Well, I can tell you that everything went perfectly to and from Prague when I went to pick up my greenie. That all started on Tuesday when we went to buy train tickets to and from Prague. When I got there I didn't want to have to spend all morning on the train just getting to Prague, so I wanted to book a Pendolino (fastest train in the Czech Republic - only goes about 80mph which is kinda lame if you think about it), but the lady told me that the Pendolino was already full for the next morning when I wanted to take it. So I ended up buying a normal train ticket for 5:05 in the morning, arriving in Prague about 8:15. That was pretty painful, but wasn't too bad beacuse I didn't have to transfer anywhere - straight line. Also, I booked two seats on the Pendolino on the way back, so at least we wouldn't be on the train all night after I picked him up.
So the next day, I wake up at 4:00 so I can start to get ready and make sure that I have everything. Got up, showered, and then got my companions up at about 4:30. We got to the train station right on time, and I got on the train, and then it pulled away less than two minutes later. So we cut that kind of close, but now the only thing that was on my mind was trying to find my way from the train station in Prague to the building. Elder McGowan served the first six months of his mission there and now he's in Olomouc with us, so he reassured me that it's not that bad. He told me the different metros I'd have to get on and stuff and I was still freaking out about it because I've only been in Prague twice before this (once on the orchestra tour and once as a greenie) and both times I wasn't really paying attention because I didn't have to.
So the way that things worked out, I had to be at the building by 9:30 because that's when they were going to start the trainer's meeting and stuff like that and my train got into Prague about 8:15, so I had some good time to get lost and find out where I was going before I had to be there. Perfect. So I get to the train station in Prague, and I just follow the crowd because I figure they're going to the exit, most of them. When I got to the exit, I found the metro entrance. How fortunate! So I bought my pass, went down, and realized probably a little slower than I would have liked, that the metro is pretty idiot-proof as long as you read Czech. So, I felt kind of dumb that it took me so long, but that's okay! Turns out, I made it to the building very very easily and there was no problem at all. I got there about 8:45 and I had time to spare. So I go into the building and there I just hung out with the other trainers and office elders until we had the meetings.
In the meetings we talked about our responsibility as trainers and a few things that we can do and not do so that we do a good job. President told us that Elder Perry himself told him that the trainers are the most important position in the mission because they set the foundation for the next generation of missionaries' missions. That was a little scary to think about and to think that I would be doing that for some poor missionary.
Then at noon we went up to President's apartment (they live on the top floor of the mission office) and there we had the meeting where we got our greenies. I had spoken with a few of the greenies already and I was prepared to take any of them, except of course the sister. President pulled me up first and introduced me and where I'm serving and then he looked at his sheet to see who was going to be with me and my name didn't have a missionary next to it. That was a little perplexing. The thing was, one missionary stayed in the MTC because he had broken his foot when he jumped down five steps of stairs to open the door for a sister missionary, but landed on it wrong and fractured it in two places. So because of this, President got thrown off and just forgot to put someone down with me. That's okay, they figured it out after about a minute or two and they called up Elder Page to be my greenie. He was probably the only one that I hadn't thought about being MY greenie, but we're getting along wonderfully.
After the rest of the ceremony we had lunch, I ran around the mission home getting things together and then we set off to catch our 3:30 train. The thing, however, was it was only about 1:00. President had told me to not book anything before 3:00 because he never knows exactly how long these meetings will last. Also, I was worried about getting lost on the way back because I'm really good at getting lost, but we had no problems once again and we got to the train station with plenty of time. We actually ended up waiting about an hour and fifteen minutes. That was okay. We stood outside the train station and spoke Czech, got to know each other a little, and I had him go buy his own water at one of the stores, just for a little bit of Czech practice. Really, you don't need to be able to speak Czech to do that but I think just giving him that little bit of confidence was good.
When we got back into Olomouc, we dropped our stuff off at the house and went out into the city immediately and worked the náměstí and spoke to a few people. I think that it's amazing how much the Lord blesses us when we're put into positions of more responsibility. Just the difference from Tuesday to Wednesday was astronomical. On Wednesday, I was understanding just about everything that people were saying and Czech is just falling off my tongue so well. I have no idea how that is - besides the blessing of our Heavenly Father, of course. It's crazy.
Afterward, we headed over to an investigator lady's house and we had a lesson with her. She's not a super-strong investigator but she is more than willing to meet with us whenever we set up to go there. We went over and I had Elder Page try and speak as much as he could and I could see a few times that he was struggling but that's the best thing that I can let him do - struggle and when he can't do anymore, step in and carry the contact or lesson. The lesson with the lady was pretty good and she actually listened a lot more than she usually does because Elder Page didn't really speak amazing Czech and so she had to listen more carefully. That's a really cool blessing that we saw.
Besides this, our investigator pool is very shallow right now and by that I mean just about non-existant. So, we have lots of finding on the plan every day, and I'm really enjoying it because we have amazing weather finally. I'm having Elder Page start just about all the contacts and that's helping him alot.
Elder Page is really awesome. He's a little quiet and not so comfortable with speaking to people, but he's really smart and he's already making lots of headway on the language. Every time that I correct him on a language thing, he takes it and changes it and that's the end of that language mistake. He's going to make lots of amazing progress with the language this first transfer. Another thing, even though he's not comfortable speaking with people, he's very willing to speak to people if I point them out. We're going to see some amazing things this transfer and we're both very very excited for them. A little something, he looks a lot like Jared Smith and, now that I think about it, he acts alot like him too. I've already asked him if he's related but he doesn't know. That'd be a little interesting tidbit to figure out.
Anyway, I love you all very much, and I know that I got to and from Prague without problems because of the direction of the Lord. I also know that I am speaking and understanding the language so well because of the responsibility that I accepted to train a greenie and He's blessing me for that. I started reading the Book of Mormon again today (I read it all the way through last transfer). You know that 1 Nephi 3:7 is a favorite of members of the church, because it's so applicable to life. Go and read it and then think about it. I'm sure that it's very familiar to each of you and you'll know exactly what it says when you read the first few words, but today it hit me with new meaning. It told me that even if we don't have the ability to do the task at first but we accept the task with faith that the Lord will help us with it, He will give us the gifts and blessings that we need, even in expounding our abilities miraculously, over night if needs be, so that we can accomplish the task that he has commanded of us.
I love you all very much and I love hearing from you. It's good to know that you're all still in good health and that you're all doing well. I pray for you all and I hope that each of you are coming closer to our Father in Heaven as you strive to do what He wants.
With much love,
Starší Monk
Elder James Page and Elder Andrew Monk
June 23, 2010
Sister Slovacek, Elder Andrew Monk, President Slovacek
June 23, 2010