week 12? mozna... i can't remember haha. in C Bud

Ahoj! 12 Aug 2013 Well I really don't have that much to say about this week. It was kind of really terrible. (so i guess we were in the same boat mom, sorry!) All of our investigators disappeared again, and we didn't have any luck finding new ones. Literally all of our investigators but Constantin are gone, and he's not progressing. They are either out of town, or not answering their phones/door. It wasn't quite the lowest numbers week I've had, but really close. If it weren't for the less-active lessons it would have been. So that was really discouraging, I was feeling pretty down on Friday, and just struggling to keep the faith. I have faith in God of course, but when it comes to people not being flaky...that is another story. Agency gets me every time!! But things got better on the weekend, Ctibor came to church again, that's number 3! it would have been 4 but he ran into a slightly apostate member on his way who told him not to come. I'm still mad about that, pretty sure it's just cause he's (the other member) racist. Super lame. But Ctibor came this Sunday, and is doing really well. AND the Chrdlovi are back!!! They are an awesome family who have been living in England for the last 2 years, so they all speak perfect English (the 5 year old sounds like a Brit, it's so cute). They are totally active, involved and know how a real ward functions and they love helping the missionaries, so I am so excited about that. They have a 16 year old girl who is awesome too, so I might even get to teach some YW lessons again :) my favorite. We are all going to their house for dinner on Tuesday, and the senior couple gets here tomorrow too!! I decided that last week was just Satan throwing a tantrum because the work is just going to explode now :) I'm excited for the miracles. I really do feel like I'm in C Bud to help the less-actives. That's really the only area where I've seen any sort of progress. Plus last night I remembered that in my setting-apart blessing President Barnes said that I would see people convert to the gospel, but it would be just as important, if not more important to activate those who have fallen away. I feel like I'm seeing that happen. So that's been pretty neat. Oh and yesterday's personal study was really cool. I was studying my patriarchal blessing and just kind of pondering things, how hard it was to leave on my mission and how great it will feel to come home (exactly a year left this week--crazy) after giving my all for a year and a half. So then I started thinking about premortal life, how hard it must have been to leave, and how amazing it will be to return home. So then I was thinking about why anyone would have chosen to reject the plan of salvation--it seems pretty unbelievable, when Heavenly Father and Christ were right in front of us. (I was reading President Uchtdorf's talk from the YW general conference too). But then I had an epiphany that it was fear. That's what holds back anyone from progressing in the gospel, whether that's being baptized, or being fully converted, or what. With Satan's plan there was no risk of failure. Of course that meant no growth as well. All of the experiences in life that mean the most are experiences of growth--which means that sometimes they are really hard. Life is about walking by faith, and fear is the opposite of faith. So when we let fear hold us back, then we can't progress and walk by faith, like we are meant to. The Spirit is so cool :) We are going to Hluboka castle today for P-day, assuming the Elders figured out how to get there haha. So I'm excited about that, apparently it's the best castle in South Bohemia! So that'll be fun. love you!!! Sestra Cooper