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| Czech Republic |
WELCOME 2023
COME AND SEE IN 23! That is our motto for this year. It applies to so many things in our life.
Come and See what the Gospel of Jesus Christ has to offer you. Come and See what better health and wellness looks like at Melaleuca. Come and See what we are doing at The Cumorah Academy in the Czech Republic.
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| Logan's stomach is full! |
We only had a few days with family and then it was time to pack and to be off on our new adventure. We had a very important stop on the way.
Yes - we did have to stop at Buc-ee's - Not the special stop in Wichita.
My favorite part of the stop is their museum like bathrooms. It is always nostalgic when we come back to Texas. Just being at DFW brings back so many feelings and memories.
NORA'S BAPTISM PICTURE AT THE DALLAS TEMPLE.
Brian's daughter, Nora turned 8 in December. That is a very special birthday in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is the time a child can decided to be Baptized a member of the Church. When you are baptized you agree to follow Jesus Christ and be a member of His Church. We make a Covenant, or promise to serve God and keep His commandments. We agree to help people with their problems - you help carry or bear their burdens. When we are baptized we also agree to tell people about God. You stand up for what's right even if it is not popular. We were so grateful to be able to attend her baptism on our way to Cumorah Academy.
William and Nora sang Peace in Christ and it was so beautiful, sweet and tender. Nora asked me to give a talk on Baptism and I was so grateful to be able to do that. She was given a beautiful white blanket and told that when you wrap yourself up in the blanket it feels like what the Gift of the Holy Ghost is - warm, comforting, a good feeling all over your body. It was a very special evening with family and friends.
. . .AND WE ARE OFF ON A NEW JOURNEY
Taking off at DFW for London and then a connecting flight to Prague.
A PICTURE VIEW OF CUMORAH ACADEMY
This is the main building from the back. We take that path many time a day to go to class, staff meetings and Church. It was a Resort Hotel and is now the home to the Academy. It is surrounded by a 100 acre farm that is also owned by the school and it gives the students an opportunity to work and earn scholarship money while they are here. They have 600 chickens - the best fresh eggs every morning, fruit trees and various other produce. It is absolutely stunning to see the miles and miles of farmland among the rolling hills and forest.
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| Dining Room/Common Area |
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| Classroom building |
The complex is a large rectangle with the main building on one side, the classroom
on the other side with the Barn/Gym on one end and student housing on the other end. There is a swimming pool and large fireplace with seating area in the middle with beautiful landscaping. No swimming for us this semester - the bottom of the pool is filled with snow! I though we should try ice skating! It is our world every day. There is a little village that is a 40 min. walk that has a little store and restaurant.
Our room is #9 on the main floor - so glad I do not have to climb the steep stairs many times a day. There are only two guest rooms on the main floor and we get to have one of them. It is very cozy with a bed, table with chairs for our desk and a bathroom. We do have a king size loft bed with a ladder if we want to escape from each other - not worth the climb up the ladder! It meets our needs as a place of refuge and quiet at the end of the day - usually after 10 pm
We have 2 chefs and a wonderful kitchen staff that provide a wide variety of foods for us 3 times a day plus snacks two times a day.
Below is salad with broccoli, meat and stuffed mushrooms. Of course they have a large bread basket with a variety of breads. I try to stay away from it even though I love bread - too many carbs with all of the other food so I have to choose. The snacks are always pastries or fruit. We are so full from the meals that we don't worry about the snacks. The meals are a time of gathering and it is a special time with the students.
The students are divided into 5 groups (Griffindorf style) and compete individually and as a group for points to win the CUP at the end of the term. They were given 30 minutes to come up with a team motto and banner. These pictures are a few of the ones selected. The teams are:
Each meal is 1 hour and it really makes the day go fast. It is a big part of our time together with the students. I love that I am with the students and not in the kitchen cooking. I like the extra time I have with Russ not being in the kitchen - I see a pattern forming - I will enjoy while we are here because the duties of home will return soon enough.
We had two days of training and orientation and then the Students arrived. We have students from 18 Countries from all over the World. Some of the places the students come from are Ukraine, Belarus, Albania, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Spain, England, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentine, El Salvador, Syria, and more. It is a melting pot of languages and cultures. There are 54 total students with 14 students not members of our Church.
Isaiah, Esther, Ruth, Moroni and Nephi. It was interesting to see what they came up with and how it is shaping the rest of their experiences while they are here. They have Family Home Evening on Monday night with their group. They do team activities in and out of the classroom.
Patrick Sedevy (owner and mentor), Iain Saunders (Campus Director), and Rebeka Vitova (Office Manager). We had 10 wonderful days with Patrick as he started the Semester off as the Mentor and set the standard and Vision for the whole semester.
Simon and Leah Faag from England came for week three as Mentors. We quickly found friendship with them and so enjoyed our time together. It is always interesting to see how small the world is in the Church. We served with their nephew, Jack Spoors in our mission and they also knew Kyle Gilmour and his family. They taught the principles of Honesty and Integrity. We learned so much about the students as we watched and participated in the classes. Some of the students had never heard of the word integrity. He played several role games where they applied the principles with them and we watched how they went from self preservation/survival to working as a team. One activity was as simple as forming groups in a circle and giving them a tennis ball. Throw the ball to others in the circle following these rules:
Staff at Team Building Activity. We went to a Korean Bar-B-Que. It was a new eating experience for us. One of our Staff members, Nina, served her mission in Korea. She wanted us to experience one of her favorite things. We even learned an interesting lesson as a team from this activity. She was the only one who knew how to order and eat this food. Instead of asking what kinds of meat we like or to show us how it works and to order, she decided to just order for the whole table. Something you can do when you are on the School Budget and not spending your own money!! There are grills on every table and they 
bring you the meats and vegetables to grill. The server cuts up the meat and places it on the grill and then you cook your food. You then add the rice, sauces, vegetables and meat in a piece of lettuce and you eat it. Sushi and shrimp were added on the side. In the moment of the evening we were a little overwhelmed by it all. In reflection afterward, we have learned some interesting lessons about leadership, teamwork and people skills that we need to look at. We love the staff and especially their gifts and talents and cultural differences that bring us all together.
Weylin Hollister is an Intern who just recently graduated from BYU-I in English. He is here working with the students studying English. The program is for students with a little English who want to learn more to be able to attend Universities and expand their options. They come for 1 Semester in English and if they pass the Cambridge English exam level they will return for a second semester for the Leadership program. Weylin teaches the more advanced students Business English.
Lubosh (Marketing Manager/photographer) and his sister, Aneta (HR manager), are from the Czech Republic and are a great help and influence here. Of course, Lubosh is ALWAYS taking everyones pictures but would not let me take his picture!
Russ all suited up to begin the race. It was freezing cold and you have to wear a black head cover first and then put on the helmet. I took my gloves and was so glad. Rebeka's hands froze to the steering wheel and she could hardly move them for a few minutes. I have never been in such a large go cart and it was intense and so exhilarating. The gas tank is between your legs and I kept thinking I sure hope I don't crash and explode.
The first part of the course was indoor and then it went outdoors where you could really open it up and also fill the rush of the cold air. I got cut off two times that put me in the wall and then you have to wait for the workers to come and move you back on the track. It took a few minutes and that allowed Russ to pass me by. In the end, I did not come in last place among the team - just my heat. I was the last car out of 14 to enter the track and it is based on time so I had 4 people behind me - still slow but not bad considering I was at least 30 years older than any of the others.
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| The Truth Shall Set you Free |
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| Team Nephi with a Butterfly |
THE STAFF AND MENTORS
1. No one can make a sound
2. No one is allowed to move except to throw or catch the ball
3. No one may make a bad catch
4. No one may make a bad throw
You interpret the rules for yourself. If you feel that you break any of the rules, then kneel down. No one can decide for anyone else, even if you think that person should go out. (That was hard for me!)
The first round was so interesting to see how the students reacted. Some tried to throw the ball to make them miss but took no accountability for rule 4. Some dropped the ball and did not kneel down.
Round two the rules were reemphasized and it was then interesting to watch as they became team players wanting all in the circle to stay in the game.
We are getting so much more out of this experience than we are giving. So glad to have new friends.
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| Weylin and Russ |
Lubosh (Marketing Manager/photographer) and his sister, Aneta (HR manager), are from the Czech Republic and are a great help and influence here. Of course, Lubosh is ALWAYS taking everyones pictures but would not let me take his picture!
Along with the Dinner we had a staff team building activity in Prague at the Go Cart Park. What a thrill!
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| Indoor part of track |
FIRST SNOW
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| 2 Snowmen |
IT WAS WORTH IT - We spent the day in Prague as it snowed all day and we made the most of it.
The Bohemian Crown jewels were on display at the Prague Castle. The line was
5 hours long and with the snow and cold we decided to not stand in line and to go see the city. We rode the streetcar and then walked up to the Castle. The Castle is at the top of a steep hill and it looks out over the river and the City of Prague. On the way up the hill was Lesser Town Square with a monument in the center and then buildings around it. The area was the former Jesuit College.
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| stairway to Prague Castle |
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| Russ on the square |
and it took 100 years to fully complete all of the
elements.
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| Vintage Car procession |
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| St. Nicholas Church |
INSIDE OF ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH
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| Pulpit |
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| Rotunda ceiling |
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| Faith, Hope and Love Main Pulpit |
We continued up the cobblestone streets toward the castle and passed by some historical buildings and shops.
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| Russ at the Pub |
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| Christmas Shop |
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| View of Prague from the Castle |
Our Kansas grandkids gave Russ a hat from Hyde Elementary - the school they attend. They are studying about World Countries and wanted the hat to travel with us. This photo was taken to send to them for their class project. Russ wore it proudly!
PRAGUE CASTLE
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| Changing of the Guards |
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| Main Gate and Entrance |
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| St Vitus Cathedral |
The Castle complex was huge - like a city with Church and shops and museums. We toured the Old Royal Palace with its Grand Ball Room and Judicial Court rooms. The Basilica of St. George. A place where some royalty are buried and memorials to other royals. Golden Lane - a row of shops and the museum of Armor from the 1200 -1500's. It was fun to navigate the small isles and steep stairs to the museum displays. The doorways to the shops were about 5 ft. so you felt like you were entering Hobit shops.
The snow continued and we were glad to be inside viewing the buildings.
On our walk back down the hill to the
streetcar we found a wonderful Pub to have lunch. I had their special Goulash Soup and a delicious Hot Chocolate. It was perfect for that cold snowy day.
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| Goulash Soup |
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| Bridge in Summer |
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| Charles Bridge in Winter |
little ways over the Charles Bridge to say we did it, but will return when we can walk across all of it.
The Charles Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vitava river. The construction of the bridge started in 1357 and ended in 1402. As the only means of crossing the river Vitava until 1841, it was the most important connection between Prague and the city's Old Town. It was an important trade route between Eastern and Western Europe. It is protected by three bridge towers.
The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30
statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, originally erected around 1700, but now all have been replaced by replicas. It is currently undergoing a 20 year structural inspection, restoration and repairs that started in 2019.
The Prague Astronomical Clock was first installed in 1410. This makes it the world's third oldest astronomical clock and the oldest still in operation today. The lower calendar dial was added in around 1490. It is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square. It has three main components - the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; statues of various Catholic saints stand on either side; "The Walk of the Apostles", an hourly show of moving Apostle figures and other sculptures, striking the time; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months.
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| Astronomical Clock |
It has been renovated and repaired many times. It suffered heavy damage on 8 May 1945 when the Nazis fired on the Old Town Square in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy one of the centers of an uprising.
We loved walking through Old Town with the shops and restaurants. We just window shopped and were amazed at the amazing candy shops. It was so cold and snowy that I did not take pictures - that will be another day.
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| Old Town Square |
The pictures below are inside of the Town Hall where the Clock Tower is. It was beautiful and a nice place to get warm before we ventured to our last stop of the day.
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| Ceiling of Town Hall |
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| Candy from Brazil |
In all of the years Russ worked for American Airlines and all of the time he spent at airports, he always wanted to have a sign and pick up someone. He finally has that opportunity. We drop off the Mentors from one week and pick up the next week Mentors every Saturday. He gets to hold the sign as they come out of Security/Customs and I am the driver. He plays the part well.
CUMORAH ACADEMY ADVISORY COUPLE
What a whirlwind this month has been. We hit the ground running and we have not stopped. We have been stretched physically and mentally. Our Spiritual strength has blessed us and made it all possible. So what do we really do as the Advisory Couple?
We were called by the Prague Stake President to serve as the Church Leaders for this dependent group of their Stake. That means Russ conducts the Church meetings and I help with Relief Society. I also will be teaching the Sunday School class while we are here.
We were asked to be the speakers at the first Sunday evening Fireside with the Students. We were asked to tell about ourselves and our family and then leave them with a Spiritual thought. They then got to ask us questions for the last 15 minutes. WOW! they asked some very deep powerful questions and it was a special experience. It set the tone for the week and we loved the students from the very beginning. They made us look really good - Sharing your testimony and love of Jesus Christ does radiate LIGHT!
We were then asked to present our Life Vision and what it means for them. This was a stretch for us as we began preparations and then the inspiration came for what we should do. We shared our Vision of the past 10 years and how we prepared to serve our Senior Mission. It was perfect for what we needed. The experiences we had on our mission have blessed us every day. We were starting to fit in and feel this is truly where we are supposed to be at this time.
We each teach three classes every Thursday. We teach the Self Reliance classes from the Church. Russ teaches Family Relations and I teach Personal Finance. We teach the same lesson to three different groups. It is one of the highlights of the week. It is a challenge to teach Gospel Principles to so many students that are not members of the Church or any Church. Many say the War is their religion and everything is focused on that.
Cumorah Academy is a Faith based privately owned campus. It was intended to be for Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or Friends of the Church in Europe. Because of World conditions, we have 14 students who are not members of the Church. We have many students from Ukraine and South America. We are a refuge from War, Terrorism, and Corrupt Governments. Many of the students do not even believe in God and this is a whole new environment for them.
One of our main responsibilities is to help them with their Life Vision - life goals. The whole curriculum is developed around this Life Vision. They write a rough draft the first few weeks and then work on it over the Semester and then turn in the final draft for their grade. We interview them weekly to help them understand and to see how they are progressing. We talk about family, home, education, roommates, etc. The past two weeks have been very humbling and have opened our eyes to the things of the world and especially the reality of what is happening in Ukraine If you ever believed it was Propaganda of Governments - I am here to tell you it is very real. We Interview 3 -5 hours Monday through Thursday. It is both invigorating and mentally exhausting. As we are building trust, they are beginning to open up and we can just visit. Barriers are coming down. We are already seeing growth and a deeper love for many of them. We are always being watched by the students - I do not like all of the candid photos. LOL.
We host the Mentors who come each week and help them to have a great experience while they are here. We drive to the airport every week and sometimes more. It is an hour and 15 minute drive on clear roads. Half of the drive is on narrow country roads over hills and valleys until you get to the Freeway. It is a beautiful drive on a good day, but many of the drives are early morning before daylight and late afternoon when it is dark.
I just want to share a few experiences that have had an impact on my life.
One young man is from Nicaragua. His family owns a small fishing boat. He started fishing when he was 9 years old for wages. He left the fishing business when he was 17 to get work that would supplement the family and that he enjoyed more. He has been a tour guide hiking the Volcano and then sledding down the volcano. Last Monday he received a call that at 3 AM in the morning the family was out on the boat fishing when a drug runner boat without lights on ran into his family boat and capsized it. One man was killed. His family is safe, but his Uncle was arrested and the Drug Lords paid off the government so they are not at fault and they have the Uncle for Ransom. The family lost their boat and their livelihood. He is going to sell his motorcycle that he worked so hard for so that they can buy a new boat. He is the only member of the Church in his family and he drives his cycle 1 hour each way to attend Church. He has served a mission and is at the Academy to get Business training to improve his business.
Almost all of the Ukraine students no longer have a physical house to call home. Their families are currently in Poland, Romania, Germany or displaced in Ukraine. One girl has a jewelry business and she partnered with a group to make a piece of jewelry and all sales from that necklace go to the Army. I taught a lesson on paying Tithes and offerings to a Church. They said, The Army is my Religion. When I try to work with them on their Life Vision they say, "I have no vision. I only know the War." We are trying to help them see the future they hope and dream for. They are the future of their country. They need to have HOPE for a Better Day. Because they do not have a belief in God they have no HOPE. Both Russ and I have worked on getting them dreaming and then putting their thoughts on paper. We are seeing some progress. The owner of the Academy, Patrick, spent a whole week Mentoring them and helping them see their own vision. We were all asked to participate in a 1 month Daily Routine Project. They will not get their Leadership Certificate if they do not complete the 1 month course. We just finished the first week and it has already been a blessing in my life. We have to pick 4 things that we will do every day before 8:00 AM. We then report it on WhatsApp by 9:00 am. 3 strikes (not reporting or doing on time) and you are out of the program. I am so glad to have this morning routine and more purpose in every day. I have needed this the past two years and I am grateful to be back in a better routine. They are not difficult things but purposeful for each individual like, Pray, Scripture study, move the body in some way, eat a protein and take my vitamins, reach out to a friend, etc. I am fueling my body both mentally, physically and spiritually before any of the distractions of the day.
The beginning of my Life Vision: I am a daughter of Heavenly Father with Divine Worth, a mother in Zion and the wife of my Eternal companion. . .
Oh how I pray that I may have a small influence in the lives of these students that they may come to know they are a Child of God who loves them, even in times of War, personal crisis, terrorism or other things. There is a Divine Plan and purpose for us being on the earth, especially at this time and place. I pray I can strengthen those who already know those truths. I am so grateful for my Life Vision that paved the way for the last 10 years. We have accomplished more than I could even have ever imagined. Because of that vision and hard work and effort to accomplish it, we are in a place to continue to serve and to help others. In our own humble way, we are meeting so many amazing people. Our lives will forever be blessed for these experiences. Today was a beautiful Sunday with even a little ray of sunshine in the afternoon.
It started snowing again today and it is so cold. Beautiful clear night with a big moon and we even saw stars. Oh, the magical view of nature!
All our Love,
Russ and Linda
