Wednesday, December 12 - 

It was a long flight to Prague. Changing planes in Paris, going through customs and making the connecting flight was a challenge. Sister Dransfield ran through the Paris airport while I tried to keep up!  We barely made the connecting flight into Prague.

As we went to pick up our luggage on the carousel, we found that we were missing one of Starší’s Dransfield’s big suitcases! Sestra Dransfield prayed, “Heavenly Father, please bless whoever has our luggage to just bring it to me!” We found out that the airline still had our piece of luggage in Paris.

Arrival picture with Mission President and Wife
as they deliver luggage.

Our Mission President, President Pohořelický  worked with the airline to straighten out the problem.  Sestra Dransfield’s prayer was answered when President personally delivered the luggage to us in Třebíč!  We had a prayer of thanks for a prayer answered.

The Elders had brought a car to our home in Třebíč before we even had the visa. It was covered with snow.  The next day Starší Dransfield drove 38 km to Jihlava for a District Meeting.

Road to Jihlava

As we climbed in elevation, we encountered major snow. It was absolutely gorgeous, but even though he was following the Elder's car, he was a nervous wreck! He has become an excellent driver since then.

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Arrival in Třebíč

ur first Sunday in Třebíč we met Branch members who were excited to see us. They had been told for weeks about their first ever Branch Senior Missionary Couple’s arrival! Some had prepared our home with immediate needs (food, heat!) before our arrival, and were actually at the home to greet us when we first arrived.

We were happy to see their smiling faces among others that first Sunday. Sestra Dransfield and I both bore testimonies that first Sunday. We were so grateful to be among them...finally!

The Třebíč Branch practicing for Christmas program

After church we watched the Branch and some of the missionaries practice for their Christmas program. This musically talented group played and sang Czech Christmas songs.  The Branch President explained that most of the Christmas songs in the hymn book are carols Americans sing translated into Czech, not songs Czechs usually sing.  We were very excited to hear a Czech carol during Music and the Spoken Word.  Every Primary child participated in the nativity.  They had to change quickly to be angels, shepherds, and wisemen.

Every day is a learning experience! Exactly how does this 

washing machine work?  And where do I get clothes made of butterflies?  Google has become our best friend! We also googled how to run the stove and dishwasher, as well as using Google Translate to read recipe instructions, newspaper articles, bulletin boards at church, and other church literature. 

Not a day that goes by that we don’t learn something new!