"Paradise Take 2: Snow Edition"

AHOJ!

Doufám, že všichni měli hezke vánoce!

This week was insane. So much fun, but so freaking exhausting. And so. Much. Carp. Here's a recap of the week:

In the Czech Republic, they celebrate Christmas day on the 24th. That afternoon we went to a member's house and hung out with their girls and just spent time with them and ate some cukroví. It was way nice. Then that night we went to the Bishop's house and spent their Christmas night with them. There were so many cool traditions. The traditional Christmas dinner here is potato salad and you guessed it...carp. We had carp soup and then just fried carp. It actually wasn't too bad. Pro tip: just chew really slowly until you feel something stab you in the cheek, and then yo

u can take the bones out so you don't swallow them. After the carp we had cukroví. After dinner, a bell rings and everyone runs into the next room to open presents. Instead of Santa, they have Ježíšek  (Baby Jesus). The ward ended up putting together a Christmas stocking for us. All the families in the ward put something in it, and it was stuffed. It was so insane. I freaking love the members here.

On the 25th, we spent time with some of the elders in our district and ate pancakes and played some games. It was a pretty chill morning. In the afternoon we went to a member's house and had more carp (this time straight from the fridge because "carp is even good cold!") and potato salad...and cukroví. Seriously have eaten so many cookies this week. They're dang good though. We also did this thing where you melt led and then dump it in water and it's supposed to predict your future for the next year. Mine predicted a lot of vegetables haha. 

I freaking love all the Czech traditions. We got to watch a few Czech fairytales this week,  and now I'm obsessed. They're so dang good. I'm just in love with the Czech Republic in general. We drove to Slovakia this week, and it was so gorgeous. I was freaking out the whole drive. 

On the 26th, some of the people in the ward do an annual hike, so we went with them this year. It was super muddy though, and for some reason the member decided to take a different route that was way steep, so that was fun. It was a pretty sick hike though. At the top there was this church that was built in 1673 that had some tombs under it. We sang some Czech Christmas songs and just enjoyed the view. 

We went to Paradise again to do service for the member in his orchard. This time it was snowing though. He kept making fun of me for being from Arizona haha. He gave me a Russian hat, some huge boots, and another jacket on top of the two I already had. I was still freezing. But it's chill. Paradise is always worth it. 

One of the main highlights of the week was Christmas Zone Training! We got to go to Žilina in Slovakia and spend time with the zone. It was so much fun. We got some way good missionaries in this mission. I love that I get to serve with all of them in these beautiful countries. 

For pday today, we ended up going to a senior living home and the ward choir sang to all the residents. And my favorite MTC comp may or may not have been there. And we may or may not have died because we haven't seen each other in a few months. Also I freaking love old people. It literally made me so happy to be back in a senior living facility again. I. Love. Old. People. 

Spiritual Thought:

"...as a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before...and when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future...God doesn’t care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and, with His help, where you are willing to go." -Jeffrey R Holland

One of the great things about faith is that it isn't concerned with what has happened in the past. Faith is always pointed towards the future. And no matter what you're going through now, or what you have gone through before, you can trust that everything will be made right. Put your faith in the Lord, and your future will be exactly what it needs to be.

Dang that was a long and incoherent email. But I'm too tired to fix it. Props to you if you read it all. As always, thanks for all the love and support! I hope everyone has the best week! And watch a Czech fairytale if you can find one. 

Sestra Lewis

Skip-bo games won this week: 3/3

This is one zone of two in her whole mission. Crazy that there are so few missionaries for two whole countries.