Ary's Baptism

Best Email Ever!

Draha rodino,

Sunday was of course great. We had a good church, with a short lesson beforehand, and then at 5 we had the baptism! Pictures included. Right after he came out of the water he yelled, "That was awesome!" Not the most reverent reaction, but it was just a pure expression of joy from a pure man. After it, Isabel and Cristina had a bunch of Angolan food prepared. Ahhhh. So so so good. It was amazing. Then we had callins and that was the day.

Monday we had something a little unusual. We did a singing display in the morning. Like I mentioned in my last email, we have a concert coming up next Friday, and we are doing more singing than usual in order to advertise for it. We also met Ary, first time as a baptized man. WE go to the FHE every week, and the senior couple here, the Mendenhalls - who incidentally remind me a lot of Grandma and Grandpa Gage - cook amazing food. IT is so delicious. After the dinner we had a lesson with Maxim. He's doing well, needs to quit smoking, but he's doing well. We're meeting with him tonight.

Tuesday we met with Marek. Now, Marek is someone who cannot be fully described in an email. He is legendary. He's been known for years. A few weeks ago he showed up to the building, has been to churhc four weeks in a row, and asked us to teach him so he can get baptized. He is Czech, but he speaks the fastest English I've ever heard. We also met with katka, someone who has been taught for over a year. WE also had Mission Leadership Council in the morning. It was good. We have a good leader group. I love spending time with the other missionaries. 

Wednesday we visited with Phuc, the vietnamese kid. He's great. I love him to death. We also had a nice chat with President about he mission and how things are going. I've decided that Mission presidents have the hardest job. Bless him. We also had a good chat with Veronika, the one I baptized who now lives in England. We then visited a lady from the Philippines and Martin Koca.

Thursday we met with a less active in the morning, had a really good meeting with him. Later in the day he texted us and said that it was just what he needed to hear, and that he was ready to start making some changes in his life. It was great. We also met with a really cool new kid, Radovan, that we met last week. We had a really good lesson with Mirek and Lukas, then with patrik who we haven't seen forever, but it was great. He leaves for Afghanistan next week for 14 days, then goes to mali straight after. We visited a family we teach that night as well, and only the dad was home which was good. We had some good one on one, or really one on two time with him and taught him the Restoration.

Friday was a bunch of fun, we did another singing display, and we handed out over 800 fliers in an hour and a half. IT was incredible. We also sang on the metro, which was actually surprisingly scary, but we did it and we're glad to say that we did. It was a good experience. We had a group singing on the metro and then we had the rest handing out fliers as fast as they could. We also taught Isabel in the morning and Ary, pet'a and Otakar later. It went well. We went and played games with Ary after his lesson. It was a bunch of fun. Every Friday we get together with the YSA, missionaries, and investigators and we play ping pong, foosball, card games, air hockey, that kind of thing.

Today was a fun pday. We got a call from Sis McConkie Friday night asking if we would be able to spend some time this morning doing basketball drills with Wilson who is in the process of trying out for the team. only 10 from about 40 make it, and he really wants to. It was a blast. We were with him and also his brother Hyrum, and at the end President showed up and we five had a quick pick up game. It was good. and my team won. Do you remember a few months ago when I mentioned how we had watched a documentary about the assassination of Hitler's right hand man? We visited the site today where it happened, well actually where the aftermath happened. It was really neat. It's an old church, and you can still see the bullet holes and the places where the Nazis shot trying to get to those involved in the assassination. They've built a monument there honoring those who died. It was sad, but inspiring at the same time.

Well family, time is officially up. i love you all so much, and I can't wait to hear from you next week.

Starsi Knapp

The week in Prague

 Draha Radino!

Sunday we had good church, and then we taught a family from India. So cool. They are a referral from a member that used to live here, and they are great. It's a young couple with a two year old daughter. We are way excited for them. We had good calls wit hthe zone leader as well. The mission is doing well.

Monday we had a good day. We taught Viktor, and then after his lesson we taught Michal with Viktor, first time ever for Viktor. He did such a good job, perfect. There has been discussion of him replacing the current branch mission leader. He would be soo great. We also taught Ary later in the evening, fasting, and it was great. He agreed to fast with us this weekend and pay offerings after baptism and everything.

Tuesday we had district meeting and planned the concert that we are putting on in a couple weeks. It should be good. I was pretty skeptical because it's been on plan for a long time and rescheduled many times because no one has acted on it. But, we got down to business and planned it. I'm performing a number, I'll tell what it is after the concert, if it goes well. That night we taught a couple less-actives, a lady and her Guatemalan husband, and Ary. We also taught Martin Koca, and it was rough. He talked to some Buddhist guy, and took some big steps backward as far as his progress goes to baptism. He has lost all concept of truth and who God is. WE had a surprise today. We walked into the building to teach someone, and Elder Tenney was there! He's living in Ukraine teaching English right now, and he is on a trip around Europe with a stop in Prague. It was good to see him.

Wednesday we wnet to Brno for a conference. It was good. I love the missionaries in our mission. We trained on reading and prayer, and we got to stay for the whole conference this time. It was good to see the other missionaries train, especially the zone leaders. Presidnet McConkie has them in two different cities so as to spread out the missionary goodness. One is going home in a month and the other is a new zone leader, so it was good to see them working together. They're great. We drove to Brno with Sis McConkie, and it was pretty fun. She is very talkative, and kept us entertained thoughout the drive. She is good at facilitating conversation. We came back and taught Martin Koca again this evening. We just went through every book of scripture and taught the nature of God. He took it ok. You can't contend with the scriptures, they have a special authority.

Thursday we taught Ary and Viktor, and Ary had his baptismal interview. Passed! He's great. President McConkie loves him, and is really excited for his future. We are too. We then went to a singing display and had great success. I had the idea, that we could set goals a little differently for finding. instead of setting a number goal, we set a type of person goal, and then do all we can to find that person. We decided we needed to look for a husband for some of the YSA girls here, and we focused our finding on young cool guys. We found four. It was neat. The Lord is good. We also taught a new young guy named Jan today. He's not a believer at all, but he's willing ot learn. we taught Mirek and Lukas again, and it was so good! we reviewed the Plan of Salvation with them, and it really went well. Lukas agreed to pray for the first time in his life! He did a great job. HE has made such great progress. We went with Presidnet to Jicin that night to have a meeting with the District Presidency. We're finally going to have a district high council! President is pretty excited about it.

Friday we taught a young guy named Marek who has been around forever about baptism. It was good. He has more energy than anyone else I have ever met. But he's a supergenius, and a really nice guy. We also taught a young mother named Jana, and she accepted a baptismal date! The 21 of December. After them we taught Isabel about eternal marriage, and then taught Cristina with her. They are so hilarious. Cristina also accepted a baptismal date for the 21! She's going to make it too. She's great. WE watched the Joseph Smith video with her, and she loved it. AFter lunch we taught Pet'a, the girl from Slovakia, and it went well, then we went looking for some less actives with President McConkie. No one was home, but we found a cool guy on the way. He's recently married, and cool.

today we are going to teach a few folks, practice for our concert, and play soccer! Love you all, the Gospel is true!

Starsi Knapp

Draha rodino,

It's been a nice week. We've been way busy as usual, but that's the way it's supposed to be. It's great that you received that Email. A group of us were eating at my favorite restaurant and two members from Utah saw us and took our picture! There is always a possibility of running into members of the church in Prague. it's happened to me on several occasions. I have no special requests, except for maybe emails from my sisters. They struck out this week.

Monday! Monday as usual was very busy. Came into the office early to prepare of the statistical reports. After office meeting we taught Viktor about missionary work. It went really well! He loves everything we teach and makes great progress. We also taught Veronika, and Ary later in the day. They were both really good lessons. Veronika to this point has kind of had the attitude of "there's no way I can believe, I'm too set in my ways" but she told us this past lesson that she really wants to understand our message. She's a great girl, and we're excited about her potential. Ary as always is doing great. We taught him the 10 commandments with a focus on the Sabbath Day. He's awesome. Whenever we teach a commandment and it is a little different than his current lifestyle, he just says, hmmm, than talks himself through it, and then says, "yeah, yeah I can do that, no problem." He is the greatest.

On Tuesday we also came in early because we had new district leader training. It went really well. Elder Sewell and I both did individual trainings; he on district meeting, I on exchanges. After we finished the training we had a meeting wth President and a lesson with Phuc, the Vietnamese member. 

Wednesday we had a district meeting, it went really well. Elder Howell is a good district leader, I really enjoy his district meetings. We taught Michal later, he's also doing really well. He's really excited for baptism. We had a nice call session, set up some meetings and did some work on a project about RCLAs for one of the District presidencies here, then taught the most frustrating lesson of all tiem. Do you remember that Ukrainian girl I told you about a couple weeks ago, the golden miracle turned sour? We had a lesson with her again, and she definitely read some anti stuff online and that's why she has lost interest, and she refused to tell us what she heard so that we could talk it out. She jsut told us, "I really like you, and how I feel when I'm here, but I will never join your church." We taught a solid solid Restoration lesson, asked her what it means if the Book of Mormon is true, and she said, "this church is the only true church." And then told us again that there is no point in meeting anymore. Ahhhh. Someday.

Thursday had a good singing display. We found some way cool folks, including a guy who is going to turn over to us the direction of his Bible study group once he leaves for England to work for a couple weeks. We also met a cool kid named Lukas later, he's a nonbeliever and a little wary of religion. we met with Otakar as well. It was okay, he's a great guy and is progressing well, he just has some strange ideas. But, he's coming along. we visited the pavlicovi afterwards, then came back and had a good lesson with Michal in the evening.

Friday we had weekly planning, and the annual pumpkin carving, as well as a few lessons. We taught a way cool Slovak girl with Sister Munro, Ary, and also another one of Isabel's friends! She's an amazing missionary. Ary taught wtih us, even though he's not a memmber yet. This girl, Cristina, doesn't speak much English or Czech, just Portuguese, so Ary translated for us. It was good though, she really wants to meet with us. Elder Osterloh, the AP before me, walked into the pumpkin carving part way through with his parents and brother! We knew he was coming to visit, but it was fun to see him. They'll be touring Prague a bit, then they'll come to church on sunday.

And today! Not much on plan today. We'll teach a few lessons, then play some soccer.

Love you all, you're the best.

Elder Knapp  

Draha rodino,

It's been a great week! We've had some great things happen. 

Monday was, of course, busy. Mondays are. We had a very full schedule in the afternoon. We taught Viktor, Veronika, Maxim, who is doing so great btw, and Cristina, Isabel's friends. We helped her move and then taught her. She's great! She really wanted to get a Book of Mormon, and when we gave it to her she was way excited. She is a sassy African, and hilarious. She also doesn't speak much English or Czech, which I think I mentioned. But it went well. Viktor got the Priesthood on Sunday which was great, and we talked a lot about he temple, because he's going in a couple weeks. He's the best.

Tuesday we didn't have District Meeting because we had a conference Thursday, so we went and sang instead. The only problem is the place we went was not great for a singing display. I accidentally contacted a guy who was...not in his right state of mind though he looked very normal, and we had a nice chat about knights templar and the like before I could terminate the contact. But we came back and taught Michal the Word of Wisdom! He knows it's all right, he does smoke a bit though. So, we stole his cigs, and cut them up in the dumpster. Okay, he gave them to us, but I always love doing that to people, just like when we took tea away from the Pavlicovi. We also had dinner at a member's house, prepared for our training.

Wednesday was totally full. We taught 8 lessons and got haircuts. We don't do haircuts on pday because most places are closed on Saturdays, so we can't. We went through a little bit of the "preparing to enter the holy temple" pamphlet with Viktor, he's excited. We had a good talk about families and gave him a proclamation, which he loved. We also met with Isabel, Otakar, had a great study of John 15 with Pet'a, taught Ary reading and prayer as commandments, and taught Martin Koca the Word of Wisdom. He is so funny. I hope you get to meet him someday. He is the most interesting character I've ever met. He's just lovable. Ary is doing so so well. His baptism is officially for Sunday the 3rd, at 5:00. pray for him!

Thursday we had training, and it went well, or at least the parts we were present for. We had to go pick up lunch so we missed a part. Actually a very long part. We ordered from this Chinese restaurant, and they don't really speak a language we know. So, when we went to pick it up, they had 2 boxes ready for us, not 55. So, we cleared up the confusion and waited for an hour and a half for our food. We had a good laugh. We then missed the end because we had some lessons. Otakar is doing really well. We talked about why we have commandments and the blessings associated with them. We also taught Ivana, we haven't met with her for a few weeks, and it was a bit of a tough one. She has very different views, one of which is that all paths are good. Still not sure how to get around that one. We visited afterwards a recent convert who is having some struggles right now, her Catholic friends are trying to pull her back, and then the Elder's quorum president and his wife. 

Friday was fun. We taught Cristina with Isabel, and we were dying laughing. They are so funny. It was good, but a little tough bcause of the language. We then went to lunch with a member and his girlfriend, the Vietnamese one. We should get the pictures back next week, so I can send them. We taught Ary tithing! The last hurdle. he's great. I love that guy so much. When we asked if he would begin to pay after baptism, he said," Hmm...two more weeks of being a freeloader." So funny.

Today we're going to a war memorial and it should be good. It's a beautiful day in Prague, and we're excited.

Love you!

Elder Knapp

A Happy Missionary

Draha rodino!

Wow. This week has been the greatest. So many good things

The week!!!

Sunday was good, we had a few at church, including Viktor and Ary, then right after sacrament meeting we left. We had a zone conference in Brno Sunday afternoon, and we had to leave as soon as we could to get there on time. So, after a good meeting we left Viktor and Ary in each others' care and we took the two oldest McConkie kids with us to Brno. It was a good conference, Elder Sewell and I actually didn't train this time, so we just got to listen and enjoy. Tonight while doing call ins, I added up how many lessons we had taught to this point in the transfer. Our goal is 200 in the transfer, and this is the last week. I'll tell you where we're at by the end of the email. 

Monday we had a good day. We taught a young Russian recent convert, and then she helped us teach Viktor. It was a good meeting, he's doing really well. We also had a way good lesson with Ary, he said at the end, "this baptism, I think I can do it, I think I can make it." Yeah he can! he told us about his Catholic baptism, how he was 5, and had no idea what was going on, and now he wants to be baptized because he chooses to be. We also had a good lesson with a guy named Michal, from Uzbekistan, and he's on date now for the 16th of November. I'll mention him more later.

Tuesday we taught Viktor again, the last big hurdle before baptism: tithing! We had President McConkie with us, and it went great! He accepted it no problem and he is excited to get baptized next week. Keep praying for him, he needs it still! We taught Vera via iPhone, and a couple others. We had one of the most frustrating lessons ever tonight. It was with this young guy Josef. He claims to be an honest seeker of truth, but you can tell by his questions that he's not. He claims we haven't answered any of his questions, and when we asked what questions we hadn't answered, he listed off a bunch of questions we had discussed at length. It's not that we haven't answered them, he just doesn't like our answers. But, we meet those type now and then. We can't just have Viktors and Arys! We had a singing display, found a couple of people, and had a cool phone call from Michal. He talked about how he had read the Book of Mormon and our website all night, and was stoked about what he had found. We met with him later in the day, and he talked about how everything he's been looking for is here, and it answers all his questions, and how true it all feels. So cool.

Wednesday we had some cool miracles, evidence that the Lord wants us to achieve our goal of 200 lessons. We taught both Viktor and Michal in the morning, had lunch with all the missionaries in Prague and the McConkies, and it was a really good time. We then went and met a former investigator, and really cool guy named Petr. he's Jehovah's witness, so it's going to be a battle with him, but he's a nice guy. We had another great lesson with Ary, at the end of which he of course prayed again. After his prayer, like every time, he was just excited. Smiling, happy, feeling the Spirit. He said, "It just gets better and better! I'm getting good at this." He is the greatest. We also had two lessons that we didin't really expect to get, one with a really cool kid from Kazakhstan that we met with last week, and a really good one with a long time investigator named Martin Koca. We also had a meeting with the branch president, President Pilka, about less actives and how we can better work together to brign some back. It was good, and his trust in us is growing, and we're starting to have a good relationship with him. 

Thursday we had training here in Prague, and it was good. The zone leaders did a good job. We had two lessons immediately afterwards, one with Veronika and one with Viktor. Both were really really good. It was Viktor's birthday, and we had a small celebration with him, and some of the other missionaries. He really appreciated it. He's 38. And he says hello haha. We talk about our families a lot, and he said today that I must have a great family. He's right. Right after his lesson we headed to a university to teach two new guys, Lukas and Mirek. They're way cool, and we had a good lesson with them. They are both not really believers much, but they have good questions, and they are willing to meet with us. 

Yesterday was way packed, we taught 8 lessons, which is a new high for me. We had such a cool miracle in the morning! we had a lesson set up with a Ukrainian lady, so we invited the same Russian RC, Sasha, to teach with us. The lady didn't show up, so we taught Sasha a quick lesson. We finished, and walked to the door with her, where a young college-age girl was waiting. We let her in, and started to talk to her, and she told us right away that she wasn't Czech. We heard her accent, and it turns out she is Russian! Her name is Maria, and she said that she has never been a believer, but that she has been thinking about God a lot lately, and that she felt it was time to start believing! We sat down with her and chatted a bit about our purpose and all, and she is soooo cool. We had to leave to go meet another investigator, but no worries, our Russian member took her on a tour of the building, and by the end they were just best friends, and now Maria is coming to church, and we're going to meet with her! WAs it a coincidence that we happened to be there with a Russian member just as a Russian girl walked up to the Restored Church of Jesus Christ? Not a chance. God is good. 

Today, as I've mentioned, we met with Viktor, he is so set for baptism next week. He wants to be baptized in a lake or a river, so we have to find a place for it, but other than that, he's good. Transfers end this weekend, so tonight, for the first time (and I'm so excited), I get to be part of calling all the missionaries to tell them where they're going!!! It's going to be such fun. Elder Sewell and I already know where everyone is going and all, but it's going to be great to get to be the one calling the other missionaries. Also, Elder Sewell and I are staying together! More than six months together total. Wow.

I love you all tons, can't wait to hear from you all again!

Elder Knapp

Email and Pictures

Draha rodino,

Everything is back to normal now as far as our schedule goes, so it is Saturday and I am emailing. What a great game that must have been! I heard from President McConkie last week about it. he's a Ute, but like any good football fan he watches his enemies as close as his friends. I was pretty excited, and so was Sis McConkie and their oldest daughter. You see, their family is divided. President went to the U, so he and his sons are Utes. Sis McConkie went to the Y, so she and her daughter are Cougs. I didn't realize they had a bye this week, but it's good. I hope they get ready, because we have earned every victory we haven't gotten these past few years, and it's time! The two pictures: the couple is the Mills, from Ostrava if you recall.  I love those two so much, it was super sad to see them go. The weird statues are a monument portraying the dehumanizing effect of Communism. I don't know how well you'll be able to see it, but each statue has a little bit less of  the body, symbolizing how with time, Communism makes its citizens less and less human, until at the top stair, there is nothing left. Pretty wild.

Okey doke, Monday. Monday was not the day we wanted it to be. We had many cancellations, which you will soon see has been a theme throughout the week. The thing is, Viktor, our main man, is deeply involved in an intensive construction project right now, so we're seeing him for the first time today. it's been a good week though. On Monday we finally met with Isabel again, she was sick and so hadn't been to church in a couple weeks, but she's better and back now, so we're glad. She is soooo funny. we had the baptismal form for her to fill out at the lesson, and it was hilarious to watch. She has always kept her age a secret from us, we don't know why, so when she saw that she had to write her birthdate and all that she was just appalled. She at first refused to give it, but then she noticed that we were covering something up on the form. Since Elder Sewell baptized her and I confirmed her, both of our first names were there. She said she would only put her birthdate if she could see our names. It was so funny. She was thrilled. We allowed it though because we know that she understands that part of our calling is to go by "Elder," so there was no worry of her calling us by our first names. It's weird to me now to hear my first name. 

Tuesday was amazing! But for reasons that will surprise you. We took the McConkies to the airport because they have a Mission President's conference tuesday to Friday in Paris. Then we had district lunch and district meeting and everything, and it went well. we had lunch at a special restaurant because it was one of the Sisters birthday, then had the meeting, on How to Begin Teaching. We then taught a few lessons, one of which was to a really cool new girl from Russia named Rita. That evening however, we got to do something pretty cool, and out of the ordinary. This following list you must look up.

Rudolfinum, Dvořák Hall Krzysztof Penderecki: Adagio from the Symphony No. 3 (adaptation for strings) Antonín Dvořák: Cello Concerto No. 2 in Bminor, Op. 104 Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 7in A major, Op. 92

And listen to. Then look up Alisa Weilerstein and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Elder Sewell and I went and got to see the opening concert of a big music festival here in Prague. It was soooooooo great. Really. I love classical music. Antonín Dvořák is a native Czech composer, and we were in his hall, where he conducted, and heard his music played by the Czech national orchestra. SO GREAT. A little different than normal stuff, but it was amazing. You'll see that once you listen to it. We are blessed. I love this place.

Wednesday we went and visited a semi-active guy, then did a finding exchange with the sisters in Prague who just opened a new area and work is a little slow for them. but, we went out and found them a few folks, so it was good. They're such good sisters, it's just tough to start from zero. We also taught Patrik! He. Is. Awesome. I'll havet o get a picture for you all. The lesson was sos good. We finishedthe Restoration with him and his prayer at the end was so great, so sincere. He really wants to know.

Thursday we had a good day, we had a singing display that went well. We found a few people, set up a few appointments, and that's what it's all about. We also taught a few lessons, including one to a former investigator named Josef. He became a former after reading about how Nephi killed Laban. we had a very interesting discussion with him. He's a good guy, but he's not super open. we'll see where he goes. He's willing to meet at least.

Friday, yesterday, we taught a friend of Isabel's, such a cool kid, his name is Ari, he's from Angola just like she is. We also taught a new guy from Uzbekistan named Michal. He's really cool, his beliefs are, I would say, Muslim that's a bit heavy on Christianity. He's a really good guy. He loves the idea of the Restoration, and loves what we're doing. We also drove to the airport to pick up the McConkies. They are awesome, we've missed them. They had some trainings from Apostles, one from Elder Ballard I think all about Assistants. A little pride moment: The McConkies said we measured up pretty well. There was also some good scriptural insights passed on from Elder Oaks about how to receive a testimony, so I will abridge what was said. God is a God of covenants. If we want a spiritual confirmation of something, we have to be willing to use it as God would want us to. Elder Oaks said, if an investigator prays for a testimony of the Book of Mormon and promises in that prayer to be baptized if they know, Elder Oaks says he has never known anyone, anyone, to pray like that and not get an answer. This morning in my study in three of the four books of the standard works, I found references to this constant covenant making. Great.

Well folks, I love you. Thanks for all the emails, they were great. HAve a great week, I pray for you each day,

Elder Knapp