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
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