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!