Transfer 7: September 5. 2016

I sit here at a computer in the library here in Uherské Hradíště, a city not too far from my first city, Zlín. As a matter of fact, Uherské Hradíště is actually in the Zlín District. I remember that my first District meeting ever was actually here in Uherské Hradíště. I'm going to refer to this city as UH, just like I refered to České Budějovice as CBud. It is such an awesome opportunity to be able to serve here, I'll be able to go to some district meetings in Zlín, so that means I'll likely get to see some old friends, that is soooo fun! I am no longer the District leader, I'll be serving with Elder Anderson. Our District Leader will be Elder Merrill. He is in Zlín and both he and Elder Anderson came to the mission at the same time. They are both one transfer behind me, and Elder Merrill will be training a new missionary in Zlín. I will be the oldest missionary in this district... that hurts. As we sit here emailing, Elder Anderson just recieved a Text from the Office Elders informing us that we will need to get Drivers Licenses because we'll be having a car here in UH. That's a scary thought at first... Elder Anderson is an amazing missionary, I have seen that he is very tallented, he bought a Violin here in the mission field and has been teaching himself in his free time. He can already play some hymns! UH has always had two companionships over this city, but for some reason, They are shutting down one of the areas, and that means that it's only going to be Elder Anderson and I here. that means that our district is only going to be 4 missionaries. 2 in Zlín, and 2 here in UH. When it comes time for Training, we'll likely have to drive to Brno ourselves. To be completely Honest, I'm a little scared to start driving around here, but, if that's what the Lord wants, I guess that is what is going to happen. I can be happy about that. Driving is fun! I left CBud this morning at 7:00am, by bus, and then I arrived in Brno 2,5 hours later. I thought that the bus was going to stop at the main bus station in Brno, but it actually only stopped at some random bus stop right next to the Train Station. I had to ask for directions and drag my four super heavy suitcases around for about 25 minutes before I made it to the main but station. I prayed that I would get help, while dragging my suitcases, and then a lady stopped, and looked at me and said, "what are you doing?" (in czech). I explained, and then she took one of my suitcases and helped direct me to the Bus Station. She showed me how I could more easily pull all three suitcases at a time, and then she went her way. Just another example of the many miracles that we see daily as missionaries. After getting to the Main Bus Station, I found that a Bus to UH was just about to leave, that worked out perfectly. ...................................... Yesterday we had the awesome opportunity to see the Temple rededication. It was the Temple in Frieberg Germany, and although we didn't get to actually go to Germany, we were able to go to the chapel in Prague, and the Chapel had become a temple, only for those 247 hours, and nobody was let in unless they had a temple recommend. As I walked in, a man asked me in czech if I had my recommend, I showed it to him, and then he said, "Vytáme vás na Chram" (Welcome to the temple). As I walked in, the spirit was so palpable, it was very quiet as everybody sat watching the screen of the broadcast from Frieberg. When I was seated, I began to rest from the journey from CBud, and I becan to stop sweating haha... I realized bit by bit that I was litterally sitting in, at that time, the temple. As I sat there waiting for the program to start, the spirit came over me and I knew that I had completed the assignment that the Lord wanted me to complete in CBud, and I felt my Heavenly Father's love for me, and I felt that He was pleased with me. I remembered the beauty of the Gospel, as the hymn hummed through the air from the organ, "I will follow God's plan for me" The world was left outside, here I was at home, in a small chapel on the other side of the world, I was at home, this was the feeling of Heavenly Home, and the feeling of the spirit was pure, no other influences or distractions. This was the home of my Savior, and I felt that I was a guest, and not only a guest, but I felt that My Heavenly Father was So happy to have me there. An honorary guest in the house of the Lord. The program was great, but this experience before the program began, as we sat there and just prepared for the program, was what my Heavenly Father knew that I needed. On the Bus today, travelling alone of course, I thought about my life experiences and considered on the beauty of the Gospel. I remembered back to the times when I was young, especially those times when my Siblings were just born. I remembered sitting in a hospital chair in the corner of some room, my parrents handing me my little Brother, or my little Sister. Holding them in my arms, I always cried although at the time I don't think I trully understood why. Thinking about this I considered the pain a child must feel, taking his or her first breath, how much new lungs full of dry air must burn those first several minutes. The Spirit having come from the Presence of our Heavenly Parents, into a world where they are ready to give it anything and everything they've got, and the first thing they feel, is pain. But they are fighters, these are children of God we're talking about here, they have just acted in immense faith to come into their second estate. The spirit bears record of the divine heratige. I am so grateful for the knowledge that the Lord's Work and Glory is to bring to pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of man. Right now, the world population verses church membership calculates to be about 0.02 Percent. 0.02 percent of the world population are members of the church. Our Father in Heaven has a perfect plan to make it all work out, and how privdleged we are to be a part of that 0.02percent, to have the opportunity to serve, and to help to bring to pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of man. This Gospel is a Beautiful thing. Oh how the Lord takes us in our weak and frail state and changes us to become Sons and Daughters of the Most High God. We have no need to fear. for this we'll sing, and we'll shout, with the armies of Heaven, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb! Elder Dean