Week 13 in C Bud

Cau! Holy cow the transfer is almost halfway over. Crazy!!! I can't believe it. Who knows what will happen, I'll probably be leaving. It feels like I"ve been here forever and that I will just stay forever too haha. This week had even lower numbers than last week, cause even our less-actives dogged, but it was actually a lot of fun. Even though we contacted SOOO much and got no meetings out of it. But the cool thing was that I finally learned to love contacting. I've hated it my entire mission haha. But this week I really just dove in and felt so much joy from talking to people on the street. We got 6 numbers, which was really good (2 of them dogged and the other 3 aren't answering their phones). But we did a chalk display on Lannova street, which ended up being really fun, I'll send a picture. The elders drew a world map and Lehi's journey with the Bible in the old world and the Book of Mormon on the new, and then we contacted on the Book of Mormon. It was so fun. And I met a really cool girl named Zuzka, I was telling her about the Book of Mormon and how it's evidence that our message is true, and she said how can I know? So I read Moroni's promise with her, and without me even having to explain it (most people get confused with the Spirit part) she said, oh ok, so I'll feel that it's right in my heart (!!!!) So cool. So I called her on Sunday, and she didn't answer, and I was like, great, there goes the last of the numbers we had. But then she texted, remembered my name, and said she wants to meet on Tuesday!!! aaaaah I was so happy. It was the best. I'm really excited about her. And she's young! Yesterday was just a really good day, we had 23 people at church!! hallelujah. 3 of them were Dutch tourists, but still. (I got to translate during Elder Bahr's talk...aaaah. But I can understand missionary Czech so it was fine. Native speakers I still have some trouble). AND CTIBOR STAYED FOR THE SECOND HOUR. haha. I've been trying to get him to stay for so many weeks. One of the members invited him, and he was like, why not? So he's almost active :) Still working on the whole priesthood thing, but that's ok. I taught Relief Society/YW and it was a disaster haha. The youth curriculum does not work for adults apparently! (Gita wasn't paying attention, Vondrackova never does, and then we had the elder's Russian investigator who doesn't really speak Czech. Johi was wonderful though--the Chrdlovi's 16 yr old) I think we are just going to teach YW every other week during Sunday School until the senior couple gets here--they are stuck in the MTC waiting for their visas, so they still aren't here. Oh yeah and I did a lot better at asking for referrals, that's been one of my goals the past few weeks, I remembered in every single lesson this week :) (granted there were only like 4 of them...but still.) What else happened...we got our other English student to pray at the end of the lesson! And we had a branch bbq again, that was fun, we bonded with Johi. This week we have A LOT of contacting again. Since we still have no investigators. But are doing another district finding activity, this time we are going to set up a board that says something like, what questions do you have for God? and then have people write down their questions and their number. So we'll see how that goes. And then we have training on Friday, which will be fun, I always love going back up to Prague. And it's on finding this time, which we need a lot of help with so I'm excited. Our sister training leader gets to do something this time, with president's wife. It's really nice to have one finally--she calls us every Sunday night to check in. Our zone had a goal of 22 new investigators this last week (2 per companionship is standards), and everyone was supposed to send out a text when they found one, or had some miracle happen with finding. It was cool at first, but after working so hard all week and getting nothing it was kind of rubbing it in haha. But Sister Bateman's area is suffering too, and she feels the same way, so that made us feel better. Numbers don't mean a thing right? The zone ended up getting 20, which I guess is better than we've had in a long time, so that was cool. Just wish we could have contributed to it. Elder Greener is super good about encouraging us though (I think it's a talent of his), he was telling me that he had 2 transfers in Prague when literally the only lesson they taught a week was English. Then they had 2 baptisms, and then the area died again. So he was talking about how it's just the Lord's timing, and how it's not that we are doing something wrong--it just happens. So that helped a lot too. Plus I just keep telling myself something that one of the speakers said in the MTC--when Ammon was baptising thousands, Aaron was in prison. Kind of like what you were talking about in your email Dad. It's been really interesting too, my last two companions have commented on how much they enjoy learning from me in comp study, how I have so much "world and spiritual knowledge". I have never seen my love of learning as a talent before, but I guess it is. I'm just glad that they don't feel like I'm always talking their ears off haha. So that was cool. I've already read the whole missionary library, daughters in my kingdom and all of the Ensigns in our apartment during breakfast and nights (because of course I read the scriptures during personal study, and it's nice to read something else)...I think I'm going to start on the church handbook, because I am technically the Relief Society president right? Maybe I should know what's in it haha. And I'm working on reading the Book of Mormon out loud in Czech, almost done with 1st Nephi! Oh yeah and I saw that the missionary numbers are up to 75,000?? So cool. 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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

week 11 in C Bud

Ahoj! 5 Aug 2013 This week was kind of crazy, like usual. My birthday was really fun, we went up the black tower at lunch, because it's right by the church and I'lve been wanting to go up it since my first day (it was built in the 1500s). Pretty awesome. And we got mcflurries :) Oh and I did get your package in time mom, forgot to tell you that last week. And I got my hair cut! halleujah. Sister Regnier is awesome, we are getting along great, she's really easy to talk to. Elder Bahr stayed too, but Elder Greener is the new branch president. He's super enthusastic so that's been really good for our district. And the senior couple gets here next week!! Can't wait. What else happened...oh I finished my first language level!! finally. It took foooreeever, had to memorize so much sklonovani (the cases) But I was really happy about that. Oh and we got 15 lessons this week, which was the highest I've gotten in C Bud, so that was exciting too. Our investigator Michal is progressing so well, but he leaves for another month this week. Which is really lame. But I think he might make it to baptism, he wants to be baptized, he just doesn't feel like he understands things well enough yet, which makes sense. I feel like I've really connected with him though, he's a professional violinist, and he's so sweet. So that was neat to see his progress. And we had a really good lesson at English as well, George was the only one there, and he says he doesn't believe in God, but he's been asking more and more questions during the spiritual thought :) That was exciting. And Jarda's back!! miracle of miracles. We met with him, and he was totally closed at the beginning of the lesson, basically like, I appreciate what you are doing, but it's not for me. And then Sister Regnier shared her dad's conversion story, and how grateful she is that he gave the sisters a chance, and by the end he agreed to pray! I ended up teaching the whole Restoration too even though we didn't have it on plan. And he wants to meet with us again! (He's moving to Qatar in a month....but I'm hoping that that doesn't happen.) Our new investigator Angela was so cool, and then we taught her on Sunday and she got super closed--Sister Regnier thinks it's because she has realized it might be true and got scared. But she said we can still meet with her, so we'll see. This week was kind of the opposite of the last couple, we had really good progress with our investigators, but the less-actives freaked out. And Constantin, who isn't a member but is more active than most of them. So that was lame. One started smoking again, both bailed at coming to church, and Constantin started drinking coffee again. (Because the previous sisters said they would send him postcards when they got home and then didn't...he concluded that we are all liars, and the church isn't true. But the Book of Mormon still is.) Gah. So that was rough. Oh yeah and then that kid that hit on Sister Hicken last week was being ridiculous yesterday, he does not take a hint. So we asked the elders to tell him to back off, we'll see if that works, it's getting really obnoxious. Well I think that is about it...we had another family history activity, and a lot more people came this time, so that was neat. Oh yeah and I taught Relief Society. I do feel more responsibility for the sisters now actually, which is interesting. We had two come on Sunday, so we really need to find some more women. I'm learning a lot about people being here in C Bud. I feel like I'm continuing to learn more about myself, how important it is to be grateful for the things I have, how grateful I am to have a work ethic and to have a supportive family back home, and what attributes matter most to me. It's amazing how much personal growth comes when I spend all day every day thinking about others. It's so true that when we lose ourselves in the work, we find ourselves! Love you!! Sestra Cooper

week 10 in C Bud

29 Jul 2013 Ahoj vsichny!! Well as you can see I am still in Ceske Budejovice! I was so happy that I get to stay. Sister Hicken left for Hradec Kralove this morning and my new companion is Sister Regnier. Yep another one from my MTC group haha. But I'm excited, this transfer is going to be awesome. We built up our area so good last transfer, I'm really excited to see what can actually happen now! This week was kind of crazy. We went to Prague twice, for visa stuff and Mission Conference, it was so great to see everybody. We went to Karelstejin again to the place where Elder Witsoe dedicated Czechoslovakia in 1929 because it was the 84th anniversary. So we had a meeting there, sang the same hymns they did, and then had some testimonies and President read some of the promises Elder Witsoe gave when he dedicated the lands. One was that this mission would open the door to the gospel being preached in other Eastern European countries, so President talked about how we are blessing people beyond our mission when we serve. I had actually just had an experience about that two days before. We were on the train back from Prague the first time, and there were two ladies in our compartment. One of them kept glancing over at us, and I felt like I should talk to her, but I didn't know how, and felt like it was awkward with the other lady. So instead of just pushing it away like I was tempted to do, I started praying that I would know what to say and that the other lady would leave. So after she looked up at me for the umpteeneth time I finally gathered up enough courage to ask her how she knew english (she had asked us to shut the door in English). And right at that moment the other lady got up and left. We ended up having a really cool conversation for the next hour, she's Russian and lives around the corner from the elders in her city, so she recognized our tags. And she'd been given a Book of Mormon in English before, but she never got around to reading it (she didn't want a Russian one). So I was able to testify to her about why I am on a mission, and why the Book of Mormon is so amazing, and how it's blessed my life. I'm sure I'll never see her again, but I'm so glad that I prayed to know how to follow that prompting--for some reason that's the first time it's ever occurred to me to ask for help haha. It was a really cool experience. (The other apostolic promise was that the Spirit of Elijiah would bless the people's hearts to be open to the gospel. So that was really cool especially because we just started up that bi-weekly family history activity!) Other things this week...We have a super cool new investigator...and she's a woman! hallelujah. We only teach men haha. But her name is Angela and she contacted us when we were doing building tours--she's a former and when we had our first meeting with her, she told us that she's been praying to find more peace in her life, and that we are the answer to her prayer!!!! aaah it was so great to teach someone who actually wants to learn. Oh and the other miracle this week--Ctibor came to church AGAIN, stayed for the second hour, and said that he's going to come again next week. I'M SO EXCITED. We have worked so hard with him, I was telling Sister Hicken the other day that when we come out of a lesson with him I feel like I'm walking out of a battle haha. Between the trying to understand his Czech, waging war on his apostate ideas and trying to get him to understand that he has worth and that we need him back in the branch, it's a lot of work haha. BUT SO WORTH IT. aaah I'm so excited. And we get the senior couple in 2 weeks! The branch is finally starting to move. Oh, funny story from Saturday--the elders invited a boy they met on the street to polar bear (don't ask me why, he's young, and not even Czech, he's from Ukraine.) Anyways. So we are walking home with the elders like we always do, and this kid is talking to my companion, I'm about 5 feet in front of them. And then all of the sudden he starts hitting on her, talking about the sunset and wanting to go on a walk and to know where we live. So I went back and rescued her just in time haha. I literally pulled her away while telling him nashledanou (goodbye) several times while he kept trying to talk to her. And then we walked home the opposite way so that he wouldn't follow us home haha. We were just like whaa? Apparently we are just naive? didn't even cross our minds, we don't have to worry about that as missionaries right? hahaha I felt so dumb. But it was really funny. And then he came to church the next day and kept trying to talk to her....so good thing there were transfers haha. She's safe. Well that is about it I think! I'm the new Relief Society president by default, unless the senior couple gets to do it, which would be such a relief. But we'll see what happens. We had one woman at church last week, which is up from 0. So progress! Oh yeah and it's my birthday tomorrow. Crazy!! 22 sounds soo old :) love you all!!!! Sestra Cooper

Week 8 in C Bud

Ahoj! I am emailing from Prague actually, cause we had to come up today to get our visas renewed-it took forever...but that's out of the way. We are coming back on Wednesday because we have a mission conference!! So I'm excited about that. We are doing something special apparently, we have to wear tights (in the middle of july, ick. I have to go buy some nylons) and we are meeting at the train station instead of the building, so that will be interesting! I'm excited for that. This week was full of more adventures....haha it is C Bud after all. We taught a super awesome potential that was contacted back in 2007, and he actually seems to want to learn and try things, so that was really refreshing. We had a family history activity for the branch, that went pretty well, we're excited to get more members involved. We went tracting by one of our sister's houses out in Srubec on Thursday, and ended up teaching a lesson to this guy that we contacted about a month ago in the park. He used to come to English like 10 years ago I guess. Unfortunately he's not interested in the gospel--when he invited us in I asked if his wife was home, and he was like, i haven't seen her for 40 years! But I'm looking for another one....it's possible no? hahaha ewwww. So we taught him in his front yard, and I now know what beer smells like haha. So that was pretty funny. We stopped by the sister's house even though she was still supposed to be gone, but she was home and just didn't tell us cause she was busy. And we found out she smokes too....so lots of work to do there. What else...Jarda tried to drop us but I convinced him to agree to one more meeting. And there were absolutely no women in church on Sunday, so instead of me teaching Relief Society like I planned we got to go to Priesthood! Can't say that will ever happen again haha. But! Ctibor came to church and I was SOOOO happy! aah it was the best. He's the less-active who's Roma and doesn't have the priesthood. We taught him this week and at one point I pointed out that he was already in the chapel at that moment, so what was the difference to come on Sunday? haha. But we also testified that he needs to come to church in order to make his decision about the priesthood (he gave himself a deadline to either decide to work towards it or to never come again). His Roma traditions are holding him back, because for the Roma priests are considered holy and he doesn't think he's worthy. But he didn't used to take the sacrament for that same reason, and he did on Sunday! So that was really exciting. And one of the talks was absolutely perfect for him, so I was so happy about that. Transfers are in a week! aah it's crazy. I really don't want to leave, everything is finally coming together after an entire transfer of hard work--it would be really nice to actually see some fruits from that. But we'll see what happens I guess. Sister Donaldson thinking I'm going to train...haha. That would be an adventure. I think it would be kind of fun, I basically do most of the czech now anyways. I just want to stay here. Well sorry this email is kind of disjointed! I think that's about it though, can't really think of anything else to say, just a normal week. I guess if you don't hear from me on Monday it means that I got transferred! s laskou! Sestra Cooper

Week 7 in C Bud

Ahoj! I learned this week that ahoj is actually a latin acronym it stands for ad honorem jesu I think. So it is the same as the sailor's greeting, just english speakers changed it to a y. Cool huh? The things I learn while teaching English haha. Well I don't really know what to say about this week. Just a lot of work, like usual. Our investigator Jarda flat out refused a baptismal date and he's still refusing to try to pray too because he's "waiting for a sign." So we'll see how that goes...It's so frustrating to have to respect people's agency haha. It must be so heart wrenching for Heavenly Father to watch us make stupid mistakes and refuse to let him help us, thinking that our way is better. We gave a lot of building tours this week, and gave out 2 Book of Mormons, I've never done that before, so that was cool. I had to give another talk in sacrament, this time about family history. We are trying to start up a family history how-to activity every other week for the branch, so we are doing that on Wednesday. Since me and Sister Hicken are the only ones who've ever done it (the elders haven't and all the other members with experience are inactive) that means we get to try to explain it in Czech. Yay! That will be interesting haha. I'm jealous of all your family history work mom!! I would love to be helping. Can't believe we had a castle! So cool. You should send me the story if there is one! So anyways...We are really hoping people show up. It's summer so everyone's always gone. We had 5 members at church this week--I think it's actually going down now. We are working so hard to try to get people to come back and they just won't put in the work! I'm seriously so glad that you and dad taught me to work--thank you so much. I know I hated chores at the time, but man it's just so hard to watch people who have never worked a day in their life complain that their life is so hard, but they won't do anything about it--not even coming to church for 2 hours once a week. It's awful to watch. But, we had branch council this week (we go because we are the relief society, primary and young womens) and started the branch mission plan, so that raised my spirits a bit. Just have to keep the vision. I've been thinking a lot about what you said mom about being a trailblazer--I'm certainly trying! But we are making progress with one of our less-actives. She's actually been coming to church, usually misses sacrament meeting but is there for the 2nd hour. She's in her 70s with no family, and when I met her she was very bitter, always complaining or judging someone and just generally unpleasant to be around. But we've managed to persuade to her to meet with us after FHE on Fridays (basically we just kick everyone else out and start teaching her so she can't leave--she would never set up for a time with us). But we've taught her 3 weeks in a row now--this last lesson we read from the last Relief Society talk about an older single woman and how she was not alone, because she is a daughter of God and she is part of his family. But she really responded, and has been so much more kind, and has started putting down her walls--she just needed to feel loved. So that was really neat. We are going to start personal progress with her this week to help her start on the path to the Temple. So that was one of the moments where I felt like we are actually making a difference here. We have a lot more lessons on plan this next week so hopefully it will be better. It's so true that a teaching missionary is a happy missionary--President Irwin used to say that all the time. This last week we just did a LOT of contacting, which is still meaningful, but it's not the same, especially cause we didn't get any numbers. The two girls we gave Book of Mormons to didn't want to give us their numbers. It's just hard sometimes to study the gospel so much and feel my testimony being so strengthened, and have people not even give us a second glance. I know that this message would completely change their life if they would just try it! The rewards so outweigh the effort it takes. I know I shouldn't be counting...but I can't help it. Can't believe I've been out 6 months. It's gone by so fast but so slow at the same time. Yet it feels like my mission is just going to last forever, the days are so long. This transfer's almost over. And next week we are going to Prague on Monday for visa renewal stuff and then back again on Wednesday for training so it will go by fast. I found out it's all the missionaries in the Czech Republic, not just the two normal zones, so I'm excited to see what we do. President told the sisters to wear good shoes and it's pioneer day...so that will be interesting haha. tak jo, I think that is everything. love you soooo much! Sestra Cooper P.S. I keep forgetting to tell you this--everyone here always comments on how nice our teeth are haha. It's pretty funny/awkward, because what do you say to that? Thanks...it was the result of 5 years of having metal in my mouth, glad to know it payed off...haha.

Week 6 in C Bud

Ahoj! There isn't much to say for this week...nothing really happened. All 3 of our progressing investigators are out of town and the other 2 won't answer their phones and the new one dogged another appointment...so...we didn't teach too many lessons haha. But that's ok. They should start coming back this week, so that will be good. Constantin went to church in Romania though and loved it, so that was pretty awesome. He would get baptized tomorrow but he's just worried about having to go back to Romania and then having no support there, he wants his whole family to get baptized at the same time. But it turns out there are inactive families in his town, so who knows! We are hoping it helps him have the faith to just do it. We taught some less actives, did a LOT of contacting this week too. 4 hours of it on Friday--we got 1 appointment with a number and another number out of it. So that was good, hopefully we can actually meet with them! One of them is Japanese, her name is Fujiko and she's a student here. Super cool. So I'm hoping we get to teach her and then we can refer her to the missionaries in Japan when she goes home in a month. Oh yeah, and I called Vlasta, that less active I told you about last week? She's been reading in the Book of Mormon, and she's coming back for a couple days soon and wants to meet! aaah I was so happy. I think she might make it. We taught a first lesson this week, and it was really cool, because as I was teaching I realized I was so so happy. It's amazing the joy that comes from missionary work. Sister Hicken commented on it later too, she said that she could just see the joy emanating from me and I was really myself as we were teaching. It was so cool--I'm finally starting to feel comfortable enough with Czech that I can start to express my personality. aaah I loved it. Of course when people talk about not-church things I still have no idea what they are saying haha. But still. Progress is progress! I was reading one of the conference talks this morning, I think it's called being accepted of the Lord? Anyways, it made me reflect on this transfer. There are only 3 weeks left (aahh) so I was thinking about what we've accomplished in those 6 weeks. As far as our numbers go, it doesn't really look like much. But we are slowly increasing, I guess our area is the best it's been in who knows how long, even if it's not quite where I want it to be! We don't have anyone close to baptism, and none of our less actives have even come to church. So for all intents and purposes you'd think I would feel pretty discouraged. But the funny thing is that I don't! I'm so happy. I've learned a lot, we are working hard, and people have their agency. I feel like the Lord is happy with our work and that's really the only thing that matters. Yes, it would be nice to see that we've actually made a difference in someone's life, but I'm learning to be patient with the Lord's timing, and to trust that our work is not in vain. I think training helped a lot with that. President McConkie is awesome. And so is his family. They have kids that are 15, 13, 9 and 7. We got to meet them all, and President has so much faith. It was incredible. He served here from 1990-1992, right when they opened the mission after communism, and he's actually known every single mission president since, because he was doing humanitarian work here. So cool. He was part of the Miracle of Slovakia, and told us the coolest story. I think you already heard the gist of it, how they were trying to get the church recognized in Slovakia in 2006? At first they hired professional signature gatherers, and they only got 176 names in a week (they needed 10,000 total). So then they sent all the missionaries out for 3 days. President McConkie was there and was telling us about a Czech greenie, who had only been in the country for 2 weeks before getting sent to Slovakia to gather signatures. The only thing he could say in Slovak was "I believe in God, in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost". So that's what he did. He prayed to be able to bear his testimony with power. And President saw him do this, this one lady was asking him all sorts of questions which he didn't understand a word of, and all he could do was say his testimony over and over. And she signed it, even though she had no idea what it was for, and she had to write her address and the equivalent of her social security number on it. And in one day this greenie gathered 205 signatures, more than any of the other missionaries. All together they got the 10,000 that they needed. Total miracle. But basically President's training was on bearing testimony with power, it was really inspiring. I think I had gotten into the trap of seeing C Bud as kind of a dead end area--but he really raised my vision. He asked me if I had the faith to find a family that will jump start the branch growing again. And I had to think about it. So I've really been working on my faith, and fasted for that this week. I think I'm going to stay here for next transfer, things are finally starting to get going, I'd be pretty sad to leave. Sister Hicken is hoping she'll stay for a 3rd transfer too, we work really well together. but we'll see I guess! love you!!!! Sestra Cooper