9-22-09 Email home!

Dear family:)
So today is my P-day once again (YAY) and I’m sorry about not writing real letters I know that you like that a lot more, so I’ll write one today. Well this morning we went to the temple (chrám) and it was awesome. When you stand outside the temple on the front step you can see provo valley and the lake in the middle and it is a pretty cool sight to see cuz the temple is on the base of the mountain so its higher than everything around it:) we went to the 8 oclock session so we had the rest of the day to do all of our other stuff like laundry (which im getting pretty amazing at BTW) haha but its been really fun here. If there wasn’t so much stuff to keep me busy all the time I would probably be crazy home sick. And I mean seriously, we have a weekly planning session every Friday morning and we plan all of our language and PMG lessons and then every night we plan out what we are going to do in our personal (osobní) and our companion (studium se společnikem) and our language study (jazykové studium) times. So our days are so full of stuff to do that is insane. My brain is about ready to explode by the end of the day;) and last week our TRC was entirely in Czech if you remember and then every week till the end of my time here will be the same way so itll really be challenging. But its all good I guess. Last week we had elder Holland instead of the President Monson, but it was still super awesome:) I think he might be one of my favorite speakers. He always gets so into it that he pounds his fists on the podium. It was really powerful (mocný) (haha I know how to write most of this letter in Czech, but I don’t really feel like having to translate this whole thing, sooo, yeah) and his wife got up and spoke just before he did it was pretty cool she’s Just as amazing as he is. And then this Sunday we got to watch another movie (we get to choose between like four every week) and this week we chose the prophet of the restoration (I think that’s what its called) but it was awesome:)
And yeah the glasses that we got are really strange for me to wear, haha cuz apparently I have a slight stigmatism and the glasses correct that (and my other ones didn’t) so its one of those things that Im just gonna have to get used to I guess:) and im not going to need to buy a bike for my mission cuz it’s a walking/public transportation missions. So im really glad about that cuz it cant be fun to have to ride a bike in a suit (its uncomfortable enough as it is just to wear one haha). And my companions thought I was crazy for wanting that Hollister cologne, but once I put it on they kept wanting to smell me, haha it was kinda gay, but apparently it has the same affect on guys as it does girls;)
So the mtc is a blast and I pretty much love the food, but the more that I stay here the more I just want to leave. We’ve seen two groups come and go within the time that we’ve been here. All engliash speaking of course, but its kinda depressing to think that they are already in the field and we’re not. Oh, and I haven’t had to give a sinlge talk since ive been here! Its so awesome! Every week everyone has to prepare one and then in the announcements in sacrament meeting, they announce who is going to speak (its pretty much on the spot, so theres really no time to even get nervous, I like it a lot more;) ). And yes:( I have gained weight, Im at 200lbs, but its muscle weight;) and I still haven’t gotten used to only being able to listen to the tab choir, its kind of just getting annoying now, but im thinkin that ill just kinda tune it out soon. For choir, we’re not singing in this years’ general conference, I was knida bummed about that but its still totally fun to sing with that many elders and sisters. (theres usually about 500 or so that show up for choir). We sing every Tuesday for devotional.
So as I said, my brain usually is about to explode at the end of every day cuz of all the learning, but itspretty cool cuz all of the teachers on this floor of the building we are in speak relatively similar languages and evertime my teachers speak I can understand about 90% of it so it’s a good feeling:)
And its awesome to hear about how every ones doing, especially my nieces:) I cant wait to get pictures of them:) well, im just about out of time so I gotta wrap it up. I want you all to know that I love you all so much, and ill write a couple of snail mail letters today. I know that this gospel is true and that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. And that we can live as an eternal family in this world and the world to come. I knoe that Joseph smith was a true prophet and that he saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ, so that he could restore the fullness of His gospel on the earth. I love you all again, and I will write again soon:)

Love,
Starší Vivona

How to send Christmas packages to Prague

Dear Parents and Loved Ones of the Czech Prague Missionaries,

President Slovacek and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of your missionary. Your communication with them is vital to their well being. When they know they are fully supported by loved ones at home, they are much happier missionaries. They have a clearer focus. They are free to work harder because their attention is not being diverted by wondering how things are going at home. So thank you again for your loving and sustained support.

Though it may not seem like it, the holiday season is close at hand. Many of you will want to send a Christmas package to your missionary. This is highly encouraged; so we would like to send along a few reminders concerning the mail. Please notify friends and family of these reminders as well.

Mail packages early. If you send a package in September or October, it will arrive on time without an enormous shipping cost. Your missionary will also receive the package before Christmas. We make a special trip the week before Christmas to take packages to the missionaries. If a package arrives after we have made our deliveries, the missionary will not receive the package until January.

Address all packages to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and send to the mission home. This cannot be stressed enough. Last year, several packages were either lost or sent back to the sender because this simple request was ignored. Packages have a way of disappearing off missionary apartment doorsteps in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. They are much safer here in the mission home. Please be assured that we will do all we can to keep the packages secure. We have set up a new security system with many locks and limited access to keys to the missionary closet.

Put their name second on the mailing label. Your mailing label should look like this:

Cirkev Jezise Krista Svatych Poslednich Dnu
Elder Matthew Vivona
85/95 Milady Horakove
Praha 170 00 Czech Republic

I hope this is not confusing. Please take a few minutes before you mail your package to get the address label right. It will make all the difference to your missionary at Christmas time.

Thank you again for your continued support. We love your missionary! In December, we will be posting a slide show of all the missionaries throughout the mission on our blog: www.theslovaceks.blogspot.com

Many thanks,

President and Sister Slovacek

A New Niece!

Matt is an uncle, AGAIN! Welcome Mckinley Addison Peyton to the family. McKinley was born 9/10/09 at 9:22pm to Megan and Jared. Matt has been asking every time he writes "is she here yet?" Well here she is!

Starsi Vivona is rapidly learning Czech. The MTC teachers are longer speaking English to the Elders. They now must really learn the language. matt said last week when they first stopped speaking english he was only getting about every third word. This week he is beginning to understand a bit more. He has had several occassions to teach (in English), by working in the Referral Center (RC). The referral Center is where phjone calls come in from people seeing the church's commercials on television and wanting to know more. Matt told us that last week he spoke to a woman in Texas for over an hour on the phone and when they were finished speaking she had agreed to have missionaries come to her home to discuss more of the gospel. Matt gladly sent the referral to missionaries in her area. He was excited to be able to speak with her and teach by the Spirit. He looks forward to going to the RC to work. He really likes his companions and they are getting along well. Last week a couple of the Elders had gotten sick and had to spend some time in the infirmary. Whiel they were recovering, Matt and his companions had to take notes for them to study from. He said that was quite a challenge, as now they were only getting to hear czech, and missing every other word and had to take notes. But he said they were able to take down enough to pass on to their fallen companions. He really loves being in the MTC and learning.

Last Tuesday was P-day and he had some time on the computer to send us an email. Cynthia was with clients when Matt's mail came through. Thinking she had missed him quickly sent a simple reply, "r u still there?". To her surprise he was and they were able to exchange a few emails. Cynthia said it was almost like having him in the room and speaking directly to him. He has about 4 more weeks of training before heading overseas. He is looking forward to teaching the Czech people.