Our specialized training for the month of August was in Olomouc.  This was about an hour train ride away.  The train was much nicer and it wasn't nearly as hot so made for a much better trip than when we had to travel to Brno.  They had the main namesti, or town square, under construction and it was right outside our window during the meeting.  Very noisy.  If we shut the windows we got to hot, open the windows we couldn't hear.  Welcome to the C.R.         Sister Mills and the Elders going to find a tram after the meeting. (Wish I had a nickle for every tram I have been on in the last two months!!

Here is our tram in Olomouc approaching.  Elder Gleue put his thumb out hoping it would stop and give us a ride!

One of the families in the branch we visited this week were the Moravec.  They live in Frydek/Mistek.  This is about a 30 minute train ride away from Ostrava.  When we arrived Bro. Moravec picked us up in his car and took us on a little tour of the city.  It was a very charming city.  Actually two cities right next two each other and they each have their own namesti.  Here is Elder Story, Elder Boysen and Sister Mills standing in the middle of the main namesti of the city Frydek.

Brother Moravec, Elder Story, Elder Mills and Elder Boysen.  Did I mention Elder Boysen is 6'7" tall.  So the other men aren't short, Elder Boysen is just very tall!  Frydek Namesti.

Again, Sister Mills, Bro. Moravec, and Elder Boysen.

Looking out over Frydek/Mistek.

Main namesti of Mistek.  Elder Story, Bro. Moravec, Sister Mills, and Elder Boysen.

 A cool church on the streets of Mistek.  They have more interesting looking churches here in the CR.  It is amazing that there are so many nonbelievers here.

Main namesti Mistek.

This is looking out the window of Bro and Sister Moravec flat. in Mistek.

Another view from their flat.

Bro. and Sister Moravec, Sister Mills, Elder Mills.  This is in the Moravec home.  She fixed us dinner and we had a great visit.  They were baptized into the church 50 years ago when CR was under communism and they had to do everything in secret.  They were baptized in the forest, late at night, in the river.  They have very strong testimonies and are a big part of the Ostrava Branch.  Wonderful people!!

One of our favorite parts of our mission is going to visit the members in their homes and getting to know them better.  We have had such great experiences.

Just a picture of a train like the ones we ride.

My first hair cut in the mission field.  Elder Boysen is a brave soul!  I tried to tell him that he would end up looking like Starsi Mills, but he said go ahead.  He is a delightful Elder from England.  We love to listen to him speak with his fun accent.  He is great!!

This is a church Elder Mills walks by in the mornings on his walk.  It is near our home in Ostrava.  They have beautiful churches in the Czech Republic.

This is Elder Knapp and Sister Veronica Kavanove.  It is Veronica's baptism day.  She was taught and baptized by Elder Knapp.  Elder Knapp is from Kansas.

I am holding Sister Veronica's baby, Kevin.

Veronica, her daughter Natalie, son Kevin, and myself.

Entire group at the baptism.  We are standing in front of the hotel where baptisms are held.  They clear the people out of the pool for one hour, we move in and do the baptism, and the pool is reopened for business.

On our P-Day we went to the city just outside of Opava, Hradnec nad Moravici.The city is named after the castle that is there.  The town has thousand years of old history.  Dates back to 1061.

Here we are standing outside the castle (hrad).  The castle name is same as the city.  Hradec nad Moravici.

Hradnec nad Moravici.  All around the castle are beautiful paths that meander through forests and courtyards.

The castle had the most beautiful courtyard.  We are standing at the gate leading into the courtyard.

Courtyard of Hradec nad Moravici.

This is just a cool door at the castle.

Elder Mills, and just behind to the right is a bust of Beethoven.  They have a traditional international music competition and the festival of young artists that takes place every year here.

Our First FHE in Ostrava, Aug 3, 2012.  We just completed a lesson in the chapel where Earl and I gave a short lesson on "Choice and Accountability" in Czech!!  It only took us three days to prepare and then we read every word, but we  did it just the same.   Here you can see Earl doing what he does best, and the rest are members, and a couple of investigators.  The pizza was cold and not very good, but they ate every bit of it.  What saved the food was Sister Ivonova brought her delicious homemade plumb strudle, cake, not sure what you call it but it is wonderful!!

We played "Minute-it-to-win-it"  Here they have an oreo on their forehead, and they have to get it in their mouth without touching it.  They were pretty good.

Here Daniele is shaking the ping-pong balls from the kleenex box on his back.

And here is the elephant walk where they have to knock over the water bottles with the tennis balls that are inside the panty hose around their neck.  No hands please.

The missionaires were here for dinner on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, and it was Elder Carlson's 20th birthday so we baked him a cake.  He has the biggest dimples you have ever seen.

We attended our first Zone Conference on Friday, July 27, 2012.  We had to go by train to Brno, the second largest city in the Czech republic, which was about a 2 1/2 hour train ride.  Here we are waiting for our train.  We got up at 4:00 a.m. to make our 5:45 a.m. train. (Elders, Boysen, Story, Knapp, Carlson, Prymax, and Hanson)

We met several other senior couples at conference.  Here is Elder and Sister Martin.  They are serving in Brno at the YSA Center.  It is a conincidence that they have also served in Laos with Dwight and Barbara Cook.  It was so hot that day that we were all pretty wilted by the time it was over.

Here we are walking the streets of Brno.

Here we are waiting for another tram.  Thank goodness for trams!! 

Streets of Brno.  I don't know what any of the building are as we were just walking quickly by them.

We are on the train leaving Brno going back to Ostrava.  This was taken out of the train window.  Brno is a beautiful city.  Very old and very clean compared to Ostrava.  We hope to be able to spend more time there someday.

The countryside is dotted with beautiful farms and homes with red tiled roofs.  It was very beautiful.

Tried to show the homes with the red tiled  roofs here.  We got home around 7:00 p.m. I was so hot I thought I would die.  No airconditioning on the train we rode on,  but we survived.

We were invited to lunch this week to the home of Sister Renatta Blomberg, a counselor in the Branch Relief Society.  This is from her balcony.  I am standing with Sister Kolkova who is the District Relief Society President.  Also, Sister Ana Galicekova, Branch Relief Society President was there.  They were a fun group of ladies.  Sister Kolkova (above) spoke very good English, Sister Renata spoke a little, and Sister Galicek spoke hardly any.  For the first time on our mission Elder Mills was out numbered by women.  Usually it is me and the Elders.  It felt good!!

Looking off Sister Renata's balcony to the open common area.  It was very beautiful.  As you can see it was surrounded by a forest of trees.

Here is me(Sister Mills), Sister Renata Blomberg, Sister Kolkova, and Sister Ana Galicekova.  The lunch was great.  She served a curried chicken over rice, fruit and ice cream, and then they brought out cake.  I was so stuffed, but I took one for the team and ate it all.

In talking with Sister Kolkova we found out that her daughter was visiting friends in the USA in a place called Bountiful, UT.  I was amazed and told her that is where I grew up and still my son and his family and my mother lived there.  After that she had to get her daughter Zusana, on  skype so we could meet.  Zusana was busy making a costume for her brother for the 24th of July Pioneer Parade.  It made me a little homesick, but the point is just how small this world really is.

Here Elder Mills and I are standing in front of our Church Building.  We share the building with several other offices.  Our name is the third plaque from the top.  It says Cirkve Jezise Krista Svatych poslednich dnu. (Czech without any of the markings.  I don't know how to do that on the computer.)

Here we are in front of the door going into the church.

We just thought this was an interesting picture.  This is a funeral going on in the church, and while the funeral is taking place a band stands outside and plays music.