Česká republika - Week 2 Olomouc (some names changed for privacy)

Olomouc is filled with Moats... JK I just wanted it to rhyme ;)

So this past week was the first week of my first transfer in Olomouc! Olomouc, pronounced.... oh-low-mow-ts is great and has the cutest little branch ever. However, Olomouc, even though it's gorgeous here and has tons of touristy things to do... on the main náměstí (main squares) there's always tons of homeless people who choose to do so because the government is cool with that... I just think that's a little different.

Anyway, my companion Sestra Peterson is from Utah and she's pretty great! She's only a transfer ahead of me but she's so great about helping me with the language! 

This week we did lots of getting to know each other while contacting, and for a first in my mission - panelak-ing - not really sure how to spell that but it's basically going to apartment buildings and ringing each person's doorbell from outside the building and asking them if they want to talk about Jesus Christ or about His gospel. We made goals for our transfer as a district and as a companionship and this transfer is just going to be amazing!

This week we went to Prostějov for a day (one of the neighboring towns in our district that has a set of elders in it) and did a chalk display about the Plan of Salvation which was way cool! A lady that the Prostějov elders (Starší Cardon and Wutzke) contacted had some different ideas and tried drawing the kingdoms for us... she drew a moon with a face for the Terrestrial kingdom and a sun that looked like a sunflower wearing some kind of a hat - and it too had a face - for the Telestial kingdom, which was supposed to be represented by stars!... She was... interesting... my shoes rubbed against that a little so that the elders could draw some stars.

Starsi Cardon, Plewe & Wutzke

Starsi Plew & Wutzke

At the Mall: Starsi Wutzke, Cardon & Plewe

Also, I got to meet Aras this week, one of our way cool YSAs here... kind of the only one, because the others are gone for the summertime.

And last of all we taught a woman named Anaj this week, at a café... don't worry all I had was some lemonade... hahahahaha. She was interesting, she had interesting beliefs, but we don't think she's really into learning about the gospel... we think she might have just wanted to chat, so we made sure to tell her that we could unfortunately only keep meeting with her if she has a sincere desire to learn more about the gospel because that is why we are here in the Czech Republic. 

Anyway, one last thing to make y'all laugh... možna...

One day, Sestra Peterson got on her knees to pray to finish up her personal studies, however, Sestra Sadler did not know this, Sestra Sadler believed that her companion was just getting on her knees to begin comp. studies with a prayer. So, I start praying... and Sestra Peterson looks up, confused, is it her own voice, is it mine and sees me praying and just awkwardly listens wondering all the while what to do, will it embarass Sestra Sadler if she's told about the situation... Oh well she tells her at the end of the prayer and they just laugh and then finally Sestra Peterson finishes the prayer she had to put on hold. The end. 

I love you all! I hope you've had an amazing week and will have another!

Čau!!!

Česká republika - Week 1 Olomouc (some names changed for privacy)

So sorry I didn't write last week... Anyway, so much has happened! Two weeks ago we started things off with a little fourth of July party which was pretty weird - seeing how I'm literally not in America... - but it was fun. We ate apple pie, Czech guláš, watermelon, and talked, sang songs, the elders played the ukelele and guitar, we had an interesting time...

Then on that weekend, Sestra Taylor and I both got sick... it was probably just a 24hour bug because it left decently quickly, either that or the Lord is just helping us because we're asking for it. However we still celebrated Starší Vickers' birthday! I made a pear cobbler for that which tasted amazing!

On Monday, we had P-day and we started it off by playing sand voleyball as a district! Then somehow it ended up with some of the elders just playing in the sand/getting buried... which is funny because Starší Swink actually is dying kind of this week... (going home/his family is coming for a little before he goes home). 

On Thursday we had an amazing final district meeting in which we all bore our testimonies. It was such a great experience and we could all definitely feel the Spirit. Then for the rest of the day Sestra Taylor was in the kitchen baking cupcakes for our yearly trip as missionaries to Karlštejn!!!

We went to Karlštejn on Friday. All of the Czech missionaries were there and it was wonderful, we heard so many spiritual thoughts and then climbed to what I thought was going to be the castle... but was really an amazing little monument for Latter-Day Saints who have been going there every year. We got to hear about how Czechs had started this tradition and how we as missionaries have kept it going. Then we stayed there in reverence for a little while. It was such a beautiful and spiritual experience to go through what the early Czech members went through and to feel our Heavenly Father's love for us there. I love it! It was so peaceful! And... because I'm kind of a slower walker, I was even able to enjoy that peace as we were walking back to the train station at the end of it and think about the beauty that we have on earth, the nature, and all that we have because of the past. Here are a few pictures of my friends from when I was living at the Missionary Training Center.  So fun to see them all again!!!!!....

Plzen missionaries group before transfers... Starsi Vickers, Anderson, Raines, & Swink, Sestra Sadler, & Sestra Taylor.

 On Saturday we got transfer calls... as we were on a vylet (day trip) with some of our members to Karlovy Vary. Karlovy Vary itself is gorgeous! It's known for it's springs, and being a spa town, and for it's Bohemian crystal art. It was so much fun!

Starsi Vickers & Starsi Anderson

Anyway, back to those transfer calls... I'm now in Olomouc with Sestra Peterson! She's only a transfer ahead of me but she seems like she knows her stuff real well! And my district consists of Starší Pleue (I'm not really sure how to spell his name) and whatever greenie he'll be getting at the end of the week, and Starší Cardon and....... Starší Wutzke!!!! Aaaah I'm so excited for this transfer!!!

Sestra Peterson & Sestra Sadler

Have an amazing week everyone!! Love you all!!!!

Česká republika - Week 16 Plzeň (some names changed for privacy)

Sorry, I don't have much time for this week's email. Going to be short and sweet, and to my family too <3 :D

I hope y'all have a great and safe trip all of the way to Canada! How were your talks in Sacrament meeting? I'm sure they were wonderful!!! Next week I might be e-mailing from elsewhere since we're pretty sure that I'm most likely moving and if not then, both Sestra Taylor and I are probably staying... uvidime (we will see!).

This week has been pretty great! We taught a woman named Adgam, she was found by one of our APs back when he was a greenie in Plžen but he had to drop her back then. We've now started teaching her because some of her situations - boyfriend and living situation, and a couple of other things - have changed! We're so excited for her! She does smoke, but we're working on that and she has a baptismal date for October!!!

Anyway, I love you all so soo sooOooOooO MUCH!!!!!!!!

Have an amazing week and look for all of the little ways God is blessing you every single day!

Sestra Sadler​, your amazing daughter/sister!!!! ​<3 <3 <3

P.S., I'm going to upload pictures next week because of my limited time today.

Česká republika - Week 15 Plzeň (some names changed for privacy)

So, the week started out normal with a Monday and the birthday of one of our members who came to Family Home Evening, so we celebrated a little.

 And then on Wednesday, we celebrated Starší Anderson's birthday (which was really supposed to be the next day, but I was going to be out of town). I made an amazing chocolate cake with the help of Sestra Andersen's (my previous companion) cake recipe and my frosting recipe! It turned out amazing!!!

On Thursday, I went out of town! I went to Pardubice on an exchange with one of our Sister Training Leaders (STLs), Sestra Brown! It was way cool. We did tons of contacting and were kind of just getting rejected by a lot of people (ha ha)... and then finally right as we were about to stop because we needed to get home so that we could make our train back on Friday, we found a super cool lady who is a believer in God and Christ and was willing to meet up!

On Saturday we had a baptism! Bishop's daughter, Akras turned eight recently and was ready! So, we all went up to Prague where the baptismal font is and had a baptismal service! 

Before which, Sestra Taylor, Jitka and Gabi (two of our young single adults here) went out for Korean food! I got some kind of pork with veggies in a spicy sauce on top of rice that was amazing!

Then yesterday, Sunday, in the evening we took a hike with the elders, and some of the members to dedicate(/rededicate I think) this city for missionary work. It was so beautiful and great! I loved it!

I love you all tons! I hope you have an amazing week with whatever you are doing!!!