[Dear friends and family, here is our latest letter from Joseph. Thank you for your continued love and support of Joseph while he is on his mission. We can't believe he has been out ONE YEAR! Joseph's editor - BWS]
Well, this week went well. Elder Ingalls turned twenty last Tuesday, which was cool. We had district meeting in Jihlava, and we ate out at the "restaurant on the battlement". It was rather tasty. Then after English class, we went door knocking and were let in and were able to teach a husband, wife, and their youngest daughter. We have a return appointment for this next Tuesday. They even gave Elder Ingally a manpurse. I think he should use it, but I do not know if he will. They are a very nice and sincere family and we are excited for them.
We are also meeting with a Mongolian woman named Ary. We helped her do a couple things on the computer here in English a couple weeks ago and finally were able to set up a follow-up meeting. We found out that her brother, who lives in Mongolia (and who also speaks German), is a member, and that she is very interested in learning more about us and about Jesus Christ. That was great to hear. We introduced the concept of baptism to her and we are going over to her house for lunch on Thursday.
We still have a ton (rather, enough) of snow here. And come to find out, the Czechs do not use road salt. Instead, they dump rocks on the sidewalk (small pebbles to be more correct). They work, but it is rather messy looking. They also use what looks like bulldozers to plow the roads by the town center so that they can pick up the snow and carry it away, although I am not sure quite where. Maybe they could ship it to Michigan since you do not have any yet. [That would make Joseph's brothers happy!] There are a few staircases we use that we have affectionately named "schody smrti" or "the stairs of death", due to their exceeding slickness. Both of us have fallen already, but we are doing okay. Speaking of this, I remember Uncle Lowell talking to me about a good method to preserve my shoes when it is snowing and dirty outside. However, due to the fact that this discussion was a year ago, and I probably was not listening super attentively, I forgot most of what he said. I would like to extend a request for further instruction from him as to the best method to keep my shoes alive and bright. (I do have cedar shoe trees, by the way). [Lowell, do you remember what advice you gave Joseph??]
Last Saturday we went to Jihlava again for another baptism. Ondřej Ditě baptized a woman named Dana (her last name is Hungarian and I cannot remember it). If you remember, or rather, if I remembered to write about it, Ondřej was just baptzed last transfer and is doing amazing. Elder Hicken, who is over in Jihlava and was my companion in the MTC, really wants him to cut his shoulder length hair, but is really an amazing individual and has an incredibly strong testimony. He is way awesome.
So yesterday was a great event ----oh wait before I forget----- Elder Ingalls and I were talking, and we figured out that our parents were both married in June of 89, and possibly the same day. [Julie and I were married on June 24, 1989.] Dear family, could you ask the Brother and Sister Ingalls what day they were married on? I would like to confirm this mystery. ------anyway, so great event... Yesterday was Mikuláš day [St. Nicholas Day!] here in the Czech Republic. There were many people dressed up as čerty (devels) and as anděly (angels). There was a big event on the square, but the branch had a cool party and I will describe it for you. It was great.
So all of the children in the branch came (about fifteen or so) and their parents. They sang a few songs (which I did not know) and then the parents started to ask them to call for Saint Mikuláš. Then in comes Saint Mikuláš (one of the young men in the branch) complete with long white beard and dressed as a catholic priest. His sister also came in dressed as an angel with another young woman, as well as his older brother, who was dressed as a devil (imaging Gimli from Lord of the Rings, but with a pitchfork and red horns). Saint Mikuláš then called up all the children one by one, read from a book (that was covered in gold tin foil) the good and bad things they had done. Occasianally Honza (the devil) would threaten them a little, and then the child would sing a song, and receive and certain amount of candy. The best part though was another friend who was dressed up in long read tights, had a tail, and a rather scary, rubber devil mask who was hiding in the back of the room (imagine a mix between the Balrog from LOTR [Lord of the Rings] and a goat). He was way funny (occasionally he would dance as the children sang), but several children were rather frightened of him and one girl cried everytime she saw him and was very upset when he came toward her pretending to take away her older brother for not beeing good the past year. It was a great party.
So I have a request. We are having a talent show as a mission right before Christmas, and if I understand correctly, we are able to import songs from the world and make them funny. I do not know the title, but could you send me the lyrics to Eminem's song that starts out with something like "you got one shot, one opportunty" Weird Al also did a cover of this song. Daniel, or Weston, could you send that out to me this week? [Notice that Joseph didn't ask his parents to find this music for him??! Maybe he doubted their abilities to find it!] Maybe the guitar or piano tabs too if you can find them. Do not worry though, I am not distracted.
Well, that is all I have today. I love you, wish you the best and hope everything falls well.
Love,
Elder J Schindler
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