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
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