Week 3 in Plzen

17 Feb 2014 Oh jejda....I don't even know what to say about this week. It was kind of train wreck, but that's ok, cause I'm finally feeling better. Really though I don't even know how to describe it, it was probably the hardest week of my whole mission. Lots of depressing things happened, along with the new area/companion/members/district stress. We taught one lesson to a potential who decided he didn't care enough to meet again even though we did everything we could to persuade him, all the other ones cancelled, our rcla came to a lesson so drunk that he couldn't stay awake and the elders had to escort him home, a creepy man gave me chocolate with "ma cherie" on Valentine's Day (we gave him to the elders), we did some tracting and tried to find inactives...And some less active blames my companion for why he's mad at the church. So yeah....it was a little rough. But I learned some life skills? 1. don't contact creepy-looking men or you will be creeped out. 2. I now know what beer smells like. (I'm just glad I had a sheltered childhood) I don't want to smell it ever again. It was so sad. 3. Don't start off a contact/tracting with "we're here as missionaries" because you won't get another word in, it's much better to just start testifying, and then you get in a meaningful conversation. So good life lessons from Plzen.... And some journal entries I will probably laugh about in a few months. The one I wrote in C Bud when I had the worst day ever is absolutely hilarious now. At least we did some fun chalk displays with the district, that was good, I like them better than singing displays. Anyways...the elders gave me a blessing yesterday and I'm feeling a lot better. Priesthood power really is the power of God. I felt the darkness lift the second they laid their hands on my head. I'm just so grateful for the gospel, I don't know how people live without faith. It's something that I've really learned on my mission, people's lives here are really hard. And really sad. The message that we have really does bring so much hope, and the commandments are there to keep us safe! They are so so so important!!! And they protect us from so much heartache. Gah. I wish that everyone could understand that. That's why it's so hard to watch them not even give it a chance, because I know that it would change their lives! Sigh. That's why I'm here, they need it so bad!!! That's why we do what we do. Well all we can do is keep praying, keep working, and wait for the miracles. I know they will come. Just maybe not when I want them to. I did hear about Brno from Sister Senkane, and their area is on fire, so I'm at least glad that the foundation I helped build is solid! This weekend they had a YSA Conference at our building at least, so I got to see a lot of the YSA from Brno, C Bud and Prague that I haven't seen for a while, so that was fun. And the Archibalds came too, so I got to see them. Today we went on a vylet with the elders and saw the historical underground, that was fun. I'll send some pictures. Other good things...I finished the Old Testament! Finally. That was exciting. And we have exchanges this week, I'm going to be with Sister Donaldson! So excited. I haven't really seen her my whole mission cause we are always on opposite sides of the country, but now she's one of my STLs :) So yay! That will be fun. love you!! Sestra Cooper P.S. pictures: the district with our free beer vouchers from the tour....gotta love Plzen. me and S. Bruno in the underground a chalk display we did, that was fun, it's the gospel of jesus christ with hopscotch