What I learned in Prague:
- It's handy when you can borrow your clothes from your niece and sister when
you are in Prague and your luggage is in Seattle.
- McConkies house is bigger than I imagined. There seems to be enough
space for what they need, including all the company they have over all the time
and it stays pretty clean even with four kids.
- McConkies are staying in shape by climbing two flights of stairs to their
house several times a day. There is an elevator, but it's mostly only
used to send a large load of groceries up, to be met by the family on the top
floor.
- Hyrum can have a great time at a friend's birthday party even when he's the
only one there who speaks English (this is when non-speaking activities like
ping pong come in handy).
- Jet lag is real. Don't sit down. Ever. You'll be out
in a matter of seconds.
- I already knew this, but now I really know... Those McConkie kids are
amazing. Truly and for reals incredible. Their normal is so not
normal. And their normal is so not easy. But they are handling
their normal so well. They just do it. Church an hour away at 9am?
Up and out the door they are, eating some breakfast on the way, happy
faces when they get there. Sitting for three hours listening to Czech.
Meeting new people all the time. Waiting for their dad to interview
missionaries and set apart a new branch presidency. Practicing for the
primary program in Czech with a primary they've never been to before.
They just do it.
- James' Czech is so impressive. It comes in real handy when the rest of
the family needs help communicating with the people around them. He gave
a great talk in church; I had no idea what he was saying (partly because it was
in Czech and partly because I was not conscious...see jet lag comment
above). But I knew that he felt strongly about what he was saying to
the people there.
- The International School of Prague is such a bright, happy place! If
you have to go to school in a foreign country, this is a great one to go to.
- I'm not sure what’s more intriguing: The
intricate architecture on every building in that beautiful city, or the
incredible cobblestone designs all over the streets and sidewalks.
- It's possible to feel the spirit even on the metro escalator... as a dozen
Elders and Sisters sing beautiful hymns for those around them to hear their
message through music.
- If I ever go on a mission with my husband, I want to be the secretary to the
Mission President. What a fun job!
- Laurel and James are still so normal. Not that I expected them to NOT
be normal, but they have been thrown into such a different life with different
roles than they've ever known before. They are great at their new responsibilities,
and they are still them.
- Wilson is a great cake decorator.
- The missionaries LOVE the McConkies. Love. They hug those kids
and give high fives every time they see them like it has been weeks, when it
has only been a day.
- Laurel and James are really good at making a birthday party a big deal when
they are so far away from home. It wasn't easy to find a time that all
the family and Prague missionaries could come to Hyrum's party, but they made
it happen.
- The AP's are way better at foosball than Laurel and me.
- Evie is taller than me, and more beautiful than ever.
- You don’t need to speak the same
language to be able to understand. I
learned this as I sat with two darling 7 year-old girls in Primary as they
enthusiastically shared with me pictures they drew of different scriptures they
had read. I didn’t know a thing they
were saying but felt of their faith and enthusiasm for the gospel.
- George is good at explaining Harry Potter to me as I read it to him.
- Wenseslas Square is a great place to buy little treats and toys and people
watch while you sit and eat a kabob.
- It felt just like old times being with my sister. Even though we've
only been apart for 5 months, it has felt like a year at least. She was
so nice to take time to walk around the beautiful city with me when she is the
busiest person I know.
- McConkies are very patient, helping me understand how the money and metro
work (started to catch on by the time I left).
- As much as I want my kids to see their cousins that they miss so much, I
loved being there without them. I got to really spend time with my niece
and nephews in ways I wouldn't have if my own kids were there.
- Old Town Square is magical at night.
- We ran into missionaries everywhere. Going out, coming in, on the
street, at the metro. They are such happy faces to see in a city full of
foreign strangers.
- It's not hard to fall in love with the missionaries immediately. They
are the most positive part of the day, every day, for the McConkies.
- The kids miss American cereal so bad and loved every bite of the ones I
brought them.
- The view from Charles Bridge is unbeatable.
- The Senior Couples are like a bunch of grandparents to the McConkie kids.
They
adore them (goes both ways).
- McConkies are getting more and more used to their new life, recognizing the
good among the hard. And the hard parts are still really hard.
- Don't stop to take a picture at the castle entrance. You might almost
get hit by a speedy car entering in.
- I can't imagine anyone more perfect for the job of Mission President than
James. He is a natural leader, he loves these countries and the people in
them, he knows the language, and everything he has done in his life has
prepared him for this.
- Wilson makes a great roommate!
- Laurel switches roles beautifully. She can be 100% involved in
missionary work and then one minute later her attention is 100% focused on her
kids. She is amazing.
- James' phone doesn't stop ringing. When I commented on this to
him, he said "Really? I thought it was a quiet night." He
explained that he likes it this way. He enjoys being involved in what and
how the missionaries are doing.
- My husband is awesome. I learned that a long time ago, but it was
reinforced as he recognized that two sisters who are missing each other
terribly really really needed to be together for a little bit, and got me over
there.
- I can hardly wait for my kids to go to a foreign place and to see their
cousins.
- It's honestly like Laurel and James have 100? kids. That's how much
they care for the missionaries. They worry about them, rejoice with them,
help them. They are concerned about them and want only the best for them.
- The assistants to the President really are crucial. They help James and
the whole family so much, with whatever they need, even giving the kids rides
to school if needed.
- I love seeing different people in a different culture. Their lives seem
so different than mine but we are all pretty much the same.
- The Czech/Slovak Missionaries are
the luckiest in the world. I truly believe this. They have been
given the incredible gift of a mission president and his wife that are so
amazing at this calling. Not only that, but they get four awesome kids
too, and they get to see them be a happy family which hopefully they will get
to have one day too.
- I am so blessed to be able to visit. It helped me so
much to understand why McConkies were asked to leave their comfortable life in
Salt Lake City. They are an inspiration to me and I am so grateful that
even though we can’t be near each other for these three years, they are my
family forever.
