Week 23 Zazraky, Karlstejn, and My Baptism!

Fun fact: I was baptized ON THIS DAY, 13 years ago! What a blessing to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. I am thankful for all that has happened since my baptism. What an exciting time to be serving God!

Cool experiences with people:

We went to A's house that we teach and she wasn't home so we were just talking to her neighbor who we have seen a ton. I waved to one of her little girls running around and she is mentally ill in some sort of way but the SWEETEST thing since ever. So once I waved to her she just ran up to me and grabbed my hand and took me everywhere. We walked to her mom, to her brother who then told me his life story, then as we were talking to the neighbor this little girl was hugging me and I started to dance with her, which she loved, and we really has a sweet moment. She is the cutest thing.

We met with V who we committed to study the Plan of Salvation pamphlet before this lesson so she did and our entire lesson consisted of her going page by page asking the best questions I have ever heard. She is really into this Gospel and wants to make sense of it.

Bratr K came teaching with us which was amazing because he is amazing and sick with cancer but still made the sacrifice to teach with us. Then on the way back he asked if we wanted to see his wife (who hasn't come to church in a few years) YES. Goodbye trakting. You can wait. We met his wife and saw where they lived and saw what they do for a living and he invited us over for dinner sometime. THIS BRANCH IS CHANGING! There is something in the air and we can feel it. There are miracles that are about to be released.

The funnies: 

While trakting, a huge dog escaped its fence and ran up to us with a mohawk of anger on its back and the second it was next to us it was silent and jumped up once but I chopped it down by its throat because I knew Sestra Daugirda was deathly scared of huge dogs. We both remained calm and she even teared up it was so scary. We literally almost died. I never thought that would actually happen on a mission.

Saturday was a weird day. Mostly for Sestra Daugirda but it just was NOT the day. In the morning I fixed her favorite necklace and gave it to her, she was so happy, then while putting it on she broke it again. Next at lunch she made a salad and half way though her salad she noticed bugs on her spinach. So she decides to make rice and lo and behold a bug is dead in her rice box. She repeatedly exclaimed "Thats it. I'm done! I quit!" Then we were out contacting and instead of wishing someone well as they walked away from us, she said "mejte se krista!" which means "Have yourself Christ!" Then she stepped in dried throw up. I tried to warn her but I was too late. THEN we bought ice cream. Classic. Vanilla and Raspberry. THEN MINE BEGINS TO FALL! I manage to punch it with my wrist, onto my dress, then to the Earth. It just was not our day. 

KARLSTEJN

I wish I could explain the  history of the church in the Czech and Slovak area as well as it was explained there at Karlstejn. All I can say is that I am more than grateful to serve here and I am grateful for the sacrifices other made so that I would be called to these areas to share the message of Jesus Christ and his church to the people today. Unbelievable. Sorry I can't explain it. Next time you see me, ask me and I will tell you how it was to reenact what happened July 24th, 1929. It was so spiritual - like the temple.

To all who wished me a happy birthday in letters -- thank you! I LOVED it! 

Take care and have fun this week. We deserve to enjoy this life !

-Sestra Hale

MÁM VÁS RADA!!!!

Week 22 Random things always happen

Some notes from Melanie's handwritten letter we received this week:

Things on my mind:

1. I eat fruit everyday. It's delicious here.

2. If I were to say I miss something about the USA, I'd say I miss wearing shorts, Lexi (our dog), and Target.

3. We walk so much here it's insane. My feet are not pretty anymore. 

4. I have a sweet watch/CTR ring tan.That's when you know you're a missionary, when you have a watch tan. I remember seeing the picture of Brady's wrist on his mission. I'm continuing the tradition.

5. Why do they not have a/c here?

6. I'm almost 21. That's cool. I like only having one birthday on the mission.

7. The language - I think I am at the point that I can communicate well and explain what words I don't know. Every once in a while I hear a Czech form a sentence a certain way then BAM I understand, so it's definitely coming. Maybe by the end of my mission I can say with confidence "I speak Czech". 

This week's e-mail:

1. We teach a lady from Lithuania. She is sooooo great. She just laughs and laughs and laughs. She is amazing. Her husband ADORES her and they have 2 really nice and funny kids. We taught her and her husband came home and sat in with us. And all we pretty much did was laugh at her because she was laughing so hard at...really nothing...

2. In our English class this 200 year old man told us a memorized poem (maybe an Edgar Allen Poe poem?) ALL BY HEART. It took him 15 minutes because he couldn't remember the rest! It was hilarious because he got into it at one time and we were just in awe. He said he memorized it to keep his mind alive in his ripe age. 

3. We randomly walked into a new restaurant after district meeting one day. The second we walk in, a lady with her family says 'Hello Elders and Sisters! ' apparently a branch president and his family were in C Bud for the day and they paid for our food! We literally were shocked because that NEVER HAPPENS HERE. I have never been to a members house for dinner even. Crazay! 

4. My birthday. Its hard to describe. We had an exchange with the sisters from Prague so they came down and we split. My companionship went out to Pisek to see this 16 yr old who is one of our investigators. We got a surprise tour of the town then only had 15 minutes to teach the plan of salvation and invite her to be baptized. It was great! Then we ate at my favorite Indian food restaurant with everyone. Then we all contacted on prophets. We contact on our own when we go at a group. I have never had a better contacting block. I contacted on so many different things because the spirit took over my heart and mind! I met a woman from Ukraine and she even opened up to me about her life within seconds and was crying. She loved what I said and we are calling her after emailing. I also gave a Book of Mormon away to a girl who I could tell was so sincere and would read it and pray about it. We will see. It was so good! Then we basically just contacted the rest of the day until the sisters had a train back to Prague and we went tracting in the cutest neighborhood in Stare Hudejovice. 

5. An Elder who is touring the Czech Rebublic with his family right now randomly showed up to game night and taught us a game called 'The Screaming Viking ' I have never made weirder noises as I burst out in laughter. I am ecstatic to teach others that game in the future. Thank you McComber family! 

6. We went tracting in Vcelna (cute little village outside C Bud) on Saturday. We met a man from England. We are just glad we could teach him the restoration and that we don't drink alkohol. He was a fan of alkohol. Did you know that Ceske Budejovice is the main center to Budweiser beer?

Thats all! 

Mam vas rada! 

-Sestra Hale

   21 baby! Drinking the classic Kofola!

They don't have flat or phillips screw drivers. They have these 2 holes 

instead. weird huh?

Only a Hale would be fascinated with that, haha

Out in Pisek 

View from the tower. This is where I serve.

We are so cool.

​

Week 21 No time to write today because . . . . .

. . . some little birdie told everyone and their dog it was my birthday and I have LOVED reading notes from so many people wishing my a happy birthday and telling me a fun random fact/quote. (which are my favorite things ever) SO THANK YOU!!! Speaking of Birthdays,Happy late late birthday Aunt Lauri and Jonny! I hope the first few weeks of this year in your lives has been phenomenal and I also hope all your wildest dreams come true THIS YEAR. 

This week for us...honestly all I can say is we have been working working working. We are literally in Desperation Mode right now. We are constantly praying to find the people here who we can help and teach, we are constantly walking here and there and contacting here and there and tracting here and there. I have never had more constant sore legs or huge calus-y feet in my life. BRING IT ON. We know there are miracles awaiting us.

The highlights from the week, the man who was going to be baptized on the 18th of this month suddenly dropped us. Straight up dropped us like it's hot. That's FINE, the work must go on. We met with a woman who is a lovely flower in this garden of human mankind. We are excited to keep meeting with her, at her house. She also makes delicious homemade lemonade. We sang with a woman in church on Sunday-President McConkie and his family, and his brother's family were all with us here in C-Bud and it was awful. Last minute Johi played piano with us, and then half way through the woman who was singing with us, had a cough attack so Sestra Daugirda and I just patted and rubbed her back while trying to keep singing as beautifully as we could. And also last minute she sat down while singing, leaving all 4 missionaries standing around her.

All you need to know is we are working our butts off. OH! The other day I was scooting along the wall and the marker holder thing at the bottom of white boards, bruised my rump BAD. There's your funny story for the week.

Love you all! 

-Sestra Hale

Fresh cherries for dayyysss! 

Who knew I could be picking fresh cherries off a tree? 

Also I have eaten freshly picked strawberries, and more.

 I am turning into a biiiggggg fruit basket.

Today on our bike ride with J! notice the weather (perfect and cool)

You just cannot trust this weather whatsoever.

Surprise late birthday party for T! She was soooo surprised and the elders 

and Alec were in on it too. It was phenomenal.

Week 20 Training, AMERICAAAA, Krumlov Round TWO

What a week. First off, I will probably mention something about the weather all summer because it is SO......SOOOOOOOO hot. I have decided that humidity and I are not ever going to be friends. The change was so drastic too! It was cold at the beginning of last week then BOOM its so hot and the sun is killing us. No worries, the work must go on.

Trainings always happen at the right time. It was the perfect dose we needed after a tough week. We were trained on how to contact when it is inconvenient and awkward. It was tough practicing contacting at a crosswalk. Those are the moments that your creative juices must be flowing because you only have 30 seconds! We were also trained on basically attacking each day and our morning routines. I started to do 10 jumping jacks when I first got up so I could have a good solid prayer in the morning. We are also feeling better because we are working out better in the mornings and we are having more effective studies because we are staying focused and being exact on the time. It's so delicious to start each day. I'm usually excited to get up and start each day.

Then the 4th of July. We decided to have lunch together at this America restaurant place. Joke! It was closed so we went to a pizza place and talked about our favorite 4th of July traditions. What a great holiday! It was fun. Sestra Daugirda's mom sent a package a while ago and in it were glow sticks. Before our companion prayers at night we were throwing the glowsticks in the air making firework noises. Then we went to be 5 minutes later. Go America!  OH, ALSO on this wonderful day we were tracting in a village called Vcelna. We ran into a man and what a miracle he was. We will teach him in the  future and we are very excited. He is ready to find the truth.

Real quick-  on Sunday only 13 people were at church, not including the 6 missionaries. Why? Because it was hot and everyone here claims to have sickness whenever the weather changes. I call it Weather Disease. Literally last minute Sestra Daugirda and I were asked to teach Relief Society so since I was going to teach YW about Patriarchal Blessings I ended up teaching the 3 adult members too! It was a very good lesson and afterward I was talking to a woman and she said to me 'I really want to get my Patriarchal Blessing, I just didn't know how' So that was definitely an inspired moment. I was so happy.

Yesterday we went to Cesky Krumlov again with our Branch President and some others from the branch. It was so fun! We did the same things as last time except this new mirror maze thing. In which we could not stop laughing through. I witnessed Vasyl and Starsi Lanham run straight into a mirror. It was hilarious! 

Lastly I love you all aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I  love the scriptures aaaaaaaaaand I love how true the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is aaaaaaaaaaaand I am grateful to be a missionary in České Budějovice.

p.s. That family that I was concerned about last week?  they are better than ever now. We did FHE (Family Home Evening) at their home last night and had a blast and we are going over again to day to watch a Bible Video with them. We are excited :) We love them!

MÁM VÁS RADA!!!!!!!! není vtip!

-Sestra Hale

p.s. Fun Fact: America is 239 years old. The city we are serving in, Ceske Budejovice, is celebrating 750 years of being a city. Little baby America!

Pictures:

This picture was planned and everyone loved it. Guess how old she is...SEVENTEEN.

American lunch. Happy Birthday America!

Fun fact-- a ton of people have these little pools in their yards. They are often the size of a king size mattress and only a few feet deep. Even the pools are different here!

 After Starsi Lanham ran into a mirror.

We are all beautiful!

The bed. I switched to the other bed when transfers came around...It's tradition for the new sister to have this bed when she first comes in. ahahha.

That is my desk in the corner. Home Sweet Home!