ZAZRAKY

Boy oh boy am I enthusiastic!

This week was full of miracles (zazraky)

So monday we took all of those BYU kids for a tour and then we went to their concert and it was just amazing. FUN FACT: in Europe people do not cheer loud like a drill competition. So that was awkward when I was the only one cheering them on.... :)

Then on Tuesday, for district lunch, We went to a mexican restraunt. and it rocked my world. Well it wasn't like crazy mexican food, but as close as it can be in Europe. Still loved it. 

Then on Wednesday, Sister Russell and I had the opportunity to go to NITRA! We went visiting teaching and it was so fun! I didn't see much of Nitra, because typical Sister Ratcliffe fell asleep in the car to Nitra and back. TISK TISK. 

Then.... On Thursday we have an american family we are hanging out with and they invited us for dinner, and my oh my, let me just tell you all about Chicken salad sandwiches, blew my mind and BLUEBERRY pie. I don't even like pie, but wow was it tasty. #FAT. Oh also that day we met this really cool guy on the street and we were talking to him, and usually when you talk to people the missionaries have to ask to meet again and he was like, So I would like to meet with you this week. I paused for a minute and then I was like..."OKAY WHEN?" it was quite the miracle.

And here is where the miracle happens...

ON SATURDAY, I had the amazing priviledge of being able to watch the MOST ELECT, MOST PREPARED person enter into the waters of baptism. It was a true joy. Zuzana picked an amazing place and was absolutely so happy to be there. We went to this lake just outside of Bratislava and the water was so BLUE and so beautiful and man, I just had the most spiritually uplifting week. 

and then on Sunday Zuzana was able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and wow. It was just amazing. She was all smiles and giggles and could not wipe the smile off her face. It was the BEST WEEK EVER MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!! ahhhh I just love this place. I am so grateful I can be here!

I love my mission. Slovakia, ugh I LOVE Slovakia. 

OKAY I have time so I will send pictures. 

Have an AMAZING MIRACULOUS WEEK.

Sestra Ratcliffe

~ Zuzana ~

 Some Randoms

 a cute flower I found at zuzanas baptism. :)

When we were in NITRA

THE FINGER INCIDENT

The Finger.

The doctor told me to stablize my hand, AFTER CURFEW so I was running around a dark apartment and found a popsicle stick and some duct tape. AHHH MISSIONARY LIFE> 

WARNING (kind of gruesome) 

so many bandaids and neosporin 

but it is healing like a gem!

broken cups and torn up hands

HELLO HELLO HELLO!

So if this week was not a miracle I don't know what is. 

So at Family home evening we were just sitting there and one of our friends who is not a member came walking in after a month of being non-existent. 

So we met with her again and she is seriously so prepared. She told us she wants to be baptized and then she was mumbling so I asked her what would she lose if she was baptized, and she said she would lose NOTHING! are you kidding me? Where is the font? 

Oh I love her. She is amazing. 

Oh and this week we had exchanges and I was here in Blava with Sister Abbott and the most amazing miracle occured ever! So we were teaching a young man and we didn't have anyone to teach with us and we had used all our resources and no one could come so we thought to call our new convert Wanda and her phone didn't work and then sister Abbott was like that lady outside looks like Wanda. and I was like oh, yeah.. it does... IGORNING and then I was like WAIT. IS THAT WANDA? and so we ran out side and there she was. And we asked her to teach with us and she was like YEAH. I had a feeling to come past the building on my way to grab a chocolate bar. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!! FRIENDS THAT IS THE SPIRIT. I about died. 

And we teach a free english class and we had 4 new students!

FOUR NEW STUDENTS 

seriously that is a miracle. 

So, down to the topic of this email. 

So here I was at our branch presidents house. 

I asked if I could do the dishes for them so we are doing the dishes,

and you know those really sweet coca-cola cups you get from MCDONALDS? 

yeah so I am washing it and all of a sudden it breaks, and I was like ouch, OH SHOOT I JUST BROKE THE BRANCH PRESIDENTS CUP. and I look down and my hand is covered in blood. 

So what happened is that when the cup broke it sliced a part of my had by my knuckle. and I didn't think it was a big deal but everyone else said I needed stitches and I was like "please I have had worse cuts guys" I got some sweet essential oils on my hand to stop the bleeding, talked to Sister McConkie and she told me I didn't have to go to the hospital. Talked to the church doctor on the phone AFTER CURFEW> #REBEL but all is well and my hand is healing fine. FORGOT my camera again so you will have to wait for the picture of it but I will have a sweet scar when I come home! SO EXCITED! memories. 

Oh and the positive outcome of this is the zone leaders went to prague and grabbed my package while they were there, so now I have an Icecube tray AND disney music in slovak and so much american candy and GOLDFISH! ahhh life is good. 

I love being a missionary. 

Its the best life. 

Well have a miraculous week. 

S laskou

Sestra Ratcliffe

Cute Missionaries

Email we received - Love to get things like this!!

We are Americans living in England traveling in Bratislava.  We happened across your missionary.  She was delightful and gave us a great tour of the town!  Thank you for having such a wonderful missionary!

The Cragun Family

Found this gem on FB - Love getting to see her!

HAPPY 4TH of JULY

HELLO ALL!

I hope you just had the most magnificent week ever!

Oh boy and I hope you are seeing miracles too! 

Tuesday was just the greatest. 

We taught a ton of people on the street and they all really absorbed what we had to say. 

We were in a little town named petrzalka when the zone leaders called us to come to the building. We were like seriously we have been here 15 minutes, but we got on a bus and hurried back to the city. 

Once we got there a missionary who just finished his mission was at the building with his family. We visited with them and missionary realationships are weird, so like my mom in my mission is Sister Parsons and then the district leader where she first served is her dad, so my grandpa. and Turns out that the family who came, the missionary is my great grandpa, and I told Elder Ferrells mom that, and she shouts FAMILY and gives me this huge hug. It was awesome!

And then on Wednesday all the missionaries came to our apartment to sleep over and it was the greatest. I got to see all the sisters and we just chatted and then went to sleep it was so fun. and we also got to watch meet the mormons and that was really fun.

And then Thursday we had training and it was just AMAZING. It was all about our choice and how we are not victims of anything bad that happens in our mission, because IF WE MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE OR THE BEST CHOICE FOR OUR SITUATION IT WILL ALL WORK OUT! I just loved it! It was the best.

Saturday was a real good day. Our senior couple made us some delicious american food and we had a picnic in the chapel. How many people can say they have done that? LOL its was awesome!

Well I hope you all just had such a wonderful week!

I want you all to know how much I love this place and Absolutely adore my mission!

I am so grateful that I can serve here in beautiful Slovakia. 

I just LOVE!

Okay have a great week! 

Sorry my email is kind of short today

Sestra Ratcliffe

Happy fourth of July! We had a good little party with some Sloppy Joes and american potatoe salad and watermelon. It rocked my world. OH and TEAL PINK AND CREAM CAKE. Did you know those are the colors of the american flag? LOL 

And today we went on a tour. I got bored to I took selfies

 Just Bratislava at a glance. 

I think all the buildings are just gorgeous.

 Sister Russell and I 

B>B>B>BLAVA

Well I have officially made it one full week in Blava and still have no idea where I am!

This place is HUGE!

So this week was just wonderful!

So on Tuesday we went to the Dunaj and we were contacting and we planned to find a man with a backpack. 

So we are walking and we stop this man and we speak to him in slovak and he says, English?

So of course the next question is where are you from?

And he said France. ( UGH, my previous companion spoke french!) So we chit chatted with him and then we went on our way and then we found a man with a backpack and we talked to him and he was super cool and then we went onto the bridge. 

AND THIS IS WHERE MIRACLES HAPPEN>

So we find two men with a huge backpack on back and another backpack on front. Clearly seeing they were tourists, I stopped them anyway and they also requested english. I asked where they were from and they said Quebec. YOU ARE JOKING. MY LAST COMPANION WAS FROM QUEBEC! I was just laughing my head off. Then they didn't really have interest so we chit chatted and then went on our way. 

So we are headed down the bridge and all of a sudden sister Russell and I hear, "WAIT WE WANT TO KNOW MORE!!!!" and there they were. Gabriel and Jack our two quebec friends. 

So we taught them, but they didn't know how long they would be in Slovakia, and we haven't heard from them since, but SEEDS. Seeds are being planted. 

And then we met this lady and WOW IS SHE COOL. 

She is evanjelik and like ooh she just loved learning about what we were teaching and wanted to learn so much more and asked tons of questions and PLUS her baby is adorable.

OOOOH I wish I could tell you more but I don't have much time, But just know that I am doing wonderful and I love seeing miracles. 

and I see miracles everyday! Its GREAT!!

Okay have a wonderful week

Sestra Madison Jane Ratcliffe

Okay no more goodbyes after this

Don't worry it looks like I'm cross-eyed, but I am just crying. The Branch President and his wife

Girl we tech

More goodbyes

 The millers

 The Branch

GOODBYES>

 Sister Burdigova

I know you only read my emails for the pictures. LOL

 A few of us at the Bowling partayyy Last week

Playing Catch-up

These are all pictures from last week when we went to the "bible" opera

T..T..T..TRANFERS

So here I am on a Saturday night and we get a phone call from the AP's. 

Sister Ratcliffe...BLAH BLAH BLAH SMALL TALK.... you are leaving Kosice and going to Bratislava with Sister Russell! WOW that was unexpected. I thought I was going to be in Kosice FOREVER!

Oh how the Lord has his own plans!
So I got up super early this morning at 4:00 to get on a train to get to Blava. 

Friends, It was insane how sad I was to leave. I felt like I had my heart ripped out and then left it in Kosice. But you know what? I know that the lord has plans for me, and I will love the people in Bratislava just as much as I will love the people in Kosice.

Before I left, the week didn't end there. 

Last week was completely wild. We had culture night where we go out one night and do something cultural. We went to an opera about the bible. THERE WERE SO MANY NUNS! We couldn't help but laugh. After the opera ended our senior couple turned to Sister Parsons and said, "I don't remember that story being in the bible." LOL It was such a fun experience though! and the pictures do not do it justice. That building is incredible. Unfortunately I just realized that my camera is packed in my bag so you won't get to see it until next week. Prepáčte.

Oh I also gave a talk in church on my last day. That was a joy. Crying in front of 15 people with them all staring straight at me. Don't worry I composed myself.

Wow I am drawing a BLANK as to what happened this week...

OH! We had our branch bowling party. I bowled like a solid 70.

Melissa is probably so disappointed. LOL

Well Obviously I can't even remember last week. So sorry everyone. I will bring my planner next week so I can remember! LOL. Have a wonderful week. I will talk to you all next week.

Sestra Ratcliffe