Chubby Mush

Helaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! (That means 'hey' in czech...it's really funny when little kids here say it.)

Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna Sestnacteho Rijna--that phrase has been playing over and over in my head since my second day in Brno, when Beely (aka Sister Wheeler) first told me about Petr and I immediately knew... It means the 16th of October! AND IT REALLY HAPPENED! THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS HAS TWO BOMB NEW MEMBERS! WOOOOOOO!

In commemoration of this sacred day, here are 16 facts about Petr Bandik, the man who once shouted to the sky with clenched fists "it will be hard to change me!" This was back before I ever set foot in Brno.

1. He speaks Czech like a surfer would speak English or something. I can never understand him because he uses so much slang.

2. He plays a great goalie in football.

3. The day of his baptism he was a nervous wreck! Really, I've never seen him like that before.

4. He is one of the most even-keeled people I've ever met. Which makes #3 weird.

5. He came anyway. Because he is a man of his word. And a man of faith.

6. He looks a lot like his dad, who came to the baptism and seemed very pleased.

7. I still don't know whether or not he looks like his mom--she came but sat crying in the car the whole time.

8. His favorite food is beef and he hates sweet things. So he gives it all to us.

9. He also hates ties, but Elder Jones asked him if he wanted to wear one at the baptism and he decided to. Then he showed up wearing a tie for his confirmation the next day! The only tie he owns he got when he was 15. I don't know if we'll ever see him in one again.

10. As soon as the service began he felt much better.

11. After he was baptized he told the elder who baptized him, "I feel quite perfect."

12. #11 is funny because he always uses the word 'quite' when he speaks English. Nothing is 'good' or 'bad', it is only ever 'quite okay' or 'quite a funny' (yes, he always says 'quite A funny'--I never have the heart to correct him--it's like when Michelle used to say sunscreen and bikini for sour cream and zucchini, I don't really want him to fix it, it's too endearing)

13. When he was confirmed yesterday, by a British man in our branch who married a Czech woman, he was told that he had a work to do in the church and that trials would come soon, but if he read his scriptures and prayed every day his faith would always grow. And it counseled him to share the gospel with his family.

14. He loves reggae music and Bob Marley.

15. His dad picked up a younger girlfriend which tore his family apart a while ago and just recently his parents finally separated. For this reason, he LOVED his first time at church (this was also before I came to Brno), because they talked about the law of chastity in Sunday School. They basically had to drag him there, but afterwards he said he loved it and wanted to come every week.

16. He texted us last night asking about good scriptures on the Holy Ghost--how it feels and such, because he's awesome and studies his scriptures.

Anyways. I cannot describe how amazing it felt to see him baptized and confirmed--to know that real happiness in life is now available to him. AHH! I've realized that it's such a blessing to have an investigator that speaks English so well as a greenie--I would not have much of a relationship with him if he didn't, because I wouldn't be able to understand anything. I never realized before that missionaries really develop deep friendships with those they teach. It's so great!

Ghazi, the miracle man, got a job a little while ago and we've had a really hard time catching him because of it. We're still working on it, but he won't know enough to be baptized by Nov. 6th. We'll see and pray and work our hardest. That's all.

That's basically all. Another pretty typical week. We've found a few people who are really cool. One girl, Alena, is an artist, but also works at a chocolate bar, so we are going to visit her there today. Gotta love the Lord's work right? "Chubby mush" is Beely's nickname for her little brother. Haha. The girl's obsessed with mushrooms for some reason, and started calling him chubby mushroom, which was shortened to chubby mush later. What a funny girl!

More Christmas things: I know I keep adding to the list. Buuuuut I'm thinking that none of these things will be very expensive. 2 things here: any sort of smallish pictures of Jesus that I could give to investigators would be great. It's amazing how much that touches people here. Also: a new journal. Actually, you could just send two right now so you don't have to send one later. And if those two journals happened to be from Anthropologie that would bring some serious warmth to my heart.

One interesting thing: here it is really common to ask someone if they're a "believer". Isn't that funny? My first time I was a little weirded out by the idea of asking someone that, but here it's totally normal. I dare you to try asking someone in America if he/she is a believer. And then return and report, please.

I just received letters from both Courty and Bekahhhh--letters will be coming your way SOON, no worries!

As for the ------- family, just keep praying for them, being there for them, looking for opportunities to tell them what you know. That's all anybody can do.

Family, I seriously love you to itty bitty pieces. And now I must go because my stomach is eating itself.

S laskou,

Sestra Dean

P.S. I will post more pics next week, slibuju!

P.P.S. Next week is transfer week, which means that I won't be writing till Wednesday. So don't freak out.