Our mission just keeps changing and getting better!
One evening in early July, while riding through the streets of Antalya on a wild taxi ride with no seat belts on, we learned that we are no longer serving in the Adriatic North Mission.
We have been reassigned!
We are now assigned to the European Central Turkic
and Persian-Speaking Mission.
Our new mission covers 8 countries:
Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Türkmenistan, Tajikistan, and
Turkic and Persian speaking people in Germany, Switzerland, & Austria.
Yes, you may need to check a map like we did!
Due to Turkish visa laws we will still need to rotate into Croatia and other countries during our time when we can't be in Türkiye. We will continue to serve in our old mission at these times by continuing Humanitarian work, supporting a District, working on Self Reliance, attending Devotionals, and attending Zone Conferences. So we are still part of the Adriatic North Mission, too. YAY!
How many missionaries can say they serve in
TWO missions at the same time?
We think we have the two best missions to be serving in!
It's summer!!
Gelato on the 4th of July in Zagreb. Our favorite flavor is Stracciatella.
Elder Bates floating in the Mediterranean.
(Senior missionaries are allowed to swim. No rules broken by this faithful elder!)
The beautiful beach near our apartment.
A wonderful day on a boat ride with Matt.
It's hot! Even the evenings!
(94 degrees at midnight)
This is how they cook meat in restaurants.
The chef carves the meat off using a special knife.
The Turks love their meat!
Beef, lamb, and chicken are usually served with grilled tomatoes, peppers, and a side of yogurt.
You don't find pork in Türkiye.
(That means there's no bacon here, Brielle!)
But we do have some delicious meals. Here's a couple of delicious dishes:
Salad made by Aynur
Restaurant food
The meal above was handmade by my lovely friend Fatma, standing next to me below.
We had a bit of trepidation watching this woman
stand on the outside of her windowsill to wash the windows.
Now you can see why our hands were sweating.....this is her apartment!
Always a joyful day - Baptism day of Rubina and Berk!
Rubina in her beautiful Pakistani clothing.
One Sunday after Elders Quorum
(6 members, 4 friends)
We find that no one wants to leave after church. They love being together.
We have been asked to help with the Europe Central Area Employment Services. Elder Bates teaches a Workshop every Tuesday evening on one of four topics: Resumes, Interviewing, Career Development, and Networking. He is a very popular teacher! Our students (all on zoom) come from Spain, India, Latvia, France, and Italy.
But the picture above is not from a workshop! It's from his "AJS" Group (Active Job Search Group) that Elder Bates facilitates every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Job seekers gather, have a spiritual thought to start their day, set some goals, be accountable for yesterday's goals, and help each other with job leads and tips. We also pray for one another. Again, it's very popular and Elder Bates is very loved and appreciated!
Interviews have been coming to these people, and we hope to see a job placement soon!
We walked into a restaurant one day and the waitress couldn't stop smiling at me and hugging me! We couldn't speak much to one another so I'm not sure if she thought I was someone else, or what was going on, but it was kind of funny!
This statue is in the middle of a busy round-about we go through often.
This is the sign at the hotel every Sunday telling people where to find church.
("LDS Association Meeting
Ballroom Room B")
At the spur of the moment we held a YSA (GBY in Turkish) activity at our home. It was so much fun with lots of good laughs, good food, and some pretty serious Uno!
We also made a couple of trips back to Zagreb this month.
Elder Bates attaching the sign in one of the two kitchens
that the church remodeled for the two Zagreb Refugee Centers.
The sign says,
"Donated by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and the Croatian Red Cross"
We are proud of this project and we have already heard how these
fully functioning kitchens are blessing the lives of these displaced refugees.
They go there to warm up food, cook a meal, make cultural comfort food, and socialize.
"And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted."
D&C 52:40
......and don't forget the HUNGRY!
We had our District over for lunch before District Meeting.
We love being with the missionaries!
One of my favorite paintings:
"We must know Christ better than we know him;
we must remember him more often than we remember him;
we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him.
Then we will drink water springing up unto life
and will eat the bread of life."
President Howard W. Hunter
We are in airports alot these days, mainly flying from Antalya, Türkiye to Zagreb, Croatia on Turkish Air. If you saw our calendar you would wonder how we do it.....rarely fully unpacking a suitcase, switching time zones, switching languages, switching apartments, sometimes having a car and sometimes not. Well, I can tell you how we do it: We are on an errand for our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our "third" companion and He gives us strength, endurance, good sleep, good health, and miracles big and small all along the way. We have seen His Hand in so many ways.
I take this with me:
And quote this:
"Wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,
having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men."
2 Nephi 31:20
God Be With You Till We Meet Again.... Tanri Yaninda Olsun Senin!
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