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The Taggarts - a sad farewell! They are my heroes!
They were going home! Ahhhh! I love them! |
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| Always good to see Siostra Kamp! |
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Warsaw Zone Conference!
Back row: Starszy Reid, Starszy Hassett, Starszy Dickson, Starszy Barlow
Middle row: Siostra Beem, Starszy Rasmussen, Starszy Fetzer
Siostra Larsen, myself |
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Warsaw Zone Conference!
Back row: Starszy Reid, Starszy Hassett, Starszy Dickson, Starszy White
Middle row: Siostra Beem, Starszy Rasmussen, Starszy Fetzer
Siostra Larsen, myself |
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| Myself and Starszy Hill |
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| Siostra Sloan! Headed home in December! I learned so much from her! |
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Starszy Dickson, myself and Siostra Sloan
(this is for our moms!) |
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| So great to see my comp Siostra Thornton! |
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| The Tureks - they are the greatest people! I mean seriously they are so solid! |
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| Dream Beem and some Polish public art! |
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| Add caption |
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| For Pday we visited the famous tie store all Starszi adore: Collection Adam! |
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| It gets dark so early now! |
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| Starszy McMaster |
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| Starszy Barlow |
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| Starszy Hassett |
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| Starszy Einfeldt |
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| Siostry B & D!! |
Here's a cute little excerpt from Siostra Beem's letter:
Cereal Killers:
A few nights ago, Sister D and I ran out of Book of Mormons, so we went to our storeroom to pick up some more. As we were walking up to the building, we realized we forgot the code to get in. We were praying so hard that someone would happen to be coming through the gate when we needed to get through! We turned the corner...and A COUPLE WAS COMING THROUGH THE GATE! They then said, "you're mormons, right? This is your office (and pointed to our door)". We said, "yes, thanks for holding the door, etc". They said, "Wait, why don't you come in and talk with us?" We then entered a different building with and walked up two flights of dark stairs. Sister D and I were walking in the front, and the couple was behind us. At this point, I was honestly a little creeped out. We then enter this apartment (we're still thinking we're going to be teaching a first lesson or something at this point). We enter, and there are all these people walking around this large room holding bowls and cups and computers asking a few people questions. They put Sister D and I at tables that were next to each other and had us sit down and started asking all these questions. I had no idea what was going on (Polish wise) so I sat this one out. However, they knew Sister D knew Polish so they kept questioning her about allergies/background, etc. This whole time I'm thinkin' that my comp is about to get murdered or poisoned or something. Then, they brought Sister D a bowl with corn flakes in it. I was so scared that the cereal was laced with something sketchy. And then they brought out another. And another. Turns out, she was just cereal testing. And she got a chocolate bar out of it. So, all was well.
Cześć Family and Friends!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
I first want to write about the lessons we had with our young mom this week! She is doing amazing and she is learning with every single meeting! We were able to teach her the Gospel of Jesus Chirst this week! We talked more about her baptism and what that will look like! She has grown so much and she is excited about her baptism! When we talked about repentance she said that the way we repent made sense! She is coming more and more closer with Christ! We also thought we were only going to be able to meet with her once because of her schedule but she randomly called us and said: "I can meet right now!" We booked it over there! We talked to her about commandments and why we have a Prophet! She agreed to follow the prophet and his teachings! She is absolutely incredible and so kind! She is progressing so well! Sister Beem and I both commented after this last meeting that she seemed different! The Gospel can bring light and change into people's lives and we can see that happening to her!
We also were able to meet with the young college student! She had read and prayed but she was still confused because she didn't feel like she received an answer! We talked with her how sometimes we have to be patient when receiving answers (something I am still working on haha) but that God will always answer our prayers! It was amazing though because as I was telling her this, it was like a lightbulb moment for me...."Sister D listen to your own advice!" Heavenly Father definitely works in the way He knows we will understand it best! We had an amazing lesson with her! We talked about the first part of the plan, where do we come from and why are we here! She asked so many good questions! She was a little confused on why the fall was apart of God's plan! We explained it to her that God always wants us to be obedient but he also gives us the agency to choose! We explained it in two ways: 1. It is like when your mom tells you not to touch the stove because it is hot but you decided to touch it anyways and then you get burned, however you learn to never do this again because it hurt, this is how Adam and Eve learned when they partook of the fruit! They never wanted to be disobedient again because of the pain it brought them! 2. We gave the analogy with the commandment not to steal, God doesn't want us to steal but he doesn't take away the temptation to steal. He gives us agency so we can choose to submit to the temptation or reject it! The temptation was also there for Adam and Eve even though they knew they shouldn't do it! She understood it! We then committed her to baptized! She is worried because she doesn't have strong faith in God but we explained that sometimes we have to show God we are willing to take the first step! She agreed to baptized January 14! We are so excited for her!!
We also had so many amazing miracles with contacting! I want to share three!
The first was a young girl we stopped! She was just so happy and smiley! We talked about how to come closer to Christ! She was so sweet and the spirit was so strong! We exchanged numbers and we are so excited to meet with her next week! She is amazing!
The next contact happened with a lady that had glitter eyeshadow! Sister Beem stopped her and she immediatelt stops and says, "Mormons I know who you are, I have a Book of Mormon in English oh is that one in Polish, Can I have it?" "Yes here is my number I would like to meet!" Hello! We will be in contact! Sister Beem and I afterwards just looked at each other and died! We felt so happy and blessed!
The final contact I want to write about is one that happened with a young guy! We stopped him and started talking to him about the Book of Mormon! Towards the end of the conversation he asks where we are from. We told him the states. He then steps back and looks upwards and starts speaking English to us! He told us that he had just been on the phone with his friend and that they were starting their business and wanted it to go global. They had been talking about the name of their company "Make Me More!" He then asked us what we thought of the name and the connotations. We told him all the possible ideas but we agreed for the most part it was positive! He then started in Polish again and he told us he didn't think this was a coincidence and that the Book of Mormon could help him in his life!! It was incredible!!! We are truly so blessed!!
This week was just full of crazy adventures and random miracles!
One of them was having Sister Sloan and Thornton spend the night! I loved those two so much!
Another was bitter sweet! The Taggarts left to go home this week. They took Sister Beem and I out to lunch! They have truly changed my life! They are people that I knew I was suppose to meet! I won't lie and say that I am not sad that they are home but I am so grateful for everything they have given this mission! They are some of my heroes! It was such a blessing to spend time with them!
We also had zone conference this week! We were able to have a member of the Seventy come! President first talked to us all about 3 Nephi 11! I love this part in the Book of Mormon! He focused a lot of it on the part where Christ teaches how to baptize!
3 Nephi 11:
22 And again the Lord called others, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you.
23 Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.
President explained that Christ is promising and almost commanding them that they will baptize! This is how we should look at our mission! WE WILL BAPTIZE!!! I loved this!! This is what we should believe is possible and is what happens and is happening!
Elder Johnson spoke about how our mission is similar to that of Alma and Amulek's! He told us all the things we had all been told before we left of how hard it was to serve in Poland. Alma was told similar things but he found Amulek and there are Amuleks here in Poland too! Not only that but Elder Johnson promised us that "it's time to see even more miracles!" It was such a power house zone conference! I could not feel more blessed to be in Poland right at this time!
This has always been one of my favorite times of the year! We have so much to be grateful for! I went back and read through my email last year during Thanksgiving and I realized how much more deep my gratitude is for those things I talked about! Here is just a few things I am grateful for:
1. My family! I can't even begin to say how much I love them! They have been my rock through everything! There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel their love for me and on days when it is rough I feel their support! It keeps me going!
2. Trials! I would be lying if I said that a mission wasn't hard! I have experienced both the ups and the downs! However, after every low point I can look back and see how much I have learned! Trials are there to build us up but sometimes in the process we have to be torn down a little first!
3. Second chances! I am not perfect but that is exactly why we have the atonement! Whenever I fall short I get a second chance through repentance! There is never a point where we are not offered a second chance!
4. The Savior! I wrote about this last time too but I have come to understand him so much more! I remember something a missionary had once said/asked - "We wear Christ's name over our hearts but do we let Him into it?" I get what this means now! People literally change as they allow the Savior to enter their lives and hearts!
5. This beautiful land, people, and language! Words cannot describe how much I love this place! I get emotional even writing it! This place has become my home and these people have become my family! this lagnguage is hard but it is the most amazing blessing I have ever been given to be able to learn it!
6. My Heavenly Father! He and I have grown so much closer on my mission! Sometimes I know He smiles and shakes His head at me when I get frustrated and don't understand the "why's" but I have never felt such an immense outpouring of love from Him than I have on my mission!
7. The people I have met here! This includes both Poles and missionaries! I feel so blessed to have become so close with so many people on my mission! With each new person I meet my life has been changed for a better (my new comp Sister Dream Beem included)!
8. Miracles! I do not believe now in coincidences, they just aren't possible! What is possible are tender mercies and miracles we see every day! God's hand is in our lives! We are never alone!
9. The little things! I am so grateful for moments of laughter, for music, for pączki and pierogi, for dancing, for smiles, for tears, for love, for happiness, for forgiveness, for emails, for pictures, and for every little thing we have that makes life that much more incredible!
10. I am grateful to be a missionary! I am not the same person I was last Thanksgiving! I have learned with every new experience both the good and the bad! This has honestly been the best year of my life! There is not a day that goes by that I don't touch my name tag and think how grateful I am to be doing this with my life! The gospel is the most incredible and the most improtant thing in my life! It makes sense to me now! I get how it works! I love continuing to learn more and more about it! I love my mission!
I am so grateful for all of you!! Your support and love mean the world to me! I encourage you all to take some time and really answer the question: "What are you grateful for?!" I love you all so much!! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Kocham Was!!!!
Siostra DeMordaunt
