Česká republika - Week 10 Plzeň (some names changed for privacy)

So, I just wanted to start off by saying THANK YOU to everyone who sent out birthday wishes this week! It was wonderful! Sorry I don't have that much time on Monday's to write back more personal thank you notes... 

This week was pretty cool, we unfortunately weren't able to meet with any of our investigators but we're getting fun looking sun tans on our feet from our shoes and we're getting our summer burns on! Whoohoo hahaha.... (I'm going to need to buy some aloe...). 

Anyway, on Wednesday we went and taught one of our less actives, Sestra ávoiatpil, who has a devil dog, but is a nice and sweet lady. :) We went over there to do some service again for her. But the day was too nice for that and too nice to stay inside. 

She decided for us, so we talked about Jesus instead and we read 3rd Nephi 11:11 with her : "And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning." And it was just really cool because Jesus Christ is wonderful and teaching about Him just brings the spirit which is such an awesome feeling when you're with people who don't get to talk about Him very often.

Then on Saturday we went on a vylet (a day trip) around the center of Plzeň and saw a couple of cathedrals, saw a mini replica of the center of town, and we did this with a few of the members and it was fun other than the fact that the sun was making us all exhausted hahaha.

 

On Sunday I had my birthday!!! I left the teen years behind! So crazy!! We had church and I made pizza for lunch, and then we had halušký (a cabbage, noodle, pork type dish),which  is an amazing dish I will make one day for dinner for the family (it is our Sunday night dinner tradition here).

Anyway, my companion got me a rose bush, the elders got me a chocolate bar and sunscreen hahaha, and we celebrated Monday (today), altogether with lemon bars that had 20 candles in it! 

 

Today, we also went and played some basketball, had birthday lemon bars, then played sand volleyball and got sunburnt a little. Then we ate at the Mexican restaurant in town.   I had a Mexican, Jarritos lime soda there!!! 

Love you all! I wish I had more time but here's some pictures!

Česká republika - Week 9 Plzeň (some names changed for privacy)

Me and my new comp, Sestra Taylor!

Sooo, last Monday my new companion Sestra Taylor came in along with two elders, Starší Swink and Vickers. In other words the Plzeň district got chopped in half and new missionaries came in to fill in the holes.

Unfortunately, this week we lost one of our investigators... Rtep, the one whom we thought we had potential visiting with. But for this next week we have a meeting set-up with one of our investigators, Adgam, whom the Slovany (our area) sisters haven't been able to set up with in transfers! So exciting! She recently moved out of her old apartment and we're excited to start teaching her again because she loves the church and comes all of the time.

A church in Plzen

Memorial in Plzen:  United States of America: For those who fought and died for freedom of Czechoslovakia 1939-1945

On Friday, our newbies to Plzeň who aren't mission newbies went to Sestra Jurasková's house for the first time with the rest of us! We had some kind of tomato sauce and huge meatballs with our savoury knedliký. Those of us with experience in Plzeň ate nine knedliký, so that the others would only have to eat six. My companion was dying after three but struggled through!

On Saturday, we did service with Starší Vickers and Anderson at a less-active family's house and it was interesting to say the least... we dug up a lot of plants that were overgrowing her tulips. We also picked some flowers that when made into a tea, it's supposed to be super healthy for you. It took us a whole three hours (at least) to do the work. When we were done, one of the 12-year old twins comes up to Starší Anderson and was hanging out with him a bit too much for his comfort. She was holding onto his arms and poking his chest because his last name was on his shirt and she needed his help to balance while sitting on her bike hahahahahaha It was hilarious! His companion and we sestry were in the car watching this just laughing.

Saturday night, we had sports night in the park. Every week,  we also clean the church building. The elders were just exhausted,  so they were getting back fixes from Starsi Swink & Raines ha ha!

Jana, Anicka, Starsi Raines, Starsi Swink at church clean-up

Today for our P-Day we went to the local beer brewery, the Pilsner-Urquell one. It is what this town is know for. We ate at the brewery restaurant and had some gulaš (goulash) as is the tradition for missionaries on their first p-day in Plzeň. 

Starsi Vickers, Starsi Raines, and Starsi Swink eating goulash at the brewery 

Then we took the tour of the brewery which was a little boring for somebody who so obviously doesn't drink beer but at the same time it was cool and interesting to look at and learn about. The acoustics were good in the cellar where the beer was kept, so the Elders decided to sing some songs!  so there's that!

Starsi Anderson, Starsi Swink, Starsi Vickers, Starsi Raines

...

Love, Sestra Sadler

More pictures from the brewery:

Week 8 Plzeň: Transfer 2 Has Begun! Happy Mother's Day! (some names changed)

On Tuesday, we celebrated Starší Pickett's Birthday! His mom sent him a lemon cake mix and Sestra Andersen made it since the oven in his apartment is a little sketchy and won't cook properly I'm pretty sure...

And, On Thursday, we taught our investigator named Rtep about families, it was actually super cool! We had planned on talking to him about Family: A Proclamation to the World (https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng&old=true) and then when he waltzed into our lesson he started talking about families and our view on it before we even brought it up! The Spirit truly did help us out on that one. It's so cool, the little miracles I've already begun to see on this mission. Missionary work truly is the best kind of work! 

Starsi Raines, Starsi Brockbank, Starsi Anderson, Starsi Pickett
Jitka, Sestra Sadler, Sestra Andersen, Gaby

So, I'm sorry this week's entry is a little short but it's been a little crazy today and I honestly can't remember all that much... Today was the first day in this 2nd transfer!!! Sestra Andersen left and is going to be home at the end of this week.  I will miss her very much.  I did get my new companion, Sestra Taylor!!! (Who's from the best state ever, Texas!!!!!)...Frisco for those who want to know!

And then Sunday, I got to Skype with my family for Mother's Day!!!!!!! It was so awesome, my family is the best...! We got to chat about how I'm doing, what the Czech Republic is like, and I got to teach Anaka and whoever else was listening some Czech words! All in all, I loved it!