I guess we'll stay

This has been a week full of frustrations and disappointments.  If the mission president had called and said "Gee, we've overbooked the mission and we're asking for volunteers to leave... Here's $200 and a free plane ride home" we would have been first in line.  But of course he didn't and we had a long talk with ourselves Saturday morning.  We know all missionaries have these days or weeks, even the senior missionaries.  This too shall pass.  So I guess we'll stay.

Perhaps I spoke too soon.  I was just interrupted by a phone call with awful news.  One of our branch members has died.  We have been working with him, preparing him to receive the priesthood.  He is a sweet man who suffered from PTSD from his service during the war.  He lost his family because of the PTSD and dependence on medications for the symptoms.  He had stopped the drugs awhile ago, had started paying his tithing and committed to stop smoking by April 1.  John took him grocery shopping on Monday and he was in good spirits.  The Elders had an appointment with him Tuesday but he didn't answer the door.  One of us had been over or tried to contact him every day since.  We decided if he didn't come to church today we would go over and ask the landlord to open the door.  His home teacher, Brother Rhees took the Elders today and asked the landlord to check.  He looked through a back window and could see he was dead.  They didn't go in but called the police and the church attorney.  We don't know any family to call and not sure what happens next.  It is times like this that we dislike being the ones in charge.

Sorry for the downer.  Missionaries aren't supposed to tell their families the bad parts until after they return home.  But sometimes we just need to vent a little bit, too.

We did have a couple lovely spring days this week.  We took some long walks through neighborhoods we haven't yet explored.  Many folks have been out working in their gardens and cleaning up their yards.  They just burn the old twigs, leaves, branches and vines they cut back.  Our next door neighbor was burning in his yard; I looked up the hill and saw three more fires going.

Our neighbor burning his garden vines and branches

On Friday we met the Tuzla Elders halfway between Tuzla and Sarajevo.  They were out of Sacrament cups so we took them a supply.  We - mostly they - timed it so we met at lunch time and treated them to lunch.  They said they enjoyed the social aspect of meeting us so they could speak a little English and have a regular conversation with someone other than their companion.  They are good missionaries and doing a good job taking care of their responsibilities.

Our Elders called us last night around 9:00 pm to tell us their CO2 detectors have been beeping.  They have one by the front entry and one in their bedroom.  A few days ago only one was beeping so they covered it with pillows until it stopped (they're only 19 remember).  They went on exchanges to Banja Luka for three days and when they returned to the apartment yesterday, they both were going off.  We told them to open windows and pack an overnight bag.  We couldn't reach the landlady so we brought them to our house for a sleepover.  They can't have the gas checked until sometime next week so I guess we have roommates for awhile.

I'm having trouble getting this written today.  Our young Sisters and Elders are all so upset.  We went to get the Sisters and brought them home with us.  We talked for a long time and fed them dinner.  Then the Elders arrived, one too upset to eat anything.  I'm sure this is the first time in their young lives they have experienced or been involved with a death and with this one under suspicious circumstances, they are struggling.  We are all feeling guilty that we didn't do more or sooner or whatever it might have been.

Looking forward to a better week.  We are grateful to know what happens when we leave this world, grateful for our Savior and the Atonement, grateful to have known Fadil even for a short time.  We know he is being loved and taken care of now.