Majstrovsto Sveta

we had an interesting cultural experience this week here in slovakia. over the past few weeks the hockey world championship has been going on in finland and sweden. i don't think i remember anybody in america ever saying anything about the yearly hockey world championships in america when i was living there, but in slovakia it's the talk of the town. the second anybody mentions anything about hockey (especially international hockey) everybody in slovakia drops everything to sit down and watch. elder macneish and i went outside after making some calls in the church building on saturday night to see an absolutely empty town square. as we walked a little further we discovered that everybody was in the bars and restaurants on the side of the square with their eyes glued to the television as they watched their team play against the czech republic. we heard loud screams, cheers, and fireworks late into the night as all of slovakia celebrated their victory over their biggest rival. unfortunately slovakia lost in the gold medal game to russia, but it was still cool to see slovakia make at least a little bit of a fuss. i'm fully aware of the fact that in the end athletic victories mean pretty much nothing, but even still being successful in something as meaningless as ice hockey is extremely good for this country that, in all honesty, struggles in the area of self respect sometimes. after years of playing pawn to germans, hungarians, czechs, russians, and others slovaks feel sometimes that they are forgotten--they they are just a worthless strip of countryside for the rest of europe to dump their litter on as they make their journey from prague to budapest. every now and then, however, something happens that proves otherwise. so, i'm glad that slovakia could have success in the world championships, but moreso i'm glad that i can be a missionary for this wonderful church--that i can be a minister of this wonderful gospel that teaches these people that they are valuable and they are precious--even people who have a divine and royal origin as children of our Heavenly Father. this message is just what this country needs. it is the only thing that will help these people realize who they really are, and it is the only thing that will help these people fulfill their exceedingly great potential. i'm so honored that i can be one of the people who can help bring them the good news.

 

slovensko do toho!

sam