Week 68

Ahojte!

Our district had a baptism this week from trebic! So we all went to Brno on Saturday and ALMOST missed the bus back. We left 30 minutes before it left and sprinted as fast as we could to get to the stop. The bus was about to pull away and the bus driver shows his watch at us. We all gave him puppy dog eyes and he let us on. So no big story about getting stuck in Brno - thank goodness! We started teaching a man that smokes so much he's yellow! One lady that we don't teach anymore had a roomate who would sometimes come join us at the end for the prayer - and this week we saw her on the street and gave her a building tour. She is the cutest thing ever! She invited us over to her house! She's like 25 and so golden! She was probably the best thing that happened this week. Yoyo man is doing alright. He didn't come to church on my birthday but thats alright. I think im going to buy a yoyo from him. He said we can get the discount. Oh ya I had a birthday! In czech republik when you have a birthdaz the old people give you like 20MINUTE handshakes. They are so cool. And sometimes I feel like they are competing who gives the best handshakes. They just shake your hand and look into your sould and say "that you have lots of health and success and love and happiness and safety ... " Sometimes they get more creative but usually thats how it goes. Sestra baxter woke up in the middle of the night and was mixing eggs in the bathroom to make me french toast in the morning. She is so cute! Today she took me out for svickova :) It was a good birthday. Love you all! Have a good week! 

Week 67

čau'te!

This week was a good one. Our yoyo guy is doing well. We thought he wasn't very interested in what we were teaching him at first. This week he opened up and said he had a lot of questions. Questions like why do bad things happen to good people. We started answering his questions through the Book of Mormon and are praying for him to get his answer.. He's so cool! He's getting ready to be baptized in February.

We also started planning an activity with the branch this week. A "Film Festival" - for investigators, members and nonmembers. After we talked to the Branch President about  doing this activity, we told her we would like her help. She started crying she was so happy. We are going to show 4-5 short films and then let people vote which one was their favorite. Its gonna be fun! 

This week we also went to Trebic. We went out with the Pahorilicky family to meet with an elderly lady. She's been a member so long, but struggles to get to church. She has no car and lives in a very small house with no running water. She is the sweetest lady! So Christlike. We had the sacrament with her and in the end the Pahorilicky family (the COOLEST family in the cz) gave her a gift from "an angel "  - it was a device that set up general conference on her ancient television. She hated it! Haha! She made him take it back. It was too futuristic for her. I got the whole thing recorded. Its priceless. 

Have a great week everybody! Congrats Jake for killing it in volleyball!

S Laskou,

Sestra Holland

Week 66

Ahojte!

This week was kind of hard. people are still in the holiday mood and we are trying to get everyone out of it. Its time to get back to work people! So we are on the streets a lot. But we saw a ton of cool stuff happen. Some people we talked to before the Christmases started getting in touch with us. And our former came to church this week! Its down right COLD right now. Im double scarfing and double everythinging. Like 3 drunk men tried to kiss my child this week so she's pretty bumbed. Its just part of the experience though. She's starting to laugh about it so thats good. AND today we met an older man who went to the yoga camps with one of the members from brno! I was super pumped cause i got to know gaud vojkuvka a little bit when i was serving there. The history of the church here is so cool! And you dont hear a lot about people who went to those camps and didnt become members of the church so im interested to talk to this muž. Have a good week everybody! Stay fresh

S laskou,

Sestra Holland

Week 65

hi fam11 It was good to see you all on christmas1 todays another day i cant get the computer to change so this email will be a little strange. But no worries right_ So this week we had a beautiful christmas. 

On monday we went to sister daskovas house and she made us little kolač cake things and then ježišek came11 baby jesus came and brought us gifts11 we heard the bell ring and then we all covered out eyes and then there were four gifts under the tree. we opened them and i had new tights.. much needed. my tights are so worn that my heals and toes are completley exposed haha. so ježišek knew what sister holland needed1 I brought my guitar and afterwards we sang czech christmas carols. 

on tuesday we had training in brno. we got there in the morning and as a mission hit all the christmas markets and then in a hug group sang silent night ..simultaneously in czech and slovak which sounds a little strange.. but it was really cool. and then we all dispersed before the police might come1 We had a fantastic training from the mcconkies. 

On wednesday we went less active finding. mapped it out from our area book and went out to show our little narodil se spasitel movie. Its a good one1 We didnt have any real cool experiences from that .. one guy let us show it to him at his doorstep and he was a really nice guy just not interested in coming back. And then that night we surprised visited Petias mom.. petia is a member 18 yrs old and so great1 she was in egypt for christmas but her mom and older sister where home so we shared the video with them and her mom told us that she wants us to start coming over more. It seemed like the christmas message really affected her .. so cool1 

on thursday sister baxter and i went over to brno where Erik got baptized. He is so darling. It was a beautiful baptism. His dad baptized him and a lot of members came to support even when it was christmas morning. Then that evening we went and visited a member and then had our christmas dinner with a former investigator of ours. Shes great . 4 courses of carp fish served in different ways- i think first was a soupl and then appetizer was carp patties with tomatoes and then there was the deep fried carp. basically the whole meal you are pulling bones out of your mouth. We had pernik and some apple muffiny at the end. We did all the christmas traditions - we opened walnuts and cut apples to see our fate for the next year - FUNNIEST part was when she stood under the misletoe and asked to all come over and give her a kiss on the cheek. Sister Baxter and I went a gave her a kiss on the cheek and then i just kind of sat down and enjoyed watching what the elders were going to do next. One of the rigid elders stands in front of her and just starts sweating and got really nervous. hes still working on his czech so his answer was something along the lines of -I want to but i dont know if I can!- it was so funny.. that made my christmas eve.

on christmas day we went to the alzhiemers home and sang. the elders asked us to sing angels we have heard on high and we told them we would. but we wanted to do something a little more spicy so we made a dance to jingle bell rock and just started singing it without telling them. it was pretty funny. good thing the old people probably wont remember it. 

Today we went to a really cool castle called rokštejn with petia and ondra - two members in the branch. 

It was a great christmas week and so great that I got to see all your faces on skype! Love you and have a good week!

S laskou,

sestra Holland