Engaging and Exploring our City and a nearby Castle

Cumorah Academy

        Each Tuesday and Friday we drive about an hour to support and mentor the three self reliance classes (personal finance, start your own business and finding a better job).  We have met most of the 55 young adults from more than 10 countries (Albania, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Czech...) who attend Cumorah Academy.  The Academy is a hotel that has been converted into a dorm / school for the training of young single adults across Europe.  The program lasts 3 months.  A couple from the U.S. who both served missions here in Czechia 20+ years ago returned after successful careers. They wanted to give back to help the young adults in Europe become leaders and find opportunities.  We are happy to support such a noble endeavor.  We're coming to love these youth week by week.  They have such diverse stories and backgrounds, but are doing something to better themselves with this opportunity.

       

      This beautiful countryside setting near a small township (Pravětice - Hotel Stamberk) has become the Cumorah Academy here in the Czech Republic -- a Christ centered retreat with concrete classwork to learn leadership, practical life's skills and networking for single adults from across Europe.

 

     

      Some break time between classes; and delicious meals provided (including us each Tuesday and Friday at 1pm).

   

        

      We were able to get a group photo last Tuesday.  The future looks bright when you meet young people who are looking for opportunities to do good in life.  We hope they will find many skills and make connections that bless their futures for years to come. 

       We drive through such beautiful countryside and small Czechia towns on our way to Pravětice.  After 3 times through this town of Načeradec, I decided to stop and take a picture to share with you all.  While this view is clearly picturesque, driving on the narrow roads when a large semi truck or lumber truck comes from the other way, you must always be alert and pull over into the grass a bit!

Our Weekly District Meetings

                        (held in Brno - one hour east toward the Slovakian border)

    We have enjoyed joining our district of young missionaries in Brno--7 elders and 2 sisters.  The hour drive is worth the interactions and learning we have together.  Clearly, they have a much better grasp of the language, but they are so kind and grateful that we are trying to learn as much Czech as we can.  We also admire their enthusiasm and hard work to find and teach all to Come unto Christ.

     

       We enjoy treating them for lunch... a small help on their tight budgets.  As full time missionaries, we all pay our own way. We returned last Friday night to help with their English conversation classes.  They provide this service along with other services in the communities where they serve.  Some of them serve to 2-3 cities each.

Our Weekly Devotionals 

          (via Zoom-Europe senior missionary couples in Welfare/Humanitarian work)

    We are blessed to hear from a different senior missionary couple each week for 15-30 minutes every Monday at noon.   This past week Elder and Sister Ballif serving at the U.S. Military Base in southern Germany shared their stories of love and compassion for the 800+ Afghan refugees that they have been supporting by bringing Church of Jesus Christ (LDS Charities) food and clothing onto the base and distributing to many who left Afghanistan 2+ months ago with little to no belongings.

     They shared how much they grew to love some of the children, youth and families as they tried to teach English, basic skills to help them adapt to life in the U.S.   They provided bread, clothing and love.  As they quoted Christ from Matthew 25:35-40

35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: 36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37.  Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee in hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw thee a stranger and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39. or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them:

     Verily I say unto you, inasamuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

       It was uplifting to hear their service and love to those outside their assigned support to military families, they were also able to help many refugees from Afghanistan.  The final group flew to the U.S. last week. I hope they adjust well in our U.S. communities and we open our hearts and accept them well.

Jihlava History - (underground mining shafts)

    

       The city we will call home for the next 17 months was founded in 1240 as a silver mining town.  Current population is just over 50,000.  Sestra Schroedter (Michele) did some google searches for things to do on our preparation day.  We toured the public portion of the 25 kilometers of mining shafts dug under the city.  It was good to learn more about our city.  The hard granite rock was chiseled bit by bit (2 cm/day by 2 miners) back in the day.

    We were the only 2 on the 1pm tour, even though it said 3 person minimum.  The guide was very gracious and did her best to explain the English tour papers.  I used Google Translate much too.

       We went to the local library. Up on the 4th floor I took this picture of one of the main cathedrals' spires from the back side of the town square (námésti).  One of our walks around the old town centro walls.  We walk 3-4 miles each day and have explored most of the city in all directions after 3 weeks.

 

Castles a Plenty - Hrad Roštejn our first exploration

     

       I sent a screen shot from my i-phone to our grand daughter Aubrey (12) in Chelmsford England of all the castles close to Jihlava.  I teased a her a bit that we will try to visit many of them when they visit at Christmas time.  I was joking because I know during the past 5+ years that her family has lived in London, she and her siblings often lament when their mom and dad take them to another castle in Ireland, Scotland or north England..... (first world problems).

             So many castles close to our city, the Austrian border is 1.5 to 2 hours south!

       We went to the Hrad Roštejn castle last Saturday since it was not open on the Monday when we first went.  It closes at the end of October until next spring so we ventured back.  It was a hunting lodge and has been used for since the 1500s.  Different families have owned and stocked the nearby forest with plenty of game.  We walked up into the tower.  The entrance fees were $3-4 each is all.  The tour has an English translation which we used of course!

        First time there we only walked around the castle grounds.  It is magnificently built on a hill and solid granite in much of the foundation (especially the tower)

      

      

Welcome guest room and dining hall to feast on freshly killed game with friends and family

     

Food preparation room and firearm room (we know which of Michele's brothers would bond here)

Up the tower was a good climb...with beautiful views of the countryside and the hunting forests

A panoramic view to the north from the tower

                                                    A panoramic view to the south from the tower

   A panoramic view to the west from the tower

Back to Jihlava - a delicious Nepali - Indian restaurant near the square

may you be blessed with God's grace and care, good company and good food as well!

y.