Gdańsk, Poland - Half way mark...hump day! Connections!

Look at the top - God's hand protecting Gdańsk!  So cool!

Grand Hotel in Sopot!

So much fun renting bikes!

Siostra Taggart!  I love this lady!

Relief Society Activity

On of my favorite members in the Gdańsk Branch - isn't she soooo cute!?

Building temples in Primary!
Aren't these kids so cute!?

A sad good bye to Starszy Larsen!
He was an incredible missionary!

One final district picture before Starszy Larsen heads to Warsaw to fly home!
I love Gdansk and these people!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

This upcoming week is another milestone for me...on Thursday, July 28 I WILL OFFICIALLY BE HALF WAY thru my mission!!!  Hump day!  

This point comes with so many mixed emotions! I feel so incredibly blessed and happy to have come this far!  I am at the same time emotional because I realize that I only have 9 months left!! This mission has meant the world to me and it is flying by!! I have been so grateful for every lesson I have learned so far while I have been out!!

This week started off incredible!! We had the best P-day ever!! We decided to go to a bunch of different museums because they are all free on Mondays!! We went to the Amber, City Hall, and the Post Office Museum! 

You may ask why the post office?  The post office here in Gdańsk! When the Germans invaded Gdańsk the post office workers actually defended by shutting down the post office against the Germans! They were all taken captive but were not recognized as prisoners of war.  They were lined up and shot!  They are considered heros here in Gdansk!!  These Poles have heart, soul and courage!  I love them!  

Afterwards we rented bikes and rode all the way to Sopot! Sopot is the cutest beach city! It was so much fun! To quote Sister Taggart, "Who knew you could have this much fun on a mission!?"  (I love the Taggarts!  Couple missionaries make a huge difference in the branches and the districts they serve it!)

We also had the opportunity to teach such incredible people!! 

We were able to meet with one of the referrals from last week!! This was absolutely one of those times you know the Lord is in the details!! A huge miracle in my heart!! First we started the lesson wanting to get to know her a little bit! We asked her why she wanted to meet with us and all of a sudden she said,  "Well I am going to be an exchange student in IDAHO and I am going to be living with a MORMON FAMILY!!!!"  I died!!  Of all the places in the world and she is headed to my home state!  I said, "I am from there!!"   There was an instant connection! She said she wanted to meet with us to see what her family believed! 

Even crazier was the way she contacted us! She saw someone on a train reading a Restoration pamphlet and so she decided to look up the website on the back and contact us!! How's that for another miracle?! We had the most incredible lesson with her! She had a time in her life where she was really religious but she felt like when she would pray God wouldn't answer her questions! We talked a lot about how God answers our prayers and how Joseph Smith received answers.  We testified to her how much God loves her!  My connection with her was intense!  I told her that we are all children of God which means that we are all brothers and sisters, or that she and I are sisters!! We told her God turly does answer our prayers.  I testified how reading the Book of Mormon has helped strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father! 

Sister Groesbeck was incredible and promised her that the next time she would pray she would feel God's love with her! The Spirit was strong and both Sister Groesbeck and I were blown away about what was said in the lesson because it was definitely stuff we hadn't prepared but felt prompted to share! We are hoping to meet again with her!!

We also had the opportunity to teach the woman from our area book again! We focused our lesson on what happens after this life!! We started talking about everything that will happen and how we are going to be able to live with God again after this life! We then challenged her to baptism! She was like, "to jest problem" or this is the problem! She then explained that she had been raised Catholic and everything that entailed.  She also asked why we always invited her to be baptism!  Again the most incredible Spirit filled the room! I testified about how much Heavenly Father loves us and then I talked about how I had come to know this Gospel was true! I explained to her that I want to live in a way here on earth so that I can live with my Father in Heaven again! I told her that I couldn't describe the feeling when I pictured returning home to Him and the Savior! I started to get emotional so I turned to Siostra Groesbeck.  Siostra Groesbeck identified the Spirit and how through the Spirit we can know something is true!!  I also felt a connection to her!  There was this huge surge of the Spirit while I spoke to her!  

She told us she would be alone in being baptized.  I told her that our church is a family! We help each other and love each other! I told her that we are a part of God's family and that she wasn't ever alone! It was incredible! She committed to pray about being baptized and to restart taking the lessons!! We are so excited and I know this could bless her life so much!!

Oh and the craziest thing happened to us as we went to meet with her! We were waiting outside of her apartment because she was running a little late.  Suddenly this guy walks by with this scarf over his hand!  He doesn't break eye contact, lifts up the scarf and there is this HUGE  lizard, and then places the scarf back over it and walks away!!  Chalk that one up for another crazy mission experience!

Although this week was incredible it had a melancholy moment! We had to say goodbye to Elder Larsen. He was such an incredible missionary and he really added to our district! He has an intense love for this people, missionary work and the land.  We had such a fun last day all together. We went over for dinner at the Taggarts and talkeed!!  

We then ended with one last district finding activity where we were able to meet the most amazing girl!! We are so excited to be able to meet with her soon!!

I loved being able to testify this week of God's plan and that He exists and loves us!! 

We really are here on earth to help one other to progress so we can live with Him again!! 

I am so grateful to have a Father in Heaven who loves me and that I will be able to live with him some day!! 

Still can't believe it has been nine months!  I hope I savor every second on the nine months ahead!

Thanks for all your love and support!  I love you!

Kocham Was!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Gdańsk, Poland - the dream week...a week of teaching! When it rains it pours!

Siostra Groesbeck
- she's incredible not to mention patient with me!

Gdańsk Distrist in the Gdansk ferris wheel! 

Exchanges is Bydgoszcz!

Can you see the "Man Crossing the River"
- it was installed the day Poland joined the European Union in 2004

Siostra Craig and myself in Old Town Bydgoszcz!

Exchanges in Bydgoszcz!
Siostra Craig, Siostra Groesbeck, myself, Siostra Butler

Myself and Siostra Craig!

Myself and Siostra Butler!

Gdańsk Siostry hit Bydgoszcz!

The traditional Bydgoszcz bicycle picture!

Monsoon craziness!

The train station flooded and closed!

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Home sweet home!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Another week gone and I really can't believe it is Monday already! Ahhh but what an incredible week!! 

We were able to TEACH so many people this week!  It was absolutely amazing! 

The week started off with us going on exchange to Bydgoszcz! I haven't ever been to Bydgoszcz and it was fun to be able to walk all around it!! I have to come realize that every city I see I would be completely ok with serving there! Seriously all the cities her are amazing, it is hard to just fall in love with one!! 

It was really good to spend some time with Siostra Craig and get to know Siostra Butler! They are both incredible sister missionaries and as always I learn from exchanges! What I really learned from these siostry was to constantly look for people to serve! Siostra Craig and Siostra Butler both have such big hearts!  They have so many friends a long the way that they have served at one point or another!! They are known for their service! I want to constantly be looking for opportunities that I can serve people in any way I can!! Another incredible exchange!!

The day after we returned to Gdansk was literally the craziest weather ever! I have already survived a blizzard in Poland and now I just survived a monsoon! It was the most insane rainstorm I have ever been in! We came out of singing at the old folks home and it was pouring hard.  Of course I forgot to bring an umbrella so we just booked it to the tram stop! Luckily I had remembered to bring my rain jacket so I was semi-dry! 

We thought it would pass so we went to our lesson!! We were able to meet with the Dad that came to Sacrament Meeting! He brought his daughter along as well! We had a really incredible lesson with him! There was such an incredible spirit there! I usually don't bare my testimony a lot about the first vision but I felt prompted to do so and it just felt like I had this instant connection with him! He agreed to read and pray and so did his daughter! We are so excited to meet with him again this week! 

Afterwards we had English Club/Class and then came outside - of course it was still raining! We ran to catch a tram only to find out that the lines were all flooded! We decided to take a train and the train station was flooded! We ended up having to walk home, bare foot through the streets of Gdansk!! We sang hymns and laughed along the way!  Thank goodness everyone was safe!  This will definitely go down in my book of mission stories!!

Saturday was a fantastic day!  We were able to meet with so many people that we had met the week before!! Our first appointment was with a lady that had previously been an investigator! She is so sweet! We talked to her about why the Book of Mormon is needed for us which then lead to her asking us back to learn about the Plan of Salvation!! 

Our next meeting was with the man that came up to us and asked for a Book of Mormon! He told us he is searching for religion right now! We talked to him all about the Restoration and how the Book of Mormon  (he had read some of it before our lesson) will bless his life!! Again the spirit was so strong!! He agreed to meet with us again!!  

We also were given another referral and she is also willing to speak with us! I continue to be amazed at how blessed I feel right now!! I just feel like this is Gdańsk's time and the church is going to grow! 

This was also an incredible miracle for me! I am planning on minoring in Spanish when I return home! I only have a few classes left.  I haven't had any opportunities to speak it here but this week we have met so many people from Spain! My Spanish wasn't perfect but it was incredible to be able to talk about why I am here in Spanish as well as in Polish! It made me realize how much I don't want to loose my Polish or Spanish!! I love this crazy Polish language and even in the times where I am so frustrated with it I just feel incredibly blessed to be speaking it!  It is a language worth fighting for!

I don't have a lot of time to write but I am so grateful once again to be apart of this work and to share what I know is Christ's gospel with everyone I meet! 

Kocham Was!!!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Gdansk, Poland - Pray and look for miracles - they're out there!

Marlbork Castle

Built in Prussia by Catholic crusaders names after the Virgin Mary!

World's largest brick castle!

Myself, Siostra Groesbeck, Starszy Larsen! 

This is an interesting symbol of Christ: the Pelican is tearing part of itself 
to feed the chicks just like Christ gave his life for us!

Look at that ceiling and those chandeliers!

Queen Magistrates!

Gdansk District (sans Starszy Taggart) with visiting Starszy Spencer Kimball
Siostra Groesbeck, myself, Starszy Larsen, Starszy Musgrave,
Starszy Kimball, Siostra Taggart, Starszy Fuhriman

Laying cobblestone by hand!

One day we randomly all coordinated!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Ok.... so I know I say this every week but... IT WAS A MIRACLE WEEK!!  A week full of so much gratitude and so many smiles! There was even a day where my face hurt from smiling so much!!

The week started off amazing! There is a castle called Malbork that is compltely made out of brick! It is the largest castle in the world made out of brick in the world!  Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in what was once Marienburg, Prussia by Catholic Teutonic crusaders who named it Marienburg or Mary after the Virgin Mary. (Poland history is crazy good!)  It was absolutely beautiful ! 

I have been wanting to go since I first came to Gdansk and we finally went! There was so much beauty and history in literally every stone! Every chance I get to look into Poland's history I love! It gives me such a better appreciation, understanding, and love for this country! Something really interesting I learned was they had a fear of white space! The color sadly has come off the walls from age but before there were no white spaces in the castle! The colors used to paint were the primary colors.  Colors were not mixed beause everything had to be as pure as possible!! I could have stayed there for hours!! It was amazing and sister Groesbeck and I even got to be queens as we sat in the thrones of the old magistrates! 

Now time for the miracles:

A little background first of why this week had so much meaning to me! One of the transfer goals we set as a companionship was to have sincere prayers! This was because 1. to be honest I knew I couldn't train alone and we both wanted to be on the same page with the expectations we set every day before we left, and 2. we wanted to show God our faith and show we were willing to do our part so we aimed every morning to have a prayer of faith! Each day during comp study we write what we specifically want to pray for then right as we leave the house we pray together for all those things! This week literally every single prayer was answered in one way or another!! 

The first miracle we saw happened as we were contacting in a park! We didn't have a lot of success but right as we are leaving this man came up to us after seeing the Book of Mormon in my hand and said "Ksiega Mormona?"  I said "YES! Have you ever heard of it before?" Which he replied "Yes!" He then asks if we have a copy we can give him and of course we said yes! We then asked if he would like to meet with us and he immediately said yes!! (WE LOVE HEARING "YES!") We could not believe it! This has never happened on my mission before!! We are so excited to be able to meet with him next week!

The next miracle happened as a companionship! Something we have been really working on has been asking inspired questions and replying with inspired answers! Lately I have been prompted to close my mouth and let Sister Groesbeck talk! She is amazing and I honestly feel that she is training me! We had the most incredible time doing a finding activty with the Elders! We talked to so many people and all about different topics! There were things I have never even said before in Polish or thought I knew how to say that I said! We were asking different questions and saying different things than we ever had before! After each contact Sister Groesbeck and I just looked at each other startled!  We were blown away by what just happened! This was not us at all!  It was the Spirit working through us! There were a couple of times where I didn't know what to say and I just kept feeling prompted to close my mouth and let sister Groesbeck taught! I would turn to her and ask her a question about what it meant to her or what she thought or according to her why was it important and EVERY SINGLE TIME Siostra Groesbeck stepped up and bore her testimony about what we were discussing! It was incredible! I want to stress again this was not because of us! I can't tell you the feeling of guidance I had with each conversation we had! 

We were able to meet a woman where we could set up on the street (something we prayed for), we found those that truly needed the Book of Mormon (also something we prayed for), we used the Book of Momron more in our contacting (again something we prayed for) and the miracles didn't stop there! We went tracting and met this guy who talked about how one of his roommates, who is living in their flat, is really studying religion because she is having a hard time right now! He asked if he could have something to give her, we tried giving him the Book of Mormon but he said it is too much right now so we gave him a card! He said this may be what she needs and could she get the book later if she wants!! Of course...we said...YES!

It was miracle after miracle that day!!

We also were contacted by a referral whom hasn't been able to meet with missionaries but has now moved to Gdansk and wants to talk to the missionaries!  She was willing to meet any day! We are looking forward to meeting with her!

And finally we saw more miracles yesterday! We were doing another finding activty and we met the most incredible girl ever! We started talking to her about if there really is a God! We both testified about who God was and how we know He loves us! I shared with her a personal story that I rarely share with people, especially on the streets, it was like an instant connection! She told us how she had actually been thinking a lot about this lately and had been talking to her friend about it! We told her we also came to know God through the Book of Mormon! She read Moroni's promise from it and then when I told her it was now her book she looked at me like I had just given her the best gift she has ever recieved! She said thank you over and over again! We'll be meeting with her as well!!

I have never been so happy in my entire life! Our prayers were answered every single day!! I am incredibly grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who listens and answers all of my prayers! I know so many times they are answered and I fail to recognize them.  I also know that they are answered even when I think they aren't.  The Lord knows best!

I am so grateful for the incredible companion I have!  I love you Siostra Groesbeck!  She has brought a light and this incredible faith to the work here in Gdańsk! 

I want to tell you all there have been low points! confusing points!  frustrating points! and questioning points!  I don't want to "sugar coat mission life" - I know I write many of the positive things but they are what make my time here worth it!  There have been times where it has been hard and I have had to cry it out and get down on my knees to let it out and sort it out!   

Something a wise sister missionary told me was "The bad times will far out number the good times but the good times will far out weigh the bad!"  I'll take the joy of "the weight" over "the number" any day!  Isn't this true in all stages of life!?

This gospel is true no matter what and I am grateful to be a missionary! 

Last night Sister Groesbeck and I were talking about everything as we were eating dinner.  We talked about how we came to know the truthfulness of Christ's word.  So there I am sitting in my pajamas, eating a bowl of cereal (best missionary dinner ever!) and could not help but get emotional because of how real and true this Gospel is!! 

I feel so blessed and I love this gospel and the opportunity I have to share it!

Pray and look for miracles ... they are out there!

Kocham Was!!!!

Siostra DeMordaunt

Gdansk, Poland - Pray and look for miracles - they're out there!

Marlbork Castle

Built in Prussia by Catholic crusaders names after the Virgin Mary!

World's largest brick castle!

Myself, Siostra Groesbeck, Starszy Larsen! 

This is an interesting symbol of Christ: the Pelican is tearing part of itself 
to feed the chicks just like Christ gave his life for us!

Look at that ceiling and those chandeliers!

Queen Magistrates!

Gdansk District (sans Starszy Taggart) with visiting Starszy Spencer Kimball
Siostra Groesbeck, myself, Starszy Larsen, Starszy Musgrave,
Starszy Kimball, Siostra Taggart, Starszy Fuhriman

Laying cobblestone by hand!

One day we randomly all coordinated!

Cześć Family and Friends!!!!

Ok.... so I know I say this every week but... IT WAS A MIRACLE WEEK!!  A week full of so much gratitude and so many smiles! There was even a day where my face hurt from smiling so much!!

The week started off amazing! There is a castle called Malbork that is compltely made out of brick! It is the largest castle in the world made out of brick in the world!  Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in what was once Marienburg, Prussia by Catholic Teutonic crusaders who named it Marienburg or Mary after the Virgin Mary. (Poland history is crazy good!)  It was absolutely beautiful ! 

I have been wanting to go since I first came to Gdansk and we finally went! There was so much beauty and history in literally every stone! Every chance I get to look into Poland's history I love! It gives me such a better appreciation, understanding, and love for this country! Something really interesting I learned was they had a fear of white space! The color sadly has come off the walls from age but before there were no white spaces in the castle! The colors used to paint were the primary colors.  Colors were not mixed beause everything had to be as pure as possible!! I could have stayed there for hours!! It was amazing and sister Groesbeck and I even got to be queens as we sat in the thrones of the old magistrates! 

Now time for the miracles:

A little background first of why this week had so much meaning to me! One of the transfer goals we set as a companionship was to have sincere prayers! This was because 1. to be honest I knew I couldn't train alone and we both wanted to be on the same page with the expectations we set every day before we left, and 2. we wanted to show God our faith and show we were willing to do our part so we aimed every morning to have a prayer of faith! Each day during comp study we write what we specifically want to pray for then right as we leave the house we pray together for all those things! This week literally every single prayer was answered in one way or another!! 

The first miracle we saw happened as we were contacting in a park! We didn't have a lot of success but right as we are leaving this man came up to us after seeing the Book of Mormon in my hand and said "Ksiega Mormona?"  I said "YES! Have you ever heard of it before?" Which he replied "Yes!" He then asks if we have a copy we can give him and of course we said yes! We then asked if he would like to meet with us and he immediately said yes!! (WE LOVE HEARING "YES!") We could not believe it! This has never happened on my mission before!! We are so excited to be able to meet with him next week!

The next miracle happened as a companionship! Something we have been really working on has been asking inspired questions and replying with inspired answers! Lately I have been prompted to close my mouth and let Sister Groesbeck talk! She is amazing and I honestly feel that she is training me! We had the most incredible time doing a finding activty with the Elders! We talked to so many people and all about different topics! There were things I have never even said before in Polish or thought I knew how to say that I said! We were asking different questions and saying different things than we ever had before! After each contact Sister Groesbeck and I just looked at each other startled!  We were blown away by what just happened! This was not us at all!  It was the Spirit working through us! There were a couple of times where I didn't know what to say and I just kept feeling prompted to close my mouth and let sister Groesbeck taught! I would turn to her and ask her a question about what it meant to her or what she thought or according to her why was it important and EVERY SINGLE TIME Siostra Groesbeck stepped up and bore her testimony about what we were discussing! It was incredible! I want to stress again this was not because of us! I can't tell you the feeling of guidance I had with each conversation we had! 

We were able to meet a woman where we could set up on the street (something we prayed for), we found those that truly needed the Book of Mormon (also something we prayed for), we used the Book of Momron more in our contacting (again something we prayed for) and the miracles didn't stop there! We went tracting and met this guy who talked about how one of his roommates, who is living in their flat, is really studying religion because she is having a hard time right now! He asked if he could have something to give her, we tried giving him the Book of Mormon but he said it is too much right now so we gave him a card! He said this may be what she needs and could she get the book later if she wants!! Of course...we said...YES!

It was miracle after miracle that day!!

We also were contacted by a referral whom hasn't been able to meet with missionaries but has now moved to Gdansk and wants to talk to the missionaries!  She was willing to meet any day! We are looking forward to meeting with her!

And finally we saw more miracles yesterday! We were doing another finding activty and we met the most incredible girl ever! We started talking to her about if there really is a God! We both testified about who God was and how we know He loves us! I shared with her a personal story that I rarely share with people, especially on the streets, it was like an instant connection! She told us how she had actually been thinking a lot about this lately and had been talking to her friend about it! We told her we also came to know God through the Book of Mormon! She read Moroni's promise from it and then when I told her it was now her book she looked at me like I had just given her the best gift she has ever recieved! She said thank you over and over again! We'll be meeting with her as well!!

I have never been so happy in my entire life! Our prayers were answered every single day!! I am incredibly grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who listens and answers all of my prayers! I know so many times they are answered and I fail to recognize them.  I also know that they are answered even when I think they aren't.  The Lord knows best!

I am so grateful for the incredible companion I have!  I love you Siostra Groesbeck!  She has brought a light and this incredible faith to the work here in Gdańsk! 

I want to tell you all there have been low points! confusing points!  frustrating points! and questioning points!  I don't want to "sugar coat mission life" - I know I write many of the positive things but they are what make my time here worth it!  There have been times where it has been hard and I have had to cry it out and get down on my knees to let it out and sort it out!   

Something a wise sister missionary told me was "The bad times will far out number the good times but the good times will far out weigh the bad!"  I'll take the joy of "the weight" over "the number" any day!  Isn't this true in all stages of life!?

This gospel is true no matter what and I am grateful to be a missionary! 

Last night Sister Groesbeck and I were talking about everything as we were eating dinner.  We talked about how we came to know the truthfulness of Christ's word.  So there I am sitting in my pajamas, eating a bowl of cereal (best missionary dinner ever!) and could not help but get emotional because of how real and true this Gospel is!! 

I feel so blessed and I love this gospel and the opportunity I have to share it!

Pray and look for miracles ... they are out there!

Kocham Was!!!!

Siostra DeMordaunt