Hello Again, From Trencin

Hey all,
Welp, I survived my first transfer in the country. I am still in Trenčín so the address is still the same. (Hint: That means you can keep the letters coming...) Elder Bodily transfered out to Banska and Elder Taylor will be follow-up training me. (psh, like I even needed training.) Elder Taylor is from Brigham City, UT and so far its been a great match. I told him that we mostly walk everywhere in Trenčín and he said that we will be abandoning the "wicked traditions of our fathers and look into bus passes. We are going to be switching things up in this city." We will be getting along just fine I think. Missionaries in Trenčín have been doing the same thing forever and I have been DYING to do something new. Trenčín will be the city of miracles baby. Gonna make it rain!

Last week was a crazy one. Tuesday we spent part of the afternoon with Zuzka, a member in Zlina who served a mission in San Fran about 8 years ago. Shes great, probably my favorite member- mostly because she says outrageous things. I like outrageous people. That night we went to Olomouc in the Czech Republic and stayed at some Elders apt there. Thursday morning was another train and a metro to Prague. I was blown away at the beauty of Prague when I first arrived in the country, but its breathtaking in the winter with the snow. The morning of the conference was a little talent show, which was fun/strange to see missionaries get a little silly. The ballet number from the Kosice elders was especially memorable, as was the monolouge by the senior Elder Anderson. After the morning session we split into groups and sang in the city. It was pretty cool to be in a namiestie in Prague, during Christmas singing Christmas songs, even though I normally do NOT sing... (look at me, trying new things) We then had lunch and Elder Nichol, Sister Anderson and Sis Bartholomew all sat together like the old MTC days. They are two of the cutest sisters ever. The goodbyes always take forever and Nichol gets sooo annoyed. lol After the lunch we had the conference part of conference where we watched the First Presidency Christmas message and President Irwin spoke to us. I heard some things that I def needed to hear. I just love my Mission President. I did have this weird panic attack halfway through the conference about coming home. What am I going to do? Will I have a job? Where will I go to school? How will I afford law school? Back to Tucson, stay in Phoenix? Am I ever going to get married?? I go into this panic mode sometimes and I hate them. I realize that I do not need to worry about ANY of that at all. But they keep coming up in my dreams. I think I need to look for a therapist soon. As soon as I know enough Slovak..... Any thoughts?

Christmas Eve Bodily and I hung out in Zlina all day and went to Midnight Mass with my district. The Cathedral was gorgeous and had beautiful paintings of the life of Christ on the ceiling. Even though I didnt understand anything it was a nice experience for me to look up and think about the life of the Savior and what it means for me. Whodda thunk a mormon missionary could have a spiritual experience in a Catholic cathedral during midnight mass? Christmas Day was spent mostly in Zlina and it was nice to kinda just chill. I would have liked to have spent the day in my own apartment but we live our lives around the train schedule. It was fun to talk to you all (family, that is) and hear the updates. Thank you, thank you for the Christmas package, loved everything! Thanks also to my Grandma Marilyn for her package, Ill be eating cookies for months, the Laurels of the Highland Groves Ward and the Wood Family. Tabasco sauce? Brillant. They definitely helped make Christmas feel like Christmas but the best is just knowing that people are thinking of me and supporting me way out here. I have so much to be grateful for. Thats for sure. :)

Things are going to start rolling in Trenčín. I am excited for it. Taylor and I will be getting ourselves unified and start on the right foot and just run with it!

I love you all!

Elder Williams

PS I tried to send pictures but it didnt work. :( I dont know why!! Sorry! But know that I'm trying. :)