Week 25 Miracles happening all around

Yes, there are miracles happening in Poland. The Lord's Hand is evident everywhere.

First off, there is a baptism on Tuesday, his name is Wojtek, the Elders have been teaching him for the past transfer, and its awesome and amazing.

Second.... We are now teaching three people, who are progressing and preparing to be baptized on December 7. They are Elżbieta, Dagmara and Lucyna. Elżbieta met with the missionaries last year and had a baptismal date, somehow the missionaries lost contact with her and when we got back in touch with her, she still wants to be baptized and is now keeping all her commitments. Sunday was another miracle with her, as she had told us that she couldn't come to church because of a floral class she has for her job. We had promised her that if she desired to keep God's commandments that a way would be made available to her, but she had felt like it was good enough to just go to her old church that week, and wasn't showing signs of coming then to our surprise, yesterday as we were greeting members before branch conference, she walked in! First thing she said was "you were praying for me weren't you?". I'm reminded how much prayers make a difference.

Then Dagmara and Lucyna, they are for sure an amazing miracle story. Saturday night we received an unexpected phone call. Someone had called the Wrocław sisters trying to get a hold of missionaries for the Inowrocław area (closest area is Bydgoszcz). So the Wrocław sisters (yes, wonderful Sister Blake and her trainee) called us up and told us the story and gave us their number, we called them and set up for the next day (yesterday). Funny enough, we originally thought they said 'inowrocławska' which is a street on the bottom of Bydgoszcz and not that far....then we figured out that it was in Inowrocław, which is a 45 min car ride. Second miracle and wonderful blessing: Brother and Sister Kagale drove us out there. The lesson was absolutely amazing as the first things they said after we started was: 'So we want to become Mormon, how do we do that? Is there something like Baptism? Who decides that and how do we prepare for it? What do we need to do?' We answered their questions and they are happily preparing to be baptized on Dec. 7. It was an amazing, perfect lesson, where they actually were telling us our role as missionaries. How they needed us to be the guides to prepare them for baptize and to help them know what to do, and we reassured them that that is exactly what our purpose is, that's what missionaries do. Our work is to be guides for the investigators, so they know how to strengthen their relationship with Heavenly Father  and their Savior Jesus Christ and what steps they need to make/ what they need to do in order to prepare to make that sacred covenant of baptism with their Heavenly Father.

Miracles are happening all around and I feel so blessed to be an instrument. Its all the Lord's work, we are just blessed with the privilege to enjoy being an instrument and seeing the Work being done. Yes, the Lord is hastening His Work, what a glorious time to be a missionary and to even be alive :) We are all so blessed to live at this time in history.

 

Funny story this week also....Sister Lenhart and I have been living below our privileges ;) As we just figured out yesterday how to make our futon beds into actual beds instead of couches.... a week before the end of the transfer. :) Now we have actual beds, its wonderful :)

Transfer calls are next Sunday, how fast time flies, I'm willing to do whatever's next :)

Also random happy thought, we are teaching a wonderful mom, Ania, her family is so adorable and precious.

 

Some random scriptures I was going to include last week but forgot:

Alma 34:16

D&C 123:11-17

2 Nephi 22:2

 

część polski (a piece of Polish)

"Moja dusza brzydzi się grzechem. Moje serce lubuje się w prawości, i będę chwalił święte imię mojego Boga." - 2 Nefi 9:49

 

Have a great week everyone! Remember to S.M.I.L.E. :) (spiritually minded is life eternal- eternal perspective means the greatest joys are ahead of us, and even more reason to rejoice now for the many blessings we have right now. :))

 

Also, thank you so much for all your prayers, support and love. Thank you for all that all you do to further the Lord's work, whether full-time missionary or not. Thank you so much.

 

Love,

Siostra Ellis

Week 24 Life - a time of learning

October 21, 2013
This week went well and I love being a missionary! It is such an honor to represent my Savior Jesus Christ and to be an instrument in bringing others closer to Him. 

This week Sister Lenhart and I tried some new things. Sister Lenhart, last transfer had drawn the plan of salvation in sidewalk chalk on the sidewalk, so we decided to do that here. We did it two different times, first time was by the chapel and we drew an arrow at the end pointing towards the door of the chapel, saying 'witam' (welcome). The other time was by a park in a busy area. We sadly didn't have a lot of time to actually teach after drawing it, but it was there for everyone to see and learn from and enjoy until the next time it rained. It was so much fun. Also, during one of the rainstorms Sister Lenhart and I went to an underground tunnel area that connects the tramwaj stops, and Sister Lenhart sang while I contacted. 

This week I've realized how grateful I am to have an eternal perspective and the knowledge of why we're on earth. I like how my companion explains it: "Life on earth is like going to school, we leave our parents for a little bit to learn and to grow and then we return home" Right now we are separated from our Heavenly Parents, but They still want to hear from us. Heavenly Father has given us the gift of prayer, so we can still communicate with Him, despite being separated. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer for our sins, pains and to overcome death so that we could have an Advocate, so we could talk to Him in the name of our Savior; and so one day we could return home to Him. Heavenly Father has set up everything perfectly so we can return home in His presence one day, all we need to do is follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. His infinite love can strengthen and uplift us. His love motivates me and comforts me, I know They are both here for all of us, because of everything They help me through on a daily basis. This eternal knowledge not only keeps me going, it brings me joy :) I love my Heavenly Father and I love my Savior Jesus Christ. 

I hope all of you have a great week. 

love, 

Siostra Ellis 

Week 23 A mission - a wonderful blessing and opportunity

October 14, 2013
This week was awesome. Full of new experiences and new things to be learned. Lately I've been sick, I learned an important lesson about slowing down and taking care of myself, but also of having the wonderful opportunity to get out and work. 

Met an amazing young woman named Klaudia this week. We met her on the street and she saw us first and was excited to see us. She readily accepted the Book of Mormon and at this point already read 20 pages. I'm super excited to teach her this week. 

We're still teaching Jola. She is absolutely amazing. She has such a strong spirit. She has had such amazing spiritual experiences. Some of which include having dreams of parts of the Book of Mormon before reading it. She knows that the Book of Mormon is from God and has already read a lot of it. Its such a blessing and privilege to teach her. 

Something I was really thinking about today was about the blessings of being on a mission. I am learning life-skills that will bless my future children and generations to come. I am being guided by my Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost, being personally taught on what I need to do. It is such a blessing to be on a mission. Then, of course, the most important part of the mission, which I rejoice in: being able to share the gospel and see it help others and being able to serve my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. A chance to show my gratitude for all They so willingly give to me. 

'count your many blessings, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done', truly I am amazed, humbled and grateful for how much I am blessed with on a daily basis. 

As my mission president, President Edgren just said in a letter to the Polish missionaries: "keep the faith, trust in the Lord and thank Him for the ride". 

Also, something I'm very grateful for: the Atonement. We could not change, grow nor learn from mistakes without the blessing of the Atonement. We could not change ourselves into who we can become without the Atonement. It is a liberating, joyful gift to have. 

2 Nephi 31:21

2 Nephi 9:49 

Miłego Dnia! 

Love you all, have a great week! 

Siostra Ellis 

Week 22 Onward and upward!

October 7, 2013
This week went well, and Sister Lenhart and I are now teaching an amazing woman named Jola. She had already read part of the Book of Mormon and had tons of questions before we even met with her the first time. She is wonderful and is actively seeking truth. It is purely evident that the Lord has prepared her to accept the gospel. Our second lesson is this coming Wednesday. I'm excited :) 
I just found out (literally a few minutes ago in an e-mail from Sister Blake), that a wonderful lady Rebekah, that I had talked to, around the second week being in the country, finally has met with them and desires to be baptized! :D My heart soars with this, she never had time to meet with us and every time we did set up, it fell through. I have spent many nights praying for her and I am so glad she has finally been able to meet with the missionaries and finally has the truth she's been looking for.  (I think I may have even told about meeting a Rebecca those many weeks ago, its the same one!) 
General Conference was absolutely amazing! I hope all of you were able to listen, enjoy and learn from the wonderful talks given.
I would love to add my witness that I know my Heavenly Father lives and loves me and each of you. I know that He knows me and the situations that I'm in perfectly, He has everything planned out for me to succeed and so does He have a plan for all of you to succeed-to return to our heavenly home one day. We're all in this together, let's get everyone Home. Let us all be instruments in the hands of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ in bringing all of our fellow brethren and sisters closer to Christ, and eventually back to our heavenly home. 
Somethings I noticed stressed in General Conference: applying the Atonement (truly the most magnificent, loving gift from our Savior and our Heavenly Father that could ever be given us), covenants (these promises aren't just what we need to do, but also ensure that Heavenly Father can help us in every way possible.) Also through application of the Atonement and these covenants we make, we are becoming more like our Savior. That's why we're on earth, to become like our Heavenly Father by following our Savior, Jesus Christ's perfect example. 
"Fear not, only believe' is the Poland Warsaw motto, and it is a wonderful motto to live by. 
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is our Savior Jesus Christ's church. This is His gospel and He directs His church through a wonderful prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful for this knowledge. 
Have a wonderful week everyone, and know that I care about and love each and every one of you, and more importantly your Heavenly Father loves you beyond comprehension and there is nothing that He will not help you with. Just ask and see :) 

Love, 
Siostra Ellis 

                                                      Bydgoszcz

                            Watching Gen Conf with the Elders at Kagele's home