Sleep is overrated! ;)

Being an assistant only a week has brought me many experiences and great lessons that Heavenly Father has needed me to learn. The new duties are a lot more than I expected, but things are going pretty well! I am very tired, but when President called me, the first thing he said was that I would be tired.  It is very different than how it was when President McConkie was here. This president relies a lot more on his assistants and his mission leadership council for ideas and advice since he never really served a mission. It is weird having such a large influence on the plans of the mission. It is very difficult to have an area to cover in addition to office duties. So difficult in fact, that we literally have nothing to start with. So we have to start to build an area, and still fulfill all of our other responsibilities. It takes the administrative duties to a whole new level for me, but I am very excited and privileged for the opportunity. We already found some great people, so I am excited to see how things will start changing in our area and build towards baptisms. 

Elder Oviatt went to Brno, our area was blinded into by two studs of missionaries both of which I love, Elder Lanham and Carlson who will be zone leaders. Elder Carlson has been a zone leader in Brno before this, Elder Lanham has not. My new companion is Elder Page, he is from Austin Texas. 

I am learning a lot of how to teach others to do things rather than just do them myself because we need the things I have been able to learn to stick with others so they can learn from my mistakes :)

We had several meetings this week, one of my favorites was the Departing Missionary Devotional. Three of these missionaries were my companions, and the sisters all served with me in the MTC. Such great missionaries! We got to share our testimonies and it was very spiritual.

A lot of this week has been spent planning the transfer, and the plans that President has for the mission for the next year. I am excited for our work with members in teaching them the principles taught in Power of Everyday Missionaries, our goal of 100 baptisms, and our work towards more stakes of Zion in the Czech Republic! 

Here’s a great scripture for you all (Mosiah 9:3,18)

It deals with the people of Zeniff that left that land of Zarahemla that desired greatly to inherit the land of their fathers, and this is Zeniffs record of their first attempt:

3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

Sometimes in our lives we proceed over-zealous to the task, and forget to include the Lord in our work through prayer and studying it out in our minds.  And in doing so, difficulties and unexpected challenges come our way. However, when we turn our heart to Him and strive to have the Lord guide us, we can have this result such as the people of Zeniff did in their fight with the Lamanites. 

17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

18 And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land.

Although we may not be fighting the battle of the sword as the people of Zeniff do, we fight the battle of everyday life. When we turn our thoughts, ideas, and plans to the Lord he will hear our cries and in his strength we will be able to conquer the pains and difficulties of everyday life. I have a testimony of that as a missionary! It works. God hears our prayers, and will always be there in our time of need.

Have a great week! 

Elder Belshe 

Here’s the office crew, and then a picture of Elder Page and I! Good to be back to the HQ ;) Also I am officially A GRANDPA!!! (The missionaries refer to the new elders they train as their “children”, so later when they train new elders they become “grandchildren”.) Elder Cardon is training in Ostrava this transfer, There is a picture of that as well. My grandson has the family inheritance tie, Elder Hamilton, he is a stud!