Tomas Update: Week 13 in Žilina

Ahojte všetci! Another exciting, eventful week out here in žilina. Hopefully I can remember all the stuff that’s happened.

Okay right off the bat, on Tuesday we took our first bus trip here to meet a guy from Facebook who 3d printed us some tie hangers. It was like a super quick transaction and we didn’t end up talking to him but I was super happy to get those and also put myself out there in a way related to what I love. I’ll throw some pictures of the hangers on the photos – my tie collection takes up like half the space it used to and doesn’t fall off the hangers like it used to.

Wednesday was pretty chill aside from like all 10 people we called throughout the day didn’t pick up. That usually doesn’t happen so it was weird. That night we packed up and headed out to Trenčín to spend the next day there with the elders. The train was pretty uneventful, sometimes you get some weird people on trains but lately it’s been quiet. One time though we did have the ticket checker guy come by and tell us we must be confused because Jesus already had a church. Missed opportunity probably but we will likely see him again. 

Okay Thursday we were in Trenčín all day, I was with Elder Osborne (who was trained by the same elder as me so we are technically “brothers” as we treat training like raising a child for some reason??). Anyways, the biggest thing we did that day was go pondelokking. (Update: I have since been informed that the name is “panelák” and not “pondelok”. My bad.) So basically a pondelok is one of those copy and paste socialist apartment buildings that are everywhere, a ton of people live in them. We don’t really knock doors like in the states-except in the pondeloks. There’s a method to getting in: ring literally all the bells and then rub your hand on the speaker and mic, and someone will let you in. Not sure if the hand thing does anything but I’m keeping it just in case. Anyways, in the pondeloks there’s like 0 windows and a few apartments per floor, so you go to the top and then make your way down knocking doors. Also just kinda inside those windowless, usually dark hallways is weird. Usually people turn you away fairly fast, sometimes they say weird stuff. Thankfully everyone we saw was fully clothed but I’ve heard stories of the opposite happening. People for real just open the door regardless of what they are (or aren’t) wearing. One guy told us to go bother other normal people, we weren’t sure if that meant he was like not normal or something else. Another guy told us the whole building is catholic and to go try somewhere else. Also we met a deaf woman and unfortunately I don’t know any sign language so we tried our best to understand, although the message of “go away” is pretty universal. The other building we tried had windows which was cool, also when we got to the top we realized that there were two other guys knocking doors as well – initially we thought they were Jehova’s Witnesses but they turned out to be some sort of dental salesmen?? Anyways we talked to them to find out what works because they literally made a sale after us watching them talk for 10min, and the guy goes “we are trying for different things but it’s all in your mindset. Be positive” and we went about our way. What a crazy day. That night we made halušky too which is a classic dish (peasant food is perfect for a missionary budget).

Okay after that crazy day, Friday consisted of a lot of calling people back who didn’t pick up, same with Saturday. Nothing crazy those days although there was one woman who was super positive first call, then two days later asked us to not call her again – she probably Googled us and decided against us. It happens but it is her call in the end so no big deal. Saturday we also had game night and played Catan with one of our friends, Peter, and it came down to a super close almost 4 way tie at the end. Peter won (and it was his first time playing!)

Sunday was branch conference, none of our actual žilina members could make it except over zoom but that’s fair. We had lunch afterwards with all the people from Banská Bystrica which was fun. Then a chill rest of the day although the sky looked kinda weird in the evening for some reason. 

That brings us to today, we just headed to Trenčín and did a little hike, got vaguely lost, and ended up not making it to the top but we got cool pictures in some random hillside fields, a pretty small town church, and explored an airsoft field. That’s about it.

Okay, pictures link as usual:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qYoYaKPmkqFZHoVM7

I finished my black and white film so expect pictures from that soon!

Hope you’re all well!

Love you all, 

Starší Cundick 

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