November 26, 2012
Hey Everyone!!!
It's been a good week this week. We really did
have a great one! First suprising news, our long time
investigator is finally getting baptised this weekend! We had a lesson,
and he finally decided that he would live it all, and so he wants to be
baptised, this coming weekend. We are really excited about it, and we're
really looking forward to it. We have so much to plan though! I'm glad
we have an amazing branch mission leader who will really help us out a
lot with that! Just pray everyone, that all will go through well.
So in other news, been a great week. We had the best lesson with another
one of our investigators. We really had to do some great discerning, but
we finally got him to realize that he does know that the Book of Mormon
is true! It was such a spiritual lesson, and really took the best of
us. Now we just need to help him along the way still. He is great
though.
We've had a really busy week and taught a lot, 20 lessons this week.
We've really been seeing a great change in the reaction of our
investigators as we've improved out teaching a lot more. They understand
better, and really do start to make more progress. It's such a blessing
that we've been able to progress personally so well in our work.
We've also had this miracle with this investigator who really just
came out of nowhere. He is so great though, accepts all our
commitments, and really is making a lot of progress. We have felt so
blessed to be teaching him too!
One great blessing I've realized from the gospel this last week, is how
much it strengthens us. I feel the strength to go on as I live the
gospel, every single aspect of it is for our benefit, for our good, and
helps us to live so much happier, so much safer in this dangerous world,
and really gives us internal peace and strength.
I read my notes from Elder Holland's talk from the last conference, and I
read about how the crowing characteristic of love, is loyalty. Loyalty
to the Savior is so important! I read how the Lord needs disciples, He
needs them now, and He needs them to stay for their whole lives. He
needs those who will declare His gospel, and defend His truth! That talk
really meant a lot to me. Hope you all can read it again sometime.
Sounds like everyone is doing great though! Happy Birthday Desmond,
sorry, I forgot about it! You're all great, thanks for the emails! Have a
great week and keep praying for us. I'm praying for you!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Nove Stridani!
November 19, 2012
Jak to jde, Vsichni?
What's up everybody?
Jeste hlasim z krasnych mest Pardubic, kde budu na 2 mesice alespon.
Still loud beautiful cities of Pardubice, where I'll be on at least 2 months.
So the news is in, and here it is. I will be staying in Pardubice for another transfer at least, and I'm still with Elder Sewell! They just couldn't keep us apart. We've got some serious work to do this transfer apparently, so we're getting to it. Also, transfers got moved to Monday again.
So our week, it's been a really good one! We've had ups and downs, good and hard times, but we're still living, which is important.
First exciting news, we went to Jihlava to do some baptisimal interviews. They had 2 baptisms there this weekend. Why am I telling about this, the guy I found there with Elder Simcock last transfer who got baptised, it was his wife and niece who got baptised this weekend! Such a great experience, even though I couldn't be there to see. The work of God is pressing forward with great force there in Jihlava and the branch is being blessed by it!
We're continuing to find and teach so many people though. It's really going well, and I'm excited to share the gospel with all these people this next transfer!
We taught one investigator again, and things are going well, but there are challenges there still. It's hard at times, but were making some good progress. She is really doing a great job at living the gospel and is doing really well. We've taught all the investigators this week, and it's really amazing to see that when you teach without a member, their progress is hindered. All our members were at the temple this last week, so we had a bit of a hard time teaching with members. It was fine though, and we still had some good success.
We were in Prague for specialized training which was really great! President Irwin talked about some really great things. It's really exciting to hear about the new missionaries who will be coming in the coming months, and how the work is going to pick up significantly across the world. I'm really excited about it all! These really are great days!
I've really been learning a lot this week about Christ. I'm developing such a greater love for Him and what He did for me. He really was more than a normal man, He was our Savior and Redeemer. It is through Him that we are perfected, and that we can return to God again. I'm eternally grateful for Him.
The work is going strong, and we're seeing miracles! The work is truly God's!
So it sounds like everyone had a good week, and that Elise and Skyler survived doing their Ironman race, so I'm excited to hear that. Once again, Happy Birthday Elise!
Hope everyone has a great coming week! Love you all and thanks for the emails and prayers! Have a great one!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Jak to jde, Vsichni?
What's up everybody?
Jeste hlasim z krasnych mest Pardubic, kde budu na 2 mesice alespon.
Still loud beautiful cities of Pardubice, where I'll be on at least 2 months.
So the news is in, and here it is. I will be staying in Pardubice for another transfer at least, and I'm still with Elder Sewell! They just couldn't keep us apart. We've got some serious work to do this transfer apparently, so we're getting to it. Also, transfers got moved to Monday again.
So our week, it's been a really good one! We've had ups and downs, good and hard times, but we're still living, which is important.
First exciting news, we went to Jihlava to do some baptisimal interviews. They had 2 baptisms there this weekend. Why am I telling about this, the guy I found there with Elder Simcock last transfer who got baptised, it was his wife and niece who got baptised this weekend! Such a great experience, even though I couldn't be there to see. The work of God is pressing forward with great force there in Jihlava and the branch is being blessed by it!
We're continuing to find and teach so many people though. It's really going well, and I'm excited to share the gospel with all these people this next transfer!
We taught one investigator again, and things are going well, but there are challenges there still. It's hard at times, but were making some good progress. She is really doing a great job at living the gospel and is doing really well. We've taught all the investigators this week, and it's really amazing to see that when you teach without a member, their progress is hindered. All our members were at the temple this last week, so we had a bit of a hard time teaching with members. It was fine though, and we still had some good success.
We were in Prague for specialized training which was really great! President Irwin talked about some really great things. It's really exciting to hear about the new missionaries who will be coming in the coming months, and how the work is going to pick up significantly across the world. I'm really excited about it all! These really are great days!
I've really been learning a lot this week about Christ. I'm developing such a greater love for Him and what He did for me. He really was more than a normal man, He was our Savior and Redeemer. It is through Him that we are perfected, and that we can return to God again. I'm eternally grateful for Him.
The work is going strong, and we're seeing miracles! The work is truly God's!
So it sounds like everyone had a good week, and that Elise and Skyler survived doing their Ironman race, so I'm excited to hear that. Once again, Happy Birthday Elise!
Hope everyone has a great coming week! Love you all and thanks for the emails and prayers! Have a great one!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Vsechno Nejlepsi k Narozeninam!!! Happy Birthday!!!!
November 12, 2012
Cau Vsichni!
First off, I want to send a happy birthday to my favorite older sisters!!! Happy birthday Elise and Robin!!! I know Elise, yours is next Monday, but transfers are next week, so I wont get to email until Wednesday.
So Thanks for all you both do! I'm so grateful for your examples in my life and for the blessing you are to this family. We're lucky to have you both!
So, this last week, guess what, it was so great! Miracles happened!
We got back in contact with an investigator. We were right, her boyfriend was behind her changed phone number. But it's alright because she is now living the word of wisdom, before we even taught it, and really wants to be baptised! Great miracles are happening here!
Our other awesome investigator is doing great! He came to church this week, and the members just loved him. We couldn't hardly keep the members away! It was so great. He seriously would be such a strength to this branch. He's working towards baptism, but will definitely need a lot of prayers to make it. We're really looking forward to continuing to work with him! Things are great! We had a really great lesson with him though. I'm really seeing my teaching skills improve a lot lately. I see just how important the spirit is in teaching. We're seeing a lot more success from that.
We're also continuing to work with another investigator, who we've been teaching for a while. He is doing really great and chose his own baptismal date, so he's much more committed to this one. We had a great few lessons with him though, and things are going really well. If all goes to plan, all three of these great investigators should be baptised this month!!!
We've seen a lot of success though as we've been increasing our testimonies that there really are prepared and elect people here. I truly believe that we're finding them!
Elder Sewell is just great though. I just love serving with him and I hope we get to stay together again next transfer! That would be really great! We're just working so hard though, and I truly feel that is the secret to our success, work.
Things couldn't be better. Hope everyone is doing great, but it sounds like you are. Have a great week! Wish you all the best and I'll be praying for you! Thanks for all you all do!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Cau Vsichni!
First off, I want to send a happy birthday to my favorite older sisters!!! Happy birthday Elise and Robin!!! I know Elise, yours is next Monday, but transfers are next week, so I wont get to email until Wednesday.
So Thanks for all you both do! I'm so grateful for your examples in my life and for the blessing you are to this family. We're lucky to have you both!
So, this last week, guess what, it was so great! Miracles happened!
We got back in contact with an investigator. We were right, her boyfriend was behind her changed phone number. But it's alright because she is now living the word of wisdom, before we even taught it, and really wants to be baptised! Great miracles are happening here!
Our other awesome investigator is doing great! He came to church this week, and the members just loved him. We couldn't hardly keep the members away! It was so great. He seriously would be such a strength to this branch. He's working towards baptism, but will definitely need a lot of prayers to make it. We're really looking forward to continuing to work with him! Things are great! We had a really great lesson with him though. I'm really seeing my teaching skills improve a lot lately. I see just how important the spirit is in teaching. We're seeing a lot more success from that.
We're also continuing to work with another investigator, who we've been teaching for a while. He is doing really great and chose his own baptismal date, so he's much more committed to this one. We had a great few lessons with him though, and things are going really well. If all goes to plan, all three of these great investigators should be baptised this month!!!
We've seen a lot of success though as we've been increasing our testimonies that there really are prepared and elect people here. I truly believe that we're finding them!
Elder Sewell is just great though. I just love serving with him and I hope we get to stay together again next transfer! That would be really great! We're just working so hard though, and I truly feel that is the secret to our success, work.
Things couldn't be better. Hope everyone is doing great, but it sounds like you are. Have a great week! Wish you all the best and I'll be praying for you! Thanks for all you all do!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Uzasny Tyden-Amazing Week
November 5, 2012
Samozrejme tohle bylo uzasny tyden, jako obvykle!
Of course this was an amazing week, as usual!
Hope everyone is doing really well! It was great to hear from you all, I really love hearing from you.
This week we had a great week! We were in Jicin so we could go on exchanges. I went with Elder Spencer, who I served with in the MTC. It was really great to see him again! He is such a great missionary. It was really cool to see how we have both grown since the MTC. It's really amazing! We're continuing to teach the YSA investigators we have and they are doing great! They really will add such a strength to the branches here if we can just help them to baptism! We really had great lessons this week though. One is really starting to recognize the feelings of the Holy Ghost, and that is where real conversion comes into play. It's really exciting to teach here!
I've really been studying a lot about the Holy Ghost though and how important it is to follow his guidance and how important his presence is in teaching. I've really been learning a lot, and recognizing his presence and direction a lot more in my life. We're definitely seeing the blessings from that in our missionary work here.
An investigator came to church this week. Someone we've been teaching a long time. He is progressing really well too, and the members do really good with him! He definitely wants to be baptised, so we're really helping him overcome his current concerns. He's really great though! Church was really great though. It was our branch president's birthday, and the members did some really cool stuff for him. He is a really great Branch President! He works so hard, and wants the church to grow so much. I can see the love the members have for him too.
So, we didn't do anything for Halloween except talk to our English students about it. It isn't very celebrated here at all. People still have some decorations usually.
In other news, we're continuing to work hard, and do all we can. Things are hard at times, but we do what we can. One thing I've learned is that things don't always work out, but not to lose hope. God literally can turn around any situation in an instant, and so we just need faith, we just need to push through the hard times, and it will all work out. I have a much better feeling of how the early saints must have felt, even though I can never truely understand all they really went through.
Well, hope everyone has a really great week! Love hearing from you and I wish you all the best. I always try to remember you in my prayers. I have a lot of people to pray for you know! Have a great one!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Samozrejme tohle bylo uzasny tyden, jako obvykle!
Of course this was an amazing week, as usual!
Hope everyone is doing really well! It was great to hear from you all, I really love hearing from you.
This week we had a great week! We were in Jicin so we could go on exchanges. I went with Elder Spencer, who I served with in the MTC. It was really great to see him again! He is such a great missionary. It was really cool to see how we have both grown since the MTC. It's really amazing! We're continuing to teach the YSA investigators we have and they are doing great! They really will add such a strength to the branches here if we can just help them to baptism! We really had great lessons this week though. One is really starting to recognize the feelings of the Holy Ghost, and that is where real conversion comes into play. It's really exciting to teach here!
I've really been studying a lot about the Holy Ghost though and how important it is to follow his guidance and how important his presence is in teaching. I've really been learning a lot, and recognizing his presence and direction a lot more in my life. We're definitely seeing the blessings from that in our missionary work here.
An investigator came to church this week. Someone we've been teaching a long time. He is progressing really well too, and the members do really good with him! He definitely wants to be baptised, so we're really helping him overcome his current concerns. He's really great though! Church was really great though. It was our branch president's birthday, and the members did some really cool stuff for him. He is a really great Branch President! He works so hard, and wants the church to grow so much. I can see the love the members have for him too.
So, we didn't do anything for Halloween except talk to our English students about it. It isn't very celebrated here at all. People still have some decorations usually.
In other news, we're continuing to work hard, and do all we can. Things are hard at times, but we do what we can. One thing I've learned is that things don't always work out, but not to lose hope. God literally can turn around any situation in an instant, and so we just need faith, we just need to push through the hard times, and it will all work out. I have a much better feeling of how the early saints must have felt, even though I can never truely understand all they really went through.
Well, hope everyone has a really great week! Love hearing from you and I wish you all the best. I always try to remember you in my prayers. I have a lot of people to pray for you know! Have a great one!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Uz Padal Snih!
October 29, 2012
Snowing already!
Hey Family!!!
Sounds like everyone is doing great back home! It's great here. It snowed on Saturday and it was really cool! It's definitely getting really cold here now, but I really like it. It's really pretty. Most of the snow already melted, but hopefully it will snow again soon. The work doesn't really slow down in the winter, there's always elect people to find. It's just a state of mind, if you think the winter is a slower time, it probably will be because you have that expectation. I'm loving it though!
I've really been study this week on the role of the Holy Ghost in an investigator's conversion. It really is the most important thing, that through the Holy Ghost, someone can gain a testimony of the truthfulness of these things. Its all on us too, to help an investigator understand what they are feeling. We really are working hard to help our investigators understand this. The Holy Ghost really is such a blessing to our lives!
We taught a lot of really great people this week though. We taught this one guy for the second time, and he had read in the Book of Mormon, he was ready to listen, and so when we taught him, it was really great! I really felt the spirit work with him, and he really understood the things which we taught him. It was a really great lesson we had with him. I definitely love teaching lessons like that.
We taught this other guy too who we just found who was really interested in our message. It was interesting because when we said he could find out that these things are true, he said that that would really interest him! It was great to then tell him how he could find out that these things are true.
We had one investigator come to church, this lady we're teaching. It was really great because the members really took care of her a lot. It's great when the members do that. Our investigators feel so much more welcome. She is preparing for baptism next month, and it's very likely that she will make it! Keep praying for her!
Elder Sewell and I are really continuing to work hard though. He's great and were really seeing miracles here. It's really great here in Pardubice. We're seeing a lot of miracles!
Hope everyone has a great week though. I really love you all and hope all goes well. Keep praying for us, I'm praying for you!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Snowing already!
Hey Family!!!
Sounds like everyone is doing great back home! It's great here. It snowed on Saturday and it was really cool! It's definitely getting really cold here now, but I really like it. It's really pretty. Most of the snow already melted, but hopefully it will snow again soon. The work doesn't really slow down in the winter, there's always elect people to find. It's just a state of mind, if you think the winter is a slower time, it probably will be because you have that expectation. I'm loving it though!
I've really been study this week on the role of the Holy Ghost in an investigator's conversion. It really is the most important thing, that through the Holy Ghost, someone can gain a testimony of the truthfulness of these things. Its all on us too, to help an investigator understand what they are feeling. We really are working hard to help our investigators understand this. The Holy Ghost really is such a blessing to our lives!
We taught a lot of really great people this week though. We taught this one guy for the second time, and he had read in the Book of Mormon, he was ready to listen, and so when we taught him, it was really great! I really felt the spirit work with him, and he really understood the things which we taught him. It was a really great lesson we had with him. I definitely love teaching lessons like that.
We taught this other guy too who we just found who was really interested in our message. It was interesting because when we said he could find out that these things are true, he said that that would really interest him! It was great to then tell him how he could find out that these things are true.
We had one investigator come to church, this lady we're teaching. It was really great because the members really took care of her a lot. It's great when the members do that. Our investigators feel so much more welcome. She is preparing for baptism next month, and it's very likely that she will make it! Keep praying for her!
Elder Sewell and I are really continuing to work hard though. He's great and were really seeing miracles here. It's really great here in Pardubice. We're seeing a lot of miracles!
Hope everyone has a great week though. I really love you all and hope all goes well. Keep praying for us, I'm praying for you!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Zdravim zPardubickeho Kraje!
October 22, 2012
Greetings from the Pardubice region!
Hey Everyone!!!
Sounds like it's been a really great week! I was glad to hear from everyone and it sounds like you're all doing well! Thanks for all the e-mails, I really appreciated them.
It's been such a great week here. I'm really loving the work and everything! We had 2 investigators at church this week! It was great! They both really enjoyed it, and the members really took care of them there this week. I was so appreciative of that. It really means a lot for an investigator when a member comes and takes them around, and asks them to sit with them. It makes an immense difference to the investigator!! I've seen it in action, I know it's true.
We're finding a lot of really cool people too! We found these 2 new guys this week, both of them are so great. The first guy told us that when someone goes out of their way to ask for his time, he'll gladly give it. It was really cool to meet with him and I'm really glad we were able to. We also taught this second guy, and it was really great. He was so open to accepting our message, and we were really able to help him take that next step towards faith in Christ. There really is nothing that gives more joy than helping someone come closer to Christ, to God and to eternal life. I've really been feeling that this week.
It was really cool that we were able to teach this guy we found a few months ago as well, and he was really open to our message this time. He's a great guy and I really want to help him as best as I can.
One great lesson I learned this week, we really need to take such great care of the things Heavenly Father gives us. When we do that, He is willing to give us more, because He knows He can trust us.
Been a really great week though, and I'm glad I was able to hear from you all. Have a great week, and know that I love you! Thanks for all the prayers!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Greetings from the Pardubice region!
Hey Everyone!!!
Sounds like it's been a really great week! I was glad to hear from everyone and it sounds like you're all doing well! Thanks for all the e-mails, I really appreciated them.
It's been such a great week here. I'm really loving the work and everything! We had 2 investigators at church this week! It was great! They both really enjoyed it, and the members really took care of them there this week. I was so appreciative of that. It really means a lot for an investigator when a member comes and takes them around, and asks them to sit with them. It makes an immense difference to the investigator!! I've seen it in action, I know it's true.
We're finding a lot of really cool people too! We found these 2 new guys this week, both of them are so great. The first guy told us that when someone goes out of their way to ask for his time, he'll gladly give it. It was really cool to meet with him and I'm really glad we were able to. We also taught this second guy, and it was really great. He was so open to accepting our message, and we were really able to help him take that next step towards faith in Christ. There really is nothing that gives more joy than helping someone come closer to Christ, to God and to eternal life. I've really been feeling that this week.
It was really cool that we were able to teach this guy we found a few months ago as well, and he was really open to our message this time. He's a great guy and I really want to help him as best as I can.
One great lesson I learned this week, we really need to take such great care of the things Heavenly Father gives us. When we do that, He is willing to give us more, because He knows He can trust us.
Been a really great week though, and I'm glad I was able to hear from you all. Have a great week, and know that I love you! Thanks for all the prayers!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Slovaci
October 15, 2012
Jeste jednou z Pardubic rikam "ahoj rodino!"
Once again from Pardubice I say "Hello family!"
Sounds like it's been a really good week for all! I'm really glad to hear it's been well. Sounds like fun with the cousins all there!
It's been a good one here. Nothing too exciting, but a good week overall. We had a lot of lessons cancel, but we still did see some great miracles!
We were waiting for a lesson one day, and the investigator wasn't there yet, but this other kid we found before walked by. We started talking to him, and he wasn't doing anything so we taught him instead of the other investigator who didn't come. It was really cool, he's so interested in the Book of Mormon and finding out what everything means, we're really grateful we found him! He's from Slovakia but works here, so it's pretty cool. He's a really good kid and I'm so glad we found him again!
We had a cool experience today finding someone. There was this lady with some kids and we talked to her. Her kids were darker, and we found out she has a husband from Africa! She was so nice, and said her husband had met with missionaries before! It really was a miracle we were led to her and we're hopefully going to meet this weekend.
We had conference this weekend, and it was so good! We had 2 investigators come which was really cool! I really enjoyed all the talks. Everyone of course mentioned Elder Holland's talk. I really enjoyed that talk a lot, I had already heard a lot of it before. There's this MTC talk he gave where he talked about a lot of the same things. It was a really good talk though and he makes so many good points. At baptism, we make a lifelong commitment, how can we ever go back on that. Just such a powerful talk though and I really enjoyed it. I really learned a lot though, and took a lot of notes, and made a lot of goals. I think it's really so important to listen to others and to make sure that those around us feel they are loved. One thing I really liked, was that we experience the greatest level of joy and happiness which we can have in this life, only when we apply and live the principles of the gospel. This I know to be so true. One thought I've been having is that we go to church, we go to general conference, not just to feel the spirit and leave, but to seek inspiration. We need to go to church every week seeking inspiration and revelation. We learn what we need to do. Then we set goals to apply it into our lives, and we live it. That is how we can really deepen our conversion. That is one of the great purposes of these meetings!
Elder Sewell and I are just doing so great though. I seriously feel so blessed to serve with him. He's so dedicated, and so desirous to do better. I love his work ethic and I'm definitely learning a lot from him. We are working hard, and seeing miracles. I just love this work
Love you all, and wish you all a great week and hope everyone does well! Hope you enjoy the cousins, and that everyone has a good time. Thanks for the prayers, and I 'm praying for all of you!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Jeste jednou z Pardubic rikam "ahoj rodino!"
Once again from Pardubice I say "Hello family!"
Sounds like it's been a really good week for all! I'm really glad to hear it's been well. Sounds like fun with the cousins all there!
It's been a good one here. Nothing too exciting, but a good week overall. We had a lot of lessons cancel, but we still did see some great miracles!
We were waiting for a lesson one day, and the investigator wasn't there yet, but this other kid we found before walked by. We started talking to him, and he wasn't doing anything so we taught him instead of the other investigator who didn't come. It was really cool, he's so interested in the Book of Mormon and finding out what everything means, we're really grateful we found him! He's from Slovakia but works here, so it's pretty cool. He's a really good kid and I'm so glad we found him again!
We had a cool experience today finding someone. There was this lady with some kids and we talked to her. Her kids were darker, and we found out she has a husband from Africa! She was so nice, and said her husband had met with missionaries before! It really was a miracle we were led to her and we're hopefully going to meet this weekend.
We had conference this weekend, and it was so good! We had 2 investigators come which was really cool! I really enjoyed all the talks. Everyone of course mentioned Elder Holland's talk. I really enjoyed that talk a lot, I had already heard a lot of it before. There's this MTC talk he gave where he talked about a lot of the same things. It was a really good talk though and he makes so many good points. At baptism, we make a lifelong commitment, how can we ever go back on that. Just such a powerful talk though and I really enjoyed it. I really learned a lot though, and took a lot of notes, and made a lot of goals. I think it's really so important to listen to others and to make sure that those around us feel they are loved. One thing I really liked, was that we experience the greatest level of joy and happiness which we can have in this life, only when we apply and live the principles of the gospel. This I know to be so true. One thought I've been having is that we go to church, we go to general conference, not just to feel the spirit and leave, but to seek inspiration. We need to go to church every week seeking inspiration and revelation. We learn what we need to do. Then we set goals to apply it into our lives, and we live it. That is how we can really deepen our conversion. That is one of the great purposes of these meetings!
Elder Sewell and I are just doing so great though. I seriously feel so blessed to serve with him. He's so dedicated, and so desirous to do better. I love his work ethic and I'm definitely learning a lot from him. We are working hard, and seeing miracles. I just love this work
Love you all, and wish you all a great week and hope everyone does well! Hope you enjoy the cousins, and that everyone has a good time. Thanks for the prayers, and I 'm praying for all of you!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Hezky Tyden!
October 8, 2012
Nice Week!
Cau Cau Rodino
Hey Everyone! Been a great week here in Pardubice as always! Really just loving the work here. We've had some great experiences and we're just loving it so much!
I spent a day in Hradec on exchanges with Elder Jones. It was really great! We worked really hard, and found some really great people! It's so great to see that hard work and success and miracles are so inter-related!
One of our investigators is starting to recognize his answer that these things are true! He is reading and praying consistently and it's really making an impact on him. It's so important to act in order to receive an answer of the truthfulness of these things.
Elder Sewell and I had a great experience tracting though. We went to this part of Pardubice, called Svitkov. We were talking to people and when we finally got to "the last house", we found this guy who really wanted the Book of Mormon. He took it from us before we could tell him he could have it! It was pretty funny, but he is really open to hear more so we're really excited to meet with him and to share the message of the Restoration! The funny thing is another missionary once told me, of course it was the last house, because you found someone to teach. You're not going to go on after that! It really wouldn't have been the last house, but it was for us that day!
We've also been teaching this guy and his girlfriend. The lady is Czech and the guy is from Cuba! He's been here for 9 years and speaks good Czech. We had a really great lesson with them though and they accepted all our commitments! We're really excited to keep working with them!
We've really just been putting our minds to the work though and doing everything we can, and we've been seeing so many miracles! The zone is doing great, it's so great to work with all the missionaries here in the zone.
Elder Sewell is so great too. I love working with him. We always just stay so uplifted and we're always doing our best to become better. There's never a dull moment with Elder Sewell in the companionship!
We'll I've heard a lot about conference so we're excited to watch it next week! I hope a lot more missionaries will come out on missions now!
Hope you all have a great week though! I love hearing from you! Keep up the great things you all do!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Nice Week!
Cau Cau Rodino
Hey Everyone! Been a great week here in Pardubice as always! Really just loving the work here. We've had some great experiences and we're just loving it so much!
I spent a day in Hradec on exchanges with Elder Jones. It was really great! We worked really hard, and found some really great people! It's so great to see that hard work and success and miracles are so inter-related!
One of our investigators is starting to recognize his answer that these things are true! He is reading and praying consistently and it's really making an impact on him. It's so important to act in order to receive an answer of the truthfulness of these things.
Elder Sewell and I had a great experience tracting though. We went to this part of Pardubice, called Svitkov. We were talking to people and when we finally got to "the last house", we found this guy who really wanted the Book of Mormon. He took it from us before we could tell him he could have it! It was pretty funny, but he is really open to hear more so we're really excited to meet with him and to share the message of the Restoration! The funny thing is another missionary once told me, of course it was the last house, because you found someone to teach. You're not going to go on after that! It really wouldn't have been the last house, but it was for us that day!
We've also been teaching this guy and his girlfriend. The lady is Czech and the guy is from Cuba! He's been here for 9 years and speaks good Czech. We had a really great lesson with them though and they accepted all our commitments! We're really excited to keep working with them!
We've really just been putting our minds to the work though and doing everything we can, and we've been seeing so many miracles! The zone is doing great, it's so great to work with all the missionaries here in the zone.
Elder Sewell is so great too. I love working with him. We always just stay so uplifted and we're always doing our best to become better. There's never a dull moment with Elder Sewell in the companionship!
We'll I've heard a lot about conference so we're excited to watch it next week! I hope a lot more missionaries will come out on missions now!
Hope you all have a great week though! I love hearing from you! Keep up the great things you all do!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Monday, October 1, 2012
Meli jsme opravdu uzasny tyden!!!
October 1, 2012
We had a really amazing week!!
Hey Everyone!!
Been a really great week this week! Sounds like everyone else had a great week as well! We've just been seeing so many cool things here and we're so excited for the work! One thing I've seriously been learning this week is how much better things are when you put yourself last. When we truly just think of others before ourselves, we tend to think a lot more about others, and that is one of the ways to be really happy!
I've just been realizing a lot more as well that our message of the restoration of the gospel just makes so much sense. Our message is that we don't have to rely on the wisdom of man, but we can go directly to God to come to know truth, and He will reveal it to us. It's such a great thing to know!
We've been having a lot of really cool experiences this week though. Elder Sewell was calling a lot of numbers we had in the phone from people contacted in the last year or so. He called this one lady from a year ago and introduced himself. She asked how we remembered her and he said, "we have an important message for you". She set up and we taught her and it was a really great lesson! She's so humble and willing to act on our message.
We've been continuing to find so many people to teach! The work is pressing on strongly here, even though I don't feel we derserve so many of the Lord's blessings. It's really been a great week!
We had this really cool miracle where this former investigator, a YSA called us and asked us to help him move across Pardubice. We did, and he was so grateful for our help, and then he really wanted to meet with us after! So we should meet with him this week. I'm so grateful for this miracle in our work. We also found this other former investigator in the park, who had changed his number. We set up a meeting with him and he came, then came ot church. Just another great miricle in our work!
We just have been doing all we can though, seeing so many great things and we love the work! Elder Sewell is great, keeps me excited at all times, the zone is great, the mission is great, I love it all, I really do!
Hope everyone has a really great week. I wish you all the best, and I hope all is going really well!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
We had a really amazing week!!
Hey Everyone!!
Been a really great week this week! Sounds like everyone else had a great week as well! We've just been seeing so many cool things here and we're so excited for the work! One thing I've seriously been learning this week is how much better things are when you put yourself last. When we truly just think of others before ourselves, we tend to think a lot more about others, and that is one of the ways to be really happy!
I've just been realizing a lot more as well that our message of the restoration of the gospel just makes so much sense. Our message is that we don't have to rely on the wisdom of man, but we can go directly to God to come to know truth, and He will reveal it to us. It's such a great thing to know!
We've been having a lot of really cool experiences this week though. Elder Sewell was calling a lot of numbers we had in the phone from people contacted in the last year or so. He called this one lady from a year ago and introduced himself. She asked how we remembered her and he said, "we have an important message for you". She set up and we taught her and it was a really great lesson! She's so humble and willing to act on our message.
We've been continuing to find so many people to teach! The work is pressing on strongly here, even though I don't feel we derserve so many of the Lord's blessings. It's really been a great week!
We had this really cool miracle where this former investigator, a YSA called us and asked us to help him move across Pardubice. We did, and he was so grateful for our help, and then he really wanted to meet with us after! So we should meet with him this week. I'm so grateful for this miracle in our work. We also found this other former investigator in the park, who had changed his number. We set up a meeting with him and he came, then came ot church. Just another great miricle in our work!
We just have been doing all we can though, seeing so many great things and we love the work! Elder Sewell is great, keeps me excited at all times, the zone is great, the mission is great, I love it all, I really do!
Hope everyone has a really great week. I wish you all the best, and I hope all is going really well!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Prazsky Den
September 24, 2012
Prague Day
Hey Everyone!!!
So yes, I was in Prague, AGAIN, picked up my Visa, and I get to go back Wednesday for specialized training. I'm a poor missionary I tell you! We usually go by train, it's about an hour trip.
So, Elder Heath got transferred to Olomouc this last week, and he loves it there. Elder Sewell is from Bristol, England. It's great being with him! He definitely has a different Czech accent, but it's a good one. The English accent though, I just love it! Elder Heath trained him. So he plays Cricket, and has been out about 8 months. He's always excited and I love serving with him!!!
We just had a great week though! We're doing all we can to find the elect, and we're definitely seeing success! We've just been seeing miracle after miracle. We taught this girl that Elder Heath and I found, and she's super great! She really accepted most everything we taught. She plays hockey! It was a really cool experience teaching her though, and she was so excited to learn about the gospel. She said she feels we are really sincere too, which it's great she can see that.
We also ran into this girl we talked to a few weeks ago. She said she had been thinking about it, and really wants to learn more. It was just such a blessing that we were able to find her again, and I know it was for a reason! The hand of the Lord is really in our work. I'm just brought back again and again to the verse in Mormon 9 verse 21, where it says if you doubt nothing, and ask in faith, God really can work miracles through us and for us. I have seen that so many times in our work this last week. I'm just so excited to keep working and to do everything I can!
We found so many great new people this week, and we're excited to see how things go with them.
We're continuing to teach our other investigator as well. He is doing so great and really progressing well. He is such a great guy and is slowly overcoming his doubts. I have great faith in him to make it!
So the guy in Jihlava they baptised last week is doing great! His wife should be baptised next month, and his 7 year old daughter, when she turns 8! They are also expecting twins soon! Such a miracle story of finding the elect!
Just been a really great rewarding week here and I'm ready to have a better one!
Have a great week everyone! Love you all!!!
-sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Prague Day
Hey Everyone!!!
So yes, I was in Prague, AGAIN, picked up my Visa, and I get to go back Wednesday for specialized training. I'm a poor missionary I tell you! We usually go by train, it's about an hour trip.
So, Elder Heath got transferred to Olomouc this last week, and he loves it there. Elder Sewell is from Bristol, England. It's great being with him! He definitely has a different Czech accent, but it's a good one. The English accent though, I just love it! Elder Heath trained him. So he plays Cricket, and has been out about 8 months. He's always excited and I love serving with him!!!
We just had a great week though! We're doing all we can to find the elect, and we're definitely seeing success! We've just been seeing miracle after miracle. We taught this girl that Elder Heath and I found, and she's super great! She really accepted most everything we taught. She plays hockey! It was a really cool experience teaching her though, and she was so excited to learn about the gospel. She said she feels we are really sincere too, which it's great she can see that.
We also ran into this girl we talked to a few weeks ago. She said she had been thinking about it, and really wants to learn more. It was just such a blessing that we were able to find her again, and I know it was for a reason! The hand of the Lord is really in our work. I'm just brought back again and again to the verse in Mormon 9 verse 21, where it says if you doubt nothing, and ask in faith, God really can work miracles through us and for us. I have seen that so many times in our work this last week. I'm just so excited to keep working and to do everything I can!
We found so many great new people this week, and we're excited to see how things go with them.
We're continuing to teach our other investigator as well. He is doing so great and really progressing well. He is such a great guy and is slowly overcoming his doubts. I have great faith in him to make it!
So the guy in Jihlava they baptised last week is doing great! His wife should be baptised next month, and his 7 year old daughter, when she turns 8! They are also expecting twins soon! Such a miracle story of finding the elect!
Just been a really great rewarding week here and I'm ready to have a better one!
Have a great week everyone! Love you all!!!
-sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Hey Everyone!
September 17, 2012
Hi Family!
Hi Family!
Sounds like the week's been good for
everyone! This has been a good week. So I know I said transfers would be
Wednesday, but President Irwin surprised us, they're today!
So the news,
I'm staying in Pardubice, and I'll be with Elder Sewell, my first
international companion!!! He is from England and has been out for about
a year. He is so great. At the moment I'm in Prague with Elder Newell
though, waiting for our companions so we can go with them.
It's been a harder week this week as our investigators haven't been
the most reliable, but it's been a great one. Elder Heath and I worked
hard and did what we could.
Our new investigator is doing
great though! We met with him and we really listened and asked a lot of
questions to understand his concerns. He said he is really searching for
truth here in life. He is one investigator we have who hadn't been
making much progress. He's doing really great though and we're glad to
be working with him.
We also went to Jihlave this week for a baptismal interview with
an investigator there! It was someone who Elder Simcock and I found on
exchanges. It was so great to see him, that he had really walked the
path of the gospel and has now entered the waters of baptism. I know
these elect people are really here and I'm so grateful that we're
finding them.
I really don't have too much to report about this week though. I've
just been really learning the importance of forgetting myself, my needs
and wants, things that are important to me, and just thinking
completely about others. It's not always easy or fun, but it really is
just so very important.
One miracle we had, was this less active member we are teaching
came to district conference in Prague on Sunday! It was so great to see
her there and I'm so glad that she made that great decision to follow
Christ.
Hope you all have a great week though. love you all so much and I'll look forward to hearing from you next week!
sLaksou
Starsi Salas
v Praze zase, a zase pristi tyden, a tyden po tom...
September 10, 2012
Prague again, and again next week and the week after that ...
Hey Family!
So we were in Prague today again. Had to go get my Visa renewed. Then we go again on Sunday for district conference. Then we go again the week after that to pick up my Visa. So we're there a lot right now.
However, we had a super great week! We have a mission goal to teach 21 lessons weekly, and we taught 20 this week, so we were pretty excited about that. We're just having such great experiences here and I love the work so very much! The zone is doing so great too so we're excited about that.
We are finding so many people right now. I feel like every single day we have found someone great and amazing, I can't even tell all our miracles this week!
We found this 18 year old kid, way nice, met with him, he just accepted everything. He's been atheist his whole life, just said he thought it would be good to know about these things. He asked us if he could end the lesson in prayer. That's our job to ask!
Met with this other guy we found a few weeks ago Jirka. He is so great. Just accepted everything as well. The problem is he lives pretty far so church will be a problem for him to get to. He seems to have a lot of faith though and I know he will make it there! He said he's always believed in God, but has never been baptised. Just the kind of people we're looking for. Just ready for the gospel!
I feel we haven't had any time to do anything but teach this week. We have been so blessed by the Lord and have so many investigators! It's really great! I feel so blessed.
I've been studying the why of missionary work some more this week, and I really learned a lot from it. We really do have a great thing in our lives, which is the gospel. I have no doubts in my mind that it really is through obedience, and more clearly, obedience to the gospel that we obtain eternal life. I read this week that one of our main purposes here on earth is to prove to our Father in Heaven that we will be obedient to His commandments. I know that to be so very true.
This verse I also read this week really meant a lot to me. It was Alma 26:22 where it tells what we need to do, and it lists out blessings promised to us. One such blessing, is that we are made tools in the hands of the Lord to bring salvation to thousands. It really hit me that I really am taking a part in this! I know I am!
We've just taught some great spiritual lessons this week though and I'm so excited to keep going on with this great work! I love it so very much! Love you all and thanks for the emails. Have a great week everyone!
sLaksou
-Starsi Salas
P.S.- transfers are next Wednesday so you'll hear from me them. Who know's what will happen!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Happy Labor Day!
Sept. 3, 2012
Hi everyone!
I didn't even know it was labor day today, but I heard from some of you. Really interesting how I just don't seem to know any holidays or anything back home anymore. They're just not on my mind at all.
We had a great week this week here though! We started the week in Prague with our zone conference. Elder Heath and I gave a training which was pretty good. I'm not the best at talking in front of other people, but I know I had help from the spirit, to really calm me down and to help me talk better.
We've just been continuing to teach and find others who will accept the gospel though all week! We haven't taught our investigators too much, they don't have a lot of time, but we're still really hopeful for them.
We did have a really cool miracle this week when we had a meeting set up at someones panelock, but they gave us a fake address, so we had a backup plan to tract it. We did and found this guy (YSA) who had lived with a member family in Las Vegas! He was really willing to meet so we're really excited about that!
We've really been finding so many potential investigators lately, it's really been helping us out a lot.
We had 2 investigators at church this week, which was really great! It was this guy and this other investigator, both of whom we've been teaching for a while now. It was really great to have them at church, and I know it helped their progress so much. I really know that when investigators go to church, it helps out their progress so much. They understand the gospel better, and they really apply it better as well.
It's been a great week though and I'm ready to make it a better one next week!
Hope everyone has a really great week this week. I want you all to know I care about all of you and love you! Thanks for all the emails!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Also, we're teaching this Slovak family now!
Hi everyone!
I didn't even know it was labor day today, but I heard from some of you. Really interesting how I just don't seem to know any holidays or anything back home anymore. They're just not on my mind at all.
We had a great week this week here though! We started the week in Prague with our zone conference. Elder Heath and I gave a training which was pretty good. I'm not the best at talking in front of other people, but I know I had help from the spirit, to really calm me down and to help me talk better.
We've just been continuing to teach and find others who will accept the gospel though all week! We haven't taught our investigators too much, they don't have a lot of time, but we're still really hopeful for them.
We did have a really cool miracle this week when we had a meeting set up at someones panelock, but they gave us a fake address, so we had a backup plan to tract it. We did and found this guy (YSA) who had lived with a member family in Las Vegas! He was really willing to meet so we're really excited about that!
We've really been finding so many potential investigators lately, it's really been helping us out a lot.
We had 2 investigators at church this week, which was really great! It was this guy and this other investigator, both of whom we've been teaching for a while now. It was really great to have them at church, and I know it helped their progress so much. I really know that when investigators go to church, it helps out their progress so much. They understand the gospel better, and they really apply it better as well.
It's been a great week though and I'm ready to make it a better one next week!
Hope everyone has a really great week this week. I want you all to know I care about all of you and love you! Thanks for all the emails!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Also, we're teaching this Slovak family now!
Kolik Zazraků v Střidaní?
August 27, 2012
Ahoj jeste jednou Uzasna Rodino!
How is everyone doing? It really sounds like it's been a good week back home. Last week of summer vacation for Holly, I hope she enjoys school!!!
We had another really great week here in Pardubice! It's just great to be here in this city! Let's see what happened. We are continuing to teach one investigator who is doing so great! He really embraces the gospel and loves it! He already knows it's all true and really wants to learn all he can. He is quick to grasp gospel topics and loves them. He is so great! We we're teaching him the gospel of Christ and he really already knew it all so it was just review for him. He teaches himself so well by the spirit also! He wasn't able to make it to church though. We're really doing our best to help him see just how important it is to come to church. He may need some help and prayers to really make it though.
We're continuing to try to teach our other investigator still. We taught him once this week, and it was good, but hasn't been able to meet since then. He's still great though!
We met this guy here who is a member but is here for 2 months with the army to do helicopter training. He is such a great member! We rode to church with him on Sunday and I think he really enjoyed church.
Cool miracle happened when we were going home to eat, and their was this girl delivering the mail to our apartment complex. Went back to talk to her because we felt she was prepared for the gospel. She was really open to the message, and gave us her number to set up a meeting sometime, as well as 2 referrals! It was really cool to see how when we follow the spirit, pray to be lead to the elect, and talk to everyone, we really do find them! I have a strong testimony of that, definitely!
Also that happened when this lady asked me what time it was when she was waiting for the bus. Elder Heath was talking on the phone to someone, so I went to talk to her. Set up a meeting and we just taught this new family yesterday! It was great!
So things are really going well overall. Elder Heath is great, he really keeps my faith and my vision high. I really feel he has helped me so much this transfer and I'm really grateful for him. We're still just doing our best to find the elect and serve everyone we can! The gospel is so true! I hope you all have a great week and I really love you all! Do all you can to share the gospel!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Ahoj jeste jednou Uzasna Rodino!
How is everyone doing? It really sounds like it's been a good week back home. Last week of summer vacation for Holly, I hope she enjoys school!!!
We had another really great week here in Pardubice! It's just great to be here in this city! Let's see what happened. We are continuing to teach one investigator who is doing so great! He really embraces the gospel and loves it! He already knows it's all true and really wants to learn all he can. He is quick to grasp gospel topics and loves them. He is so great! We we're teaching him the gospel of Christ and he really already knew it all so it was just review for him. He teaches himself so well by the spirit also! He wasn't able to make it to church though. We're really doing our best to help him see just how important it is to come to church. He may need some help and prayers to really make it though.
We're continuing to try to teach our other investigator still. We taught him once this week, and it was good, but hasn't been able to meet since then. He's still great though!
We met this guy here who is a member but is here for 2 months with the army to do helicopter training. He is such a great member! We rode to church with him on Sunday and I think he really enjoyed church.
Cool miracle happened when we were going home to eat, and their was this girl delivering the mail to our apartment complex. Went back to talk to her because we felt she was prepared for the gospel. She was really open to the message, and gave us her number to set up a meeting sometime, as well as 2 referrals! It was really cool to see how when we follow the spirit, pray to be lead to the elect, and talk to everyone, we really do find them! I have a strong testimony of that, definitely!
Also that happened when this lady asked me what time it was when she was waiting for the bus. Elder Heath was talking on the phone to someone, so I went to talk to her. Set up a meeting and we just taught this new family yesterday! It was great!
So things are really going well overall. Elder Heath is great, he really keeps my faith and my vision high. I really feel he has helped me so much this transfer and I'm really grateful for him. We're still just doing our best to find the elect and serve everyone we can! The gospel is so true! I hope you all have a great week and I really love you all! Do all you can to share the gospel!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Hodne Stesti!
Aug 20, 2012
Cau Cau!
How is everyone! Hope all is well! It was great to hear about all your weeks! I really love hearing about all of you. Thanks for the emails. So sounds like Hawaii was fun! The chapel looks really cool, Robin sent me a picture! Glad to hear about the fishing too.
How is everyone! Hope all is well! It was great to hear about all your weeks! I really love hearing about all of you. Thanks for the emails. So sounds like Hawaii was fun! The chapel looks really cool, Robin sent me a picture! Glad to hear about the fishing too.
So, this week. Great great week. Full of miracles! First great story. We had a goal to get 3 phone numbers with appointments (A#'s) in the hour time we had to contact. We worked really hard and only got one. We decided that we deserved ice cream anyways even though we didn't achieve our goal. Right as we walk up to the ice cream place, this guy calls out to us, who was eating there already. He said he knows missionaries in Ostrava (another city in the mission). We talked to him got his number, talked to this other guy there who they knew, after they left, got his address and set up an appointment, as we're talking to him, another guy comes up and asks who we are, we get his address. Probably the most success I've ever seen in 15 minutes, all because we got ice cream. How mysterious the ways of the Lord are!
Moving right on, we've been teaching this one less active family, and they have a non-member son who is 17 years old. We've been trying to set up to teach the son on his own, but he never wanted to. Finally we got set up with him, went to the meeting, and he was a completely different person. He is really searching for peace and confort in life, because he knows that he doesn't have it. He really think the gospel is the answer. We promised him it is. He told us he wants to meet often and he wants to work towards baptism. He has been reading and praying and already sees a difference in his life. I really feel so blessed that we've been lead to him as he is so elect and prepared!
Also we taught this girl on a bench this week, and her dog kept getting on us and getting us all muddy, but we just kept teaching her. She was really suprised just at how we acted overall, and how we didn't get mad or anything. She didn't end up having interest, but it was just great for her to see that we don't really care about worldly things and I know that made her think a lot. Now I have a muddy shirt though...
I had a great experience in Jihlava on exchanges this week where Elder Meredith and I set a goal to find someone and set up a lesson. It was really cool, because we didn't see anything, but we just kept going, even past the time we had set to do that, and we reached our goal! I really know if we sacrifice, the Lord does bless us so much! Great exchange!
Our investigator has been facing some challenges in life, and could really use some prayers.
Overall, great week, and I really love serving the Lord here a lot! I love this country and I love these people, and even though I still can't speak or understand all that great, I'll do all I can to serve them as best as I can! Hope everyone has a great week though! Love you all!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
p.s. I now play the recorder flute
vDomě Lvů
Zdravim vas jeste jednou tenhle krasny tyden zPardubic!
Aug 13, 2012
Hope everyone is doing really well! Oh wow how time is going by so very fast! It's really amazing to me how that happens. It's been such a great weekend this week! I have been loving the work as usual and it's going really well!
So, great stories of the week, first, this guy Elder
Simcock and I found on exchanges in Jihlave is working towards baptism
and has been to church two weeks in a row! It's great to see that and
I'm really glad we were lead by the spirit to this man there. I don't
get to teach him, but I will get to hear about how he progresses! I'm
really excited to hear how it goes with him!
I was in Jicin on exchanges too this week with Elder Clyde. Wow what a
great Elder. It was so good to work with him, and we definitely saw some
great things here on exchanges. I'm really glad I got to work with him.
Jicin is a great city, it's pretty small, but is so great! I really
loved working there for what little time I had.
We have been continuing to teach and find those who are prepared. We have been teaching a young man still and he is really great and progressing so well! He definitely loves the gospel, and is working towards baptism next month. He's just so humble, and I feel so blessed that we were lead to him as we were. We found him, because we set a goal on our way to another appointment to find someone and get their phone number. I really believe and know that when we set goals and make plans that we can achieve whatever the Lord wants us to. I really know this to be true.
We also have been teaching this new guy who is super prepared as well. We will meet with him again this week so I'll let you all know how it goes.
We had this miracle when we found this guy tracting, and when we came back to teach him again, he referred us to his brothers and sisters who also live in Pardubice. So this week we get to go visit all of them, which we're really excited to go do!
I've just been feeling so very blessed and uplifted by the Lord this whole transfer so far. It's already about halfway over and I don't really know how that's possible. We're just working as hard as we can and seeing all the miracles that we can! I love this great work and I'm excited to continue every week. I hope you all too can experience the sweet joys of missionary work in your lives!
Hope you all have a great week this week. I love you all, thanks you for your prayers, and wish you all the best. I'll be praying for you too!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Monday, August 6, 2012
Pardubicky
August 6, 2012
Hey Family!!!
Great week this week. We've been working hard and seeing great things! We had a great day especially on Saturday. We found this really great kid from Slovakia! He is great. He is working here in Pardubice. It was really such an experience to talk to him. At first he had no interest, but we kept talking and the more we talked, the more the spirit touched him and he opened up and we set up a meeting. I felt so blessed that we had been led to him, and I'm really excited to meet with him this week! It's just such a blessing to know that the Lord is working right alongside us, and that He really wants to help us succeed, and when we put our trust in Him, we do succeed! We are led to the elect. I'm so grateful for that. We also were led to this other man who was just so open to the message, and was just such a great guy. I'm just so grateful for the spirit directing my life at this time!
Great week this week. We've been working hard and seeing great things! We had a great day especially on Saturday. We found this really great kid from Slovakia! He is great. He is working here in Pardubice. It was really such an experience to talk to him. At first he had no interest, but we kept talking and the more we talked, the more the spirit touched him and he opened up and we set up a meeting. I felt so blessed that we had been led to him, and I'm really excited to meet with him this week! It's just such a blessing to know that the Lord is working right alongside us, and that He really wants to help us succeed, and when we put our trust in Him, we do succeed! We are led to the elect. I'm so grateful for that. We also were led to this other man who was just so open to the message, and was just such a great guy. I'm just so grateful for the spirit directing my life at this time!
We had another Book of Mormon moment. We were talking to this guy outside this hotel in Pardubice. It's like a normal hotel, but people stay in it long term. We were talking to this guy though, and all these people in the hotel above us were yelling at us and laughing at us. As we were walking away from the guy later (he was a really great guy) we were talking about how we walked right by the great and spacious hotel, with it's inhabitants pointing and mocking. It was really fun to see the relation!!
One of our investigators though made some great progress this week! He rode his bike 2 hours to come to church! He said he feels really welcome and safe from the world at church. It was really great to see his faith in that, and how he was able to see the blessings.
I got to spend a day in Hradec Kralove though on exchanges. It was really great, and I was glad to be back there. It's a really beautiful city.
So I found was I was looking for last week though. On page 120 of the book "Our Heritage", President David O. McKay invites us as members to bring at least one of our beloved friends every year to accept the blessings, the peace and the joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that everyone can do that, because a Prophet of the Lord told us we could! Like I said before, with much prayer, I know all of you can achieve this goal. I didn't get too many commitments to do so last week, so I'll ask for them again. Will you all commit to follow the Prophet David O. McKay's counsel before I return home next year?
Love you all family! You are all great and I enjoy hearing from all of you! Keep up the good work you all do.
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
P.S. Oh, by the way for Eric, we're teaching these 2 Bulgarians guys, and they told us they would refer all their friends. They're super open, it's too bad they can't help our the church there right now. Also, we met a professional basketball player for Europe. Don't know who he was though
Pardubice
July 30, 2012
Great week! I'm really glad to be here in Pardubice right now! It's just such a great city and full of miracles!
So this week we had Zone Conference in Prague, which as some of you asked, is about an hour train ride to Prague from Pardubice. It was really great! As zone leaders, Elder Heath and I gave a training, which was definitely scary to do, but it turned out really well. We have 12 missionaries in our zone and they are all great! So it was a great time there.
We've been so extremely busy, and I don't know where the time is going. It really is flying by so fast, and I am really loving every moment of it. We've been continuing to teach our family and they are doing good. They really love the gospel. We had a great miracle this week where we were able to give a priesthood blessing to the father because he was sick and he was healed from that. Such a testimony builder to me in the power of the priesthood actually being the power of God. I know that to be true.
We've been kind of slow at finding new people to teach, but this week should definitely be a lot better as we have a lot more time to find.
A great thing happened this week though. We got a branch mission leader finally! We had a meeting with him and he really raised my vision of the work. We're definitely going to do our best to see every miracle we can this transfer. He is really going to help us work with the members better so we can teach their friends and family. He has really raised my vision of the work though, and I'm so excited to work here right now!
By the way, I have a commitment for everyone. In the book "Our Heritage" one of the prophets (forgot which one, I'll look again) commits all church members to bring at least one person in the church every year. Theres about 1 year until I get home, so I commit everyone to really pick up their missionary efforts and bring someone into the gospel before I get home! Remember 1 Nephi 3:7, put a lot of prayer into it, and get started! I expect to hear all your commitments to do so next week. I promise a greater joy in your lives as you do so.
So I'm just really ready to keep working hard here right now. The elect are here, we're finding them, and the work is true!
Keep being great everyone! I love you all and pray for you! Thanks for everything!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Novy Tyden!
July 23, 2010
Zdravime vas zPardubic!
Hope everyone is doing great! It's been a really great week here, and one of the busiest weeks of my mission! There's so much going on! So Pardubice is great! It's been pretty warm these past few days, but not really hot. It just got pretty hot today though. It's interesting how it's so close to Hradec Kralove, but it's really quite a different city. It's definitely newer, and a lot more compact, where as Hradec is much more spread out. Another interesting fact, Hradec Kralove and Pardubice are known for having a rivalry. I love both the cities though.
Hope everyone is doing great! It's been a really great week here, and one of the busiest weeks of my mission! There's so much going on! So Pardubice is great! It's been pretty warm these past few days, but not really hot. It just got pretty hot today though. It's interesting how it's so close to Hradec Kralove, but it's really quite a different city. It's definitely newer, and a lot more compact, where as Hradec is much more spread out. Another interesting fact, Hradec Kralove and Pardubice are known for having a rivalry. I love both the cities though.
So church was great this Sunday! A lot of
the members recognized me, I was really so excited to see them! It's
really great to be back. I'm definitely here to work though. There were
about 40-45 at church this Sunday. The really cool thing is I got to see this really great member who I helped re-activate here in
Hradec! He taught the Sunday school class, and seems to be doing really
great! I really love him a lot.
So we're teaching this family and they are great! They just love the gospel. They have given us several referrals too, which has really helped us to be a lot busier here! There are the parents, and 6 kids. It's really great to teach them, and I definitely love them a lot. We've really set a focus this transfer of finding young single adults, who can really build up the church here. It's going really well and we already have found a few!
So as Zone Leaders, we have a lot to do. There are 12 missionaries in
our zone, us included. There are 5 zones total in the Czech Republic and
Slovakia. We recently were in Prague to have a Zone Leader meeting to
plan what we would teach our missionaries to help the mission improve.
I'm really excited to serve as a Zone Leader, and I'm definitely
nervous, but so prepared to do everything I can to serve the Lord and
these missionaries as best I can!
Elder Heath and I are doing great. I'm learning so much from him, especially about how to find new investigators. It's great to be back with him, and it's the first time I have served with a missionary from my group from the MTC since I got here. So we're doing great! I've definitely seen some miracles as we've served together, as we go out of our way to find new investigators. It's been such a blessing to me.
It sounds like everyone is doing really good back home. I wish you all the best, and I'm always glad to hear from you! Keep doing the great work you're doing and keep sharing the gospel! Love you all!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
July 18, 2012
Uz jsem zpatky!!!
Hey Everyone!!!
So it's been transfers!
It's been a really exciting one this time!
First off, Trencin. Our investigator was baptised this Saturday! It was really cool! She was so prepared and we were really sure it was going to happen. So I had the privledge to do that! We had the baptism in the Vah, the river right by the church building. The really cool part is that just like she really wanted, it rained at her baptism! She said she prayed that it would. She really likes the rain. It was a really great service though, and the members were great and she is so ready to continue on as an active member! It really was a blessing to help the branch in Trencin accept a new member, as they have not really seen success for a long time. The last baptism was 3 years ago, and it was good to give them hope for the future. Elder Zabriskie confirmed her a member on Sunday. One member, the branch President's mother had us and her over for dinner, and it was a really great experience for us all. This member has such a desire to share the gospel and has helped us out so much this last transfer. It was a great end of the transfer.
I loved my time with Elder Zabriskie and we really worked hard and did our best there in Trencin! I love Trencin so much and will miss it there.
This last week we were able to see some really cool things. We finally were able to meet with this one investigator that we have. It was a really great lesson. He was really open and accepted to read and pray, and to be baptised when he knows it's all true. It was such a blessing for me to see this success right as I was leaving the area, and I know the next missionaries will do great there. Elder Zabriskie is staying there and will train a new missionary.
As for the new transfer, I'm going to an area I'm partially familiar with. I have been assigned to serve as a Zone Leader in the city of Pardubice, with Elder Heath!!! I'm really excited about this! So Pardubice is the only city in the mission with missionaries that attends in a different city. We go to church in Hradec Kralove, which is my first city for anyone who remembers that. So we will be spending some time there in Hradec Kralove this transfer. I'm really excited to be here. It's definitely a blessed opportunity to serve these members again, and to serve and love these people here. Elder Heath is from my MTC group, and is just such a great guy. I love him so much. He is a really hard worker and I know we'll serve great together this transfer. He is from Masachusetts.
So everything else is going great! We have a really great area right now and are teaching a family. They all have baptisimal dates, and I'm really excited to be working with them! Things are looking really good, and I'm so excited to work this transfer! Hope you all have a great week! Again I enjoy all your emails and your spiritual experiences you all have every week. Love you all!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Monday, July 9, 2012
Posledni Tyzden
July 9, 2012
Hey Everyone!
So it's my last week here in Slovakia.
We will have transfers next Wednesday, so you won't hear from me until
then. It was great to hear from all of you. Sounds like everything is
going really well! The river rafting trip sounded really great, as it
always is! Glad to hear things are good, and glad to hear your great
church experiences as well.
So this week was good, but a bit harder to work. It is now
extremely hot and today is the first cooler day all week. Half of our
members were in the temple in Freiburg Germany this week, so they
couldn't help us this week with missionary work, but it was really good
anyways!
First, our investigator. She is still doing so great! She is still very
excited for her baptism this Saturday! We're definitely looking forward
to it as well. The members as well are just really excited for it, and
so there is a good atmosphere here. We went to Zilina with her and
another member this Saturday to see a baptism there. It was really
great! She was able to meet the members there in Zilina and build
relationships with them. It was just a great event overall.
We are working with this inactive member, who is just the coolest
guy ever! He's about 25 and just really great. He works on Sundays
though so can't come to church. We had a really good lesson with him
though and he said he would pray and search for new work to be able to
keep that commandment. He said he wasn't going to be able to make it to
church this Sunday though. So church is about to start, and all of a
sudden, he comes in! I was so excited to see him. It just proves that he
really has real intent and he really wants these blessings in his life.
I can just see how much of a strength he could be to this branch in
Trencin, and I'm so grateful to see him working so hard to do that. He
is great!
Elder Zabriskie and I are still trying really hard to find new
investigators. We haven't found any in 2 weeks now, so we're still doing
our best to find them. We haven't been teaching very much because of
that, but we still have really high hopes! Trencin is still just full of
miracles waiting to happen!
So everything is going really well though, and we're just looking
to finish the transfer really strong! I've been working a lot this last
week on humility, and recognizing that without the Lord's help, we
really can't do anything. I really can't deny how without the help of
our Father in heaven, the work here doesn't and won't progress. I've
also been strengthening my testimony that if we really study the
scriptures and look to our Father in heaven, He does show us His will,
and He does show us truth. If only everyone could realize this simple
truth, that if they humble themselves and seek the will of their God, He
will show them how to live happily and safely.
Thank you all for your letters of love and support. I hope you all have a great week! Love you all!!!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
July 2, 2012
Vela Stastia
Hey Everyone!
So sounds like everything is going really well
still! Glad to hear it. Thanks for all the emails again. I really
appreciate hearing all the spiritual highlights of everyone's week.
So
this week was a really really good one. First of all, the mission. As a
mission we are doing so well! The mission has seriously never been doing
so good since I got here. In Slovakia this transfer alone, there are 8
baptisms. Thats 8 baptisms in 2 months, more then all of Slovakia got in
2010! We are really just doing so well right now, as Elder
Christofferson told us, the work is starting to speed up here, and we're
so lucky to be here during it. I really feel that I am the best
missionary I have been since getting here too.
So, right now it's is so hot. It was the most difficult fast Sunday
I have ever had, and I went home and drank liters and liters of water
and a liter of chocolate milk. It was really hot. Elder Zabriskie and I
we're talking about fasting in relation to missionary work though, and
it was really cool. We see how in both cases, we give up something
that's not necessarily a bad thing (24 hours of food and water or 2
years of giving up things to be a missionary). The reason we do it
though, is for something better. By doing so, we show God that we are
willing to draw closer to Him, by following His commandments, and He
blessed us with spiritual strength and knowledge. It's really a great
trade off.
Things are so good here though. Our investigator is still working towards
baptism, and we'll probably be going to Zilina this weekend with her to
see a baptism there, so we're looking forward to that. We had a lesson
on Alma 32 and asked her what we can do to nourish our "trees"and she
knew all the things we should do. It was a really cool lesson. She is
definitely going to be ready on the 14 of July and we're looking forward
to it as well as she is!
We had so many cool experiences this week, and I just can't tell
all of them. There was this one where this guy kept doing everything he
could to disagree with us, whenever we found a common ground, so we had
a cool Zeezrom moment and caught him in his words. I learned that if we
really teach the gospel, we cannot be caught in our own words, because
we are speaking nothing but true doctrine.
I have been looking a lot at the Christlike attribute of Humility
this week. It is such an important attribute. When we are humble, we
admit that we don't have it all figured out. We know that we can't rely
wholly on our own wisdom and learning, or the wisdom and learning of
others. We realize that only through God can we learn what the truth is
and what isn't. In John 5:30, we can see that even Jesus Christ didn't
rely on His own learning and understanding, but that of His Father in
heaven. Even Jesus Christ was humble and willing looked to His Father
for the answers. If only we all could do that. I face that everyday,
people who just aren't willing to admit that maybe they don't have it
all figured out, and it's sad to see, but we just have to find those who
are willing. Humility - 2 Nephi 9:42-43
Another word of advice, the more we go out of our way to give to
the Lord, the more He will go out of His way to bless us. I'm really
learning that a lot.
So everything else is going really great!
We're really trying to help others as best we can and we're really
seeing miracles this transfer! The work is pressing on, the work is true
and the church is true! Just remember that, and keep working hard
everyone! Keep doing all that you do, you really help us out here a lot
with your prayers! Remember, sacrifice obedience and faith=miracles!
Love you all! Have a great week!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Monday, June 25, 2012
Pokračujme
June 25, 2012
Hey Family!
Sounds like everyone had a good time on the pioneer trek back home!
It's
been another good week, even if not super eventful. We're continuing to
teach our investigator and she is making so much progress! It's
really a miracle to see whats happening with her. From the time we
first met her, she has completely changed so much, she is happier, she
has so much desire to do whats right, and she is experiencing the joy of
the gospel! We taught the word of wisdom, and she is making so much
progress in stopping smoking. She already hasn't for 4 days now! She just
wants to live the gospel and she wants all the blessings associated
with it. I feel like we're not even doing that much, but it's all coming
from God and His help. The members are catching the excitement of the
work as well. They love helping us with her and are really enjoying
her at church. The Relief Society usually goes over 20 minutes because
they don't want to stop talking! Her baptism is still on date for the 14
of July and everyone is looking forward to it, especially her! I
feel it is such a blessing to teach her, and I'm learning a lot in the
process.
This week I really studied the Atonement a little more in
depth. I really just tried to comprehend more what our Savior went
through for each one of us. It really is amazing and such an act of love
what He did for each of us. We really never will be able to understand
what exactly He went through, but I am so very grateful that He did it.
For what He did, we can never do enough to even come close to repaying
Him. But He loves us, and that's why He makes up the rest with the
Atonement. So why can't we just remember that more often, and just do
what little He asks.
I spent one day in Zilina this week on exchanges and worked with
Elder Johnson there. It is a beautiful city and I really enjoyed it. We
saw some really cool things during that time, and worked our hardest.
Here in Trencin, we are definitely seeing miracles though! The work is
pressing forward, and I'm grateful to be an active part of it.
So it's been so hot this last week. One night we fell asleep with
the window open because it was so hot, but then there was this
thunderstorm in Trencin at about 2 in the morning so that woke us up. We
had to close the window, but then it was extremely hot again. Oh,
humidity. We've had to sleep in a different room this week in our
apartment.
So, not too much else. Elder Zabriskie is still just a great
companion and I'm loving him! We're continuing to work hard! Keep
praying for us!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Pokračujeme ďale
June 18, 2012
Hey Everyone!!!
So it's been a good one! We were in
Brno this week for part of Thursday and Friday. It was great to see the
city again. I really love Brno. I got to see Elders Ozmun and Hansen too
so that was great! We learned a lot there and it was a really uplifting
trip. On the train ride back, I was with Elders Zabriskie and Tenny and
Durrant, and we were just talking about how great our missions are and
how much we've changed. It really has been the greatest experience of my
life so far. I really love it so much, and I love being here, being
around these missionaries who are just so extraordinary, being around
these members who have given up so much, and being around these great
people in these great countries. It's something else out here, but it's
so great! I'm just glad to be a missionary here, to be having these
experiences which are really changing me, and to share that which is so
great in my life, the gospel!
I'm so glad to be with Elder Zabriskie right now though, and we're
just working so hard trying our best to help our investigators accept
the gospel. Our investigator is doing great! She is still working
towards baptism and her date is for the 14 of July! We are really
excited that she is progressing so well. She is just accepting
everything, and we really see a change that has come over her since she
has started "experimenting upon the word", to quote the prophet Alma. She
is so much happier and really wants to change her life, and I'm just
glad the gospel gives us that opportunity. We're working with a lot of
other investigators, but no one really steadily. We're picking up and
dropping investigators a lot, so we're really trying to find those who
are willing to meet often. We're doing really well though.
I have really been studying the gospel of Jesus Christ though even
more, just the entire purpose behind missionary work. My testimony of
missionary work is growing so much, and I really am just so anxious to
share the gospel with those around me. I know that it is so important to
declare the gospel and I'm just so glad I have learned this lesson and
that I have this opportunity to do so. I really hope you all take that
to heart.
So have a great week everyone! I love you so much and really
appreciate you all. Thanks for all the letters and I hope you have a
great day!
sLaskou
-Starsi Salas
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