It is a new year! I hope it started out well for everyone. Last year was quick. Here in a couple days will be the day a year ago I arrived in the Czech Republic. Many good things happened. I started in Ostrava with my trainer Elder Gibson. We taught some good people. Alena Fafejtová was a miracle. She was so humble and wanting to learn. She was preparing for baptism then had to move far away to take care of her mother. I have faith that she is still reading and coming closer to the savior on her own. I hope before I leave my mission I can see her again. She is a dear person to me. I remember I was discouraged about my Czech and she told me not to worry, that soon I would be able to speak well. She had a lot of faith in me. I thank her for her faith. The next transfer I was with Elder Clyde and Elder Stimpson. That transfer, we worked hard and had fun at the same time. We were able to teach Andy and Godwin. They are brothers from Nigeria. They have such a strong faith in Christ and loved to learn with us. We started teaching them thanks to a member who called us and said "Hey, I've got a friend that needs the gospel. Go teach him!" I am thankful that I met Andy and Godwin. They are great people and deserve the best blessings from our Lord. The next transfer I moved to Brno. It is the 2nd biggest country in the Czech Republic. There I started with Elder Jones. We worked a lot on the naměstí through the hot summer. Most people started to leave for summer break, so we did our best. The next transfer Elder Štrobl came in from Ostrava. That transfer was a good one. We found Ivo Meluzin at the beginning of the transfer and continued to teach him to baptism. Now he is doing great! I feel like Ivo is one of my kids. I have no kids, but I feel proud of him like a parent would when he makes happy choices. He loves the change this gospel has made in his life. I pray for the best for "my son" Ivo. Then I went to Zlín. It is a small town on the far right side of the Czech Republic. I started here with Elder Odell. He helped me enjoy this small city. We didn't have very many people to teach, but we tried our hardest here. We found a couple people to teach like Alena Kaňaková. She was very excited to meet us the first time. She enjoys having us over. She once said that she is like our mother while we are here. She takes good care of us. She enjoys the gospel and the peace it brings. This city at that time, I saw was going to soon grow in the gospel. Now I am here with Elder Stradling. This work has blossomed here. We have a great vision for what Zlín will become. We are teaching outstanding people as you can read in the last few letters.
Now that 2012 is over and 2013 has started we need to up our expectations and work hard, replacing fear with faith. I am excited to see what will happen this new year. This work is great. Being a missionary, a personal representative of the Lord is a great privilege. "The book is blue, the church is true!" as they say. I love this gospel. I love these people I get to teach. I love my Savior and all he has done, does, and will do for me. We are truly blessed in this day in age to have the restored gospel and a living prophet to speak in behalf of God so that we might know exactly what we must do to live happily and to someday stand before God the Father and hear the wonderful words "Ye shall have eternal life." I know this work is real and true. I pray that each and everyone of us may look forward in this new year, move on from our past mistakes and do what we can to strengthen our testimonies, grow our faith, and come closer to God and Christ.
Happy New Year! (Šťastný Nový Rok!)
Elder Bahr
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