missionary melanizzle

missionary melanizzle

Monday, February 29, 2016

Week 54 TRANSFERS !!!

Sestra Scharrer went to Slovakia and is training there. I am staying in Frydek Mistek and ALSO TRAINING!!! We are pretty excited and will be traveling a ton. After church on Sunday I tried explaining our travel plans for the next few days to 2 members who were asking and one of them about had a horse. Wednesday after training Sestra S and I had interviews and found out where we are going/doing for transfers. Thursday-Saturday, Sestra S packs up her life. Sunday after church we take a train to Brno. Sestra S switches trains to head to Bratislava in Slovakia and I stay there with Sestra Bailey and her greenie. Sestra S makes it home safe and I have been in Brno since. Its a huge busy place. I have a heart attack with how many people are everywhere always. Ostrava isn't even like that. It's more spaced out. THEN Tueday, tomorrow, we head to Prague and are in the mission home by 5 for a trainers meeting. Wednesday we meet and take our greenies home. Wednesday night we will finally be home. madness!! Everyone is so excited for this transfer. Next week I'll include details and pictures of the new power district we have! 

This past week we had a rather normal week. Training was the obvious highlight. Prezident McConkie had some announcements at the beginning. Included was the announcing of the new mission president. President Pohořelicky...something like that I think haha. This is HUGE because the church here is so strong that the Lord was able to call a CZECH HIMSELF to be the next Mission President! He lives in Třebič and is amazing. His wife is beautiful and they look awesome. Our whole mission is SOOOO excited!!! Then Prezident McConkie basically testified/taught about Joseph Smith. There is so much material against the man, the prophet Joseph Smith, that it was time we just refresh and reconvert ourselves on the TRUTH of the Prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith. It was amazing. Then, Sestra McConkie shared a great TED talk about power posing/faking it till you become it. Then the AP's taught about planning with investigators and keeping them involved in the entire teaching process, then more and more and HOLY COW ITS ALL JUST SO GOOD. I can't describe these things as well as they truly are. Forgive me.

We had branch conference which included Prezident McConkie and his wife, Elder Alder(a 70 from Holland) and his wife, and Prezident Tichon who is the Brno district prezident. This conference wasn't only amazing and full of beautiful testimonies and life experiences and power, BUT MIRACLES! We had an investigator kind of randomly show up and stay for all of conference, one of the less actives we are working with went to a ball on Saturday night and looooves her sleep-we told her how much of a big deal this was going to be and told her it was worth losing sleep-SHE CAME and loved it! Sestra Kolkova taught about self reliance and had wonderful teaching tactics with object lessons and examples. Yesterday was one of the best church services I have experienced on the mission. 

This next transfer is going to be a spiritual adventure. I am going to help organize this area, find the right people, and build this branch. I'm ready for it, I hope my new companion is ready to hit the ground running!
-Sestra Hale

Monday, February 22, 2016

Week 53 Blankets

I don't know if I have been updating you all about this but in the past 2 weeks Sestra S and I have come up with an idea, organized small details, handed everything to the Relief Society, picked colors of the fleece with the RS prez (who has her own fabric store) and have done a little paperwork in order to pull off a service project for the Salvation Army. Fun fact, this was what our humanitarian missionary couple are calling "a trial run". The church hasn't been able to do anything with the Salvation Army here in the Czech Republic. So this project has the potential of opening many doors to further service with this organization! Are you all familiar with the fleece-tie blankets? You get 2 pieces of fleece, and cut slits on all edges, then tie the fabrics together. Its super easy, fun, and simple. After 2 weeks of social media help and announcements in church, the activity came to pass! We had a GREAT turn out. Even the elders and some other priesthood took part in the fun. At the activity we all made 12 blankets. 7 were taken home by various members and were brought back on Sunday at church. We are all talking about doing the remainder individually or even going visiting teaching with the fabric! We are hoping that this is easy enough to bring a blanket to a less active's house and sit there for 20 minutes chatting while tying knots. Very fun service project. None of the members have seen blankets like this before. They were saying comments like "I want one of these for my own!"

AWESOME

Sestra Schaerrer and I went on our own day trip. We took a bus to Hukvaldy. Its an old ruin/castle/thing. The weather was horrible for a hike but that didn't stop us. We were hiking in thick fog and the castle was closed so we took a trip around the entire outside of it. This trip quickly turned into one of the funnest photo shoots I have ever been a part of.

As for investigators. L isn't interested in being baptized but we are still meeting with her to teach her English, ending with spiritual thoughts.
We haven't seem E for 2 weeks due to bad communication but I really hope he shows back up soon. He is such a good guy.
We had a GREAT lesson with a man. The BoM is super interesting for him. He told us about the first 5 chapters in detail then we only had 10 minutes to teach the entire restoration. Nothing is impossible when you have the power of the Holy Ghost in the room. That was a very good lesson and he has a lot of praying to do. From his beautiful and first prayer in our lesson, I don't think it will be hard for him to receive an answer from the Holy Ghost that what we are teaching is true. That was the best lesson we have had this transfer.

Fun fact, it was misty, raining slush, and snowed a ton this week for a couple days. Today it is sunny, windy, and perfect weather for a lighter coat. Czech weather is insane.
Next week we have training and transfers...what will happen, we do not know!!
-Sestra Hale

I seriously LOVE you all. There's always random emails, letters, and words of love being sent my way. Thank you for EVERYTHING.




Buying fabric for the service project. This is the Relief Society President in her temporary store.




The Service Project with the Salvation Army. We had 3 rooms going on at once.

 We had an expensive evening on the top of the Bolt Tower, which is a cafe at the very top of the Vitkovice mine. 

 An man we are teaching English. His daughter is posing in front. They are SO awesome.

Photo shoot at the Hukvaldy Castle.



 For our cultural night, our district went on a tour of the Marlenka factory. (Armenian honey cakes). These are the samples. It's like HEAVEN ON A PLATE !

Posing in the snow.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Week 52 The day we went to Poland

So I started numbering the weeks when Melanie arrived in Europe. She has been in the country for 52 weeks, but actually has been on her mission for 60 weeks, well over a year. --C

A cool experience we had was finding a less active yesterday. We don't have cars in the mission except some of the senior couples and 2 of the zone leader companionships. So yesterday after church, we take a 30 min. bus ride to a place we have never been to before. We walk for an hour straight looking for this house. We were on the right street the whole time but the number system is UNBELIEVABLY CONFUSING. It would go from house # 45 to house # 2 then back to house # 1022.....tell me how that makes sense. Anyway, we FINALLY found her house after almost giving up. She is super nice and was busy so we set up to come back on Wednesday As we were leaving, we ask, "Hey, how close are we to Poland?" And she said, "It's right there just down the street" We told her that earlier we had been joking about how far we had walked and the trees we could see were probably in Poland, and she just looked at us and said, "They are." We were literally 3 houses away from the Polish border. So before turning around we went to Poland and took some pictures. 
After teaching Miroslav about preparing to enter the temple, we took our dinner hour and went with him to Frydek where the annual pig slaughter was happening. Sestra Schaerrer and I didn't fully understand what we were getting into but the show we went to was so random. We sat in this elegant room, a 13 year old wizz on the accordian played a few songs, the leaders of the function introduced and gave flowers to some people, then we were all led to another room where there were displays of how the pig slaughter happens, the tools they used back in the day, and pictures of current slaughterings. Cool right? Oh! They also had different meats from the pig served on tiny pieces of bread. I accidentally ate pig head. NEVER AGAIN.
I met a lady on a bus this week who found familysearch.org by chance and was able to use this resource to find her Italian grandfather and much more!! She HIGHLY favors this website and has a testimony of it. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES!?!!  She said she heard of this website but didn't know it was for "normal people" like herself.
It has basically been a solid week of this mission. Full of strangers crying and hugging us saying we are sympathetic, a pagan investigator coming to church, a loving thigh rub from Sestra Benčikova in the middle of Relief Society, playing basketball with 2 pro high school kids and 6 American mormon missionaries, contacting on a tram, being hit on and asked for weed, working out with Sean T Insanity in the morning, dying from over feeding at member's houses, and man hunting members who aren't currently active. I'd say its been a successful week. 
Zatím se mějte!
s láskou, 
Sestra Hale


 My favorite grafitti in Frydek Mistek

 Mysterious meat on bread.

 He's the coolest and in the Branch Presidency

We went to Poland!

Monday, February 8, 2016

Week 51 EXHAUSTED

Real quick, last P Day after going to the tower at the town hall with the elders, Sestra Schaerrer and I had a few free hours and didn't want to waste it. So we found ourselves wandering around Ostrava. We saw the Ostrava Castle, we went to the top of the tower on the main naměstí in Ostrava, where we also attended the museum under the tower, and we had enough time to eat dinner at a nice restaurant. Just Sestra Schaerrer and I. P-Day Success!
We had an exchange in Pardubice from Thursday to Friday. On Thursday I served with the greenie Sestra Anderson. We were running all around teaching and contacting. We taught a Romanian recent convert. He taught me the word for sand in Romanian - nisip. (We went over the wise man and foolish man and taught about having a firm foundation) On Friday I was with my mother-Sestra Clark! We ran to an old castle in the morning (coolest run I have ever been on) and then taught another Romanian man who is SO COOL! We also contacted one direction, We also met a man and we taught him as we walked to the other side of Pardubice. surprise surprise, he is also very cool! Both of these men are on baptismal date. There are miracles on exchanges. 

Upon returning home from our exchange, we got ready for sports night and played badminton. This was the first time I have ever worked up a sweat playing badminton. It got intense. We also played the most intense and funny game of basketball.
As for people we are teaching:
E! We met him last Saturday. He is such a real person-he thinks carefully and deeply, he cares for what is said and he understands the importance of what we are teaching. At the end of teaching the Restoration of the Gospel, he said a long and beautiful prayer. (I think. It wasn't out loud but I felt it was a good prayer.)
M! We contacted a random potential we have in the phone. She is also a very down to earth and deep thinker. She asked us a few deep questions and we were able to testify to her how she can receive her own answers. 
Both of these investigators want to come to church next week (weren't able to yesterday) So we are very excited.
Last thing: our former investigator J invited us to celebrate his birthday at his sisters house with him. We all traveled out to a place that I know is very close to the Poland border and had cake, talked about the war, etc. J's sister has a beautiful family, home and life. We are hoping to be able to teach them asap.
This week I hope you all fill your extra time with activities that are worthwhile. Life is tough and short, so let's make the most of it!  RADUJTE SE!  ENJOY YOURSELVES!!!
mám vás ráda!
Sestra Hale


Our English Class

Our white board of words at the end of the class.


 Ostrava Town Hall Tower.


A typical Tram stop.


Monday, February 1, 2016

Week 50 Usual Craziness

It has been a busy full and exhausting week. I have realized that this is the most tired I have been during my whole mission. I blame the fact that every Sunday we lose sleep by having to catch a train at 7:31 in the morning and training days involve a ton of traveling early and late in one day. WORTH IT. Training was so good and we have been motivated to bringing the Spirit to everyone. This last week we have had a few chances to meet with less actives. They are all doing well and it was really nice, especially with J to ask her why she wasn't coming to church and ask her what we can do for her spiritually. We are also working with M to help him prepare for the temple. Last night we were all at the M family for dinner and discussion on the temple. The temple was taught/talked about quite a bit. Bratr M basically took off in his opinion about this and that and missionary work and the time to sit down and relax before church starts. We love Bratr M. If I honestly had time and the ability to be in tune with Czech for hours on end at once, I would take notes on his wisdom. I love his testimony and experiences and advice.
Let's talk about the schedule for our training in Prague real quick. 
Awaken: 1:15 to shower and prepare for the day (Sestra S was convinced we should wake up super early because if we miss our train, we miss training)
Leave house: 2:50
Train: 3:17
Layover at main train station in Ostrava: 3:49-4:31
Train: 4:31
in Prague: 8:15
Training:10-3:30 (including lunch and the worldwide missionary broadcast!) 
Train home: 5:46
Layover at main station in Ostrava: 9:08-9:53
Train home: 9:53
HOME: 10:45
Sacrifice. 
We decided to fast one day this week to find an investigator. Although still recovering from our travels only 2 days before we fasted and obediently left our house to have a power hour of contacting...FASTING WORKS! We were contacting about the classic Joseph Smith. We met a man and taught him about the restoration. He was so nice and he is in Frydek Mistek on the weekends for work. He might have children, etc. So awesome. We will see him this coming Saturday :) 
Fun fact, Sestra Schaerrer and I have been fed the past 2 days and today are severely suffering. We are now carrying on our person Tums at all times because of the pains. An investigator made us buhty (sweet roll with jam and cream and sugar) and she kept feeding us! We basically ate a plus treeand loaf of bread collectively. then YESTERDAY we went the the Moravcovi. I didn't count but this is a good estimate: 6 bowls of (sourkraut/meat) soup, 4 slices of bread, one orange, 3 cups of tea, and 4 buhty (some with jam and some with poppyseed) Oh and 2 cups of RC cola. This is SO typical. Sestra Moravcova always makes eye contact with us and says "take more!" 
Its been an adventure once again. 
Until next time, mám vás ráda!!! Na shledanou! 
-Sestra Hale


 We went to Vitkovice. The big mine in Ostrava last P Day for a tour.

My model to show that the weather has changed. As it does every week! Its nice windy weather nowadays 
and green again. and always wet.


 Layover in Kunčice train station. All alone at night for a half hour!

 Game night! That is Rudolf and Starsi Lanham playing an intense game of ping pong.


The main namesti in Ostrava.

We went out to the Prague lookout before training. we came here to hear the story of how the Czech members fought for the church during communism and how they fought 40 years for us to be here today! Ask me about this story later. It's good :)