July 23, 2012:
The work has to start somewhere
Hi again! Boy, has it been a tiring last few days. But I'm excited for what lies ahead. We left Jičín Wednesday morning and left the apartment just spotless for the Elders, drove the car down with our 6 massive suitcases to Prague, had help from the Elders to get us to our bus, but they were a little late, so we missed our bus, got onto the next one, got to Brno two-ish hours later, got off, found Elders, who called Sister Pysnakova who was at the trainstop watching our train leave. We called President, and since the next train wouldn’t get us to Slovakia until 10 pm, he told us to have a sleepover in Brno and take the earliest train in the morning. So we shoved my suitcases, Sister Dolinar's, AND Sister Pysnakova's, into the Elders' little blue Skoda Fabia. It was quite the sight. Unfortunately the computers [here] where we are are slow, so no pictures this week. We then all went on a tour of an underground coin museum thing, since it was Preparation Day and then [talked to people]. I went with my new companion, and we found a prepared soul and taught her a lesson later that night.
Then we all went grocery shopping, and Sister Pysnakova and I slept on the Brno apartment floor. Boy, was it weird to be back, but I loved it. Just loved it. The next morning the Elders came, fit our six massive suitcases, AND our bodies, into their car, and took us to the train station. We got onto the train with the help of a miracle man, and almost missed our stop at Bratislava. Somehow got off with the help of the same man onto the platform right as the train started pulling away and were stranded with no idea of where to go. So we lugged our baggage down and up three sets of stairs to find our platform and were sweating like pigs. (Even though pigs don’t sweat.) We found our train and put our six matching red suitcases into a train car with an old Slovak grandma. Hahah, that was so funny; I walked up and down trying to find an empty one, and hers was the closest, so I said, "Excuse me, I have six suitcases and a friend, can we share this room with you?" And she said yes, and her eyes were just bulging with every suitcase I brought down. The trains here have tiny hallways, so you have to slide your suitcases sideways... And then I piled them up onto four of the six seats, and finally Sister Pysnakova came in behind me, and I was just dripping. Hahaha, but it started up a good conversation :), and we learned some Slovak from her :).
Then we got into Banská Bystrica (Father, you guessed right!), and the Elders were there waiting. We started carrying suitcases up yet another steep flight of stairs, and like 4 steps from the top I just stood there holding this massive suitcase, and I couldn’t go anymore. I looked up and laughed and said, “Elders, I am stuck!” And they came to the rescue. My arms might have fallen off. The Elders then took all of our suitcases as we waited at the train station. They then picked us up, and when we got into the car they said, "We put your bags into your apartment... sorry about the smell." Oh no. Yep, the apartment is NASTY. Oh kill me. We spent all day cleaning. WHY DON’T BOYS KNOW HOW TO CLEAN!? Ah. Anyway. Enough of my rant. We just also spent all Preparation Day so far cleaning and trying to unpack, since we have yet to do that, but the closets and everything were just so filthy everything had to be wiped down.
Aaaanyway. So we got in, and the very next morning… you'll never guess, but we got on a bus to go straight back to Brno. Yep. Back to Brno. Sister Pysnakova had an investigator there get baptized, and President approved like 9 missionaries or more to go to that. So it was a big deal, and we got to know each other pretty well on the bus, although I have to admit I drooled the whole way there, because I was so tired and kept nodding off.
The baptism was perfect, and I got to see my sweet Pavla whom I love so much as well as other members who I just adore and were my besties. I love Brno, it's a happy place! After that we got right back onto a bus and got into Slovakia at 11:30 pm. The Senior Elder as well as another Elder were there to pick us up in the car. We are so lucky. President didn’t want us in a taxi that late. So then the next morning was Church. I have never been so tired in my whole life. My whole, everything, hurts, hahah, and my brain is so tired! But it's a good feeling.
Church here is so funny. We have a lot to do. In Banská Bystrica we start Church at 9:30 am, and it's three whole hours, even though we only have 9 members on record, and only 2 are active. So the other missionaries come down, so that we have enough priesthood. So every week we teach or give talks. I'm going to be a pro speaker in 9 weeks I think... and then after Church we go to the Elders' city and put on a Sacrament Meeting for their one new convert. It takes our whole day on Sundays, but it's fun...
I'm just so tired, and I feel like I have gone back like 3 transfers on language ability. While the languages are similar, and they understand each other, it's hard for me as a foreigner to understand these people. The dialect is so different, and everything is slurred, and many of the few words I do know are different. As are verb conjugations. So I feel dumb next to my companion, who is the junior companion, but speaks much more than I do, since her parents are both Czech, and she's grown up with the language. But it will be a blessing. It's just weird being the quieter one in the companionship again, and I am not too fond of it, but I will keep pushing.
I have never had to push so hard in my life. It's silly, because at home I was always like “What do missionaries have to stress about? They just talk about the Church all day?” But man, when you throw yourself into something, when you cannot take breaks, when you are on such a strict schedule that you are constantly running... it wears you out! But I want to just sprint to the end. One of the Sisters in Brno offhandedly said, “Sister Izatt, you’re one of the old ones in the Mission." I was like uhhhh? But I guess it's true. I've been out more than a year. And that is bizarre.
But anyway, we have much ahead of us. President sent us here to establish a Branch, and we barely have a unit, and a group in Zvolen. Keep us in your prayers! But just so you know, the Church is an amazing thing. As is the gospel. And how cool is it that I get to be a part of this?! The work goes forward. It has to start somewhere. Oh, and Elder Holland was here on Sunday, although only Prague got to hear him, and he told us again that a temple will be built in Prague, and that Stakes will dot this nation. What a beautiful vision to work towards. It will happen. I just want to make it happen faster.
I love you all,
Sestra Izatt
P.S. I ordered a Slovak nametag with “Izattova” on it :). Can’t wait.
The work has to start somewhere
Hi again! Boy, has it been a tiring last few days. But I'm excited for what lies ahead. We left Jičín Wednesday morning and left the apartment just spotless for the Elders, drove the car down with our 6 massive suitcases to Prague, had help from the Elders to get us to our bus, but they were a little late, so we missed our bus, got onto the next one, got to Brno two-ish hours later, got off, found Elders, who called Sister Pysnakova who was at the trainstop watching our train leave. We called President, and since the next train wouldn’t get us to Slovakia until 10 pm, he told us to have a sleepover in Brno and take the earliest train in the morning. So we shoved my suitcases, Sister Dolinar's, AND Sister Pysnakova's, into the Elders' little blue Skoda Fabia. It was quite the sight. Unfortunately the computers [here] where we are are slow, so no pictures this week. We then all went on a tour of an underground coin museum thing, since it was Preparation Day and then [talked to people]. I went with my new companion, and we found a prepared soul and taught her a lesson later that night.
Then we all went grocery shopping, and Sister Pysnakova and I slept on the Brno apartment floor. Boy, was it weird to be back, but I loved it. Just loved it. The next morning the Elders came, fit our six massive suitcases, AND our bodies, into their car, and took us to the train station. We got onto the train with the help of a miracle man, and almost missed our stop at Bratislava. Somehow got off with the help of the same man onto the platform right as the train started pulling away and were stranded with no idea of where to go. So we lugged our baggage down and up three sets of stairs to find our platform and were sweating like pigs. (Even though pigs don’t sweat.) We found our train and put our six matching red suitcases into a train car with an old Slovak grandma. Hahah, that was so funny; I walked up and down trying to find an empty one, and hers was the closest, so I said, "Excuse me, I have six suitcases and a friend, can we share this room with you?" And she said yes, and her eyes were just bulging with every suitcase I brought down. The trains here have tiny hallways, so you have to slide your suitcases sideways... And then I piled them up onto four of the six seats, and finally Sister Pysnakova came in behind me, and I was just dripping. Hahaha, but it started up a good conversation :), and we learned some Slovak from her :).
Then we got into Banská Bystrica (Father, you guessed right!), and the Elders were there waiting. We started carrying suitcases up yet another steep flight of stairs, and like 4 steps from the top I just stood there holding this massive suitcase, and I couldn’t go anymore. I looked up and laughed and said, “Elders, I am stuck!” And they came to the rescue. My arms might have fallen off. The Elders then took all of our suitcases as we waited at the train station. They then picked us up, and when we got into the car they said, "We put your bags into your apartment... sorry about the smell." Oh no. Yep, the apartment is NASTY. Oh kill me. We spent all day cleaning. WHY DON’T BOYS KNOW HOW TO CLEAN!? Ah. Anyway. Enough of my rant. We just also spent all Preparation Day so far cleaning and trying to unpack, since we have yet to do that, but the closets and everything were just so filthy everything had to be wiped down.
Aaaanyway. So we got in, and the very next morning… you'll never guess, but we got on a bus to go straight back to Brno. Yep. Back to Brno. Sister Pysnakova had an investigator there get baptized, and President approved like 9 missionaries or more to go to that. So it was a big deal, and we got to know each other pretty well on the bus, although I have to admit I drooled the whole way there, because I was so tired and kept nodding off.
The baptism was perfect, and I got to see my sweet Pavla whom I love so much as well as other members who I just adore and were my besties. I love Brno, it's a happy place! After that we got right back onto a bus and got into Slovakia at 11:30 pm. The Senior Elder as well as another Elder were there to pick us up in the car. We are so lucky. President didn’t want us in a taxi that late. So then the next morning was Church. I have never been so tired in my whole life. My whole, everything, hurts, hahah, and my brain is so tired! But it's a good feeling.
Church here is so funny. We have a lot to do. In Banská Bystrica we start Church at 9:30 am, and it's three whole hours, even though we only have 9 members on record, and only 2 are active. So the other missionaries come down, so that we have enough priesthood. So every week we teach or give talks. I'm going to be a pro speaker in 9 weeks I think... and then after Church we go to the Elders' city and put on a Sacrament Meeting for their one new convert. It takes our whole day on Sundays, but it's fun...
I'm just so tired, and I feel like I have gone back like 3 transfers on language ability. While the languages are similar, and they understand each other, it's hard for me as a foreigner to understand these people. The dialect is so different, and everything is slurred, and many of the few words I do know are different. As are verb conjugations. So I feel dumb next to my companion, who is the junior companion, but speaks much more than I do, since her parents are both Czech, and she's grown up with the language. But it will be a blessing. It's just weird being the quieter one in the companionship again, and I am not too fond of it, but I will keep pushing.
I have never had to push so hard in my life. It's silly, because at home I was always like “What do missionaries have to stress about? They just talk about the Church all day?” But man, when you throw yourself into something, when you cannot take breaks, when you are on such a strict schedule that you are constantly running... it wears you out! But I want to just sprint to the end. One of the Sisters in Brno offhandedly said, “Sister Izatt, you’re one of the old ones in the Mission." I was like uhhhh? But I guess it's true. I've been out more than a year. And that is bizarre.
But anyway, we have much ahead of us. President sent us here to establish a Branch, and we barely have a unit, and a group in Zvolen. Keep us in your prayers! But just so you know, the Church is an amazing thing. As is the gospel. And how cool is it that I get to be a part of this?! The work goes forward. It has to start somewhere. Oh, and Elder Holland was here on Sunday, although only Prague got to hear him, and he told us again that a temple will be built in Prague, and that Stakes will dot this nation. What a beautiful vision to work towards. It will happen. I just want to make it happen faster.
I love you all,
Sestra Izatt
P.S. I ordered a Slovak nametag with “Izattova” on it :). Can’t wait.