Saint Behind Enemy Lines

by Olga Kovarova Campora

Saint Behind Enemy Lines

Genres: Nonfiction, Lds, Religion, Biography, History, Book Club, Biography Memoir

248 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those rare books that kept bringing tears to my eyes as I read it. There were many parts that I wanted to remember. Rather than use a highlighter, I copied them here.

“Indeed, I was born in a time when no news in a Czeck newspapers could produce any real excitement for life. Life was filled with twisted lies from the top to the bottom, as was the news in any newspaper.” Page 2

“… the Communists and the secret police - were always somehow unsure when they saw someone happy, dancing and singing. The Communists claimed that their political system should bring people “happiness,” and they didn't understand how someone could have fun or behave so happily when his or her joy didn't originate from the Communist source of thoughts and doctrines. Whatever the reasons, [they] thought it intolerable to express joy publicly and openly.” Page 4

“I struggled myself with the Communist slogan that “the school rears the young child instead of the family.” the family was always recognized as occupying the second place, which troubled me.” Page 13

“Our country's Communist government know very well why they didn't allow Czeck citizens to travel from Czechoslovakia to the west: the experience would certainly open your eyes, ... Perhaps what they really saw was simply a clearer picture of the things they were going to try to snuff out of us - happiness, initiative, freedom, and the right to stand on the street corner and say, ‘I believe in God.’ ” Page 14-15

“.. my all-time simple favorite - fresh bread with a little bit of butter and slices of fresh tomato on top.... It is heavy, with a great crust on the top and caraway seeds inside, and it has a chewy texture and an unbelievably wonderful sour taste. You can eat it without anything else and still be totally satisfied.” Page 17-18

“The political atmosphere in my country in the 70s was opposed to religion with such hostility that if the school found out you attended any church and that you have desires to study at the university level, your application would simply be rejected. You would pass all the hard exams and then the university would write you a letter ... ‘You were not admitted.’ ” Page 22 23

“I always felt a great amount of joy as I participated in sports events. Although it might sound strange, I do believe that that was one of the many gentle ways Heavenly Father taught me to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, as I reach a finish line or gave the last direct hit in fencing after long minutes of tactics and strategy. It was a kind of joy, which didn't focus only on the excitement of winning but also on my happiness at overcoming the old person inside me and at consciously participating in becoming someone new. In those moments as the heart was pumping vigorously, I always felt more capable of accomplishing many other goals which didn't have any direct link to sports ...” Page 31

“... although I had not thought about my beliefs or labeled myself, I was a long time atheist - a victim and product of the Communist school system I had grown up with. I realized that whatever my faith was, it was somehow affected by all the thoughts that came to me from school. “Ten thousand times repeated, a lie becomes true” was my life's reality. It was hard to admit it, but it was bitterly true. I found that I was against anything that smelled of Communist ideology but I also suddenly saw that my own life was focused only on fighting against the wall of the current ideology I lived in, and I had not found my own proactive direction. I realized I had forgotten about my private, personal well-being while fighting. I hadn’t made any time and effort except to fight against the dragon. Later I realized that one of Satan's powerful tools is to surround a person with something so obviously negative that the person spends all his or her energy only on nonsensical fighting, instead of turning their backs to it and trying to find their own pace and direction.” Page 56

“The book (that she had borrowed) suggested that it is necessary to exercise yoga postures everyday, because they helped to establish the correct positive attitude toward one's body and mind.” Page 61

“I wished I could know a little bit more about Joseph Smith’s personality and his life, but there was no literature available to me. In the Communist encyclopedia I read that he was a madman who was mentally ill and suffered hallucinations. Well, that didn't sound too encouraging, but actually, I came to a good conclusion about that “information.” I told myself, that's great! If the Communists say something like that, they must be afraid of something very important about that man. This approach usually worked with any kind of searching I did in the Encyclopedia; if there were too many negative points from the Communists point of view, there had to be something really good and important to look for. It was like a hidden sign to me.” Page 80-81

Page 91 She began teaching yoga classes.
Page 92 It was easy to spot the secret police that came to the yoga class.

Chapter 8 describes how yoga classes strove to bring more joy into the people's lives to introduce them to the idea that there can be greater happiness in their own lives.

Chapter 12: “I was questioned by the police on a few other occasions. They were always curious as to why my yoga activities were meeting with such success, but they never found out the real answer.” Page 147

Chapter 13: “After my exhausting and frightening experience with the police, I gain new strength and testimony in one area of my life. I stopped being fearful of Communist for good.” Page 149

“More than 90% of bumper sticker messages I have seen would translate into an immediate prison stay for a Czeck person under Communism,” I shared with a friend of mine and he laughed and couldn't understand that something so silly would bother Communists.” Page 186

“But also I realized that I couldn't ever be the same person I was before I left my country for the United States. Living in America had taught me to appreciate and see things from a different perspective. When I looked back at my life, I realized I couldn't ever be pure Czeck again, nor could I become a pure American. The two cultures had blended in my soul and spirit and created a new person.” Page 224

“We need to balance our thinking and our quest for gospel knowledge with an equally large amount of service to the Lord.” Page 225

“Whenever I serve in a new church calling, I always ask these questions in the beginning: What needs to be achieved in this work? How can I be a good instrument in the Lords hands as I work towards these goals? What existing talents do I need to use in my new calling? What new talents do I need to learn, in order to fulfill the calling?” Page 227

“The president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel, eloquently described Communism’s destructive influence in a speech that I heard him give at George Washington University … as he accepted an honorary degree. He said, “Communism was far from being simply the dictatorship of one group of people over another. It was a genuinely totalitarian system; that is, it permeated every aspect of life and deformed everything it touched, including all the natural ways people had evolved of living together. It profoundly affected all forms of human behavior.” Page 230-231

“I gained a stronger testimony every time I taught gospel principles during a yoga lecture or camp and every time I wrote an article promoting solid Christian values, even if the article appeared in the form of a Communist newsletter sent to Brno educators.” Page 232-233

“During my early years of church membership in Communist Czechoslovakia, I generally felt that I would be protected and that my life would be well in the end. I didn't know, however, and could not even imagine that just seven years after my baptism, the incredible forceful Communist government would fall early one morning, just like the sun burst forth unexpectedly in the middle of a rainy day in Florida, and a new opportunity for a meaningful life would suddenly rise up for all Czeck citizens.” Page 233

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book about a Czech woman who converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the communist regime.

Olga Kovarova tells what it was like to grow up under communism. She shares her journey of finding God despite the years of indoctrination in atheism. She tells of the challenges of finding and practicing religion in a political climate where doing so could get her put in prison. For example, her baptism took place secretly, at night, in a reservoir.

It was inspiring to read the joy and happiness that the gospel brought into her life. Reading her example of missionary work in the middle of communism is especially inspiring.

I read a quick synopsis of her story in the book Daughters in My Kingdom and wanted to learn more and that is how I found this book.

Rated G.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olga Kovarova grew up in Communist Czechoslovakia in the '70s and '80s. From an early age she looked for some meaning in life, beyond the cynical and nihilistic drinking, smoking, and sex that seemed the only non-scholastic activities of her peers. Good at sports, she eventually also took up yoga. Her teacher, an unprepossessing older man, used the discipline and principles of yoga to gradually introduce her to the Gospel. Eventually Olga learned that he was a member of the small, secret Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that practiced in the shadows, ever fearful of discovery by the Communist secret police.

This is the moving story of how Olga embraced Mormonism, and in so doing found the purpose she had been seeking. Under the tutelage of her mentor, she learned how to use yoga classes to introduce countless Czechs to the ideas of health, discipline, kindness to others, and respect for themselves that had been crushed out of everyday life by the Communists. Her classes were wildly popular, and by the time she was in her 20s she was founding and teaching classes in a number of Czech cities. She was able to bring a few of her students, slowly and carefully, into her LDS religion as well. She also was able to convert her parents the same way, and they became an even greater source of strength and guidance for her than they had been before.

When the Velvet Revolution came in 1989, Olga got to travel to the United States and discover what it was like to be able to worship in the open. Her visit opened a whole new chapter in her life, but I'll leave those details for the reader to discover.

Her book is written in a very emotionally open style, with just enough idiom that you can hear Olga's accent in your head as you read, which I found charming. She tells the story of her spiritual and physical journey with great eloquence and feeling.

One side effect of this book, for me, was disgust and anger at the way the Communists brutally repressed normal life in Czechoslovakia (and, by extension, all the other countries under their power) during the decades of their power. Olga makes it clear how poisonous Communist doctrine crushed normal human impulses of love and kindness, making everyone fearful and closed off from their fellow men in all but the most superficial ways. They encouraged betrayal and dissolution and cynicism, and punished initiative. In addition to the joy I felt for Olga's experiences, I was also filled with a new determination to fight against those people who would bring the horrible ideology of socialism to _my_ country.

[Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring and spiritually enlightening story of a woman who grew up in Czeckoslavakia. An account of her step-by-step conversion and how she helped convert many others. It really gave me a greater understanding of how minuet each little step in conversion is and opened my eyes to how simply sharing ideas and attitudes about life in general are awesome ways of sharing the gospel too. The author is very thoughtful and meticulous in her thoughts and I enjoyed reading about the growth of the Church and how history impacted her life. I did feel that she was slightly long-winded near the end though.

[Katie Rayl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book itself was just ok. But I did think it was fascinating to hear how different the church was under communism, when everything members did was very secretive and underground. I also thought it was fascinating that the way they initially introduced the church to others was through yoga. We always think the first thing to do when trying to introduce the gospel is to hand out a Book of Mormon, but where they were that was illegal. Members had to be so wary with who they were open with about the church.

[Randall McNeely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book twice and been tremendously inspired both times. What an amazing woman! What an amazing group of people who were willing to put their lives on the line to share the light and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My heart thrilled as I read of that creative ways they came up with to share gospel principles without openly stating that they were gospel principles. How grateful I am for the opportunity to learn of these modern pioneers and saviors on Mount Zion! The book was well written, intense, touching, and uplifting!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fascinating for me to read the true experiences of a young adult in Czechoslovakia who joined the LDS Church while that country was under communist control. The little handful of Mormons had to meet in secret with the blinds pulled down and baptisms were performed in the dark of night. The author, Olga Kovarova, was instrumental in bringing over forty fellow Czechs into the church during these dark days of communism. I've never read a book that gave me greater insight into how communism warps the human spirit. Very insightful.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides interesting insight into communist Czechoslovakia and the church's growth/existence during that time. The author is from an area close to where my family is from and her comparison between Bohemia and Moravia was also interesting. However, the main character (author) wasn't terribly likeable and the text is poorly written. I'm glad I read it, but don't think it's a "must read" for anyone other than a missionary in CZ, someone from CZ or anyone interested in communism.

[Stephi K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The autobiography of a woman who converted to the LDS church in Communist Czechloslovakia. She shares what it's like living under a communist regime, which I was interested in, and how she spread light and truth the best of her ability in trying circumstances. I loved her positive attitude and found her an amazing person.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my students recommended this book to me. It is the story of a young girl's conversion to the church in Communist Czechoslovakia. Since my paternal grandmother was born there, I was very intersted in reading the book. It was interesting historically and also inspiring to read of the courage of the early saints in that country.

[Michele Casper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an account of the LDS church and its survival in Czechoslovakia during the Communist era. It is told by a woman who found the gospel because of an interest in yoga, then helped to preach gospel principles secretly in the form of yoga retreats. Olga's commitment and desire to be led by the spirit to help her countrymen is inspiring.

[Emily O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, this wasn't the most eloquently written book I've ever read, but the story was absolutely phenomenal. Olga showed me what the Gospel is capable of achieving in the heart-- even in the coldest, most hard of hearts. Its light can penetrate, its love can heal. I am grateful to Olga for sharing her story of faith.

[Zetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is such a good view of the time during communist control in many countries where the gospel wasn't able to be preached. I loved her narrative and perspective on missionary work. If you can find a copy of this book I highly recommend it!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the autobiography of friend of mine. She tells of her experience of being a Christian in a communist country. Very interesting to see how she handled the restrictions in her life because she is a Christian. I was taken a back to think this happened to a friend of mine in my lifetime.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story about a Chech girl joining the church durning Communist timnes. I loved it-great insight on how communism affected the lives of the people and how the small group of members shared the gospel through yoga.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book about a Czech woman who joins the LDS church behing the Iron Curtain. A quick read that leaves you inspired.

[Michele R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring book of a woman who learned about the LDS faith and was baptized in communist czechoslovakia

[Maren bosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing true story! I love reading about the faith and courage of those that follow the Savior and their convictions despite the forces of evil that surround them!

[Leslie]

Tried to get into this one but found the narrative long and overly detailed. The title was certainly more dramatic than the narrative for me.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Beautifully, humbly told. What an incredible woman and story. Inspiring. Met Olga's mother-in-law, Linda, last week and loved hearing more stories from her, too.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned so much from Sister Campora’s story of growing up in communist Czechoslovakia. Even expressing a belief in God was a dangerous proposition. When she found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they were a small group that met secretly in an attic and rarely received communication from Church headquarters.

“They rejoiced in any news, cards, and letters from Salt Lake City, any written contact with other members of the Church living in freedom. These shards of the Lord’s light that came to their houses as a miracle would be cherished and would produce great joy for weeks, even months and years.”

That made me think about how spoiled we are with access to so much information daily - and perhaps we don’t appreciate this as we should.

Olga had some amazing experiences, spreading the gospel through yoga and being drilled by the police among them. I truly appreciate her testimony of God’s hand in our lives and the power of prayer.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated with Soviet history, having spent time in Russia, and this book shed even more light on life behind the iron curtain. I found it so fascinating to get Olga's personal glimpse into life and the incredible miracle of finding the gospel in such an environment. She discovered the gospel through an older gentleman who taught her yoga, which apparently wasn't super popular at the time in Czechoslovakia. Honestly, I've never been a huge yoga fan, but now I understand how yoga helped prepare the way by introducing concepts of positivity, well being and personal progression. Quite a contrast to the communist mentality. I am so amazed at her drive to share the gospel, which she had consistently from the time she first learned of it. I've realized how much I take for granted.

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good memoir about growing up in communist-ruled Czechoslovakia. Olga’s story about how totally the communists suppressed any free-thinking about religion, spiritual growth, and joy is very eye-opening and fascinating. She discovers through a yoga class a group of people who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and over time, comes to believe and become a part of them–all covertly, of course, since they can be jailed for any religious activity. I really loved reading about her change in outlook as she learns to believe in God and in His restored gospel. Very fascinating and uplifting story!

[Lewestover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book! I had never before considered how living in a communist-controlled country would affect one's entire thinking process and what a difference that would make in the conversion process. Following her conversion, the author became instrumental in preparing the minds of many Czech people to make positive changes in their lives so they would be ready to accept the truths of the Gospel when religious freedom finally returned to the Czech Republic. There is much food for thought in this volume!

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived in Czech Republic i understand the difficult situation Olga lived thru. I can appreciate her desire for more of life than she was offered from her government. Her story is an inspiration to me. I also enjoyed knowing the cities she mentioned.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved hearing Olga's story of finding the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Communist Czechoslovakia. She was an incredible missionary as she shared the Gospel through Yoga and every other opportunity that came her way. I love hearing about God's miracles.

[Serity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into communist Czechoslovakia. And interesting to see how God places us when and where He needs us to be in order to fulfill our purposes in life.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating!

[Kaye Sivori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about a Czech in the Communist world....

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

I almost never give a 5 star review so this is a great reading from me. I really enjoyed this book. I learned a lot and was inspired.