Monday, June 27, 2016

Gdańsk, Poland - I believe in miracles! Gdańsk is going to change!


Old Town Warsaw pday with my companion for three days: Siostra Skyler Allowitz!
Her grandmother is in my parents' ward!
Emailing home!
Masks for missionaries! 
Siostra Allowitz was seriously so much fun! 
Old Town Warsaw!

I wish I could explain how beautiful this country is!
Meeting my companion:  Siostra Janie Groesbeck from Alpine, Utah!
Isn't she adorable!!
Introducing her to Gdańsk!

Puppies!



Gdańsk District: 
Starsi Left to right: Starszy Musgraves, Starszy Fuhriman, Starszy Larsen 
Siostry Left ot right: Siostra DeMordaunt, Siostra Groesbeck
Left to right: Siostra Groesbeck, Siostra DeMordaunt,
Starszy Fuhriman, Starszy Larsen, Starszy Musgraves, Siostra Taggart

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Week one as a trainer is complete!! Wahoo!! Let the adventures continue!! 

This last week I was able to spend some time in Warsaw until I picked up my new companion!! I was able to be companions with Siostra Skyler Allowitz for 3 days for a pday and training!! We had an awesome time together! We could not believe that we hadn't served together yet! 


It was so fun to walk around and actually see Warsaw! I was even able to meet some members there and teach a couple of lessons! Siostra Allowitz and I immediately bonded and we were able to meet some incredible people together! It was such a good way to start of the week! 

On Wednesday we picked up our trainees! My new companion is Siostra Janie Groesbeck from Alpine, Utah! I could not be more blessed to have her as a companion! She is absolutely incredible and she just has this energy about her that is contagious! She is one of those people you look at and you realize they radiate! She has been incredible and has jumped in with both feet and is up for anything! We are starting to grow close in our companionship and have both laughed together more times than we can count!! 

We have already had adventures together as well!   Such as when I forgot to bring my hymn book so all the missionaries had to share one as we sang to the old folks, or walking through the storm to end all storms! She is exactly what Gdansk needs! 

After we picked up our traineers we came back to Gdansk and Siesta Taggart had made us gołąbki (cabbage roll filled with meat- seriously it is so good, it also means little dove or pigeon)! We ended up having our first district dinner all together! 

My district is now Siostra Groesbeck and myself, Starszy Larsen, Starszy Musgrave and their new companion/trainee Starszy Fuhriman! We had so much fun and I am so excited to see what our district can accomplish together! 

The next day was normal missionary work! Sister Groesbeck and I were able to go out contacting! We decided to choose a focus each week to talk about, that way we can both focus on it in our studies both in English and Polish! Part of this week and the next is the Book of Mormon! I could talk about that book all day! Sister Groesbeck was awesome and we worked out a flow in contacting where she was able to talk and bare testimony as well! I am so excited to see her grow! She is already an incredible missionary and she is just going to keep getting better and better! 

We also had English Club and...... GIRLS CAME!!! English has been as we refer to it "a bro class" but we were so excited to see some new faces!! We had such a fun time and everyone  laughed so hard! 

We also had our first night of training! I decided to have us start by discussing our purpose as well as bearing our testimonies in Polish! There was a really sweet spirit and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to train! 

The next day we were able to set goals for this transfer! I am so excited for this transfer! I honestly feel that there are going to be miracles that happen this transfer! Miracles are so real and Gdańsk is ready for them! I feel it is time!! We are both willing to put in the work and I know that miracles are going to happen because of it! 

The Lord is truly by my side, I feel he is guiding me every step of the way! That is really my goal of this transfer! I am relying 100% on my Heavenly Father! I feel like I have this fire that has been lit inside of me and I am ready to see changes happen both in me and in the area here! So here we go!  I am so excited!! 

We also were able to visit this awesome woman's house and see her puppies!  Of course my day was made! The next day we were able to go and teach a member some visting teaching! We shared with her one of Sister Groesbeck's favorite scriptures! Sister Groesbeck was awesome and bore her testimony of why she liked it and how it has helped her! It was such a good lesson! 

The last day was Sunday! Sundays mean so much to me on my mission! It is incredible to see the members meet together! There was such a good spirit in the room! 

A Dad and his daughter also randomly showed up and we are hoping to meet with them this week! Miracles are happening! We also were able to do a finding activity as a district and again miracles happened! 

Sister Groesbeck and I were stopping every person we could and we wern't having a lot of success! We stopped this one guy though and he was like "mormoni" (mormons) and I was like "Tak" (yes) and then he was like "jestem mormonem" (I am a Mormon)! He then went on to explain that he is Polish but has been working in Norway for the best 5 years and he joined the church two years ago! He has been trying to find the church but he couldn't find the address! We exchanged numbers and he is coming this next week! MIRACLE!!! Every person counts!  We want our branch to grow!  Sister Groesbeck and I could not believe it! This shows that we were in the right place at the right time and all according to how the Lord wanted it to happen! 

I'm having faith that there is just going to be miracle after miracle that happens! I am so excited for this transfer! 

Miracles happen every day if we choose to truly see them, this has been confirmed to me over and over again on my mission!!  It was such a great week!

Kocham Was!!!!
Siostra DeMordaunt

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Gdańsk, Poland - Just breathe! Branch Grill! I'll be training...yikes!



Soprano Lody Ice Cream!
Starszy Larsen joined us! 
This is how you know it is a prime tracting area!
Heart-attacking for Young Womens!
Gdańsk Ferris Wheel!
Such a fun way to end Siostra Young's time in Gdańsk!  
She's been her almost 10 months!  She calls herself the Gdańsk Queen!
We had so much fun!
Gdańsk!
Isn't it amazing!?
Sometimes I can't believe this city was bombed! :(   I am so blessed to serve here! 
Gdańsk Branch Grill attendees!  I love these people!
Face painting adventures!
A member being such a good sport!

Starszy Larsen! 
Siostra Taggart and kiddos!  I love her!  The Taggarts are incredible!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

This last week marked the end of the transfer!  Ahhhhh I really don't know where the time goes! 

To give you an update with what is happening with me...I am staying in Gdansk...but I will be training!! I am so excited but to be honest I am also nervous! This is what I need though - I know I am going to learn so much and I am so excited to help a new missionary come to love Poland and its people and experience a whole bunch of firsts with her! 

This week started off with such a fun Pday! We spent the day with the Taggarts, the senior couple in Gdansk! They are honestly so incredible! They have taught me so much! Something I really admire about them is that they try and speak the language! This language is hard, but "the young missionaries" at least get 9 weeks of training, the senior couples get about a week and that is it!  They are such an inspiration and it was so much fun to spend the last Pday with them! 

Tuesday we had the most incredible experience with one of our investigators! The end of the school year is happening here in Poland and so it has been hard to set up with anyone! However, she just finished her schooling and asked when we could meet! Sister Young and I really want to help her to progress so we had what I call a"make it or break it" lesson! We wanted to be as bold as possible but also be personable! 

We realized that the root of all her questions was God's plan for us and Christ's atonement! We centered our entire lesson on these points! We explained that God had a plan from the beginning for all of us and Christ is the center of this plan! We think she is finally starting to understand it! When we started talking about the atonement an incredible spirit filled the room! Sister Young and I both bore a personal testimony of what the atonement means to us! We then brought up baptism! We asked her very honestly if she wanted to know if it is true and she realized that she did! We then challenged her to pray about baptism that night! We talked to her the next day and although she didn't get the answer to be baptized right now she realized she needed more sincerity on her part and now really wants to read and study to know it is true! This was huge! Sister Young and I felt like this is exactly what she needed! I am excited to see where everything goes with her!

I also was able to give a presentation on the great state of Idaho!! It was at the same elementary school that Sister Young presented on Canada! The kids were so much fun! They got a kick out of all the potatoes produced, the potato museum as well as all the things to do in Idaho! It was so much fun because they were so interactive!! 

We were able to do a lot of finding this week! There was one day where I literally got one "no" after the other! I was getting a little frustrated when the words of my mom came into my head to "just breathe!" I took a couple of deep breathes and then the primary song "I Feel My Savior's Love" came into my head! My entire attitude changed and the next person I talked to actually listened! 

Sometimes we get too caught up in ourselves that the Spirit isn't able to work through us! I am definitely guilty of this! This was a good reminder to shake it off and just breathe! 

The lady I ended up talking to was amazing! I said God has a personal plan for us and how I have come to understand His plan through the Book of Mormon! She asked how I did this and I just told her about what the Book of Mormon has taught me! She took a book and was really interested in meeting again! It was such an amazing experience!

Saturday was an awesome day!! Sister Young and I were getting everything ready for the next transfer! We decided to take our lunch hour and just walk around our city! As we were walking we saw this giant ferris wheel, so of course we rode it! It was so fun and we could see all of beautiful, scenic Gdansk!! This city is incredible!

That evening we had a "Branch Grill!" It was so much fun! We did face painting and ate kielbasa (Polish sausage) and Gofri (waffles)!! It was such a good way to end the transfer!! Especially great for Siostra Young who has served here for 9 1/2 months!!!!  I will miss her!  She is being transfered to Katowice and will be companions with the great and fun Siostra Lerch from my MTC group!

I am so excited for this upcoming transfer! I know this will push me in a different way than I have been pushed before but I am so ready! I can't wait to meet my trainee!  Love you all!

Kocham Was!!!!
Siostra DeMordaunt

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Poland - Storks! posted by Siostra Edgren

Note from Madre D:  

Siostra Edgren posted this picture on Instagram - we had read about Poland's storks before Raquel left.  

Here are some interesting facts:  

  • 25% of 325,000+ of Europe's white storks return to Poland each spring when returning from wintering in Africa. 
  • White storks are about 3 ft. tall with long red legs, a straight red bill and black wing feathers.
  • Nearly 41,000 "couples" of the 160,000 world wide breed in Poland - therefore the saying is "every fourth stork is Polish."
  • Storks stay with one mate for the breeding season.
  • The female usually lays 3-5 eggs and both the male and female incubate the eggs.
  • They can live up to 30 years.
  • Nest are huge - up to 6 ft wide and 9 ft deep!

 (Photo cred: Siostra Edgren)
(This image is from Radio Poland's website.)
SaveSave

Monday, June 13, 2016

Gdańsk, Poland - Oldest member in Poland! Simple truths speak boldly!


A dear visit and forever memory with the oldest member in Poland!
She is inspiring, strong and beautiful!
Siostra Craig 
Morning exercise - a walk on the beach!
MTC companion - Siostra Kamp
Saying goodbye with grateful hearts!
Siostra Emily Craig!
Siostra Lexi Kamp! 
Zoo adventure for cultural night!
Elephants!
Pday!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

This week was absolutely incredible! I am so excited to share everything that happened!!

The week started off with... EXCHANGES!! 

It was so fun to have the sisters from Bydgoszcz here - Sister Craig and Sister Kamp!! I love exchanges because it just feels like we have sister power going on! Sister Craig and I were able to go teach a member in our ward while Sister Kamp and Sister Young conducted Young Womens! 

The women Siostra Craig and I met with is incredible! She is the oldest member in Poland! I want to share some her wonderful story! She lived in Poland for many years and then she moved to America with her sons! She was converted to the gospel while living in America! Afterwards she had a prompting that she needed to come back to Poland to help build the church! After the war she came home and opened the first chapel in her home in Gdańsk! Her husband at the time was not a member but was supportive in everything! She has had an influence on every single person in the Gdańsk Branch and helping every single one of them in their conversion process! She is truly a remarkable women! She is so strong and is so loved!  Recently she lived in Warsaw for a long time but the first Sunday I came to Gdańsk she came back and she know lives here permanently  She loves the gospel with all her heart! She has the most incredible spirit about her when she speaks! I feel so privileged to have been able to meet with her and experience some of the history of the church here! She is seriously the cutest thing ever! I have so much respect for her! 

After our meetings we met back up and did a finding activity! There was so much missionary power going on! We talked to so many people and we were even able to set up on the street! Seriously exchanges bring miracles!! 

Later in the evening Sister Kamp and I went contacting together! This was such a huge blessing! Sister Kamp was my MTC companion! It was amazing to see how much both of us had grown since our MTC days! It was amazing to be able to have both of us talk to people and understand them!  This was completely different for us than from when we were in the MTC! It showed me how much I have truly grown and inspired me towards how much more I want to continue to grow! 

The next day we woke up and we went to the beach for exercise!  Because when in Gdańsk you have to see it at least once! It was so much fun! 

However, I also learned a lesson! Here in Gdańsk you have a card for traveling on the trams and buses! I completely forgot to bring it with me and of course we got checked! Luckily Sister Young is a prime negotiator and talked our way out of a ticket! Needless to say I will never forget that again!! 

Our siostry exchange was energizing! The Bydgoszcz sisters are incredible! I always feel so blessed to be able to serve with such incredible missionaries!!

After the exchange we had our culture night! We went to the Zoo!! It was great! My "slight" obsession with Elephants was fulfilled!  My district was patient with me as we watched the elephants!  The zoo here is beautiful and really well done! I loved seeing the families and kids and experiencing "how Poland does the zoo!"  

The next day was English Club.  Once again we had the most inspiring conversation after class! We talked about agency and the will of God which then lead to where do we go after this life! I love hearing the different questions people have and how when they hear what we believe that are always amazed and calmer! 

I am really hoping to see "some fruits" come forth from our English class! I now understand when people say, "I was searching but I didn't know I was!" I feel like I see that a lot here and being able to share simple truths is really amazing! 

I also had some really interesting experiences this week during finding activities!  

While on the street I stopped this man whom I had talked to before! We talked both in Polish and in English, however this time it was a lot different! He actually laughed at me when I told him I had felt God's love! I didn't want to argue so I tried to end the conversation when he suddenly asked, "How old are you," which I replied, "I'm 20!" He then said, " I am twice your age so I have more experience when it comes to things like this." I have never felt such a surge of energy before as I looked him right in the eye and said " I may be young but I know God lives!" He stopped and then said goodbye and walked away! This was such a simple testimony but I felt the power behind it as I said it! It showed me that no matter what age you are we are blessed to know what is real and that God exists! 

I also met two girls - one was from Switzerland and the other from Peru! I began talking to them in English and we had a really solid conversation! I told the girl from Peru that I had studied Spanish and we spoke in Spanish for a few sentences! They both wanted to learn more but they don't live in Gdańsk! I gave them a card and invited them to read on the website and to find missionaries where they lived! I hope the seed planted with them will grow! I love being able to share the gospel with people all over the world here in Poland!

We also had a huge miracle this week! Sister Young talked to this guy during a finding activity and he agreed to meet with us on Friday! For safety reasons, we had the Elders there, but he ended up engaging all four of us in the conversation and teaching! He believes in God but doesn't have a relationship with Christ! We talked about the Restoration and invited him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon! I have been trying to promise blessings...so I promised him if he read and prayed he would receive an answer. He looked at me and said, "licze na to" or "I'm counting on it!" I have never had this response before.  My love for him immediately grew as I knew God would be aware of his prayer. What a blessing to know if a person truly has a sincere desire to know God's will they will receive an answer! He even prayed at the end! He agreed to meet with us again! I am so excited to see where this all goes! 

Another blessing from this week ... We had the cutest american family move into the branch! That is exactly what this Branch needed and what Sister Young and I have been praying for! Prayers are answered!!  The dad sent me an email requesting how to get transportation to the church!  They are temporarily here and I can tell they are willing to invest time and energy into our branch!

I am so excited to see where I will be this next transfer!! I don't have a feeling about what will happen.  

This week what stands out most is how grateful I am to be a missionary and to bear simple truths and blessings!!

 Kocham Was!!!!
Siostra DeMordaunt
SaveSave