Doing the work

I had a really good week. We are having such a blast! Seriously I love my mission so much! We are trying to meet with members of the church and strengthen them and get our YSA's (Young Single Adults) to go to the YSA conference. 

We are encouraging members to find new investigators to teach, baptize and keep!!

We had the most amazing first lesson I’ve ever had on my whole mission!! She is a Polish girl named is Marta. She is our branch president’s assistant from work and she is interested in the gospel. I am in awe of her humbleness and desire to learn as she is searching for the truth. It was the most amazing part of my week! I will keep you posted!!

Boldly Testifying of Christ

So let me tell you about my week. Well I’m not going to really tell you about my week, but the things that I have learned!

So approaching the end of my mission I thought certain things would be easier. I mean I’ve been doing all of this for so long. Sister Petherbridge and I are reunited at the peak of our missions and we thought everything would just be perfect! The plan is to teach people the gospel and change lives and hope to kind of glide through it. Well that’s not exactly what has happened.

This week was an interesting one. Interesting because I am so happy! Really though Sister Petherbridge and I have so much fun and we just love everything we do First, because we are doing it together and Second, because this is our mission you know?!

I have a greater appreciation for all of it now! But this week we had some really rough "contacts" czyli conversations with people mainly on the streets and stuff. What’s interesting is normally, to be honest, not everyone jumps for joy at the news of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! Even though I feel like they should. This week there were a ton of people who were mean and hurtful and it made it rough. Most people here belong to another faith and some like to tell us that we are wasting our time because we are in a catholic country, and they just can get very rude about it sometimes. Interestingly enough it’s been DAYS of these people.

On Saturday I stopped a young man who turned out to be from America! He was super nice. We talked for a while and then Elder Caskey came over and we started talking about what we believe and it was really cool. Then after talking for about 40 minutes he turned on us a bit. It doesn’t matter what he was saying but Elder Caskey and I felt the need to defend our faith. The world can take such beautiful things and try to change it and really bring it down. Honestly it hurt me. Here was this nice guy our age that we talked to and opened up to so much and he just turned and starting saying horrible things about the church and our beliefs. Maybe he didn’t realize how hurtful it was BUT don’t worry this is where it gets good. Through it all it was amazing to stand next to my friend and fellow missionary and testify with love and boldness that we knew with our whole hearts that this gospel is true. I don’t need proof that the Book of Mormon is true or that Joseph Smith was a prophet because I know with my whole heart that it is true. The spirit I feel when I read the Book of Mormon, testify of its truthfulness and it’s restoration is proof enough for me. I know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true and I'm grateful for it everyday. I am also grateful for the wonderful opportunity I have everyday to share the knowledge that I have with the people here REGARDLESS of how they accept the message. Sometimes it can really get us down here as missionaries. We just want so bad for people to find the truth like we have and experience the happiness that we enjoy. It hurts when they don't want to listen and even more when they are mean to us. But when President Uchtdorf visited Poland he said, " Poland is not lost". Sometimes we have to just remember that. There is hope here and in the world. If Poland is not lost then we can't give up because there ARE people here who will accept the truthfulness of the gospel. I know that they are being prepared. 

Siostra Pearson

My District

Elder Hon, Elder Allen, Elder Dodge, Elder Casky, me and Siostra Petherbridge

Painting nails with Danka

Studied at the Rynek

Crazy Picture of our District

Making the most of time!

This week was a really good one. To start it off we went laser tagging which has become one of my favorite fun things to do as a missionary. It’s so much fun! A lot of good things happened this week. We are still working hard and trying to find new investigators! It was a rainy week this week and poles are like cats in the rain.. They disappear. But we are going to find the prepared! Speaking of the prepared. Marcin got BAPTIZED THIS WEEK. It was one of the most beautiful days of my mission. He was baptized at a lake!! JUST LIKE JESUS (sort of)!

I gave the talk on baptism. I was nervous about it but it went really well. Marcin's parents were able to be there, and I got to talk to his mom like the whole time. We talked about my life and the church and we are pretty much best friends now Marcin’s baptism was beautiful I loved it so much. It’s so amazing to witness someone change their life like that.

I just love my mission so much. Sometimes I wonder if people think I’m crazy or faking my love for my mission, but Sister Petherbridge and I are having the best time of our lives. I’ve never appreciated time so much before. This last transfer is going really fast and it’s scary, but we just appreciate everyday so much. It seems the struggle with finding people, getting rejected and normal things that are hard sometimes doing missionary work seem to be a little easier because we are happy to be working together. I want to use every day, love everyday and enjoy this time I have as a missionary because it has went by so fast. Studying is still my favorite part of the day. THE GOSPEL IS SO TRUE! I love learning more about it. There isn’t much to talk about this week. My district is amazing and we had a dance party this week. I’m glad I am ending my mission with such great friends! I feel like everything I have is a gift from Heavenly Father and I’m just so happy!

Check out the pictures, I have one of me giving the talk on baptism right at the lake for Marcin's baptism!

Siostra Pearson

Marcin getting baptized in the lake

Klaudia, me & Sister Petherbridge

The gathering at the lake for the baptism

Klaudia & me

Me, Marcin & Sister Petherbridge

Me speaking at the baptism

Elder Hon, Marcin and Elder Allen

Gratitude

I had a really good week this week! Every week is a good week serving with Sister Petherbridge and serving the Lord! It was just beautiful as always. We went to the mountains for P-day last week. It was relaxing and fun for Sister Petherbridge and I!

Tuesday we had zone training in KATOWICE! It was cool because exactly a year ago Sister Petherbridge and I were serving there together and to make it even cooler Elder Wilson and Neuner were also there! So the 4 of us were reunited after a whole year. It was cool to come together and see how far we've come and changed. It was one of the best parts of my week. The 4 of us sat next to each other in zone training. We discussed change. President Edgren (our mission president) referred to the 4 of us, and how a year ago exactly he remembers all 4 of us being here in Katowice. It was a joy to see us again all older in the mission and in life, and how much we have changed and grown spiritually and become so much stronger. It was a powerful moment to see that in ourselves as well.

This week was a really good one. We went through a lot of changes. There were some changes in our district, and we had to drop some investigators who just weren't ready to make changes yet but its good. It feels like turning over a new leaf! Sister Petherbridge and I have a lot of optimism for the rest of our transfer. We are the working the best we've ever been and have been missionaries for a while. We can speak the language; have experience and unity with each other. This makes it possible for us to go and do and it feels so good! Literally, it is the perfect way to end my mission. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel so blessed!

Siostra Pearson

Sister Petherbridge, Me, Sister Lidtka

Elder Wilson, Elder Neuner, Me & Sister Petherbridge

Us on America Day

Jan (a.k.a. Crazy Horse) and me

Singing on the Rynek