sister Eggers and I were like "he came to america and blah blah blah." and nothing. LIKE WHAT? We literally just told him about Jesus in America and that millions of people believe what he believes all over the world and he didnt even care.

BUT THATS OKAY. BECAUSE A SEED WAS PLANTED and he will be prepared for it one day. 

I have learned how certain people are truly prepared and certain people need the seed to be planted and then to come to the realization of the truth.

I got a new sweater this week. KOSICE REPRESENT

its a funny story because sister Eggers is deathly afraid of vomit (WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY AND SISTER EGGERS WAS LIKE "YEAH I AM LUCKY BECAUSE NONE OF MY COMPS HAVE THROWN UP BEFORE WHEN I WAS WITH THEM) and then we were walking out of the store and felt like I was going to puke. (sorry to break the streak sister E) I turned to sis Eggy and my face lost all color. I told her to walk in front of me incase I was to vomit and then all of a sudden my name tag on my sweater went missing and so she was panicking that I was going to vomit and that my name tag is lost and I am sitting on the side of the road counting to 100 and praying that I dont puke. 

Its was sure a site to see. 

It was just really Ironic because we had just talked about it and then I got sick. 

This week sister eggers and I have recognized our talent in the kitchen. 

we made pancakes for breakfast and Sis E was in charge of syrup. unfortunately she put a cup of salt in the water instead of sugar. Luckily the salt didnt dissolve so we made a different batch. 

MIRACLES hahahaha

Okay sorry I dont have a ton of time today. Sorry its a little scatterbrained. 

But I love slovakia. I LOVE SLOVAKIA SOOOOOO MUCh.

I am in debt to these people more and more everyday and I dont know how to repay them. 

Oh I love them. 

Okay 

Have a miraculous week.

s laskou

Sestra Ratcliffe

Sister Eggers tried to make syrup.... with salt instead of sugar. "Hey why inst the sugar dissolving?"

snuck into the christmas package and made cupcakes. AMERICAN FLAVORS wow. 

                            

our attempt at a district pic

 at the castle today

 elder cantrell crying about his butt muscles burning and elder sharp laughing

 sitting on a castle wall

 district picture

 E Sharp in one of the windows of the castle

 E cantrell acting real scared to be standing on the wall

Hypothermia, Magic and Halloween

Ha. I literally love thinking back on the week. 

Missionary life is a dream, I know I say that a lot, but wow, its good. 

Okay so this week we went and visited one of our members. She is so cute she put this strange meat spread on bread and gave it to us. We thought it was fish, so I took one for the team and ate the whole plate. TURNS OUT not fish. it was pork so I didn't have to take one for the team, but you know. :) also when we left her house it was freezing and we were in a room with a ton of heaters so the second we were outside I felt like we were going to have hypothermia. 

GOOD NEWS we didn't. But the walk home was not the most pleasant thing I have ever experienced.

Oh this week we met with one of our friends and there is this game that people play, its called magic? Have you heard of it? well its a card game. So he plays this game and he said he was walking home the other day after buying some more cards and a scripture popped into his head
"Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all isvanity."

So he went home and sold all of his Magic cards. 

NOW THAT IS ACTING ON A PROMPTING!

We have a new baby in Kosice. 

His name is Elder Cantrell and he is straight from the MTC. 

He's a hoot. He tells a lot of jokes, and then pees his pants cause he thinks he is HILARIOUS. 

its a good time.

The other day was the last day we were able to table on the namestie. 

AND WOW. Sister Eggers and I taught 13 LESSONS! 

I am going to really miss tabling. 

But we are going to do singing displays. Where we go on the namestie and just sing hymns and then we contact around the singing. 

My district is really musically talented, then theres me.. LOL 

So I will probably be the one contacting.

Sister Eggers and I met some real nice people contacting this week. 

We were getting smashed on our slovak and then this lady was like. "Aww you two are cute."

What an angel, then we stopped this man and after creepily looking at us up and down told us we were cute. So that was somewhat strange, but a good time. 

WOW I FEEL LIKE I AM LITERALLY WRITING THE MOST RANDOM THINGS.

also when we were tabling I stopped this guy, who looked a little hesitant to stop and chat, but he did. I asked him for his number, and he gave it to me and his number was already in the phone from 7 days ago, So I was like did you meet with sister Parsons the last time we were here? and he was acting all aloof and then I called his phone and you wouldn't believe that the contact name is "PARSONS" Hello buddy. nič nie je nahoda. (nothing is a coincidence)

Well we don't celebrate Halloween, but we celebrate ALL SAINTS DAY. 

I can't even describe it. 

its like memorial day but like 1000000000 times better!

heres a pic:

me being a giant. (I met this lady on the street and she invited us to tell us all about the history behind this holiday. I don't know if I am SUPER tall or if she is super short.) Ha!

and this is for Jesus. its was magical

Oh its just beautiful.

one funny. 

I sent a message to a girl this week and I trying to say "let us know if you have time sometime this week" and instead I said "let us know if you have God sometime this week"

So good first impressions.

Okay have a beautiful week. 

See those miracles

S Laskou

Sestra Ratcliffe

ba da ba ba ba, im loving it.

The life of a missionary.

ITS A DREAM.

Well I wrote an email like four dayz ago... So, from Wednesday-today:

HMMMMM... Well I definitely cant do anything in chronological order because my brain is just on overload of happy spiritual high goodness.

BUT HERE IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

a. I was able to see the most wonderful 18 year old get baptized. 

Thats RIGHT. Our cute little Martinbean after MONTHS of waiting, was baptized. 

TEARS WERE SHED. Problems of being a sympathetic cryer. I JUST CRY. 

But, the spirit was SO strong and We helped her into the changing room, closed the door and stood there for a second. (mostly in awe) Then she says, " I AM BAPTIZED " then we are all hugging and crying and wet and it was just so good.

b. I was also able to see another amazing lady be baptized also. 

I have learned so much about how the spirit works on people. and how quickly lives can change. This lady had been coming to English classes for years. Last transfer the Elders started teaching her and she was on date. things happened and then she need to go to Hong Kong for her sons wedding and wouldnt be able to be baptized by the time the transfer ended. The Elders spoke to us and told us to go over to her house and talk to her. 3 hours of pure listening she said that she would get baptized the day after she got back from Hong Kong. AND SHE WAS. THE LAST DAY OF THE TRANSFER. isnt that cool?

c. We have some really cool friends right now. 

I feel like when I write my email I am writing everything Sister Parsons wrote and then I realize that most of you dont read Sister Parsons email. So... continuing past that minor tangent. 

We have this girl who is 16 and she speaks english and we just love her. So we met with her the Sunday before Sis. P is leaving and we wanted to teach her the restoration of the church. so we did. and we told her the story of Joseph Smith and we looked at her and she was crying. 

we asked what she was feeling and she said that she felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest. That people have questions just like she does and for the first time she heard someone pray for her. she said " you have no idea how good it feels to have someone pray for you."

I have so much more I could say, but I dont have a ton of time. 

But I truly feel blessed to be able to have associated with these people and that I have at least 2 more months to be with them. 

By the way it was transfers so SISTER EGGERS came to Košice and Sister Parsons went to trenčin to be Sister Training Leader with Sister Abbott and Sister Ross and Russell are together in Blava.

Well I just love being a missionary. it is the best life.

have a miracle filled week y'all

S Laskou,

Sestra Ratcliffe

PS the title of my email is because Sister Eggers wrote that she had Mcdonalds in her email. LOL but, i didnt, but thats okay.

 Training

 HALLOWEEN SURPRISE

MARTINBEAN

SCOREBOARD!

WINNING TEAM - LOSING TEAM - WINNING TEAM - LOSING TEAM

This week at Family Home Evening we played pictionary for our activity.

GIRLS AGAINST BOYS

you all know who won. (WHO RUNS THE WORLD? girls.)

it was so funny because our branch president's wife is sitting there and turns to the boys and says, "how many points do you have? How many points do you have?" 

Then I felt like I was in high school again, screaming in the stands 

"SCOREBOARD SCOREBOARD!" 

needless to say we had fun.

Then my comp is still sick. So I went out on splits with one of our adorable members and the branch presidents wife. and taught some amazing people!

I love our members. 

We called our cute friend that taught a lesson with me and she told me that she skipped her last class of the day to teach with me. SERIOUSLY? 

wow I am so grateful. that is TRUE CONSECRATION. dropping everything for GOD. (and a couple missionaries in need.)

Then I went out and taught with my branch presidents wife and she bore her testimony so powerfully and by the spirit. and then the guy we are teaching is like "yeah, I have been thinking I want to get baptized in a river." and I was like GREAT

and then that night I realized that that would be a really long time because it is already FREEZING outside. and its going to be a really long time. and then at the end of the week Sis. Parsons and I met with him and he was like "yeah, I want to get baptized soon. like before winter ends, so we are going to have to find someone who will baptized me in ice water"

excuse me?

SERIOUSLY. THE LORD IS IN EVERYTHING! absolutely everything.

Oh, and you already know that if you are in Kosice you are travelling. 

back and forth. 

meškating(delay)

missing trains sprinting for buses missing buses sprinting for different trains. 

while we were running for a bus we hear "hey" english, turn around. 

a girl is running to us and says "are you serving here?"

1.english 

2.no one ever uses the language "serving"

SHE MUST BE A MEMBER!

turns out her brother served in the czech rep. 6 months ago and they wanted to see slovakia, and just happened to run into us at the bus station. 

miracles.

but all is well and we made it to Brno. had an exchage with the sisters before it was too dark and before my tummy was hungry, and then went home and made all the czechs Halusky.

SPOILED

speaking of spoiled.. if you are sick this is the place to be. 

LITERALLY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP DELIVERY DAILY

We still have like 8 more servings in our fridge.

We what have I learned? 

PERFECTIONISM cannot be a thing. 

we are not in a race. it does not matter how fast we run or how fast the persons in front of us runs, or even if they cross the finish line.

WHAT MATTERS is that we cross the finish line.

We cannot look and people and see the FACEBOOK view, because we will always be disappointed with ourselves. 

Don't quit. This gospel is good and there is so much to learn from it. 

it is an amazing blessing. I hope you all know that too.

I also hope you have an amazing week FILLED WITH MIRACLES.

S laskou,

Sestra Ratcliffe

fat fingers and panic attacks

well to cut to the chase,

so I don't leave you all hanging..

CANADIAN THANKSGIVING WAS A BLAST.
AND WAS REALLY YUMMY TOO.
best part is that none of us are sick so that means, mama taught me well.

also learned that I have NO idea where to put the meat thermometer into a chicken or any other piece of meat to tell if it was cooked.
fortunately it was.
and it was our cute friends FIRST THANKSGIVING.
hope we didn't scar her too much 

(we forgot the sweet potatoes and the cranberry sauce. and not to mention we had to heat everything up in the microwave.. lol the missionary struggle)

We have this really cute mom that we are teaching and oh, her baby is so cute. 

and we went over to her house the other day to visit and her baby was on her bed and we were all chatting and then all of a sudden mommy walks out of the room with out baby.

and you all know that as missionaries we can't hold babies.

so Sis parsons and I start freaking out. 

and then the baby starts to crawl across the bed. 

so we freak out a little more...

so I try to push him so he slides closer to the middle of the bed. 

He didn't like that.

so he starts crying.

the from the other room mommy yells "oh bring him here!"

"CRAP WHAT DO WE DO?" I exclaimed to my companion

uhhhhhhhh

Oh, I have an idea lets try to make him walk. we got him down, grabbed his hands and try to make him walk. 

attempt failed. 

*MORE CRYING*

so gently we pick him up and take him to mommy. 

quick hand off, and phew. safe.

next thing you know mommy throws baby into our arms again and seconds later we hear running water coming from the bathroom. 

IS SHE TAKING A SHOWER?

we finally got out of the house with mommy and baby, (NOT IN OUR ARMS but in a stroller.) 

then we are walking and mommy calls the hair place to get a haircut. 

luckily they didn't have any time to take her.

We were just so concerned about being exactly obedient, that we were praying the the hairdresser was busy. 

my dear friends prayer works.

We had someother times during the walk that mommy passed baby over, we would say a quick prayer and put him into the stroller praying he wouldn't cry. 

AGAIN PRAYER WORKS.

beyond all that drama, we are seeing some real progress in this mommy. 

the gospel blesses lives, I know it because I see it. 

I see a literal change in peoples attitude when they can sing the song of redeeming love. 

and Alma says "I would ask, can ye feel so now?" Alma 5:26

this quote was ALL over conference which by the way ROCKED my world. 

and made me do some major reflecting. 

Can I feel so NOW?  Do I acknowledge that everything good is from God?

We have seen some mad crazy miracles this week. 

We do this thing call tabling where, we set up a table with a ton of brochures and a white board and we have a question, and just contact around the table. and in two days sister Parsons and I taught 19 lessons just tabling! Oh boy oh boy it was fun.

We had a lesson scheduled with a guy that I met tabling at 9:30 we wanted to meet at 10:30 but accidentally sent the wrong time in the text.
FAT FINGERS.
that time rolls around and hes not there. 

its like getting stood up for a date. 

but, less painful because, two people and we are not dressed up for it. 

so we text him, and as we are waiting one of our friends comes running up to us to give us a hug. 

she was in a hurry to get to her train but we were able to talk with her because we hadn't seen her in a LONG time. then we get a text and he said I am so sorry I thought our meeting was at 10:30. WHAT???? 

well that was quite a miracle. we were definitely there to run into our friend.

we were walking out of game night this week, when all of a sudden our bus starts pulling up to the bus stop. WE SPRINTED. pushed the button and the bus started to drive away. "NOOOO" we screamed standing on the side of the road. when out of the blue the bus stops driving and the doors open. MIRACLE!

Few things I have learned this week 

1. My english sucks. I don't know how to form sentences anymore. #slovakbrain

so sorry if you don't understand my broken english. it wasn't that great before the mish and has quickly diminished since then.

2. the lord is in all things. he doesn't just make up the difference, HE IS ALL THE DIFFERENCE. 

I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. 

IT IS THE GREATEST BLESSING THAT I COULD EVER WISH FOR.

have a blessed, miraculous week

S laskou,

Sestra Ratcliffe

 conference sockies

and the batter to make more than 70 banana cupcakes! YUM

 the fog outside our house

Helping a friend clean out his house.

 THANKSGIVING DIN DIN

 our group for DINNER.

Our friend doing the splits

wheres the TURKEY?

the miracles just never end.

Sister Parsons and I have been so giddy this week, BECAUSE

literally everywhere we GO we run into someone we KNOW (seriously, I should be a rapper.)

We were on a bus going down to the city when we find this super cool guy who hasn't been answering his phone for the past week, Um hey bud what's up? 

THEN, we are on our bus going home and we see this girl that is really busy and can never meet and the next day she texted us! hahaha PRESSURE.

Then you all know Sis. Parsons and I follow the spirit when it comes to food LOL We go into our neighborhood grocer to get some food, and we run into ANOTHER lady that we know, and Oh, she is just the sweetest. 

AND THEN, (seriously when I say miracles I MEAN MIRACLES. ) we are walking to church and everyone and their dog and their grandmas dog is out because there was a marathon going on and this mom and her baby, just happened to be walking down the namestie and yells out "HI" in this HUGE crowd of people. and you know (or maybe you don't), but when we hear ENGLISH IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, you turn around.

Ahhhh...

man,

missionary life is good.

This week we went to the cute little village to teach english. Oh, MY HEART IS JUST SO FULL THINKING ABOUT IT. and we thought it was going to be the last time we were going to go (but it wasn't) but we took the kiddos outside and there was this stage and Sister Parsons has this brilliant idea,

"sister ratcliffe, Go teach them a dance on the stage"

"OKAY"

So the kids and I hop up onto the stage and the only upbeat missionary appropriate song we have on our phone is "I SAW THE LIGHT"

we hopped around the stage and oh boy it was cute.

also this week we were just walking down the street when a man heiled us.

HONESTLY DON"T KNOW WHY. but we decided it would be best not to contact him.

speaking of CONTACTING, we have a member who is preparing to serve a mission so we went outside and he was my companion and sister Parsons was just a lady on the street, OH, it was funny. he was like:

"Hello do you have time"

                    "No I am in a hurry (most common thing we get on the streets)"

"Good well we teach about God"

LOL

and speaking of member missionary work, we were doing service with two of our members at this guys house and he is SOOO grateful the we help him out and he was like is there anything I can do for you all? 

and our member was like "Ummmm, yes. You can come church this Sunday at NINE." 

He kindly declined this week, but promised he would come in the future. 

our hearts were real happy.

Last, week we received a notice from the church that there was someone who wanted to meet with us. REALLY HE WANTED TO MEET WITH US!!! and Oh, boy is he cool. he met with missionaries four years ago came to church and then moved to Blava. 

came back to Kosice a month ago and wants to meet again. I can literally testify of how truly prepared god makes people. yes, it was necessary for him to meet with missionaries four years ago, but now he is ready to meet and to learn and to make steps towards baptism. Aw. yeah.

also hear in Slovakia, it is not normal to knock on doors. usually there are really big gates outside or we are at apartments and we just ring the bell and wait for someone to answer the intercom system.

BUT, 

this week we found a village, 

without big GATE

and sister parsons and I about flipped. 

we were actually a little scared because we never have like face to face communication. its usually through a giant fence.

STEPPING OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE.

this week sis Parsons and I are celebrating canadian thanksgiving!

BUT WE CAN"T FIND A TURKEY.

so thats okay. 

we found some chickens instead. 

it should turn out good. 

I hope. 

Pray for us.

Okay friends. 

This is a really long email. 

I hope you all know HOW MUCH I AM GRATEFUL for you all. 

We are on this gratitude HYPE. 

I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and for the knowledge that I have of his existence. 

What a miracle it is, this life we have.

Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me. hahaha 

s laskou

Sestra Ratcliffe

študium a služba

 messing around during studies

WEARING NORMAL CLOTHES 

"EW GARY GET OUT"

 VELKA IDA

 KIDDOS

AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR DAT

SHORT STORY LONG? IS THAT A THING?

 

this week was different to say the least. 

 

its hilarious. 

 

You know how I told you all that we have been sick since like the beginning of the transfer?

Well we were really sick on Tuesday so we called Sister McConkie and she told us to go to the doctor. So our Branch Presidents wife picked us up 30 minutes later and took us to the doctor. Thank goodness for her because I DON'T KNOW MEDICAL WORDS IN SLOVAK. 

After the doctor examined both Sister Parsons and I he came to the conclusion that we both had BRONCHITIS. 

 

AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR DAT! 

Especially a missionary!

 

We had our blood tested so that the doctor knew what kind of medication we needed and the Phlebotomist asks sister parsons "WHERE DID YOUR MOM GO?" LOL

We were laughing so hard, because we felt like twins going to the doctor with our mom and she was like "COME HERE, GO HERE, LETS GO GIRLS" 

 

oh boy was it cute. 

 

Let me just tell you. I love our branch. Our branch presidents wife called us the next morning

(Because we were quarentined to our house) and asked us if we had food. "YES" 

 

ONE HOUR LATER...

Our branch president is at our door with HOT squash soup desert and sour cream to go in the soup. 

 

I just feel SO loved here.

and don't you forget that we saw MIRACLES. 

 

We were laying in our bed and our phone was ringing of the chain! 

former investigators wanting to meet with us. 

people from the summer who received contacting cards

the whole nine yards. 

 

The LORD truly does adjust your circumstances. 

REMEMBER THAT!

 

Well that was basically all of our week. 

Confined to beds and many MANY hours of church history

 

THEN YESTERDAY WE WERE IN BLAVA FOR TRAINING. and that rocked my world. 

EVEN though we had to STAND on a train for four hours because there weren't enough seats. LOL 

LIFE OF A MISSIONARY, am i right? 

 

OK.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK. 

 

S LASKOU

 

Sestra Ratcliffe