Bara and I.
February 27, 2012:
I can’t help but sing and dance when the sun is out!
Ahoj draha rodina! Mam vas rada. I hope you are all doing well. OK, I LOVED THAT THE FRANCISES CAME OVER! Thank you for the pictures and thank you for always caring about the people I care about so much! I have the best family in the world! Also Janet and Grandpa are looking great! And the goat pictures, oh my word, I had missionaries all over the monitor here looking at them, and I loved seeing the house again. Can you believe that winter is almost over? The grass outside the house is all brown, and there is no snow... spring is here! WHAT?! I have seen the end of a summer, fall, and a winter on my mission already. Crazy crazy, cray cray. (My companions say “cray cray” haha, oh gosh) and man, am I LOVING the sun shine. It was COLD here in Brno, but yesterday I kicked those bulky boots off, and these shoes are made for walking, and that's just what I'll do! One of these days these shoes are bringing the gospel to you... I hope that you liked my edition of that song, bahaha. It feels good to not be walking in those boots. Even though it was a bit chilly today. But I'm in rebellion. I'm such a summer person. I can’t help but sing and dance when the sun is out! Bring on spring. And my birthday. It's almost here, WHAT? 22 in one month. Baaaah! Love it. I'm so old, and I'm on a mission. Oldy oldy oldy. Andrew is probably rolling his eyes and dying right now, because I'm saying I'm old. Hah.
I can’t help but sing and dance when the sun is out!
Ahoj draha rodina! Mam vas rada. I hope you are all doing well. OK, I LOVED THAT THE FRANCISES CAME OVER! Thank you for the pictures and thank you for always caring about the people I care about so much! I have the best family in the world! Also Janet and Grandpa are looking great! And the goat pictures, oh my word, I had missionaries all over the monitor here looking at them, and I loved seeing the house again. Can you believe that winter is almost over? The grass outside the house is all brown, and there is no snow... spring is here! WHAT?! I have seen the end of a summer, fall, and a winter on my mission already. Crazy crazy, cray cray. (My companions say “cray cray” haha, oh gosh) and man, am I LOVING the sun shine. It was COLD here in Brno, but yesterday I kicked those bulky boots off, and these shoes are made for walking, and that's just what I'll do! One of these days these shoes are bringing the gospel to you... I hope that you liked my edition of that song, bahaha. It feels good to not be walking in those boots. Even though it was a bit chilly today. But I'm in rebellion. I'm such a summer person. I can’t help but sing and dance when the sun is out! Bring on spring. And my birthday. It's almost here, WHAT? 22 in one month. Baaaah! Love it. I'm so old, and I'm on a mission. Oldy oldy oldy. Andrew is probably rolling his eyes and dying right now, because I'm saying I'm old. Hah.
Me with the Holi's daughter.
This week was good. I love making high high goals. It was really cool actually, because last week we had a training in Brno with our Zone, and so many people mentioned me and how they want to have the faith to make "Sister Izatt goals." I had no idea that my goal setting had been spread via mouth, but it made me happy that I am contributing a little something to this work. And then the Elders had the Branch President announce [how the missionaries are working with the members] over the pulpit in Church, and our Zone Leader got up and told everyone how happy we were to be working with them and how grateful we were, and it was just wonderful, and I was SO happy. You know how in my blessing it said a myriad of people will join the Church because of my service? Well, this week was an answer to my prayers, because I've been thinking how I really might not see any of my investigators get baptized while I'm out here... it's possible. And I've been in one city for six months now. But then this week when I somehow just pumped this energy into the District I saw that I could contribute, and I am. It was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. I will never let the goals be low, and I know that is something I can contribute to this Mission. It's so important to aim high. Even in my companionship. Not that we would have worked any less, but I have a testimony that when we set goals and tell them to our Heavenly Father, He listens, and He helps us. We are carried, and tender mercies are given to us when we act in faith. This I know! I know it because my District has tripled its member lesson numbers, and I know it because our companionship has been blessed SO MUCH. Want to hear a great tender mercy? Just as a beautiful example? :) Here we go.
(My first transfer I ONLY [talked to new people]. Having a lesson was something rare, and, my oh my, have tables turned here, Brno is growing, and it is wonderful!) So anyway, we are on the tram, and I had [talked to] everyone around me, and I had the phone this tram ride, so I called this less active [sister] that came to mind. She's not technically less active, because she is 89 years old, and the reason she can’t come all the time is because she is old etc. Anyway, usually she says we can’t come over because she is sick, but Saturday I called to see if she needed anything, and she said, “Hey, when are you coming over?” and I said, “Ummm, when do you want us?” and she said, “Now.” So off we went! It was great. And when we got there, she opened the door and said, “Do you care if a man is here with us?” Aahaha, I said, “No, of course not.” And so she let us in, and we went to go teach him! It was beautiful! This man is 90 years old but just the CUTEST thing. I love old men. And he loved talking to us. We sang some hymns and told him some of our message. It was great. We all walked to the tram together, and it took forever, because he walked so slowly, but I just beamed the whole time! I was so happy. I love doing what Jesus would do. I love dedicating my whole life to helping people and not worrying about what homework I have or what things I need to go buy. I just smile and take those 20 minutes to walk with someone to the tram just because I can. And just because that's what Christ would do. I'm so blessed! And he is in one of the pictures I sent you. So darling. And so because of that tender mercy I was a happy chicka.
Me with the Holi's daughter.
We have two really great investigators at the moment. [One] read the whole Book of Mormon Ensign [= Church magazine], and he loved it, and he reads his Book of Mormon and comes to Church, and he is doing so well. I love watching him grow. And then we also have [another one]. I mentioned her a while ago when Sister B and I were [talking to people] last transfer, and as we were talking to a man about tithing (weirdest contact but cool), a girl waited to hear our message. Anyway, she is FANTASTIC. And kind of Sister Smith’s and Brimhall’s favorite, haha, she is darling. She finally came to Church this Sunday [and] her Church experience was fantastic. I was just SO HAPPY the whole time, because we as missionaries really didn’t need to do anything. The members who knew her came and said ‘hi’ and asked her to sit with them and then invited her to the next lessons etc. Aaah, I was so happy! I am learning more and more how in the background missionaries need to be in order for things to go smoothly. The less actives we visit who rant and rave about their missionaries worry me so much, because when the missionaries left, they went inactive, and now it's hard for them to come back. Our human nature makes us want to put our name on things, makes us want to be missed while we're gone, makes us want credit for what we've accomplished. But on missions you have to let that all go in order to become a productive tool in the Lord's hands. No wonder Satan wanted all the glory to be his. Being a Savior of the world would give you a lot of credit, right? But no, that's not God's way. Christ came to suffer and do something no one else could have done, and yet He gave the glory of it all to God. It's a rough lesson to learn, but I can see its benefits. [Our investigator] also got invited to go to choir yesterday by a member, and she just smiled and said she'd love to! She sang for an hour and a half after Church! She was there for five hours yesterday and was just beaming. I WAS SO HAPPY! That is the beauty of missionary work. Working hard and then watching things just work without you there. It's wonderful! Tonight [she] is playing her flute at the youth Family Home Evening. Totally her idea. Totally great.
I love this work, family! It is true. Is there anyone you know who needs this message? Anyone who is not active or anyone who hasn't become a part of this? We all have so much potential. And we can all pray to find more friends with whom we could share the gospel. Keep smiling, enjoy that Utah sunshine. I miss you all, but I know this is where Heavenly Father wants me. He's always wanted me here, even before I was born. I know that. I know we all have things we are here to accomplish, and I've been blessed to have the beautiful Czech people be a part of my life. I love you all so much. Keep me in your prayers, you’re in mine!
Love,
Sestra Izatt
Love,
Sestra Izatt