Week 60 -- Week 7 already?

(confusing title, I've been counting weeks since Melanie arrived in the country-- 60 weeks since she arrived in the Czech Republic. She titled this week's entry as Week 7. She is on week 7 of this nine week transfer period. After that, she has only one more 9 week transfer and she'll be home, can you believe it?)

Time honestly flies when you're running around 2 cities finding, teaching, organizing, meeting, planning, and having fun.
This past week we were able to go on exchanges. Not only was it a TREAT to be back in Mlada Boleslav and to be with Sestra Fredrickson, but it was also full of miracles! I swear, the Lord loves exchanges because He puts elect people in our path. Sestra Fredrickson and I were chalking the city with "mormon.cz" and "#ldsconf" hoping to catch the eye of the curious on the streets of Mlada Boleslav. We met a man who met a Mormon in New Zealand 5 months ago and this member was able to produce for him, a Czech Book of Mormon! That left such an impression in his heart that someone would go out of their way for him, that when he met us on the street, he was SO ready! HE SAID THESE WORDS: "I am still looking for something but haven't found it yet...I have an open heart to find it" Holy elect, right? Anyway, that was sooo fun and rewarding. Sestra Fredrickson literally cried and we had a few minutes of a tender and sweet spirit as we exchanged numbers with him and testified of the truth of the Gospel. 

I ALSO SAW E! (picture attached) she is a straight up YOUNG WOMAN now. She is gorgeous and has experiences in the Gospel and is so bright and hilarious! I am so grateful I understand Czech nowadays. She was talking about the food diet her mom puts her on because her mom loves E's teeth. She says her mom makes her eat only fruit to a point that E doesn't like the taste of fruit anymore. Then she says she loves visiting her aunt in Russia over the summers except her aunt spoils her with chocolates and candy when E is sad. Plus her aunt cooks well so E said it's fun to see her aunt except she gains 7 kilos on a weekly basis over there! I was dying. I love that girl. 

We watched General Conference this weekend and made a ton of crepes for lunch for everyone. It turns out, Sestra Witzel is a crepe flipping master. who knew? We watched Gen Konf in Czech with the members but has English subtitles for us missionaries. I now understand where foreigners come from-they don't have the privilege to draw close to the literal voice of the prophet and apostles because they have to be translated. I missed hearing their voices but I also know a few of the Czech translators personally so it was fun to hear their voices as well. 

OH MY GOSH! Last thing, The Holts are the missionary pair in charge of the humanitarian efforts in our mission. They came to town, we met one member and went to the Salvation Army facility to deliver 2 blankets, take pictures for documentary purposes, and to offer our humanitarian services as a church, to theirs. I and Sestra Wolfova (the member) were the actual ones to deliver the blankets into the hands of 2 clients of the Salvation Army...this is when I grew jealous for the ministry of Christ. The woman I handed a blanket to was teary eyed as I walked up to her with a fleece blanket. I gave her a hug and cried with her as she thanked me...This experience touched my heart. I cant imagine being among Christ as He performed miracles. I would be a bawling mess. It was so beautiful and later this week we finished the rest of the blankets and will deliver the rest to the facility with all the rest of the members of the Relief Society for them to see the joy they are bringing to these precious people! It was a blast to translate for the Holts and to be a part of this project.

I love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I love our Prophet, his counselors and apostles, our leaders and their spouses. I know that this work is the true and best work and blesses lives. Enjoy this week and be a better disciple of Jesus Christ! Let us allow ourselves to change for the better! 

-Sestra Hale