Ostrava, Week 3 Already!

Well time sure sure does fly. I don't feel like I have been here that
long, but I am already in week 3. I have so many things to talk
about. Most of them will take a couple sentences to say so, here they
are:

First on the list is food prices here are so cheap. It is nice. I
can get almost a weeks worth of food here for 300 Kč (about 15
dollars). That doesn't include going out for food occasionally. :)

I learned recently that in the Czech Republic there are two
interesting things. One; anyone can park their car anywhere as long
as they put their hazard lights on. All down the street are lights
flashing. It is funny. The second thing is that there are 365 Czech
names here. If you are born on a given day, the name that is on that
day is assigned to you unless you want to pay extra money to have a
different name on the list and if you want a name that isn't on the
list, you have to pay even more money. I would say there is still a
bit of communism influence here.

We have a kid on date for baptism here! His name is Simon. We asked
him and he said without hesitation yes. :) That is exciting!

So in a meeting last week with someone, his girlfriend or wife came in
(I don't know their relation) and she couldn't hear us so I started
signing ASL to her and she started signing back, but her sign language
was Czech and she thought mine was Polish. Funny thing is, people
always think we are from Poland, by the way we talk.

This mission in difficult here. People often will stop talking to us
after we mention the name Jesus Christ and sometimes people don't even
talk to us. They will just completely ignore us. Just the other day
I went up to a guy probably in his late 30s and asked if I could help
him carry his groceries in and he responded with "Go help old people
who can't do stuff for themselves." I am happy I am here though.

The snow finally stopped and it is almost melted. I like the snow
though. I hope it snows again. It is really cold too!!!! I am glad
I invested in some scarves before I came out.

Interesting fact I found out yesterday... We are just about 4 miles from Poland!

So next transfer it is likely, due to the past few transfers will be
with an Elder from our MTC group. We might be follow up training each
other! It is crazy since we both know so little Czech. Also, this
Wednesday, us two will be on exchanges together. It is funny, my
trainer said "Don't burn down my area." (Referring to our exchange
this Wednesday). I replied with "It is my area too. I can burn down
half of it." It was funny, but you may just had to have been there
and heard it yourself to make it funny. :)

A few days ago, we had a feast! A member invited us over for Lunch
and fed us a four course meal! We had a dish called Svíčkova. It was
great. Google it and make some. it is SO good. After the soup and
Svíčkova, I thought we were finished but then she brought out a fruit
bowl and caramel cake. I was SO full!

There is a really good drink here called Kofola. It tastes a little
like black licorice, but that isn't the main flavor. It is like Coke
with a hint of licorice. Never mind, I can't explain it without it
sounding gross. Just try it someday. I heard it is in Chicago too,
so I guess you will have to travel there.

So we had specialized training this last week and it was fun and very
insightful. It was in Olemoc. We have some new commitments to keep
too, like bring up scriptures in every contact. I think that is how
to spell it. There are such cool places here. There are towers all
over the Czech Republic that praise saints and people like that but
none have Christ on them. We call the Towers of Apostasy. They are
big and cool looking though. The biggest one is in Olemoc.

One thing I forgot to do earlier this month and I apologise for was
wishing a Happy Birthday to my sister and dad, so Happy Birthday to
you two. :)

Well, I need to go but I am glad to be here and am blessed to be in
this mission. It is difficult but I know with God's help and if I
replace fear with faith, all will be well. I love you all and wish
you a great week.

Starší Bahr.

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