Szczecin, Poland - Zone Conference in Poznań, Free Agency, a Polish Easter & Wet Monday

Poznań Zone Conference March 2016

Two of my favorite people:  Siostra and President Edgren!
I am so blessed to have them as my leaders!

Siostra Dekker, myself & Starszy Coutu

Assistants to the President:
Starszy Jones & Starszy Burdick 

It is always so great to see other missionaries!
Back row L to R: Starszy Coutu, Starszy Burdick
2nd row from the back: Siostra Sloan, Siostra Young, Siostra Craig
2nd row from the front:  Starszy Liechty, Siostra Kamp

Back row:  Starszy Liechty, Starszy Ashworth, Siostra Kamp, Starszy Garrison
Front row:  Starszy Einfeldt, Siostra DeMordaunt, Siostra Dekker

Siostra Dekker and I have been together so much!  I love it!
(I have no idea what sassy Starszy Ashworth is doing!)

My first MTC Companion - Siostra Kamp!

Great Elder Liechty from my first Szczecin District!

Polish Easter Basket Blessing

Heading into have our baskets with food blessed by the priest!

Super Sister Sloane and myself and our basket!

Our sweet branch member's basket of food to be blessed!

The siostry's basket: bread, eggs, cereal and flowers!

The starsi's basket: Nutella and a lollipop!

Siostra selfie!

Ahhh SPRING - or at least we had sunshine for a few days!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Szczecliwego Jajka!!! Happy Easter!!! 

I hope you all had a good Easter - mine was full of little Polish traditions that I will talk about later in this email!!! 

This week we had Zone Conference in Poznań and it was exactly what I needed! I am finding that happens a lot on my mission! I will be in need of something and then I will be asked to give a talk or a spiritual thought or read something or stuff like that and it is always exactly what I need! 

I loved being able to see my group from the MTC and all the other missionaries I've met here too! 

President started Zone Conference off by talking about LIGHT!! We talked about how we help others discover the light of Christ within themselves!! Spiritual light allows us to discern and see clearly.  We need to be seeking it in order to have it!! People are searching and looking for the light that will bring them change.  We as missionaries try to bring them to the light switch but it is then their choice to choose to turn the light switch on!! 

We talked a lot about how we were all chosen to come to Poland for a reason and to emulate this life in people! Something I love that President said was, "You were created to be something great!  Sometimes it is easy to forget among the rejection and everyday routine that you were called to the place you serve for a purpose!"

I had kind of lost sight of that! Hearing our President say that just reminded me I am here for a reason and I do make a difference!!

We also talked about setting expectations! This means each time you go out you set  expectations of what you are going to accomplish! I have thought of that every single day since zone conference and it has made a huge difference! It keeps me motivated and makes me want to work that much harder to reach my expectations!! It is easy to fall into the expectation that everyone you talk to will say no but this doesn't allow for the miracles to happen! If you expect they will happen then they will come!!! 

Half way through the conference we did an English class blitz for Poznan!! All of us - our zone of  missionaries - went out with ulotki (pamphlets).  We were passing them out like crazy! It was incredible to be able to walk with a huge army of missionaries!! One of the APs plays guitar. He was playing as we walked through the streets!! It was this intense feeling and just this surge of energy! I felt like our little army of missionaries could do anything! Some of my MTC group: Elder Ashworth, Sister Kamp, Sister Dekker, and I all were singing " We are as the Army of Helaman!" It was honestly the best moment ever!! 

We came back and held a testimony meeting! Every missionary bore their testimony! 

I was one of the last ones to share.  As I sat there listening my heart was just pounding! I felt the spirit so strongly as each missionary got up to bear their testimony! Each individual testimony was something I needed to hear! 

I got up and began to speak.  I couldn't help but become emotional!! I was and am so grateful for the missionaries I am able to serve with! They have forever changed my life!! 

Something incredible happened though as I started to bear my testimony! As I said the words "I know this gospel is true" it felt different this time! I have said it before and I have meant it before while I have said it but this was so different! I felt the spirit so strong and it took me back for a second! It was one of those moments where you want to laugh and cry for joy all at the same time!! I know 100% with zero doubt that this gospel is true. I will remember that moment for the rest of my life!! 

Zone Conference was incredible and I am so grateful for my mission President and his wife and the missionaries I serve with!!  I love and respect each one of them.

This week was also filled with a little sadness! The woman we had been meeting with sent us a text and told us she can't meet with us anymore! Sadly her boyfriend, who is the father of her child, is atheist. He said he would leave her if she continued to meet with us! She doesn't want him not to be in her daughters life! Hard to swallow but I understand this.  She was so sad and said she will continue to grow her faith though and hopefully one day something will change so we can meet! 

Sister Sloan and I both cried! I have never wanted the gospel for someone so badly before!! I prayed about it over and over again and finally the thought came to me that it will all happen in the Lord's time! This right now is what has happened.  We need to respect her homelife.   The seed has been planted and it could be the start of something incredible for her!!!  A lesson about free agency!

To end I just want to write about some of the Easter traditions they do here in Poland!! On Friday everyone had huge grocery bags because they are preparing for Easter!! On Saturday you put food in a basket and take it to be blessed by the Priest!  The food in the basket is what you will eat Easter morning! We all went as missionaries with one of the members!!  We are asked to try to embrace the culture as much as possible as ambassadors for the Lord.  

Saturday night we had a huge Easter dinner at Starszy and Siostra Cuttings' apartment with everyone from the ward! It was so much fun! I love the Cuttings!

On Easter Sunday everyone goes to church and then spends the day with family!! They also have the tradition where they roll eggs down the hill and the person with the egg that doesn't break wins!! 

Monday is crazy!! It is known as Śmigus Dyngus or Wet Easter Monday!! People run around with squirt guns and buckets and dump water on people! The origin of the holiday is kinda vague.  The boys mostly pour water on the girls.  We thought we were safe but then of course our elders wanted to participate in the holiday! We went to the chapel and they poured water on us from the second story window!! You have to love the Elders!! 

Overall this week was amazing! There were definitely highs and lows but I know I am planting seeds and I have a purpose here! I am grateful for be a missionary and to be serving here in Poland! I know this gospel is Christ's and I know I am where I am suppose to be!!

Kocham Was!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Poznań, Poland - Zone Conference - Instagram post by Siostra Edgren

Szczecin, Poland - Free Agency, Gift of Understanding, Catholic Mass, Easter's real meaning

As promised here are a few more pictures that I didn't have time to upload last week from our exchange in beautiful Gdansk!  Our morning run!

Jumping for JOY with Siostra Dekker
(Sister Dekker's mom's name is Joy!)

Aren't these the greatest girls?
Siostra Sloan, myself, Siostra Young, Siostra Dekker

Siostra Young!

Siostra Dekker!

My great companion Siostra Sloan!

Siostra Young taking coming in for the win!

This week's photos...

What are the chances of two missionaries from Boise ending up in Poland?
Go Boise!  I heard there is another elder in the MTC!

We're trying to get out and explore Szczecin on Pdays!

We'll talk to anyone that will listen!

IdaHOME!

A zen moment!

Hoping this means spring is on its way!!!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Another week has gone way too quickly!! 

This week was a learning week for me!! I came to find out how devastating agency can be sometimes! 

Sister Sloan and I taught a previous investigator this week! She explained to us how she didn't know if she believed the Book of Mormon is true because she can't put it down when she reads it and it is easy for her to read.  She is dyslexic so this was huge! We tried explaining to her that was evidence of its truthfulness and that the Holy Ghost was testifying it to her! She still didn't understand! 

I walked away from that appointment really sad and discouraged! There is a part in PMG (Preach My Gospel) where it says you will feel devastated as you come to love those you teach and they, because they have agency, reject what is right in front of them! I came to know how true this was this week! I knew that the gospel would bless this investigator's life but she wasn't open to listen to the Spirit! Agency is incredible because it allows us to choose but it can also be one of the most devastating things as you see others you love choose incorrectly!! I am grateful though we are able to choose.  I know there are those that are prepared to see and choose! 

We also had District Conference this week! It was absolutely incredible! 

In the first session Elder Leimer, a member of the Seventy for the European area, spoke about yoking ourselves to Christ! He explained how oxen had to be yoked together and had to be equal in strength to pull the wagon! We have to be yoked to the Savior the same way! We are to strive and become like the Savior as much as we can, but because we are human we can't reach his level, therefore the Savior lowers himself to us and helps us along our journey! We are never alone! The Savior is there if we yoke ourselves to Him! 

In the Sunday session he said something I really needed to hear! He talked about the Gift of Tongues and how the Gift of Tongues sometimes doesn't always come right away through speaking but rather understanding! Sometimes I become frustrated with my Polish! I want to already be at the level of a missionary who has been here for a year - I know crazy expectations! After hearing what he said I realized that I understand so much more than I can speak! This was a huge testimony to me that the Gift of Tongues is real and present in my life! I need to be patient and continue to work and I know the language will come!

This week we also were able to go to a Catholic Mass! This is the Mass before Easter and so it was a special one! It was Palm Sunday Mass - commemorating Jesus' triumphant arrival into Jerusalem before He was crucified.  Everyone brought palm fronds to symbolize the Hosanna shout when Christ came to Jerusalem! It was really interesting and beautiful. It was an incredible experience to be a part of a Polish tradition! I am grateful to serve where people believe in Christ!

This week is Easter week and I am so excited to participate in all the Polish traditions! However, I really want to invite everyone to focus on the meaning of why we have Easter - the Savior and His atonement! I have felt the power of the atonement in my life and every single day while I have been on my mission! I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He is our Savior and brother! I know that He loves us all and He performed the atonement for each of us! I know that He lives and I am forever grateful for Him! 

Kocham Was!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Gdansk & Szczecin, Poland - Gdansk Exchange, Answered Prayer, the Atonement

(I didn't have time to upload all the pictures from this week, but here are some from the Gdansk exchange...)

Exchange tradition: peanut butter and oreos!
Siostra Sloan & Siostra Young!

There is always so much new energy that comes from an exchange!

Beautiful Gdansk - a port city on the Baltic Sea.
The building facades more colorful than this picture. 

Siostra Dekker!

Every time we are together I realize how much we are learning and growing!

Gdansk Exchange: March 17, 2016
Myself, Siostra Dekker, Siostra Young, Siostra Sloan

A beach run before we left Gdansk!  Therapy for my spirit, heart and mind!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

I have so much to say this week that I don't know where to begin!

This week started off incredible!

We had exchange with the Gdansk Siostry which meant that I got to see Sister Dekker! I love exchanges because I am able to learn so much from the other sisters in our zone! 

We had a full two days of finding activities such as contacting, white boards, and tracting! It was such a good exchange! I was able to contact with Siostra Young and I learned so much from her! She does something different in every contact and I am trying to apply that as well! 

Siostra Dekker and I were also able to go tracting together! We were a little nervous we wouldn't understand.  To be honest sometimes we didn't understand but it showed me how much we do understand and how we can still have a conversation with someone about the Gospel! Talk about trainee power! 

The exchange ended in such a fun way! We woke up and went to the beach to go run and exercise! It was so fun to be on a beach again! Sister Sloan and I want to go the beach in Szczecin when it gets warmer for a P-day!

We then came back to Szczecin and it was crazy but it really felt like I was coming home! I loved the exchange in Gdansk but I was so grateful to be back in my city.  Sister Sloan and I were just walking around so happy to be back in the city we pray for every day and want so much for its people to embrace the Gospel! We spent a couple of busy days full of finding! 

This week was also kind of a roller coaster week, there were definitely ups and downs but the biggest miracle came out of all of it!! I wrote about a women last transfer that Sister Pierson and I met while tracting that was the most prepared person ever! She had told us she wanted to join our church because it makes sense that God would restore His church! 

Sister Pierson and I were thrilled about her but we thought she was avoiding us because we tried calling her and she never would answer!   However Sister Sloan and I decided to go to her house and visit! We met her mom and she told us to come back this week during the day and that she would be there! 

I prayed so hard with ALL my heart this entire week that she would be there and still be interested! As we were walking up the stairs Siostra Sloan and I were both praying as hard as we could! We got half way up the stairs when she opened the door and welcomed us in!  

Siostra Pierson and I had left her with our card with the website on it! She told us she had been reading on the the website and wanted to learn more! She explained how she had changed numbers and that is why we couldn't get a hold of her! We then taught an entire first lesson to her! I asked her to read the first vision.  After she read she sat quietly for a while and then looked up at us with a big smile.  We all felt the Spirit so strongly! 

We explained what the Book of Mormon was and asked her to read Moroni 10:3-5! Again she had a similar reaction! She asked to keep the restoration pamphlet and the Book of Mormon and said she would read and pray! 

We said a closing prayer and she said that although it is hard to change religions she is ready! We walked out and both burst into tears of joy! The Spirit felt so incredible! I felt so incredible! My heart was pounding that entire lesson and I felt the spirit so strongly!  We knew she did too! 

We sent her a text her on Sunday night to set up a lesson again and to ask if she had read! She said that she can tell we live by God's commandments and the Book of Mormon contains these commandments and she wants to live by the Book of Mormon!! We were both so happy because she is going to be happier!   

The gospel truly is a message of joy and it is incredible to see someone experience that joy! I can't stop thinking about that joy!  That is why I am here in Poland!  That is why I chose to serve a mission! It was amazing and I have never been so grateful in my entire life!!  The Lord hears and answers prayers for everyone!

To end I wanted to share the Sunday school lesson we had with the twins yesterday! We talked about the atonement and learning about it through the scriptures! We asked both of them to come prepared with a scripture about the atonement! We then watched a video called, "None were with Him."  (I encourage all of you to watch it!) 

We talked about our scriptures and what the Atonement means for us! In the video Jeffrey R. Holland talks about how Christ's journey in His atonement for us was utterly alone so that we may NEVER feel alone! 

As I began sharing how I felt about the atonement this incredible feeling of love came over me! I pictured seeing Christ again and feelings the prints in his hands, side, and feet and I pictured him calling me by name and me being able to hug Him and say thank you! I became emotional and so did everyone else! The Spirit was so strong as everyone shared how they felt about the atonement! 

I am so grateful for Christ's atonement - because Christ walked alone I never have to feel alone and neither do you!!

Kocham Was!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Szczecin, Poland - A better week than last! English Club Jenga! Someone Came to Church!! Let Thy Will be Done!

The most incredible sunset!  I love it when the sky performs!

Starszy Einfeldt, Nick, Starszy Garrison

Wielkanocny baranek chleb
(Easter Lamb Bread)

For our "cheat day" we tried waffles!   Love me some waffle!
(Mom - they aren't as good as in Belgium - but still tasty!)

Waffle Love!
(Mom note:  Raquel's last meal before the MTC was a waffle!)

"Chalk Talk"  - Our English Club is growing!  So thankful and so fun!

English Club Jenga!

"Żabka run!"
Żabka's are everywhere here - they are like a Jackson's, 7-11 or a Maverick convenience store.

These are equivalent to our hot dogs in the U.S. - They are a little weird but super good!
Embracing the "foodie" in me, I have wanted to try once since I came to Poland - afterall it is the land of sausage.
Elder Garrison loves them so he encouraged me - (just hoping they are made from meat) - they were super good in a fast food way!  Ha!

A member of our small Szczecin Branch whom I LOVE!!!!!

"Selfie Sunday" with a typical Starszy Einfeldt photobomb! 

A twin (and elder) with model status!

I am always amazed at how much you can grow to love a person in such a short time!
Siostra Sloan is so inspired and encouraging!  I am grateful every day for her!
I wish you could see some of her incredible art - she is an amazing artist!

We eat at Siostra and Starszy Cutting's house every other Sunday for dinner!  
They are so kind and amazing!

We were the chefs this week!!
(I think Siostra Sloan thought it was a Mystery Murder Dinner Theater!)

Sunday Dnner at the charming Siostra & Starszy Cutting!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!!

I can't believe another week has already flown by!! It was a better week for me than last. I am learning how to be patient with myself and trust the Lord! 

We started off the week really great with English Club!! More people came!! We have really been trying to grow it and we are seeing results! We had the biggest number of people attend since I have been in Szczecin! 

We played Jenga! Each Jenga tile had a question on it that they would then have to answer in English! It was super fun and I was so happy so many people came! We also did a lot of English finding activities and we are hopefully going to have some more people come!

We had some incredible miracles happen this week! 

Sister Sloan and I were contacting and we weren't having much success! There was this young girl who I thought would never even give us the time of day but we stopped and talked with her.  Never judge a book by its cover!  It ended up being a really amazing conversation! We talked about the Book of Mormon and what we believe! She was really interested and wanted a Book of Mormon which we happily gave her.  She said she would love to meet with us this next week! Ahhh!!  Please let us teach you a plan of happiness!

After talking with her, we continued contacting and met this other girl who was so naturally happy!  (One thing in Poland is people don't really smile back at you when you smile at them but her facial expression was so happy and she smiled!)  We maybe talked for two minutes but she was so interested and gave us her number! Ahhh!! It was so incredible and Sister Sloan and I were just so pumped and excited! 

And one of the biggest miracles....someone we invited to church came!! We had been doing area book work and I was looking at the people we had met and just felt like I should call this one number randomly, so I did! She was so willing to come to church and SHE CAME!!! I was so happy I could have hugged her!! 

This week was also a big learning and growing week for me! (When hasn't it been?! Ha!) I have been studying a lot how to do "Our Father's will!" Something my Mom has always taught me was to end my prayers with "Let Thy will be done!" Somewhere along the way I forgot about this! I started to do it again and suddenly I felt like I was doing what I was suppose to be doing and where I was suppose to be! I didn't change anything really but I began feeling more confident that I was doing what my Father in Heaven wanted me to do! I feel different than I have ever before! I don't know exactly how to describe it but I just feel like I am on a better more secure correct path! 

I am trying to be someone that my Father in Heaven can trust completely and be proud of! I just feel happy and good and at peace! I know where I am suppose to be and that is right here!

I wanted to share three little bits of the Polish culture! 

1.  As I mentioned before, it is very strange here to walk around smiling and saying hello to people you pass! Whenever we say "Dzien Dobry" (Good Morning) people look at us like we are crazy! Whenever we get a reply though it is like the best day ever! Siostra Sloan and I always High-five! 

2.  Like the idiom "cross your fingers" - Poles say "trzymaj kczuki " or "hold your thumbs!" They do the action with it and it is so funny! 

3.  I love how my people here say "thank you!"  There is always some type of passion behind it.  They'll say it cutely or beautifully or strongly or with some type of emotion that you feel their gratitude and more.  It is so fun and really adorable!!

I also had one of the most embarrassing moments on my mission so far! I call it my "Best Two Years" moment! For those who haven't seen the movie, The Best Two Years, it is about a group of missionaries serving in the Netherlands (shout out to my Mom)! One Elder is fresh off the train and is out on the street contacting. His senior companion tells him what to say for ma'am or sir.  Of course he goes up to a man and calls him a woman and tries really awkwardly to back track...well this happened to me! 

First a little background information "Pan" means sir and "Pani" means ma'am! We were contacting in a park and I went up to talk to this man.  I said the normal intro and then I tried to ask "if he had heard of Mormons before" but I said this instead, " Czy Pani...oh nie, nie Pani, um przepraszam czy pan słyzał..."  (have you ma'am, oh you're not woman, um sorry have you sir...)  It was so embarrassing!  He looked at me like I was crazy!  Siostra Sloan and I laughed and laughed!  

I love Poland!  I can't say that enough!  and I love Polish even when I make mistakes! 

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary and to be able to learn and grow and become whom my Father in Heaven wants me to become! 

I know if we say "Let Thy will be done" often throughout the day, He will be guide us and help us!!  (Think about giving this simple statement a try!)I'm off to catch a train for exchanges in Gdansk!

Kocham Was!!

Siostra DeMordaunt