May 16 2016

I won't mess around, This weekend we had our historic Conference, wherein the Czech Republic recieved her first Stake of Zion, and this is a HUGE deal for Everyone here! The entire church in the Czech Republic has been under the direction of one man at any given time ever sinse the church was origionally organized here over 20 years ago. The guy in charge of the church here, for the last three years, has been, President McConkie, my Mission President. President McConkie has two major roles here in this country. He is the Mission President, and he is the President OF THE CHURCH here. Everything Church, must go through him, period. This means that he has a big role. Anything that has to do with callings like Branch President, District President, Church Finances, or anything Chruch must go through him. That means that a lot of his time is devoted to helping the members, and other church leaders here in the country. And that is one of the reasons why we can only have around 80 missionaries in this mission. At one point, during a training a while back, President McConkie told us, his missionaries, "I don't want these keys, they're heavy!" And this has been his vision ever since he became the Mission President just under 3 years ago. This weekend we had the Conference. We had the first session on Saturday in a really nice Hotel, the Hotel has a HUGE room for conferences (convenient), and the church rented it out for the Conference. We saw members from all over the Czech Republic coming and asembling together for this amazing occasion, and I specifically remember seeing the Večeřovi... they're the Branch President and his family in Zlin, Rememeber Zlin? That was my first city, I served there my first transfer, and while I was there, I couldn't understand anything anybody was saying. All of my communication with members was done in fear for the fact that I didn't understand anything anybody was saying, ever. Well now, Now I was seeing them again, after nearly 8 months, and I was able to actually talk to the people that I had grown to love! So the Saturday conference was good. The General Authority who came was President Uchdorf, and he came because he was actually Born in the Czech Republic, so he came and established the first stake. On Saturday, we didn't actually talk about the stake at all. President Uchdorf simply shared with us his Testimony, and talked about the importance of maintaining faith, and growing steadily. Like an oak, he would tell us, grows quite slowly, however they are known for being very strong. "that is like you" he would tell us. On Sunday, was the REAL Conference... this was the Big one. The Church rented out the nicest place for the conference imaginable. This Conference session took place in a Massive Theatre on an Island in the River in Prague. This place is HUGE and waling in, with members everywhere, and the spirit just getting us all excited, it felt like walking into a Temple Lobby. We dropped off our Bags and other things in the lobby, the people who worked at the building took them and labled them, and then brought them into the back just like if you were going to some nice opera or something. We walked up the stairs, turned the corner to come into the main room, wherein were hundereds of chairs set up, and everything was red and gold and there were huge stained glass windows in the back, and up front, was the stage, big bass colored curtains, and a long table, behind the table were a bunch of chairs for all of the people to sit who had a part in the program. We all got in there, and there was so much noise because everyone was once again so excited to see each other. Several previous missionnaries returned this weekend just to see this conference, as well as past Mission Presidents. President McConkie eventually got up and told us all to be quiet, and then we all eventually got seated. Just as people around us were still talking, Elder Marccuci and I were waiting patiently... and then I looked to the doors next to the stage, up front, and I saw them open, and then I just knew President Uchdorf was coming in... as I saw his face appear, I stood up, and nobody else was standing... but I stayed standing, soon enough, people got the message as they turned to see President Uchdorf walking up to his seat, and then the rest of the conference stood up too. kinda funny. In this Conference, President McConkie conducted, and there was a sustaining to have the first stake on zion in the Czech Republic, and then they announced the names of the Stake President, and his counselors. The three of them were asked to stand, and they were sustained. Then, a very spiritual moment, when the Patriarch... The first ever Czech Patriarch was called, and gasps were heard throughout the entire conference. The new Stake President had actually visited our Branch here in CBud just a week before, he had given a talk, he had previously had a district presidency calling, now to be the first Stake President. His name, President Pilka. At the time we had no idea that he would be the Stake President. I guess that makes two times now where I've been around people before their new callings had been arounced... first was President Pohořilictky, and now the new Stake President. This conference was incredible, President Uchdorf talked about the oak trees again, and he talked about the blessings and the benefits of having a stake. I'm out of time, but long story short, we've got a stake, and it's super awesome. So we're happy that President McConkie's going to be able to give most of those keys to the new Stake President. President Uchdorf told us that Origionally, a different apostle was assigned to go and establish this stake, but that while he was in the temple with President Monson, President Monson told him that HE should go instead, and so... here he was. I love you all, and I'm happy to send home such good news. Čau! Starší Dean