Week One in Prague (September 5, 2011):
I am here!
SO I am here :). The mission home lady said that she would email you with a picture of me and the Mission President the day we got here to let you know that I was ok, and so I hope she did so! If not, here you go. I have not perished. Since talking to you in Chicago, I talked to a Muslim man on the plane over the Atlantic for almost the whole time. He and his daughter were going home to Bosnia. He claimed to be Muslim, but didn't know what exactly he believed in. He was an interesting man, and while writing this I just realized I should have given him my little card with my blog on it! Oh well. Anyway, we talked for a long time, even got shhhh-ed at a few times, and at the end of it all he wasn't interested in anything I had to say really, but he was a nice man with good morals. He told me that he liked talking to me, and that I had made him think about the real purpose of life, which is good, I guess. And I gave him my tag to hold while we talked about how similar our languages are etc. I asked him to guess what every word on the badge meant in relation to what his words in Bosnian mean, and they were pretty close! Hopefully now the name of the Church is something he'll recognize if he comes across missionaries again!
We then landed and were in London. We didn't eat there because we assumed that they'd feed us in Prague, so I changed my clothes and tried to freshen up as best I could, so that I wouldn’t be a total grease ball when meeting President and Sister Irwin for the first time. We got to Prague, and we got our luggage (quite a feat) and went outside. Having your Mission President meet you at the airport is one of those happy times that only happens once, and I'm glad I got to experience it. They were just so happy to see us, and all those stories of missionaries being picked up from the airport came to mind, and now I've had my own experience with it! President and Sister Irwin are really kind people, and President Irwin also has a great sense of humor. Two missionaries were there with the President, because someone needed to drive the mission "bus" as I call it. It's just a big ol' van, but I definitely called it a bus. I rode in the front with the AP's [= Assistant to the President], and I was glad since it was the only seat with a view and an open window. It's hot here! Very humid, but my hair is thanking me for it. It's all thick and shiny and stuff; it's fabulouso.
We drove to the mission home, which is the church building we took over two hours to find when we were in Prague [Mother’s comment: family trip with one day in Prague in 2006]. We pulled into the back though, so it didn't look the same, but later on I walked out to the front and smiled since it looked familiar! Anyway, we dropped all of our stuff off by the back door under the stairs and then went over to the new mission office. It's across the street, and the lady there should have sent you an email with my new address. There's this rule that if you send a package or a cushioned envelope etc., don't write my name on the package. Just write the Church's name and then my missionary number (which they should have sent you) on the side somewhere... They should email you directions. And then when you write me handwritten letters it's ok to write my name on it, but make sure the Church's name comes first (Cirkev Jezise Krista) and then second line write my name and then the rest of the address etc.
ANYWAY... we all got up into President's office for a lil' chat. Since our Heathrow flight had been delayed an hour we didn't have time for interviews, which is unfortunate, but we'll get them in a few weeks. He told us that the APs were now going to take us on a tour of Prague by foot purely for the reason to keep us awake until night-time. PRAGUE IS GORGEOUS! We have been to the castle we went and saw, but we went the back way. It's this pathway up a hill of cobblestone, and all of a sudden the biggest castle pops up out of nowhere! I loved it. I guess it's actually a Cathedral but you get what I'm saying. Anyway, we walked around that and then went to that clock at the town square that everyone loves. There were so many people everywhere, and I loved knowing that I was representing Jesus Christ! I felt for the first time my missionary calling on my shoulders, and it was the best feeling. We also saw Charles Bridge and then we went to go eat. We didn't have to go contacting either, even though I told you on the phone that we would, since we were behind schedule. We went and got some Czech food called Svidckova where dumpling things cover half of the plate and then tons of cream based sauce with a piece of meat in the middle. It was HEAVY. But it filled us up and was interesting. When I was ordering, I asked for "Voda bez blub-blub-blub." Trying to say water without bubbles, but I couldn’t think of the word for bubbles so I said blub-blub and made hand motions, and the guy at the counter cracked up. It was hilarious, and then he told me how to say bubbles. It's “bublika.” Pretty sure I could have made that up, but hey it worked and got the point across.
We then took the metros back to the mission home where the Elders went to a hotel, and I got to go upstairs in the Church building to the Mission President’s apartment for the night. They have SO MANY ROOMS, it's ridiculous. I guess it's for when GAs [= Church General Authorities, leaders] come and stuff, but good golly, the Church takes care of their Mission Presidents! Their apartment is SO NICE and soooo big. It felt like a house, even though it was just upstairs of the Church. Anyway my trainer, Sister Smith, came to visit me, and she is nice! It is her last transfer, so she is pretty good at speaking Czech and helps me out a lot. I was tired, but I wanted to talk to her and write in my journal, so I didn’t get to bed until nine-thirty. Even with all that, I didn’t sleep well that night, so the next day was rough, but missionary work is the best so you forget about how tired you are.
The next morning all the Elders and we met together in the President's living room for dinner etc. and we got assigned our areas, and the Elders found out who their companions were. I AM IN BRNO! Yay. Now you know. I know you were just dying to find out. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, and they have a pretty decent-sized branch. Sister Smith has actually been there for eight months of her mission, so she knows where everything is and how the trams all work, which is helpful. I am trying to pick it all up as best I can. It's like going to school though. For the first week you're all overwhelmed at how big everything is, but after a bit it shrinks and starts making sense. I fit in so well here though. I am grateful for my traveling experience and European background. Even being surrounded by a language I don't speak doesn't really bother me, since I've had to deal with that before. The Elders were a little overwhelmed, but I'm sure they're over it by now. Elder Bird, one of my MTC Elders was assigned to Brno as well, so I shall be seeing much of him every week. He was my teaching companion at the MTC.
Anyway, the second day we got here in one piece somehow (try moving 6 missionaries with three suitcases each off and onto trams and trains all morning sometime), and the senior missionary, Brother Francis, came with his car to pick up my luggage, which was so nice of him. My elbows were killing me from dragging those huge suitcases behind me on cobblestone roads. We then walked around some to try to get me a bus pass etc. but it didn’t work since, like Finland, things close down early on weekends. We then got to go contacting. I LOVE TRAM CONTACTING. I might look back on this and laugh, but I just love it. That first day was amazing. We didn't really have anywhere to go until our meeting at the Church that night, so we just rode trams and talked to people. I made this goal of talking to every person that stands out to me while I’m here. I figure they stand out for a reason. So we were on the tram stop, and I walked up to this guy and said, "Dobry den. Dnes je muj prvny den v Ceska Republica," meaning, “Hi, this is my first day in the Czech Republic.” He smiled, and then Sister Smith went into explaining what we are doing here. I am SO grateful for my talent of making people laugh easily. I have a flexible face, and I know how to laugh at myself. I know that Heavenly Father gave me these things to better help His work. It has helped SO MUCH already.
Anyway, we got on the tram with that man and talked for a good half hour. He said that God exists, but we have no need for prophets. It is hard to try to convince people when they aren't ready, but I bore testimony since that’s the only thing I CAN do, and I know he felt the Spirit at least a little. When he got off we gave him a contact card. Then we got off as well, but as we were getting off, I saw a girl who stood out to me, so I told Sister Smith we needed to get back on. We hurried and made it. We talked to her and her best friend, but they got off next stop and weren’t interested, I don’t think, but we handed her a contact card. While we were talking though, Sister Smith and I noticed a young man paying close attention to what we were saying. We immediately went and talked to him, and he was receptive. He said that his friend had found a Book of Mormon once and given it to him. Someone's testimony was in the front. I asked him if he'd read it. He said no. I asked if he thought he should, and he said that he thinks so because for years it's sat on his shelf calling him. I was like uh.... ok listen, I know that it's a feeling you should listen to! I know that this book is a book from God and that He wants you to read it. He looked down a little and said “je vim” which means "I know." So I challenged him to start reading it this week, and he said he would. Sister Smith then gave him a contact card, and I asked for his phone number. He said he doesn’t give it out. Sister Smith explained how we teach for just 20 minutes at a time, but he said he wasn’t interested. I bore testimony again, and off he went. He NEEDED the gospel! God wants him to have it! I could tell by his eyes that he was a really good person.
Anyway, we realized we'd gone way farther than we meant to go, so we got off the tram and guess what? We ran into this lady named Petra who had been taking lessons, but had become super "busy" all of a sudden, so for a few weeks Sister Smith hadn’t seen her. TOO BAD GOD KNEW WHERE SHE WAS! Booyah. Everything that day was totally led by Heavenly Father, and it was just the best realizing that. He knew exactly where everyone who needed us was going to be. So anyway we walked with Petra down to the park where she was picking up her four-year-old obnoxious son (whom I love, but he IS obnoxious). We sat at a bench while he ran around and threw leaves in my face. It was awesome. I tried to pray with her, but then he started screaming in our ears and then ran off throwing sticks in the air. Sister Smith took over the lesson since Petra talks fast and isn’t super focused. She changes the topic to things not relating to the gospel very easily, and I only know gospel words so I really had no idea what was happening. At the end of it all I asked Petra, "Will you come to Church tomorrow?" And she said yes. I figured she'd come before but Sister Smith told me later that she'd never accepted the invitation before now. SAWEET. Not knowing what’s going on helps out sometimes obviously!
Yay. So that was my first day. Sister Smith was so happy and said that I had greenie power. It is a power I hope to never lose! This work is so important, and everyone deserves the gospel! We then walked forever through this ghetto in Brno to ask this Roman family… if they'd come to Church tomorrow. They only come if you come get them, which makes no sense since you just gotta get on a tram with them, but hey I am here to help bring people to Christ, so I'll do what I need to, right? So we did that Sunday morning, and three of them came, which is great. There are like 20 of them living in one apartment, and this ghetto is… GHETTO. People kissing everywhere, trash in the streets, and human feces on the sidewalks. It was NAST. But the Lord protects you. Anyway, we got them to come to Church, and Petra and her son came as well. I sat by them. Every time she feels the Spirit she becomes uncomfortable and starts fussing over her son and says he has to go to the bathroom or something. So second hour we sat outside with her trying to teach her while her son played in the back, and it just wasn’t working. She liked Relief Society [= women’s organization and meeting] though, and said that she'd come back next week. So that was a success of sorts. After Church we planned and studied, and then went to go find less-actives. There are a million of them. But we got one's phone number via the intercom and then when we were walking away I saw an old lady go into his apartment building, so I ran and caught the door before it locked. We then found his apartment and left a note about General Conference and that we were saving him a seat. It was great.
Then we were walking on the street, and we got an older man to talk to us. He explained to us with much vigor that we had no idea what he'd been through. During communism he was a "believer" and he was forced by the government to stop talking about religion in the streets and wasn’t allowed to work in his profession as a punishment for talking about God. He then spoke of all the bad things that happen in this world and how God isn’t a part of it. I agreed that God isn’t a part of it, and that people have agency. He told me that I'm too young to understand. And it's true, I will never know what communism was like, and I will never understand what these people have been through, but I still know that the gospel is true, and that it will help him. He told me that if I learn Czech we can talk, and I said, “Sir, with God's help I WILL learn Czech, so when I do, can I have your number and call you?” HE smiled at that, and then the conversation was done in good humor and with a good feeling. I told him that God loves him because we are His children. His eyes changed at that moment as though he realized what I was saying was true, but then he backed away from the feeling and pushed it aside. I know he felt something. Because it is true. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and he said he'll read it because he reads all religious books, even the Koran. I told him that this book will make him feel God's power, and he said maybe if he runs into missionaries again it'll be a sign from God. Sister Smith and I then jumped into big Xs and said but look!! We are HERE NOW!!! But he wouldn’t take it. He took the book though, and we ended well. I told him that he must call us if and when he feels something, and I challenged him to really pay attention to his feelings. While he was walking off I yelled at him in Czech, "GOD LOVES YOU!!!" He turned around and said, “NO!” and I said again, “YES HE DOES! I KNOW IT!” and he laughed and said no again, and I said, “GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH!” and then we walked off. Someday, someday he will accept it. HE needs it. And I felt so much love for him. I wish he'd have let us teach him. But I did my best.
I would love to hear from you all.
Until next time,
Sister Izatt
I am here!
SO I am here :). The mission home lady said that she would email you with a picture of me and the Mission President the day we got here to let you know that I was ok, and so I hope she did so! If not, here you go. I have not perished. Since talking to you in Chicago, I talked to a Muslim man on the plane over the Atlantic for almost the whole time. He and his daughter were going home to Bosnia. He claimed to be Muslim, but didn't know what exactly he believed in. He was an interesting man, and while writing this I just realized I should have given him my little card with my blog on it! Oh well. Anyway, we talked for a long time, even got shhhh-ed at a few times, and at the end of it all he wasn't interested in anything I had to say really, but he was a nice man with good morals. He told me that he liked talking to me, and that I had made him think about the real purpose of life, which is good, I guess. And I gave him my tag to hold while we talked about how similar our languages are etc. I asked him to guess what every word on the badge meant in relation to what his words in Bosnian mean, and they were pretty close! Hopefully now the name of the Church is something he'll recognize if he comes across missionaries again!
We then landed and were in London. We didn't eat there because we assumed that they'd feed us in Prague, so I changed my clothes and tried to freshen up as best I could, so that I wouldn’t be a total grease ball when meeting President and Sister Irwin for the first time. We got to Prague, and we got our luggage (quite a feat) and went outside. Having your Mission President meet you at the airport is one of those happy times that only happens once, and I'm glad I got to experience it. They were just so happy to see us, and all those stories of missionaries being picked up from the airport came to mind, and now I've had my own experience with it! President and Sister Irwin are really kind people, and President Irwin also has a great sense of humor. Two missionaries were there with the President, because someone needed to drive the mission "bus" as I call it. It's just a big ol' van, but I definitely called it a bus. I rode in the front with the AP's [= Assistant to the President], and I was glad since it was the only seat with a view and an open window. It's hot here! Very humid, but my hair is thanking me for it. It's all thick and shiny and stuff; it's fabulouso.
We drove to the mission home, which is the church building we took over two hours to find when we were in Prague [Mother’s comment: family trip with one day in Prague in 2006]. We pulled into the back though, so it didn't look the same, but later on I walked out to the front and smiled since it looked familiar! Anyway, we dropped all of our stuff off by the back door under the stairs and then went over to the new mission office. It's across the street, and the lady there should have sent you an email with my new address. There's this rule that if you send a package or a cushioned envelope etc., don't write my name on the package. Just write the Church's name and then my missionary number (which they should have sent you) on the side somewhere... They should email you directions. And then when you write me handwritten letters it's ok to write my name on it, but make sure the Church's name comes first (Cirkev Jezise Krista) and then second line write my name and then the rest of the address etc.
ANYWAY... we all got up into President's office for a lil' chat. Since our Heathrow flight had been delayed an hour we didn't have time for interviews, which is unfortunate, but we'll get them in a few weeks. He told us that the APs were now going to take us on a tour of Prague by foot purely for the reason to keep us awake until night-time. PRAGUE IS GORGEOUS! We have been to the castle we went and saw, but we went the back way. It's this pathway up a hill of cobblestone, and all of a sudden the biggest castle pops up out of nowhere! I loved it. I guess it's actually a Cathedral but you get what I'm saying. Anyway, we walked around that and then went to that clock at the town square that everyone loves. There were so many people everywhere, and I loved knowing that I was representing Jesus Christ! I felt for the first time my missionary calling on my shoulders, and it was the best feeling. We also saw Charles Bridge and then we went to go eat. We didn't have to go contacting either, even though I told you on the phone that we would, since we were behind schedule. We went and got some Czech food called Svidckova where dumpling things cover half of the plate and then tons of cream based sauce with a piece of meat in the middle. It was HEAVY. But it filled us up and was interesting. When I was ordering, I asked for "Voda bez blub-blub-blub." Trying to say water without bubbles, but I couldn’t think of the word for bubbles so I said blub-blub and made hand motions, and the guy at the counter cracked up. It was hilarious, and then he told me how to say bubbles. It's “bublika.” Pretty sure I could have made that up, but hey it worked and got the point across.
We then took the metros back to the mission home where the Elders went to a hotel, and I got to go upstairs in the Church building to the Mission President’s apartment for the night. They have SO MANY ROOMS, it's ridiculous. I guess it's for when GAs [= Church General Authorities, leaders] come and stuff, but good golly, the Church takes care of their Mission Presidents! Their apartment is SO NICE and soooo big. It felt like a house, even though it was just upstairs of the Church. Anyway my trainer, Sister Smith, came to visit me, and she is nice! It is her last transfer, so she is pretty good at speaking Czech and helps me out a lot. I was tired, but I wanted to talk to her and write in my journal, so I didn’t get to bed until nine-thirty. Even with all that, I didn’t sleep well that night, so the next day was rough, but missionary work is the best so you forget about how tired you are.
The next morning all the Elders and we met together in the President's living room for dinner etc. and we got assigned our areas, and the Elders found out who their companions were. I AM IN BRNO! Yay. Now you know. I know you were just dying to find out. Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, and they have a pretty decent-sized branch. Sister Smith has actually been there for eight months of her mission, so she knows where everything is and how the trams all work, which is helpful. I am trying to pick it all up as best I can. It's like going to school though. For the first week you're all overwhelmed at how big everything is, but after a bit it shrinks and starts making sense. I fit in so well here though. I am grateful for my traveling experience and European background. Even being surrounded by a language I don't speak doesn't really bother me, since I've had to deal with that before. The Elders were a little overwhelmed, but I'm sure they're over it by now. Elder Bird, one of my MTC Elders was assigned to Brno as well, so I shall be seeing much of him every week. He was my teaching companion at the MTC.
Anyway, the second day we got here in one piece somehow (try moving 6 missionaries with three suitcases each off and onto trams and trains all morning sometime), and the senior missionary, Brother Francis, came with his car to pick up my luggage, which was so nice of him. My elbows were killing me from dragging those huge suitcases behind me on cobblestone roads. We then walked around some to try to get me a bus pass etc. but it didn’t work since, like Finland, things close down early on weekends. We then got to go contacting. I LOVE TRAM CONTACTING. I might look back on this and laugh, but I just love it. That first day was amazing. We didn't really have anywhere to go until our meeting at the Church that night, so we just rode trams and talked to people. I made this goal of talking to every person that stands out to me while I’m here. I figure they stand out for a reason. So we were on the tram stop, and I walked up to this guy and said, "Dobry den. Dnes je muj prvny den v Ceska Republica," meaning, “Hi, this is my first day in the Czech Republic.” He smiled, and then Sister Smith went into explaining what we are doing here. I am SO grateful for my talent of making people laugh easily. I have a flexible face, and I know how to laugh at myself. I know that Heavenly Father gave me these things to better help His work. It has helped SO MUCH already.
Anyway, we got on the tram with that man and talked for a good half hour. He said that God exists, but we have no need for prophets. It is hard to try to convince people when they aren't ready, but I bore testimony since that’s the only thing I CAN do, and I know he felt the Spirit at least a little. When he got off we gave him a contact card. Then we got off as well, but as we were getting off, I saw a girl who stood out to me, so I told Sister Smith we needed to get back on. We hurried and made it. We talked to her and her best friend, but they got off next stop and weren’t interested, I don’t think, but we handed her a contact card. While we were talking though, Sister Smith and I noticed a young man paying close attention to what we were saying. We immediately went and talked to him, and he was receptive. He said that his friend had found a Book of Mormon once and given it to him. Someone's testimony was in the front. I asked him if he'd read it. He said no. I asked if he thought he should, and he said that he thinks so because for years it's sat on his shelf calling him. I was like uh.... ok listen, I know that it's a feeling you should listen to! I know that this book is a book from God and that He wants you to read it. He looked down a little and said “je vim” which means "I know." So I challenged him to start reading it this week, and he said he would. Sister Smith then gave him a contact card, and I asked for his phone number. He said he doesn’t give it out. Sister Smith explained how we teach for just 20 minutes at a time, but he said he wasn’t interested. I bore testimony again, and off he went. He NEEDED the gospel! God wants him to have it! I could tell by his eyes that he was a really good person.
Anyway, we realized we'd gone way farther than we meant to go, so we got off the tram and guess what? We ran into this lady named Petra who had been taking lessons, but had become super "busy" all of a sudden, so for a few weeks Sister Smith hadn’t seen her. TOO BAD GOD KNEW WHERE SHE WAS! Booyah. Everything that day was totally led by Heavenly Father, and it was just the best realizing that. He knew exactly where everyone who needed us was going to be. So anyway we walked with Petra down to the park where she was picking up her four-year-old obnoxious son (whom I love, but he IS obnoxious). We sat at a bench while he ran around and threw leaves in my face. It was awesome. I tried to pray with her, but then he started screaming in our ears and then ran off throwing sticks in the air. Sister Smith took over the lesson since Petra talks fast and isn’t super focused. She changes the topic to things not relating to the gospel very easily, and I only know gospel words so I really had no idea what was happening. At the end of it all I asked Petra, "Will you come to Church tomorrow?" And she said yes. I figured she'd come before but Sister Smith told me later that she'd never accepted the invitation before now. SAWEET. Not knowing what’s going on helps out sometimes obviously!
Yay. So that was my first day. Sister Smith was so happy and said that I had greenie power. It is a power I hope to never lose! This work is so important, and everyone deserves the gospel! We then walked forever through this ghetto in Brno to ask this Roman family… if they'd come to Church tomorrow. They only come if you come get them, which makes no sense since you just gotta get on a tram with them, but hey I am here to help bring people to Christ, so I'll do what I need to, right? So we did that Sunday morning, and three of them came, which is great. There are like 20 of them living in one apartment, and this ghetto is… GHETTO. People kissing everywhere, trash in the streets, and human feces on the sidewalks. It was NAST. But the Lord protects you. Anyway, we got them to come to Church, and Petra and her son came as well. I sat by them. Every time she feels the Spirit she becomes uncomfortable and starts fussing over her son and says he has to go to the bathroom or something. So second hour we sat outside with her trying to teach her while her son played in the back, and it just wasn’t working. She liked Relief Society [= women’s organization and meeting] though, and said that she'd come back next week. So that was a success of sorts. After Church we planned and studied, and then went to go find less-actives. There are a million of them. But we got one's phone number via the intercom and then when we were walking away I saw an old lady go into his apartment building, so I ran and caught the door before it locked. We then found his apartment and left a note about General Conference and that we were saving him a seat. It was great.
Then we were walking on the street, and we got an older man to talk to us. He explained to us with much vigor that we had no idea what he'd been through. During communism he was a "believer" and he was forced by the government to stop talking about religion in the streets and wasn’t allowed to work in his profession as a punishment for talking about God. He then spoke of all the bad things that happen in this world and how God isn’t a part of it. I agreed that God isn’t a part of it, and that people have agency. He told me that I'm too young to understand. And it's true, I will never know what communism was like, and I will never understand what these people have been through, but I still know that the gospel is true, and that it will help him. He told me that if I learn Czech we can talk, and I said, “Sir, with God's help I WILL learn Czech, so when I do, can I have your number and call you?” HE smiled at that, and then the conversation was done in good humor and with a good feeling. I told him that God loves him because we are His children. His eyes changed at that moment as though he realized what I was saying was true, but then he backed away from the feeling and pushed it aside. I know he felt something. Because it is true. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and he said he'll read it because he reads all religious books, even the Koran. I told him that this book will make him feel God's power, and he said maybe if he runs into missionaries again it'll be a sign from God. Sister Smith and I then jumped into big Xs and said but look!! We are HERE NOW!!! But he wouldn’t take it. He took the book though, and we ended well. I told him that he must call us if and when he feels something, and I challenged him to really pay attention to his feelings. While he was walking off I yelled at him in Czech, "GOD LOVES YOU!!!" He turned around and said, “NO!” and I said again, “YES HE DOES! I KNOW IT!” and he laughed and said no again, and I said, “GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH!” and then we walked off. Someday, someday he will accept it. HE needs it. And I felt so much love for him. I wish he'd have let us teach him. But I did my best.
I would love to hear from you all.
Until next time,
Sister Izatt