My name is Elly Bjork and I am from River Falls. I grew up going to St. Bridget’s, where I first encountered the love of Jesus. After I graduated from high school, I served with NET Ministries. I learned a lot about the gift of community life and surrounding yourself with people who want to love and serve Jesus. I attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. After my summer of serving with Totus Tuus in the Diocese of Superior in 2023, I started to notice a desire in my heart for religious life. That desire continued to grow as I spent time praying in front of The Blessed Sacrament and going to daily Mass. Once I graduated, I knew I wanted to take time to more intentionally discern my vocation.
I served as a missionary with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. They have a nine-month program for young women who are discerning religious life. It is an opportunity for girls to live alongside the sisters and work in their apostolate of serving the poor. The program provides a chance for women to enter into a life of greater simplicity with fewer distractions and to strengthen their prayer life so they can come to know how to best make a gift of themselves to the Lord in their vocation. It was an incredible opportunity to grow in greater awareness of myself and the ways that the Lord works in my own heart. The program ended in May. I am continuing to discern with specific women’s religious communities and watching to see where our good Lord leads.
In this past year, I have come to know the faithful heart of Jesus and the sweetness of his love. I know that wherever he leads, it will be a place of great peace and deep joy!
