Gdańsk, Poland - Szczecin exchanges, miracles or coincidences?

Exchanges in Gdańsk with the Sczcecin siostri!
Myself, Siostri Young, Siostri Sloan, Siosti Stahl 

Slodaunt!

Siesta Stahl and myself! 

Szczecin Siostri!

Eatting at Pierogarnia!  Amazing food! Peace out!

Pierogi

We went and snapped some pictures of Gdańsk - I'm not kidding when I say I feel like I'm on a movie set!  It is beautiful here!
Some parts of Gdańsk have been rebuilt after it was destroyed
but the old has also been preserved!

I found my dearest Szczecin in Gdańsk! 

This is a typical "not so colorful street" in Gdańsk!
The facades and gables are consistent with the colorful streets!

 

Notice the water draining system!

Now that there is warmer weather you can buy almost anything on the streets!

Texture and detail is everywhere!

The lighting from the sun and clouds changes the mood - shadows to bright and happy!

 

I love these people!

Branch member heading to help us teach!  He was incredible!

Don't mess with the siostri!

Temporary Resident!  I'm happier about this than this picture indicates! Haha!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

This week we had... EXCHANGES!!!!! It was so much fun to be able to have the Szczecin Sisters, Siostra Sloan and Siostra Stahl, here!! We had such an incredible time!  I will write more about what happened later in this letter!!

Before we picked up the Szczecin Sisters we were able to have a lesson with one of our investigators (the young girl that came to church)! We started off by asking her about her Book of Mormon reading! We then did an entire "ask, seek, knock lesson" - meaning we talked to her about how she can receive answers! We read scripture about if you ask, seek, knock, then it will be opened unto you!  She asked us what that meant! We then explained to her how coming to church, reading the scriptures, prayers, and keeping the commandments allow us to receive answers! 

Somehow it lead us to talking about the fall of Adam and Eve and the atonement! We explained to her that the fall was a part of God's plan!  She was confused about this as well as why Christ had to suffer in the way he did! We both bore simple testimonies of God's plan for us and what the Atonement means to us personally! There was an incredible spirit in the room! 

Finally she asked us how we knew the difference between a miracle/answer and a coincidence! Something I have learned on my mission is there are no coincidences! I honestly believe that so called coincidences are honestly "male cudy" (small miracles)! We explained this to her and we asked when she met the missionaries was that a coincidence or a miracle?  She realized it was miracle because God's hand was in it! The spirit was so strong the entire time during the lesson! I am so excited to see where everything goes with her!!

The exchange was absolutely amazing! It was so good to be able to spend time with my old companion Siostra Sloan! We called our companionship "Slodaunt."  We were able to do a finding activity together! We talked a lot about how we really wanted to set up with people on the street! We had the most amazing contacts! 

One girl, even though she wasn't interested in meeting, took a Book of Mormon, hugged us and said thank you!! We couldn't believe it! We also were actually able to set up on the streets with a young man as well! It was incredible to be able to see our goals accomplished that we had set!! 

I was also able to work with Sister Stahl! She is new to the country or "a greenie" as we missionaries call them but she was just so ready to work and jumped in with both feet! It was crazy to be able to go tracting with her! It was a huge testimony to me of how far I really have come! Sometimes as missionaries we get stuck in seeing what is right in front of our faces (teaching level, language level, etc.)! It was incredible to see Sister Stahl so willing to work and to remember that, that is where I started and it also showed me how far I have come! 

I am by no means the perfect missionary or even close to being perfect at the language but krok po kroku (step by step) I have improved! A saying I love lately is Elder Holland's words "We get credit for trying!" This is from this past General Conference! I have felt over and over again a hug or nudge from my Heavenly Father to keep going and that he is proud of me for always trying, even when sometimes it is hard and I may not want to! 

My favorite part of exchanges though is saying our testimonies all in Polish! I couldn't help but become emotional as I shared that this is the best thing I have ever done and I could not be more grateful to be serving in Poland! I really constantly count my blessings that I am here and I am able to serve and love the people here!

After exchanges we got back into the swing of things! We were able to meet with that family again and we were able to bring a member with us! This member is a young guy around my age! He is honestly incredible! When he bore his testimony this stillness and peace filled the room!! It was incredible to hear and see our investigators feel the spirit as he spoke! 

We also had an incredible finding week! Sister Young and I lately have really been trying to improve our contacts! We don't want people to feel they are being preached at! We are upfront about who we are and what we believe so the conversation can become more natural...And guess what?! People listen more! 

The most incredible miracle this week was actually talking to an Atheist couple who midway through the conversation admitted that thiere is a God! It was so beautiful! Although they weren't interested in setting up Sister Young and I both walked away knowing they were touched by the Spirit!! 

I am so exited to see what this next week brings!! This really is the best thing I have done with my life! It has helped me grow and change so much! I am forever grateful for every experience, both the highs and lows, that I have on my mission!!

Keep the faith!

Kocham Was!!!!

Siosta DeMordaunt

Gdansk, Poland - Pushing to find, School presentation, Edgrens in Gdańsk, He'll fill your mouth! Promise!

From Madre D - 
    I received a text to look at my Boise friend's Instagram and found the following post on Saturday!  I was overwhelmed with happiness!  The sisters' investigator had been baptized!  The small Szczecin Branch grew by one that day!  The sisters had met Szymon while contacting on the street - the blog post is April 11.  
     In my email to Raquel inquiring about the baptism she responded with:  "Mom!  Can you believe he was baptized! I smiled all week and especially when he was baptized on Saturday!  Even though I wasn't there I felt there in spirit!  Sisotra Sloan called me and I just cried and cried!  My heart kept telling me 'This is why you are here!  I am so happy for him.  He was seeking and ready!'"

The following pictures are from Siostra Cutting and Siostra Sloan.  

After an opening baptism service of a prayer and hymn they had to walk a kilometer to a pool for the baptism.

Look at those smiles!

Starszy Lietchy, an investigator, Starszy Garrison

The following pictures were sent from Raquel this week.

Ingredients for cookies...150 to be exact!

Guest! 

Oh Canada!  She's great...eh?

Bad lighting!  But such a fun experience!  And great kids!

Polish classroom!

This little boy made us snowflakes and wanted a pic!

Spring!

A visit to the Gdańsk Branch from Siostra and President Edgren!

Congratulations to Tal for graduating this next week!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

This week went by so fast!! We were busy, busy, busy this week!! When we had planned last week, we had decided that we wanted to do a lot more finding! However, things kept coming up and we weren't able to do as much as we had planned! To be honest we were a little worried we would barely have any time to find at the beginning of this week but I learned this week that when we do our part the Lord will provide! Every single time we went out to find we set an expectation that we would find someone! The incredible miracle was that it happened! Every single time we were able to meet someone and teach them!! This is a huge testimony to me that I am in the Lord's hands! He is guiding us as we go out and is leading us to those who are ready and willing to listen!! 

This week started out with tracting!! We went out to an area where we are teaching the family I have mentioned before! We felt really good about the area and decided to tract it! We did and entire building and had no success... until the last door! That is right the very LAST door!!! WE knocked and this young guy opened the door! He was actually the one who had opened the door for us to come inside! We started talking to him about what we believed he then called his friend over to listen too! They invited us inside and we started talking about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration! They had lots of questions and took a Book of Mormon to read! We asked if we could come back and talk more about "the book," they told us that their door was opened always to us! They were so incredibly sweet and really truly listened to what we had to say!! It was such a huge miracle!! Who would have guessed it would be on the last door? 

This week we also went to Polish School for a day! We were asked to give a presentation on Canada to a 6th grade, 5th grade and 4th grade English class! In preparation for this we wanted to make something sweet for the kids to try! Little did we know we were getting into more than we could handle!! We ended up having to make 150 chocolate chip cookies! When we went to check out at the grocery store with all our stuff, people were looking at us like we were crazy!! We did it though... 150 cookies down!!!! It was so fun to be able to go and present to all those kids!! It was really amazing to see how much English they could speak already at a young age!! Polish school is very strict and it is based off of a point system, as in participation points! They didn't receive a point though unless it was a grammatically correct sentence!! It was intense! I kept thinking how I would probably be in the negative if I was on the point system as I've tried to learn Polish!  They were so much fun though and loved learning about everything! They asked funny questions like "Do you like chicken?" or "Do you play volleyball!?" The one thing they loved though was learning how to speak like a Canadian!! They laughed and laughed when we told them the differences and how they say "eh" (Sister Young confirmed it)!! It was so awesome and we got invited back to do a presentation on Idaho!!  My own private Idaho...so proud!  

We also had my first branch activity here in Gdansk this last weekend!! We did a giant Family History night! We had the members bring names and we were able to help them put the information in the computer! It has been incredible to see the members latch on to family history work with such fire!! It was a huge success and the members worked incredibly well together!!

President and Siostra Edgren were also able to come up to Gdansk for the weekend!! I was able to have one more interview with him before he leaves to return home and we get a new mission president!!  I have loved receiving his weekly emails and having interviews with him! He is truly a man of God! His advice has helped me and comforted me more times than I can count!! I am so sad to see him go!! They both spoke in sacrament meeting and their was just such a strong feeling of love in the room! President Edgren said his talk all in Polish! How humbling is that?!  Here they came not knowing a word and have dug in like the rest of us to learn despite their crazy busy schedule!  I have heard him do this before and I am always impressed how he came to a country not knowing the language or anyone and yet he has worked to learn it and has truly touched people's lives because of it!! I am so grateful for him and his incredible wife!!  I love them!

Another miracle that happened was that the women I talked about who came to sacrament meeting last week, came again! She is so incredible! I could tell she felt something during Sacrament meeting and during the talks!! We are going to meet again and teach her this week!! Speaking of sacrament meeting Sister Young and I sang with our young woman in sacrament meeting! We let her pick the song and she chose O My Father!! She has such a beautiful voice and it went so well!!  It is so fun having her in our branch!

The final miracle I want to share happened yesterday!! We ended this week also by tracting!! We went back to that same area and we didn't have much success but then we began talking to this young man at his door step!! I have been trying lately to really truly personalize! We talked to him about God's plan and the Book of Mormon! I bore my testimony about how the Book of Mormon has given me direction in my life and has helped me feel Heavenly Father's love for me!! The incredible thing though was while I started talking the words kept coming! I know my Polish wasn't perfect but I felt like I was truly talking to him one on one!! This is when I have honestly felt that as I opened my mouth it was filled!! I don't remember everything I said but I know what I said was true and I felt the spirit testify as I bore my testimony to him!! The promise is real that when we open our mouths they are filled!!! (Psalms 81 & D&C 33)

I love you all so much and I continue to be amazed by the miracles I see daily!! 

Kocham Was!!!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Gdańsk, Poland - Grave finding, Using "I" instead of "we", PB&J English Class, Polish kompot, Translating

Baltic Sea - Gdansk, Poland!  - Sometimes I can't believe I'm here!

SUNSHINE BABY!  SUNSHINE FOR THE SOUL!

Love this Canadian companion of mine!  Siostra Young!

I was so happy to be at the beach!  BLISS! 

Starszy Larsen and Starszy Musgrave!

Starszy Musgrave, Starszy Larsen, Siostra Taggart, Starszy Taggart

Here's a little homage to my 6 feet tall volleyballin' sisters! 

Searching for graves with our favorite young woman!

This young woman was rockin' family history this week!

Everywhere you look there are amazing views!

On the train to zone conference in Bydgoszcz!

Gdańsk District youngsters!

Who knows?! 

View from the train of the rapeseed fields - they go on and on!
Seriously so beautiful!

Bydgoszcz Zone (we may be missing a few!?)
(Madre D: Raquel didn't list names but I'll try:
Back row: Starszy Larsen, Starszy Jeffs (hands in air), Starszy Musgraves
Second to back: Starszy Rowley, Starszy Garrison, Starszy Ashworth
Second to front: Starzy Alvarez, Starzy Campora, Starszy Coutu, StarszyLiechty
Front: Siostra Kemp, Siostra DeMordaunt, Siostra Craig, Siostra Young, Siostra Stahl, Siostra Sloan)

So fun to see everyone!

Love these two...three!
Starszy Liechty (he's back in Szczecin!) and Starszy Ashworth
(photo bomber: Starszy Garrison)

Siostra Stahl is a new missionary - Siostra Sloan is training her!  She's doing great!
Notice Siostra Young and Siostra Craig's happy reunion in the right corner!

"Slodaunt" reunited again!  I miss her!

Of course another happy hug with my MTC comp Siostra Kamp!

He said we took his agency away to make him pose like this
...but really no one can take your agency!
Myself, Starszy Ashworth, Siostra Kamp (good old MTC district members!)

Sorry this is blurry but I love these two!  It feels like home when I am with them!

Another new missionary Starszy Rowley!
I have no idea what Starszy Lietchy is doing!

New missionaries in our zone!  They are doing great!
(Madre D: Raquel sent these with one sentence
 - "Find their moms and tell them they are doing great!"
I've tried and can't find them...hope this somehow finds them! )

Met up with the Boise Boy - Starszy Garrison!

Starszy Garrison and Starszy Ashworth!

A rare moment on seriousness!

Starszy Coutu, our favorite lady and mission mom Siostra Edgren, Starszy Jeffs! 

Starszy Alvarez and Starszy Larsen

Starszy Ashworth and the pizza about to be consumed within seconds by our zone!

Not a very well lit picture - but he said send it to his mom!

More rapeseed fields on the train ride home!  Isn't this country amazing?!

Polish Kompot - stewed fruit!  Shared year round! It is tasty!

English class! - One of the best parts of our week!

PB & J instruction intro!

The result of one groups instructions!

Demonstrating "the proper method" of creating the PB&J!

This marathon in Gdańsk doesn't lack for scenery!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

SPRING IS HERE!!!! I have finally started to see some sunshine consistently now! I am so happy!!  Poland is starting to thaw and so are the people!! 

This week was absolutely amazing!!

On Monday we had one of the best P-days so far! We went and had a picnic on the beach! It was so warm and just so much fun to sit and relax and talk!  Something I love about Gdansk is we are so close to the beach!! 

Tuesday was amazing! We are working with a young woman in the branch to complete her family history work and be able to send some names to the temple! There is so much excitement in the air about the Freiburg temple opening back up! That is the nearest temple for most people in the North Zone! We started last week and just kind of introduced her to it. Little did we know she would grab hold of it so quickly! She came back the next week and began telling us all about the Family History she had been doing! She talked about how she had found names upon names! She even found out a couple of new incredible stories!! She was so excited! We decided to go to a grave yard and look for her ancestors grave! The grave yard was huge! We searched forever and we couldn't find it but she was determined! Her mom finally called us after she had been able to find online the coordinates of the grave! We searched a little while longer and found it! She was so happy! This was a huge testimony builder for me about Family History work! She and her mom have done so much research and are continuing to do so! They are so excited and they love finding new things! This has increased my desire to do more Family History work when I go home! 

The next day was Zone Training! I always love these meetings! I feel like I learn so much and it sets up the transfer for what I need to improve on! We talked a lot about stuff we already should be doing but how we can do them better! The main points were: be bold- listen to the spirit then have courage to act, slow down- be simple and teach to their level, be sincere- prove your love in a sense that you truly come to know and love that person, personalize- testify your own testimony, promise blessings- be specific as possible and answer the why, bear testimony- testify as you teach, and mention baptism- it should be natural in the progression of teaching!! 

We talked a lot about sometimes how we get into the habit of saying we, "we believe, we know, etc." This isn't making a connection with that person! We are called to be missionaries but we are also called to love the people we serve with all our hearts! If we are up front about our purpose, who we are, and what we believe and then truly form a relationship with that person then the gospel will always come up!! 

Something I loved that President Edgren said was, "Sometimes we make connections with our investigators, but we fail to make connections with ourselves." This goes along with getting away from the "we statement" and really sharing your own testimony and your own conversion story! We did a lot of role plays practicing it! I definitely have fallen into the "we" trap! I feel like once an "I" statement is out there you become very vulnerable in front of that person but that is also when you are able to share your own experiences! This was a huge eye opener to me! I had definitely forgotten this since the MTC!! It was also so good to see so many of the missionaries I have served with before as well as meet some new ones!! 

Thursdays always go by so fast! We sing every Thursday in the old folks home and then we have English!! Sister Young and I were in charge of English this week and it was so much fun! We decided to make PB&Js! W first asked them what that meant to see what they knew.  Then we explained what it was and the basics of how to make them! It was now their turn.  We asked them to write specific instructions on how to make a PB&J and I made them exactly as they wrote them! We told them to be as specific as possible! It was so much fun!! 

Some of them understood and told us to unscrew the lids, take the knife and spread the peanut butter and jam and fold the bread with the peanut butter and jelly on the inside.  Others were more general and simplified.  A couple of times I just stacked the jars on top of each other with bread per the instructions written!  One group was really specific and I even had to yodel while making them and strike a cheesy pose at the end! They all laughed and laughed and we served them PB&J at the end! They loved it!! It was such a good class!! 

Friday we went over to a member's house! She is the sweetest thing ever! She made us kompot, which is fruit that is boiled in water and then they add sugar! It is so good!! She is the sweetest lady ever! She loved telling us stories and showing us pictures!! We also went to this really cool presentation of a former investigator called Meet Gdansk! She works at a library and they had a whole segment on traditional food! Most of the food was amazing, the only sketchy thing was spreadable meat but we ate it without any complaints! We were asked to do a presentation on Canada (Sister Young is from there) for a group of English school kids next Friday! I'm so excited to go to Polish School for a day - especially to speak with the kids and hear their Polish!

Saturday was also fun! We had sport Saturday at the beach! We played volleyball and the son of the family we are working with came!! He was awesome and fun!  He wished it would have lasted longer! There is just a light about him and we are excited to continue working with his family!! 

Sunday was awesome! Church was so good and inspiring! We recently had the oldest member in Poland move back to Gdansk!  (I think I wrote about this earlier!) All the members just love her! She shared her conversion story and the entire congregation had tears in their eyes.  It was so touching to listen to someone that had held to the faith for so long and continues to serve!  That is what we are here for - to help people gain this type of solid testimony! 

We also had a former investigator come to church! She is a young girl who is super! She loved sacrament meeting so she stayed for Relief Society! 

Sunday was also huge for me because it was my first time translating!!!!! I translated in Relief Society! I had been praying all week and all of Sunday that Heavenly Father would help me to communicate! My prayers were answered through the investigator! I messed up several times but she knew English so I would turn to her and she helped me!! The members were so patient and cheered me on!! I was so grateful for her! She is now wanting to meet again and learn more! I know serving one another brings the Spirit on stronger!  Sister Young and I are elated!! 

Sunday continues to be great - Siostra Young and I met with a less active who is absolutely adorable! She wanted me to bring my guitar.  We ended up walking with her and singing to her brother and the neighbors! We had such a good lesson with her! She struggles with depression but she is in such a good place right now! She even asked if she could pray and where she would like us to have her read in the Book of Mormon!! We couldn't believe it, this was huge for her!!!  Depression is real and the Gospel can assist to relieve it.

I am loving Gdansk!!!  Miracles are happening every day! 

I am so grateful to be a missionary and to meet such incredible people! I am so grateful for such incredible members!!!  I also know how greatly blessed I am to serve here in Poland!!

Kocham Was!!!!

Siostra DeMordaunt