Sunday, October 5, 2013

Dear LOVED ONES,

Hyrum went on a 4th grade field trip this week to a communist labor camp.  He took these pictures and told me all about it when he got home.  If a person during the communist years did something as small as talk to a foreigner, or wear a t-shirt with a word on it that wasn't czech, or talk about religion, they could be sent to one of these camps as punishment.  They worked so hard and many people died.  Hyrum took a photo of a cement room (below) where he said the people in the camp had to go to be even MORE punished.  He was so sad and angry, that at a place where the work was already their punishment, the people had to be even more punished.  They would smash 30 or 40 people in this tiny dark cement room to punish them, giving them their only water by spraying it on the floor with a hose.  It was a tragic place, and Hyrum learned so much. 

WILSON took the next four pictures.  The subway, a selfie in the subway, a screen shot of when he woke himself up at 4:30 A.M.!!!! to watch the byu-utah game over skype thanks to cousins, and a utah pile of chocolate:)

I got the next lovely batch of photos off of EVIE's phone:)

These are recent shots I found on JAMES' phone:

Office Elders and Assistants after sport's night

 Out his car window

 Getting ready for TRANSFERS.  Two carts of yummy food for lots of great missionaries.

All the rest of the photos are from my phone and camera.  But some of the baptism were taken by my kids I think, and Elder Howell.

James, tucking in the boys by reading them one of his talks off the ipad that he was working on.  The Brno District conference was coming up and they asked him to give a speech about how they could someday become a stake.  He spent a lot of time on this talk, and focused a lot on what Bruce McConkie prophesied years ago about the church in this part of the world.

A walk to the Yo-Yo store! 

 practicing yo-yo's

 HOORAY for a visit from my Aunt Joan and Uncle Hollis!

 Brno, in-between district conference sessions

 Brno relief society sisters made these for the primary kids to eat for lunch

 Brno general session!  We love these saints!

 After the Brno conferences, we went straight into a zone conference with our missionaries.  So wonderful to be with them.

 Outside the Brno building with Joan and Hollis

George and Hyrum are pleased to tell everyone that they are now AAP's.  Assistants to the Assistants to the President.  Maybe the first in the history of the church!

Gorgeous Saturday walk

 We have a new niece!  So we brought baby Jackie to Wenceslas square to celebrate.  Can you see her little face?

 In a one evening we had two huge riots? or rallies? go past our house with full out riot police and dogs and loudness.  It was crazy!  We still love living above this busy street, watching people and feeling safe and happy in our home.  

 Chestnuts!

 Tennis!  I lost but I don't even care it was so fun!

 Hradec Kralove concert

Saying goodbye as we gear up for transfers.  Awesome Elder Gashler. 

 All the kids were surprised to see the assistants at school with me to pick them up

 WELCOME to the Czech/Slovak Mission!!!!  We are so glad these 10 are here!

All ten of our outstanding trainers, meeting with us as we prepare for the new missionaries.

 Saying goodbye to five great elders:(

School Library 

 Look at these books!

 Back Lot sports.

 Ev, walking home from her dance class with mom and wilson

Marvelous baptism in the Vltava river of our dear friend Viktor!!!  Elder Sewell and Elder Knapp did an awesome job teaching him, and all of the missionaries have loved him along here in Prague as well.  

Not pictured:  chores and more homework than my kids have ever had and lots and lots of late nights working on mission stuff and a few melt downs from every single one of us, just so you know we are REAL and not always smiling in photos ok?  But the Lord is so good to us, even with the hard parts of this, and we feel incredibly blessed to be in this mission, with these outstanding missionaries.  Know this:

We love you all so much!  We love hearing from you and hope you had an awesome conference weekend!  We get to watch it this weekend, delayed because of time difference. We really have seen God's hand in this work, and we have felt your prayers and love.  Thank you and may you be blessed in everything you are involved with.  Heavenly Father loves you!!!!! Love, Laurel/Sister McConkie and family:):):):):):)