 |
| 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
No comments:
Post a Comment