It's Getting Hot

Hello erebody,

Summer is a'comin' and it is getting hot!!! It makes missionary work super fun. 

This week was a good one. We had training. Those are always awesome. Then President came to UH for the branch conference. It was a really good sacrament meeting. Our branch in UH is so close to being able to be a ward. It's insane!!! I just love my mission president. He is so great!

Then we met with Lukas this week. He was a referral from Martin a recent convert here. And now Lukas has a baptismal date for the 21st of June. He is so awesome! He had already read the uvod and the testimonies before our second meeting. He is so golden. It was so cute because it was Sister Frampton's first time ever extending the commitment of baptism and he accepted and she started to cry. She's a great missionary. We are so excited for him!!

Today was a really fun p-day because we went on a vylet with some members and lukas. It was really fun and we hope that he felt at home in the branch!!! 

Baptism is just the best. The sacrament is just the best. We get to feel clean from all of our sins once a week. It's so worth it! Being a member is so worth it!!! 

Love you all,

Sestro Bruno

Shout-outs from Heavenly Father

Hey all,

This week was a good one. I know I say this every week but the members in UH are probably some of the best members I have ever met ever. I just love them!!! And I love UH.

This week we did a lot of fasting and praying. We have really been searching for people to teach, and for things to happen in people's lives that would change their hearts enough to want to meet with us. We had a really cool experience just yesterday. We had just ended our fast and we had trakting on plan. I love trakting, but I don't like it very much. So it was a little hard to go back out after we had had a little break in the apartment, but one of my companions, Sister Graham said that when we don't feel like doing something that is when we should do it. So we went out. 

The first door we trakted into was this little old lady. She had a really hard life. She was 88 years-old and her daughter committed suicide right when she finished high school so the woman had once believed in God but stopped. She said that she was doing everything-- going to church, praying, everything but after her husband died she couldn't believe in a righteous God anymore. It was so sad. She didn't have very much interest in the Gospel, but she asked where we were from and I said South Carolina and she started to laugh. Last Christmas she visited America and went to South Carolina. She started to talk about Charleston and I said YES that's so close to where I'm from and then she said Summerville. I was in shock. I said that is my place. To je muj misto. Her friend that she was visiting lives in Summerville, SC!! In that moment I really knew that Heavenly Father loved me and this lady I was talking to so much!!! She doesn't have much interest in the gospel, but we are going to go back and bring her something next week. She is a special person. We all are!!! I just love that God loves us enough to give us shout-outs from Heaven that show us we aren't alone and he has interest in our lives. 

I also had an epiphany yesterday that someone is getting baptized this transfer. It seems a little strange because we haven't been teaching very many people, but I just know it. UH is so close to being a ward and so close to getting an actual building built here. IT IS SO CLOSE. Someone will be baptized from UH in the next 3 weeks. Just you wait and see.

s laskou

Sestra Bruno

Positive to the End

Hey family-fam,

The UH is just killing it. We had a pretty good week considering all the crazy things that happened. On Wednesday we started teaching Elenka, a members granddaughter. She is a fiesty little ten-year old. AND I LIKE IT. haha But really she is super cute and she acts like an adult. It's hard though because her dad is against faith and had a really hard time letting her go to church so we aren't sure how he will react to her getting baptized. But in the closing prayer she prayed that her dad could gain faith. It was the sweetest thing ever. It just reminded me how blessed I was to grow up in the family and place that I did. 

On that same day while we were at the church building someone came in while we were teaching a lesson and stole one of my companions bag. It was the one that was in her last transfer and they stole her camera(with all the pictures of her mission), her pass, visa, money, cards, DRIVERS LICENSE, etc. It was terrible. It has made doing missionary work harder too because we can't drive the car until I get my driver's license now because there is no way for her to get another one. I hate when people steal. It's not very nice. But she has a really good attitude about it. She said that they stole her bag so they could find the Book of Mormon, read it, and want to get baptized. She's great. 

That was sad, but we just knew that it meant good things were coming. On Friday just two days after we had a lesson with an RCLA and we decided to go on splits. I went with a member and taught Martin in the park and the other sisters went and contacted. It was a really cool lesson... I WAS THE ONLY AMERICAN. (way coool) Anyway while I was teaching the sisters found a family of 6 that were formers that want to meet again. IT WAS SO COOL! Then on Saturday randomly on the members texted us and told us that they decided their 15 year old son needs to learn about the church, so on Sunday we went over for lunch and taught him. It was really cool... I definitely learned that I am still scared of 15 year old boys even though I'm 21. I feel bad for Nikita. They are terrifying. But no seriously he is a really nice boy. It was a really funny meeting because his dad didn't tell him until we were all sitting down that he needed to start the lessons and he said he doesn't care if he gets baptized but that he needs to at least know every thing. We think that he is secretly hoping and praying that he will get baptized because you can just tell every time you are around that family how much they love each other and baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end are the only way they can be together forever. We have high hopes for him. 

It was a great week. Moral of the story... Families are just the best. They are the MOST important organization in the world. hahah They really are. Love my fam...

love,

Sister Bruno

Just Another Day In Paradise

Hellllerrrro my dear dear family,

This week was good. We did a lot of finding. Sometimes it was successful. Sometimes not. But that's missionary work. We did have a cool experience where we had a seminar about mormonism and one of the guys from english stayed and asked us questions about the church. Afterwards he asked about the Book of Mormon and took a copy. We asked if he would have time again next week and he said yes! We are excited because he has already been to church a couple of times and asked our branch president how he could learn more about our church. I guess a missionary in the past got his phone number but it didn't save, but he started coming to english and now we can hopefully start teaching him! Also we have a member whose granddaughter has been coming to church and we set up to meet with her! The member is awesome and the little girls mom is already a member she is just inactive and her dad is against the church but hopefully we can talk to them and we can teach her! The branch here in UH is spectatular. I really want to work harder and be the best missionary I can be for them because they are so great!!! Seriously. They are wonderful! Our branch president is only 27 years old and he has already been branch president for 2 years. He started when he was still in school and barely married. They are a serious power couple! They look like the couple from Tangled because his wife has the most beautiful long blonde hair. I love this branch!

We also went to Brno this week. We had district conference and then had zone conference after. It was a long weekend. But it was awesome because another 70 came to speak to everyone in the district. Elder Jouttenous(sp?) from Finland. He was the nicest man ever! And our training was great because we talked about the power of our call and watched a ted... if you know what those are. I didn't. But I guess they are inspirational podcasts and it was really good. It was this lady who talks about powerstances and how if we do these stances we will feel more confident and how when we are confident and believe in our selves and even just fake like we believe in ourselves until we succeed, then we really can succeed. It was really great. I am really working on these stances. Especially in contacting. I just keep telling myself to "BE BIG" I think it helps :).

Training is going good. Sister Frampton came pre-trained so everything is all good. The trio is great. We are thinking about getting shirts with our faces on them. hahaha kidding... kind of. But really everything is good. I am so lucky to be a missionary!!!!

Love you all! Hope all is well

s laskou

Sestro Bruno

Bittersweet

Hello hello hello,

This week was a bittersweet one for me. I found out that I am leaving plzen :(. It's bittersweet because I will miss Plzen so so so much, but I am also excited to serve in a new area. IT IS GOING TO BE QUITE AN ADVENTURE! I will be serving in Uherske Hradiste you say it ooo-hair-sh-kaa hhh-rad-ish-tee-yuhhhh! (it's a tough one to say) And I will be in a trio. And we will be training... weirddddd. 

Also I found out that my last companion went home because of health conditions. That's why we are in a trio. It was really tough to hear that. I had no idea until president called us and told me what was happening on saturday night. I was basically just shocked. I didn't expect it. So I'm excited I have no idea what to expect so I'll just expect the unexpected I guess. 

This week was pretty great. I had a good birthday. Still can't believe I'm 21. I still feel like I'm 19. But it was good. We went to Indian Food and had district meeting and taught english. Good stuff. Then we had a mormonism seminar and we taught about temples. Which leads me into the coolest part of the week. We stumbled upon the coolest, most prepared man EVER!!!

His name is Jiri. Elder Foster contacted him at the beginning of the transfer in front of the mall on a scooter and couldn't for the life of him set up a meeting, but the man said he would come to english. So he came to our english class and one week we taught a lesson about the book of mormon. During the thought he asked (very loudly) where he could buy one. We told him we gave it for free and got his number. That brings us to this week when we taught about temples. He was visiting Alberta Canada and saw the temple and tried to go inside but they told him that he couldn't! He was so confused why not. This week we had a lesson with us and he is so prepared. We taught the restoration and he agreed with it all. We asked if he would be baptized if he knew it was all true and he said, jasne, obviously. He said he had been coming to english to be around other believers. HE 

LOVES WHAT WE TEACH. He and his four kids and wife are totally going to get baptized!!!

Simona and the girls are doing okay. We taught Law of Chastity... she said it sounds like a fairytale and no one does it... sad day. We don't know what is going on through her head. We haven't seen her since thursday and she cancelled todays lesson, but we have faith that everything will be okay. 

It was just a great week. I love love love Plzen so much. I love the members. I love the city. I love the people. I just have loved this place sooo much. I can't believe it's already time to leave. I just love being a missionary so so so much. I never want it to end! Our mission is on fire right now. We are baptizing more then ever before and I know that the Lord's hand is in our work so much!

I love you all and can't believe how everyone is changing so much. I'm not even going to recognize you anymore! Promise to remember me????

Love yaaa

Sestroooooo

Ahojky

Hello my family,

This week was a weird one. It felt like we were in Prague so much! We had a training on Tuesday in Prague and then we had district conference on Sunday. There was a seventy that came and spoke. Also they changed the district presidency so it was pretty weird. After all that time in Prague it was good to come back to Plzen. 

I'm really starting to love it here. Which is new because when I first got here I had no idea what I was doing and I didn't like that much. But now I can say that Plzen has become one of my favorite areas purely for the fact that I've done the most changing here. It's weird but I've learned a lot about what it means to love someone purely for the fact that they are your brother or sister in the gospel. All this probably means that next week I am getting transferred to a new city, but I am excited for it. I'm excited to kill it for the 6 months I have left. (I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN A MISSIONARY FOR A YEAR!) "The last 6 months are your time to shine"-The District :)))

Other than that we had a pretty great week. Simona and the girls are excited for baptism. They still aren't 100 % sure about the 19th, but in our last lesson they asked who would baptize them and what they will wear and just were awesome about it. 

 

We also started teaching a members girlfriend this week. They are both really really nice. They are a little hard to understand because they are slovak but we are excited. They are totally going to be the next Jackie and Caleb (I don't know why I am referencing the District so much in this e-mail, but there you go) We are excited to teach them. 

 

We also had a way cool experience yesterday. It was pretty much the best weather the Czech Republic has seen in like 6 months so after we got home from Prague we decided to walk everywhere. We walked to a less-actives house and contacted on the way. She was really sick and sleeping so she didn't let us in. It was sad, but we still had an hour until we needed to be home so we contacted home and found this way cool kid! He had time right then so we sat down on a bench and talked about the Book of Mormon and set up to meet again. 

 

It's cool because we had the goal of two new investigators and we really didn't know how we were going to do it but we got them on Saturday and Sunday night. It's just cool how God rewards our righteous desires.

It was way awesome because we had a sister's devotional before district conference and the seventies daughter (who coincidentally served her mission in my mission presidents ward where he was the bishop before he became mission president) spoke to us about righteous desires. And the new investigators had been on our mind all week. She talked about how God really does want to help us but we have to give him everything!!! I can testify that it feels so good when you know you have done everything you possibly can. When you fall into bed exhausted because you worked so hard that day. It's probably the best feeling ever! I'm so glad I get to be a missionary. It's the best ever! I'm glad I get to change and I get to help people do the same because I know that when we change to become closer to Christ we just feel so much better. 

Fiera is such a cutie!!! Thanks for the pics!!! I can't believe I have 2 nieces that I've never met!!! It's freaking me out!!!

Consider the Blessed and Happy State

Hello dear family,

This week Plzen was on fire. For realsies. It was amazing to meet so many new people that have a desire to come closer to Christ. 

Isn't Jesus just the best? This week that seemed to be the answer to everything. Jesus is the best!!! 

It all started on monday when we ran into a former investigator from a year ago. I knew he was a former because I have had about 4 awkward conversations with this young guy inviting him to activities and trying to meet with him etc. He wasn't taking it. Until Monday... we saw him on the tram and I was like, proc ne? I gotta go talk to him. It wasn't the most spectacular conversation ever, I just introduced him to Sister Cooper, but at the end I invited him to family home evening because we were on the way to the church building. I was shocked when he said, okay I'll be there in twenty minutes. I was even more shocked when he actually came!!! After Family Home Evening we set up to meet with him on Thursday and it was a really good lesson! He is just already so close to Christ and just a really good guy!!!

Simona and the girls are going strong. We just had a lesson with them on friday and they are just the cutest ever! They are reading and praying and they came to church! ALL OF THEM! And the girls loved it! They didn't want to leave. It was adorable. We are hoping that they will make their date but we still aren't sure, we have to meet with them A LOT more! 

Tomas is Tomas. We might have to drop him soon if he doesn't start reading the Book of Mormon. In our last lesson he said, I'm catholic and I'm staying catholic :( LAME. But we will have to see. 

This week I also just experienced the deepest sorrow I think I ever have for people that choose to sin and reject God. I just love the people of the Czech Republic so deeply and to see the amount of filth that our investigators and members and just nice people here have to trudge through every day just made me sad. I had the opportunity to speak in church on Sunday about King Benjamin. I read all about him last week and probably my most favoritest teaching that he shared to his people is in Mosiah 2:41 It says  

  41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ^ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are ^bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out ^cfaithful to the end they are received into ^dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

This week I really got to consider that blessed and happy state. I'm so glad that God gives us the opportunity to be so happy and so blessed if we choose. And come on who doesn't want never-ending happiness? I like to think that people here don't know what they are missing out on. And a lot of the time they don't! So yes it's hard to see people reject the message but it's so worth it to get to tell people about HAPPINESS. 

#Spreadthelove. #TalkaboutJesus. #Blessed It just feels so good. EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW! 

love you guys

Sestra Bruno