Merry Christmas and a happy new year ( Week 1 1/2 in Olomouc, Week 36 1/2 in Czech )

Veselé Vanoce, Všichni!

Another Christmas has come and gone. I remember this time last year looking at all the preparations for my mission, coming up with calendars and to-do lists and packing and so forth. Incredible to look at how far we've come in this last year. Some of us are one step closer to a college education, some are married,  I know a few people that have started wearing name tags and speaking foreign languages. One of the amazing things about the our Heavenly Father's plan is that we are here to learn and grow. Learning and progressing will play a crucial role in our lives. Something I've learned about the kind of progress we seek to make in our lives, families, and education or work is that it's built up of goals and plans, hard work, vision, faith it can be accomplished, and seeing consequences as they continue to echo onward. For instance, I've started learning Czech on my mission. Who knows how many people I'll speak to in Czech over the coming year and through the end of my service? Who knows how I'll use it after my mission? I've thought about using it to perhaps translate projects I'm working on into Czech when I'm home. Maybe I'll meet Czechs in school and serve and bless them? Perhaps I'll find myself working and using Czech skills? It's kind of a fun, forward thinking activity. Another example is with a new convert. Sure, there's been a baptism now. What about ordinations to the priesthood? Lessons taught, service rendered, home teaching, member lessons, teaching friends and suddenly more baptisms from just that one? These other people just might follow suit. It occurred to both me and Elder Bown that Tomaš was going to get baptized and become a leader in the branch. We were teaching someone who would be someone's husband and dad in the future, a priesthood holder. Wow. All of a sudden my goals, plans, and vision becomes amplified and much more sharp, my goals much more important, and my success that much more rewarding.

But, how far does it go? Where does it end? That was a major theme of last transfer for me, was learning that when I do anything, I should extend my vision as far as I can, even into eternity. Really, in the end, the things that happen today and are meaningless tomorrow are not important. Maybe that's why Christ taught we shouldn't covet worldly possessions but love each other. The only things that really last are the things that are coupled to our families and relationships that last beyond death, the knowledge that we learn by the spirit so strongly we can't forget it, and the qualities of Christ we cultivate within ourselves, all of which stem from Love of God and Love of each other. Really, the great commandment in the law cannot be summed up more concisely or powerfully than loving others. And, the beauty of all this is that even though I can't love perfectly, I can't live perfectly, and I can't even make it through a day perfectly, I still know that it is possible. That's the hope that comes from our Savior. The whole point is that when we set up those goals for tomorrow, or next week, or next year, we can have perfect hope that, despite the fact that we won't be able to be perfect in what we set out to do, we can give our best to God and know that He will accept it and make up the difference. Although my best self and my best efforts don't add up to what is required by justice, He has taken the price, the guilt, and the difference upon himself and has paid the price.

I recently read an excellent book, I'd highly recommend it. It's about 80 pages long and it's called "Believing Christ." It focuses on some of these principles in a clearer and more detailed manner than I can, but I hope that as we look ahead to the new year we remember how and why we can change and become better, because in the end it's because of the Lord, the one who changes lives and makes it all better, who can turn chaos and disorder into our own personal Garden of Eden where we too walk and talk with God. I'm setting goals for this coming year based on broader goals I have set for myself in the past, goals that I desire to fulfill every day, week, month, and throughout next year, and I'd encourage you to do the same. Think about where you want to be next year. Establish a vision, see in your mind what you look like a year from now; this is the "why" of what you are doing. Then set goals in order to see that vision come to pass. These goals are finally woven together into plans, things you go out and do in order to fulfill your goals as the hours, days, and weeks go by. Soon, you will see results that will help you guide your goal setting and planning. Soon you will see your vision in front of you and you'll have reached your destination.

It's been very exciting moving forward this transfer and seeing the progress we're making. I will have more nuts and bolts of missionary work to talk about when I come back in 10 days. In the mean time, I'm very happy, healthy, had a fantastic Christmas, and I will see you in the new year. Love and miss you all, and look forward to hearing from you online and in the mail.

Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson

( Starsi Brent will be emailing again on January 4, due to the holidays in the Czech Republic )

Video of Brent and other Elders singing Silent Night

Here is the video of Brent and other Elders singing Silent Night in Czech. It was filmed on December 22, 2009.
Enjoy,

Starsi Brent's Dad

Christmas video from Starsi Brent

Here is a link to a video on Facebook that was posted by our dear friend Eva in the Czech Republic. It has Brent and other Elders singing Silent Night in Czech and English. It was filmed on Dec. 22.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=215190824778&ref=mf

I am trying to download the video, so that I can post it here on the blog, but Facebook is giving me difficulties. If you don't have a Facebook account, sorry. I'll get it posted whenever I can get it.

Also, when I post the the letters from Brent, I add the title to the post. Brent doesn't have anything to do with it. I make them up based on the content of the email.

Veselé vánoce (Merry Christmas) from all of the Anderson's including Starsi Brent

Veselé vánoce (Merry Christmas in Czech) ( Week 1 in Olomouc, week 36 in Czech )

Hello Everybody!

So, it's Christmas time in the Czech Republic! It's been christmasy for the last few weeks, but the snowstorms hit and we're up to our ankles in light, fluffy, and really cold snow. I hear that European snow is supposed to be a lot wetter than we have it in Utah, but because it's been consistently minus 10 degrees all week it really hasn't mattered a whole lot - everything is just frozen. We went tracting the other day, and when we came back to the car (Yeah, we travel a lot here so they help us out by providing a car) the bottle of water I usually kicked getting in was really hard and frozen solid.

Olomouc is a pretty ancient city with a lot of history. Lots of wars, lots of kings and catholic bishops, lots of crazy stuff. Our church building is on one of the town squares, so it's in a very central and accessible location. Our apartment is pretty big and part of a larger multi-apartment home. There is a dog I call "Medved" (Bear) who lives on the stairs leading up to our apartment. He tried to bite me the first time I walked in the door. He more just slobbered on my hand and teethed on me, but he wasn't happy to see a new face walking up his staircase. Even still, things a great.

I'm serving here with Elder Hatch from Arizona. He's an excellent missionary and it's going to be really exciting getting to know him and learning from him. He's very effective at everything he does and is really disciplined. It's definitely rubbed off on me, as I've started exercising again this transfer.

We teach a ton of member lessons here thanks to a member named Lada. He basically comes with us wherever we go, and he has the most sterling testimony of the gospel. I actually met him before he was baptized in Ostrava, you can see him in some of my baptism pictures next to a taller missionary. He's shorter and has darker skin because he's from Romania. Amazing, amazing missionary.

We had a Christmas party on Saturday that 50 people came to and filled the chapel. Part of the program was a recounting of the Christmas story from the bible with live actors. It was really funny since missionaries played most of the parts and our accents didn't really fit in with everybody else.

So I hear Christmas is coming up this week. Everyone written in their gift requests to the Man in Red at the north pole? Turns out Czechs believe that baby Jesus delivers presents, not Santa Claus. Basically the same principle though. They celebrate Christmas on the 24th-26th and open presents on the 25th. I know that this year the most important thing to me is remembering why Christmas is important. It's been said that there wouldn't be Christmas without Easter, and it's true. I've mentioned this scripture a lot, but it sums up how I feel about Christmas and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
  17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This is my favorite scripture for a lot of reasons, but most importantly, because it explains why Christmas is important. Lets not forget why we even have a Christmas season - because we have a heavenly father who loves us, and he gave the best gift ever - the Gift of his Son.

I know I'm going to have a fantastic Christmas, and I hope you all do too. Enjoy the break, enjoy the family and friends, enjoy the food, and enjoy the meaning and the feeling. It's in those simple moments at home that I think the veil can get the thinnest. Just thinking about it makes me feel happy. Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll be emailing again in two weeks due to the holidays. Ask my parents how I'm doing on Thursday since they'll get to talk to me directly. :P In the mean time, have a great 2009 and you'll be hearing from me in 2010.

Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson

Transfers: What's this, I'm going to be a Zone Leader? ( Week 9 in Liberec, Week 35 in Czech )

Hello Everyone!

So, looking down at what's been going on this last week, I have to say my head is spinning. Monday was in Prague, as you all know. Tomaš had some work emergencies and was sick, but we had an opportunity to teach him about temples and about how things continue on after baptism. It's been interesting watching him progress. He's under a lot of opposition right now, and I'm hoping that despite transfers and changes, he'll be alright. I'm sure he will, but he's still got a bit of a way to go at the moment.

We started meeting with Soner again, and he's doing great. He's got questions about really basic things, and I think he's been looking into information about Christianity in general. While he doesn't have a baptismal date, he will make it alright. Of note, we found and taught to Pakistanis last week, too. They're interested in Christianity and what we believe, and actually accepted the book of Mormon based on our testimony. The feeling was very powerful as we talked about the love of God and how true religion practiced blesses lives. We'll be getting them copies of the book of Mormon in Urdu this next week.

Elder Bown is heading to Brno next transfer to serve with Elder Hadzik, a German, and elder Thompson, a recently followup-trained missionary. He'll be in a threesome because 12 missionaries are going home and only 3 are coming in, so the mission is growing young very very very quickly. We've seen a lot of miracles this transfer. We've both gone up a language level (there is a graded language learning system in the mission, I'm working on my 3rd and final language level now; elder bown got his first level, very hard to do your first transfer). We've had 2 baptismal dates, found another two people who will be getting baptismal dates, the girls from south Africa and Jan, the old catholic man who started praying. Although we didn't teach as many lessons as other transfers, I've seen marked progress and growth in myself and in Elder Bown. And, considering that we were opening up a new area and started with nothing, we saw things appear, thrive, and prosper very quickly.

As for me, I'm going to be serving as a Zone leader in Olomouc next transfer. Olomouc is on the Eastern side of the country, about 2 hours away from the border, between Ostrava and Brno. I'll be visiting Ostrava at least once next transfer, which will be amazing since I haven't been there for 4 months now. Crazy how time flies. A mission is divided into zones and districts. A zone consists of several districts, and each zone is directed by the mission president and his assistants personally. We'll be responsible for Zlin, Uherske Hradiste, Ostrava, and Olomouc itself (I think that's all of them...). It'll be fun and definitely a brand new kind of experience. In the mean time, it's packing, getting off some last minute letters and materials, teaching Exalia, one of the south Africans, Tomaš, two other older investigators, and Soner before hitting a bus tomorrow morning at seven and taking the 7 hour bus ride around the country. It's going to be fun.

Merry Christmas, everybody. I'm really happy to be here right now, I know that what we've done this transfer has been right and accepted, and in the end the most important thing is our service to others and our service to God. Try to find some way to give more of yourself this week to somebody else. Before we know it, it'll be another year and we'll be pushing ahead with new goals, new ideas, and new experiences.

Hope you all sleep well, have a great week, have good finals and tests, do well in school, are healthy, and have a very very very merry christmas.

Love,
Elder Brent Anderson

Short message from Starsi Brent

Brent sent this earlier today. They were in Prague today singing in one of the Cathedrals and didn't get back to their area until it was too late to send a longer email post. Hopefully, he can send something tomorrow. He is being transferred to Olomouc, which is near to Ostrava, his first area. He will be a new Zone leader there. Exciting times for our favorite missionary.
Have a great day,
Starsi Brent's dad

"  Just wanted to let you know that we were late getting into Liberec after the concert. I'll be writing President Slovaček and then replying to everything else I can until I get kicked out. I will email a bit tomorrow too if I can get approval. Otherwise, have a good one.

By the way, they're sending me to Olomouc back in Moravia. I'll be a zone leader. "

Starsi Brent Anderson

Intensity and success ( Week 8 in Liberec, week 34 in Czech )

Hello Everybody!

So, this last week was pretty intense. We've picked up 4 new investigators: a baptist, his atheist friend who hasn't been convinced by his baptist friend yet, and two women from south africa who are studying here. I'm doing great and couldn't be better. Elder Bown has been having a harder week, still pressing through the language, finding the confidence to perform a lot of the hard parts of missionary work, and discovering the need for faith in the accomplishment of moving mountains. Faith is such an important thing. Faith is the principle that causes huge things to happen, things like missionary work, successful families, businesses, nations, you name it. It all starts with faith. While I don't have it, I hear that Lectures on Faith is pretty good when it comes to talking about faith.

So, Tomas our baptismal date is getting geared up for baptism but...probably not this weekend. If he gets his answer in the next day or so and we teach him the rest of what he needs, then he will be. But, in the mean time, we're looking at sometime in january after the holidays. Even still, he's a borec (That's czech for Stud) and we're happy to be teaching him.

So, a few items by way of announcement. We went to Prague today for P-Day and spent time seeing the sights, talking to people, taking pictures, and riding the metro. Good, solid P-Day. It was a great vylet (trip/excursion) for sure.

Christmas is coming down in a few weeks and, as part of it, there are going to be a series of Concerts in prague in the Cathedral of St. Mikulaš. They invite groups like the Prague Symphony Orchestra or travelling choirs from around the world, and this year on the 14th of December at 2 PM they will be featuring the LDS Missionary Choir composed of missionaries serving in the Czech republic. Including myself. Yes friends, we're going to be singing in Prague in a Cathedral on the old town square the songs of Christmas. I hope you all have a merry christmas too, but I'm getting one of my presents a week or so early.

And, in addition to that, it's already been 9 weeks since the last transfer. When I write you again in a week, you'll be hearing about the new assignments we'll be having. It's been crazy watching Elder Bown learn and grow in the last 9 weeks. And I'm starting to feel really really old as a missionary, even if I've still got over a year to go. 1/3 of the mission will be going home in the next 3 months, so chances are pretty good that I won't be getting an older companion anymore. Time will tell.

In the mean time, I hope you all have a safe, happy, and spirit filled christmas. Good luck to you all, I'm doing well and love you all.

Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson