10/14 & 10/ 21

Jordan seems to be having more success lately in Croatia! He was made district leader and was stressed about it and didn't think he would do a good job but we have received a few messages from different people telling us what a great missionary Jordan is and how well he is doing. He is just too hard on himself! In his e-mail on the 14th he was very happy to report that 21 people had signed up for their English class. He really likes these classes because not only does he get to teach people English and hopefully share the Gospel with them, but he can also practice his Croatian!

They got an investigator named Zahid who accepted a baptismal date for the 23rd, of November but he has to stop drinking by today (the 23rd of October) as of this past Monday the 21st, he hadn't stopped because his best friend was killed in a car accident so he had a drink. We are really excited to hear from Jordan next Monday to see if he was able to stop drinking! They had a really great lesson with him this past week about the Atonement and he got very emotional while they were watching a movie on the crucifixion. It sounds like he is really accepting the Gospel.

Jordan had an exchange with a missionary named Elder Mecham who is going home next month so he really helped Jordan out a lot and gave him some great advice. He told Jordan that is he just does his best, the Lord will make up for the rest. That really made Jordan think and helped him get through his week. Elder Mecham and Jordan got a referral from the sisters that they followed up on this past week. This man is in his 60's and his wife died last year. Elder Mecham knows the language very well so they were able to have a conversation with him about the plan of salvation. He said he would come to church on Sunday to see how it felt but he is also now a new investigator for them.

He did have one thing that discouraged him this week and it really upset me as well. They were at a members home and when it came time for the Elders to give a spiritual thought he struggled with the language to get his testimony out. The members weren't kind about it and kept telling him to try it in English and maybe they will understand it. He says the members there aren't super nice and they really aren't helpful with the language. This really made me mad! I wish they could understand that this young boy is thousands of miles from home trying to learn multiple foreign languages and is working very hard. It makes me mad but all I can do is pray for him and hope it gets better.

Jordan got to go to a national park and he took a lot of pictures so I will post them below! Please please please continue to pray for Jordan!! I know they are helping him and I know he would appreciate it.

Plitvica: Craotian National Park

Monday October 7th, 2013

Jordan is all settled in Croatia! He was immediately made district leader and is companions with Elder Bursell from Parker, Colorado. He is a little stressed out since he himself is so new and now he is with someone who is even newer than him! But he is excited to be in Croatia and get back to learning that language better. 

Jordan told us a cool story about his first week in Croatia, here it is: 

"We were looking through our area book this week and found a husband and a wife that were investigating in 2008. We decided to go and visit them. Once we finally found where he lived we asked this guy if he knew where Branko lived. He told us he was Branko and told us we could go in. He already had a book of mormon but ended up becoming a new investigator. Looking through the area book does work." 

We are super excited for Jordan to be in Croatia and we are hoping he is also! Here are some pictures he took in Bosnia before he was transferred: 

And here are some of his new area Karlovac Croatia: 

Transfer!

Jordan is going to Croatia! He left Bosnia today for a city called Karlovac, Croatia. He seems really excited... I know my family and I are excited as well! He originally learned Croatian in the MTC and it seemed to come more naturally to him than Bosnian, so we are hoping this lifts his spirits a little! He will be getting a new companion also. He said his companion will either have been in the field for 6 weeks or 9 weeks! He is a little stressed about that but I think he will be a great teacher. We are excited to hear more about his new area when we get our e-mails next Monday. Keep Jordan in your prayers as he travels to Croatia today!

September 16th, 2013

Jord had another hard week, but his e-mail seemed more upbeat then previous ones! They had a barbecue which he enjoyed very much because 43 people came and some were investigators. Also, he did an Elder exchange and he said that made him appreciate having Elder Fausnaught as a companion even more haha. He got to drive a car for the first time since he was been gone and he said it was really weird! Jordan and Elder Fausnaught are teaching a man named Dan who speaks English and believes in God, but does not like the pravoslav religion. He is confident they will be able to teach him the gospel and he successful!

There are some couple missionaries in Jordans last area (The Winters) who really look out for Jordan and send us pictures of him and cook him dinner. Last week, Sister Winters e-mail my mom the following:

" I keep getting the impression that I should write you to let you know how safe I feel in Bosnia. I know they had a horrible senseless war here, but the people are some of the best in the world. I go out for walks by myself  every morning when I can and everyone smiles and tells me "Jutro." Please know that Jordan is safe here and helping with the beginning of the church in this part of the world. The Lord only calls his best young men and young ladies to this mission. It is hard to let them. go for two years but it really does go quickly. He always has a smile on his face when we see him and is doing a great job :)"

We were so grateful to hear this from her! Bosnia is so far away and has such a history of war so we always worry about Jord! Since Jordan has been having such a hard week, my mom sent him some things hoping to build his confidence and make him a little more happy:

While I was sitting at church today, I was trying to think of something I should say that would help you have a good week and not be homesick and worry about us. The scripture we found for your mission plaque came to my mind...Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation. D&C 31:3. I really think that finding that scripture for your mission plaque was meant to be. It was what Heavenly Father had in mind for you. And as I was reading that scripture today, I noticed that the whole section 31 applies to you and your mission. I hope you will read it today and see what I mean. It is written for a man named Thomas B. Marsh who was called to serve a mission. He was worried about leaving his family and other things you have been worried about. I substituted your name for his name when I read it....it's only 13 verses, but I skipped a few parts..

1.Jordan, my son, blessed are you because of your faith in my work. 2. Behold you have had many afflictions because of your family; nevertheless, I will bless you and your family....3. Lift up your heart and rejoice for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation...4. you shall begin to preach from this time forth..to reap in the field which is white already to be burned...5. therefore thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you...wherefore your family shall live...6. go from them (your family) for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them..7. yea I will open  the hearts of the people (in Bosnia) and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand; 8. And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered..9. Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile...10. you shall be a physician unto the church..11. Go your way..and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and wither you shall go..12. Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward 13. Be faithful unto the end (of your mission) and lo, I am with you...

Please keep Jordan in your prayers this week!

September 9th, 2013- Finally!

Sorry it took so long to post something! I was having some technical difficulties with the blog but I finally got it figured out! I will be posting about Jordan's e-mails from 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26, 9/2 AND today, 9/9.

So Jordan is still in Bosnia, but he is in a new area called Banja Luka. Banja Luka is the second biggest city in Bosnia and it is also the Republic of Serbia so that means he is now on his third language!! Poor kid right? His ward is a little bigger there though with a grand total of 10 active members! A couple of them speak English though so that really helps Jord out a lot.

Jordan went out to eat with Elder Fausnaught and the sister missionaries a few weeks ago when they got to their new area and they all got soooo sick! When Jord and Elder Faunaught were feeling better that night they were able to go over to the sisters house and give them a blessing. I am glad Jordan has these little testimony builders here and there to keep his spirits up!

I was able to report good news to Jordan last night because the Rams won their first regular season game against the Cardinals! He was very happy to hear this, especially because I sent him a very detailed e-mail all about the game :) Jordan has started back up on his English classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights. They only have 3 students and 2 of them are members but they went and passed out 400 fliers so hopefully they can get more people to come to the classes so they can introduce them to the gospel as well!

One thing that has been really tough the past month is that Jordan is very very homesick. He is having a hard time trying to learn in 3rd language in less than 5 months and he is missing everyone very badly. He keeps saying that this is the hardest thing he has ever done and he feels like his mouth is taped shut. It is hard for him because not only is no one interested when they go knock on doors, but he also has a hard time communicating with these people. He said the spirit is such a comforter to him but PLEASE keep him in your prayers! I know they help him a ton and he needs as many as he can get right now. If you would like to, you can send letters to the mission home in Croatia.
The address is:

Crkva Isusa Krista spd
Svacicev Trg 3
Zagreb 10000
Hrvatska

I'm sure he would love to hear from anyone and handwritten letters are always appreciated :)

One of Jordan's favorite things... Bowling!! 

Preparing the pig for dinner :) 

Rocket Burger with the mission president! 

Monday July 22nd & July 29th

July 22nd: Sorry I am so behind on Jordan's blog! I was in New York for a week on a vacation with the girls in my family and then this past week I got engaged so I have been a little busy! Jasmina was baptized! Elder Sheridan ended up baptizing her and then all the Elders sang a song. Jasmina was very happy and she said that was the best thing she has ever done! With her baptism that makes 8 members in his ward :)

Jordan said zone conference went really well. They did a lot of role playing and he said it helped him a lot and he will be able to help investigators with more problems they have now. He is still working very hard on grammar and memorizing vocabulary words and he is getting better. It is still hard for him to understand what people are saying but he is getting the hang of it! Before Jordan left on his mission, he was going to the gym everyday and getting really buff! I asked him how that was going for him and he said he eats cereal pretty much every day and doesn't work out a ton so he is a little worried ;)


July 29th: Jordan was transferred! He is now in a place called Banja Luka, Bosnia. He is companions with Elder Fausnaught again! He was a little worried about that because they are both brand new to the language but he says he is very excited to be back with him! They're new apartment does not have AC and it has been close to the 100's the entire week, so he is trying to get used to that! At the end of my e-mail Jord said him and Elder Fausnaught were leaving to go bowling! He LOVED bowling when he was home (he has his own bowling shoes) and apparently the bowling alley they were going to is very nice so I am sure that was very fun for him :)

Monday July 15th

Jordan had a great week! He did an exchange with a missionary named elder Sheridan on who has only been out of the MTC for 3 months so he said that was very crazy trying to talk to people! They were able to give Jasmina her baptismal interview but then she called them the next day and said she had smoked so they had to call it off for now but hopefully they can baptize her in a few weeks! Jord is still talking with the Grandpa of the family they met a few weeks ago, his name is Osmo. He seems very interested still and Jordan is hopeful that he will want to be converted! They also have some other investigators that seem very interested. One investigator named Sanja is hoping to get baptized on August 27th! They only had 9 people at church on Sunday but there were 6 missionaries, 2 investigators and 1 member so they are really trying to get their numbers up. Jordan gave a talk about the Holy Ghost in Bosnian and really hoped that everyone could understand him!

Jordan told me that they met a tourist from Florida and that she took a picture with him and his companion so I decided to look on instagram and see if I could find the picture and I did! I love when people post stuff about my brother and I am so thankful for modern technology so I can see stuff like this!!