June 27, 2016 -- "I know it works."

There have been many valuable things I have been learning in the service of the Lord. The one that stands out to me the most is probably "change." I have never been a perfect person as anyone that knows me knows. But I am for sure of one thing, that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, literally anyone that with be humble like unto a child can have the help of a divine being to be changed. Each person that has lived on earth is a Son or Daughter of our Father in Heaven which mean we have the potential to become like He is. We are heirs to his kingdom. In Romans 8 it explains that we are now in a carnal state, subject to the law of sin and death, unless we receive the Spirit of adoption by whereby we call out to our Heavenly Father. Each one of our spirits awaits the manifestations of God, or the adoption, or the change. 

There have been multiple times where I have wanted to change myself, when I have realized I wasn't perfect. I think the big difference before mission when I wanted to change is I wasn't being humble. I wasn't asking if a divine being, my Heavenly Father--creator of the planets and of myself--to help me. I was trying to rely on my own capabilities as a mortal human being. It's like I am on the biggest climb (I really like to rock climb) of my lifetime. There are things I never thought I could overcome.  But slowly and surely I have overcome some (note: only "some") of my shortcomings. They are seriously gone.   Like some times I still wonder where they went? But now I am like 10 pitches up and might as well keep going.

I have learned for myself that Heavenly Father's plan is perfect and can literally help you move the seas and mountains in my life. It works for others and I am a witness of that. During my first transfer in the mission field of Elma, Washington, I was able to work with the one of the nicest boys ever, though I don't know if people would have explained him that way before.  If there was a list of sins, he may have done all of them. But he became humble. He did what we asked. He prayed, read scriptures, came to church, and he was baptized. And when he got out of the water, he was 100 percent clean, head to toe. He had changed his heart. He had experienced the process of adoption. 
Being here is working with a different kind and range of people. There is our investigator F__, who has been slowly progressing, from literally only be willing to meet with us and come to church, who said he would probably need years to ever be able to pray. F___ said his first prayer of his whole life on Monday. I was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. We walked away like Alma and his brethren in Alma 26, and he walked away smiling, as well, which is a pretty big deal for a Czech. He was experiencing the process of the adoption.

Yesterday during a long contacting block, we ran into this man named Z_____. He had a backpack on and seemed pretty down for anything--almost like his life didn't matter. We sat down, introduced the Book of Mormon, and through the process of showing the pictures in the front,  we really felt inspirited to talk about when the Nephites were baptized. We explained together about the convents of baptism--when we are baptized we can become 100 percent clean thanks to the Atonement of Christ. He said that sounds wonderful and said he would do anything for that at this point. We committed him to baptism for August 13 and have plans to meet with him this week. He was experiencing the "adoption process."

I know it works. We don't have to die being someone or something we don't want to be. When we decide to be humble, Heavenly Father puts the world at our feet, and through the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we can be changed. 

-- 

Save the Trees and Pray Always

Sestra Baxter

Raining Buckets.  Celebrating our investigator's first prayer.

Good companions brush your hair.

When people ask you to pick their flowers for service, and then have you take them home. 

June 20, 2016 - "The spirit of Elijah is so real."

So last week I didn't totally get the chance to write about this.   On Sunday, last week, we came back to where we "seeded" some houses. Sestra Cyier and I were praying that we would have success among such a rich crowd called Stare

Mesto. We talked to about 9 people but called on more houses than that. But the most surprising one was when we trackted into a young fellow about 18 named F____.  He walked out speaking perfect English: "So you wanted to talk about your Church or something?" We walked with him to a park and got his background on religion and things. He thinks very logically about everything but is pretty open about things we have to tell him, and he has a lot of amazing questions. We were deciding when to set up again, but then we saw that tomorrow we were going to Cesky Raj with the Elders and their investigator J__. It was so fun, and I thought, really good, for him to see that we were normal people. We have met with him on a couple other occasions this week including when he came to Game Night. He also came to church to all 3 hours! The problem is, I am not sure how much he is praying about the things we are telling him because he says he doesn't have faith in God yet. So it is hard trying to pray in something you don't believe. But we for sure know he has a desire! I think everything will have to come down to him praying to really find out if the things that we are teaching are true. And the only way you can know that is through prayer and study. And I KNOW God will answer his prayer because he has answered mine! Also, he will be coming to J__'s baptism on Saturday. Pretty sure so that will be awesome

A___ is progressing on his own. He comes to Bible Study and Church like every week. Last week in Bible Study we talked about tithing. He told us "Well, I don't have all the money with me now but I can bring it on Sunday." We were like A___, really only members need to pay tithing but that is great and we won't deny you the blessings of paying. We continued on with our Bible study and before he left he grabbed a tithing slip on his own and started filling it out! How cool is that? 

The spirit of Elijah is so real. We were English contacting. I, in particular, sometimes really like to contact the people who don't speak English or Czech-- which consists of quite a lot of Germans and every Asian I can spot. This can call for some awkward contacts and just writing down our website. So I spotted out these to Germans and starting contacting them in Czech.  It didn't work so I tried English. They spoke wonderful English. We started talking, and they also recognized the name Mormon. The lady expressed the biggest gratitude. The Church had put in the records for her ancestors and said that she was visiting where some of her Czech ancestors were buried. I asked them both if they knew why we did family history. They said they had heard some interesting things but wanted to hear it in person. I felt the spirit strongly as I was able to expound that we believe Heavenly Father wants all of his children to return to his presence not only the ones that have lived in the last couple centuries but on and on. I expounded on the doctrine that families were forever. I knew at least the women and I were feeling the spirit so much as we were both in tears on the namesti. She explained to me that she feels an influence on the other side wanting her to to do this work. I was a little frustrated because I could only tell her the website and pray that she will contact the German missionaries. But that was definitely one of the most spiritual experiences on my mission.  

I am starting to get depressed realizing I am more than half way done with my mission and realizing that most of the people I will be in contact at home won't speak Czech. So if any one would like to be so kind and start learning Czech, you have around 10ish month if I can't get it extended. But also I love you pals and am so thankful for your support😊

Sestra Baxter

Taaannn

KEBABSSS so happy

June 13, 2016 -- "We had a super week in Liberec."

We had a super week in Liberec. We got out to visit 3 less-actives. The first one being Sestra O______. She has been making a lot of progress on her own. I

think the only concern she has is just traveling to church on Sunday because she lives in Jablonec and maybe feels a little bad because she doesn't come regularly. She has a very strong testimony and knows the church is true. Another of the less-actives we visted with is P_____.  She is another member that has quite a long trip to the church as well. She also has a very strong testimony of the principles of the Gospel. Last up but not least is Z_____. She has two very sweet children, and it is hard getting them back and forth to church but yet also see that blessing of the Gospel. I am starting to be convinced that it is just small little things that keep them from coming--not necessarily their testimonies. They know the Gospel is true.  It's just working through minor problems and helping them get there.

We have been meeting with R___ a couple times a week. His testimony is growing and growing as he is experimenting on the word. R_____has a hard time sleeping at night.   We suggested reading and praying before he goes to sleep.  The next day he said, "I slept well last night." He is also relating stories we tell from personal experiences and stories in the scriptures to himself.  That is amazing to see that happen, also. We went through the Baptismal interview questions with him. He said he struggled with the Law of Tithing. I think by sharing personal experiences he was able to really overcome that. The next time we met with him, he said he didn't really have a problem with tithing or any of the other questions. We hammered coming to church in the next couple weeks because in two weeks he will be getting baptized and church is essential part of the covenant. He said he would come, but on Sunday we did not we see him. So we will have to discuss maybe moving it back or just doing some more praying about a date.

Though it was sooo sad not to see R_____ at church we did have some amazing surprises. A___ who has came to bible study has came to church 3 weeks in a row, and he even stayed for all three house and for the food we had after church and to talk to the members!  On Saturday we were able to serve E____ and O______ our sweet couple that we have been meeting with. The family's house we usually go to for service were either gone or weren't awake or Heavenly Father just wanted us to go to E___'s and O___'s house. We were able

to pull weeds and and do other work around their big yard. On Saturday, we asked if they were coming to church they gave a very "No," maybe, "No" answer.  I was sitting on the front row with Sestra Miltka and Sestra Cyrier with A____when O___ walked in. I almost didn't recognize him because if any one of them was coming to church I thought for sure it would be E__ the Church going, Christ loving, very energetic E___, not the Classic Czech atheist--never had a relationship with God or Jesus--had a stoke last year so its really hard for him to get around--Olda. It was like a miracle of a lifetime. He really enjoyed it too! He even stayed for a bit of Sunday school. Wow. Prayers are soooo answered.

We had a ton of other miracles but I literally have no time... 

Save the Trees and Pray Always

Sestra Baxter

June 6, 2016 -- "This week has really been wonderful."

This week has really been wonderful. R___ a former investigator has been in touch with us again. He has sent texts like, "I read something on the church website. Can we discuss it?" or "I want to start reading in the Book of Mormon. "He has never been able to quite get rid of or let go of the missionaries. We had

to very spiritual lesson 1 with the Elders discussing and reading Alma's conversion story in Alma 36, and the other in Enos. With the help of applying scriptures to him Radovan has agreed on a baptismal date for the June 25! We are so excited for him! It is about time for him to be baptized because he has been studying the Gospel for years.   We feel that he knows it is true and of God or else he wouldn't have wanted to meet with us again. We will do all we can to help him reach that goal. He is ready. Funny story,  one of the times we were

having a lesson on a park bench with him, a 20-year-old looking boy came up and was asking for money. But to our surprise the money wasn't going to him he promised us, but two big rats he pulled out of the front and the back of his shirt.

While am on the funny stories--one night we got a text from our zone leaders to try to get 20 people's names and pray for all the names we received. We had already planned our day with lessons and visits and weren't planning to contact until pretty late at night around 6. When it was around 8 to into dinner, we only had 11 names so we decided to stay out until 9. But we realized maybe why we usually have dinner at 8, because maybe there are quite a few sketchy people on the streets at 8. But none the less we got 9 other names to pray for, even if that meant knocking on taxi drivers' windows... and we were home on time.

We have been going to this wonderful family every week for service. It has been a great way to serve people and to get to know a wonderful family. Last time we went, we decided to share a spiritual thought. We introduced the Book of Mormon and shared some scriptures. This gave them the chance to ask more question like, "Why are you here?" "What do Mormons believe?" and to share their beliefs. They are wonderful. I feel like they have some ways to go, but they are so loving and kind. We know the gospel will bless their lives. Their 15 year old son O___ came to sports and and befriended the Maskovi boys from the branch. He also walked to this one less-active's house who needed food, and at one time even referred to us as his other "Brothers and Sisters."

We have been working with a couple less-active and some of that I mean by telephone calling to see when they have time, if they are come to church, and so on. One being Sestra Očenášková we have still not been over to vist her yet but we call her for church and ask when she has time. She has came 2 weeks in a row even though she lives in Jablonec. After church on Sunday she looked at bus times to see when we can vist her on Thursday. Something I liked that Starsi Vennard said is ,Less active work is just like making friends,. I am very excited to become friends with her as we focus on the life of Jesus Christ. Another less active is Pavlina who lives in the wood of Liberec. She needed to get some food so she sent a list of things to buy and then we were able to serve her and she was able to pay us back in the end. The members here are just incredible and teach me so much about Christ like Love!

Thanks for all you do! 

-- 

Save the Trees and Pray Always

Sestra Baxter

P-Day!

June 3, 2016--Some video footage and photos

A former missionary companion of Sestra Cryier was in the Czech Republic this week and sent us some photos and short video clips of the two Sestras.  Photos and video links below: 

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3