April 11 2016

I can't believe this transfer is already almost over. We're sitting here Emailing and Week Seven is officially over, WHAT? It's Monday, we just got back from a really pretty but also really hard bike ride. We called the Zone leaders first to ask for permission, they said they didn't know and that we needed to ask President. Then we talked to the Assistants to the President, they also didn't know, and then I got up the guts to call President McConkie about it. As he answered the phone last night I heard him say this before I could even tell him who was calling, "Elder. . . . Dean. . . you wonderful young man, you district leader, Councelor in the Branch Presidency, dog bitten wonderful missionary... what can I do for you tonight?" -that made me feel better about calling him. I'll send some pictures of this Bike ride. ------------------------------------------------------------- This week has been a good one, especially because we were able to see Conference, Duh. Earlier this week, elder Pickett and I had been watching The District Two, and at one point the missionaries said something like, "there was one day this week when we just didn't have any appointments, and we just didn't know what to do... so we decided to go out and try to contact people on the street." Elder Pickett also told me about a quote from The District that he had heard last transfer, which was Elder Ballard saying something like, "Okay missionaries, we are issuing a challenge for you. The Challenge is, Talk to at least Ten People Every Day." After thinking of and hearing these two things, I began thinking about how missionary work here in Europe, and missionary work in the United States is different. I thought about how Preach My Gospel tells us that the most effective way to do missionary work, is through the Members. Seriously all you at home should take time to read through Preach My Gospel, it will blow your mind just how Essential Members are in Missionary work. Litterally missionary work is almost impossible without you. As I was pondering this, I remembered that at our last Zone Training, President McConkie had mentioned something about, "Be Problem Solvers." As I remembered that, I began thinking about how we could solve this problem of not having hardly any Members to teach with. Let me just put this into perspective for you all... CBud is one of the Smallest Branches in the Czech Republic, we litterally have 9 active members, and 3 of them are older women, and 1 of them is too young for us to teach with. that leaves 5 members. Now subtract 1, being the Branch President, he lives here in CBud, but he works and goes to school in Prague, so he is only here on Saturdays and Sundays, and that's still only about 2/3 weeks. Then one member doesn't have a phone. then one member is not the best to teach with because he only wants to talk about other things during the lessons. Then one member is just difficult to predict, and currently isn't even in CBud. So we litterally have like 3 members to teach with... maybe. Not to mention their work, and their lives outside missionary work, we can't just run to them all the time. Many of you missionaries in other places in the world, never underestimate the blessings of Large Wards. This entire country does not even have one Stake yet. Everything is separated into Branches, and in some cases, like here in CBud, the missionaries litterally run 80 percent of the branch. now... As I sat pondering this, I asked myself, "If members are the best way to find, then what do we need? more members." I felt that we needed to start looking at Less Actives. there are 9 or 10 active members in CBud, but there are over 50 Members on Record. I cannot Even IMAGINE the blessings that would come from having 50 active members in this Branch, in this City... that would be incredible. I sometimes wonder, "why does't the Lord work harder on the hearts of the people here?" the fact is, the Lord dosn't have a lot to work with here. So Elder Pickett and I have decided to begin tracking down these less actives and getting them reactivated. This has given me new found faith, and as we search for these members, I know that it is a way to excersise faith. During conference this weekend (we watched Conference a week later than you all because it needed to be translated into Czech), I recieved a spiritual confirmation that the decision to go after the lost sheep, the Less Active members, is the way to go. We can't wait to get this thing rolling, and I hope to see some mighty miracles come from this over the rest of this transfer, as well as heading into next transfer. ............................................................................................ The talks during conference were wonderful, and I liked the talks about the Family Council, the talk about Fathers, the talk about going after the lost sheep. Elder Holland's concluding talk was just what I needed to hear. I want to download it and study it as well as the rest of Conference. I love this Church, and I love this Gospel. I will be the first one to tell you all, this is hard... and yes, It is hard to keep my faith sometimes, but the fact it is that it's true, and nothing can change that. I wonder sometimes just how much the Lord wants to express His love to us, but we just don't recognize it, or maybe don't look for it in the right places. If we give our hearts to God, I know, I have experieced it, He will take us, and lead us, and hold us, and walk with us... and even Carry us. I heard a few times in my mission, this thought: I can look back on my life and see my footprints in the sand, the places I've been, the people I've associated with, the friends I've made, the ways I've changed. The choices I've made. I can rememebr when my life felt like it was worth it. I can also remember those times when it seemed so hard to continue that I wondered if it was worth it at all. Often times I can look back and see where the Savior's footprints where there, next to mine in the sand, and I can remember how he guided me, how he showed me the way. But during those times when life seemed too difficult, I would often notice that there was only one set of footprints, and today I somtimes ask, "Lord, why didn't you walk with me during my time of pain?" To which the Lord replies, "I never left your side, take a closer look. Those times that you only see one set of footprints, those were the times that I was carrying you. Your soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, I'll never no never, I'll never no never no never forsake." I love you all. Have a wonderful week. here're your assignments if you were not able to remember them: - Read Preach My Gospel on the section about Working With Members. - All members, work with the missionaries in your Areas. Your support and willingness to teach and fellowship new converts and Investigators in more essential to the Lord's work, then you can understand.