Isn't Today a Holiday?

Hello everyone! Hope all is well, where ever you are.

Things, as always, are exciting here in Žilina and its going to get more exciting soon. Our investigators are making some awesome progress and we are looking forward to seeing some new members in the near future! We had an exchange with our Zone Leaders on Friday and Elder Nichol and I were back together for the day. It was a fantastic exchange and we got 9 phone numbers, met a future missionary and I feel a little more rejuvenated to continue giving it all I got. We all went to bed completely exhausted, which feels SO nice as a missionary. I love looking back on my day satisfied that I did my very best.
On Wednesday we had possibly the best Specialized Training I have ever had. First off, I love my mission president. He has a vision. We talked about the Elder Causse conference and the survey that we took, we learned that we need to improve just a little in a couple areas, but Elder Causse said that of the 31 missions he has toured we were one of the most obedient and that we are now in a position to grow. Elder Causse, when he was here pounded on the need to have a vision. With no vision we cannot go anywhere. We cannot reach the end if we do not have an end in mind. (ps, this keyboard cannot do apostrophes...) Then he admonished us to have the faith to see that vision materialize and go out and do it! So President Irwin presented the Czech-Slovak Mission Vision for 2012. Basically the goal and vision is to see a stake within the next 5 years! Can you imagine a stake here in 5 years?!? (I can, because I have a vision ;) It is definitely an exciting time to be serving here as a missionary, it also means that we need to step it up to another level. Teach at least 21 lessons a week by December, a majority of that with members, of course, and maintaining our retention rate above 80 percent. I spoke in church yesterday and shared the plan with the members. The response was kind of shaky. They are thrilled at the possibility of a stake with the mission, but it will likely be in the Czech Republic and not directly affect them- but a stake will definitely bless the lives of every member within the mission. And we all got to work towards that end. The mission vision came at a good time- Ive been pushing our branch mission plan and this gives us all another source of motivation.
I just love this work that we are engaged in. Its been far from smooth sailing for me, but I am beginning to see what it is that is required of me and what the Lord has in store for me should my faith and persistence continue to grow. I was reading in Alma ch 13 today and I learned that God is willing to give us anything we ask- as long as our faith matches what it is that He has in store for us. He is perfectly fair.

Hope everyone is doing well! Talk to you next week!

Elder Williams

ps hope you all have been getting my letters. I sent one back in December to Catherine and I just got it returned to me. Know that I love all of you!