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 )