May 22 2017

This week has been super cool. Elder Wutzke is a total genius. He did speech and debate before his mission, and he is one of the best. Due to him still being in his second transfer, he is still learning the basics in czech. Technicaly he is still in training, but he is learning quickly. He doesn't like sauce on food, and the other day we were having a lesson at our recent Convert's house, and she gave us chicken wraps. tortillas, chicken strips, sliced vegetables, and sauce. I ate mine happily, and we finished our lesson about temples. When we left their house, I was feeling great. Then Elder Wutzke said to me, "You know what?" "what?" I replied. "Did you see me gaging?" he asked me. "Uh... no." I said, "were you choking?!" "no" he said, "I litterally couldn't eat that, it was sooooo gross." I thought about that for a second, and he explained that he hates sauces on foods like that. I just started laughing, then I told him, "I liked it." and he made a sick face. we walked for a few minutes and then he said, "I'm actually really surprized that I actually ate that." I just couldn't keep from laughing... there I was during that lesson, enjoying what I percieved as a good meal, and I have litterally no idea that 6 inches from me was my companion who was litterally having one of the most intense internal battles of his mission life ever, between him and a chicken wrap... As I imagined this scene, I just started laughing, and we decided that we would go to a local convenient store so that Elder Wutzke could buy something to get the taste out of his mouth. As we were walking, we spied a blind man accross the street. we immediately recognized him as a less active who we had been planning on visiting. This guy is a less active, blind, one armed, melchizedek priesthood holder, who will talk your ear off. we approached him, I was doing most of the talking because Elder Wutzke was still feeling a little queezy, and I reached up, touched this guy's hand to show him that we wanted to shake his hand, we shook hands, he started talking to us and we started setting up with him. During this whole 30 second conversation, Elder Wutzke came up alongside me, although he was still remaining mostly quiet. This Brother, felt a bush next to us with his blind-stick, and he spit in the bush, or tried to. He ended up spitting just 2-3 inches from Elder Wutzke's hand, still showering little droplets all over Elder Wutzke's left arm. This guy, of course, was totally clueless of what he had just done, thinking that maybe Elder Wutzke was standing on the other side of me or something, but he just continued his conversation as if nothing happened. I remember when he spit, I just looked at Elder wutzke's face, and then I considered what he had already just gone though just 5 minutes earlier, and I had to turn away because I just about burst out laughing right there, and when I turned back, Elder Wutzke was standing there with the biggest smile on his face trying to not laugh either. Meanwhile this Less-Active just kept on talking, and if he could see he would have seen us just standing there almost curling over from laughter, but we were silent, trying soooo hard not to laugh, and he just kep talking to us as if nothing happened. We set up with him, and walked away. When we walked away for a couple steps, we couldn't handle it anymore, and we just burst out laughing. Super funny. This last transfer of my mission is going to be really fun, I can tell that the Lord is going to help us to do great things, and He's helping me to prepare for my return home. ----------------- This last week though, in terms of missionary work, has been super hard and super stressfull. As the Elders Quorum Prezident, I have the responsibility to assign lessons for Priesthood every sunday. I also have been trying to get Home teaching organized, and I was asked to give a talk, and we've been planning a huge activity here in Olomouc for all the YSA(young single adults) in the area. On TOP of this, I needed to plan district meeting, as well as work on our normal missionary work. I was swamped this last week with stuff to do, and I was stressed. I actually have been quite frustrated due to it, and easily irritated. But, as it always does, things work out, and the Lord helps us to do what we otherwise cannot do on our own. When the rubber met the road, I gave a successful talk about Service, We taught Priesthood Quorum about Looking Unto Christ, and we planned more of our activity, and we prepared some district things which needed to be taken care of. It was so much work, but it worked out great, and everything came together when it needed to. No doubt an answer to my prayers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as I was preparing for these things. I wanted to deligate some things to Elder Wutzke, however due to him being new in the Olomouc Branch, it would have been dificult for him to do what we were planning, but he helped me as much as he could. I have been so busy with missionary work that I have found it hard to find time for personal scriptures study. Of course I study things for lessons, for talks, for district meetings, however that much needed personal scripture study time has been so often taken from me this week, and I feel a deep sense of spiritual huger that I will strive to find time to feed this week. I love you all, and I've been seeing how the Lord has been blessing all of you at home. I have seen how many of my friends, and my family have been blessed of the Lord, and are doing very well. I am so grateful for the Opportunity to serve a mission. It is the best experience of my life, and I know that It is preparing me for future things, to be a more prepared future husband and father. I want to continue to strive to draw closer to the Savior for the rest of my life. He is there, and He did restore the Gospel through Joseph Smith Jr., The prophet of the Restoration. God has been there with me every step of the way. He has allowed me to go though hard times, and to experience rejection, and to suffer both body and spirit, moreso than I could have ever imagined, although mostly spiritually. It is an honor to have this opportunity to come to know the Savior in such a way as to walk with Him, at least a few steps, on that road to Golgotha. I have felt the power of the Atonement in my life, I know that it is real. I still struggle to understand how Jesus Christ can forgive us of our sins, but I understand that He does. I am so grateful to know that I am a child of God. The word "child" in this sense teaches me, that I am like a child in Heavenly Father's eyes. He picks up so many pieces that I can never pick up on my own. He simply asks for my willingness, and my obedience. He knows that I am so often subject to the follies of mortality, but His love does not cease when I make a mistake. Our Branch President has asked me to teach next week about Elder Razband's talk last conference. He talked about sheep. I encourage you all to go read that talk, and then think about yourself as that sheep. I will do so too. I love you all! and I'll talk to you again next week!

May 15 2017

The Transfer today was good, no one got lost. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve with Elder Jensen, he's a great missionary, and a good friend. I look forward to this Transfer. I'm looking forward to doing a lot of work with home teaching, and we will try and strive for referrals. Yesterday, at church, Brother Š stood up and said, "From the Presidency of the Czech Republic's stake, Elder Plewe was called as the first counselor of the Olomouc Branch..." But when he spoke, I heard Brother Š say, "From the Presidency of the of the Czech Republic Stake, Elder Plewe was called the Branch President..." And then I thought it was some surprise, and I said to myself, "Well, good, I trust it's from the Lord ..." And we all sustained him. Then I was the second person to bear my testimony, and I stood up, walked to the pulpit, and said, "Brothers and Sisters, I'm glad I can be here, and it's also a surprise for me that we have the opportunity to have a new Branch President, Elder Plewe." Then I bore my testimony and sat down. And then, (it was so funny) Brother Š stood up again and said, "I do not know if I have heard correctly, but I will say correctly that Elder Plewe is the COUNSELOR of the President." And then sat down. The whole congregation laughed... I was the one they were laughing at... I was also laughing, it was super funny! It was a good experience, and I know this is the mistake I'll remember for a long time! So, it's a good story, and you can tell others if you want, it's just funny! Ha-Ha! With love, Elder Dean

May 2 2017

This week has been really good. President Pohořelický came to Prostějov to have interviews with me and Elder Jensen. During my interview, He told me that I should make some goals for the last transfer of my mission. and I'm excited to say that I have these goals picked out, and I will strive for them. Lately I have been striving to become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love our Savior, and our Heavenly Father. At the core, that is why I do everything that I do. Though junk and distractions may occasionally get in the way of even ME seeing/feeling that love, It doesn't change the fact that it is there. Yesterday was a state holiday, the czechs wanted a day off of work, so the state said, "lets have a holiday!" so they had one. Litterally that is why they had this holiday... anyway, President Pohořelický had asked the mission to plan a vylet (trip) with the members from our Branches/Wards and to spend the day with them. So as a District, and with two members, and two of their non members friends, we went on a fun hike to some ruins of some old structure, and then we hiked through the forest to the Zoo here in Olomouc. The Zoo was so packed, with families and kids and people on dates and just the whole thing was packed. We had a good time in the zoo, and then we took a bus back into Olomouc's center and we had lunch. I sent some pictures that were taken from one of our Member's phones. Her name is Sára(Sarah) and she's really cool, speaks perfect english, all the youth here speak perfect English. Today, Elder Jensen and I went to an antique shop looking for old Czechoslovakian watches called "Prim"s. These are really cool, and we found some watches today that we both liked in one shop here in Prostějov. We started talking to the guy, found out his name is Radek. He is a believer and he thinks that we're doing good work here in the Czech Republic. We got to know him a little bit, and he asked us a few questions about what we're doing here and where we're from. We told him that we're here as missionaries from our Church, and that we just love sharing the Gospel with people, and that we're from the US. Then we thought we would leave, to go check out some other shops before making a decision for which one we would buy for Elder Jensen, and then I asked Radek, "how much are these two?" These were the ones that we liked. He looked at them, and then back at us and said, "you just take those two watches for memories." We were shocked... He had just given us 40 dollars worth of antique watches! We were pumped, and I jumped on the oportunity and asked, "Radek! You are so cool! is there anything we can do for you?" He responded, "no, you guys just have a good day." I looked him in the eyes and said, "Radek, if there is one thing we can offer you, it is the most valuable thing we have, and it is our message about the Gospel. Would you like us to come share our message with you and your family?" He responded, "I would love for you to come, I'll need to confirm with my daughter first though, she has 6 kids ya know... she's busy." (that made me do a backflip inside) and then I asked him, "can we call you, so that you have our number and we'll have yours, and we'll set up either tonight or tomorrow?" "sure" he said, and we exchanged numbers. This guy is super cool, we'll see what comes of it. ---------------- So talking more about my plan for my last transfer. I want to focus wholeheartedly on the Savior. I will study the Savior. I will testify of the Savior. I will come closer to the Savior. I will inclrease my love for the Savior. I will walk with the Savior. I have set a code of conduct, that I will strive to live by, following the Greatest two commandments to Love God, and Love your Neighbor as thyself: 1. Serve God 2. Serve my fellow men 3. Serve myself Particularly stressing the idea, of putting God first, and Other People before myself. This morning, I was thinking about the Savior and about Heavenly Father. I was thinking about how I recently have been praying more for charity, how I have been telling Heavenly Father that I love Him, and that I want to come closer to Him. As we were listening to some of Elder Jensen's music this morning, I felt the spirit confirm to me that Heavenly Father loves me. It was, at that moment, something that I had been praying for, a moment when I actually felt the Father's love for me, and the Savior's love for me. Yesterday was also one of our members' Birthday, and while at the zoo, we saw two guys go into an exhibit and pet a little kangaroo. They came out, and we had just been talking about how we should try to get let in too. When the men came out, we were all scared to ask, but we all wanted to let Terka(birthdaygirl) have a chance to do it too. I went up and said, "can this girl go in and see the kangaroo too? it's her birthday, and we would all stay out here, but can she just go?" The man looked at our group and said, "well If it's her birthday..." and then he let her go in. We were all so happy to see her get to to that on her birthday, and I was so happy that she was happy. now... how does this relate back... I felt joy from doing something for somebody else, and I felt joy in seeing their joy. This morning I remembered this moment, and I felt like Heavenly Father has this same joy, only greater, when we are happy. He is happy when we, his children are happy and his hand. He loves us, and he doesn't want us to be sad, upset, scared, or unhappy, especially with Him... He created us to have joy! I was overcome this morning from feeling the spirit bear record of this truth, which is different than simply "knowing" it in our minds. I found myself on my knees thanking my Heavenly Father for His Love, and His Wisdom over all things. I sometimes find myself fearing God... Fearing His Wrath, Fearing His demand for Justice, sometimes leading me into spiritual rebelion within the depths of my soul, and a hard heart. But the Lord's power, can soften our hearts, and can calm the storms inside us. He wants to forgive, and He wants to enable us... We never need to fear His judgement, because His judgement is not the World's judgement. "Go ye therefore and learn what that meaneth." I bear testimony that our Savior is loving, peaceful, and quick to forgive when we are sincere and when we want to come to Him. I bear testimony that He lives, and he is infinitely Patient with us. He does not turn His eyes from us when we are hardhearted... He watches, and waits for us to come to the understanding that we need His help. When He has the opportunity to lift us when we want His help, our Love for Him grows as we see to what extent He is willing to go to show us that He loves you, and all of us. He lives, and We have the amazing and wonderful oportunity, privilege, and blessing to learn of Him, and to be comforted, healed, and converted. He is my light, my rock, and my Salvation. May we learn to joyfully sing praises to His holy name, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ​

April 24 2017

So this week has been a good week. We're still struggling to find the elect people here in Prostějov. They're here for sure, but we're not sure what the Lord wants us to do with this area. This week Elder Plewe and I went on an exchange here in Prostějov, while Elder Jensen went to Olomouc to spend a day with Elder Chapple. Elder Plewe and I decided that we were going to go down to a small village called Kojetín wherein we talked to several people who were interesting but had no interest. We even ran into an Islamic/Jew from England (don't ask me how that happened) who was talking to us about religious problems around the world... I was not interested in his discussion, but we kept talking, trying to find some way to bring in the message of the Restoration, but he was not having it. We met a cool family, had a good discussion with them about the gospel, we were super excited to set up a meeting with them, and then at the last minute she said, "yeah, I'm not actually interested at all." so that was too bad. We then met probably the most interesting person of all. An older woman who answered her door, we started talking to her by saying, "hello sister, we are the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." She looked at us funny, and asked us if we knew each other. We talked for a few seconds before she turned to us and said, "guys, you should come see the true faith. in my congregation we have the gift of tonges, and people are healed." She bore her testimony about her church, and it really took me by surprise. I looked over at Elder Plewe who was not having any of it, and simply tried to tell her about the Restoration. I however was hurt... and I felt my testimony shake. For some reason, a Tesimony-like approach against our faith was something that I had never run into before, and I was hut because I didn't have anything that I could throw back at this woman... other than my own testimony which in this particular moment, for some reason, was not as strong as hers. the rest of the day seemed just like a blur, I remember just feeling so upset and confused and frustrated. Even the next day and the day after I couldn't get it out of my mind, or get the thorn out of my heart. I went into our study room yesterday and knelt down, and told Heavenly Father that I wanted to hear His opinion, and that I wanted Him to talk to me through the Book of Mormon. I got up from praying, went into our bedroom, and I opened up the Book of Mormon to a random page. I started reading just where my eyes landed. I read: Alma 32: 24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out— Alma 32: 26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge. Alma 32:27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire‍ to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. I was reminded that I have Faith, not Knowledge... but that is not a bad thing, I believe that the Church is true, I don't have a perfect knowledge, otherwise I wouldn't have had any problem whatsoever with what this woman said. I talked to president Pohořelický who told me that I should renew/revive my testimony. I read my patriarchal Blessing, and I agree that the Lord probably wants me to revamp my testimony. I thought that as a missionary, who is going home in 2 months, I had the strongest testimony ever, but what is funny, the last couple of days, I have been asking Heavenly Father to help me come closer to Him. But as I have been drawing closer to Him, and to His Son, He has shown unto me one of my Weaknesses, a weakness that I previously had not known about. Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my cgrace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them. I don't know everything, but I do know that the Lord has a plan, and He wants to help prepare us for trials and things that will be hard for us in the Future. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father, who shows unto me my weaknesses as I come unto Him. As we come unto Him, He will show unto us our weakness, but He will make our weak things become strong unto us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. S Láskou, Starší Dean

April 18 2017

So first things first, I just want to apologize to my family for not emailing yesterday. The entire Czech Republic was shut down today, and we were told to push our Preparation Days to the day after. That means today. This last week has been a good one. I must say that spending Easter in another country, as a missionary, has helped me to understand at least a little better, why we have Easter. On Thursday, the Czechs celebrated the beginning of the Easter season. Due to the large number of Catholic believers, and due to the Catholic church being one of the only churches in the Czech Republic, the Czechs celebrated Green Thursday, Good Friday, (something) Saturday, and Easter Sunday. Each of these days leading up to Easter is to remind the people celebrating about why we have easter. Each day is associated with several things leading up to the Savior's crucifixion, burial, and Resurrection. I didn't have the opportunity to participate in any of the catholic traditions, nor did I want to, and all the things we did participate in were with our members. But it is good to see that the Czech people, even though they claim to be extremely atheist, they are actually quite religious. I recently began thinking more about the Savior. During district meeting, we silently studied the scriptures and at the end, we had a testimony meeting. Each member of the district bore his or her testimony of the Savior. I was surprised to find that I was having a difficult time remembering my testimony of the Savior. I of course know that it is there, I know that I have one, but when I bore my testimony, it was more of me just saying what I know, but I wasn't really feeling it. I have since thought more about where my testimony is, and what I need to do to strengthen it, and keep it, and be constantly improving and never regressing. I took time to look back and think of as many times as I could remember when the Savior stood by me, and I knew it. I could think of many. I also thought of times when I felt like my relationship with the Savior, and with my Heavenly Father were the strongest. I realized that those times when my relationship with my Heavenly Father was the strongest, were on my mission. I remember a talk from a recent General Conference, wherein we're asked, "can you remember when you felt to sing the song of redeeming love, and can you feel so now?" I have been asking myself, "can I feel so now?" I am sad to say that I have not been feeling that strong desire to sing that song of Redeeming Love recently, but I am happy that I have come to the realization that I want to sing it more. I want to be closer to my Heavenly Father, and to my Savior. I want to feel like they are my friends, that I can go to them whenever, and about whatever. I remember while I was in CBud, I was challenged to pray every night, out loud. to just speak to my Heavenly Father, and to just talk to Him. I remember how I did that, and how much it helped me. I want to do that again, and I want to work towards being able to sing the songs of praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation once again with a full heart, and with an eye single to the Glory of God. Yesterday, Monday, our whole district got together, and we all gathered in Prostejov, where we visited the home of each member. We all met up in the morning, because the Czech tradition is for all the men to leave the house Easter Monday morning, and to go to visit other people, neighbors, friends, family, and to get candy for the kids. Kind of like trick or treating for us. The other part of this Czech Easter tradition is for the men to carry these vine whips made out of willow branches, and upon arriving at the home of another person, would whip the women below the waist with the willow branches, supposing to symbolize the living willow branches giving life and youth to the women. Interesting... But that is the tradition, and I remember calling the Mission President, "So President, uh... what are we, and what aren't we allowed to participate in for Easter?" He simply just said, "no whiping, stay away from large groups of people, there are going to be a looottt of drunk people." So we traveled around as a district, four Elders and two Sisters so the Sisters were safe with us while out walking around town. We visited the home of Every Active member in Prostejov, and they were all supposed to be surprise visits, but for some reason, 90 percent of the members were expecting us to visit them! We visited the Matlovi first. they gave us some super pretty painted Czech Eggs, hollowed out, and good for decoration. Then we visited a young member who usually lives in Prague, however she was home with her parents for the weekend so that was good. Then we visited the Slezarovi, he used to be the branch president, and they are the family with three kids who all have red hair. they are soooo cool. Then we visited the branch president's home, and his wife was not feeling too well, so we just dropped by and said hello. At each member's home, we sang, and read scriptures about the savior. I just want to end this email by saying that I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven, who is willing to reach out to me and say, "my son, I love you, and I wish not for you to be any more distant from me than you now are, and I want for us to have a lasting and more powerful relationship, one that will carry you through the trials that are soon to come in your life. I have led you, and I do lead you, but I am not a God of fear, I am your loving Heavenly Father, and you are my son." I am so happy that my Heavenly Father sees fit for me to see at this time, that I need to have a stronger relationship with Him, and with His son. Just as an ending thought... I was reading in the new Testament today. I came across a verse talking about the Wise man, who built his house upon a rock. On this occasion, some words sprang out this time that were more express than others. The words were to this effect: "This shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock, and the rains came, and the winds came, and the waters came and [they] beat upon the house, but it did stand, because it was founded upon a rock. " Now... I was thinking about this, and I realized that my relationship with my Heavenly Father is not weak, so much as I am just being "beat upon" constantly by the adversary, but I have somewhat forgotten that relationship. and now I have realized that, and now I can work on it, and I am so grateful for that. I love you all, and I know that the Savior lives. He IS REAL. Anybody who is feeling like they are not good enough, or anybody who may feel like their relationship with their Heavenly Father is not as good as it should be, or anybody who may feel like they are the only people who struggle with these type of things, Please take comfort, and know, that there is a missionary over here, who is doing the Lord's work every single day, and still sometimes has a hard time feeling the Lord near... I don't say this to discourage you, but to remind us all, that we live in a life of Trial, and we are to learn Patience and Faith on the Lord. He is there, He walks with us, and He offers us Peace... Sometimes we need to just get out of ourselves, and come to Him. Praying alone sometimes is not enough. He expects a lot more out of us. We are His Children after all... He expects a change of Heart, not just a change of Behavior. The Lord will never discourage you, don't suppose that which is evil to be of the Lord, for none of those attributes are of Him. He will encourage and uplift, inspire and comfort. If you have desires to do good, and to be the Son or Daughter of God that you truly are, THAT is good enough to come to Him, the Savior, and to begin to let Him change you. I continue to sin, I end up kicking myself nearly every single day, and I find myself pleading with the Lord for forgiveness... If you find yourself repenting due to fear, stop it, re-evaluate, and then repent out of love, not out of fear. Listen to conference, and learn more about this principle if you are confused. I love you all, and I will send some pictures now. s Laskou, Starsi Dean