We want to start this post with news, not from the Czech Republic, but from home.  Our son Kevin Mills graduated this month from Weber State University.  We are so proud of him and his accomplishments.  He has had to hurdle many obstacles, in order to achieve his dream, but through much hard work and perserverance he has been successful.  We are also so grateful to his sweet wife Shannon, and all the love and support she has given Kevin over the years.

Congratulations to you both!!  We love you and are blessed to have such wonderful children.

(Have you ever seen such cute grandchildren?!?!?)

 

Zone and District Conference was held this month in Brno. These conferences are always so uplifting motivating. We love to attend and especially to be able to to listen to President Irwin each month. He is such a great man and we are fortunate to have him for a Mission President. This same weekend we had District Conference so it was a great and spiritually uplifting three days. It was the last District Conference for President Irwin and Sister Irwin to attend. Many tears were shed as the members showed their love and respect for both of them. They will be missed.

In between conferences we did a little sight-seeing of Brno.  Here we are going through the underground of Brno.  (Elder and Sister Wrightson, Elder and Sister Martin, Sister Nye, and Sister Mills)

Same group with the addition of Elder Mills and Elder Nye

Our dear friends Elder and Sister Nye from Smithfield, UT.  In this great big world we don't know how so many peopled from northern Utah were able to come together in this great mission.

The Wrightsons and the Martins

In between sessions of District Conference on Saturday we were able to join with the Elders and Sisters in a singing display.  It is so much more fun when the group is larger and actually has sisters to sing with.  You could hear the group singing from  a block away.  It was great.

Over looking Brno

 

Once a week we try to visit this sweet sister.  She lives in a rest home and does not have very good health.  Sister Skornikova is bright, and very funny.  We love to visit her and grateful the  Elders will tag along to translate for us.

 

 Elder Mills, Sister Skornikova, Sister Mills

Elder Ozmun, Sister Skornikova, Joseph, and Elder Simcock.

 

One thing the Czech republic does not have a shortage of is statues.  Everywhere you look in Ostrava there are statues.  Most are left over from communism and usually are of soliders and workers. (as seen here).  This was a holiday for the Czech people.  Something like our labor day.

 

 These next pictures are of the Elders at sports day.  Every Saturday they play and invite investigators, members, little kids, anyone they can get to play with.  They look forward to it and gives them a chance to unwind and have fun.

"Mormon Helping Hands"

The Ostrava Branch does a service project each spring and fall.  We were cleaning up a beautiful wooded area of trash and weeds.  It was raining pretty good when we started so that is why we all look like drowned rats.

 

This is what the area looked like that we were working in.  It was very pretty and green in the rain.  Elder Mills and I had to take extra Ibuprofen that night!

 

 

We started this post on a happy note, but must end with saddness.  Our dear friend Susan Turley passed away, and was buried today in Providence, UT.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  She was such a caring, considerate, and thoughtful person.  She was a great example to all of us.  We want Jeff and their children to know how much we have always loved the Turley family.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you grieve for the loss of your wife, mother, and grandmother.

Elder and Sister Mills

 

It has been over a month since I have posted to this blog.  April was such a busy month.  We blinked our eyes and it was gone.  Time is going by so quickly for us here in the Czech Republic.  We have now been here 10 months!!.  We love it here and and we love serving with the young elders....they are so amazing!!  They are working so hard.  They are such an example to us, and we learn from them daily.  What a blessing to be able to serve with such great young men.  (I keep hoping for some sisters, but so far just me an the elders.)

 

 This is our latest district. (Front left  to right:  Elder Spencer, St. George Ut; Elder Simcock, England; (sec row, Elder Ozmun, Providence, UT; Elder Lisonbee, Providence, UT; Elder Bailey, Perry, UT; Elder Gilmore, California; Sister and Elder Mills, Providence UT.  Can you believe how many are from northern Utah!  This was Easter Sunday.  The Elders are holding the traditional Easter Lamb that one of the Branch Members made for us.

 

We had our share of birthdays during the month or April..... 

 Happy Birthday Elder Simcock

Happy Birthday Elder Spencer.

Happy Birthday Tomaš and Elder Bailey.

 

Happy Birthday Adam and Elder Lisonbee. 

 

There is only one thing I found that the Elders like more than a baptism.......that would be eating!! 

See what I mean....

 

Our good friends Dwight and Barbara Cook from Providence, UT just happened to be in the neighborhood and dropped by for a few days.   President Irwin said it would be OK if we showed them around Prague for a couple of days (Like we know where anything is besides the church), but we had a lot of fun exploring the city and just being together.

 Interesting painting on these walls.

Dwight and Barb in front of  Prague Castle.

View of Prague

 

Changing of the guards at Prague Castle.

This is the big cathedral by Prague Castle.  (Sorry I can't remember the name right now.)  But, it is truly beautiful.

Any one want a pedicure??  Let these little fish do the job for you. 

Can't go to Prague without haveing one of their famous dogs. 

One of the entrances to the famous St. Charles Brigde.

Anywhere you go in Prague could be a picture postcard.

This picture is for our daughter Natalie.  Nat, Would this give you nightmares thinking that your chickens could get this big!! (hehehe).

St. Charles Bridge, Prague.

We went to the city of Kutna Hora and there was a church there, and in the basement someone had dug up the surrounding grave yard and made all sorts of things from the bones. 

A little creepy.

 

Wouldn't want to be standing here on resurrection day.  Bones will be flying in every direction.

Barbara was so excited to find a cathedral named after her.  "St. Barbara"

 

 St. Barbara's Cathedral.  This was truly amazing.

 

View f rom the cathedral.

 

 

Keys to the city (or maybe the men's room...can't remember).

 

 

While in Prague we went to a Czech Folklore traditional dinner, with Czech songs, dances and games.  The food was really good, and the entertainment was great.

 

 

Huk Valdy in the background.

 

 

Again more eating!  Sunday Dinner with the missionaries and special guests.

 P-Days with the missionaries at Landek Park.  Ostrava was an old industrial city, and very big in coal mining.  Landek Park is a museum about the mining industry from the past.

  Who needs to go to the zoo, I can see three monkeys every day. (Elder Mills, Elder Bailey, Elder Ozmun) (hehehe)

Elder Ozmun freaking out about something.

Down in the coal mine. Dwight, Barb, Elder and Sister Mills, Elder Bailey, and Elder Ozmun.  I have to admire the men who spent their whole lives working in the coal mines.  I think it would have been a horrible job.

All good things must end, and we think the Cooks were tired and ready to go home.  We about walked their socks off.  Thanks for coming to see us.  We love you both.

Spring came to the CR over night.  Within one week it went from snow and cold to beautiful flowering trees, and green grass.  We traveled from Brno to Prague by train to get our final visas and the trip was absolutely beautiful.  It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful God's creations are.

There is not a happier sight in the whole world than to see a group of elders walking down the street.  These young men and women who put their lives on hold, to go and serve their Father in Heaven.  Of course, as with all service, they grow so much while serving.  It is truly an honor to serve with them.  We love each of them and number them among our family while they are here.  We are so grateful for this opportunity.   
Thanks again to our family for all of your love and support.  Elder and Sister Mills