Hello All, I hope your last week has been helpful, fruitful, and full of good experiences. Looking back on this week, it feels like a month. Normally the weeks have felt really short but, as it has been said, time is best measured by how many events are in it. A lot happened last week, so I guess it feels like a long time. Looking back on the highlights, transfers come to mind most, including getting the new transfer sheet, going to the train station to drop off elder Auger and later to pick up Elder Smith, lots of contacting, lots of teaching, and lots of lessons for myself.
After getting transfer facts and going to Opava last week, it was time to head out and get back to work. Monday night we had some normal teaching appointments, but Tuesday was farewell day. Members, investigators, people I'd never even met were coming out of nowhere to bid farewell to Elder Auger. We had an activity after english where it seemed like everyone I've met this transfer showed up, which was kind of cool. Then it was time to pack. Several hours later, everything was put together and the apartment was half empty, it seemed. Wednesday morning arrived and, bright and early at about 4:45 the sun came up (I don't know how it is back in Utah right now, but we get a lot of sun here, more than I thought we had back home. Of note, it's been really cold here still and nobody seems to know why...) and so did we. A quick wrap up of packing and we headed out the door. We got to Svinov Mosty, a major train station here, and met with the other Elders, Elena, and Renata. The sisters were going to be on the train since there is another station closer to their house. Then we waited. Renata could hardly bear it, she loved Elder Auger so much. Unfortunately, the train was 40 minutes late, so we had lots of time to talk and joke and laugh. Finally, the train appeared down the tracks. Everybody got the stuff together, we found the car with Sister Anderson and Austin in it, and we loaded Elder Auger's and Elder Williams' things onto the car. A some tears, a few quick goodbyes (since they were running the train sooo late that anything else would have caused problems) and my trainer was headed off to Prague. I really miss Elder Auger. He was a really great example to me and helped provide a foundation for the next two years of my life, probably longer.
That afternoon, however, the pace changed for me. Apart from realizing that my greenie days are over, I met Elder Smith. Elder Smith is from Las Vegas. He used to have a band that performed Ska music and he was pretty good at it too. With a slightly laid back style and a love of the people, he's different but also very similar to Elder Auger. That's one of the lessons I've learned this week, is that the most important thing is what Joseph Smith taught when he said "teach them correct principles, and let them govern themselves." Our principles are in the Scriptures and Preach my Gospel. The self-government part could also be described as style. As long as you are founded on those principles, the way you do your work can vary broadly from a very intense, active approach, to a laid back and slower pace. In all, however, the same results seem to appear. It's most important to follow the spirit and be yourself as you continue to progress on your way back home.
The following days were filled with plenty of appointments, plenty of time to contact, and some time for us to get to know each other too. I was very pleased with myself on Wednesday and Thursday morning, because Elder Smith was still getting settled in and I realized it would be best for me to shoulder the bulk of the preparation load for a day or so until he was established. During that time, I realized that I've got a great capacity to shoulder the work despite my newness to the mission. Calling, texting, setting up appointments, contacting, talking to members and investigators - I'm a lot better at it that I thought I was. I've still got a long way to go, for sure, since there are plenty of times a day when I just don't get what words people are using, but I've been truly blessed to be able to accomplish what the Lord has for me here in the Czech Republic. When contacting, I don't even think about the language most of the time anymore - it just comes. When I read in Czech and have an English copy of what I'm reading at hand, I pick up words quickly and can see the progress. I truly feel 500% more empowered between this week and last week and, although I don't know why, I'm intensely grateful for this wonderful blessing. Being able to spearhead the work and press forward is a very exhilarating feeling. Even when people don't want to listen, just getting a chance to talk and realize that your personal inadequacy isn't hindering your work is a great feeling.
Ultimately, this week has marked a great change in my progress as a missionary. I've realized many of these lessons, seen many personal miracles (for instance, I felt inspired to carry copies of the Articles of Faith cards in Czech - something I've never seen anybody do. I felt like I should put it on the outside cover of my vinyl envelope so anyone could see it. I packed it as I normally do, and when I was out contacting on Saturday - my last contact, in fact - the girl I was talking to saw the picture of Christ on the Card and just stared at it. I gave it to her and, when I went to write my phone number on the back, she wouldn't even let me do that - she wanted to keep it clean and requested I give her a different contact card for my number), felt inspired, directed, and blessed. This is how missionary work is supposed to be. I've got a lot of work to still get done, and the one thing about it is that it will never really end, but I do know that the Lord is laboring with us here in Ostrava.
Good luck to you all this week. I sometimes wonder if you need it more than I do with all these prayers around the world for missionaries. Then again, there is no such thing as luck with an omniscient God, so I'm sure he's taking care of you all as well.
Love,
Brent
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