Monday, March 29, 2010

To Whom it May Concern ( Week 15 in Olomouc, Week 50 in Czech )

Hey Everyone,

I usually prefer to write my parents, write my siblings, write the mission president, and then fill in the remainder with this general epistle to the world at large. This week, after reading the mission newsletter and the comments from my parents on their week and things going on back home, I've got mixed feelings. As many of you may know, my dad had a run-in with cancer a few years ago. He's done a great job managing it in the meantime, but he recently went in for a checkup and two new tumors were discovered. That's a hard thing to think about. He's getting priesthood blessings, the Lord's already told me he'll be fine, and my parents are both elect people that can handle anything together. Parenthetically, they are where they are today because of promises they've made and kept to each other and to God, and the power of their promises gives them the strength they need.

I bring these things up because I want to once and for all address and put to rest the biggest concern it seems that people have in "the most atheist country in the world" concerning a higher power. A good friend of mine and a recently converted man has been struggling to put his life in order. Work, living quarters, family concerns, and other needs of his have not been properly met for the last year. His children are in an orphanage and are starting to forget who their dad is. But, didn't this man just enter into baptism? Shouldn't God be on his side? While each of us can look at the demands that life makes of us and see places where our expectations haven't been met, perhaps in the people we've found or in the progress we like to see in our lives or ourselves, there are poignant cases that seem to revolve around world hunger and poverty, sickness and death, and human suffering, all of which are all too often difficult to understand or explain in a simple, concise, ribbon-wrapped answer. Why do bad things happen to good peple? I don't have every answer, but there are answers to these questions. Many claim that we as humans have a need to find understanding in our lives, to comprehend the negatives we see before us and turn them into positives. That's where religious feelings come from. Could it be that our circumstances are just up to chance? Does God honestly allow or even send such horrible challenges into the lives of people who should be receiving blessings? Or in some inexplicable way are these struggles blessings in disguise? Perhaps He trusts us with the challenges, knowing that we will find the silver lining, the pot of gold, the personal growth, or the creation of life from an otherwise lifeless environment? We could come up with a million questions, but I think that the most important lessons I've learned on my mission in the last year are as follows. We are the children of a loving Heavenly Father. Our birth into this life required that we forget and lose understanding of that which was before, but that is only temporary. It is through the trials of life and our weaknesses that we develop the final, crowning qualities Heavenly Father requires of those who are to obtain "greater happiness and peace and rest", become "greater follower[s] of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge", and ultimately share these blessings with others. I quote Abraham because he, of all people, had it bad. No kids, dysfunctional parents, old age, and then asked to sacrifice the one source of blessings he can see in His life. Could Abraham give up everything he ever wanted just because God asked him to? He could, he did, and he was blessed with more than he could have wanted.

I hope I haven't pushed my thoughts beyond appropriate borders for a letter home today, but these are the things on my mind. This last week was marked with great struggles on behalf of pretty much everybody I know. It seems like everywhere I look, people are sick in some way, they struggle and try to keep going but cannot find the answers they need or want, and with great faith I ask myself "Why does a loving Heavenly Father allow or direct life to such crossings as this? Are we not doing what we're supposed to do?" As pilgrims on the path Home, do we have Sweet Water crossings of our own? Do we have to ford the Platte rivers of life and get to the other side, not knowing where to place our footing? I think we do, and it is not because of punishment, nor because of fault or failure. It is Love from a creater who desires that we rely wholly upon him. Elder Maxwell made an excellent point at a BYU devotional once, noting as Moroni did, "For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens." (Moroni 7:28 - Read the whole chapter sometime, It's good). Christ is not just the legal advocate, but he advocates the only cause of mankind. When we place our full faith in him, believing him and not just placing confidence in him, and incorporate good things into ourselves, we will find we have the rest we are looking for.

Recently, I've struggled with incorporating those "good things." Obviously a warm bed and hot water are good things, but perhaps material comforts aren't what he's referring to. Really, the only eternal "Good things" out there are the qualities of the Master that we incorporate into oureslves. Thereby, we find that our path is full of filling ourselves with His attributes, through love, through patience, through sacrifice. Suddenly, the tragic suffering we see in our lives becomes the means, not the affliction. It becomes to tool, not the trashcan. The Lord trusts us with our trials just as much as he trusts us with our strengths and gifts. That is why I am grateful that I have a loving Savior who grants me strengths as I need them and trials as I need them, and in seeing this I am learning that through gratitude to all things provided by our Advocate, I can expect both the justice and mercy I require personally and that which is required at my hands by those whom I serve.

Well, that was an epistle. I'll tell you that this week has been up and down. People on the path to baptism have fallen off track. Lessons we wanted to teach didn't pan out, but progress we didn't expect popped out of nowhere. We had a fantastic zone conference on wednesday that confirmed to me I know how to be a good missionary, and I believe the most important thing for me is to choose that faith, to choose the love our Father in Heaven wants to give us, and to not just keep myself from it just because I don't think I'm worthy of it. I want to repeat that: I want to let myself receive what Heavenly father wants to give, even if I don't feel good enough for it all the time.

I want to thank you all for your letters, your love, and your support. I don't know if it's like this in other parts of the world, but I've never felt so much pushing against me before, I think. Then again, I know it will be alright. Really, there's no reason for it to not be alright. My family has intact covenants, I'm on a mission serving people who need faith and hope more than anybody, and at the end of the day I can feel the love and satisfaction from knowing that I am doing what my Lord would have me do.

I love you all, and I hope that you feel that love in your lives as you try to make that connection yourselves. This up and coming week will be Easter, which is exciting because of what it means and of what the Savior did. It's also a pretty big holiday in the Czech Republic, however I'll fill in those details next week.

Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson

Monday, March 22, 2010

Viva la Vida ( Week 14 in Olomouc, Week 49 in Czech )

Hey everybody, I've made time this week to be a bit more thorough in bringing you the next installment of the Exciting Adventures of Elder Anderson. It starts something like this...

*Blackness* ..... "Good morning olomouc! It's 6:30 in the morning, meaning it's time to get up!" Elder Anderson whacks the cell phone which clatters to the floor. He switched his cellphone alarm clock from a built in ringtone to a recording of himself. He'd always thought of going into the radio business, and to feel a little bit more like the truman show than normal he decided to record himself giving the weather forecast. Only thing is, the forecast was always the same, as was the traffic report. So, he left the cell phone off, rolled off the matress onto his calloused knees, and started the day off right with a prayer.

Imagine that every morning of the week, followed by several sets of pushups, curls, 21's, and a bowl of musli. Yum! Plus, the shower actually works now that I fixed the showerhead itself. By 8:00 Elder Anderson has prayed, exercised, showered, shaved, deodorized, accessorized ("Do I wear the red tie with the black suit, or the blue tie with the black suit..."), read something inspirational, and breakfasted. Then he studies the scriptures. I discovered recently that 8:00 study requires work. I used to get by by studying something useful and then opening the scriptures. It is increasingly more difficult and yet more rewarding when I study because I have to really work those spiritual muscles. 9:00 hits and it's comp study, a good session of hymn singing, comp praying, lesson planning, contacting practicing, and super psychifying (Yes, that is a word - just ask the Assistants to President Slovacek). 10:00 I read a czech grammar book to polish up, we eat a quick lunch, and it's out the door until about 9:00 when we crawl in from a full day of teaching lessons, calling czechs, finding people, knocking doors, driving cars, giving contact cards, supporting members, and supporting various ward activities. Planning from 9:00 to 9:30, calls to district leaders until about 10:00, brush teeth, change for bed, and scribble in my journal. *WHEW* Well, that's the life of your favorite Czech missionary.

The last couple of weeks have been really hard, if I haven't mentioned it in past letters. Our finding has been flabby, our investigators flakey, and Elder Nestman has broken out in a really bad case of dandruff. It's pretty bad. While we bought head and shoulders two weeks ago, I'm afraid that 2 of the problems lingered. That is, until last week. May I point your attention to the Master's words rendered in such clear typeset as follows:
Jesus said until him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. (Mark 9:23)
On Monday, I recalled how last transfer with Elder Hatch we would burst 20+ lessons a week, people were easier to work with, and progress was made without having to work as incredibly hard as we have recently. Do you feel like you work your hardest and it just isn't enough? Do you feel like you work so hard that you've never worked so hard in your life, and you're doing everything you can? Let me tell you a secret: Don't work so hard, but rely on the savior. Build up faith that it can be done, and then believe it! Choose to believe. Faith is a gift, faith is a seed, but faith is a decision. Sometimes we feel we have to build up faith, but if we just choose to believe we can find greater stores of faith than we've considered possible! Just set aside your doubts and fears and do it. You'll discover a whole different world appears.

Last week, we taught 23 lessons, up from 12 the week before. Many more people are progressing, our finding is more effective, and our progress is incredible individually. Do you know why? Because we believed that we could do it. Nothing else changed. We're still working just as hard, but it's amazing what happens when you simply tell yourself "This can be done, it has been done, it will be done." Elder Bown, my mission progeny, is right now with Elder Andersen, one of 5 Andersons in the mission right now. They are the same age in the country. But, they started this transfer and said "We can do this, 20 lessons and 4 new investigators a week." And they are! They are teaching twice as many lessons with a fraction of the experience from the transfer before. What changed? They chose to believe.

What are you afraid of? What do you doubt, in yourself or others or your surroundings? That is darkness. The scriptures, the prophets, prayer, and the Savior are full of light. Fill yourself with that light. Let the light in, and you will find you have more life, more energy, more love. You can get more done in a day. You can find greater purpose and direction. Most importantly, you have more of the spirit, which prepares and sanctifies and blesses us with what we need. And it is all because of Christ's atonement. Our faith in him can make us wholely remarkable, or we can choose to do things by ourselves. One of those ways is easier and better at the same time.

I hope that helped somebody to find the faith and vision they need to make something amazing happen in their life. In the mean time, I've got to head out. We have a zone conference this week, plus a surprise exchange to one of our districts (Don't tell!). Martin Dolecek is preparing for baptism, we found a really neat girl last week tracting with the AP's, and all is well in the Land of Olomouc North. In fact, it's SPRING! AHHH! The best time of the YEAR in this country. The temperature, humidity, everything is perfect. If you are planning a vacation to the Czech Republic, you should do it in the next 3 months. Best best time of year.

Love you all and good luck!

Thanks,
Elder Anderson

Monday, March 15, 2010

Short letters are not fun ( Week 13 in Olomouc, Week 48 in Czech )

So, I promised I'd write more this week. somehow in writing president, printing papers, and getting things done, I've missed a bit. Highlights:

Monday night planning we felt inspired to go through the park contacting, finishing at 3:45 at the namesti. I personally knew we had to be there and, the next day I told that to Elder Nestman. We had a lesson in the park, and then realized it was 3:35. We started hurrying to the namesti. I just knew we had to be there exactly on time. Just as we reached the namesti, we spotted a recent new investigator who we had scheduled with for that night. He was surprised to see us and, just as he told us we needed to reschedule for another day, the tower struck on the 45 and the spirit told me He was the reason we came there on time.

Saturday was a slower day, but we were out to find that new investigator. We had a lot of negative experiences with people frustrated when talking to us, but we knew we were there for a reason. We had planned our contacting routes the night before and, when we went to our next area to find, we found a student from Kuwait who immediately started asking us questions about who God is. We sat down, taught him a lesson, and when we left the next person we talked to was just as interested. The Lord provides when we pay the price and have the right desires and intents.

I drank 2 liters of chocolate milk yesterday #1 because it was expiring, #2 it was chocolate milk. It's the simple things in life you treasure. Nate would be so proud :) Also want to wish my friends luck with the impending finals cram.

Love you all, and good luck this week!

Elder Brent Anderson

Monday, March 8, 2010

What a week!!! Springtime in Olomouc ( Week 12 in Olomouc, Week 47 in Czech )

Hey everybody! So, it's been a crazy week. I've learned a lot about being pleased and satisfied. We found four new people, and we're always looking for more. Our area is still in a bit of a turnover stage as we go through, weed out the old investigators and bring in the new. Our baptismal dates are getting moved around, and we found a few neat people this week. A gypsy family, a man who's been searching for "a surety of truth" and an ex theater student who knows that we have granite vaults in cottonwood canyon. Crazy!
 
Personally, I'm having a blast. Elder Nestman is so much fun to serve with, and I'm loving the fact that he is "easily entreated." Just the other day he remarked to a man we were teaching in front of a huge catholic monument made of gold and marble (yes, I live in europe) about how he loves the pigeons and that they make him laugh. You'd probably have to be there, but he's really funny.
 
So today we went to Krnov, really close to Ostrava where President Uchtdorf was born. Krnov is world famous because it is there that Kofola is mixed and bottled. It's a really neat process, and fascinating to get up close to a mass manufacturing process that efficient. Czechs do great in producing stuff en masse like that. I was pretty proud of how organized it all was. Plus we got to taste all their different products including some of the stuff that doesn't even exist in stores yet (Imagine lemon + ginger or a drink with tea-tree in it. Oh the possibilities!) And, the best part: I saw all my member friends from ostrava, got to ride a train, and even got a kofola mug in the end. They are highly coveted among missionaries, and I'm looking forward to using it to drink as well as measure out exactly .4 liters since we don't have any proper metric measuring cups (go figure...)
 
Well, enough randomness. I translated for a businessman from Mesa Arizona on sunday who bore his testimony about the church to the people here. He's helping to set up a branch office for his company and it was a pleasure talking to him about the church, his experiences here, and how missionary work has changed over the years.
 
I've got to say that I'm understanding why every missionary says they have the best mission in the world, but something they don't understand is that this mission has to be the best in the world. I don't know how another mission could be better. This country, these people, the church here is so incredible! The people deal with so much but have so much faith, and even though the work is sometimes slow, it is so worth it. Why? Because it's true! I'm finding out more for myself how all the truths circumscribed in the term "Gospel" apply across the board and are the only base of theology, philosphy, or reality that have any meaning anymore. My place and purpose in the universe and the inspiration I draw from the knowledge God is becoming the driving force in my work here. The further I move in my service as a missionary, the fewer sources of support there seem to be, until in the end my relationship with the savior is what pushes me forward. I know that my Redeemer lives, and the comfort that I draw from that knowledge is great. I wish that it was that simple to transfer light to those around us. Then again, I guess that's why we are meant to be the city set on a hill, the candle on the stick, that we can show our examples and spread the light far and wide. Go do a good deed, and express the truth you know to those around you through your light. You will find that you will be blessed with a stronger testimony. A testimony is found in the bearing of it, not in the hiding of it, just as a candle needs to be out and in the air to be bright, not under a damper where it grows dim and dies. Therefore, I want you all to get out there and do something good for somebody else! I can't followup with you all, unfortunately, since I don't even know how many people end up reading my thoughts that I send to my family. But, I do know that you can all do a world of good if you will go out there and do something for someone else.
 
Elder Nestman wants to kill me because we're running late, but you all deserve to hear from your favorite Czech speaking missionary this week. :) And Elder Nestman is reading over my shoulder. "No, I don't want to kill you!" He says. Bahaha, we're having too much fun together to worry about that.
 
Well, got to go. Love you all, hope your good turn daily goes well, and I really really hope you have just as good a week as I do. That will be hard to manage, since I happen have a genuine kofola mug. Maybe next time I can grab a few more for y'all back home. :)
 
Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Springtime in Olomouc ( Week 11 in Olomouc, Week 46 in Czech, 2nd posting )

Hello Everyone,

I apologize but this week just isn't going to get much. A few answers to your questions: We're getting along great, it's warm in Olomouc and it's getting green. This is my favorite time of the year in the Czech Republic. In other news, our investigators are dissapearing as fast as the snow, unfortunately. Called off baptisms and people moving away. But, we're confident that the Lord will provide us with people to teach insofar as we go out there and find them by His spirit. Love you all, hope you're doing well, and I'll be in touch with you *hopefully* next week. We'll be travelling to northern moravia for a member/investigator/missionary vylet to visit the Kofola factory. "Wish you were here..." :D

Thanks,
Elder Brent Anderson

Monday, March 1, 2010

Dear World ( Week 11 in Olomouc, Week 46 in Czech, 1st posting )

Made it to the foreign police. Everything checked out, I"m good for another year. Sweet! In the mean time, I'm in prague and will be going home in about...10 minutes. So, we'll squeeze in some more time to get a good letter either tonight or tomorrow morning. In the mean time, have a great day and you'll hear from me soon.

Elder Brenty Boy Anderson

(Brent's Dad):
I'll post his full letter when I get it. I thought the World would like to hear from him this morning. And, yes, he did sign it Brenty Boy. :)

Have a great week.