A slow week in Sarajevo

We so enjoyed watching General Conference last weekend and getting the spiritual boost we needed.  We get to have another day of conference on April 15, when we will watch the Sunday sessions with the Branch.  It will be interesting to return home and see how all of the changes have been implemented.  We have been ministering here (no Home or Visiting teaching) and we all meet together for the second hour (priesthood, Melchizedek and Aaronic, and Relief Society) so we won't experience much change here for now.

On Tuesday we took a few hours off to visit some local museums.  There is great history associated with each of them.

The Despic House

The house belonged to the wealthy Orthodox Christian Despić family, who donated it to the city along with another property now housing the Museum of Literature and Performing Arts (we did not visit that museum).  The house is noted as the venue for the city's first theater performances and is regarded as the precursor of modern theater in the area.  The house was established as a merchant house in 1881.  The Despićs were one of the wealthiest and most prominent Serbian families in Sarajevo.  It offers a good insight into the way of life during that period.

Original Brusa Bezistan building

We would not have recognized this building.  Of course we can't see the roof tops but it is right in Old Town and hardly noticeable unless you are looking for it.  This substantial building was erected in 1551 by Rustem Pasha, Grand Vizier (high official in some Muslim countries, especially Turkey under Ottoman rule) of Suleyman the Magnificent.  It was used for selling the silk that Pasha himself produced.  It was badly damaged during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo.  Following extensive repairs, it became part of the Sarajevo museum system and houses archaeological finds documenting area history.  The domes are used to store archive documents and sicils (court records).

Jewish Museum

The Museum of the Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina is housed in the oldest synagogue in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  It was built in 1581, so the Jewish people have a centuries old presence here.  Entering the synagogue feels a little like stepping into a different, sheltered world.  Particular attention is devoted to the suffering of the Jews during World War II.

Book listing Jewish victims

This huge book hangs from the ceiling of an upper floor and lists all the Jews by name who lost their lives during conflicts in Bosnia, including WWII.

One more to go and your history lessons will be done for the day.  Our last stop was the War Childhood Museum.  It has only been open since January 2017.  The founder, who was a child during the Bosnian war, authored a book first and the museum evolved from there.  The museum's collections feature diaries, toys, photographs, items of clothing and a variety of other objects donated by child survivors of the war.  All the items are presented alongside first-person recollections from the individuals who donated them.  In addition to the items, you can listen to testimonies and read snippets from oral history interviews.  It was all very touching.

War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo

Sorry, that photo isn't very clear.  That happens sometimes when you borrow a photo from another website.

What a difference a little sunshine makes.  Saturday we went downtown to celebrate Sister Icke's birthday.  The actual day is today but since we can't really celebrate on Sunday we took the missionaries to lunch Saturday.  There were so many people walking about, enjoying the sun.  Sarajevo has a "café culture" and folks love to sit outside to drink coffee and smoke.  If a formal sitting area isn't there, they'll drag a box or old chair, whatever, outside to sit.  We see lots of gardens being tilled and hoed.  Makes us want to work in our yard and garden boxes at home.

Sister Icke with Sister Heder, showing off her sauerkraut 

Sister Icke is from Germany and mentioned once that she hadn't seen any sauerkraut here.  So that's what we gave her for her birthday.  She didn't seem to mind the gag gift.  Now if we could only find some good brats to go with it...

We tried a new place called Cakum-Pakum (sock-oom, pock-oom).  It is a pancake and pasta place and is so cute.  It's very small, only 8 tables.  We were the only ones in the restaurant for awhile.  When they say pancakes here they really mean crepes.  I had a chicken and mushroom stuffed pancake that was quite tasty.  We invited Brother Lott to have lunch with us, too.

Birthday lunch at Cakum-Pakum

Cute décor at Cakum-Pakum

Saturday evening we went with the Sisters to visit a branch member who lives 30 minutes outside the city.  We were told she is the strongest member in our branch but she has not been to church since we arrived (hope that isn't the reason).  She doesn't speak a lot of English but with translation we had a good visit.  She promised to come to church April 15.  The Orthodox celebrate Easter today and her elderly mother is not well so she couldn't come today.  We did have a college professor touring with Arizona State University visit the Branch today.  Also another embassy worker that will be back in July with her husband for a 2-year stay.

Enjoy your Sabbath - our day is almost over.  We are continually shown that Heavenly Father loves all His children, no matter where they are, and He wants us all to return home to Him.