Aug. 22. 2016

This has been an interesting transfer so far. We've seen a missionary go home, my companion, and also, another missionary just went home early because of an injury, and as a result, there are many people moving around to new areas and the Lord is making nesesary changes. I actually believe that something bigger is going on here, the Lord no doubt knew that these things were going to happen, and so he's planned for it. We'll see what happens. Our district (the four of us missionaries) are searching for a man who will be a new powerhouse for this small branch. There are such people out there who will join the church and will be the strongest examples of faith. There are people out there who when they join the church, will never fall away, and will have been so touched by the Spirit of the Lord that when they are baptized, nothing can sway them in their conversion that the Book of Mormon and the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly are true. I know that these people exist because if they didn't this church would not work. It would have failed a long long time ago. But this Gospel is true, and the Lord does gather in His lost Children, therefore we can trust, that in the Lord's timing and in His way, He will bring thousands of souls unto Him. As a district right now, we are trying to get just one of these Elect of God. We have, as a district, come together and made a plan, that we would excersise faith in the Lord, and in His power, and we have come up with a plan. Our plan began last wednesday, and it is this. Every day whenever we pray, we pray that we will find this man, we have chosen a day to find him, it will be tuesday (tomorrow). We have decided on several topics to study each day in preparation for this day, such as Leaders, Articles of Faith, and Faith to see miracles. We have come to the Edge, where we have done everything and are doing everything that we know how to do, and even though we don't understand it perfectly, we are doing our best to trust the Lord, and believe that He wants us to do this. The Adversary even now is trying to make me doubt that we will find him, but I believe that the Lord will not leave hanging after us excersing faith like this. We as a district have decided what he will look like, what characteristics he will have, and also what we will do to find him. We have prayed about these things and feel good about them, and now, we're at the edge, where miracles happen, now we just need to go for it and say "Lord, without you we will fall, help us fly." We need a branch builder in this branch so bad, and we are doing everything we can to qualify for this blessing. Oh how I pray the Lord will hear our cries, and will send us to them, or send them to us, that we may teach them and help them come and build the kingdom of God. I'm beginning to feel the weight of that leap, either we will go and it will work, or we will fall miserably, but I know in whom I have trusted. He will not forsake those who believe in Him. now... enough speaking all scripture-like. otherwise I'm doing well. I am beginning to see just how fast the rest of my mission is going to fly by. I am currently learning about the value of keeping the Gospel simple. but that's all for now. Love you all, and talk to you next week! Elder Dean

August 15 2016

This last sunday I had the opportunity to see our hard working Branch President be reased from his calling, and a new branch president step up. President Ambrož has been the Branch president for about 2 and a half years. He was baptized only about 5 years ago, and then, as a convert of only 3 years, was asked to serve as the branch President of this Branch. He is the most faithful man ever. He's about 30 years old, and he's not married yet. He single handedly held this branch together for 2 and a half years. President Ambrož eventually moved to Prague for work, but despite the 2.5 hour train trip to get either to or from Prague to Cbud, he made the trip, every week, for several months. He recently has moved to Brno, another strong area like Prague, due to the stake forming, Brno is actually one of the 6 Wards here! He lives there now, and dispite the almost 3 hour trip, he still would come to church every sunday at 9:30am. On Sunday, he gave his last talk in České Budějovice yesterday and in his talk he said that when he was baptized, he wanted to serve a mission. He was just young enough at the time, but for some reason, he felt that his service would be more needed here in the czech republic. He prayerfully decided to stay. He shared with us that a couple of days ago, he was reading in his Patriarchal blessing, and he prayed that Heavenly Father would help him to see some things that he had not noticed in the past. As he did so, he realized that his desire to do missionary work had been known to Heavenly Father, and President Ambrož realized that his mission, WAS in CBud. He realized that he had served a mission as the Branch President, and that he knew that was what the Lord needed him to do. He ended his talk, and then stepped down. I knew that he had fulfilled his assignment as Branch President, and I knew that he need not ever fear about that. He told me that he will still be coming to church just the week after this, but this time, he will be in the Congregation, and he is really excited about that haha. He was released by President Pilka, who is the new and first ever Stake President of the Czech Republic Stake. He came to CBud on Sunday to release President Ambrož, and as he released him, many of the people in the Congregation gasped, they had no idea. After saying President Ambrož's name, President Pilka said, and we thank also Starší Dean for his service as the 1st counselor. Then after everyone had raised their hands to show their appretiation for those people who were released, President Pilka called out the name " Chrdle" to be the next Branch President. As President Pilka sat down next to me on the stand again, he leaned over to me and said, "I just remembered, you are a missionary, so.. I'm going to ask you if you will be... actually, your assignment is to continue to be the 1st counselor." I, of course, agreed, after all, missionaries are set appart to do and fill whatsoever callings we're asked to fill, no ordination or setting appart for that, it's simply that if we're asked, we will do it, and the Lord has made it clear that once we assume a role, it means that we are that role, no setting appart required, missionary work is interesting. After Sacrament Meeting ended, President Pilka and A Chrdle (the new branch P.) went into the primary room, to do the setting appart. After they had closed the door, President Pilka opened the door again and called, "Starší Dean, pojď" (Elder Dean, come). I walked into the room, and then Elder Lovell, seeing as he was about to be separated from his companion, came too. Then President (brother at the time) Chrdle asked us to be part of the setting apart. Elder Lovell and I got to help set appart the new Branch President with the Stake President. That was a very cool Experience. After this, now President Chrdle was walked through the steps for how to do the financial stuff here in the branch, and then we met that afternoon at his house. Elder Lovell and I had dinner with him and his family. They are the coolest family ever. We went over to basically talk about what we were going to do to start working together. President Chrdle told Elder Lovell and I that we were going to need to work together. He told the both of us that we were basically his Presidency, and that the three of us are going to work together as one presidency. I am excited to be working under President Chrdle, and I know that he will lead this branch in the right direction, he is a powerful man, when the scriptures use the christlike attribute "Godliness" I think of Aleš Chrdle. So that's basically the update on the area here, Love you all, and talk to you next week!

August 8 2016

This is the pretiest city I have ever seen. České Budějovice is by far the more touristy place I've ever seen. Elder Lovell wanted to go chech out some touristy places today for P-Day, so we went to Český Krumlov, a city about 30 minutes from CBUD. It was fun, we took some good pictures, and we visited a chocolate shop that I always love to visit there and the lady recognized me, because I have already been there like 6 or 7 times, and she told us we could all have one free piece of chocolate of our choice. That was fun. I managed to get this whole chocolate adventure with the Go-Pro. Yesterday I think I had to deal with the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with as a member of the branch Presidency. Our Branch President is currently on vacation in Italy, he won't be back for a couple of days, and when he left, he made sure to let me know that he wouldn't be able to talk to me on the phone. I thought everything was going to go according to plan, and it did, just not according to MY plan, it was according to God's plan. We have a woman here who is investigating the church. She currently is Homeless, and we have been helping her to get back on her feet. She now owes the branch money, and I had to try to talk to her about this by my self because President Ambrož is gone. I wasn't sure what to do, but I have prayed about the situation and stuff, there are other things going on too but for the sake of the privacy of the branch I won't way more, but anyway, I prayed about everything, and the Lord gave me some very personal instruction about how to go about business as a member of the branch presidency. so I'll be following that council now, until further directed. Czech is coming along okay, It's always prooving to me just how much I don't understand. I sometimes think I understand how to speak this language, and then I realize that I still am a beginner and only am barely seeing and understanding the tip of this Ledovec (iceberg-Glacier). Supposedly Czech is the 2nd hardest language to learn in the world, besides finish, but who knows, I simply know that it's dang hard. I feel the Lord helping me every day to learn something new and keep going. Elder Lovell speaks as well as I do and he's only in his 3rd transfer, I'm in my 6th, and as elders in this mission we only have 12 transfers. I'm half way through my mission. We'll see what happens this next year. I can't believe the amout of wonderful lessons the Lord has taught me personally, and has taken the time to help me specifically to understnad things that I wouldn't have ever discovered or realized on my own. Above all, I know that Christ lives. Love you all, and take care until next week. thanks for your prayers. Elder Dean

Companions

S' mores & a stand up sandwhich? (I have no idea?)