May is over, but it was MARVELOUS!

The prophecy of the growth of the church in Europe being among the young people is coming to pass in the Czech Republic. Two wonderful young people were baptized in May!

Our dear Anna!! We both had the privilege of teaching Anna with the Elders. She is from the Ukraine and brings such love, enthusiasm and faith. She has already had a great impact on the young adult program here. She asked Mike to speak at her baptism.

Vojtech read everything he could on the church's website and then called the mission office to see if there was someone who could talk to him about the church!!! Wow did the Elders jump on that. They had to make him wait to be baptized so he could attend church twice. He brought a friend and his younger brother and sister to church the week after he was baptized to start lessons with the missionaries.


Anna wanted "something clever" for this photo. Do you think it worked?


Memorial Day Barbeque at the mission home...

Hot dogs...

ice cream....

and American flags!!

We were invited to Helena Novakova's for dinner along with the Sisters and two of their investigators. Sestra Novakova joined the church in 1950 at the age of 17. During the Communist occupation, member couldn't meet together in groups larger than 8 or 9. Three or four meetings were held each Sunday, often in the home of Sestra Novakova. Her husband died when she was 32 and she cared for a handicapped son for 8 years by herself; carrying him up and down 5 flights of stairs to take him to the doctor every week. When sharing her story with us, her most common expression was, "Everything was fine." What a dear and faithful woman she is.

The young adults had an outing to the alpine slides planned, but it was rained out so we spent the afternoon at the church. Lunch and games. . .

A mean game of Crab Soccer.

A highlight of the month was a visit from Elder and Sister L. Tom Perry and Elder and Sister Robert Oaks. A fireside was held at the beautiful National Theatre with an overflowing crowd of more than 300. Saints had traveled 8 hours from Slovakia. The next day we attended a conference with the entire mission: both Czech Republic and Slovakia. The first time in about two years that the entire mission has been together. There was much good counsel given to young and older missionaries. Elder Perry said the problem with the world is they want a cafeteria style church, where they choose only desserts and leave the broccolli for others. He then gave an overview of Christ's church. No man assumes position. The Lord organized the system and the senior apostle is always the next president. "We don't wear our number on our jerseys, but we know our number!" He then gave observations of each prophet he had personally served with from President Lee to Monson. He ended by giving counsel about staying close to your companion. Do things that endear yourself to your companion. He told of a companion he loved and trusted and has stayed close to his entire life. It was a privilege to be taught by an apostle.