New Package and Letter Mailing Procedures

If any readers are planning to send Christmas greetings/packages to Ashley, please note the following NEW guidelines:

LETTERS should be sent to:

Církev Ježíše Krista Svatých Posledních Dnů
Sister Ashley Dean
Badeniho 1
160 00 Praha 6
Czech Republic

(Her name should NOT be on the first line, or it will not be delivered).

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PACKAGES should be sent to the following address, WITHOUT ASHLEY'S NAME ON THEM:


Církev Ježíše Krista Svatých Posledních Dnů
Badeniho 1
160 00 Praha 6
Czech Republic

ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE PACKAGE, WRITE THE NUMBER 1158 IN LARGE PRINT (this will indicate to the mission office that the package goes to Ashley).

Please see the info below sent by the Czech Mission, for other details regarding packages sent to the mission office:


**VERY IMPORTANT**
You might have noticed that when sending packages to your missionary that there seems to be a line missing, the one that includes their name. DO NOT WRITE THE MISSIONARY'S NAME ON THE PACKAGE. Rather, when your missionary comes into the Prague Mission, they will be assigned a 4-digit number. When you would like to send a package to your missionary, you will write the address as shown above and then write the assigned 4-digit number, that we give your missionary, on the bottom right hand corner of the package. When a package comes to the Mission Home, we will simply look on the package and at our list that corresponds each 4-digit number to each missionary’s name.

~ Regulations regarding the value of packages mailed from outside of the European Union:

(1)The total value of the items within the package must be LESS THAN 28 DOLLARS. If you need to send more than that amount, split it into separate packages.
(2)The number you write on the box that declares the value of the items contained, must be LESS THAN 28 DOLLARS
(3) Make sure that you DO NOT write the value of anything in the box as 0 dollars. Everything has value.

It is difficult to claim packages that are sent as follows:
• Not abiding by the above rules about package value
• Fed-Ex or UPS
• Insured

If we receive a package as listed above, it may be delayed for a month or more! There will probably be a duty charged for at least the amount of the value of the contents, or it may never be delivered.

It is best to send packages regular air mail or in a Priority Flat rate International box or envelope that you purchase at the post office. Packages may be sent DHL, but just be warned, it’s very expensive. Keep it simple. We receive most packages within a couple of weeks and in good shape if they are labeled and sent properly. --Czech Mission Office


Thank you,

The Dean Family

The Penultimate Week - November 5th, 2011

So.
The concert is today. I just know it will be so, so good. I'm so excited. We have displays set up about the Book of Mormon, and families, and prophets, and service that the Church does, and about our English classes. And all these wonderful people are inviting everyone they know--pray for us to find people who are interested in learning more! Life will be a little different without this thing to prepare for, but it may be somewhat of a relief. Earlier this week it started to seem like things were falling apart, however...

Sister Bean got sick. Yes, the star of our show caught bronchitis. We had an interesting trip to the doctor's office. Let me tell you a thing or two I've learned about socialized health care since I've been here--it's no good. Vubec(that means not at all). When I talked to the nurse on the phone she told us to come in at 9:30, but that the doctor we had requested wouldn't be in the office at all. When we arrive, there's this life of people waiting. After a few minutes we catch on, and Sis Bean joins the end of it and eventually gives the nurse at the desk her information. Then she comes to sit with us while she waits. A few people go in and out, and then the doctor comes and says, 'Miss Bean'. So Sis Bean starts to stand up, but a random woman sitting on the other side of me jumps to her feet first and jets into the doctor's room and he doesn't even bat an eye. We all looked around at each other in amazement for a bit and kind of laughed because we didn't know what else to do. A short while later she came out and left without paying or anything. I don't know, perhaps they will bill her or something. Then the doctor came out again and Sister Bean stood again, but another woman from who-knows-where ran into the room before she could get there. This time we just burst into laughter because there wasn't anything else to do. After this, Sis Bean got into a pretty impressive ready position and carefully watched the door, ready to sacrifice her poor little lungs in order to be next. When the doctor came out, she jumped to her feet--but the doctor told us that it was now time for patients with an appointment, and that he'd try to squeeze her in some other time. And all this time we saw the very doctor that wasn't supposed to be in the office at all, walking in and out of rooms. Ha.

But Sister Bean's better and everything will be okay.

Actually, no one here celebrates Halloween, just the people to know Americans.

Other than that, our week's been a little rough. So many people cancelling on us. One of our 'golden' investigators has taken a 180 and continues to blow us off for his work. Very few people wanted to talk with us, even though we didn't waste a second and approached everyone we could. Satan's working hard. But usually the hardships come just before the breaking of the dawn, and I believe the sun will shine brightly tonight.

We have been using the Book of Mormon Ensigns like crazy for our investigators. They're so wonderful. Gotta love the Church.

Li hang's amazing. So focused, and excited to go on a mission. He wrote all of the missionaries a letter about his conversion, and had someone translate it recently. I've never met a recent convert that understands the gospel so well. He's just so cool, I'm obsessed.

Cool story: this is how much influence one person/family can have (Dad, feel free to share this). This wonderful old couple in our branch is so great about missionary work. He's the former branch president and counselor to the mission president, she's suffering from cancer, and he just had a hernia removed. But they invited us over and this completely inactive young man, who hasn't been to church for maybe 10 years. Really, honestly 10 years. They knew him from when Brother Canek was branch president. He is about my age and his name is Lukas. Well, we missed our bus connection to get out there, so we were pretty late. And Lukas, the young man, was even later. By the time we got there and he got there, we had about 6 minutes to share a spiritual thought. Fastest lesson of my life. But afterwards we invited him to sports day with us and he promised he would come. That was all, probably 2 minutes of direct conversation. He came. Then he came to FHE. Then we had a meeting with him. Then he came to Sports Day again. Tomorrow he's coming to church for the first time in 10 years. That's all it takes, people--2 MINUTES is enough. There are people who are just waiting to be invited to do something, to change something in their lives. Don't miss a single opportunity.

Transfers next week--I'll find out tomorrow. I'd love to stay, I know something exciting will happen if I go, it'll all be wonderful no matter what. Love you all so much!

s laskou,

Sestra Dean

Sister Laws--there is a big scandal about you having a bridal shower going around the mission! What the--??

Rose Bud Thorn: No stress, God Does His Own Work - October 27th, 2011

Last night as we were waiting on the metro to head home, my compy doo Sister Andy Pandy (haha--thank President for that one) looked at me expectantly and said: 'Rose thorn bud.'
Uhhh--what?
This is what it means:

Rose (best part of the week): Meeting with Tonda. We invited him to read the Book of Mormon every day for at least 10 minutes. He told us that 10 minutes wasn't nearly enough time--that he could read for at least 20 minutes each day. :)

Thorn (worst part of the week): [Readers: THE BULK OF THE THORN EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN OMITTED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT!!!] . . . However, this thorn also has a rose. Somehow it all worked out. God does what He wants. Afterwards one told us that he'd bring his friends next week. Another asked when church started on Sunday. Everyone wanted to come back. I love that God is totally in charge--I wouldn't have it any other way.

Bud (something you're looking forward to): THE CONCERT IS NEXT WEEK!!! WOOO! All this transfer's hard work culminates in this, the penultimate week of the transfer. Woop. Pray for us. :)

Also: Li Hang's been having a bit of trouble. His family's thinking of leaving to go back to China. He had a lot of anxiety over whether he should return with them or not--there, he'd be with family, but without the Church, here, he'd be with the Church, but he'd have to find a job, and the only jobs he qualifies for here are really demanding and low-paying. All week he told us he had a 'bad mood'. But yesterday we met with the Skype Elders. He was happy because he finally made up his mind to stay and to prepare for a mission. He received his answer from reading in the Book of Mormon. He said that the Church could be like his new family. On Tuesday he will have a Skype interview with the branch president to get the priesthood.
Awesome.

Yes, Ma. The mission stories in the Book of Mormon mean everything to me as a missionary. Alma 26 is perhaps my favorite chapter in the entire book. We always discuss them and analyse them and try to emulate the great missionaries of the Book of Mormon. As I've been reading this transfer I've been marking the ways we can apply the atonement in our lives. It's always repentance. And the things we must do to prepare ourselves to repent, like humbling ourselves. What a beautiful thing repentance is! What a beautiful message of the gospel--that everyone can change and grow and be better. I love that.

Please don't send a box. This is all I want: a copy of the conference Ensign. And I want you all to read it before you send it and mark your favorite parts in it and write why you like that part so much. Then it will be like a letter and scripture all in one. That's all. And that will fill me for the holidays. :)

I lurve you!

s laskou,

Sestra Dean

P.S. I DID see a picture of Mike and Brandi's kids--I just got it yesterday! MY, what good cousins I have. Thanks. :)

And I almost cried when I heard about Michelle's pumpkin. Stinky kids.

Molls/Beks: sometimes when it gets around Halloween time I just can't help but think to myself: I wonder what NieNie's mantle piece looks like this year.