Well, it’s been a little bit. I don’t even remember the last one of these I sent, definitely a few months in between then and now. I’m sure most of you know but I am right now back in Slovakia, in a little city in the center called Banská Bystrica, after having served a few months in the east in a city called Prešov (just north of Košice). It’s been a good run out here, over the past few months I have seen a lot of the country since I am in leadership and visit all the areas. It feels odd to be writing this and reflecting on my time out here, still feels like I just got here. But I am glad I made the call to head out here, 26 months later. I’ve served in 5 areas, had 15 companions, learned 3 new languages, and seen 3 countries. I’ve spent a lot of time on trains, talked to some really cool and some really strange people, and really learned what Slovakia is actually like. I’ve also made some wonderful friends and been built into a much better person. This all feels like stuff I’ll talk about when I get home and speak at church though, so I will save it for then.
Some highlights from the past several months:
– Just this last week, we had 5 friends at church and literally 1 member came
– I have now ripped 4 pairs of pants, all in the same spot
– Watching tanks roll through the city on the 80th anniversary of the Slovak national uprising
– Seeing the High Tatras, pride of all of Slovakia
– Hiking 20 feet above a raging river on tiny platforms
– Driving through the 6am fog in eastern Slovakia
– Drinking an insane amount of Kofola (we don’t have it in the states)
– Moving big ol rocks at a member’s castle
– Getting the mission record for a 1kg burger (8 minutes 47 seconds)
– Finding a clown nose on the ground while contacting
– Hanging out on an old ski jump
– paying for a kebab in american dollars
– a literal single week in Žilina before I moved yet again
– watching 4 pigeons get struck down for their audacity in a hailstorm
– going to the temple with Kevin
– seeing Lego Yoda
– meeting Elder Uchtdorf
– several rolls of film
– opal mine
– several more wool sweaters
– a large pink rabbit in north Plzeň
and far, far more. But that’s not really the point of the whole thing, I have also grown a lot as a person and built a much better relationship with God. A lot of things are much clearer to me, and I have built some habits that will help me keep progressing forward after my mission. It really does depend on the little things – reading your scriptures, praying, and going to church. That’s what’s helped me and those that I have taught, is those small little steps. We can’t travel thousands of miles in a single day, but by taking it in small sections over a longer time, we can really go so far. My hope is that I can continue traveling with little steps every day. I’m not totally sure how exactly this has changed me, but I am sure that I will see its effects as I continue with my life and trying to help others. That’s definitely something I have learned as well – how to actually, really care about others. I was a lot more selfish two years ago, and I plan to keep it the way it is now. It really does come down to respecting everyone at the very least as a child of God, completely equal to me. You can love everyone without being friends with them, it really is just about respecting and caring even if you may not like them that much. I have made so many relationships with so many different people out here, but that always remains the same.
Anyways, glad I took the time to write this. It’s been a good run, so I’ll go and lock it in this last week and then it’s time for the next change. I don’t really want to leave as of right now, but I know it will be good for me.
See you guys soon,
Starší Cundick