Sunday, 22.7.12
Today we had church. The speakers were first Starsi Meiling, then a member that talked for ever..., then it was another member that was interesting to listen to, but I didn't understand everything so. But it was a good church service. Starsi Meiling has a strong testimony that shows me that testimonies don't need to be long to be powerful. I felt the spirit when he spoke. After that, we had dinner at the Martin's. The Martins are a senior couple here. They are awesome. At their house, we had "Czech Hotdogs". They are Roliks that have a hotdog in the center. As the main part of the meal we had macaroni casserole. For desert we had a brownie thing, more like cake, with ice cream. At the end, I was assigned the spiritual thought. So I decided to do a magic trick. I did one that uses quite a lot of distraction. Then I spoke about how if we don't focus on the important things, we will miss them, even if they are right infront of us. I felt the spirit working through me. It was a nice experience.
After dinner, my companion and I went to our place to do studies before call-ins. Then we had call-ins and language study. Nothing too much today. Tomorrow is P-Day though.
Wednesday, 25.7.12
It has been a couple days later since I last wrote. I am happy to write. A couple days ago was P-Day. For P-Day, we went to Petrov (a big kostel) and went to the top. It wasn't much, but it had a good view. There was a room though that had a bunch of artifacts that were quite interesting. They looked like some important catholic person's robes and gloves, etc. After that we went to Family Home Evening.
Tuesday, we did a singing diplay and I was able to use my pitch pipe. It worked out well. I found some nice people and got a meeting set up with someone. I feel like since I have started serving with Elder Strobl, I speak more from the heart. Elder Strobl really knows how to tune in to the spirit. It is great. I have learned a bunch from him. I have already learned how to have sincere prayer. He prays from his heart. He knows that prayer is communication with God. From learning from Elder Strobl, I feel like my prayers are more meaningful. This transfer has been a really good experience for me to turn into who I can be! I learned from Elder Strobl also that studies need to be diligent and focused. He knows how to keep himself in the work, on the street and in studies. I have learned to teach by what the spirit guides you to say. I have learned that I need to be humble enough to accept what God wants me to say, rather than what I want to say. Elder Strobl does a good job with that. I learned and continue to learn still that I should be thorough in ALL planning. My companion pretty much even plans how many steps he will take and how many breaths he will breathe. Lastly, thus far, is how important it is to diagnose a problem and then structure a perfect lesson that packs a punch. Really, Elder Strobl is great! We then, in the evening started an exchange and I went with Elder Stradling. He is from Arizona, however, his family moved to Idaho recently. Anyway that brings us to today;
So today, we had a lesson that went well. I learned from it to be simple. Once your companion explains something, check for understanding and move on! We would explain something then the other companion would explain it again. It just gets long-winded and is unnecessary. I also heard a great quote about the Book of Mormon. I really like it. It is powerful. Here it is; Elder Holland "No wicked man would write such a book and no good man would write it, if it weren't true." Otherthan that, we had a pretty normal day, then we exchanged back. It was a nice exchange.
Thursday, 26.7.12
Today was amazing. Many great contacts and of course the "NE!!" In all, it was a good day. First we started our day by contacting in a park called "Bila Hora" which translates to white mountain. It is a small park on a hill. We went in and pretty much no one was there. I thought to myself, we are going to get nothing out of this. At thie end of walking up a bunch of steep paths and doing some "off-road", trying to talk to someone on a mountain bike who was riding around off the trail... away from us, we walked down the hill. At the very entrance of the park, one of the only entrances, was an old lady and a younger girl. I origionally thought that they wouldn't be interested either. I tried it anyway. We began speaking and the younger girlold woman walked away and the girl put up an immediate wall. We continued speaking with the girl a little bit. As we listened to the spirit, we touched her heart. We talked about exactly what she needed. We spoke about how through Christ, and following the instructions he gives us, we can receive help in this life and be happy. She then asked us if we had any material that we could leave with her. Also, we had the goal of getting an A# (appointment and a lesson) and we came out with that too!!! I know that if a missionary is in tune with the spirit, he or she can speak what the Holy Ghost is saying; that, that is going to crack the shell that has been built and touch the heart of the listener. I also have faith in goal setting. If we set rightous goals, God will work anything out to give us success. We planned where to go, when and how long to be there, and what to talk about and we were led to those who are spiritually ready to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Todady was just awesome. We planted a lot of seeds taht other missioanries will harvest later. We were led throughout this whole day to those who are ready and we were led to what to say. I know that God lives and that Jesus Christ is our redeemer. Through him, we are cleased from sin and we are blessed. If we look for small miracles, we will most definitely find them. God abundantly gives us blessings as long as we follow his commandments great and small and as we do our part.
Tomorrow we have a lot on plan. We have a zone conference and then 4 lessons back to back till the rest of the evening. One of our lessons with George, will be awesome. As we were planning, we received revealation that were different peices of the lesson that fit together in harmony. I am excited. The lesson is very simple, but will pack a BIG punch!!! Get ready for more journaling tomorrow!
Friday, 27.7.12
Zone conference went great. We woke up, got ready and left. On the way there, we met up with the Ostrava missionaries. We got Billa breakfast and ate, then sat down for the conference. Conference was good. We talked about yesterday's experience about the girl in the park during sharing time. After that we had some trainings. Sister Irwin spoke then Elder Coleman (an AP) spoke. President Irwin then gave a great training on how we should keep our vision in mind and continue to build off the last week's goals, instead of going up then down in numbers, then up and down and so on... Also he talked about what the Book of Mormon means. It is here to testify of Christ, it is evidence that we can hold in our hands of Christ, it is the foundation of a tesimony of the true church of Christ, it gives us more knowledge about our relationship with God and how we can strengthen our relationship, and many other things it is. After President Irwin's training, we had lunch then started the zone leaders' trainings. We talked about how we should be inviting people to be baptized, come to church, read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and share the gospel with their friends. Then the assistants to the president gave their trainings. We spoke about how the word of God, the scriptures have had people protect them, even if they lost their life in the process, just so we can have the blessing of them today. We were taught that we should use scriptures more. I am thankful for their training. I also learned that we can relate almost every scripture to anyone's concerns. For me, the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly a multi-use medicine in life.
After the training, we had a few lessons on plan, in which we could use our new skills we learned or improved at the training. We taught one of our lessons with President Irwin. He is truly a man of inspiration. He was called of God to serve here, definitly. Teaching with President is the best, because he knows exactly how to help us and the investigator. We finished our lesson and had two other lessons, which is odd to be able to do on a day that is a specialized training (zone conference). Now I get to do this journaling and express how happy I am to be serving here in the Czech Republic as a missionary and desciple of Christ, and that I get to do it for two years. It is a blessing to have the gospel in our life and to be able to have the freedom to share it with those we love. The church is true.
Saturday, 28.7.12
Today we woke up and did some planning for the day and also for the week. It was weekly planning! After a little of that, we met two kids around our age and went to sports day. These two kids, we met one of them on the bus home last night and he asked if he could bring his friend too! We and other missionaries and their investigators got to the church building and played vollyball and soccar!!! It was fun, except that I got a little burnt. Oh well, missionary life goes on. After that, we went back home and finished up our weekly planning then we had a couple lessons planned, but they both fell through. Oh well, it happens. We decided to do some calls instead so we could plan some meetings for next week. Then when time came to, we went to our weekly missionary language study called "Polar Bear". We went to dinner as a district first and our food took really long so we got to the building a little late for Polar Bear. When we finally assembled for it, we had a great time learning the language together, like always. My companion and I had to catch a tram so we could get home on time, so we all ended our language study and went home. Today, was an average day, but a day of my mission that will be forever treasured. Time here is short and we should embrace every minute of it. It reminds me of a verse in the Book of Mormon. It is when Jacob the prophet talks about the Nephites living out their days as wanderers and a lonesome people. It is in Jacob, chapter 7, verse 26; "...and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream..." It is interesting how fast a mission goes. It is really like a dream. Here I am coming up on my year mark at the middle of next transfer!!! I remember when I flew down to Utah to enter the MTC. I feel like it was very recent. When I think about who I was then, I see a child, in a way. It also does truly feel like a dream. As I sit here and try to imagine that day flying down, it all went so fast. I don't know how to explain this more than I am doing now. You all who have been missionaries, know this pondering state that brings you back to those days, which bring back feelings and emotions that are very unique. It is just weird.
Long story, short; this was a good week. It was filled with testimony builders and strengtheners. I used to be worried because I felt like the mission wasn't changing me very much or as I was expecting it would, but now that I look back to see where I used to be, it is amazing. It is like going on a nice beautiful hike, like the ones that my dad, my sisters and I would do almost every year in the Wallowa Mountains; You are hiking up the mountain and you see small things along the way, like small streams, high mountain flowers, and meadows, and you think almost nothing of it. However, when you go up enough distance, you can stop and take a look from a further distance and what do you see? You see all these little things put together creating a bigger more beautiful picture! You can see on for miles; lakes, mountain ranges, huge mineral diposites in a cliff side, giant waterfalls, different layers of trees due to elevation, where you started the hike, and so on. As I have gone through my mission thus far, I feel like little to nothing has changed. Now that I think back, I am the same exact Preston Bahr in personality, but I am different in subtle, but strong ways that make me a better person and prepare me for life to come as a husband and father. I know that missions are not only two years of ones' own life to serve others. There is a bi-product. It prepares the one serving for the future. People who loose themselves in the work, find themselves. This gospel is true and applies to us in every aspect of our lives - work, school, friendships, faith, etc. You name it and it is there.
This week's challenge for the readers is to first, find something in your life that you want to improve the situation of; then second, read the Book of Mormon. You will find help. I promise you. :) If you don't think so, Relace Fear with Faith! Even if you don't get an answer as obvious as when someone has food stuck in their teeth, you are showing the Lord that you want help and he will provide revealation to you.
Everyone have a good week!
~Elder Bahr
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