Rockin the Novy Rok! (New Year)

Why hello family! Again!

Not much new to report since the last time I saw you...that feels so weird to say! It was an awesome Christmas week and super stoked for this next year and the miracles that will no-doubt come!

I kind of wish I could have spoken more Czech to you, you only heard me say a couple words, but there will be time for that later. (We heard Carley speak in Czech to the home owners when she needed some assistance getting skype to work on the iPad she was borrowing.) I am glad I got to speak to you face to face and I hope you were able to with Dal too,

I loved talking to him even if we could hardly hear each other, it was cool anyways. Technology is such a blessing! You know what else is a huge blessing? Being on a mission!  YAY CALVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy moly canoli! (Our cousin Calvin Weaver was called to Romania!) cool that he will be semi-close to me, I know a guy who was from Romania and was baptized in CZ and he skyped some elders there, that is my only connection to there and that I knew a girl in school who's family was from Romania. But ya, probably similar feelings of "what?? where is that again?" when opening the call haha.

I love you all and Happy New year! <3

2014 here we come! :D 

 

P.S. Luke 1:37 is an awesome pump-up scripture

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I am so excited to talk to you family!!!! I am loving Mlada Boleslav and loving the people, feeling blessed everyday and I am amazed everyday that I am here, doing things I never would have imagined or dreamed myself doing, I feel like the bar for myself has been raised and my appreciation for my life and upbringing magnified, its a cool feeling to know that you can do ANYTHING with the Lord's help. Sure, there are still hard moments, but I can usually only remember the great ones.

One of the buildings in the Town Hall/ "Namesti"

I love it here and still miss y'all a TON but these times away from each other will only make the ones when we're together that much sweeter, plus, if  there is anything worth losing these holiday times with you, it is the work of the Lord, and when else will I have that privilege? It is crazy that I have been out 7 months jejda. (Czech "wow" btw)

I am not really counting down but still, it amazes me to think that the time has flown like that, I feel like I barely got here (but at the same time when I think of the progress Ive made it feels like a lifetime haha). Playing the flute went well, I wish I had like real music with good accompaniments like we have at home, ie anything by Sally DeFord etc or any of the hymn arrangements...if yall wanted or had time to, maybe compiling some of those of anything with a flute part and we have the Czech lyrics to put to it... that would be kinda sweet. We are just trying to do all we can to get people's attention so that they will open up and we can teach them. I would also like to keep up that talent, if not, better it! They have some really talented missionaries in our mission but they serve all over so out of our small district I am the most musically equipped one...I know, scary. haha but yes, you could send me maybe a few here and again as a document on the computer and I could print it out. Reactivation is going well and we had a less -active, part-member family come to church on Sunday so that was great :) We also have several progressing investigators!

I am so excited to talk to y'all allllll about everything on Wednesday (Christmas Day!)! I hope that everything syncs up well. bahh! The "V" family are awesome, they are an active family in Mlada Boleslav and are just adorable, if you didn't know it you would think they were from like any other ward. And they kind of speak English so maybe they will say hello to you too! I haven't heard them speak English (the members here do not like to talk to us in English which is funny because in Brno they would just automatically speak in English if they knew it) And a lot of the members in Jicin are actually translators for the church. This city is kind of a big deal because if we reactivate people, it will be big enough for a ward...and if we have a ward, then we can have a stake in the CZ! then we are one step closer to a temple!:D and that is the goal, when a temple is here, the whole country and all the Slovak nations will be blessed....so no pressure!

Christmas Time in the Czech Republic

Hello all! So I will try to download quickly some of the events of this week, but quite honestly I don't know how it happens but every week I walk into the emailing place (she told us on the phone that it's like a cyber cafe) it is like the veil all over again and I forget all the things I told myself to remember to include in my email (if you're LDS you get this reference...if not, we as Mormons believe in figurative veil that exists between our world here on earth and our pre-earth life in heaven).

"Meeting some of the locals...not quite what you expected, eh? There is some weird halloween/christmas holiday here and they had some people dressed up like that they go around and scare the kids...it is kinda interesting lol."

I guess I could just write them down... but that is much too sensical and it takes too much time. So please bare with my scatterbrainedness. I am still loving the MB (Mlada Boleslav). It is proving to be a city of miracles and adventures for sure. I just adore Sister Hicken, we get along great and keep each other pumped for the work. This week we were trying to get in contact with all the less-active members here, spending a lot of our days traipsing all over town trying to find where they live so we could give them cookies (made by Sister H. who really is a master with all things in the kitchen, thank goodness seeing as I am the antithesis haa) and an invite to our Christmas Party and Concert. Which btdubs, is an awful idea because I will be singing a good majority...bleh. Pray for me! But cool thing, they hooked me up with a flute here again so I will be doing some accompaniments..accompianaments...accompmenamenaments....gah. I can't spell anymore! I am just a TAD nervous, but all's well, that's why we have prayer and paper bags to breath into right? 

In Prague for a baptism

Back to my original point. Finding where people live here is crazy impossible. The numbers on the houses and panelaks (apt buildings) have absolutely no rhyme nor reason to their order. It is usually the order the buildings were built -_- And walking everywhere proved quite the good workout, but given the disparity between amount of cookies made and those delivered...walking was great. We also contacted some awesome people in the meantime. I thought they were like Harry Potter houses, they would only pop up if the address was written down by someone else. But great news, we found them! So all is well in Zion...or Mlada Boleslav.

Also, we have been trying to get some service opportunities rollin' here and went to the Magistrat Mesta or Town Hall offices basically, and they were closed. darn. So we felt we should just contact on service opportunities with people. So we walk towards the large tree in the Old Town Square and I approach this elderly woman with her grandson, she is busy with him looking at the large Christmas tree but I felt like I needed to talk to her so I come up and ask her if she knows anywhere we can do service work. She looks at my name tag and squints then runs over to her grandson who has walked a little bit away, so I follow her over, now I am kind of appalled by my nuisancy (prolly not a word) but finally she begins talking to me and says, "funny you should ask me, I used to work organizing all those things." She was so excited to help us, she put her grandson in the stroller and walked with us all the way over to this information place we had no idea existed, we walk in the building and she walks into the back offices tells them she has some foreign missionaries here who need help and gets all of them out of their seats and they come out to organize some things for us. We spoke with the main boss guy there and he actually spoke English so that was cool. So we are fully inundated with opportunities for charity work here in MB and are working-out the specifics of what hours we want to work at the old-folks home and on Christmas day all the service we want to do. Super stoked! The Lord really will provide a way for us to accomplish what he wants of us.

We have been so blessed here and I am so excited to see this place grow in the knowledge of the Savior. This is such a special time, and I am so grateful I have the opportunity to give the gift of my efforts to my Savior for His birthday. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and for my wonderful family and upbringing with these truths, those things I have realized are my greatest prize and treasure. Serving others truly helps us understand the Savior's love. The best gift we can give others is our witness and example through our actions that we know that can taste the sweetness of everlasting redemption and life. The Savior, Jesus Christ is our grandest and most valuable gift, the effects of His life and His death are everlasting and infinite because although we are imperfect, we have the door opened to us to receive all that our Heavenly Father wants for us. It is only our choice to follow and accept His ways. I love you all and keep y'all in my prayers :)

Veselé Vanoce!!!! Merry Christmas!

Mladadadadaa I'm BolesLavin' it

This has been quite the interesting week! We have already seen so many miracles, it's ridiculous! We have 5 new investigators! That would be a miracle in Brno, and it is DEFINITELY a miracle here! I already just adore the people here. It is a bit chilly but that's okay, walking keeps you warm and awake!!! It is a much smaller town than Brno which is cool, but very different. The Jicin branch is AWESOME! I already love all the members, while they may be small in numbers, the spirit is so strong and I feel right at home, I know I am meant to be here. So specifics on the area: Mlada Boleslav once was fairly booming when communism ended, this city and Jicin were growing a lot, then they tried to combine the congregations into one branch and because of some drama and other factors, they lost a lot of the members. There are some who decided they would rather go to Praha than to Jicin. So we are the first sisters to ever live here and our job is to reactivate everyone, and also build the branch...no pressure. We are inviting them all to the Christmas Party and serving them in any way we can. It is very much about relationships and trust here, I am coming to find out. We walk everywhere here! I love it, if I can't run then it's the next best thing. We have to travel a lot though to Jicin for district meetings and church so we have an hour on the bus with very windy roads, and I try to be productive with my time by reading or writing but I still get carsick, so that's no bueno. 

Her new apartment in Mlada Boleslav

I am so glad to hear about Devin's wedding, please send me some pics, please! I can't believe Cassidy is 15...that's weirdy. So glad she had a great birthday! And it'll be good to watch all those movies when I get back together! Glad they are good though :) I am actually really enjoying the snow...weirdly enough. I have always hated the cold but I think that is one of the blessings for me is that it doesn't really phase me here, no need to send those boots, Cass should enjoy them or just save them so I have good ones for when I return. 

Cassidy said she hadn't gotten her card in the mail yet, that is weird.... I sent y'all a card like a couple days after the first one :( I hope it didn't get lost. I am super excited for Christmas! It is going to be a very different Christmas for me, but amazing nonetheless. We are trying to find places we can do service here, soup-kitchens, the hospital, etc. where they will let us do service. 

I think I will be much more spiritually prepared this year, my relationship with my Savior has grown exponentially here. I see the difference it makes not only in my life, but in others' and that is the most precious gift. I love the holiday season, you are right mom, people's hearts do soften everywhere this time of year. We are going to Prague this week for a baptism of one of Sister Hicken's investigators, so I can check if I got mail then. Court, I did get your cd's (we don't have a cd player anymore :( ) but we are loving the hotpads! We definitely needed them! We have been baking cookies for the less-active members and when I say "we", I definitely mean Sister Hicken. I would just screw them up haa. But I do the presentation part of it,yay! my favorite part. Our talents combined will reactivate the world!!! mwahaha! :)  Its been awesome with Sister Hicken, she went to Utah State, fun-fact. I will have pictures next week!

Scripture of the week: Ether 12:4

 

 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

Where????? (Transfers Dec. 1, 2013)

Kay so President finally calls us on Saturday night, we are waiting on pins and needles, and had just left from our weekly district language study time (we hoped the calls would be during it) but no, we are on the tram back, our phone is verging on death and I am FREAKING OUT. I felt like I was going to leave but where to? So the phone rings, Sister Cooper answers it and looks completely stunned she says a buncha "uhhuhs" then as she is handing the phone to Sister Steglich says that both of us were leaving and she was training...oh boy. I thought that they would stay, Sister Steglich's face was priceless as she puts the phone to her ear. 

 

Beautiful Christmas lights in Brno. 'I'm going to miss it here!"

 

 

She is going to Ostrava. I take it next...President tells me that he is sending me to Mlada Boleslav......as I am wracking my noggin for who is serving there or where that is, he says, you will be opening it with Sister Hicken. woah baby. thats crazy. I erupt into hysterical laughter. Basically since then I have been having a fit of nervous giggling. So after a crazy morning going from Brno to Prague, taking a bus here, having a meeting with our landlady to work out specifics for our new apartment... we are now in Mlada Boleslav. Really rolls off the tongue right? Haha. 

 

Meet Sister Hicken! This is my new companion in my new area.

 

 

So there used to be a really great branch here, but awhile ago they tried to combine with the Jičin branch and the members didn't like it so basically we are reactivating everyone and finding all new investigators. wooooo!!!!! I already know we will see miracles, I already love it here. We are over this city as sisters, then Elder Cezik is in Jicin with Elder Weyland (from my mtc group! :) and then in Liberec Elder Romrell and Scherf (AGAIN!) its crazy. I am so excited about the work here. Sister Hicken is phenomenal and we are going to work so well together. I feel honored that President would trust us with this and I won't let him down! I love you all I don't have much time to email today as much as I would like to but I read all of your emails and thank you all for your encouragement, I promise to respond asap. I love this work and I know the gospel is true! <3

BrNO Place Like Home

Hello All!
Golly-gee-willikerz. What an AWESOME week.

The Brno Branch held a bonfire activity thing, kind-of a late halloween celebration, and we had 4 of our investigators come. Which for the CZ is an amazing turn-out, so we were super pumped about that and they got to meet the wonderful members of the church here in such a fun atmosphere. The bonfire was on the land next to the church building that we bought a short time ago and they announced that there would be fireworks, not gonna lie, I totally expected some wimpy sparklers, but man, they really brought out the big guns. Prolly would have broken some regulations or rules in America. They were Oklahoma property worthy haha.

I almost expected to hear the chant, "Merlins in the lake!" It was so fun, and the kids were all dressed up in their costumes, and there was tons of food, felt like an activity at home. <3 I absolutely adore the people here in Brno. And it makes me teary-eyed thinking about leaving them, especially with Christmas coming up. (Transfers are on Dec. 1) I feel absolutely spoiled here, they are so awesome.

On Sunday, they had baptisms for to darling girls from the branch. The parents wanted us to teach them a little bit so that they could really make the decision for themselves. The parents asked us if we would perform a musical number at the service too. So ya, we sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" in czech (obviously) and Sister Steglich played the guitar (because she is amazing like that). We had one of our investigators there too for the baptism so that was cool too. I really feel apart of this branch, like a twig on their branch haha. I don't want to leave! But I know I will love anywhere I serve, so wherever I go next I will be happy. The language...yes. It is coming along still! I am finding alot more confidence in it and actually able to carry-on semi-normal conversations with people as if I were speaking in english. I am forgetting alot of english words though...so yay! Fun fact about czech- no=yes and host=guest haha. But I love it! The work is coming along, and I am learning more and more every-day how to improve myself and share my testimony of Christ with others so that they can experience the lasting joy and peace it provides. Sorry for my grammatically-disgusting run-on sentences.

Freezer Brno!

I'm assuming based on the title of her last e-mail home "Freezer Brno!" Sestra Schoen meant to tell us about how cold it is in Brno...but I think she fogot. 

Any way, here is her update: 

Wow, a week already? There is some-kinda weird time-warp that happens on the mission I feel like. I am now beginning the 6th month out. And it seriously feels like just yesterday I was walking into the MTC. The language is still coming along, I bore my testimony at church yesterday, my prepared thoughts completely left my noggin though the moment I gathered the courage to stand up, but then it is too late and you have to go up there. (insert Courtney's note here: in the Mormon, or LDS, faith, the first Sunday of every month is devoted to what we call "Fast and Testimony Meeting." Everyone fasts with a purpose for two meals, then attends sacrament meeting with that purpose near and dear to their heart. Instead of hearing prepared talks like we do every other Sunday during the first hour of church--referred to as "sacrament meeting", on the first Sunday of each month all members of the congregation, including young children and visitors, are invited to stand and bare witness of their faith)

She's always wanted to dye her hair brown...but me and Mom wouldn't let her. I guess she finally realized we couldn't control her any more, now that she lives in the Czech Republic. Silly girl, she's still Carley, a goof ball and too precious.

I don't know what the difference is, I tell strangers my testimony all the time, but for some reason that pulpit no-matter where you are in the world, has quite the intimidation-factor. Anywho, have I mentioned the love I have for the Brno Branch?? They are all just amazing, and seeing all of them at church has become such a highlight. It feels like home. And the fact that I can feel so comfortable there thousands and thousands and thousands of miles away from what I am familiar with, yet be sitting there at choir practice with the members practicing for their Christmas program as the little kids run around the building with their snacks since they don't fast...I had the calmest, warmest sensation run through me. I hear all the time from people that they believe they don't need a church. But when I have moments like that I know that we have church because in this fight to protect righteous living, wholesome values, and the importance of family, it's nice to know we are not alone. And how awesome is it that we can learn from and relate to one another. We are all different and unique, church doesn't squelch that individuality, if anything, it heightens it because we have callings and responsibilities that allow us to express our personalities and insights. 

I had a wonderful interview with President McConkie, our mission president, he checks-up with us to see how we are doing and what we need. He is truly inspired of the Lord, without me having to say anything, he addressed some things I was struggling with. One of those was individuality or feeling like I wasn't losing who I am, this weird and dorky person I am, because I get lost in the obsessiveness that can sometimes accompany the work. I do feel like I am changing, which is good but I want to keep those parts of me that make me unique. Anyhwo, without me having to try and explain this he told me to be myself. And that's all I needed to hear. And he told me how he perceived me, who I was and nailed it on the head. It was definitely a testimony builder that the Lord knows and loves me. And I know He loves us all and our varying circumstances and trials are not to change us necessarily, but to improve us. Put your trust in the Lord and know that what you are going through is especially for you, and the Lord is there for us to use Him as a support.

Ether 12:27 has always been a fave of mine.

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

Oct. 28 letter

Im sorry my emails arent more funny, I am scared I am losing my humor. Or at least, losing the ability to transfer it cross-globe. I accidentally told someone I liked their elbows this week rather than their nails ha. Right now the work is going great though, we got 3 new investigators.

One is a woman I contacted my first transfer and told her we taught free english class every week, it was short and rough for me. But she came over a month later and asked questions at the end of our spiritual thought that we shared at the end and we began meeting with her. I really love her, she is super sweet.

The people aren't very receptive here for the most part..We are teaching a man from Italy who is working here. He actually came and watched General Conference. I am seeing more and more miracles and learning more and more how to be a better disciple of Christ.

We are awoken in the middle of the night sometimes too haha...by drunk people screaming nonsense. Realized this week that Scripture Power (the primary song) has a very similar tune to the lion king song, "Can you feel the love tonight." Random thought of the day. 

It's crazy how the mission truly humbles and empowers you. Its been one of the best weeks, as far as an out-pouring of miracles, but I am so exhausted!!!!

I am learning a ton about how to be patient. Im sorry my letters arent better and more in-detail. Dallas is getting his reassignment this week! Time has flown for sure,

Budubububuh, I'm lovin it here,

Sending a huuuuge squeeze! 

Sestra Czechers

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, She Has Become Her Mother, After All

I am becoming alot more like Mom on my mission lol. I HATE sitting down!!!!! I feel like I have to be doing something at every-moment. In the mornings we have our studies and they last until lunch-time and I know they are important and when I read my scriptures I love it, but then companion study when we talk about what we learned and begin planning...for an hour and then New Missionary Training...for another hour. I'm going stir-crazy. not going to lie. I stand up and do dishes as we talk or write down to-do lists. I think my companions get a bit annoyed sometimes, but I just see that there is so much to do! We have had a lot of miracles this week and I am so excited to tell you more about it in letter. I lovelovelove the Branch, I feel like I am accepted as a little twig in their branch family. :)

 

<3 S Laskou

Sestra Schoen

Brno time to e-mail!

A message specifically to Carley's blog readers: 

Oct. 14, 2013

Well howdy there and Ahoj!

I hear, or rather read, that there are many who are reading these words that type! Kind of hard to believe, considering I feel like I am in another world a bit, and my pre-mish (pre-mission) life, a distant memory sometimes, but hey, if so, I just want to take this opportunity to thank every stinkin' one of you. I feel amazingly blessed to have the people in my life that I do, to know such spiritually brilliant people who's glare I feel like I am not even worthy of.

I also want to, above all, address that no matter what little experiences, trials and set-backs may be included in my reports back to my family or whatever ends up on this blog...

• I am grateful to be here and I love the people here. 
• I know the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ
• I love my Savior and this church brings me closer to Him. 
• These truths of faith, repentance, hope, God's continued revelation on the earth today, the supreme need for our Savior and the importance of families and wholesome values is what I am preaching. 
• My testimony strengthens daily in new ways. 

Thank you for your support and prayers. I just wanted to give this highlight of my testimony, in the chance that anyone would think otherwise. :) In other very important news, I am going to a castle today. Ya, I can just say that. It's kind of a big deal. P-Day may also be Princess Day. haaa. I love this place and ya, thanks everyone for everything!!

Brno Time for a Break!

Wow a week has gone by already?? Craziness. So this week has been alot of learning for sure... It has been difficult because I am in my second transfer, yet I feel like I am the one training because I am showing my 2 companions all over the city and managing all the lessons because they have never met the people. It has been a lot of pressure not going to lie, but I love my sisters and I already see how they are going to help me to learn and grow in ways I truly need some help on. Like with organization, I am not a slob, but I hate the paperwork, and Sister Cooper is awesome at keeping up our records and keeping everything in order. Sister Steglich keeps us on-time, she is always ready to be on to the next thing at the appointed time which keeps us on track. So it is definitely exciting seeing how we will all magnify this time we have together to personally learn and to help those we teach to learn of Christ's gospel.

The apartment has shrunk haha and we are learning how to teach in unity with the three of us, but it all feels vaguely familiar from my MTC experience (where she also was in a trio with Sestra Huggard and Sestra Jackson) so in that respect I am not worried. But something that kind-of worried me this week was one of our investigators who Sister Woody and I had come to love, and I had thought had become good friends, along with her increased testimony of the gospel, just up and stopped responding to our texts/calls.

Not gonna lie, it has caused me alot of hurting and I feel like it is my fault and with  4 eyes to watch me as I struggle. That has been harder for me to handle. But the sisters have been so supportive and inspiring and I know that we will work miracles together. They help me to have faith and I am excited for the this time we have together. We are in charge of the Family History Class this week, in helping people here start to find their ancestors. Once that is off our plate, I will calm down a ton. But it is an exciting thing to learn about: that we can connect generations and learn more about our predescessors (that deeeefinitely is not spelled correctly). (I thought about fixing the spelling and deleting her parentheses section, but then I decided I like her flavor, lol, and I also could never have spelled predecessor without autocorrect)

Especially here in the Czech Republic, there is so much history and stories of bravery by the people wanting freedom. What a blessing it is to be freed from oppressive governments. I am so excited for this weekend because we have General Conference and have the opportunity to receive those inspired words to help us navigate our lives in the direction the Lord wants, from men called of God to do so. I have begun reading the Book of Mormon again, and an hour of personal study is never enough! I learn so much from the stories of Nephi and how faithful, diligent, and courageous he was. It inspires me to strive to be like him in proclaiming the truth but also acting righteously. Love this Gospel!

Life without the influence of the gospel of Jesus Christ is weird. I just want to scream at people (in the most loving of ways) "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING???" That stuff they try to fill in there to make up for truth is just stupid. This life is way more than partying or even just floating along. There are opportunities for growth through personal revelation and revelation given to us through Christ's church on the earth today.

I love the term "wisdom in the Lord," it is used repeatedly in the scriptures. And how true it is, that sometimes we act on faith or the Lord's ultimate wisdom and not our own. We need to be willing to submit ourselves to experiences that will enlighten our own understanding, like we trust the guidance of our parents, we trust in the divine guidance of our heavenly father.

I know this time for me is meant for me and for y'all to learn new things. It is difficult being away from you, I miss you constantly but greater than that, I am excited for the things we will learn and this time is really very short in the grand scheme of things. Did you know we will be together for eternity?? Ya. Totes grateful for that. We are gonna have soooo much fun as a family ^_^

 Sestra Schoen :)

Brno as you go!

Sestra Schoen has made it through her first transfer on her mission! Missions basically cover a certain geographical zone, and depending on where in the world you are serving, your 18 or 24-month mission is broken down into smaller chunks, called "transfers" which last somewhere around 6 weeks. If you get "transferred" you would change venues, move to a different apartment and begin serving a group of people in a different region of the country/city/state you were called to serve in. So, without further adieu, here's Carley's letter (and some pics, scroll to the bottom!)

---

SO! drumroll please........ I am staying in Brno for this next transfer! But wait, there's more! ....with the super Sister Steglich! But WAIT, there's more!...with the (whats a synonym of fantastic that starts with a C? my English is seriously suffering.) charismatic (that works) Sister Cooper! My lame alliteration aside, we are now a trio! My second thus far!

For some reason, people are really scared of trios, they are kinda infamous in missions... Elder Gilmore explained the worry well when he related companionships to math. Elders multiply the characteristics of each other's personality while sisters square each others. and when you have a trio it is like cubing it so all those things get enumerated even more. Hope that makes some sense. I find it a funny thought though I don't agree with it completely. I do agree that trio's are different, but its like learning to drive a standard versus an automatic, its more effort but there are a ton of pro's to it. (Not that I can drive a standard very well...but one can imagine).

I love these sisters bunches already. Crazy thing, I am the tallest. Sister Woody was a bit taller than me so I was used to it and now I feel like a giant. woo! haha. And I have to introduce and help them navigate around this city since they have never been or served here....no pressure! On the way to pick up Sister Cooper, Sestra Steglich and I may or may not have gotten confused on the direction that would have been optimal at our arriving to one of the bus-stations in a decent amount of time.anywho. I was right that it was under a certain bridge...but after that I proceeded to go straight, waiting to see the Tesco as my point of reference.

After 8 minutes of walking, I asked for help from two-civilians. I was doing great! The language is really coming along...except when I went to say "auto nadraží" I said "nazdráví" which is definitely what you say after someone sneezes, I don't know why that came out. But we got a good laugh. We retrieved Sister Cooper and all was well again in Brno. I am a bit exhausted from lugging their luggage all over the place back and forth x2. I love them both, much to come on our adventures we will no-doubt have.

I also got to go to Tesco with the Archibalds this morning when I didn't have a companion so Sis. Archibald was my Designated Companion. I loved it. Tesco is way different than Alberts or Billa, its like a Wal-mart. Not exactly of course but the best I've seen and somehow it was so soothing to walk around with them helping them get food for family home evening tonight with the YSA (young single adults) here. I will be so much more grateful for future grocery shopping excursions when I return home!!! It was its own tender mercy for me haha.

I have some wonderful news! So guess who came to church yesterday?? (Carley says a name here, but we'll just call this person Val)! ;) Prayers are always answered just not always when we expect. I am going to miss Sister Woody she taught me so much and I will cherish our memories and I am excited to share them in much more detail when I return! I think I am getting more of the hang of things here and I am beyond thrilled to be here in Brno again. I love these members and people. I am thankful everyday for this experience. I did indeed get the card this week! How thoughtful!! I gabbed on and on to all the missionaries about my "zumba ladies". I will work on responding to all these sweet emails in due time. I apologize for my lateness! I love you all! Thank you for your notes of wisdom, encouragement, and support. I am one blessed sister!!!

----

PICTURES!

Fall is here and the city is evolving into somehow an even more beautiful, picture-esque place

this is the food I made me-self!!! Sister Woody was brave enough to try it

Veveri castle

2 Missionaries in the Family

Carley didn't have much time to write about her week, (in fact, her e-mail to me said, "I love you but I don't have time to write you because I have to send e-mails to other people!") I'm so glad she had so much support from friends in family this week, and I'll gladly get put-off on account of her responding to others' e-mails any time.

But here was the e-mail chain between her and Dallas this week. And you should also check out www.thebroinbrazil.blogspot.com to see how Dallas' missionary farewell went.

Dallas' Letter to Carley: 


On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 7:06 AM, Dallas Schoen <dallas.schoen@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Sestra Schoen,

Soooo The time has finally come!! Today was the Farewell and open house! what a day! The Sacrament meeting was seriously soo awesome! it without a doubt rocked;) It really was funny because mine and brother Floyds talks were basically identical! Which is crazy considering how much material there is on obedience! He started his talk by saying how amazing the Spirit is because of the similarities in our messages. The spirit really wanted to get that message across haha! So I hope you don't mind but I quoted you in my talk by using your words of wisdom that you gave me when I asked you what you thought about my topic obedience brings blessings! and everybody loved it!;) apparently your phrase "Exact obedience brings miracles" was used for about half of the gospel doctrine lesson;) 

And Jack did a FANTASTIC job on his musical number. He sang "Oh that I Were an Angel." Just amazing! great meeting all around! and as for the farewell, it was also very nice! we had a bunch of people stop by and wish me off! haha it was kinda funny there was a Glenn Beck fireside tonight so a lot of people came at the end of my farewell which was very nice. It was good getting to see a bunch of people one last time. I didn't want anything from anybody, but I did get some cash, but mostly I just love reading peoples notes! It was hard saying bye to people like the Weavers but it'll be no time at all before I am back! 

I was humbled by how many people came to my farewell talk! Loved it! But all in all today was one heck of a day! it is forreal now! I get set apart on tuesday night by president Healey and leave at 10:05 on Wednesday morning! Haha and Brian is picking me up in Salt Lake!! its gonna be great! 

The time has come and we are going to be out at the same time finally!!!! It really will be soooo awesome to exchange stories! YOU BETTER WRITE ME!!!!! Regardless of how difficult our missions are we always have each other to lean on! I really do look forward to getting to write with you!! its going to be sooo awesome!! I love you so much and cant wait to hear back from you!!! Keep up the awesome work you are doing! We are going to grow so close over the next two years and I cant wait to see how our missions play out! You are a rockstar! You are by far the best example of a missionary to me! I have always looked up to you as a role model and you never cease to amaze me with your love and strength! Just know that I will always be your biggest fan because I like to think I know you the best;) (because of all the family games where we would have to guess what the other person would answer and we would always win!!!) You are sooooooo awesome and the people in Czech are going to catch on very soon and really start wanting to know more about the gospel, it'll just take some time;) LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!! Cant wait to write you for the first time when I am in the mission field;)

Your soon to be for real ELDER Brother;) 

Dallas

Carley's Response: 

My dear Fantastic Brother, You are in Texas now and I am 1000's of miles away in Czech Republic, but guess what? I am thinking and praying for you and just missing you like all get out! Golly, you know how proud I am of you?? Do you possibly realize how amazing a missionary you will be?? As a missionary I think you have a heightened love for people, or just a better grasp of people and the Lord's infinite love for them. It's amazing. I think that plus my love for my family makes me too keenly tuned into how much I miss y'all sometimes haha. But, I am grateful for every moment I have here and at the same time I don't want to ever be done!

You will grow so much in the MTC and in the field, be excited for the times when you are pushed. Because it always comes back around in blessings 100 fold. 

You have so much strength Dal, you are so dedicated and persistent with things you love. These are things I have had to learn more being out here, but you are already so adept to these things. You are beyond capable of performing miracles no matter where you are. I miss our inside jokes and teasing. We have a sports day here and sometimes bring out the basketball and shoot on the hoop behind the church, so I may be able to take you a bit more when we get back and you have been only playing soccer haha ;) I laugh when people see my pics and they're like "yall don't look that alike" and I am like, maybe not in appearance, but I know we get each other and our spirits look alike, I bet we were twins in heaven You just let me have a head-start. ;)

I love you!!!

Carley

Weekly Czech In 9/16/13

Here's this week's e-mail from Sestra Carley Schoen.

Transfers are coming up next week...expect me to be sending a big letter of my experiences from this transfer. Sorry it is soo hard to capture the week in an email, I have no clue how to do it! Gah!

I love y'all and miss you so much. The work is hard, the language is hard, the people are hard... but hey, the gospel's true!! haha. We only get mail when we see people from Prague. I will be seeing them this weekend for District Conference. That should be fun. I love the people here and I am really growing a ton. That rhymed ha.

 

I hope everything goes well with Jenn's shower. Send my excitement and best wishes to her please :)

I can't believe Dallas is going in so soon...wow. 

 

Random thought: Talking to Courtney about Iron Man 3 and laughing about Tony Stark walking down the stairs all stiffly in that one scene and Courtney just nailed it on the head by comparing his walking in an armored suit to walking down stairs with ski boots on. haha. Saw an Iron Man poster and thought of that first, I cant remember anything else from that movie, I couldn't explain the story-line to my companion at all, that was all I could really remember. 

 

I have been having a harder time...Vladimir dropped us...won't respond to any calls or texts...we don't get it. Its really hard. But we have others we meet with. Felina is reading the Book of Mormon, but she is in Italy for another week and we cant get a hold of her at the moment. You really learn perseverance here. I am learning a ton, some are harder lessons. I am also sad that the transfer is almost over..I have loveeed Sister Woody, I am so worried about where I am going to be (I love Brno!!) and who I will be with...what if we don't get along?? blah. But I will trust that everything will be for my profit and learning. I finished the new testament this week, one of my favorite passages is in the last chapter of 1 Peter verses 6-10 if you could post that on my blog that would be great. I love you! I miss you! 

 

1 Peter 5:6-10

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

 

You are always in my prayers! <3

Sestra Schoen

Czeching In 9/9/2013

Here's the weekly update from our favorite sister missinoary:

I love reading y'alls letters!!! I just sit here laughing and all teary-eyed. I miss y'all so freaking much!! I talk about you all the time to my companion and she passes her love onto y'all too :) I really love Sister Woody (insert Courtney's note here: Carley is Sister Buzz and Sister Woodworth is Sister Woody) and it is going to be super difficult to part ways with her in a few weeks (what the heck??! already been like over a month out here...craycray.) She is so great and we still can laugh at the hard things. It has been such a huge blessing for me! It is all about having a resilient attitude here. How fast is your recovery time. How fast can you get back up and give it another go. And I have a testimony that if you keep punching away, something WILL happen. The Lord loves us so much He just won't let us lose. That is why we need to trust in Him. I have learned so freaking much about this.

I had such a pessimistic outlook before I came on a mission, and even though I'd say that that tendency may not be completely gone just yet, I have seen miracles when I desperately needed them :) I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior and I KNOW they love me and EVERYONE. Even the crazy people of the Czech Republic.

I am blessed everyday to have the knowledge I do and it is a blessing to share it with others.

I have great news.... We have our first baptismal date!!! :D Vladimir, he's from....drumroll....Russia!

Yes. I love the irony there.  (I think this is the irony she's talking about...)

Remember Vladimir from the movie "Anastasi"? Carley LOVED that film.

He is excited for November 9th to be baptized, please include him in your prayers. He speaks great English so we mix up English and Czech since there are a lot of similar words between Russian and Czech, go figure. And he loooves the Spirit and wants to feel it always.Juuuupppiii!!! (Yay in czech)

Mommy, I miss you!!! We went shopping for groceries this morning and....I bought salad stuff. Even though it is more expensive and takes more time, I just have to have things to remind me of you. Plus I should prolly eat better.  I just cant tell you enough how much I miss you and love you! Tell the Zumba ladies I say hello! And when I get back, Zumba's gonna "make me go crrrrazy" (like the crazy song Eliana does). I miss Zumba a heckalot.

I am so proud of Cassidy!!!! Atta girl!!!!! wow :) (Cassidy is striving for all A's this school year, and to be on time daily for seminary) Don't tell her if she is indeed trying to follow in my footsteps that I was not so punctual for seminary haha...but she is so amazing!! I have now gotten in the habit because of Sister Woody being 10 minutes early always to everything. Dad's jaw would be on the floor for that one. 

I am loving it here, it's beautiful and rich in history and culture. I feel like I can tell the growth in Dallas (our brother, not the city) through  y'alls emails. I miss him a lot. I have adopted these elders as brothers for now but they can't even measure up to him at all (literally too, they're a bit short haha). I know he is going to be an amazing missionary. I am glad he is taking the opportunity to be home, wish I had done that more even!

I miss dad a bunch too, it's hard not having y'alls guidance so easily accessible.I can't spell anymore, I have forgotten sooo much!! gah. But the language is coming, slowly but surely. I am kinda hard on myself but it propels me forward. I just feel like my brain is absolutely fried by the end of the day.If I can get this language, I think I could study pretty much anything and be confident that I could do it. Just a side-note. It's definitely hard though. But the people here know it too, they have a hard time with it too lol. 

Courtney's note: Then she closed with a single-item Christmas wish list: a mini Preach My Gospel book. Wow. What an incredible girl. She's separated from all the things that she used to have at an arm's reach (certain brands and varieties of food, accessories and clothing, hair and body products) and instead of asking for any of it to be mailed to her, she wants a spiritual manual???!!! She is so mature and such a good example of Christlike service.

Another Week in Brno

Here's the update from Sestra Schoen...

At a castle in Brno

Leopold is busy with school (he's a head-master) but we hope to meet with him this week again. Its been tough, we had several new investigators drop us. It is hard not to take it personally, they love us, they just don't want to commit to anything... That's a very common thing here.

The idea of God doesn't give them hope, but fear that they would be held accountable to something higher, there are definitely exceptions to this (and we're trying to find them) but many of them fall into this way of thinking.They show interest as to how the machine works but don't want to actually plug it into their outlet. 

I am sorry if I can't necessarily fill my e-mails with success stories and numerical stats about those who are converting to Christ... But I am still trying my gosh-darn hardest.

Thank you for your support and encouragement, I am soooo proud to have this family. I miss y'all a TON. It's crazy. But I wouldn't be any other place than here; I even get surges of sheer excitement to be here and to be doing what I am doing. 

And I'm so glad Dal loved the temple so much :) 

Oh, and shout out to Cam! (Insert Courtney's note: on Cam's first day on his mission to Detroit Michigan, he looked out the car window and witnessed a man walking down a sidewalk, pants unzipped, just peeing as he walked) I saw a man pooping the other day, so I can now officially relate to Cam, and...I wish I didn't...my condolences lol.

Love you!

Brno-it All :)

Hey y'all!

So this week has been great of course! We contacted several people who we are meeting with this week that I am excited about. Thank you all for your encouragement, I miss y'all so much! Thank you for keeping me filled in with the goings-on there, I just sit here with a smile when reading all your emails.
 

Mom, don't think I would be so stupid as to not write you because of a comment about those glasses lol. I'm sorta used to used to it;) jk.(Insert Courtney's note: Mom basically told Carley in her last letter that she didn't approve of the "hipster" glasses Carley's been adorning in some of her pics) I don't wear them all the time just occasionally to change it up, if it makes you feel better, and I never wear them when we're contacting people and if I do wear them I wear lipstick...but moving on! haha. I love you all so much!!

Meet Leopold! He is taking the lessons with us and bought us ice-cream (zmrzlina) this week. He is the classiest, coolest 87 year-old ever and so sharp!

CASSIDY!!!! Holy moly girl, way to go!!! JV Tennis team :) I am so proud of you, you have the right enthusiasm and spunk for tennis I think. Keep up the awesome work! And wow, weird you will be going to seminary. whhhhatt??! (said like the little yellow men on despicable me) You will love it, it'll help you be a morning person for sure haha. Here's some scriptures I wanted to share with you, John 15:9-17.

Carley's apartment (exterior)

and this is the living room area. I should have gotten a pic of all the windows along the left side wall. skoda (means like darn)

this is our apartment the kitchen side

Dallas, another ticket...ouch (Insert Courtney's note here: Dallas got pulled over by a motorcycle cop for speeding a "titch" over the limit, cough, cough, then the officer proceeded to cite him for not wearing contacts--even though Dallas tried to explain that he got Lasik just last month). But yes, these humbling experiences happen before the mission. Believe me... I know. :P Just learn what you can from it and be sooooo grateful for Mom and Dad being there to help and figure everything out for us basically (y'all rock!!! <3). Just keep listening to Mom and Dad. They are always right. (Ya... I did just say that.) 

 

this is me with my teacher Sister Byla (white in czech)

 

I think back to pre-mission and see everything so differently and am embarrassed with all my stupid moments (sorry!!). I am so excited for you! The temple is the best place ever!! Just one month to go!! It is the final countdown!!
 

Court and Cam, yay for Lady!!! I am so excited for y'all and she is the luckiest pup ever, I'm sure she has an over-abundance of personality which will fit perfectly into the family :) I love y'all and your examples, I know I sound like a broken record saying that but REALLY. Y'all are amazing!

Building in Prague

Mommy, how I miss you!! I think about you all the time, in fact maybe too much? haha My comp is prolly annoyed with how often I refer to how you would react in any situation lol. Just know I think about you all constantly and any time I can I talk about you to ward members, investigators, random people on the street, etc., I jump on it. :) I love my companion, she is a lot like me in how we work. We laugh allllll the time. She likes to make me feel good by laughing at my jokes. I love feeling back in my element of making people laugh. It makes me feel more like myself, it really lightens the mood of the work which I desperately need.

Have you gotten a new calling? I'm sorry you were released from Young Women's, the girls will miss you soooo much (I think I know the feeling).

In Brno namesti (town center) cool stuff right?

Me in Prague last week, I look exhausted.

Dadio, Tata (must be a czech word, I think it means Daddy????)! You are so great, I love the letter you sent with all the funny pics, they crack me up lol. I did speak a little french je pe parle francais un peu (phonetically) just je m'appelle Seur Schoen, elle s'appelle... commo talle vous? simple stuff. But it opened her ears more I think. Sad thing, her husband won't let her take the lessons, he is Muslim. But maybe one day... Thanks for the music too! I finally can now listen to the iPod and the CD that Court sent me in the MTC. We jam out every morning! :) Y'all are seriously the bestest family ever! 

We have been meeting with a less-active for a while and he has just been giving us fits. Just being silly and justifying his silly thinking. I want to shake him and knock some sense into him. We feel like parents with a belligerent (sp?) teenager. So I sympathize maybe slightly more with Mom and Dad now. Kinda hard to explain, you just feel responsible for their spiritual well-being and it is frustrating and daunting. Mehh.

Today we are going to my first castle so next week I will have those pics. 

I love this work, I know the gospel is true and it can bless every single person. Pray hard, Work hard! <3

Brnotes from this week

Wow!

(She was a day late on her e-mail, we didn't know why we didn't get an e-mail on Aug. 19, but we were worried about her all day, then we heard from her on the 20th morning)

SO. This week has already started off crazy. Yesterday we went to Praha for our Pday so that my companion could do her visa stuff...we had to wake up at 2am in order to make our 4:30am train so we could get to Prague...bleh! Some VERY interesting people out at that time of night/day. I swear we sat next to a mercenary or assassin on the train. Never want to do that again. But I do feel safe Mom, so don't worry! We spent the majority of the day there but at least I got some more pics as we were walking around...not exactly how I would have liked to spend the day but whatevs, do what you gotta do.

I love my companion Sister Woody (I'm Sister Buzz haha). We have had a hard week this week, not going to lie. People not showing up to appointments or church, but this week will be better! Fingers and arms crossed! We had an awesome experience contacting though, we had been just getting immediately shrugged off by people, well we saw a lady on a bench and felt we should talk to her, so we approached and she said "Nerozumim" which is semi common for people to say even if they do understand but just want to make you feel stupid, hearing your accent. Anywho, so we almost kinda deflated a little hearing this but then she said, I don't speak Czech. Woohoo! Neither do we really! ha. She was from Algeria and spoke french and some

English. Well let me just dig back into my mental-file of french from high-school and conjure up a sentence...I fumbled through some stuff (a miracle in itself, I guess gift of tongues doesn't always apply to your specific language). Then we talked to her for a good while in English and taught her a lot, closed with a prayer and are scheduled to meet with her and her husband tonight with Pavla from the ward, who converted a year ago and speaks fluent french. So praying that goes well!

I really love the ward here, they are so sweet and some have given up so much to be members and are really true pioneers of the faith here. I just love them. We have made a lot of great contacts and have more lessons scheduled for this week. I did a solo-contact during our singing-display in the namesti (we sing hymns in the town square while half of the district contacts). I felt like I just needed to ask how she was doing and she said "terribly" which is uncommon for people to announce, even in America, if someone asks how you are you just usually respond with something positive, especially to a stranger, and move on. And people in the Czech Republic are not used to and distrust, people asking them random questions (makes our job fun haha). We began talking and I was just helped so much with the spirit, like never before, truly divine help right then. I was able to understand and speak with her about the purpose of our Savior and His atonement. She gave her number and we hope to meet with her soon, she is sooo sweet.

We have been helping the new Senior couple in Brno, the Archibalds from Idaho, get adjusted and navigate around the city. Helping them out as much as we can, but they'll get the hang of things quickly I think. They're an awesome couple and the ward and missionaries already love them. I really respect the senior couples here, they add so much depth to the missionary-work with their life-experiences. The Martins were awesome and very involved in the ward and will be missed for sure. They did indeed have pics of me in glasses. Cat's out of the bag, I got glasses!

Sestra Woodworth and Sestra Schoen (they both got glasses that look like Sister W's). My parents were e-mailed a picture where Carley was wearing a similar pair of glasses, so they, of course, were first worried she had been to an eye doctor and needed prescription glasses, so they asked her about it. She responded with the information below. Haha.

I have always wanted them (they make people look smarter I think...) and my companion had to get some (she had really bad vision) and while we were there I may have caved...my first and last expenditure for a long time I promise, in the Czech Republic. I know it's silly and I know mom, you don't approve. I feel like I am maturing a lot in many ways...but ya, I'm still the same ol' random Carley who has an eclectic, strange taste. Yay?! I really like them, and now everyone in our district has glasses! (we're visionary missionaries).

I miss y'all! Have fun in California and I will pray you will get on the show/have a super amazing time!! :) Oh and funny thing. Last night we were coming back from the church building and got off the tram and it is POURING down rain. So we sprint back to our apartment, completely drenched and sopping but we laughed the entire way and it is one of the highlights to my day actually. lol  Thank you for your support! The prayers help fuel me, so keep 'em coming! These weeks have flown by and I know I need to make the most of every day.

She found her favorite car ever in the Czech Republic.

I'm Brno'in Up!

Yuu! (Czech way to say yay) Another week gone by! Just had to email President McConkie a long letter about this week, so I don't have too much time, but I will try to give a good run-down of the week. We had training here in Brno, so all my District buddies came here and I got to see them again.

We actually had Sister Jackson and her companion Sister Terry spend the night at our apartment. When she got off the bus we seriously ran at each other and embraced. It was epic, and movie-worthy. It was so wonderful to see everyone again, it felt like it had been forever, yet somehow no time at all. We had all grown a lot in the week and had our eyes really opened to the true missionary-life. Everyone had gotten a good heaping of humble-pie, lol. I know I have!

Speaking of food, I had the interesting experience of having my first meal at a member's house... Sister K, she is rather...mature, and when we had spoken to her on the phone she had agreed to dinner on Thursday. To make a long story short, her hearing aid had stopped working, so she thought we were coming another day, and when we arrived, she was not quite expecting us. We tried to leave, she couldn't hear us really and began making food. Kindest lady ever... she got out bread, butter, and salami (I think) and put, I kid you not, butter about an inch thick all the way down the bread stick, then topped it with the meat. She gave each of us three (3) six inch pieces. It's not like it was particularly strange ingredients, the amount of butter that I consumed though was... a lot. But we did it! The sense of pride only slightly overwhelmed the urge to hurl. She was so kind to do that for us.

I imagine this was the meal Carley ate

I looooove the ward here! All the people here, I have met so many kind people! There are some rotten tomatoes too here and again, but I have never had a problem with having a tough-skin so no bigs. Their loss. I love it here. Learning so much! Next week I'll give a better account, promise. I love Sister Woodworth, we are so excited (and exhausted!) but it really is a happilly hectic time that I wouldn't trade for anything. Thank you all for your support! I really appreciate it! Love you all! <3

I don't get dearelders but like once a month, so I much prefer emails! 

I love you family and am thinking about you always!

Before I forget, please make sure the bank knows that I am in Czech just in case. I don't want any problems with randomly withdrawing from here and it cancelling my account. Love you all dearly!

Czeching into Brno

She made it! Here's Carley's first letter from the Czech Republic!

Nazdar!!

So its official now! I'm here in the grand ol' Czech Republic and it is just like home....NOT! haha.

 

When we first got here, President Mckonkie and his lovely, amazing wife Sister McConkie picked us up, but....wait for it...the airline lost my luggage. Not even pulling your leg right now. So I arrived bleary-eyed due to the lack of sleep over the course of the forever long plane-rides and now my luggage--come to find out--is still in UTAH, lol. Luckily I had brought essentials with me in my carry-on just in case. That in itself was a miracle! 

We went on a walk through Prague taking in the wonderful sights, sounds, smells, rain...(it began to rain on us as we walked) then we went to dinner where I got some orange colored Czech food, that I can't pronounce but that was really filling! We got set up in a room really close the mission office at some guy named Alexander's. The room was a quaint little European apartment that had some interesting artwork and decorations. 

The next morning we went to do paperwork for our visas. Everything was like bam, bam, bam!! Then we came back to the Mission office and were told where we were going to be for the next 9 weeks and with whom....and I am in BRNO!!! We all made guesses before coming and I just had a feeling it would be Brno. And it was!

And I am so blessed to be companions with Sister Woodworth, she is the BEST! I honestly think we haven't stopped smiling the entire time I have been here (a whopping 5 days but whatevs). We both are so excited about the work and ready to work hard every day. So after we met we had lunch and waited for them to bring my luggage, they did several hours later which is awesome that it was that quick! We started off in a mad dash to make it to our bus, only...to get there we would have to take some trams. 

Sister WW hasn't been in Prague yet for a transfer and didn't know the trams too well so we got a bit turned around, but we corrected ourselves and hauled it to the bus going to Brno juuuust in time. I was sprinting with my carry-on and one of my suitcases with me, quite the workout. By the time we got there I was drenched in sweat. we got on, sat in the back and began the 3ish hour drive to Brno in Eastern Czech. We had made it about 15 minutes out when after bumping the fellow next to me, he responds in English. "Whoa!" So of course we began to chat, he plays baseball here but is from Brisbon, Australia. (Baseball isn't a popular sport in either country come to find out) and we told him why we were here. Then we had a 3 hour long lesson lol.

He was intrigued, prolly more for conversation's sake, always adding "hypothetically" onto the ends of his statements. ooookay. It was a great discussion though, and Sister Woodworth and I had the opportunity to teach together right off the bat (haaha get it?) We transitioned really well in and out of each others comments. So fun!

I love our apartment! Its so cute, but fun fact, the Czechs don't believe in air conditioning. And it is actually rather hot here. Like reaaallly. Like for me, a Texan. Its very humid and sunny. But I love it!! It is a gorgeous place. We keep our windows open all the time, everyone does here. Thank goodness it is so safe! (No worries though mom, we are still always super careful, but it is). 

We taught 2 Lessons, (insert Courtney's note here: names have been changed) Jill and Armen. Both are actually recent converts, Jill is 18 and is super sweet! Armen...is difficult. He is from Portugal actually and we speak English with him. He is having a rough time right now and we are trying to help him.

Yesterday I went to the ward here. I love all of them!! They are so dear and sweet, their testimonies are so strong! Oh! and Starsi (Elder) Scherf is actually in Brno too! I think we are one of the only ones to have a fellow MTC Districtee in their new district. He got up to bare his testimony which instilled the courage in me so we both bore our testimonies in Czech! I had members telling me they were impressed by my Czech, shows just how nice they are! The ward has about 100 members I think? Numbers aren't really my thing.

a little girl at church gave Sestra Schoen this origami bird that had written inside, "Believe and miracles will happen."

There are alot of young single adults (YSAs) too, they just got back from a huge YSA conference in Slovakia. From what I heard about it from the Martins (The senior couple from Arizona serving here in Brno but are finishing soon--insert Courtney's note: missionaries can be young men/women, or they can be older couples who have finished raising their families and desire to serve a mission together, leaving behind their homes, careers, etc.) it was an awesome spiritual experience being there.

I love everything here! We have had some interesting experiences talking to people, I just usually smile and nod the whole time haha, then they turn and say "Does she even know what I am saying?" One lady kept touching my face, in a grandmotherly, non-patronizing way. They do that here. Like, they are, as a whole, super nice, so if they don't want to talk to you they will stroke the side of your arm and say " Ne zlop'te se" That is phonetically, It means "don't be angry," lol. We take the buses and trams everywhere here and walk a bunch. Have I mentioned how much I love it? Its awesome! I will send as many pics as I can! 

"Beautiful building, not so beautiful shot of my face'

Alley in Brno

What a view

"Petting the dog on a bridge for good luck, it's a tradition here."

View from the plane ride window

You don't see architecture like this in Texas!

Carley was reminded of all the ceilings sh had faux finished with my mom, so she had to include this picture.