June 17th 2013 - Bringing people closer to Christ

Transfers are in one week!  I cannot believe my first transfer is already done! it went by so fast and I have already learned so much! On Wednesday I have zone conference. I get to see 3 people from my MTC district! Elder Blom, Sister Blake and Sister Young!! It is going to be such a great time! I am so excited! My very first zone conference! I will tell you all about that and where I am going next week! i hope i stay here in Katowice! I love my branch but I know the Lord will have me where I need to be so either way I will be happy. Its sad that this transfers already over! I really grew to love my district! They are so great!

It is getting really hot here!! The rain finally stopped but the humidity is coming!! Kill me now!! Its going to be rough! You just feel hot and sweaty all the time... yuck.

But we had a FANTASTIC WEEK!!! I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot but its so true!! On Tuesday we went back to the kabob man, Menon, (who looks an awful lot like Gerard Butler!) to give him a book of Mormon in Armenian! He is Muslim and sooooo nice! He gave us free kabobs. When you find someone like that here in Poland you don’t let go very easily! So we went and gave him the book and guess what!?

he's Turkish... not Armenian... AWKWARD!! So that failed miserably! but we still taught him and he just explained that although it sounds great and he really likes us he is Muslim and that won’t change. So we respect his wishes :( very sad day! but he is so kind and he half hugged me (by accident! it took me by surprise! it wasn’t my fault!) and then I went to shake his hand and he kissed it but that’s just a European thing. It happens all the time but it was so sad for me because he was just so nice! You never know the influence you will have on someone’s life! Maybe one day he will remember the nice Mormon girls and change his mind!

So I have some news, this week Sister Packard and I.... TAUGHT THE MOST LESSONS IN THE WHOLE MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot explain to you how hard we worked and how much the Lord blessed us this week!!! I was so dead yesterday but it was so worth it!!!! We taught the most lessons in the entire mission! I was so speechless!! AND on top of that the Elders in our area made the list too!! We really encouraged them. Got them excited about teaching too and they did it!!! I am so proud of our district!

We met a man named George on the street the other day! He’s from Kenya! and we are teaching him tomorrow! Sometimes its nice to talk to people who aren’t from here because they are so KIND! Don’t get me wrong there are some kind polish people too but the amount of rejection we face everyday would shock you. When we talk to people like George it really makes a difference! We will be teaching him in English! That will be really weird and yet exciting to not have the language barrier to hold me back! My polish is improving though. The Lord is blessing me tremendously!

We went to visit less actives on Thursday with Sister Reed and we were in the city where Sylwia lives. She was sick and so we thought we would stop by and bring her some fruit. We have never been to her house before but we went and she was home. She was happy to see us and invited us in. Kamil was there!! (her boyfriend that she is living with who is like my age and didn’t want to meet us or take the lessons) we were really nervous because we've never met him but he came out and met us and was actually really nice!! He was able to see that we were kind and normal. it was fun to see them both! He can see how happy Sylwia is when we are there and so i hope that helps. On Saturday we had our open house and guess who showed up!? Sylwia AND KAMIL AND HER MOM!!! This is a huge deal!! Kamil was wearing a shirt and tie and everything!! They went through each room we had, learning about the plan of salvation was held in the relief society room (which we taught) and the restoration room where we showed the Joseph smith movie and then a mormon message room. There was snacks and we talked to them after. He told us we could come back over to there house whenever we wanted!!! Wahooo!!!  We are making progress !! It is very exciting!

We also went back to Virginia’s house for dinner last night! Bless her soul! She is so nice! We were able to teach her and Ambrosza, it was so fun! I just love all the people here so much. It is such a beautiful thing to be a part of! This work is amazing and brings so much happiness to me and to the people I am teaching!

That about covers it for this week I think!! I love you all and I miss you terribly! But I know the Lord is looking out for you all and that is the best thing :) I am so happy to be here in Poland and to share with these people the thing that makes me most happy in this life! Bringing people closer to Christ is the most important thing I have ever done and I am so honored to be here and to be a part of it!

Kocham cie bardzo!!

Love Siostra Pearson

Mission Home in Poland

Introducing the New Mission President & His Wife who will preside over the Warsaw Poland Mission starting on June 28th, 2013 for the next 3 years!

President and Sister Steven C. Edgren will preside in the Poland Warsaw Mission beginning June 30, 2013.   We welcome them with open arms to our great mission.  We love them as you will. These are great and remarkable people.  They are perfect for our mission and the Church in Poland.

Steven C Edgren, 63, and Martha Susan Roark Edgren, six children, Alamo 2nd Ward, Danville California Stake. Brother Edgren is a temple sealer in the Oakland California Temple and is a former regional welfare agent, stake president, high councilor, bishop, counselor in a bishopric and ward Young Men president. Retired vice president of investment management, Goldman Sachs. Born in Livermore, Calif., to Lloyd Harris Edgren and Aileen Belz.
Sister Edgren is a temple ordinance worker and a former counselor in ward Young Women, Relief Society and Primary presidencies, ward Young Women adviser, Primary teacher and seminary teacher. Born in Joplin, Mo., to Donald Love and Sammie Lou Roark

June 10, 2013 -Taught My First Lesson in Polish!

This week was GREEEEAT! We taught 12 LESSONS!! Which means we made it on the list again!! Hallelujah!! The Lord is blessing us big time!!! I taught in our district meeting on Tuesday because Elder Rittmanic asked me too. It was all about diligence. I had a lot of fun! On Wednesday we helped Elder Rittmanic teach his English class.  I was asked me to give the spiritual thought in Polish! It was a gong show but very fun! On Thursday something AMAZING HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!! I TAUGHT MY FIRST LESSON ON THE STREET ALL BY MYSELF!! Usually Sister Packard is there but we were contacting and just talking to everyone. I stopped this old man and he said no thank you I’m catholic. I said cool! I believe in Jesus Christ too! I started talking to him about the Book of Mormon and how its changed my life its like the bible and how we read both. He asked where I was from, I told him and we talked about the mission and then back to the book of Mormon. He wasn’t very interested in learning more but it was so neat to watch his heart warm throughout our conversation!! By the end of it we were laughing and talking about the book of Mormon and how hard life is. We were talking like we were old friends!! I went to shake his hand goodbye and he kissed it! Ahahahah only in Poland.. It never gets old! He was like 80 years old and just super catholic and funny but I taught it ALL BY MYSELF IN POLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Packard  and I were both so excited for me!!!! She was so proud and I was in shock!! It was a very cool moment for me!!!

That night we went to visit less actives with Sister Reed, there are a ton here in Poland. It is so neat to be able to go and see these people and bring the spirit into their homes and to remind them of what it feels like! It’s a great part of missionary work, helping find his lost sheep. This is something we have really been focusing on lately. It’s important to go out and find the people who are a little lost and bring them back into the fold. We are here to save souls and interesting enough that isn’t just by baptizing it is also by helping people come back to the gospel and help them feel loved again. It was wonderful to be able to go and teach those people.

On Saturday we had our branch game night!!!!!!! It was so FUN!!! We had 12 investigators there!!!!!! There was WAY more nonmembers compared to members which is super interesting!! I just loved every minute of it!! First, we played that game where you all sit in a circle and one is in the middle and they say I love everyone who...is wearing blue and then everyone wearing blue has to stand up and switch chairs! Except it was in polish!!! Which made it even more fun!!! We all had a wonderful time! It was great for all our investigators to just come and have fun and get to know everyone better!! Elder Rittmanic, Elder Neuner, Sylwia and I played Jenga!! I love Jenga! The 4 of us were having great gospel discussions!! We were talking all about families and why they are so important to us and why we all wanted so many children and get married so young and things we can do to strengthen our selves throughout the week and just about having faith and everything! We talked forever while playing Jenga! It was so fun to be able to teach with the Elders. It never happens. It was a special moment to be able to talk to Sylwia and bear testimony in a non-threatening situation. I could just see and feel the spirit working so strong! It was a great time! I love my branch so much here in Kato!!!

Transfers are in 2 weeks!!! So I have no idea what will happen but I love it here and I will love wherever I am!

Last night we went over to Virginia’s house and her "friend" Ambrosia was there and she fed us a FEAST!! Way too much food but it was sooo kind of her! They are both so sweet. We were able to teach them and Ambrosia came to English class on Wednesday. We gave him a book of Mormon and he's already read like 120 pages!!!!!!! So exciting!! We had a lovely time. I can’t wait to continue to teach them!! They are so kind! I just love missionary work. I just feel so happy and good knowing that I am here helping these people!

It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity!! I miss you like crazy and I’m glad you’re all doing so well. I love hearing from you :)

Kocham cie bardzo!

Love Sister Pearson

The pictures and comments below are from Sister Nielson's blog. President Nielson and his wife visited Katowice. Pictures of Hailey and her companion and all the District below.

We arrived at the Katowice chapel and were met by this great looking group! They were all eager to learn to be better....no the BEST! missionaries.

We have three missionaries serving in Katowice now since the sudden departure of Elder Smith(broke his ankle). Elders Neuner and Dopp are our great Zone Leaders and Elder Rittmanic is the District Leader. Each of these Elders serves 100%

Our Katowice Sisters are Sister Packard and Sister Pearson who are also doing so well. These great Sisters have some promising Investigators that will soon be baptized.

The Katowice District.  Our great junior missionaries (Sisters Pearson and Packard with Elders Dopp, Rittmanic and Neuner)  along with Elder and Sister Reed, our Katowice Senior Couple who does so much for this great Branch.

June 3, 2013 - My First Marriage Proposal!

This week was AMAZING!!! They just keep getting better and better!! This week Sister Packard and I taught 14 LESSONS!!!! Doesn’t sound like a lot but for my mission it is a huge deal!! A list is sent out every week with everyone who taught 12 or more lessons and we made it!!!! We were third on the list!!!! Out of the whole mission we were 3rd in teaching the most lessons, which is a HUGE deal for us and we were so excited!!!! All because of the Lord!! We made goals and He helped us reach them and surpass them!!!

To start off the week last P- day we went to Helena's house and made Pierogi!! It was really fun and they were delicious!!  A funny story, this week my companion and I decided we would contact every non white person cause were sick of the cranky polish people so I go to contact this guy and start talking to him and he doesn’t speak polish! So we switched to English and I’m teaching him about the book of Mormon and how happy it’s made me and he interrupts me mid sentence and asks me where I’m from, so I tell him. Then he asks how old I am so I tell him and then kept teaching. He stops me again and says I like you! I want to have the relationship with you. It took everything in me to not burst out laughing! He then goes on to ask me if I wanted to get married. He actually said the words I want to marry you. Would you be interested in marrying me? I told him I was on a mission and this is what I am doing right now not even thinking about things like that. He said after my mission he wants to marry me and gave me his number to think about it when I am finished my mission. It was the funniest thing ever! My companion almost peed her pants. We laughed so hard! I never thought my first time being proposed to would be like that. But hey! At least I left a good impression on him!

We taught the law of chastity to Sylwia. It didn’t go very well. We fasted about it yesterday and we both feel that we need to give her some space. We can’t make this decision for her. She is the one who has to have the desire to be baptized so we continue to pray for her but we know that there isn’t a whole lot more we can do for her. She needs to want this. So we are giving her some space to figure it out. It is really heartbreaking; she was supposed to be baptized this coming up weekend. But all in the Lord's timing and in his will!!

On a happier note we have a couple other investigators we are teaching and I hope they will all continue to progress!! They are all so unique and I love them all so much! Virginia is the lady who let us in her house! Yesterday out of the blue we were shooting to teach one more lesson to get our 14 and its been raining like crazy here. There was no one outside and all the sudden we get a call from Virginia!! She asked where we were and said she had her 2 dogs for a couple hours and wanted us to meet them. So we met her and started talking to her. She let me walk one of her dogs and took us to the graveyard where her husband is buried. She misses him so much We were able to share some scriptures with her, teach her a little bit about the plan of salvation and testify that she can live with her husband again. It was one of the most beautiful moments ever!! It meant so much to her. Virginia said we could come over and teach her more! She is so lonely and is by far one of my favorite people here in Poland. She is so kind! We are really excited about that! We are going to help garden too!

Friday was Sister Packard’s birthday so I really tried to make it special for her! We have been getting along so well and the more I pray for her and serve her the more I love her. It works out really great! We had a really fun day. I took lots of pictures!

My polish is getting better. Yesterday when I was fasting I fasted for many things one of them was to help me understand the polish language more and I was able to understand so much more polish than usual!! The people in our branch (church) bore beautiful testimonies. I love my little branch! :)

I love this work; it makes me so happy to be a part of it! I love you so much and can’t wait to hear from you again next week!!

Love your daughter

Sister Hailey Pearson