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| Patryk opening his mission call! |
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| Our guesses of where he was going! I guessed New York City or Croatia... |
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| He is going to the Baltic Mission - Latvia Region- Speaking Russian! Reports to the Provo, MTC on September 13! He is the only member in his family! |
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| Yes...he is really that tall! |
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| Patryk with the loving Taggarts! They are so proud of him too! |
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| Watch out Latvia...here comes Patryk the Persistent Pole from Gdańsk! |
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| Gdańsk Chapel! We might be small in numbers but I like to think of us as mighty in spirit! (Picture credit: Siostra Jessica Smith) |
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| Nine Months! Half Way! Hump Day! So grateful for each and every day both behind me and in front of me! |
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| Gdańsk Siostry! Siostra Groesbeck is an incredible person! |
Cześć Family and Friends!!!!
I have so much to say about this week that I am just going to jump right in!!
Monday night was crazy!! We had planned on going district tracting all together when Elder Taggart called me and asked how close we were to the chapel! We weren't that far away so I asked him what he needed and he told us that Patryk had received his mission call! Patrick is a member here in Gdansk who put in his papers last transfer and we have all been anxiously awaiting to see where he would be serving!!
We ran to the chapel! And we all put our "guesses" up on the whiteboard! He was so nervously shaking as he opened his call.....he is serving in THE BALTIC MISSION, LATVIA, SPEAKING RUSSIAN!!!! We were so excited for him! He had the biggest smile on his face! It was incredible to be able to be on a mission and see someone open their call to serve a mission! A missionary from Poland...from Gdańsk! He has a strong testimony and contributes to our branch here in Gdańsk! I can't help but think how his service will not only bless Latvia but our homeland of Poland as well!
Patryck loves coke so of course we had coke floats to celebrate!!! (Fun Fact - the Poles think it is so strange how we put ice cream and soda together) I am so proud of him! He is going to be such an incredible missionary!! The work goes on!!!!
We were able to meet with our investigator again! She had agreed before to restart taking the lessons so we started with the first lesson about the Restoration! It was really good lesson! We followed up on her prayers about baptism which led perfectly into our lesson! She still struggles with the decision! She understands that she needs to figure it out for herself but she has a hard time with the apostasy! She doesn't quite understand the line of authority! We explained that more to her! It is really intersting because I feel like she can relate a lot to Joseph Smith! She understands there is one church and one baptism but she doesn't get which church and how to find out! However, there was again such an incredible spirit as both Sister Groesbeck and I testified!! She is still continuing to pray and read and she wants to come to church!
Sometimes I think the biggest thing I struggle with is when I know they are feeling something and they just can't recognize it! It is like I want to shake them and wake them up! I am trying to learn right now how to help them recognize it!! I know she feels it, but it will really be up to her to recognize it! It is like knowing where the treasure is but we can only coach them on how to find it and where it is but cannot do it for them!
We were also able to meet finally with the young girl that we met on the streets a few weeks ago! She had done some reading and came with a lot of questions. She wanted to learn! It was amazing though because all her questions went along exactly with what we were planning to teach! She is really insightful and sharp! She is searching but doesn't see it yet! She said she knew that life would be easier if she believed in God but she doesn't feel it is necessary for her right now! She asked a lot about how we came to know the church was true! She wants to meet again with us to learn more!
Our lesson was really amazing! We actually had it in a park! We talked to her about praying in her own words and she said that is how she thinks it should be because God doesn't care if we pray standing, kneeling, etc. but He does care what we say to him! Hello! Yes He cares! She wanted to try praying in her own words! After I said the clsoing prayer she thanked me for praying for her! Right there in the middle of the park, the Spirit was amazing - it was like the rest of the world stood still. We now just need continue on working to know how to best answer her questions and help her!
It is so great to teach!
Oh I was also able to finally try this week beet soup or barszcz! It is amazing!! Sister Taggart made it for us! We could not get enough!!
There is also the most amazing market happening all over the center of Gdansk! There are the coolest antiques and just random hand made things everywhere needless to say we will be taking our lunch hours there this next week!! It is fun to be out with the people and talk with them as often as we can.
I don't have a lot of time but I just wanted to say how grateful I am for prayer! I was struggling this week with some stuff and I had been praying about it and I knew an answer would come. AND IT DID!!!! God knows us and listens to us! If he does this for me He will certainly do it for each of you...so make your life better and pray!! I am so grateful for prayer and for the different ways I receive answers to them!!
Kocham Was!!!!
Siostra DeMordaunt
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