Texas!!

March 14, 2012

Hey family!

So it's been a great week this week! Working hard with Elder Hansen. Elder Hansen is a really funny guy! Really hard worker too. He's great! He is from Texas. Just a really great guy.

There are 11 missionaries here in Brno right now, 6 Elders, 3 Sisters and the Martins (senior missionaries here), so it's great! Elder Ozmun is still here in Brno so I get to see him a lot still. There is only 1 branch here in Brno, although in the past, not sure how long ago, but a while ago, there used to be 2. So I'm in a different area right now, so we have new investigators now, and Elder Ozmun and Jones have our old investigators. They are taking really good care of them though.

So I have a lot more to do now since I'm the district leader. And I thought I was busy last transfer! So I have to go to a lot of branch meetings now, and do a lot of other stuff (district meeting), it's been a really good experience so far though, and I'm enjoying it. It's great to be able to serve the missionaries here in Brno!

Our investigators are doing great! Haven't met with all of them yet, but we will get around to it this week! We had 2 investigators at church though which was awesome! One of them said she had a question for us, but from the talk during sacrament meeting, she found her answer! That really helps me see just how important it is to have our investigators attend church. They really feel the spirit there, and find answers to their questions.

There was a baptism here this Saturday too! The Zone Leaders here were teaching this older lady, and she got baptised yesterday! It was a really great experience to see that, and for Elder Hansen to see that too on his first week here in the country! We're inspired to baptise some people ourselves now! Ha, we always are!

Well, hope everyone is doing great back home. Sounds like it's going pretty well though. Love you all a lot and I'm always glad to hear from you! Have a great week everyone!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

Střidání

March 14, 2012

Hi Everyone!!!

So we had a great week! We had transfers and I'm sure everyone is waiting to hear about it. So the news is that I'm staying in Brno, but I'm in a different area in Brno though, I'm training again, and President Irwin made me a district leader. So pretty crazy stuff is going on here. For the second time I'm being blinded into an area (all missionaries leave and new ones come in), but not re-opening it this time.

I'm training Elder Hansen, who is from the proud state of Texas!!! He is great! He seems like just a really hard worker, and a great guy over all! Elder Ozmun is staying in Brno, so I get to serve around him still! I'm glad for that. He is being followed up trained by Elder Jones from my group. So the area we are in is Bohunice. The other Elders did a great job with it, so I feel very fortunate to be here now.

Other exciting news. We got to hear from Elder Corsse again and from Elder Christofferson! It was a great conference in Prague. We took a rented bus there with all the missionaries in Moravia and Slovakia, which was really fun. It is about a 2 and a half hour bus or train ride to Prague from Brno. We rode there Sunday morning and rode back Sunday night. President Irwin even let us watch the church movie, "17 Miracles" on the way back, which was a really good movie.

So Elder Christofferson talked about a lot of good things! He talked about following Christ, even when it's hard. He also talked about prayer, and receiving answers from our Heavenly Father. It was really good. Then Elder Christofferson had a missionary only conference after that at the Church building in Prague. He shook all our hands and talked to us, as well as Elder Corsse, their wives, and Elder Christofferson's son, who served here 17 years ago! It was really, really good. Elder Christofferson complimented our mission a lot, and then opened it up for anyone to ask questions, except where the 3 Nephites are. He said they never call, they never write. He is just a really funny guy! He is just a really motivating speaker, and I really enjoyed hearing from him.

So, my faith has been strengthened, it's a new transfer, and I'm ready to just work as hard as I can! Hope everyone has a great week! Love you all and appreciate your prayers! I'm praying for everyone too!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

Jestě Jednou

March 5, 2012

Co pak!
Hi Family!!!

It's been quite a week of blessings. So it was just a normal week...most of the week. Just working with our investigators and members. We did visit a few members which was really good. I always enjoy visiting our members here! We visited this one member from the Ukraine who lives here. He speaks Czech which he has picked up working here (hasn't studied it), so it's hard to understand each other at times, but it's great! He's a really cool member!

We had a really amazing miracle this week though! So I got a call Tuesday morning or something from one of the senior missionaries in Prague. Sister Curtis was telling me she had another referral for Elder Ozmun and I. There was a guy who had ordered a free Book of Mormon through the mail and we were supposed to call and see if he got it. I meant to call him, but forgot for 2 or 3 days, but finally got around to it. I think I was meant to forget, because when the man answered he said he had gotten it the day before (I would have called before then), and asked when we could meet to talk about it!!! So that doesn't happen too much around here. But we set up a meeting for Saturday, and what then happened was that I was part of one of the best lessons of my mission so far! This man is about 37 and he came and said he is looking to change his life. He committed himself to attend church and told us he has other books he wants to read, but the Book of Mormon is really important for him to read now. It is really a blessing that he was led to us, and he has so much interest and desire and real intent. He came to church and could only stay 2 of the 3 hours, but when I asked him how he felt, he said - nadherny, basically, really awesome!!! So he is just such a great guy and we're really looking forward to meeting with him more and helping him progress. Such a blessing!

Our other investigator is doing good too! He is still preparing for baptism, so we're working hard with him to help him progress as best as we can! Finally got a picture with him, but I forgot my camera cord, next week.

So we are headed to Prague this Sunday for our conference with Elder Christofferson, which should be really good! I'm really looking forward to it! We will be having a missionary only conference after the district conference, so it should just be great!

Transfers are next Wednesday, so you won't hear from me until then. Hopefully I will stay in Brno, there's just so much going on! I'll be fine wherever I go though. I hope Elder Ozmun is well prepared for the next transfer though, and that I taught him all the secrets to missionary work right. Have a great week everyone! I love you all and appreciate you so much!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

So a few questions I was asked:

-Favorite place to visit in Brno, I really like to go to Luzanky (Lužanky) park, and Spilberk (Špilberk) castle to contact people, just a lot more relaxed and people aren't rushing and are more willing to listen. Plus they are way cool places!

-Favorite food, it's got to be svitckova (švičkova) and dessert, ovocne knedliky (fruit dumpling things)

-Weather, it's getting a lot hotter right now, and it's nice!

Cau!

February 27, 2012

So it's been a fine week this week. This week we had some big goals we tried to accomplish, and had a few lessons fall through, but thats alright. Things always work out just fine! Our investigator is doing awesome! He is progressing really well, and is still just doing great! He still has a few weeks left before his baptism though, but he should be well prepared!

There really hasn't been too much new happen this week though. We have found a few new people who really seem to have a lot of potential.There was this one girl who we were talking to and it was going just like a normal contact, not to great or anything, but she said she would be interested to hear more about the gospel! It really just built my testimony even more that there are prepared people who are looking for the truth we have, we just need to find the right ones!

Church was really good this week! We didn't get any of our investigators there, but it was still a really good week. I really just enjoy getting to know the members here. They are such great people with such great faith, it's quite amazing.

We met with this one member this week and he told us he is working with about 5 people to start introducing them to the gospel! We were just amazed, he is doing so much to try to help build the church here! Such amazing faith and works!

Elder Ozmun and I are working hard though to find these prepared people! We are loving missionary work, and all the people here!

Hope everyone has a really good week though, and I love you all!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

Ahoj!

February 20, 1012

Another Great Week!!!

So It's been another really good week! Where to start!

So that's quite the story we found out this week. As we meet with an investigtor one day, we found out some interesting news. His parents are members of the church!!! What? I guess he just didn't bother to tell us before! They are less active, but apparently are members. That isn't news you stumble across everyday. So we've been talking with some other missionaries near his city, and they are trying to find out more about that for us. It's just really crazy news!

So, our other really good news is that we have another person who accepted a baptisimal date! It is this really cool guy Elder Odell and I found last transfer. We hadn't met with him for a while, but have started again recently, and he is a lot more open to and prepared for the message. He is just such a great guy and we're really looking forward to meeting with him more this week!

We had specialized training this week which was really good. Our Zone Leaders inspired us to take Elder Corsse's challenge and teach 21 lessons every week! That's just such a great number of lessons. We have really been working hard at that though, and have really taught a lot of lessons this last week! I think we taught around 10 which is a lot here! We are working slowly towards our goal of 21! It is possible!

We didn't have any investigators at church this week, but it was one of the best weeks at church I have had here. It was just a really good week here overall! I really love being here and hope I get to serve the people here longer! Hope everyone has a good week this week! Love you all!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

Zazraky

February 13, 2012

Miracles!

So it's been quite an amazing week this week! Elder Ozmun and I have been doing great still! It's been getting a little warmer, but it's still pretty cold, (usually below 0 Celcius), so we're trying to do other things than just talking to people on the streets. One thing we have been doing a bit this week is trying to visit inactive members. We got through all of the members in our area, and most of them didn't live at the same address anymore.

However, this week has been a week of miracles! First, we taught this guy for the first time who we talked to on a tram. He came to our meeting and the first thing he said was "I'm gonna be honest guys, the only reason I came is because..." which isn't usually something you usually like to hear at first. Continuing "...because when you talked to me, I could see you had a great spirit about you. I could tell you have a lot of faith to come all the way out here from America to do this". Which is something that was really awesome to hear! Probably one of the best things I've ever heard. He just accepted all the commitments we gave him and told us he would bring his mom to church! So come Sunday, he did bring his mom to church, and she brought her friend!!! That was a miracle if I've ever seen one. Just such prepared people. We will meet with him again this week!

Other miracle, also takes place on a tram. Saw this girl from Afrika, so of course I talked to her (sometimes it's nice to talk to people in English). Told her about our church, and invited her to hear more. She said probably not but took our card anyways. So Saturday night we get a phone call, and it was her friend! She had given our card to her friend who was calling to see if she could come to church on Sunday! So she came on Sunday as well. She is studying in Brno and is also from Afrika! Just such cool people we are meeting.

Our investigator, has been on volno all week (break from school), so we haven't seen him. He lives far and has been home. However, we are going to meet with him tonight! He is a great kid.

So I've been realizing that things don't always work out how we want them, but they work out how the Lord wants them. I'm glad to hear everyone is doing great, and I'm praying for you when I can! Hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

Ahoj Všichni!!!

February 6, 2012

So yes, you can guess, it's been an awesome week!

This week has been very special. First off, Elder Corssé from the First Quorum of the Seventy did a mission tour here in the Czech Slovak mission! That just means that he comes and meets the missionaries and gives a 5-ish hour presentation. It was really really good! He is really such a great man! He had a fireside for the Branch the night before and we had an investigator there so we watched that too. He told about when he got called as a seventy. He said he had to give up all the worldly possessions he loved to accept the calling, and he said it was very hard to decide at first. He had just bought a grand piano and was living in Paris where he was very happy. However he said that he studied the verses in the Bible where the Savior tells the man to give up everything he owns and follow him, and the man was sad because he wouldn't do it. He now serves as a seventy in Germany. It was a really good fireside! He took a minute to talk to all the missionaries and when I told him I was from Orange County he said he went to the temple open house there! He said him and his children loved it! He told us a lot about how to do missionary work better though, and it was really really good! He really is a man of God!

Elder Christofferson will come to speak to the Districts here on March 11, so we're really excited to see him too! He will also talk to just the missionaries after that! It will be a really cool experience.

Now on to the exciting things...

Our investigator finally accepted a specific baptisimal date! We are really going to work hard to make sure he can be ready by then! He is just such a great kid and I love him a lot! We haven't really been teaching too many other people right now, but we're really working hard to try to be meeting with poeple.

We had lunch with this older lady in the Branch this week and it was a really amazing experience. We started to share a spiritual thought, and she basically turned it around and gave us a spiritual though. It was about 2 Nephi 31:20 about enduring to the end, and she is really just an amazing example of enduring to the end. It was really great!

We didn't get anyone to church on Sunday, but we will be working hard to get people there this week!

Well, I really hope everyone has a great week this week, and I love you all!!!

sLaskou

-Starsi Salas

-P.S. Elder Ozmun and I have found the secret to making banana bread, and now we make it quite frequently