Monday, January 25, 2016

Sczcecin, Poland - God's hand, Worldwide Missionary Conference, Speaking Polish and the Atonement

Stanowisko!
One of my favorite things for contacting people!
I tried to contact people all by myself - speaking Polish!
The Poles were so kind and listened to me while smiling
as I botched their language!  I want to speak well so badly!
 Thank goodness the Spirit testifies!
Hard to contact people when we are the only ones on the tram!  :(
For all you Mama Mia fans!
(Shout out to Brynnlee and Mel!) 
SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!
Massive Polish snowflakes!
Creating the Book of Mormon timeline for an event we'll be hosting!
Elder Platter & Elder Liechty
Lining up the timeline dates!  It is interesting!
Almost done!
Sunday companionship dinner!
Smacznego!
(Bon Apetit!)

Cześć Family and Friends!!!! 

I can't believe that I have been in Poland for almost a month now and that I am half way through this transfer! Ahhhh……where has the time gone!! 

This week was incredible!! We talked to and met so many amazing people, some were interested and some were not but I just love talking to everyone here! They are always so patient when I speak and even when I mess up they get what I am saying!! 

We did a lot of tracting and contacting this week! We went back to our tracting area and seriously it is still so cute! When we contact we usually like to go towards the city center or around big parks! There are always people there and a lot of people stay and talk to us for a while! I am always amazed when we really have a conversation with someone about the gospel and that they have stayed that entire time to talk to two young girls from America! I can see God's hand in those experiences so much! 

Something fun we did this week was another stanowisko! It was honestly the best! We decided to just split up and talk to as many people in our area as possible! We each were talking to people, which means I talked to people....BY MYSELF...IN POLISH!!! Oh my heck it was amazing! I know I messed up so much but I was so happy to just bare a simple testimony about the gospel to them!! It felt so good!!! Elder Liechty and I also teamed up! He just got here the transfer before me so we are both pretty new! He speaks incredible Polish though and so it was fun to go talk to people as trainees. Talk about trainee power!!! 

This week we also were able to have a missionary broadcast from the apostles – Elder Bednar and Elder Oaks! This is the first one to happen in over a decade!! We all gathered as a district and watched it in the chapel!! 

The topic for the conference was "We Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts!" It was honestly so incredible! It made me excited to be a missionary and to be serving with other missionaries around the world! I’m so grateful for all my friends out there dotting the globe from the USA to Japan to Portugal to Brazil to everywhere…we are all working for the same thing! You give me strength! Love you! 

One thing I really took away from the conference was to testify of Christ! When I came to Poland I was frustrated I couldn't speak or say what I wanted to and that still sometimes happens but I realized during the broadcast that the one thing I know I can say in Polish is "Jezus jest Chrystusem i wiem ze On jest naszym zbawicielem i naszym bratem," or, "Jesus is the Christ and I know He is our Savior and our brother!" If I can testify of Christ and say even the simplest of testimonies I know it will bring the Spirit into the hearts of people!! 

Another thing I loved is thinking about the Atonement! I have come to love the Atonement so 
much more! I had an understanding of what the atonement was before my mission but I didn't understand the enabling power of it! It is incredible to me and I still can't comprehend the overwhelming love Christ has for all of us that he would be willing to come and preform the most amazing sign of love! I just could go on and on about the broadcast! It was what I needed to hear and reminded me of and anchored me even more in my purpose!! 

We had such an amazing week and we really focused on teaching about Christ and the Book of Mormon this week! As a companionship we have really been trying to truly listen to the people we come into contact with and discern their needs! We have been praying incredibly hard to find people who are prepared and that when we meet them we will know what to say! 

We were able to do that last night with some people we talked to on the streets! There was one man who we talked with about how God has a plan for us and we can receive answers through the Book of Mormon! I haven't never felt such a strong impression that he needed to hear that last night!! 

We were also able to teach our first lesson to a family last night!! It was incredible! As we were teaching the restoration I felt this enormous joy come over me that the Spirit was there and that they understood our message!! 

I still continue to be amazed at how much I see God's hand in my life and how amazing this Gospel truly is! 

I am grateful for my Savior and the opportunity to testify of him! I know there are times when I am low and if I turn to him he always lifts me back up!! 

Kocham Was!! 

Siostra DeMordaunt

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