October 19

This week has been really good, I'm continuing to learn a lot each week. This week has been great because I've been focusing on how to use the principles taught in General Conference, and I've found, on more than one occasion, that the principles are helping me live happier. I started out by trying to understand more about this idea of doing MY part, whilst allowing God to do His. I seem to have been trying to pull more weight than God wanted me to. While contacting and such, I was taking it too personally when people rejected what I and/or my companion was/were saying. But I am learning more about this idea that God has a plan and He's at the helm, and "he's going to stay there" as was said in Conference, and I am simply His servant. In other words, I need only do what I'm asked, which is, to be a missionary, and leave the Converting power of The Spirit... to The Spirit. I'm only supposed to be there and act/teach accordingly, so that God can do His part, which is touching the hearts of the people we're talking to. I'm so happy that I have been privileged to serve with Elder Boyce, and I know that I've learned and am continuing to learn so much from him and his example. _____________________________________________________________________ Okay that was my Letter to my Mission President This week and it sums up pretty well my state spiritually at the moment, so now I can talk about some other things that you're likely more interested in hearing about now that you know I'm doing well right now. So my Branch here in Zlin is pretty small, about 20 people show up each sunday, and actually that's maybe even pushing it a little bit. Elder Boyce and I are serving in the Zlin district, and this district also includes the Elders serving the Uherske Hradeeshtye (I typed it so that you can say it how it is typed) the entire district is composed of 5... Elders. In Zlin, there's me and Elder Boyce, and in Uherske Hradeeshtye (UH) there are 3 Elders, Elder Suwyn, Elder Gier, and Elder Croney. Starsi Suwyn is our District leader, and he actually went on an "Exchange" with me last week, which means that he switched places with Elder Boyce for 1 day, and he came and stayed here in Zlin with me for a day. Elder Suwyn and Elder Boyce have been here for about 1 year and 6 months, and Elders Gier and Croney are from the same MTC district and have been here for about 7 months now. their czech is amazing compared to mine but they all have told me that my czech now it better than their's were when they were in their first transfer. The Zlin branch is small, like I said, but we have some of the coolest members. Our Branch President is named, "President V" and he is one of the coolest people. His kids match the "bishop's kids" stereotype PERFECTLY, the two of them are always running around sacrament meeting (in the small room we meet in) and are always getting into Something, but they're some of the coolest kids I've ever met, and they speak AMAZING czech, compared to me hahaha! The Branch President's children are some of the funniest kids ever, the two of them are young and like I said, match the "bishop's kids" stereotype perfectly. The young boy is the older one, he's Eleven, and he's just hilarious! the little girl is younger and she's absolutely brilliant, she's 7. , and she's so funny! Elder Boyce and I were sitting in the classroom in our church building on the saturday when everybody came to watch General conference, we were eating our lunch between sessions, and L was trying to get her older brother to play with her and he was not interested. Her approach to this was to come into the classroom where Elder Boyce and I were eating lunch, and she grabbed a piece of printer paper and a marker, and wrote a "dopis" (letter) to her brother. The letter described, "I was trying to invite you to play with me peacefully, but now, this means war. sincerely, L." Then she ran off to deliver her epistle to her brother who was being difficult because he didn't cooperate and play at her request. Elder boyce and I just laughed as she ran out of the room We're currently teaching a man who is the husband in a part member family. He's not baptized yet, but he comes to church regularly and is reading the scriptures and he's basically what we'd call a "dry mormon" which means that he's simply just not baptized yet. We're working so hard with him because he's got everything going for him! His wife, his daughter, they're both baptized and regularly coming to church too. the only thing holding him back is his other daughter who is opposed to the church. oh yeah btw, Elder boyce and I had a guy yell at us and tell us to go and leave while we were tracting... against our desires, we had to leave the building for our own safety... just a fun little story to tell to those who are interseted, but I'm doing great, so no worries!