This is the third and final article that is a part of a series that chronicles both my educational and life journey during the 2010s. My last decade started with a high school graduate’s desire to become a pro-soccer player, and ended with a master’s degree from a prominent college in the USA and many wonderful opportunities. But above all, during this decade, I found a purpose and passion in life. I hope this article will inspire you to reflect on and record memories, lessons and principles that have marked your last decade. If you want to read the first article that covers years 2010 to 2012, you can find it here. The second article that covers years 2013 to 2015 can be found here.
2016
An elderly lady from our local church ward in Bolton asked us missionaries to help her build a concrete ramp at her front door. She got a mobility scooter, and she needed a ramp to be able to drive into her house. I was a little nervous about taking on this project, but I worked construction with my dad and felt capable of building a ramp. I told one of the missionaries to buy sand and cement. He spent the whole lady’s budget on just cement bags. When I asked him why he did this, he said that in the US, sand, and cement come premixed in one bag. We were in crisis, and the stakes were high. I didn’t want the elderly lady to scream at me. I needed heaven’s help more than ever before. I needed a miracle. I went to the backyard and found some gravel. This was landscaping gravel, and it wasn’t meant for building. I used it anyway and built a solid, functioning ramp. Since we didn’t have a concrete mixer, we manually mixed the mortar on the ground. It was a work of curious workmanship. The Lord didn’t fail me.
The mission president asked me to get a driver’s license. I was terrified because I’ve never driven before. What made it worse was the fact that due to my missionary schedule, I could take only five driving lessons. My instructor was a cheerful lady who taught me how to use the manual gear stick and make my first driving steps. The theory test was easy, I studied for it for only a couple hours and passed it, but I was horrified when I heard that driving test in the UK is among the most difficult in the world. Reading the Book of Mormon before the test didn’t help me pass for the first three times, but the fourth time I passed it — probably because I forgot to turn off the radio and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sung through the whole ride.
My examiner was the same lady who failed me the third time after I almost got in a wreck because I was turning right when the oncoming traffic had priority (remember that in the UK people drive on the left side of the road). Getting a driver’s license in the UK is one of the greatest miracles in my life because I only had about 15 hours of driving experience. Whether it was building a ramp or learning to drive, I was helped along the way.
In the spring, we met some young people in Bolton town center and went to their church. This is what I wrote in my journal that evening:
Went to King’s Church which is on Bury Rd. Their pastor is a funny man who preached how God is the most misunderstood being in the whole universe. He also told a story about a pastor who was asked to give a lesson to youth about sex in the Bible, to help them understand what the Bible says about sex. He told his friend who asked him to give a talk that he’ll put it in his planner, but he didn’t want to write “sex” in his planner, so he wrote “sailing”. The night before the lesson, his friend called to remind him that he is giving a lesson. The pastor wasn’t there, so his wife answered the phone. She took his planner and then told his friend how her husband doesn’t know anything about that subject. She said: “He only did it twice. The first time he was very sick. The second time wind blew off his hat”. 😂
When I moved to Stockport, my friend Sasha gave me driving lessons. Once a person passes a theory test in the UK, they get a provisional driver’s license, which allows them to drive as long as they have someone in the car who has had a valid UK driver’s license for at least the last five years. Sasha met the legal requirements and generously offered to drive around with me. She thought me to parallel park and reverse around the corner. If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve probably never gotten that license.
During my first days in Stockport, I was exposed to the Chinese language and cuisine. My companion was an American who spoke Mandarin, so he taught me a couple of phrases. He also shared some bold Szechuan spices. Too much for my sensitive tongue. My next companion was from Taiwan, and he taught me how to make a sweet-and-sour chicken from scratch.
The summer came, and I was disappointed that I would miss the European Championship that was played in France. However, the church members in Stockport provided a satisfactory alternative. They played every other week at Sports Village in Woodley, an excellent football facility with multiple soccer fields. My companion loved soccer, and he wanted me to help him improve his skills. He improved a lot in just one month.
One day, I felt terrible pain in my lower jaw that was shooting into my head. I can’t recall if I ever felt more pain. I went to the dentist and found that I had a root canal infection. A couple of years earlier, my dentist in Bosnia inserted fillings too deep into one of my molars, which caused an infection. Fortunately, we found Muhammad, a really good dentist in Manchester who fixed the molar and cleaned the root canal.
During Christmas, we caroled in a senior care center close to our chapel. Missionaries from Macclesfield joined us. Our choir consisted of missionaries from Spain, Germany, Australia, Utah, Arizona, and Bosnia. During this time, sister missionaries introduced me to a guy with Polish roots who would buy us hot chocolate at Funky Monkey. When we offered to pay, he told us: “No, no. This is Eastern European hospitality.” He was right.
A couple of days before Christmas, I moved to Oldham, a place where I would finish my mission. I was sad to leave Stockport because I had to leave my friends. Some the friendships I’ve gained in Stockport will impact me for life and eternity.
2017
In Oldham, I met new friends, Debbie and Ian. Debbie was baptized a month before I got to Oldham, so we spent time teaching her post-baptism lessons. As a Christmas gift, Debbie bought me a certificate that grants me a square foot of land at one castle in Scotland. That day, I became a Laird of Bosnia. Ian wasn’t a member of the Church, but he was very kind to us. We had great discussions about life, music, traveling, and literature. He’s an excellent cook, and he made feasts for us.
I invited 40 missionaries to hike Indian’s Head at Dove Stone. We all made it to the top. I also went on a hike to Snowdonia in Wales with the mission president and several other missionaries. I’m dying to go there again.
I spent many days with missionaries in Oldham’s town center, talking to people and sharing the Book of Mormon. We had a huge banner that outlined the plan of salvation, and we spoke to everyone. I met too many people that believed in the flat-earth theory.
We took sacrament to my friend Amy, who had undergone surgery. After my companion and I blessed the bread and water and passed it to this lady and her family, she started laughing, telling me that the blessing sounded as if it was pronounced by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I guess I do sound a little like the mighty Arnold.
My friend Hannah made an amazing Bosnian-flag cake for my birthday, and we had a nice birthday party at the chapel. One of my favorite birthday parties ever.
Hannah took me and Elder Kaonohi (Pene) to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium for a tour. The guide played a video about City’s historic title in 2012. Edin Džeko, one of the greatest Bosnian players, scored the second goal in a thrilling game against Queens Park Rangers. Sergio Agüero scored the third goal in injury time, and City won the first league title since 1968. City was founded by the members of St. Mark’s Church of England, as a way to curb local gang violence and alcoholism.
I got into my first car accident. The rain was pouring on a very dark evening, and as I was pulling out to turn right, I heard my companion yell, and then we both felt a strong hit that spun the car. The car that hit us then drove off. Its front lights were off when it hit us, and that’s why I didn’t see it. Fortunately, neither I nor Pene were injured, and the car damage wasn’t too bad.
I again found opportunities to play soccer. I played with Hannah’s husband and his friends. He was a professional soccer player who scored 12 goals in one game. I think he still holds the record.
After two years of transformative experiences and miracles, I finished my mission. I’ve served with missionaries from every continent. From Australia to Europe, to Americas and Africa. I’ve seen people find hope and healing through the power of the gospel. As I tried my best to help and serve others, my life was transformed. It is true that if we lose our lives in service to others, we will find our own life. We will find ourselves. Thinking back, I don’t have any regrets about my service in the England Manchester Mission.
Coming home to Bosnia was tough because I needed to adjust to a completely different set of circumstances. As a missionary, my only purpose was to study, serve, and teach the gospel. However, life outside of the mission is far more complex. I had no money, a degree that couldn’t get me a well-payed job, and I was the only young member of the Church in my area. I also missed my friends in England and the US, and I felt very lonely. But instead of focusing on my circumstances, I decided to get involved with our local branch and started helping missionaries find and teach people.
I wanted more education, so I applied for LDS Business College, a church college based in Salt Lake City. Many people close to me were skeptical about my plans, but I had a couple of friends who supported me and helped me apply. I submitted my application, and two weeks later the college notify me that I got in. Of course, I didn’t have money to cover the costs of tuition, but my mentor from the US helped me pay for it. If it wasn’t for him and his spouse, I wouldn’t make it to the US. Soon I got the student visa, and I was waiting for my flight to the promised land.
While I was waiting for the semester to start, I worked with LDS Charities on two projects. The first project involved providing training to teachers in Bosnia who worked with children with disabilities, and after that, I went to a school in some village around Zvornik, where LDS Charities had helped bring water to the school. They donated about 2 miles of pipes that were then installed through a hill. I translated for both projects.
After saying goodbye to friends and family, I embarked on a two-day journey to the USA. My flight was from Zagreb, and to get there I took a bus. After an eight-hour bus ride, I stayed in Zagreb for a day with a missionary couple and then took a plane to Munich. There, I had a 16-hour layover, so I slept at the airport, or at least I tried sleeping (Munich airport has very uncomfortable benches). Finally, I got on a plane to Seattle, and from there to Salt Lake.
For the first month, I lived in an apartment next to the University of Utah. I was on a tight budget, so instead of spending money on bus tickets, I walked to my classes, which took about 50 minutes. My roommate was none other than my trainer from the mission in England, Luke McDowell, from South Africa. He also decided to study at LDS Business College and came to the USA a few days after me.
My friend helped me find a job at the LDS Business College IT Help Desk. I troubleshot college account issues and moved computers for teachers and staff. I took classes in accounting, business management, sales, and English. Classes weren’t hard, but it was difficult to adjust to the rhythm of the US college education. I wasn’t used to having assignments and deadlines every day. In Bosnia and most European countries, students just come to classes for about six weeks, and after that, we take our first exam and then another exam at the end of the semester. Eventually, I got used to doing homework every day.
I got married in November. I met my wife, Megan, in 2014, while she was on a mission in Sarajevo. We stayed in touch throughout my mission, and when I came to the US, we started dating and got married after nine weeks. Megan is the best thing that happened in my life. My mom was able to come to the wedding, and we were able to go to the temple together.
I ended the year preparing for my GRE test because I was applying for a master’s program at BYU Marriott School of Business.
2018
I completed my GRE test and submitted my application. In February, I received a letter of acceptance from BYU. I was excited to start a Master of Public Administration program, which meant that I would spend a total of only two semesters at LDSBC.
I went to Disneyland in LA twice. First, with Megan’s family in May and then in August with just Megan. Disneyland has its magic, but I hate long lines. Megan taught me the intricacies of the fast pass, which made the whole experience way more enjoyable. My favorite rides are Soaring Around the World and Guardians of the Galaxy. Disneyland also introduced me to churros, which I find similar to a traditional Bosnian dessert my grandma would make — tulumbe.
Part of my graduate program was an orientation week in August that involved a three-day retreat to Moab. I was excited to see this place, raft on Colorado river, and learn rock-climbing. During orientation week, I was introduced to my team — four students that I would spend the semester working on all group projects. Our department wanted students to work on teams, so all the first-year students couldn’t have a job and had to take the same classes during the first semester. We all had to take 18.5 credits. After the first day of orientation week, one of our team members decided that the program was not for him, so our team consisted of me and three hard-working, smart students: Sarah, Erin, and Lillian. We got along throughout the semester and helped each other out. It was refreshing to be on a team in an environment that provided time to accomplish meaningful projects.
The reason why I enrolled in the MPA program at BYU was that I wanted to improve educational opportunities in economically and socially distressed Bosnia. MPA program seemed like a great fit because it involved developing managerial, leadership, and analytical skills that could be used in the public sector. I wanted to make a difference in Bosnia, instead of just complaining about the injustices in the government system. However, as my studies continued, I realized that there are many other ways I could accomplish my goal. I didn’t have to lobby the Bosnian government because I realized the power of technology and online education. With so many online resources today, it’s not a matter of changing the educational system; it’s a matter of instilling the culture of learning in people.
Of course, whatever I do and wherever I go, I look for opportunities to play soccer. BYU had an intramural soccer league, and a second-year student introduced me to his team — so I joined and played with them. Overall, the team wasn’t great, but we had a few good players and managed to get to the quarter-finals. I was surprised by the nastiness of some of the teams and players. Saying rude things, kicking, and punching without a ball. These guys could never understand the great writer Albert Camus, who said: “Everything I know about morality and the obligations of men, I owe it to soccer.”
I had to take Statistics class, which made me a little nervous because I had no knowledge in that field. Fortunately, I had a fantastic professor who took the time to explain statistical concepts. She also introduced us to R, a programming language for statistical computing, analysis, and data visualization. This is a point where my life was changed because I realized that I love programming and that I could pick it up quickly. Our class gave us full access to DataCamp, so I spent hours watching tutorials on R.
After successfully finishing my semester, Megan and I went on a trip to Moab.
2019
I finished my second semester at BYU. I took an Economics class, where we used R extensively, which helped me improve my programming skills. Andrew Heiss, the professor that taught Economics in the MPA program, has a website for each of his classes. If you are interested in economy, R, data science, or public policy — here’s the full list of his courses that you can access for free. Another instrumental skill I learned during this semester was Excel automation with VBA.
I applied for a Croatian teacher position at the Missionary Training Center (Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian are the same language, with slight differences comparable to differences between American and British English). I thought a native speaker could help the missionaries pick up on the nuances of a very complex language. I wanted to enable them to teach more effectively in countries where the Church is relatively new. I wanted to ease the anxiety that comes with serving a mission several thousand miles from home.
One interview wasn’t enough for the recruiters (former missionaries who served in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia), so I had to come back again. I spent the entire second interview reading the Book of Mormon with them. A couple of days later, I was told that I didn’t get the job. I guess my language expertise didn’t match one of the non-native speakers who spent 18 to 24 months learning and using the language. However, a week later, I got a call from the MTC, and this time they offered me that same job. Sadly for them, it was too late because I already got a full-time internship with the State of Utah Division of Securities.
My main job at the State of Utah was to help the investigators analyze large amounts of financial data. The Securities Division regulates the investment industry in Utah, and investigators work on fraud cases. If you’ve heard of Bernie Madoff and his massive Ponzi scheme, that’s the type of cases I worked on (of course not that large). I learned to recognize red flags when someone is soliciting an investment. It baffled me that people believed that they would get 100% or 200% return-on-investment within six to twelve months. Then I realized that people also believe that the Earth is flat. I learned that most investment fraud is committed by close friends and family members. These investments result in broken relationships and families, financial hardship, and sometimes suicide.
The Department of Commerce organized a watermelon eating contest, and I volunteered to represent the Division. I didn’t win and didn’t eat watermelon for a while.
My boss offered me to extend the internship, but since I was still waiting for my green card to be approved, I had to stop working in August. I got my green card in November, and I was back at the Division. Then a month later, they offered me a full-time position, which I gladly took, with one more semester before I would graduate.
I run my first half-marathon. My buddy Luke invited me. I finished it under two hours, although I didn’t prepare for it. That day, I slept like a baby. For the next couple of days, my feet were so sore that it was a pain to walk even for five minutes. I thought I’ve messed up my feet forever.
I had some really fun trips this year:
- Universal Studios in Hollywood
- Mesa Verde in Colorado
- Camping in Moab
During the Fall semester, I worked as a teaching assistant for two classes: Organizational Behavior and Experience Design. These jobs helped me become a better teacher. I also played more soccer and went to BYU’s gym often.
I ended the year learning web-development and getting into software engineering. I’m too close to 2019 to have a clear perspective on what was important, but I can see that it has made a great impact on where I’m now in 2020. I started this blog on Medium, and I’m looking forward to writing more and create more helpful content.
The 2010s provided me with great learning and life opportunities. I learned and applied the gospel of Jesus Christ. I volunteered for two years. I’ve changed countries twice. I learned new skills and played soccer with people from all over the world. I learned CSS, JavaScript, VBA, R, Python, Git. Looking back, I wouldn’t change much, except getting into software engineering earlier and more fully utilizing online educational resources. I’m excited to see what this decade will bring. Happy twenties.