Seems like just the other day I arrived here. Now I only have two more weeks till I fly to Prague! Time flies when you are having fun!
This past week was great! It was Christmas week! There was excitement in the air as we waited daily for the mail for Christmas letters and packages.
I got a nice box from my sisters. It was sweet of them. Thank you Kylee and Casey for the Lefse, caramel apple suckers, doughnuts, and thank you Banjo Alex for the spices that I will want due to the unfamiliar spices that are in other countries. They will be put to good use. I also got a nice card from my Aunt and Uncle from Salem. Thank you very much to all those who sent me things. I really could feel the Christmas spirit here because of the gifts but also because of the feelings I had for other missionaries. All I wanted to do is serve and love them. Like I said in my last letter, I enjoyed shining all the shoes of the Elders in my district.
This last week, our teacher told us about a special holiday that the Czech and Slovak people have the first Monday after Easter. The idea of this holiday is that the women will become younger and be more youthful. Now for what they say makes them younger; that day until noon, the men have a special stick that they use to hit the womens' bottoms. When this is done, they get more youthful. The old women especially like it. It sounds strange, I know, but listen to this next part. After doing this, the women will give the men chocolate, eggs, and if they are old enough - alcohol. If this tradition is done after 12pm that day, the women can throw water at the men. Strange fact of the week.
So, for those people out there that know my taste in music will know why this next comment is significant. One of the Elders in my class told me that there is an Elder Muse here!!!! I even went through the trouble of trying to find out where his room was so I could get a picture wearing his name tag with my MUSE shirt! The front desk doesn't give out room numbers though, so I have to write a letter to his MTC box. I am determined to get that picture.
Back home before I left, I saw a tie that I really liked. I decided not to get it. I am now thankful I didn't get it, because there are so many people here that have that exact same tie!!! It is green and black diagonal stripes. I told my district about this situation and we decided to name that tie, like we name others, The Plague. The tradition now is that whenever we see someone with this particular tie (it must be that exact tie), we go up to them and say "You have the plague." They may ask questions but we can not give them any hints on why they have the plague. They are left questioning. One time an elder was a bit uneasy and was checking his back to see if there was anything there.
For Christmas, the MTC gave us a very nice Christmas gift. The morning of the 25th, we woke up and took showers and the water was ICE COLD!!! :) One of my companions and I went to take showers and while we were doing so, his shower all of a sudden got super hot. He got done then I decided to jump out and steal that shower so I could get hot water. I think we were the only elders that got nice hot showers that day. :)
Elder Bednar came to speak and it was outstanding. I don't have very much time so, all I am going to say was he taught about loosing ourselves in our calling. He said that we need to stop being selfish and inward and that whenever we find that we are only thinking about ourself, to turn outward like Christ always did. He told us a story about when he was a stake president that there was a woman who found out that her daughter and two other young women were in a horrible accident. She later found our her daughter was dead. When she found out. she turned outward and only thought of the other mothers. Her first goal was to help others. She wanted to let the other mothers know that their daughters were fine. He was nice and bold with all his comments and really helped us feel the spirit.
Lastly I want to tell you a wonderful experience I had, just yesterday. In the middle of teaching a new investigator in the classroom one on one, I bore my testimony and I got a confirmation to an question I had and to an answer I got. I had a weak testimony in one aspect of the gospel that I felt, if I didn't find the answer, I would only go down hill from there and potentially loose my testimony. I prayed for an answer and went to meetings and devotionals with my question. I didn't receive an answer till I was studying on my own. I got a basic and simple answer to just keep me floating along till my experience yesterday. After being satisfied with my answer for a week and a half or so, I bore my testimony tho the investigator. As I did so, my heart swelled and I had the confirmation of the spirit that I needed. I bore my testimony as my eyes began to fill with water. I am so thankful that we have the gift of the spirit to help us and testify to us truths. I testify that Christ is right by our side and especially when we need him most. He is our very closest friend and we should hold our heads high because we have this unique friendship. God will help us when we ask for it and search. This gospel is here to help man through their lives and it is a blessing to me to be able to live now, when the gospel of Jesus Christ is fully restored here upon the earth. I am thankful for my testimony and for everyone who has supported, supports, and will support me. I wish the best for all right now and that as you live in harmony with Christs teachings you will be blessed. Just continue to follow Christ's example, keep the commandments, do all you can to build His kingdom, and replace fear with faith. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have a fantastic week!!!!
P.S. FAMILY- I will probably be flying out early Monday morning on the 9th of January, in TWO WEEKS. So be ready to answer your phone because I will be calling you early. Not super early, but maybe between 7 and 10 o'clock. I may call later on that day too, if I have no time in the airport to call, but be ready. Also, email me your phone numbers so I can have them to call you. I don't have them all memorized. I love you all!!!
-Elder Bahr
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