Vesele Vanoce!!!!!

1st things 1st! Happy Birthday to Mom!! I love you mom you are the best!!!

We had a pretty good week here in Prague we will start of with Church I had to give a short little talk about Christmas so I talked a lil about service and told how we go and feed the homeless every year! Everyone though it was crazy that we crack about 10 gallons of eggs haha!! Then we taught one of the sisters investigators during second hour because they were teaching someone else! But we hit standards!! Standards here is a lil more challenging we have to have 2 new people at church 2 new people on date and 6 new investigators but we did it!!! It was awesome and we had a baptism this week and we had one today! The aps are killing it! Then we had inspiration night and I talked to a member's friend the whole night and got her digits so it was a successful inspiration night in my opinion!

Monday was a normal day we contacted. Then we helped some members clean a room and the library in the church then had a lesson with a recent convert. We also had Family home evening at the church with the YSA we did a white elephant it was pretty fun!

Tuesday so my comps relatives come from the Czech republic so we met up with one and he took us to lunch! He was way cool it was cool to see how they were related! He invited us to his place for dinner after the holidays so that was pretty cool hopefully we can teach his family but he wasn't too interested in the gospel but such a nice guy! Then we had District meeting! After we had a lesson with Denis it was pretty good we taught with a member and just really focused on who Jesus Christ is! It was good. Then we taught English it was fun! After that we headed home for the day! Then the Zone leaders came over and we had an exchange the next day!

Wednesday we had our exchange. I was with one of the best missionaries in the world. I was with elder Raines! We had so much fun! So I have been struggling with contacting in the metro so we gave our lessons to the other companionship and we spent almost all day in the metro! All in all we spent 5 hours in the metro haha! We brought props with us and contacted with them! My favorite was that we had some Christmas lights and we asked people why light was important. we were like sir we are underground in a tunnel right now, why is light important? Then we would relate it all to Jesus Christ it was awesome! We got 5 numbers but of course its Christmas so no one can really meet till after the Holidays so that's a bit of a bummer! We still had a lot success. We even did language study in the metro haha we would ask people to teach us words it was way fun! Then they left and we had ward council! 

Thursday it snowed almost all day so that was great....  we started our day with a lesson then did some studies had lunch went contacting had another lesson with a new person it was really good!! Hes coming to church on Sunday! Then went over to a members for dinner with the sisters! It was a good way to end the day!

Friday was really good! We studied and contacted. A lesson didn't show up. We set up for the Christmas concert that the ward pust on. Then we went up to pezidents place and made Halusky with him! He invited over some nonmember friends so we made halusky for all of them it was so much fun! I love Prezident hes the best! We had dinner and then had the concert! It was cool to see the talent in the ward! It went a lil longer than expected but prez said it was fine if we get home late! we got home at 950! But it was really fun!

This morning we had a Baptism for Igor one of the Ap's peeps, he's way cool! He was a Russian MMA fighter! So awesome and literally the humblest man ever!! Prague District is doing great!!! We walked around Prague the rest of the day it was a lot of fun! 

Well I'll talk to you all on Tuesday for Christmas! Cant wait to see you all! Especially all the little boys! Ill be calling at 6:30 my time so thats about right now but on Tuesday! I love you all have a good one!

S laskou

Starsi Heywood

Ahoj Vsem

Wow already pday! haha I'm stilll getting use to the whole Pday on Saturday thing! But its nice!

SO I'm going to start with Sunday! It was insane holy cow, so many people at church! haha it was hard because we are in Prague and there are a lot of languages here so it was hard to determine who speaks Czech and who speaks English!  Sunday school was cool, we had a class just for investigators and new converts so that was awesome and Prez was there with us! Its always awesome to see him teach and see him in action! haha I answered a question right and he gave me knuckles I thought it was hilarious for some reason! The ward is awesome! It is nice being in a ward! Then we had a prep class for the Melchizedek priesthood and we went because we had to translate for the only Czech there so that was fun! Then we had inspiration night! We had a lot of investigators there it was really good and a lot of fun!! 

Monday and Tuesday were just grinding days! Tuesday we had a lesson with an excommunicated member so that was interesting. Then we had a lesson with a man named Denis he is from Ukraine. He is a progressing investigator he has been to church every week the last couple months and he gets everything except authority so we still need to clear that up but he knows that baptism is the goal! Yeah hes a good guy very humble which is awesome!

Wednesday we invited the Liberec district down to Prague to do group finding for Christmas! It was fun! We contacted and did some singing displays a couple hours and everyone found someone so that was really cool! Success!!! It was good we had our whole district there it was there it was the only day the aps were in Prague so it was good to have them! And the sisters here are Stls so sometimes they are gone too! But we had everyone!

Thursday and Friday were normal working days didn't really have any lessons

Today we had a miracle! SO im gonna be honest I've had a rough couple of weeks and just have felt like I don't really belong in Prague. So every time I would pray I would ask heavenly Father why am I needed here in Prague. I didn't feel like I was doing much here. I missed Liberec and just felt a lil inadequate here. But this morning he answered my prayers. So we were on our way to the building and we were in the metro and so we were talking to this guy and he left after about a stop. Then I sat down next to this girl and started in Czech but we went to English because she doesn't know Czech and is actually from the Philippines. we talked for a bit and turns out she wanted to know more about us! We took her the building gave here a tour showed her the baptistery because it was being filled up for Zdenka's baptism today. Then we taught her. and it was one of the most spiritual lessons I have been apart of she really opened up to us and told us how she thinks that God does not answer her prayers. And I was like oh my gosh this woman is just like me the last two weeks. So it was just really spiritual and I was prompted to give her a baptismal date and she accepted! It was just a really cool experience and a answer to my prayer. She was the answer to our prayers and mine and we were the answer to hers! It was awesome! Then Zdenka's baptism was really awesome she was so happy! Baptism is amazing!

Well that was about my week! I know God lives and that  he loves us and answers prayers!

Love you all

S laskou

Starsi Heywood

Prague Week 1

Dang, so its pretty weird emailing on Saturday! I have never been so confused in a week. So much goes on in Prague and I don't know who to speak English to and I don't know who to speak czech to! Its been a real struggle on that boat but it was a pretty good 1st week of the transfer.

SO the rest of Monday I got situated got my public trans pass and all that jazz. and then we had family home evening at the church  building we watched the 1st presidency devotional so that was cool!

Tuesday we had district meeting which was good I gave a lil training about goals then we set goals of what we wanted to accomplish this transfer as a district! We have high goals but we are way stoked! I have a baller district and I'm way excited for what the Lord has in store for us this transfer! We are going to see lots of miracles! Then we all went out to lunch it was fun! Its been way fun to be around elder Wutzke again. Then we had a lesson with a less active it was good we committed him to come to church and he said he would so that was good. Then we had two new lessons with new people on plan but they didn't show up so we went contacting and I need practice in the metro! I've always struggled with public transportation contacting so that is my goal this transfer to get over that! That was about our day.

Wednesday We contacted then had a lesson with new person. Her name is Pavla she was way cool and really interested in the gospel! She had a lot of good questions and we taught all of the restoration the spirit was super strong so that was really cool. She really reminded me of Marcela from Jihlava so I have really high hopes with her! She said she couldn't come to church but said she was excited for our next lesson! I think she is elect! Then we did some group finding with the aps! We took a whiteboard to the street and wrote free church tours and went contacting about that! it was cool! Me and elder Wutzke gave a tour to this old couple it was way fun teaching with him again haha! Then me and elder Hard met this girl from Peru and took her on a building tour it was way cool and really fun! 

Thursday lets just say it was a rough morning, I did not feel good but about 12 I started to feel better.Just in time to do my 1st baptismal interview! Her name is Zdenka and is way awesome. Shes the aps investigator! She honestly has a stronger testimony than I do! It was so awesome! She is getting baptized next week so that will be awesome! Shes golden Im excited to get to know her more these next months! After that so there was the senior missionary conference this past week so the district had to take shifts in the office and stuff! So we had our shift after that, I did an essay for school applications still not done yet sorry Mom it will be today....hopefully. Then we had a lesson with our investigator Denis we went over to a members house and had dinner and a lil lesson. It was way good. Hes a good guy but his main concern is authority. So on the way home we really got his main concerns out and will go over them next week! But hes come to church the last like 4 weeks so hes doing good hopefully he will be baptized this transfer. it was a good day.

Friday we had to watch the office at 9 so we headed over there early then I had a call in with the aps for all the new district leaders which was me just sitting next to them while everyone else was on the phone haha. then we grabbed some lunch and went contacting! It was cool we taught this guy the restoration on the street and he set up for next week so that was cool! He's from Palestine and we found him by the big college. Then we finished weekly planning and then headed over to correlation meeting at our ward mission leaders house. So it was cool that was actually the first correlation meeting I've ever had on my mission so that was very pleasant. That was about it for the day!

Today was fun we went to a place called Kutna Hora and it has some cool cathedrals and one with a bunch of bones in it, I'll send some pics.

I'm excited for church tomorrow it will be different for sure haha but we will see how it goes

S laskou

Starsi Heywood

Light of the World

Hope everyone is doing light the world this year! Make sure you are doing service this Saturday!

#prinestsvetlosvetu

Light of the World

Vesele Dikuvzdani

Wow what a week it feels like this week flew by haha! Time is really going fast this is already the last pday of my 7th transfer that is crazy! Next time I email I will either still be here in Liberec which is a high possibility or in a different city so we will see it is all in the hands of the Lord!!

Tuesday was a pretty normal day we are trying to get our 4 area books into just 2 so we have been doing a lot of calls and a lot of shredding! We called some records from 1996 and they still worked one guy remembered us so that was way cool haha! Then we went contacting for about an hour and it snowed for the 1st time of the year that was something I'm still not sure about winter haha! I miss summer days already! But we found this way cool chic that is apart of some church that wasn't catholic so that was something and was down to meet and see what we have so that was a little miracle! She was way cool her name was Miska! Then two lessons canceled so we went back to work in those area books!

Wednesday the Zone leaders came over in the morning for an exchange! I was with elder Simms who is in my Mtc group so that was cool! I haven't really seen him since the Mtc so it was good to catch up! Last time we saw each other we couldn't speak Czech so it was cool to actually be able to speak! We went to Pavlina, she's the same old same old crazy haha! We filled up her water in the stream again! Then we contacted at homes and talked to some awesome people taught the restoration but no set ups so that was sad but still good! You know as they say just planting seeds! Then we did studies met with Helena helped her a bit and read some of her favorite scriptures then taught English! English was fun we talked about Thanksgiving! Then we had some time so we went trakting! then got some burgers at this way good burger place! I've been here so long I know all the food people! Me and the burger guy are way tight! He loves the Philadelphia Eagles and was giving me the low down about the NFL crazy that the Saints are like way good right now! He was telling me that Drew Brees has been going off! He was telling me about some Chiefs game that was high scoring, sounds crazy!!!

Thursday we had to practice teaching for the ZLs then had our interviews, then they left! Then the rest of the district came over to Liberec and we got lunch then did some group finding! Did a language study together then headed over to the Jones for dinner! It was a fun night! Got to relax a bit which was nice!

Friday we headed over to Prague For ZC it was a good one! we really focused on Christ! Prez always gives  good training! He really focused on us being more in tune with the spirit and studying! It was  good and way spiritual! I way liked Sister Pohorelicka's training about the character of Christ it was fire! The Aps gave a good training too about always teaching! Then we headed home and we had a lesson with a new girl that we found a week ago her name is Jaroslava shes cool though mostly interested in English help but she wants to know the spiritual stuff too! So we hit a lot of HTBT points it was cool! She said she was going to come to church but she missed her bus and couldn't make it which was a bummer!

Saturday was good! We had a lesson with Sousek and we teach him at his work and we are pretty sure he is working when we come over and teach him! But that day we were in the Break room and we heard a door open so he goes out and sees whats up then we hear him talking with some dude! he comes back in tells us to be quiet and turns off the lights hahahaha!!! It was so funny! He came back like 15 mins later telling us that he needs to go! So we ended with a prayer! Turns out that it was his boss! haha Good thing he didn't find us back there! it was way funny! Then we had a lesson with our catholic friend from last week this week we were prepared haha! You know those stories of lessons were the missionaries use the Book of Mormon to answer everything? Well we had one of those lessons and it was awesome! Our message to the world is so simple! Read the Book and pray about it! That's all you have to do to know if these things are true! So we had on plan to teach plan of salvation but didn't even get past the premortal world because he told us that there's no such things as a premortal world haha so we were just like well if this book is true then there was a premortal world a ze to ze josef smith byl prorok bozi a za to ze cirkev jezise krista svatych poslednish dnu je cirvek pana!!!!! Isnt the Gospel the best! Not only is it true but if you live by it you get the coolest blessings ever! Like living with Dave and Jill Heywood forever! Now that is a good blessing!! Then we went over to some members house for some tea and a spiritual thought a great way to end the day!

Sunday was stressful as usual, I did interviews with prez, translated, translated a blessing then taught third hour so that was fun!!! Didn't have too many members there this week but that's ok next week will be better. We contacted a  bit and weekly planned! It was a good week! I love the Czech Republic it is my home away from home!!!

Dalsi

Another week down in Liberec!

Well this week was good but tough! It really saddens my heart when people use their free agency poorly for example not keeping a commitment to read or to come to church or cancelling lessons not answering phone calls etc. But agency is a gift from God and we can't take that away from people! Satan already tried that and look what happened to him! Also its getting cold which makes it even more difficult at times to go outside! But you know what I love every minute of it because I get to proclaim the Gospel in a pretty cool language that still gets the best of me sometimes hahaha spíš it the gets the best of me all the time!

To start off the week we did service for Jindra! He is a great man but just really doesn't want to learn about God but is one of our best friends here and loves us so much we our his "Boys From America" and he likes to show us off! Rest of the day was pretty open because some lessons cancelled! 

Wednesday we took a trip over yonder to Jicin to have District council which is district meeting but we changed the name to district council so that was fun and then did a lil finding in Jicin after! I got to be with Elder Fagg I love that kid we have become pretty close this last transfer! Then we bussed back home and had English! I love teaching English Its a lot of fun! Our class is mostly a bunch of old grannys and they are a hoot!

Thursday was a working day with lessons and contacting!

Friday we had weekly planning and then had a lesson with a new guy named Jindra! When Elder Jacobson contacted him he though he said he wasn't a believer  but turns out hes a pretty strong Catholic and did not agree with the Great Apostasy haha! We were not prepared haha but we bore strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and if its true then there was an apostasy! He was intrigued and set back up again for this week so we will be more prepared this week for him as we teach the Plan of Salvation!

Saturday we went over to Ceska Lipa and had a good ole time with the  Mongolians trying to teach them Czech and English then Teaching! They are all amazing and I love everyone of them! We retaught the Plan of Salvation and Turru was getting into some deep doctrine it was way funny and awesome haha!! I love Turru!

Sundays are always hectic from Tithing settlement to translating to translating talks from the pulpit to not knowing that we have to teach Sunday school and whipping a lesson out of no where! Great fun I love it all but man it gives a major headache! I love my mission I love my Branch and I Love the Lord!

S laskou Starsi Heywood

Nazdar

Well another pretty good week here in Liberec! Start off with last Monday night we had our branch Halloween party! Czechs dont celebrate Halloween but we had a party and stuff for them! We carved pumpkins and had chili! Elder Jacobson's grandma sent us some Halloween ties so we wore those! It was great fun and we had some less actives there which was fun!

Tuesday was normal we had some time to do some finding so we did a chalk display by the College because we have been really focusing on finding YSA to build the future and they are more open minded haha! It was good we had some great conversations and got a few numbers! It was sad the Horakovi had to cancel because she had work so that really stunk for us! But we have a lesson tomorrow with them so that will be good! Thanks for those pics mom! We are going to show Kaja pics of our own baptisms so that should be good for her to see! 

Wednesday we went over to Mlada Boleslav for District meeting then did a lil finding there then we had English right after we got home! English was way fun we taught our class the trick or treat smell my feet song so that was so funny! I took a video so I'll see if I can send it! and that was about it for the day! 

Thursday we did service for Jindra! Mostly just stacked wood and racked leaves but his friend was drilling a spring so we watched this huge drill dig into the dirt and watched water spray out like a geyser so that was pretty cool it was like i was back in Yellowstone watching old faithful haha!! Then we met this lady that needed us to translate something for her! Kinda awkward because it was like a death receipt for her husband that just died so that was interesting haha! Then we had a lesson with Sousek and he is really starting to progress he has desire which is awesome and he is keeping commitments! He just needs to start coming to church and he's golden!  

 

Friday not much just a normal day and like weekly planning we set up with this way cool kid who is 17 he took a book of Mormon and we will meet with him tomorrow!

Saturday we went over to Ceska Lipa to have a visit with the Mongolians! Its so cool because they teach us all about their culture so like we are getting a double whammy of culture and man they make some dang good food!! I put on Echbayars traditional hat it was so cool! Ill send a pic! Then we talked about temples with Turru and that next week we will have an interview for him to get a temple recommend! He's pumped! Then we trained back home studied a bit then had a lesson with Lukas we went and got a late lunch with him! I got a pretty weird meal haha its called tatarsky beeftek and its pretty much a ball of raw meet then you put it on bread and eat it! haha Some people dont like it but i actually really did haha! Ill send a pic of that too! Then we had stake conference night session via broadcast so I had to set that all up and we watched that there was some fire talks!

Sunday we had stake conference it was way good! We have amazing leaders here in the Czech Republic! Then Kaja had a bday on Monday so we finally had a chance to go and take her her presents! Got her markers and stuff she loved them!!! It was awesome! YEah that was about our week sorry its not too exciting haha! 

Love yall

Starsi Heywood