Hey there family!!!
This has been a great week! Can't believe we are
starting the last week of this transfer. ayayay! This morning I got to
work-out and run on a treadmill and even do the elliptical for like a
second (it was broken though so I had to get off--it is now an
international pet-peeve). I know you would get my excitement with
getting a good sweat. Not many understand it. Anywho! Back to the real
work!
News on investigators... so we met with "N" again and she has
been reading in the Book of Mormon but still not in love with it and
feels like it is so different from the bible so that it seems strange to
her but continues to meet with us and loved the idea of family home
evening. We also met with someone new named "P", he is 21 and we had
contacted him one of our first weeks of the transfer in Opava (a city
outside of Ostrava where "N" lives) anywho, he had cancelled a few
lessons already with us but finally we set up with him. The first time
we contacted him we felt we had to talk to him and even though he was on
the phone we just waited it out then went up to talk to him as he was
getting in line for food. (You can't get away from us). We taught him
about God and how pray but he didn't have any more time to talk then a
month later we meet with him in the namesti (town square) and he tells us that his dad
had died:( We taught him the plan of salvation and invited him to be
baptized which he accepted:) he texted us later telling us how grateful
he was for meeting us. We know our Heavenly Father wanted us to find him
at this difficult time. Miracles!
We also had a guy who tried to just
bash us with anti info he had dug up from the internet. Woo! Silly head.
We met with a family in their home in Frydek-Mistek :) (that city
that we "just happen" to be moving to for the next transfer) We met the parents and 4 year old
daughter in Ostrava and talked to them for a couple of minutes but they
were in a rush for a bus. When we came to the city the wife picked us up
from the bus station and took us to their house. They are soooooo
amazing! They are only in Ostrava once a year for a check-up for their
daughter who was born prematurely (she weighed 2 lbs about) and this
was the last time they would need to go there! Miracles!
They also have
another son named "F" who is 10 and was so good in the lesson
answering questions. This is the first time a family has let me in to
their home to teach them. I have been praying to teach a whole family
this whole time and finally my dream has come true! We taught the
restoration and ended with a kneeling prayer as a family. They made us
dinner and wanted to take a picture with us. We are visiting them again
this week. We also have been teaching this other YSA named "V". He has
been reading in the Book of Mormon and for 3 years been trying to
"find" himself and God. He knows that God is our Heavenly Father and we
are His children and he loves prayer.
We are amazed with the
preparedness of these people we are teaching. We are sooooo blessed to
know them. They have progressed so much alone it is so exciting to
imagine how their knowledge can grow by accepting the restored gospel
of Jesus Christ! I am so excited to watch conference and hear the
messages from our living prophet and apostles. I am excited for our
investigators to hear these words and feel the truthfulness for
themselves.
I also have a funny story. Yesterday we were on the tram
coming to the church building when a tram-pass checker guy comes up to
us. This is normal and usually goes without a hitch but to my horror I
couldn't find my pass (this has neeeeever happened). There is a huge
fine if you don't have it with you. We were with a recent convert named "N" , I was going through my wallet and my bag over and over. but
nothing. He checked some other people and kept coming back then he
walked to the back. We came to the stop we were supposed to get off at,
we looked at him and quickly started to walk towards him but to our
surprise he just waved us away and we got off. "N" was baffled. She has
never seen a tram-checker let anyone off the hook. They don't do that
in this country. She was so happy for us and told us God really loved
us. I already knew that haa. So then we said a prayer of gratitude and "N" suggested we buy a ticket for the next 30 minutes of riding. We did
and got on the tram to our amazement the same tram-checker was there.
He could have popped me for it then but he took my ticket and in English said, "thank you, have a good day," and got off with someone who
didn't have one. We waved goodbye as we were leaving as if we were the
best of pals. Everyone we have told has been flabbergasted. It was a
great experience for sure and I am even more sure that miracles happen.
My tram pass was in the my other jacket pocket for some reason so I hope
to see him again and show him that.
I love being a missionary. I love
the people here and I am so grateful for the increased understanding of
our Heavenly Father's influence in our lives. The people need it here,
even if they don't know it. I think of it as like when someone turns on
the light and your eyes were adjusted to the dark and you wince from the
contrast, not that it is bad or hurts, its just different and sometimes
our first reaction is to turn away. So when people turn us away I don't
fault them for it. But there are those that have recognized the
darkness and are searching for more. Light is a beautiful thing. I love
my Heavenly Father, I love my Savior, and I know that Joseph Smith
restored the fulness of that light on the earth so that we might ALL
feel of that heavenly love. I love you all and I know that Heavenly
Father loves you!
s Laskou,
Sestra Schoen
