missionary melanizzle

missionary melanizzle

Monday, December 28, 2015

Week 45 Transfers

I honestly could have stayed in Liberec for the remainder of my mission but it seems like I am needed in FRÝDEK MÍSTEK! Which is right outside of Ostrava. Ostrava! At first I was really sad but quickly and confidently I felt like Frydek was a beautiful new home. Fun fact, before Sister Behunin dies (goes home), she is still in Frydek with Sestra Scherrer...so we are in a trio for 2 full days before she dies!! I'm also here with Starsi Lanham again and Starsi Breyman from my MTC group--they are both training here!! 

Christmas was so different and we put all we had into it. The last 10 days with Sestra Fredrickson were full of miracles, fun, and adventure. We did Christmas visits to EVERY member where we shared the "A Savior is born" video and we testified. It was our Christmas present to them. Beautiful right? I wish I could explain better how the spirit was this Christmas season. Just know that I had a wonderful time and I know that Jesus is the Christ and he was born to start it all for us. I love him and He is my Savior. 

Today I met some little angels on the path to Ostrava. I first took a bus to Prague then got completely lost in travels to the main train station. (this was like the women's pull on the pioneer trek) I had all my life belongings for 1.5 years and I was wearing a coat to keep me warm. Except it turned against me and gave me what felt like a fever! Anyway, I talked to a very nice family from Virginia on a metro, I met Greg from Maryland and he gave me his map of Prague, and I met Jan on the 3.5 hour long train ride from Prague to Ostrava. He said this to me once after talking for however long "now you know everything about my life" he is so cool. He invited us over for Svičkova next time we are in Prague for a long time. I finally made it and I am so happy to be here! My new official companion is Sestra Scharrer. She is one group behind me. Oh! Also Sestra Stokes stayed in Librec and is corruptin....I mean training ;) and Sestra Fredrickson went to Mlada Boleslav. This has been a very surprising and exciting transfer change. Bring it on!! 

s láskou, 
Sestra Hale

A glorious video chat on Christmas morning with my family in Arizona!

Monday, December 21, 2015

Week 44 Celebration time all week

​Let's just talk about the elephant in the room, I hit my 1 year mark on the mission this past week. How does it feel? Like I got here last month. CrAzY! Its been a year and I still love the mission.

On Thursday we got a call from President McConkie.
McConkie:"Sisters, are you in a place where I can be put on speaker phone?"
*our minds*: oh crap. we are busted
Us:"yes, hello!"
McConkie:"Sisters, Sestra Fredrickson has been waiting in New York for her visa the last few months and is coming back to the mission"
Us:"no way!!!"
McConkie:"Yes and I would like her to come up to you in Liberec"
Us:"WAAAAAAA!!!YEAHHHHH!"
McConkie:"great, she comes in tomorrow morning at 8,can you be in the mission home by 10?"
YOU BET YOUR BUTTER, PRESIDENT! so we actually were in Prague as scheduled but throughout the day Sestra Fredrickson missed TWO flights so we ended up staying the night in Prague and picking her up in the morning. It's basically been fun chaos since then. Our cozy apartment and the streets is Liberec have made room for 3 sestry to serve. p.s. Sestra Fredrickson is from Springville, Utah and has a gorgeous family.

We also planned our Christmas last night and I swear that was SO much to handle. Christmas here goes as follows, the Czechs celebrate Christmas on the 24th. As missionaries, we visit ALL members. Including the random less actives that live in far away villages. We visit every members for a total of 10 minutes. We watch the church video of Christ, testify, then move on! We are way excited to testify all day with these members.

VESELÉ VÁNOCE VŠICHNI!!!!! Remember Christ in all that you do this week. For unto us, a child is born and his name shall be Wonderful!
-Sestra Hale

 1 roc  (one year)




 The new trio.


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Week 43 Basically just preparations before Christmas

This week plus the next few weeks will be crazy due to the fact that Christmas is right around the corner. We are setting up appointments now so that we are busy later and can still work close with our investigators during the season. Sestra Stokes and I are also personally preparing by 1. we got our nails did today 2. we are opening presents from her mother on the 12 days countdown to Christmas 3. we are reading/discussing my homemade Jesus title countdown every day 4. we are partaking in delicious hot chocolate or trdelníky (sweet bread from heaven) on the streets when we can and 5. listening to a ton of Czech Christmas carols and some Michael Buble Christmas edition.

This last week we were asked to go to the Jedličkovi for some service. They are preparing M's room to be painted so we basically cleaned/moved everything in there to prepare. I swear, I have never stumbled upon so many random treasures at once before. We found legos, money, phone card chips, phones, socks up the wazoo, and many more everywhere! It was really fun and will look so good when it's all painted.

We went to Zuzka's house this last week. It started out quiet and calm then once her son M (my favorite child) woke up, all craziness broke out. There was mysterious green much painted on the wall, there was M who kept hitting Sestra Stokes and I, the two kids were opening and closing out umbrellas onto Sestra Stokes leaving her almost soaked. It was so funny. The miracle was that we had just enough quiet calm time to teach our object lesson and discuss it until everyone went wild. Zuzka is the best

On Sunday we had what they call 'fat Sunday' which is basically potluck. There was a 6 layer dip and chips, řízek (czech fried chicken), potato salad, cider, a ton of cukrovy and cookies and soda. We were all so full but it was so fun to spend time with the members here. I feel like we are family. Then we watched the Christmas Devotional all together as we digested.

Quick miracle of the week- we have been trying to meet with a less active this entire transfer (7 weeks). She moved and then didn't know her address then wouldn't reply then FINALLY she asked us if we could come over. A. her new apartment is so cute and beautiful B. her children are doing well   C. We were able to ask M bold questions to finally understand what she wants and how we can help her.Even though it was chaotic with her baby being squirmy, her daughter being energetic, and all other things, it was a very fun and special time to understand her.

Fun fact, I think I am at the point where I don't fear being bold 24/7. I hope it doesn't scare my companion but I call people out all the time. Meaning, I am tired of asking questions to try to get to what we want to hear. The other day I asked someone why he said something 2 weeks ago, what he wants, and what our purpose was when meeting with him. It's time to get some answers! I can apply this in the rest of my life. I plan on being bold from here on out. I will ask what I need to ask to get the answers.

Sestra Stokes and I are SO excited for Christmas. I love you all and hope you are also preparing for Christmas with your families and  I would encourage you to study, watch, read about the Savior's birth. Keep in mind why you personally celebrate Christmas and what is means to you to know that the Son of God was born. He is the gift for the world. If you want to see something cool, look up vanoce.mormon.org  . I'm sure this is in English somewhere but I only know of this Czech site.  (in English, click here )
-Sestra Hale
 Advent - Week 3

Fat Sunday

Monday, December 7, 2015

Week 42 Hellllooooooo December

All in favor of realizing the year of 2015 is flying by, raise your hand. My hand is raised. I can't believe it is already December.
This week we had a few really cool experiences. We met with our investigator P and he brought his girlfriend S. They aren't believers, they don't know anything about Jesus Christ or the Bible, anything. We taught the plan of salvation and at the end I felt like I should ask P why he was meeting with us. He replied "änswers". His girlfriend agreed. It turns out that they are in the best place to get answers. Each of our lessons has fallen back on prayer and how it is the main and correct source for answers. Im STOKED to keep teaching them and see them progress. This is true joy!
We also met with Z H on Saturday. Our goal for that lesson was to have her want to go to church the next day. We prayed, planned, and traveled there with this in mind. Before we even sat down and took off our jackets all the way she said it was time she came back to church. She said she missed it. I talked to her more about what changed and what led her to her decision. Z is SO COOL everyone! She is solid and realizes that difference of life with and without the church. Yay Z!
Wednesday was such a fun day. We started out with contacting, then studies, then contacting then studies then contacting then lunch then contacting, then contacting with the Elders then we taught English, then we contacted and ended the day with dinner with a former missionary and her parents. Best. Day. Ever. Sestra Stokes and I were so exhausted, mentally and physically, but honestly enjoyed the day. We taught a ton of people about principles in the Gospel and we laughed at the colorful ways we are rejected. I was sang to twice in rejection. I started to ask someone a question, they heard the word Jesus then literally sang the word "no" in a beautiful repeated melody as they walked away. Yeahhhh hahah
We are planning to do some finding up the wazoo in these next few weeks so our teaching pool is full during the Christmas week and after. We are setting expectations and getting creative in finding and learning a whole lot along the way.

Lastly, I am SO excited for the Czech traditions. They get crazy over here with fun traditions and sweet treats. Im not complaining :)
mám váa ráda!
s láskou, Sestra Hale


 An advent candle countdown. One candle lit each week.

 A nativity from my family.

New shoe inserts -- "I will walk 500 miles and I will walk 500 more"

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Week 41 may šarka rest in peace

Dearest readers,
This week we pulled off Thanksgiving. I don't think I have said anything about it before but it has been in the minds of the branch and in the works since last year's success. Last year an elder wanted to show the Czechs how we Thanksgiving so he pulled this feast together. He made a lot of the food himself and delegated out recipes to those who were able to buy the ingredients and make these American delicacies. Now, let me just say that the second annual Liberec Thanksgiving was a huge success again! From the pictures of last year and the outcome of this year, we had more people. That's awesome. Members prepared food (some had to ask how to serve it. I've never been asked before how to serve corn bread "you just make it and serve it?...") SO Tuesday we had training in Prague so that took out a day for food preparation. Monday we made the plans to bake rolls at certain times, to buy the turkeys with Prezident Hanzal at a certain time, and to boil the eggs for the deviled eggs, etc. Wednesday to Friday is honestly a blur. Wednesday and Thursday were full of missionary work with clever ways of multitasking baking in the kitchen and making sure things weren't burnt. Then came the turkey on Thursday afternoon. We walked to a classic Czech butcher not too far from the church building and picked up two 16 lbs. turkeys! SIXTEEN POUNDS EACH! Sestra Stokes and I could not stop giggling as we carried these toddler-sized birds in our arms to the church building. Friday was the celebration  (not the real day for thanksgiving but it was a day of convenience here). We took the day as our P-Day and good thing too. We had to baste the turkey every 45 minutes, we made the deviled eggs, cleaned the church a little, and just prepared for a legendary meal. p.s. Sestra Stokes and I have NEVER cooked a turkey before. We wanted to make it fun instead of stressful so we named her Šarka (in English you say that as shark-ah) She did so well! It was perfect. When the feast begun, Prezident Hanzal explained how to eat the food (so funny and needed apparently) and it was delicious. We had people from our English class there, our investigator P and his girlfriend came, and more! Needless to say, we slept like the dead that night.

Back to the Tuesday training, it was great. Our zone leaders trained on teaching with members and how valuable that is to the conversion of those we teach and then the sister training leaders testified of hard work then BAM! We got a transfer call right there! We were all given a letter with a place in Prague and a new companion. We were to be back in 40 minutes. GO! I went on a metro with Sestra Angerhoffer. It was one metro stop away and we were there for 10 minutes then came back. Can you imagine? 15 pairs of missionaries on adrenaline in one city with all the same contacting cards. Lucky Prague Elders are about to get some investigators! It was so fun. Then Prezident McConkie's spiritual thought wrapped the whole training up. He talked about Christ having the title of the "Good Shepherd" and how we are also good shepherds bringing the lost sheep back into the fold with His help. What a beautiful thought.

I was reading in Alma this week and came upon a phrase that have stuck with me. "Část about your eyes". I first turned to Sestra Stokes and asked her to define that. She initially made a funny face up to the sky and we laughed...but really to část our eyes about sounds to me like we are wandering. It is as if someone would get bored of their lifestyle then wander and get lost until they ended up in the wrong place. The next day I read the phrase "Look to God and live". How many times do we wander around and make the wrong decisions because we are not relying on our Heavenly Father?  No matter where or who you are, you can turn to God, our Heavenly Father, and live through Him. Live by the means of God and enjoy this life thanks to His son Jesus Christ.
I dont know if that makes sense, I feel like I said some things like a czech in translation but cool thought huh? Also, I love reading the Book of Mormon. 

On another note, we saw our first snowfall this week. It's been bitter cold and also raining off and on. Hellooooo Christmas weather! I love living in the snow. I honestly feel like the snow is giving me power to get up and go.
víte co?......MÁM VÁS RÁDA!!!!!!
S laskou,
Sestra Hale​