February 7th, 2011

A weird thing: many Czechs wear their scarves on the outside...like around their hoods/the collars of their coats. I can't quite love it yet, but some pull it off.


Cauky lidi!

It's me. Sestra Dean. Have I ever told you that sometimes people here call me by my first name? Martin calls me by my first name...but I think he tries to use our names as little as possible because he knows that all the other members call us by our last names, which makes him a little unsure. The mission presidents in the US would probably have a hernia if they knew that. A lot of Czechs get stuck in that no-one-has-ever-trusted-anyone-since-Communism-and-you're-acting-suspicious glitch when they realize that I didn't tell them my first name to begin with. It's funny because in America it's pretty obvious that Dean isn't my first name, but no one here has any idea. A lot of times they tell me they think it's a really pretty name. You hear that, fam? We have a pretty name. :)

Petr's doing pretty well. His birthday is coming up--on the 12th maybe? The 18th? I can't quite remember. But if you sent him something now he'd probably get it before he left, sometime in the beginning of March.

Bad news: still no meeting with Michal. But we have one scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 in the morning. If he cancels again....I will pray my little brains out until Heavenly Father helps me have patience with people who are disappointing. He keeps getting in touch with us, which is good. But he also keeps cancelling after saying he has tons of time for us and everything. I just KNOW that it was a real miracle that we found him. And I KNOW that he has so much potential and that he is ready and needing this gospel. If only Satan would just get his big fat head (oh wait, he doesn't even have one) out of the way. Thank you for thinking of him--keep praying for him!

Buuuut, this week has been much better. We did meet with the cute Oliver man. A believer who doesn't live up to his own potential, that's what he is. I can tell that he knows what's right and what he needs to do, but he just doesn't have a good enough reason to put forth the effort to be better. We taught him with Martin, which was really neat because Martin was able to testify all about how he found out the Book of Mormon was true because he prayed about it. It's really touching to see him helping those around him--like my own child all grown up. *tear*

We also taught a really neat man named Mirek, whom I met on a tram. Another person who's disappointed in life, but a strong believer in Jesus Christ.

People, can I just tell you something amazing?! I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. Lately I have been overcome with the power of that book. When we teach people who are disappointed with life, who are looking for answers, who feel guilty or dissatisfied or captive or stressed or any other thing they could possibly be feeling other than joy and peace, we take them to that book. With both Oliver and Mirek we began by giving them that book. I've learned to trust more in its promise. We tell people things like, if they read in it every day and pray about it for a week straight, they will come to know for themselves that it's true. And I know it really will work for them. The great thing about the Book of Mormon is that it gets people learning and growing on their own--they don't have to rely on missionaries for their testimonies. EVERYONE can know for themselves. I love in Alma 32 when he talks about the seed growing and swelling, and then says that because it grew and swelled in our hearts, that's where our knowledge comes from. That's how I've gained my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I never saw God, I never heard His voice. But I KNOW that I've felt those feelings when I've read the BOM--and for that I know what His voice sounds like, I know what He has to say to me. And then Alma writes, "oh then, is this not real?" IT IS, IT IS!! Wahahh! I love it!

Olga is getting baptised on Saturday and Martin is baptising her. She's been really sick lately--has kidney stones. And there is a court ruling next week that may take her son away from her and put him with his dad. I worry about her a bit. I want this stuff to sink into her soul, but I don't think she's quite there yet. It's interesting--some people make the gospel a part of their lives, while others let the gospel drive their lives. I've found that those who let it drive them have a much easier time with everything--it's not hard to live it, because there's nothing else you'd rather do. It is a living, active, moving, growing part of life because you're living and active and moving and growing. But when it's merely a part of one's life, a person constantly struggles to keep that part alive--they must make themselves give it a little attention here and there. And eventually something else wins out. I've seen so many members here in Ostrava in this same situation. Living the gospel is not hard. But knowing the gospel and not living it fully--well that's nearly impossible. Eventually you end up living something else and forgetting what you thought you knew. I don't want that to happen with Olga. But there are so many things that tell me it might. What do you do when someone wants to be baptized and is willing to live by everything, but you can tell it's just skin-deep?

Anyways.

Today I am getting my first Czech haircut. If I have a mullet, you might not see any pictures of me for a while. :) We have zone conference this week, which means we're going back to Brno! woo!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a big fan of you all. Please keep window shopping/soccering/cookie-dough placing/organing/being Mary/laughing/playing/happying the life out of yourselves in my absence. And then write me and tell me all about it.

s laskou,

ash


Notes:

Beks: what in the world does peike mean?! You are so awesome! Seriously--I laughed aloud in the middle of the library at your bike story...Czechs aren't loud ever, let alone in the library. I don't know if I'll ever quite fit in...but I just love you to pieces.

Adri: OH MYYYY! I fell asleep last night thinking about you and our valentine's day escapades...AS;LKJVAOIAJWEF;LKAJD! You must tell me EVERYTHING!! You're just working on building your eternal future, there's nothing wrong with that... :) I've missed you from beyond time.