Week 6 Miracles in Brno

Sestry Brimhall, Pysnak, Smith and Izatt

Draha Rodina!!

Thank you all for your amazing emails and pictures. I have the best family in the world.

First of all this week has been amazing! So many miracles and tender mercies. I'm learning that the Lord truly is at the head of this work and I get to see it first-hand. 

Yesterday, we had a YSA activity. We went on splits with the YSAs to visit less active members. We don't waste time here :) It was funny actually, because the girls that came with us on splits were so exhausted at the end of the activity. I guess when you're a missionary you get lots of divine strength. Actually I'm not guessing. I know that! There is so much help from the other side.

I've been thinking about Megan a lot this week. We went to a hotel for district lunch and at the end of the meal and realized that the flower in a vase on our table was a Salmon colored Gerber Daisy [note: Megan’s favorite flower]. It wasn't coincidence. Megan wants me to remember that I'm not alone and that gives me courage when I contact people on the trams or on the streets. I realized something so neat this week. When I walk off a tram knowing that I contacted and invited people to learn about our message, I feel so great, even if I didn't get any numbers. But when I walk off having not talked to anyone, I don't feel so great. It made me realize that my role as a missionary is to invite EVERYONE that I can to hear our message. And when I do that the Spirit is with me. And even thought I get rejected, it's okay because I invited and I worked and I gave them the chance. And then when I do get numbers it's double the joy!

I am so blessed to be a missionary. I see miracles every day! The Lord is in charge. I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and love and for your examples of missionary work.

Love, Sestra Pysnakova

Megan's Gift to Melissa



Week 5 Prvni Tyden!

Draha family and friends,

First tyden [note: week] in the Czech Republic! It's hard to believe that a week ago I was leaving the MTC. We've been busy! Busy is good! I'm grateful that I already can speak the language. It's allowed me to get right into the work. It's funny because in just the few days that I've been here I've seen all aspects of missionary work. From complete rejection of the message to acceptance of it - I've seen it all in the few days I've been here. But I love it! I have been so humbled as I've seen my weaknesses, and yet the Lord trusts me to do His work. I've realized that if I work hard, seek for the guidance of the Holy Ghost and am obedient, He will make up for the rest! It's amazing really. I'm learning so so much.

I do have to say that being a missionary in the Czech Republic is very different from just coming here on vacation. We get up at 6:30, exercise for 30 minutes, get ready for the day and eat breakfast, at 8 we have osobni [note: personal] study for an hour, followed by two hours of companion study. Normally it's just one, but we are doing a special 12 week training program. The goal of this program is that in twelve weeks I should be able to train someone. After companion study we have language study for an hour. Then we travel to the church building and walk across the street to Bila [note: supermarket] to buy lunch. That Bila store has seen a LOT of missionaries over the years. After lunch depends on the day. On Wednesdays and Fridays we do district finding for a few hours. Our district - the Martins [note: senior missionary couple], 3 sisters, and 6 elders head out to the Namesti [note: Town Square] and sing. As we sing songs in Czech, a few of us walk around and contact people. It's really great! We also try and contact really anytime we are waiting for a tram or when we are riding the tram. The Lord places people in our path that are ready. The promise is that if we open our mouths, they will be filled. I know that it's true! My companions and I have been busy teaching. We have 10 investigators right now and will be working hard to getting more this week. We had a baptism last Saturday which was great. Me, Sister Smith and a Starsi [note: Elder] did the musical number.

Sundays are so busy. Yesterday we had district lunch at the Martins. It's so great having them here. I love them both! I'm so happy to be here as a missionary.

Missionary work is amazing!

The gospel changes lives.

Jesus Christ lives!

Love you all!

S laskou, Sestra Pysnakova

Week 4 Ahoj

Draha Rodina! Jsem tady v Cesku! [note: Dear Family! I am here in the Czech Republic!]

I am in Brno with Sestra Brimhall as my trainer. She is amazing! She was my relief society president at BYU and I was keeping up with her blog until I came. She is so great and I am learning so much from her already.

It was so great talking to you all at the airport. I didn't call from London because it was too expensive, but the flight went well. The best was when we landed in Prague. All 8 of us just felt this surge of excitement and nervousness. It was so neat walking out and seeing President and Sister Irwin with the 3 APs [note: Assistants to the President] waiting for us. One of the APs waiting for us was Starsi [note: Elder] Shumway who is headed home today! If you remember he was a new missionary in Ostrava two years ago when we went and so it was neat seeing him again, this time with me being the new missionary. Starsi Meiling was also one of the APs. We filled three cars - one of them a van with missionaries and luggages and then drove to the mission home. Oh and of course I arrived in Prague without my voice. Everyone wondered what happened. So did I. But it's coming back which is great.

We took pictures with the President and his wife so that they could email them to our parents and then the APs took us on a walk through Prague. The whole point of this was to keep us awake. After the walk we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. The mission paid for it which was great. For the first meal I had Svickova [note: marinated beef with dumplings and gravy] followed by ovocne knedliky [note: fruit dumplings] for dessert. It was so good. We hadn't had a real meal since Breakfast at the MTC. We headed back to the mission home and the Elders went to a nearby bed and breakfast for the night. Sestra Clark and I got to sleep in the President’s home. He sent us all to bed at 7 which was great. Of course I woke up at 11:30 wide awake, but I eventually fell asleep and was in and out the rest of the night. Hooray for jet lag!

In the morning all of our trainers arrived at the mission home and we had a breakfast with President and Sister Irwin. President and Sister Irwin are amazing! I love them already! After breakfast President Irwin spoke to us and then assigned companionships. I am so happy to be with Sestra Brimhall in Brno. Sestra Clark went to Ceske Budejovice with Sestra White who I also know. Starsi Greener stayed in Prague, Starsi Hansen is in Brno with me, and Starsi Knapp and Strobl are in Ostrava.  After that the APs took us to the police department to get paperwork done. When we got back we had brief interviews with the President and then went on our way to our areas. Oh yes, at the mission home I also met Starsi Medonich again! I was in Ostrava for his first week last summer. It was so great seeing him again! He's doing so good.

We took a train to Brno - Starsi Hansen and his trainer Starsi Salas with me and Sestra Brimhall. She clued me in on the area, our investigators and on the lesson we'd be teaching that night! I know right! I have investigators and lessons to teach. It's kind of weird, but sometimes I have to stop and I'm like "Whoa, I'm a missionary. I'm for real!"

When we arrived in Brno we met up with my third companion, Sestra Smith, who will be with us until Sestra Sears comes [note: left behind in the MTC because of her broken finger]. She'll be going to Uherske Hradiste, but her companion is still with Sestra Bean in Prague. I also met Sister Martin who is serving in Brno with her husband. She is so great. We bought tram passes and stuff and then headed to our apartment to unpack. I love our apartment! It's way nice and cute.

I had about an hour to unpack and then we headed to the church to teach. We had time so we took a longer tram and did some tram contacting. Scared me to death! But I did it! At the church building, we taught an investigator who is so golden. The lesson went great and we taught with the Branch President who was amazing. It's really a blessing to teach with members. It's so much more effective.

We have a baptism this Saturday as well. Today we are teaching three lessons. Last thing, pretty much everyone we talked to since we arrived in Prague said welcome, followed by “you missed Elder Christofferson”. I guess he came last week.

Well, I love you! We have district meeting, district lunch and then I think we'll be doing some street contacting. We have great investigators, baptisms set and well, incredible things are happening in Brno. Love you all so so much!

S laskou [note: with love], Sestra Pysnakova

First Day in Brno

Street in Brno, public transportation is how you get around... 

Sestry Pysnakova, Brimhall and Smith in front of their apartment building in Brno

Meeting Her Companion...

This morning, Sestra Pysnakova met her new companion, Sestra Brimhall, and they will travel to her first area, Brno, beautiful city in the Southern Moravia.

Sestra Pysnakova with her Trainer, Sestra Brimhall.

First Day in Prague

View of Vltava River from the Charles Bridge

Starsi Hansen (Brno), Starsi Fenn (Slovakia), Sestra Clark (Ceske Budejovice), Sestra Pysnakova (Brno), Starsi Guyman (Slovakia), Starsi Greener (back in Prague) Starsi Strobel (in front, Ostrava), Starsi Knapp (Ostrava)

Čertovka canal under the Charles Bridge, with Sister Clark

View of Prague from Hradčany

Welcome to Prague

We have welcomed your daughter, Sestra Melissa Marie Pysnak, to the Czech/Slovak Mission.  We have also enclosed a photo of her with us, which was taken the day she arrived in Prague.  Sestra Pysnak will bless this mission greatly with her enthusiasm and dedication. We love her and pledge our best efforts in directing her service here.  Today we will do our best to keep Sestra Pysnak awake until early this evening.  Tomorrow after a good night's rest, she will meet her new companion and travel to her first area.

These new missionaries are a powerful group and they will bless this mission greatly with their enthusiasm and dedication.  We love them and pledge our best efforts in directing their service here.

 Sestra Pysnak has accepted a call that will change her life and the lives of those with whom she is serving.  These first few months will be full of new and challenging experiences, and your support in the form of encouraging, uplifting letters will help her greatly.

Our greatest hope is that each missionary has a positive and growing experience, which will help give her a foundation for a lifetime of service to others. We appreciate the time you have spent raising and teaching your daughter.  Thank you for your willingness to share Sestra Pysnak with us.

Sincerely,
President and Sister Irwin

Sister Pysnak with President and Sister Irwin

Šťastnou cestu!

Sestra Pyšňáková leaves for the Czech Republic on Monday, March 12, 2012. We love her and wish her good journey - Šťastnou cestu - and we will see her in 18 months!

Czech District

Week 3 One week!

Draha Rodino! [note: Dear Family!] In one week I will be in Prague. Can you believe it? Thank you all so much for your letters and emails. I love you all so much.

I have officially moved into the Czech district. My new companions are Sestra Clark and Sestra Sears. I also moved into their room with three other sisters going to Croatia. My new district is very nice and they have welcomed me into the group. I have to say though that I definitely miss my international district. In two and a half weeks I learned so much from those international elders and sisters. I love each of them so much. It feels like we've known each other for much longer than just two and a half weeks. When I got here I was so worried about not being in a Czech class and I felt out of place, but then things changed and I realized that I was where I was supposed to be and I know that is true! I can't teach something in Czech if I don't know it in English and I was so blessed to learn for 3 weeks how to be an effective teacher, how to teach by the spirit, how to use the Book of Mormon etc. It was amazing. I love my teachers Brother Gabriel and Sister Singer and I will definitely miss them.

This week I learned a lot. On Tuesday we had Elder Holland come and speak to us for devotional and boy was it one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard. I wish he'd give something like that in General Conference. It was powerful. He was very strict, loud and pounded the pulpit a few times, but it made us all realize the seriousness of our call. Here are a few things I liked what he said:

DON'T YOU DARE COME HOME AND IN THE FIRST 5 MINUTES THINK HOW TO NOT LOOK LIKE A MISSIONARY. DON'T TELL STUPID STORIES ABOUT THE STUPID STUFF YOU DID ON P-DAY. OR WHY ON EARTH DID YOU SERVE A MISSION? THE LIFE YOU'RE LIVING NOW IS MEANT TO BE PERMANENT. GET THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING NOW INTO YOUR HEART. OR WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU GOING?

DON'T COME HOME THE SAME PERSON THAT YOU WERE BEFORE YOU LEFT. THE LORD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO BE EXACTLY HOW YOU USED TO BE. THE MISSION IS MEANT TO CHANGE YOU.

THE VERY THINGS YOU WANT FROM INVESTIGATORS ARE THE VERY THINGS THE LORD WANTS FROM YOU. IF YOU ARE TEACHING INVESTIGATORS TO PRAY A LITTLER HARDER, YOU BETTER BELIEVE THE LORD WANTS YOU TO PRAY HARDER AS WELL.

ON YOUR MISSION YOU ARE ASKED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CONVERT AND THAT IS YOUR VERY OWN SOUL. PROMISE THAT THE MISSION WILL LEAD TO YOUR OWN CONVERSION. EVERYONE ELSE IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE.

THIS IS REAL LIFE. YOUR MISSION IS REAL LIFE. NOT WHAT COMES AFTER. THIS IS AS CLOSE AS IT GETS TO REAL LIFE AND YOU'LL NEVER GET THIS CHANCE AGAIN.

He said much more, but these were a few points that really meant a lot to me. It was a great night. On Friday I had in-field orientation which meant we were in meetings all day. It was the best day here at the MTC. It was all about practical application of the things we have learned in real life. It was neat. We practiced approaching people at the airport, we learned the importance of planning with the Lord's help, we learned about setting goals and teaching with members. Something that stood out to me was "If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease." That can be applied to anything we do in this life. Never ever lower your expectations. When we set high expectations the Lord can work with us and help us be the best that we can be. Something else that was really neat was learning how important planning can be and planning with the Lord. Because with His help we can say: “Okay, from 2 to 2:30 I will be on the Naměstí in Ostrava” [note: square in the Ostrava City, where we come from] and the Lord can bring people there that are ready to hear the gospel. I know that's true.

On Sunday was my last day with my branch. I love my branch. I love my branch presidency. They are so wonderful. I got to talk with Brother and Sister Yost about the Czech Republic and get all sorts of advice from them. They served as mission presidents there before President Slovacek and they loved it. I am amazed at the tender mercies I have received here. It's amazing that on my time in the ESL class, I had all of these connections to the Czech Republic around me--Brother and Sister Yost, Sestra Cubova [note: Sister from the Czech Republic called to serve in England] and Sister Heinzen [note: returned missionary from the Czech Republic]. I didn't need to be in the Czech class to practice my Czech or to learn more about the country. I know that Heavenly Father is so mindful of us and is really looking out for us.

Yesterday, I had my first class in the Czech district. Sister Austin taught and it was fun seeing her again.

I love you all! Thank you for your letters and prayers and love. I am so blessed to be a missionary and a representative of Jesus Christ. I am striving each day to live worthy of that call.

Love, Sestra Pysnakova.

First Missionary Photos

 Czech Trio: Sestra Sears, Sestra Pysnak and Sestra Clark

 MTC Companions: Sister Eggenberger from Switzerland, Sister Saili from Samoa and Sister Pysnak

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