July 11. 2016

So this transfer is special, because it's not very often that two missionaries stay together for another transfer in this mission. Each transfer cycle is 9 weeks, and so Elder Marcucci and I will be serving together for a period of 18 weeks, and that is a long time to have the same companion. But here's the best part, I love it. Elder Marcucci is such a great companion, and he is a great example to me of hard work and tenacity. Every morning, we both wake up to the sound of our 5 cent phone calling it's signature alarm, to which Elder Marcucci always jumps out of bed saying, "Dobrý Dobrý!" and then he immidiately does 75 pushups... After his pushups, he prays. I just go straight into praying after the alarm goes off, which sometimes leads to me fall asleep on the side of my bed. I think I'm praying but then I realize I'm actually thinking about icecream or cheap indian buffet. Then I wake myself up and attempt to pray for real, again. After a 3-4 minute Prayer, we put on running clothes and head out on a 30 minute run. When we get back, I am usually the first one to hop in the shower. After I shower, I usually have about 10 minutes to get dressed for the day, and then be at the kitchen table with breakfast to eat together with my companion at 7:30. At 8:00, Personal Study starts, and that goes for an hour. After which we study together for an hour and plan and confirm lessons for the day. This is normally followed by us studying Czech for an hour from 10:00 until 11:00am. Then we normally have lunch, or we'll sometimes go out early and talk to people for an our or so. After lunch we typically have members that we go and visit, we go with the intention to strengthen them, or to serve them. Or we have lessons with our investigators, we will set up with them to meet at the Church building, and occasionally we will meet with them in their homes when occasion allows. Sometimes we spend entire days talking to people about the restored gospel, and nobody wants to hear. Other days we go out and never make it into the center of town because we find 1, 2, or 3 people who had intrest to hear about the faith. I often allow myself to wonder if we are truly doing our very best, but I realize that the work we are doing, it not an instant gratification work, it isn't even gratification work at all really. I look at who the lord has made me, and I find great tenderness in the fact that my greatest worry is whether or not I have served with all my heart might mind and strength each day. That is such a wonderful thing to be concerned about. I believe this Gospel is true, and It proves itself time and time again as I excercise faith in the principles it teaches. Yesterday in Church, I conducted, because the branch president was gone. E, our friend who was just baptized last saturday, didn't come because we think her husband is not allowing her to come. I found myself wondering, "why is the Adversary sooo powerful, that he can litterally stop E from using her Agency?" I was thinking about this, and at this moment, I began to feel like darkness was overcoming light which was inside me. It almost felt like the light was fleeing from the darkness. I felt terrible. I looked around me and saw only a few people at church. 1, 2, 4 6... 8... 4 of those people were us the missionaries, and the other four were members. These feelings intensified as I looked around and thought to myself, "The Lord is fighting here, but Satan is wining." One of the members who attended, was visiting from Brno, a city about 2 hours away by train. He must be about 70 years old, and he was born here in CBud. When priesthood quarum started, the feeling that I had just would not go away. I felt like our work was being done in vain, or that we were not helping. But then, just as Priesthood Quarum was getting to a close, This member, who visited, Spoke up. This wonderful older man, with just the sincereest of spirits, and humility and testimony which defied their apperance, spoke up and said, "I have a feeling that I need to tell you my story." As he began to speak, I heard a name that I had not heard for over 3 transfers (6 Months). He said the name, "Got Bujkufka". I began to pay attention because I remember hearing about This "Got", and I remember that It was him who had kept the church alive during communism here in the czech republic. As this man spoke, he told us about how he had searched for truth from a young age, and couldn't seem to find it. He told us about how he had searched in all of the different religions that he could investigate, and none of them had what he was searching for. He said that he had met this man, Got, and that his life was changed forever when he attended one of the "yoga" meetings for the first time. He would attend this meeting, which was the Latter-Day Saint way to share the Gospel during Communism. Latter day Saints would meet together with this man, Got, and they would do Yoga together, sometimes in the forests, sometimes at secret locations throughout different cities, and Got had this talk that he would give, and he would talk about the Gospel. And when This man heard Got speak, about the Book of Mormon, and about other beliefs, he felt like it was true. He began reading the book of mormon, and his friends as well as some family told him that The Book of Mormon is from the Devil, and that he shouldn't read it. But he defended it, and said, "no, Joseph smith, and the things he taught, and the book of mormon, are not bad things, and I believe them" and so he continued to study. With time, he was baptized in the Forest, in a lake or river, and then he needed to get changed and hide quickly so that the police wouln't get suspicious. He worshiped at a Latter-Day Saint throughout the reign of communism and to this day has a firm testimony of and love for his Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. His Testimony was just what I needed to hear yesterday, and I know that The Lord prompted him to share that story during Priesthood quarum because I needed to hear it. There really are people like this man, and they are searching for the truth. and that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, He'll never no never, He'll never no never, He'll never no never, no NEVER forsake. And so neither should I... as His servant, I am called to labor with Him in this Glorious work. And as the Lord liveth, and I do so now testify that He does live. I add my testimony to that of this man, that The Gospel is true, and nothing can change this. This man left sacrament meeting before I had the chance to actually tell him just how much I needed to hear his Testimony. He came to visit, followed a prompting, changed my life, and he had no idea. Later last night, he called us, I am not sure how he got our phone number, but we recieved a call from an unknown number last night, and I picked it up, and this fine brother said, "I would like to speak to Elder Dean please." "This is him" I told him. He thanked me for Conducting the Sacrament service. And I just told him, Brother, I am so glad you called, I have been wanting to talk to you.¨ I expressed my appreciation that he Heeded the prompting he recieved, and I told him to know that He was an instrument in the hands of the Lord today. I am so grateful for the faithfulness of members who heed spiritual promptings, and are active in the work of the lord. They are heros, and they deserve so much more than they often get for their work. I am grateful for a Loving Savior, who is willing to speak comfort to my soul, when it seems like the darkness is too deep. When it seems like my faith is not enough. He is there. I love him for it. Until next week. Elder Dean