Happy First Day of Advent

November 28, 2011

Well, Hiyawatha!

How are you all doing? It sounds like you had a wonderful Dikuvzdani (thanksgiving in Czech), and I certainly had a wonderful one, too! What a fun time to just be with family! That is so special. Please tell everyone who wrote me a little note thank you thank you thank you. I loved hearing a little snippet from everyone who I love so much.

Thanksgiving here was a true blast. We all gathered together and had a delicious meal Sister Erbova and Starsi Erb made. I mean ALL the trimmings and trappings - turkey, stuffing, yams, carrots, salad, mashed potatoes - and to top it all off a hearty piece of homemade pumpkin pie! I haven't tasted Costco's in a long time, but I'm almost 100% sure that it was even better. It tasted so good! What a wonderful taste of home.That is Starsi Buhler on my right, btw - and on my left is Starsi Rhodes (closer) and Starsi Page (further). They are all great missionaries and it is a true privilege to serve with them all. It's a fun district.

Well, unfortunately there isn't as much to report this week as far as the work goes...it was a kind of a difficult week as far as teaching goes, and also considering I just emailed last Thursday haha. One of our investigators was out of town in Germany all last week, but just got back yesterday, another has been in Slovakia and gets back today, etc. But we are excited for this week - it should be much better!

There is one really cool experience I had on Friday though that will definitely go in my memory banks. We went to the a members home on Thursday after Thanksgiving dinner and helped them move a grand piano out of their apartment and down a flight of stairs. Our help was definitely needed. But then on Friday we came back to help bring up an upright grand that they had traded/bought into their apartment. The switch was mainly because of space. I was so inspired, though, by this family. President Slezar is our Branch President here, and we walk into their home to see both a picture of the Savior Jesus Christ and a Proclamation on the Family on their kitchen wall. After we moved the piano up, we all sat down and had tomato based gulas (goulash) which was delicious. Starsi Rhodes shared a spiritual thought about music, sharing D&C 25:23, and we all went into their family room/living room. I sat down at their old-and-new upright grand and played "Prineseme svetu jeho pravdu" (We'll bring the world his truth/Army of Helaman) while the Slezarovi (President, Sister Slezarova, and their three adorable little kids) and the other Elders all sang. I last minute thought of it and recorded it as a video on my camera - something to look forward to. But it was just such a special moment for me. It wasn't extraordinary - but it was at the same time. I just felt such a wonderful spirit there. It felt so good. I love being a missionary here in Olomouc.

One more experience I wanted to share happened yesterday - A sister we have been working with came to church again! Oh mylanta, it made me so happy. I sat next to her during sacrament meeting (when I wasn't playing the hymns) and it was just so perfect. Her apartment is currently without electricity, water, and power because of some accident that happened on the floor of their panelak, and she was sick with a sore throat, and she still came to all 3 hours. That's what it is all about. There's kind of a saying (that's mostly true) in our mission about Czech people - they don't handle sickness well. Usually, when somebody has a cold, they can't come to church, and you can't come visit them...haha. But this sister has felt the spirit return to her life as she's come to church, and now she's not looking for excuses - she's looking for opportunities. It's such an amazing change to see. We can't visit them this week because of what happened in their aparment, but she said that we'll probably just see each other next Sunday. How cool is that? It's a testimony builder to me of the power of going to Church.

Well, with some extra time I have from not sharing stories I want to tell you a little about what's going down with Christmas festivities here in Olomouc! Horni and Dolni Namesti (the main upper and lower town squares) are all decked out with a big skating rink, tons of trhy (stands that sell all kinds of fun stuff), and a GINORMOUS Christmas tree all decked out in lights. Oh, it is so fun! I wish you could be here to see it and walk it with me. But I'll be sure to take lots of pictures! We looked at some of the trhy on our way here to email and I found one that is selling a handcarved czech nativity, complete with a manger scene. Ooh, I'm gonna have way to much fun on P-days hehe. I have lots of cash that you've sent me in cards (thanks, Marmee!), so I should be good haha.

Christmas here sounds way fun and way difficult simultaneously. As Christmas gets closer, people get less and less willing to meet usually because they want to just spend their time getting ready for the holidays. So that's kind of a bummer...but we're determined to work hard and do the best we can. We have a goal of reactivating more less-actives, which I'm excited to start on. We think they'll be more open to meeting with us near Christmas and think it'll be a better use of time than just contacting or tracting.

On December 9 we're doing a branch singing display, singing koledy (Christmas Carols) and contacting people. I'm super excited for that! Then, on December 17 we're having a branch Christmas party. On the 23, we have a mission Christmas conference which should be fantastic. We have a couple of families in the branch who have already invited us over for christmas dinners (Dvorakovi, Musialovi, Slezarovi), so we definitely won't be lacking on food - sister Dvorakova i think is going to make us the Christmas Carp! I'm excited and scared simultaneously for that one haha...

Then on Christmas we have Church! That'll be great. It'll only be sacrament meeting, then we have call-in reports early so we finish all the proselyting by around 1:00. After that, we are asked to just stay together as missionaries and not relax with members, so they can keep a professional relationship with us. So we'll probably go and celebrate Christmas at the Erbovi as a district - open presents, etc. Then you get to call us! I think how it works is the mission will send you our phone number (no skype - sorry...) and on Christmas eve you give us a 60 second test call to set up a good time. Then on Christmas we get to talk! We had a specialized training last Friday in which President Irwin made everything clear - we get 45 minutes! Hooray! So much better than 15, huh? The white handbook says that we should only have about 40, so President extended it for us. So that will be very fun! Another fun side note about Christmas - on Christmas day we are allowed to watch a couple of approved movies! Oh man, am I excited haha. Basically any appropriate movie goes - Disney, etc. We have already agreed as a district that one of the movies we watch will be the Emporer's New Groove haha. So that will be very fun, the highlight of COURSE being our phone call!

So yeah! Know that I love you all and think of and pray for you every day. I'm loving this work and am just so excited to continue serving here in Olomouc. We have a lot to be grateful for and a lot to look forward to. The Gospel is true!!!

S laskou,
Starsi Mullen