Week 21 in Plzen!

                       23 June 2014

Ahoj!

Well this week was pretty good. I feel like I finally got my fire and sense of urgency back, which was such a blessing. Unfortunately I'm sick again, but hopefully that goes away soon. On Wednesday we had specialized training with Elder Teixeira of the seventy and it was really good. I learned a lot about being bold, about having more faith, believing in miracles and how to help people accept a baptismal date, and why we even invite for baptism in the first place. My favorite part though was probably Sister McConkie's training on unity--it was fantastic. She said that on her mission in Argentina 20 years ago she was serving with a companion from Peru, who of course was a native speaker, and a really good missionary. And she said that she started just being really jealous of her companion, and it was eating away at her. So one day she swallowed her pride and just told her companion how she felt, and she said her companion just looked at her and said, hermana, soy nos uno! (not sure how to spell that haha). She told her, when I talk to the taxi driver, that means you just did too, when I connect with a member, you connect with them too---we are one! And so Sister McConkie went on to talk about how that's influenced her life and marriage, she said when she was home having babies and couldn't make it to the temple, President still went every week, and she would think to herself, soy nos uno, soy nos uno, that means I'm in the Temple, and he's at home picking cheerios off his pajamas. hahaha. I just loved it.

And then she shared an experience that she heard a czech sister tell about her mission in Russia. This sister was training two greenies at once and it was right after communism, so when they were tracting in Moscow they got picked up by the police, who were really suspicious of foreigners. They were taken to the prison and had to walk down a long corridor full of male prisoners who shook the bars and yelled things at them. She said that she took one greenie in one arm and the other on the other side and they walked down that hall, and she just kept saying--you cannot divide us, you cannot divide us. They got to the end, and were able to testify to the warden when he interrogated them, and he eventually let them go. But it was just such a beautiful example of unity--you cannot divide us, you cannot divide us. And so me and my companion have been saying that all week---we are one, you cannot divide us. So when she contacts the person on the street first instead of me because I'm too scared--we are one. When I ask a good question in a lesson--it's the same as if she did, because we are one. And it has made SUCH a difference, in absolutely everything.Even just making sure we walk side by side. It's made a difference in teaching, in finding, in confidence, in attitude. It's been amazing. This transfer has really taught me about unity, and I'm so so grateful. Sister Rosenvall is so great. We get along so well and have so much in common-it's been such a blessing. We downloaded a couple more conversations from the mormon channel onto our phone so we've been listening to those, and the unity between the spouses has been so evident as well in those talks. It's amazing how once you learn something new, all of the sudden you see it everywhere. 

I've been reading the New Testament a lot this week and I just finished Acts today. I want to finish all of the standard works on my mission, and the New Testament is the last one I have left. It really impressed me as I was reading that the church really is organized exactly the same as it was then. So cool. The church is so true. And it is growing so much here in Plzen--the zone leaders baptized another family on Saturday--they have 4 kids. The chapel is completely full on Sundays, I think we had almost 60-something people at church--we need a new building :) And Kat'ka came for the first time! She's doing so well. And Simona--my goodness everytime we see her and the girls they look happier--she has so much faith. We got to go to the girls 5th grade graduationon Tuesday and that was so fun. And they are going to the Temple again next week. Aah I just love it here so much. We have 4 first lessons set up for this week already, so hopefully some of them turn into new investigators. Missions are the best.

Love you!!

Sestra Cooper

P.S. just realized it's the 23rd today, which means I've been a missionary for exactly 18 months. Wow. Time flies.

Week....wait for it.... 19 in Plzen!

Cau vsichni! 9 June 2014  So dream come true, I'm staying in Plzen with Sister Rosenvall!! Phew. We were pretty convinced that was going to happen but of course the night before transfer calls we were freaking out and I thought I was going to go to Slovakia and she thought she was going to Brno haha. But nope! It's good that we are both staying because we have a super cool new progressing investigator and we just started doing singing time in Primary :) I don't even know how to describe this week, it was the longest week of my life! haha. But a lot of really cool things happened. I don't know if you remember Diego, the Italian man I was teaching in Brno? We found him in November. But he got baptized on Saturday!!! Super cool--he's the first person I actually found who's made it to baptism. So that was really nice to hear :) This last transfer was insane in terms of baptisms, we had 29 total across the mission in two months. And 7 of those were in Plzen (the elders baptized a mom and her son on Saturday ) :) The Lord is hastening His work! So awesome.  

The other really cool thing that happened was on Tuesday, Elder Kearon of the Seventy, Sister Wixom (primary general president) and Sister Reeves (2nd counselor in Relief Society) came to visit Prague. We got to go with some members and investigators to the special fireside. It was sooo good for the members because they did leadership training for the auxilaries. Plus it was neat for me and my comp because Sister McConkie asked us to bring Sister Reeves upstairs to their apartment so we got to meet them all and hug them. That was cool--they brought such spiritual maturity with them when they talked--I don't know quite how to describe it, but the church is so young here that there is definitely a difference. It was good to be reminded that we aren't the only ones on the battlefield so to speak--they talked about how they were waiting in a line at the airport in Portugual when the lady in front of them found out it would be 10 min longer wait and commented on how 10 minutes can be soo long. Sister Reeves said they looked at each other and then started talking to her about the gospel. haha love it!

In terms of the work it was a pretty rough week, we got dropped by almost all of our investigators and all the potentials either dogged us or didn't answer their phones. So that was kind of frustrating. We also had an interesting experience the other day with this lady on the street who just started yelling at us about how the bible is enough, how she already knows everything from the internet etc...it was just interesting because she was so angry, and if she had listened to what we were saying we would have been able to answer all of her questions. But all we could do was not get mad back, be patient and bear our testimonies. Finally at the end she stopped long enough for me to state our message of the restoration and testify about it and invite her to find out for herself, and then she apologized and wished us luck. It was just kind of bizarre, but a good experience-- sharing your testimony really is the only thing you can do when that happens.

 But Kat'ka, our progressing investigator is doing awesome--she's the one I mentioned last week, the girlfriend of the elder's investigator? We had an amazing lesson with her--we aren't really sure what changed. But we taught Restoration and she had studied Alma 32 (even marked it up) and prayed for the first time in her life. She said she felt "love towards something and love back towards her" so she knows that something is there, and that she's excited to learn more about who God is so she can know if it's him. SO COOL. We just walked out of there in shock haha. I don't know why it still surprises me that what we teach actually works when people are willing to try it! That's the hardest part, is getting them to just try it, to read and to pray. If they do that, they will get an answer, and it will change their life :)  

This transfer is just going to fly by, so I refuse to get depressed about not having any investigators--we are going to find some despite the blazing heat and being disgustingly sweaty haha--summer has officially hit! Plus we've made a lot of progress with less-actives and helping out the branch. And we have a goal of running every day because we got fed waaay too much this week and czech food is all potatoes and butter and meat, I refuse to go home fat!!! hahaha. At least we're on the same page--comp unity :) And I'm almost done with my last two language levels! yayyy sklonovani (cases) takes foorrever to pass off. We have a member of the area presidency coming to our next training in two weeks, so I'm excited about that. Good things are happening!   love you sooooo much Sestra Cooper

Week 18 in Plzen!

2 June 2014 Ahojte! So weird that I've been here for 4 months already. I cannot believe it's June!!! So crazy--It seriously feels like Christmas was yesterday. We both think we're going to stay here next transfer, which would be a dream come true, but that might just be wishful thinking :) We'll find out on Saturday! I'm glad the package got there, I'm sending another one home today. Dad-I love that idea of the book of life being more about our covenants and ordinances and who we have become than a sum total of our acts--that feels right to me. Cool. I had a really good personal study today, I printed off Elder Bednar's talk and studied it,and it's sooo good. I love it when he talks about the enabling power of the atonement--I really feel like I understand that now after being here. There have been so many days when I really felt like I couldn't keep going, and somehow the strength was there. I was thinking about sacrifice this morning too, because a lot of people we talk to will say things like, wow that's such a huge sacrifice, how do you do it, we admire you, etc. Which is always a little weird for me, because I really don't see it that way at all. I think I did at the beginning, but now it's just pure gratitude at all the blessings I have received because of the privilege to serve and I feel indebted for that chance, not deserving of sympathy! haha. I did get kind of trunky this weekend, which was annoying, but I fasted and I'm feeling better. Plus we taught the triplets about modesty after church and that helped--they are best! Two of them were just asking question after question--what about this kind of shirt, is that okay? what about these shorts? haha. But little Nefy was just rolling her eyes at them and was like, good thing you taught us this lesson, now we know what we need to buy! my goodness they are cute.They are already planning a "spolecne den" (together day) for when I come back to visit, they were like, you can stay here and we'll hang out ALL day hahahaha, and you'll get to translate for your family! They are so excited to meet you all. This week was pretty normal, nothing too crazy happened. We did start teaching the girlfriend of one of the elder's investigators, they've tried to teach her in the past but she was never interested, but he invited us over for lunch and it turned out really well. We used Alma 32 and talked about it as a science experiment (she studying biology and is an atheist). So at the end we asked her if she was willing to try it, and she said "asi jo" (yeah). I was so surprised, I think I did a double take, to make sure I had heard right haha. So we are meeting with her again on Wednesday! So excited. So that was really cool. Oh yeah and we had a concert on Friday-- It was Restoration-themed so we taught the first lesson through songs. It turned out pretty well, considering the fact that the elders cancelled half of the practices and some of the songs weren't exactly on pitch...and one of their investigators showed up with instruments wanting to play their own pieces, that weren't church-related. haha gotta love it. Mom-that's so cool about the Family History! 1680...I am SO excited to go to Sweden and see all of it. Sounds like the Temple trip was really neat. love you all!! Sestra Cooper

Week 17 in Plzen

26 May 2014 Ahoj! Well this week was kind of a blur, but a lot of really cool things happened. We went to Prague twice, once for training, and once for a baptism cause we were singing at it. That was fun. We're having a concert on Friday so we've been singing a lot. It was pretty funny on Saturday because we were running late on the way to catch the train and so my comp prayed before we left the apartment for an "autobusove zazrak" (a bus miracle) and a train miracle too. Then she laughed and was like, spis, tramvaj...cause we always take a tram, not a bus. But we got outside to find that they were working on the tram tracks and all of the trams had magically turned into buses haha. We laughed pretty hard at that, I think Heavenly Father was showing us that he has a sense of humor :) But THEN....we get on the train, and it's late and who do we sit by? a 20 year old guy from California studying abroad in Germany on his way to Prague, who is hours later than he planned and shouldn't have even been on that train in the first place because of a whole series of events. It turned out that we were only going one metro stop away from his too, so we helped him get a ticket and everything cause he doesn't speak Czech. Oh the craziest part--mom you might know his parents, his dad went to Torrance for high school, but he's a little older than you. Crazy huh? So if you remember any Sandstroms I met one of them. It was just so interesting--there is just no way that was a coincidence-too many things had to happen for us to meet him, he was only in the Czech Republic for a day. So that will be really cool if something comes of that, he got our contact info. Things like that happen to us all the time--what are the chances?? We really don't meet very many Americans. Yesterday was really neat too, one of our investigators came to church for the first time and really liked it, he was talking to everybody! Plus the elders came with us to visit a couple sick members to bring them the sacrament, and that was a really neat experience. The power that entered the room the second they knelt down to bless it was just so strong. The scripture: "in the ordinances thereof the power of godliness is manifest" came to mind, and it finally clicked for me. It's so true--the spirit is so strong during moments like that. That was really neat. The other neat thing this week was in studies--I was reading an old Ensign, and there was an article about how the good samaritan parable can be read as an allegory for the fall and the plan of salvation, and that it was in early Christianity. The coolest part was that it was inspired by a stained-glass window in Chartres in France--that I've totally seen! And I remember wondering why the fall and the good samaritan stories were in the same window. Super cool. So I studied that this morning and learned a ton, that was really neat. He talks about how the man is Adam, or us, Christ is the Good Samaritan, the priest is the law of Moses, Levite is the Old Testament prophets, oil is ordinances, the bandages are covenants and the wine is the atonement, the inn is the church, innkeeper is us as members or church leaders. Super cool. Well that's about it, we met a cool mom on the way home last night, I hope she meets with us. I made my planner for next transfer, which was very weird--it's the last one I will ever make. I'm really hoping I stay here, but we'll see what happens. I'm trying to make the most of every second I have left to stay in this beautiful country. So many things happened this week to remind me how incredibly grateful I am for my mission, and how much I wish I could stay forever. I have learned so many things that I never would have otherwise and changed so much--I will be grateful forever for the privilege of serving a mission--there is just no way I can express how I feel about it. I used the scripture in Alma 26:11-12 for my planner--that says it the best: "behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God...I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." I feel that joy and I have seen those miracles. Just too much happiness. Love you!

Week 16 in Plzen

19 May 2014 Ahoj! This week just flew by, can't believe it's P-day already. We went to the Great Synagogue today before we emailed, which was cool--it's the second largest in Eastern Europe after the one in Prague I think.That was neat because we went with a member from Prague who came down to visit, and she has a grandpa who was killed in Auschwitz, so she told us about some of her family history--that was really interesting to hear about. Plus it turns out she served a mini-mission here when Aunt Marci was a missionary, so she totally knows her! Weird huh? So you should ask her if she remembers a Marketa Kalenska. haha it was pretty funny because I was like, wait...you served in 98?? I bet you know my aunt! small world, especially cause I've known Marketa since C Bud. So that was fun. The rest of the week....we've been sick for the last couple of days which wasn't too fun, but we're pretty much over it. We got to do more service on Saturday, sorting logs, so that was cool. And the senior couple who came down to inspect our apartment gave me a haircut, which I was really happy about. It was a pretty low-key week, although we did have a miracle happen on Wednesday. We were going to head home to eat dinner and have language study, which was good because we were both feeling pretty miserable. But it crossed my mind that we should stop by this one inactive's house, but I kind of forgot about it until my comp said the same thing a couple of minutes later. So we were like ok well we definitely have to go know, that was inspiration. So we get to her house in the pouring rain, ring the zvonek with full confidence that she will be home--and she was! She had never let us in or given us her number before, but would talk to us at the gate. So this time she's talking to us and all of the sudden is like, I think you'd better come visit me, how about Sunday? She was baptized in 1991 and has been inactive for a good twenty years, so that was neat. And we had a meeting with her yesterday, and she gave us her number and said we could come back! We'll see where it goes. But the miracle doesn't stop there, because as we were walking away, Sister Rosenvall suggested we stop by another one's house even though we've stopped by at least 5 times and she's never been home. But she was! miracles. She didn't have time, but said we could come back at least, so that's major progress. It was just a little thing, but a testimony to me that when we just give a little bit more effort than we want to, that that is when the miracles happen. We also had a neat experience last Monday--there's a YSA here who has been thinking about preparing to go through the temple but was feeling really unsure about it, she just kept bringing up all these reasons that it wouldn't work...So we ended up having an impromptu lesson with her about it, and it was so interesting, because it was exactly the same turmoil that investigators have before they commit to a baptismal date, she was feeling all uneasy and unsure--but the second she committed to work towards July 5, she was so happy. It was night and day difference, and she noticed it. So now we are teaching her the temple prep course once a week and she said that her last reservations are gone, and now she's just looking forward to it. That was a really neat experience because we didn't plan it at all, it was completely spirit-led, and it was cool to realize that missionary work is exactly that--about helping people prepare for their next covenant--be that baptism, the priesthood or the temple, it's all the same work. We've made some major progress with another active member who doesn't have a testimony of living prophets, and now she is excited about going to do baptisms in the temple :) It's just the best feeling in the world to see people change! Well that's about it for this week--we have training in Prague again (already!) on Thursday, which should be fun, and before I know it, this transfer will be over. aaaah. love you! Sestra Cooper

Week 15 in Plzen...aaaah

12 May 2014 Ahoj! So that's super weird, I just realized I've been in Plzen longer than the time I have left as a missionary. aaaaaah. trying not to think about it....It was great to talk to you yesterday! Thanks for helping me feel a lot better about after-mission stuff, that was really helpful to realize that I don't have to figure out life on my own. Of course I wouldn't anyways but I think that was kind of in my head you know? Anyways....enough of that. I pretty much already told you about my week, so not sure what to say.....It was funny last night cause the zone leaders called for something (they are in my district) and they were like "are you aware that you gave the best missionary talk ever given in the mission?" haha I don't know that it was THAT good, but it was still nice to hear. I did feel pretty strongly inspired when I wrote it, so that was a neat experience. I think I already told you that I used Pres Uchtdorf's talk Are you sleeping through the restoration, but I basically just invited the whole branch to wake up, be engaged and work their hardest to serve others, work on their personal conversion and believe in miracles. Pretty bold...but what's the use in tiptoeing around it? we are soooo close to a stake! So close. I just want to do everything I can to help them believe it and work for it. I never realized how much I took it all for granted at home, having a patriarch, temples and everything. I'm just so excited for the Czech people to have it too. They've been waiting almost a century--the first missionaries got here in the 1930s. Actually the first one was in the 1800s. So long. This week was really awesome actually, since we found 4 new investigators! It actually would have been 6, which is insane, but two of them cancelled. So that was really exciting. Plus we taught the Restoration like 4 times--and there is just something really special about that. We've really been teaching by the Spirit and trying to teach to their needs, which meant that we had some fantastic lessons this week. Filip's was just amazing. I'm so excited about that. I realized during one of those lessons that I only have a limited amount of time left to be able to teach people about the gospel in such a bold and clear way--it really is such a privilege. I'm trying to just give my all every day and love every second of it--awkward moments and all. Well that's about it....Other news, my trainer is engaged! She sent me pictures today. Crazy.... She's getting married in June. We're going to another castle today, Kozel, with one of our investigators, so that should be fun. Trying to fit everything in.... love you! Sestra Cooper

Week 14 in Plzen!

5 May 2014 Ahoj! Another week just flew by, I can't believe it's already halfway through the transfer! I started a package of winter stuff, so I'll probably send that home this week. Can't believe we get to skype on Sunday!! I feel like Christmas was just yesterday. So weird. I'm giving another talk on Sunday too, so hopefully that turns out well. What happened this week...we went to Prague twice and fasted twice haha, so the days are kind of blurred together in my head. We had training on Wednesday, which was fantastic as usual. And then we fasted on Friday cause our mission is having a 40 day fast--that has been so cool. We are having so much more success mission-wide, Prague has had a baptism every week but one this transfer and Plzen has 5 more scheduled for this end of this month. So cool! Miracles!! We are so going to have a stake by the end of the year. And we are having an area conference this summer i think, and a seventy, sister reeves and sister wixom are coming! that will be so cool. Saturday we had a little miracle, inspired by you Annica! A young man my companion had taught last transfer got baptized and we had no way to get there cause we thought we had to have an investigator or use it as our p-day. So i just said a little prayer that we could go somehow because she really wanted to be there. And then 10:25 at night, President called and approved the trip, we just had to shorten our P-day today. It was just really cool because I just knew that something was going to work out, even though my comp had kind of resigned herself to the fact that we weren't going. So that was really neat. Plus I got to see Vaclav again and congratulate him on being a member for almost a year! So crazy. It was really cool cause he was just thanking me for helping him join the church and I got his address so that I can send him a postcard from home. It's so cool to see that he's still active and doing great. Oh! and Constantin's son got baptized too :) They've officially started a group in his city and he's coming back to C Bud to work again. I guess President has been talking to the Romanian mission president and he was saying that they just love him over there :) Well that's about it, there's really nothing too exciting from this week, lots of cancelled lessons. But we have a cool new investigator and another one came to church for the first time! So we'll see what happens with them. Oh yeah! I almost forgot there was another miracle this week. The investigator who came to church for the first time has really strong ties to another church who hates mormons and she was always talking about "pani fararka" (a pastor) who keeps warning her against us. So on Tuesday we felt like we should go contacting along the river. So we did, but after an hour we didn't have a single number and we were kind of wondering why we felt like we should be there. But just then I contacted this woman with a dog, and guess who it turned out to be?? Yep the pastor. She wasn't super friendly, but I was able to at least introduce the Restoration and tell her that we were Christians (she really didn't know anything about us--kept asking if our church was registered here---we've been here since the 1930s). So that was really cool-I had to be pretty persistant because she kept trying to walk away, but at least she's met us now and we were pleasant. -she knows that we're not crazy at least! The Lord really does guide our steps :) love you!! Sestra Cooper