Transfer 7: October 3, 2016

Elder Andersen and I have a Transfer Vision that is very inspired. When I got here in UH I felt like the Lord wanted me to learn some things, but also I felt like He wanted me to use what I had already learned to do everything that I could to help make this area stronger. If there is one thing that I have learned on my mission, it is that God's ways are ALWAYS higher than our ways. His thoughts are always higher than our thoughts. Elder Andersen and I created our Transfer Vision prayerfully and with the intent to do exactly what the Lord asks of us. I was suprised when Elder Andersen told me that he recieved inspiration that the Lord wants us to make a goal to baptize 5 people into this branch this transfer. But upon further prayer and pondering of my own, I came to agree that it would be possible. We created our plan, unaware of what was to come, but with simply a hope that the Lord would allow us to work together with Him in his glorious work. For us to do this we promised the Lord that we would be willing to do anything and everything to help him bring to pass his purposes. We promised to follow any and all spiritual promptings, and that means, also following those spiritual promptings to repent when nessesary, evenf for the smallest things. I'll write up our Transfer Vision below so that you can see what it is: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Uherské Hradiště Prepare to be a Ward. Work together with Branch. ---------------------------------------- -Start R.D.V again (family home evening) -Teach all members. -Teach with all members - All Home Teaching Assignments - Help Members Fulfill Their Missionary Responsibities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Five People to Covenant of Baptism ----------------------------------------- - Have Three Major Branch Activities - Asking Members to spiritually find refferals - Vylets (fun trips) with memebers (to build trust and unity) - Work with Part-Member Familes - Effective Personal Finding: Using Scriptures. -------------------------------------------------------- Do Everything and Anything the Lord asks of us. See Everyone as God sees them, and work with them Exactly as He needs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, I need to tell you about some things now. Do you see that goal we have up there? the one that says, "Prepare to be a ward"? Elder Andersen and I felt very strongly that we needed to do everything that we could to help this branch become a ward. We felt that we needed to work with the members as best we could and unite ourselves with the branch. We felt that the Lord was preparing something big for this branch, although we were not sure what it was. We told many of the members during visits that "something Big is coming, and it's going to be awesome." Well, last week on Tuesday, during District Meeting, Elder Merrill, our District Leader, delivered the news that would enlighten our minds and change our vision for the rest of this transfer. News that would influence not only the members in UH but also the members in Zlín. If you remember, when I first came into the mission, I was serving in Zlín. I have a very special place in my heart for the members there. I have always wanted to some day go back, and actually be able to understand those members who, at the time, were speaking a language that I couldn't even fathom. Now, one year and two months later, I am in Zlín's neighboring city UH. I felt soo grateful that Heavenly Father had in His plan for me to come serve back in this district, I would be able to on occasion see some of those Zlín members. The news that Elder Merrill delivered to us on Tuesday was this. "Don't tell anybody..." He told us, "...but on Sunday (yesterday) The Zlín Branch and the Uherské Hradiště Branch will come together to form a Ward." A Ward... I was speechless. I could not believe it. Zlín, my first city, one of the weakest branches numerically was the place where I had started my mission. I loved those guys. And now, here I was, the Lord having granted me the privdlege of seeing them become a Ward. Suddenly the clouds were lifted from my eyes and I could see why the Lord had placed me here in UH, and why He had prompted us to do such a Transfer Vision. I suddenly understood why we were seeing so much opposition, it was because the Adversary knew something that, at the time, we didn't. Long story short, The Zlín branch came down on Sunday to the UH Building. Elder Andersen and I came early to prepare the building, air it out and everything. We met with our Branch mission leader and discussed Gereral Conference for next weekend for the members in the building, and we picked up a new investigator and her son to come to church. We had planned it perfectly so that relief society president could be her friend while at church. It was only me and my companion that had any idea in our entire branch that THIS Sunday, we were going to become a Ward. The other members knew something was happening, but they had no idea what. They knew that the Branch President was coming, and they knew that the two branches were coming together for one weekend for a special conference, but other that that they had no idea. When the Stake President showed up, we started Sacrament meeting. President Pilka (stake pres) announced that he was coming to announce that after much prayer, and consideration, and pondering, the stake has decided to unite the UH branch and the Zlín Branch to become a Ward! President Pilka then asked, in czech of course, "all the members of the Uherské Hradiště Branch, and all members of the Zlín Branch, please stand." Everyone stood. I suddenly had a flash back to the day when the Stake was formed. As they were calling out where the wards would be formed, they asked the members of the particular branches to stand and then they were to sustain themselves to become a ward. I turned around, (I was seated on the front row) and saw as the two branches seated behind me, filling our small chappel even into the classroom at the back of the room, stood up together. I saw President Večeře, his wife, their now 12 yr old son, and 7yr old daughter, Brother Mikulenka, his daughter, Brother Janošek, His wife, their 12 yr old son, their daughter, her Husband Michal, and even old Rudolf there in the back stood up. I saw all of the members of the UH branch stand up, and in unison, as Latter Day Saints, the Zlín branch and the UH branch sustained themselves to become a ward. After everyone was seated, the spirit was palpable in the room. The Energy was so strong. President Pilka then turned to the men seated on the stand released first the Branch president of zlín, then his councelors, then he released the Branch president of UH, and his Councilors, and then he released a few other people holding varios positions in each branch. and then the first Bishop ever in Uherské Hradiště was announcced. Brother Dynka. I have to get off now, but I just want you all to understand a little bit about what this all means. WE HAVE A WARD AND A BISHOP, and this will change this area forever. have a good week, and remember that the Lord always has a bigger and better plan than you do. Just learn to trust Him. I'm still working on it, but He never fails to prove His point, that He knows me better than I know myself, and He knows how to be happy and be successful better than we do. That's a piece of my testimony. Love you all, S Láskou, Starší Dean