November 26, 2012:
My heart has grown here
Well hello hello!
This week has been great so far! It's weird being back in a threesome again, and it has it's cons, BUT, God never gives us assignments we cannot fill. I'm grateful for that knowledge. It is weird being back here. I thought it would sort of feel like going back to High School, but it hasn't been anything but fine. In fact, it almost feels like Slovakia was a dream, and I never left here. But I know I did live in Slovakia for a while because the memories of those people are still so fresh in my mind.
This week we were able to go visit [a member]. I think that is a part of the reason I am back here. So I am going to press forward, pray hard, and work like crazy to help the members help him get back to the Church. We read the Book of Mormon with him, and he felt like it was God telling him to go back to Church. So... next week is the goal, since he was up in the mountains this weekend... sigh. Please keep him in your prayers. All of the members here still have faith that he is really solid and will be a big blessing to others. In fact, maybe I should tell him that...
The Elders last transfer had two cool baptisms here, a mom and her 19-year-old daughter. We met with the daughter twice, and she came to Church, but we have yet to meet the mom, and she didn’t come to Church... But the Elders say she's really solid, so we are hoping to meet her this week. Retention is SO hard. Brutal. This thing called Free Agency... I'm not a fan sometimes, even though I know it's so important. I guess we can learn from our mistakes or something! ;)
Sister Woodworth just amazed me this week. She is doing so well. The new Missionary Training Center programs are really preparing missionaries for this work. And this training program I get to do with her... Amazing. I wish I had been able to do it. It really puts a jump start on everything. I'm so grateful that the Church came up with it! Missionaries really are going to be so much more powerful now. No more grasping at straws or trying to read through all of “Preach My Gospel” before you start getting a hang of things, it just takes you right to the most important parts of the work and gets you focused on those so that the other things fall into place better and quicker. Man, I'm jealous! :) I feel like I'm finally starting to get it all now. I'm a trained missionary. I know what to do and how to do it. I could stay out here forever. But I know that Missions are only so long for a reason. Just like everything in life. We have seasons. But boy, has my Mission just been summer to me. I hate it when summer starts drawing to a close. I'll bask in the sunshine while I still can!
On Sunday, the Branch Mission Leader asked us to talk in Sacrament [Meeting] for 5 minutes and introduce ourselves and talk about mission work. I don’t know WHAT it is about these people, but whenever I stand up in Jičín, I just cry and cry. Give me a break! Haha. I taught and spoke in Slovakia all the time, and I was fine. But here, man... the sprinklers just turn on! I feel so silly, but I really just love these people so much. Standing up there and seeing all these faces again that I have been praying for for months... it's just crazy. My heart has grown here. I feel like the Grinch where his heart just started exploding and then his eyes had hearts in them, and he smiled and felt full for the first time. It's amazing. The love God must feel for us must just be so deep. I cannot explain it. I was just a crying mess. And throughout Church I would just randomly have these moments where I would try to suck in the moment and tears would come. BAH! Why does it have to end? Where did my time go? I'm barely starting to get it.
I feel so silly, too, because I never got the language down the way I wanted. And then when I started getting Czech down I got sent to Slovakia, and that threw me back. Then I started again, learning Slovak. Cranked that wheel, and the second Slovak started coming, back to the Czech Republic. And I am so glad, so happy, for all of that. I understand two new languages now! I just wish I had more time to get them solid.
This time, this little year and a half, has been so perfect. So wonderful. I just love these people and this land and this work, and I don’t want to leave it quite yet. I'll try to get as much Czech under my belt as I can these last few weeks. Keep me in your prayers, please. Man, I just started sniffling again. BAH, I'm a mess.
I love you all so much. I hope Jefferey got my card. Happy Birthday. Please go on a Mission someday! It's the most enriching and fulfilling thing in the world. Be safe and well. I love you so much. The work is true and good. The gospel really is a lifestyle. It must be. I understand that now.
Until next week,
Nashledanou!
-Sestra Izatt
My heart has grown here
Well hello hello!
This week has been great so far! It's weird being back in a threesome again, and it has it's cons, BUT, God never gives us assignments we cannot fill. I'm grateful for that knowledge. It is weird being back here. I thought it would sort of feel like going back to High School, but it hasn't been anything but fine. In fact, it almost feels like Slovakia was a dream, and I never left here. But I know I did live in Slovakia for a while because the memories of those people are still so fresh in my mind.
This week we were able to go visit [a member]. I think that is a part of the reason I am back here. So I am going to press forward, pray hard, and work like crazy to help the members help him get back to the Church. We read the Book of Mormon with him, and he felt like it was God telling him to go back to Church. So... next week is the goal, since he was up in the mountains this weekend... sigh. Please keep him in your prayers. All of the members here still have faith that he is really solid and will be a big blessing to others. In fact, maybe I should tell him that...
The Elders last transfer had two cool baptisms here, a mom and her 19-year-old daughter. We met with the daughter twice, and she came to Church, but we have yet to meet the mom, and she didn’t come to Church... But the Elders say she's really solid, so we are hoping to meet her this week. Retention is SO hard. Brutal. This thing called Free Agency... I'm not a fan sometimes, even though I know it's so important. I guess we can learn from our mistakes or something! ;)
Sister Woodworth just amazed me this week. She is doing so well. The new Missionary Training Center programs are really preparing missionaries for this work. And this training program I get to do with her... Amazing. I wish I had been able to do it. It really puts a jump start on everything. I'm so grateful that the Church came up with it! Missionaries really are going to be so much more powerful now. No more grasping at straws or trying to read through all of “Preach My Gospel” before you start getting a hang of things, it just takes you right to the most important parts of the work and gets you focused on those so that the other things fall into place better and quicker. Man, I'm jealous! :) I feel like I'm finally starting to get it all now. I'm a trained missionary. I know what to do and how to do it. I could stay out here forever. But I know that Missions are only so long for a reason. Just like everything in life. We have seasons. But boy, has my Mission just been summer to me. I hate it when summer starts drawing to a close. I'll bask in the sunshine while I still can!
On Sunday, the Branch Mission Leader asked us to talk in Sacrament [Meeting] for 5 minutes and introduce ourselves and talk about mission work. I don’t know WHAT it is about these people, but whenever I stand up in Jičín, I just cry and cry. Give me a break! Haha. I taught and spoke in Slovakia all the time, and I was fine. But here, man... the sprinklers just turn on! I feel so silly, but I really just love these people so much. Standing up there and seeing all these faces again that I have been praying for for months... it's just crazy. My heart has grown here. I feel like the Grinch where his heart just started exploding and then his eyes had hearts in them, and he smiled and felt full for the first time. It's amazing. The love God must feel for us must just be so deep. I cannot explain it. I was just a crying mess. And throughout Church I would just randomly have these moments where I would try to suck in the moment and tears would come. BAH! Why does it have to end? Where did my time go? I'm barely starting to get it.
I feel so silly, too, because I never got the language down the way I wanted. And then when I started getting Czech down I got sent to Slovakia, and that threw me back. Then I started again, learning Slovak. Cranked that wheel, and the second Slovak started coming, back to the Czech Republic. And I am so glad, so happy, for all of that. I understand two new languages now! I just wish I had more time to get them solid.
This time, this little year and a half, has been so perfect. So wonderful. I just love these people and this land and this work, and I don’t want to leave it quite yet. I'll try to get as much Czech under my belt as I can these last few weeks. Keep me in your prayers, please. Man, I just started sniffling again. BAH, I'm a mess.
I love you all so much. I hope Jefferey got my card. Happy Birthday. Please go on a Mission someday! It's the most enriching and fulfilling thing in the world. Be safe and well. I love you so much. The work is true and good. The gospel really is a lifestyle. It must be. I understand that now.
Until next week,
Nashledanou!
-Sestra Izatt