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!)

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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!!!

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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