This week had been truly amazing. We've seen blessings all around and I am very excited for the future. I'll tell you our transfer assignments at the end, like I did last time. :P
This last week we were supposed to have two baptisms, but one of them, Pavel, was taught the Law of Tithing as one of his last lessons before his baptism. He didn't come to church that week and the whole week leading up to the baptism we didn't see him for three or four days and he wasn't picking up his phone. One day, while we were planning, I had the thought that we needed to go out finding for an hour right after studies and before we had lunch. So we did so, and as we crossed the street about one minute from our house, Elder Kreitzer and I saw Pavel as he ducked into a store nearby. Elder McGowan didn't see him, but he believed us and we followed him. We went in too and waited by the entrance where he couldn't see us. He probably saw us and ran away so we would pass because he came back out pretty fast. When he came out, we spoke to him and we brought him to the town square and Elder McGowan spoke to him for about 30-40 minutes. Turns out that he didn't like the idea of giving 10% of his money to the church and said that the real church of Christ wouldn't require something like that. He also went out and bought a book by a pope and another by some guy about how nobody can force us to follow the "commandments of God." Pavel had taken a pretty hard hit by Satan. Anyway, this meeting was before the baptism, so we were going to try and revive him so that he could have his baptism at a later date, and so we got him to come to our building the next day, and there Elder McGowan and Elder Kreitzer slammed him really hard with the Spirit, as said by McGowan, but Pavel still told them that he didn't want to meet anymore, but that he was grateful that we had showed him that God does exist and that it is important to find Him.
Other than that, the man from our area, Olomouc South, got baptized and it was gorgeous. The place that we went to was a little lake out in the forest, and I have to say, it was really breathtaking. Libor was baptized by our branch president, and they've become really good friends. The branch president used to be homeless but because of the gospel he flipped his life around and he now has a house, a family, and a new life. Libor is really taking a lot from him. Also, Libor was confirmed this Sunday, also by president, and he wants to get the Aaronic Priesthood this next Sunday. I'm so insanely happy for him. One sad thing, however, is that Elder Kreitzer won't be here to see him get the Aaronic Priesthood, but he was really happy to see his first baptism on the mission. I have to say, it was very awesome. One thing that we forgot to tell Libor is how he would be baptized. We read the part about the prayer and how the ordinance is to be done from 3 Nephi 12, but we forgot to tell him how his hands would be and that he could hold his nose when he went under, so he came back out and started spitting water everywhere. It was funny. But now Libor really has a new glow about him and he's already a new person. On Sunday, Libor brought a friend to church, and we're meeting with both of them today! So Libor is already doing mission work and is really enthused about being a part of this noble cause. Also, after the meeting on Sunday, I asked him how he felt during the confirmation, and he said, "Well, it was a special feeling," and I told him that that was the Holy Ghost, and then he continued to tell me that, "It felt like my chest was on fire." It's so cool to see someone get that kind of spiritual witness right from the beginning. I just hope that he will take these feelings and run with them and never slow down. We're brainstorming with the branch president to see what kind of calling he needs and right now we're thinking of some kind of teaching position, because we feel that he needs to share his testimony a lot. Libor is doing so incredibly awesome.
So, this week is transfers, and I got a call from president this morning where he told me what I'm going to be doing this next transfer. So, I guess that I did something right this transfer because I'm going to be training here in Olomouc. On Wednesday I have to go to Prague to pick up my greenie. It turns out that I'll to be the second oldest trainer. There are six greenies coming in and one is a sister. The oldest trainer, besides the sister, is only one transfer "older" than I am, so these greenies are getting very young trainers. Three of them are only third transfer missionaries (I'm starting my fourth transfer). I'll let you know what my new companion's name is next week, because I don't know yet!
I'd just like to say that this transfer has really humbled me. I used to think that I was humble but then I came on the mission and it seems that every single transfer I'm being humbled more and more because I am never good enough and I realize more and more that I need to call upon the Lord. This transfer I think that I've prayed longer, more often and harder than I ever have in my life and I still don't think that I'm praying enough. However, to get enough praying done, I wouldn't have time to get any work done so I guess that I need to find some kind of balance. Interesting... Anyway, I'd just like to say that the Lord blesses those who ask him for help and then do everything in their power to make that help worth it. Being the perfect father that he is, he won't give everything to us right off the bat: he requires all the energies and efforts we can render, and then he will take that and multiply it a hundred fold, but we must first do everything from our capacities. I am really surprised and really sad that I'm learning more here on the mission than I am teaching, but I guess I just have to live by the statement (can't remember who it's by), "While you're on the mission, you're the Lord's investigator."
I love you all very much and pray for you every day.
Starší Monk
Elder Nathaniel Kreitzer, Olomouc Branch President, Libor Jelínek,
Elder Andrew Monk, Elder Sean McGowan
June 18, 2010
Baptism of Libor Jelinek
June 18, 2010; Olomouc, Czech Republic
