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).

-----------------------------------------------------

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.

This Is Who I've Become . . ." October 22nd, 2011

Street Contacting

Our pday thus far: THREE hours (and then some) cleaning out our apartment. Yes, it's been in missionary hands for quite some time now. But my, oh my--it felt SO GOOD. THEN (best part) we watched the first part of this TV documentary made by BYU about the Bible and how it's come to be the Bible we know and love today. Loads of information about William Tyndale and John Wycliff and Martin Luther and the lot. As silly as this sounds, I think it was the most action-packed movie I've seen in the past year and a half. And I loved every minute of it. Ha. My life is so great.

More on Li Hang (the entire mission is becoming obsessed with him, no joke--President can't stop talking about him and neither can we) :
Weird things keep happening to make him late for our meetings. It's really interesting. He was never very late to meetings before, but in the last few weeks Satan has been working to keep him from meetings, I think. Last week a man who promised to drive him home from the doctor's so he could make it in time to our meeting just changed his mind. Yesterday he was stopped by the police and he didn't have his visa on him, so they made him get it and show it to him. From what I know, that doesn't happen very often. I really believe that this guy is intended to do great important things. He is so determined to become a missionary and share the gospel with others. We gave him "Preach My Gospel" in Chinese this week and he's already begun studying it. Apparently he was reading it on a tram and a man (probably drunk) came and yelled at him and tried to close the book so he couldn't read it. And yet he's always so happy.

Speaking of the musical number at his baptism... we practiced it the morning of at the church building, with a last minute idea of throwing and Elder with his guitar in. President sat there, giving us his opinion. He told us that it was too slow and kind of sad sounding when we sang it without the guitar. Of course, he's the supreme authority as far as baptisms go, so we laughed about it and kept the guitar. But really, who would call "I'm a Child of God" a sad song? Reflective, maybe, but never sad.

However. A few days ago we went to visit a member family and promote our whole concert bring-a-friend campaign. We sang with their children beforehand--I Am a Child of God, every Primary child's favorite, right? However, their 2-year-old daughter burst into tears in the middle of the third verse. They told us that they sing with her a lot, but usually more lively songs--ones that aren't quite so sad. Haha. Needless to say, we quickly abandoned the song and shared our message. :)

We've been teaching a young man named Tonda lately. He's 25, but a financial advisor and initially comes across very business-like. The more we meet with him, the more he surprises me with his sincerity and goodness. We began talking about prophets and the plan of salvation this week after taking him to our Young Single Adult Family Home Evening. Afterwards we gave him the talk "The Three Rs of Choice" from President Monson to read. In the next meeting we asked him if he had any questions about it and he told us no--rather, he'd had questions and found answers in it! Answers to his personal life dilemmas. I love seeing other people come to understand the power and importance of prophets! It's so true! I really know that President Monson has been called of God--that he's been working on developing that relationship with God his entire life and that his heart is in the right place in order to receive guidance for the good of all mankind. As are all the apostles. How cool are our lives, that we are able to teach people about this?
Tonda also agreed to be baptized on December 3rd. :)

Everyone, life is just so perfect. We had specialized training on Friday and talked about setting and reaching worthwhile goals and about how AWESOME Preach My Gospel is. I love this stuff. I love that being a disciple of Christ is something that is forever.

And I love you.

Sestra Dean


Hey Ma. You're the greatest. Isn't sister Stratton just absolutely wonderful? I'm not so sure about housing. It's true, it's stuff I'd rather not think about too much...I trust you.

Sestro Laws--oh my--LOVED your email! Isn't is just so refreshing? Haha, good thing we practiced that out. Although my curiousity is very much piqued...who?? I want to hear about Lumir asayfato (as soon as you find anything out).

Molls--get this: my companion (Sister Emily Anderson) was dance partners with Jared Kelson. How weird. Your letter was like a soap opera and I'm kind of hooked. I can hear the gossip girl narrator now...

BEST. DAY. EVER. October 15, 2011

WAAHHHH!

Okay, so I don't have a ton of time because I think I'm supposed to sign up for classes.
Buuuuutttttt--I have a few more miracles to add to the story of Li Hang:

1) Yesterday Elder Foong flew in from England with his mom. Today he baptized Li Hang.
2) Normally when they give people visas for England they only give it to them for 24 months exactly, no more, no less. However, somehow there was a mistake made and people had accidentally given Elder Foong a 25-month visa, which allowed him to extend for 3 weeks, which allowed him to teach/at all even meet Li Hang.
3) In order to travel anywhere else before going home as a missionary, one must get permission from people high up. Apparently the man in charge of this was a mission president in Malaysia (where Elder Foong is from) and was so ecstatic about it all that he approved it as soon as he heard about it.
4) When we first talked about him coming to baptize Li Hang, Elder Foong wasn't so sure. He prayed about coming, but didn't feel great about waiting until the 29th to come out here--a lot of extra money, you know. So he decided to try and ask us if we could move it up the next time we met. Meanwhile, we had already decided to move it up without talking to him. The next time we met, we informed him that we had moved the date to the exact date that he had hoped it would be in order for him to come.

I don't understand it all, but God has worked SO MANY miracles to get Li Hang baptized and to make it a really special experience for him. Someday he will be the first stake president in China.

The baptism was really beautiful--and in three different languages--English, Czech and Chinese. Sister Anderson read a talk that Elder Foong translated into Chinese. We sang "I am a Child of God" in three verses, one in Chinese, one in English, one in Czech. It was really wonderful. I never expected anything like this to happen on my mission in the Czech Republic. How great life is!

Also:
Yes, I have heard from Petr Bandik. He's doing really well--he just wrote me today in fact. I'll forward it to you. It's almost been a year since he was baptized.

One more random thing: I forgot to tell you. At a singing display a few weeks ago (you saw pictures of me contacting at it last week) I happened to meet someone really interesting. I stopped him in Czech and he told me he didn't speak English. Our conversation was a little like this:

'Prosim vas.'
'I don't speak English.'
'Oh, where are you from?'
'The United States.'
'Me too! Where in the United States?'
'Idaho.'
'ME TOO!'
'Really? Where in Idaho?'
'Boise.'
'Me too!'
'Well, actually it's a city right next to Boise--Meridian.'
'ME TOO! I went to Eagle High School.'
'Me too!'
'Are you lying to me?'
'No, no, one of my teachers was Ms. Taylor!'
'Oh my....'......

I know, right? He was teaching English there. He graduated a few years before me but apparently had a younger brother a year younger than me. He's not a member. I can't quite remember his name, but he's teaching English here. I couldn't get his contact because he had to run to catch a tram. How weird. I've been praying that I'll see him again.

Oh: favorite talk: about the Book of Mormon by Tad Callister. Everything I've ever wanted to tell anyone about my favorite book.

Life is gooooooooood. :)

Love you all.

Sestra Dean

Smelly: You're so grown up, it's weird. If I ever get a real p day I'll write you sometime.

Beks: Yes, I learned "I am a Child of God" in your language. I thought about you while I learned it. Ching chang chong.

Amando: Oh MY, that sounds like a party. No kaja...yet.

Holler: Future Missionaries of the ROC - October 8th, 2011

Great news, ladies and gents!

Li Hang's baptism has been moved up--to this Saturday, the 15th of October--because he is just so prepared! One of the elders that have been teaching him, Elder Fong (from Malaysia, amazing teacher, speaks perfect English with a perfect American accent except for the fact that sometimes he calls a lesson a 'teach'--not sure why) will end his mission this Thursday. His mom will fly up to England that day to pick him up and tour around a little and THEN he will fly to Prague to baptize Li Hang and then confirm him in Chinese the next day! It's such a miracle.

Today we watched General Conference. We set up a private little room with Chinese for Li Hang. He came in a SUIT (he's never owned/wore one before in his life--finding the perfect suit has been a work in progress for a few weeks now), and he came with questions, to which he hoped to receive answers during conference. I have never been more amazed by an investigator. He looked like a little missionary today. And he's been inviting all sorts of people to activities and to church and giving away copies of the Book of Mormon. We discovered during one of our Skype sessions, that there is a place here in Prague where Christian Chinese gather together and worship (or something to that effect). Apparently it is huge--like, really huge. He claimed that hundreds of people were there. And there he began explaining to his friend about the Book of Mormon he wanted to give him. Someone official noticed and asked him to come up in front of everyone and explain to them all what the difference between that book and the book they use (the Bible) was. So he got up and shared his feelings about the Book of Mormon in front of hundreds of people, no big deal. How cool is that??

Sis Bean, Sis Anderson and I may be learning "I am a Child of God" in Chinese for the baptism. We'll see how that goes.

(By the way, Sis Anderson plays the piano, not the violin.)

We're staying really busy and really blessed. If I didn't wake up tireder each morning than I did the day before, I really think I could stay a missionary forever. :) Wasn't conference just wonderful? I've set a personal goal to get more into geneology next year. Thanks Elder Bednar (who has Czech ancestors--I see his last name on doors when I'm contacting all the time here).

One other quick miracle I almost forgot. We randomly met this American couple from DC in a small grocery store by the church. We found out that they know some American members in the branch because they all work at the American embassy together. Well, the American family invited us and them over for dinner when they learned about it (this is a family we challenged to pray from missionary experiences and who has really been praying hard--look how it works!) and now they are coming to conference tomorrow! Woo!

I love you all.

S laskou,

Sestra Dean

Dean. Close. Mouth. October 1st, 2011

Pix:
1. The district.
2. Us and Li Hang after a fab Skype sesh.
3. Our church building, which used to be a favorite pub in these parts. Sometimes I meet people who are still upset about that.


Hello my little lovelies,

This week has been UNreal. Let me just tell you how un the real has been:

So. As we've been preparing for this concert on Nov 5th, it's taken at least an hour each day for practice time. Not so terrible, because it gives us time to be in touch and call everyone we need to call. However, I could maybe see myself or someone else saying that it's not the best use of time.

HOWEVER...The Lord has been sending us a very clear message that this is what He wants. We have been SO busy and SO blessed ever since we've begun preparing for this concert. On Tuesday we went contacting for 2 hours as part of a district thing--the only time we've had to go contacting has been during district finding opportunities. In the space of 2 hours we set up FOUR meetings and ended the day with a total of TWELVE phone numbers. Can you believe this?? I don't know if that means anything to you. A very average decent day would probably yield a number every 20 to 30 minutes or so. But God is with us. Yesterday we were so busy that we had to organize three splits so we could make it to all our meetings.

Li Hang is progressing very well--he's told the missionaries in England about 15 or so friends he's been talking to about the church. He keeps telling me how he must study for one year and then he will be a missionary too. He's just amazing. I can really see the light the gospel has brought into his life, even though he can't explain it to me in Czech very well.

The subject line comes from a meeting we had with one girl--a referral from a less active member (his girlfriend--there will be a bit of teaching to do before she really understands how that relationship should be). Her name is Misa and she's really funny and speaks a bit of English, however it's not completely fluent. Her boyfriend, William, is from Nigeria. While we were teaching, his uncle and friend came over, also from Nigeria. They began speaking some crazy foreign language--I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. Then Misa told me that it was English, however they shorten all their words so it becomes some incomprehensible version of English (i.e. 'believe me' becomes 'bei me'--amazing). After she told me that, I was at once fascinated, and without thinking began trying to pick out words...until she said, 'Dean. close. mouth.' and then I realized that I was staring at people I didn't know with my mouth ridiculously agape.

Misa, along with two other miracles, Vlastik (I've written about him before) and Sergey (a former that we called--is REALLy looking for answers in life and really feels the spirit) are all preparing for baptism along with Li Hang. We'll see how it goes. It's so humbling to see how God just does what He wants with our days when we are willing to follow His direction.

Companions are still amazing. This is how cool Sister Bean is: she grew up listening to classical music. So much so, that when she was little she thought that rock music was short for Rachmananov. Did I tell you this already? I can't get over it. And Sister Anderson just serves her guts out. So we all make a fun little group.

And that's probably all I have time for. Love ya!

Sestra Dean

P.S. Enjoy GC for me!


Collins Huish--Please teach me how to fly fish. Thank you.

Beks--No dice. Pres has fallen in love with these English missionaries. But if you could send someone down here who might be able to baptize and confirm in Chinese, we would all be much obliged.