Week 11 Joy in the Journey!

July 15, 2013
This week has been interesting. It feels like forever ago that I was at Zone training, but it was just last week. Wednesday was the first real teaching day, since Monday was Zone conference and Tuesday was P-day. On Wednesday we had 5 lessons planned... every single one of them fell through. Either the person didn't show up, or they told us they couldn't after we called trying to figure out where they were, considering it was 10 min after when they were supposed to be there. But that gave us a lot of time to go out contacting, which was great :) We saw a hedgehog in the park and once we saw it, all the kids noticed and ran over and looked at it. It was shocking to see an animal other than a pigeon or a finch. (There are A LOT of pigeons,seriously, but I love 'em). Then Thursday came, we had 7 lessons planned, none of them fell through, which was great. It was crazy as we ran (literally) from lesson to lesson and eating dinner on the tram, which we had grabbed amazing tasty freshly made rolls and a chocolate bar at a local żabko (translates to little frog, its just a small grocery store that is about the size of a gas-station store, they have them all over Poland). (fun little fact, the bigger grocery stores are called Bierondka, which means ladybug :) ) We also had language study on the trams as well. 10 min. there, another there, it was crazy fun. Friday and Saturday had less lessons and most of the day was spent trying to contact people that either didn't answer their phones, or we needed to see them in person. We had 5 new investigators this week which was awesome. Also, we invited one of our amazing investigators, Teressa to be baptized and she was ready (and more than willing) to accept. She will be baptized August 17. Lucyna's baptismal date is the 27th of this month. We are doing all we can to make sure she's ready :)

Language wise....its coming. I'm slowing being able to contribute more and more to the lessons. Its getting easier and easier for me to say some sentances that I've memorized in order for me to contact on the streets. Sadly, most people don't want to talk to someone they can't understand, so I have a lot of rejection...and a couple people that yell at me, but you know I can't understand them, so joke's on them ;) I'm striving to improve my language skills more and more so that more and more people have the opportunity to understand me and draw closer to our Savior through the knowledge of the gospel. 

Also, every rejection makes every positive experience that much sweeter :) I also know that those that are open to the gospel will listen to me, or at least look further into online at Mormon.org or something. 

I know the Lord is preparing people to hear His gospel. I've seen it so much in the past two weeks and will continue to see it. I feel so blessed to be a missionary here in Poland and especially in the beautiful town of Wrocław. 

D&C 38:40-41 We're all a part of this work :) 

Alma 31:38

Joy in the Journey. As lyrics from the 'Joy in the journey' song from 'Day of Celebration', a couple years ago. "There is joy in the journey, joy in the climb, twisting and turning, reaching for the open sky, carving out each footstep, in the struggling we find, there is joy, in the journey" ...(at the end of the song)...."hoping, loving, learning, and the yearning of the turning of the time to go faster, till we're with the Master, but till then, there is joy, in the journey!" 

2 Nephi 9:39 S.M.I.L.E. 

Love, 

Siostra Ellis 

                                        Bowling in the Sky Tower

                                        With a YSA named Ola

Week 10 (2nd in Poland)

July 9, 2013

Witam tydzień drugi w Polsce (Welcome to week two in Poland)

Dzień dobry!

Yesterday was Zone training, so p-day was changed to today (Tuesday).

This week went really well. I'd say surprisingly well for it being my first week.

I want to give an example of the work that is going on here, and I will do that through numbers, but first I want to stress that numbers represent wonderful people that are being brought closer to our Savior. numbers are not statistics to see who's better, or anything like that, but to represent how many people are being helped and brought closer to Christ.

This week Sister Blake and I placed 11 Book of Mormons, taught 20 lessons, contacted (talked to them and received their information for further contact) 23 people, and have two people with baptismal dates (both July 27) and that are progressing.  My mission president during zone training said it well, "Poland is a baptizing mission'. There was not a single one of these moments where it was not the Lord who put those people in our path or guided us in what to say. This is our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ's work, and we are just instruments. I am so grateful to be part of this work, especially at this time while He is hastening His work. I know that Heavenly Father knows and cares about each of His children. I also know that Heavenly Father protects His missionary and that He lifts, guides and strengthens us as we go about His work. I am so grateful.

I have had so many experiences this past week, I wish I could share them all. I'll try to share the most impacting ones.

First one was on my birthday, a couple things happened then. So first, as we were contacting on our back from a lesson, we ran into 3 people in a row who had already have the Book of Mormon and one them had read it all the way through and we ran into him again yesterday and he said he was coming to church on Sunday. (and I was just talking to him and I understood him completely which was a wonderful blessing :)) Then later as we were heading to an investigator's house to verify a referral they gave, and as Sister Blake was on the phone talking to one of the investigators, I felt prompted to talk to a man who had been staring at the Book of Mormon I was holding as we walked by. I turned around, walked back to him and in broken Polish, told him about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration. He read the pass-along card on the Restoration, looks up at me and says 'to jest prawdziwa' (this is true). Then I have him read parts of the introduction in the Book of Mormon and he says, 'this is probably true' (in Polish). I then get his number and commit him to read the Book of Mormon, but he refused to meet again because he said he lived way too far away and that he was only there because he just finished work. I was grateful that he promised to read the Book of Mormon at least.

Second amazing experience, this one happened just this past Sunday. We were in the park and Sister Blake was calling our investigators and some potential investigators setting up lessons and verifying times for this coming week. While she did that, I went around trying to contact people by myself.

As I came across one lady on a bench, she realized I couldn't understand anything that she said, but she wanted me to keep talking about the gospel. So I kept teaching what I could and I ended up saying "God loves you and wants to help, I want to help, that's why I'm here" and she asks me for a paper and pen. She writes down her address, at that point I get Sister Blake and she teaches her a part of the Plan of Salvation (mostly on the Atonement) and about the Restoration. She breaks down crying, asking what she should do and we promised this gospel could help her. We also asked that when she found this to gospel to be true, if she would be baptized and she agreed. We ended up writing our testimonies in the back of her Book of Mormon. She hugged us and verified that we were going to meet Wednesday multiple times. She is very eager for our meeting tomorrow (Wednesday). I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of all His children and I know that that was no coincidence meeting her at that time.

 

I love this work, I love being in Wrocław and serving these wonderful people. I love being a missionary and being able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.

Heavenly Father knows our needs and will always help us. May all of you feel our Heavenly Father's love for you this week.

 

with love to all,  

Siostra Ellis 

Week 8

                           Last day with Brother Tribe in the MTC

                             MTC Sisters with the Polish Flag
           She flies to Poland via Amsterdam arriving in Warsaw on Tuesday, June 25.

Week 9

July1, 2013

Dźien Dobry! 

My p-day is Monday, so I am enjoying a great birthday. I'm now 20! I'm no longer a teenager in any sense of the word. Earlier we went bowling in the sky tower (a mall place that looks really cool on the outside, you should look it up on the internet.) Ola a member was bowling with us, she's awesome and we were also bowling with the Elders.
The district consists of Elder Smith and Elder Stumpf (who is district leader), us and the senior couple Elder and Sister Durrant. I am in Wrocław. My companion is Sister Kendall Blake who is from Utah. :) She is awesome and I am so glad she's my companion. If I'm correct, I think she is the only sister missionary training this transfer that just came in the transfer before. Last transfer was always a week shorter, so she's only been here 8 weeks. Her Polish is great and she is awesome. This transfer is 10 weeks because last transfer was 8. President Edgren just came in last Friday.  We have meetings with the zone this coming week which will be enjoyable and we will meet President and Sister Edgren. (Which I actually already met them, at the MTC. My district was able to talk to them the Saturday before we left the MTC.) They are wonderful and President Edgren will be / and already is a great Mission President. 

An amazing experience I had this week was when we ran into a woman who had just suffered the loss of her son, which was tragic and heartwrenching, but it was wonderful to be able to answer all of her questions. Where her son is now, that she will see him again and many other questions. It was a great moment to see the gospel in action, blessing the woman's life and bringing peace. She has a Book of Mormon and was eager to read the section in Alma we suggested she read. The members here are amazing! They are great examples of strength, humility and Christ-like love.

The language is coming along... I've already had hilarious experiences completly messing up with the language. Though, the gift of tongues is REAL! I can understand a whole lot more than I can say. The hardest part of the language for me is lack of vocabulary and remembering to case what I'm saying...and casing it properly. It will come in time.
The first two days in Wrocław seemed to be a blur, not knowing where I was, or what I was doing or what anyone was saying. But now I'm adjusted and hopefully be able to stand more on my own two feet. I'm working on being more bold, which is difficult for me with the lack of ability to trust the language...but really, trusting in the Lord/faith, is all I need, because through Him, I can do anything. 

We had amazing experience as a man just stopped us on the way to the chapel last Saturday and wanted the Book of Mormon and then agreed to meet with us. That was awesome! Then his name made me laugh a little... its Stanisław. I'm really teaching a Stanisław now, not just a teacher who's acting as someone named Stanisław. I just thought it was really ironic and funny. 

I love this gospel and the opportunity to share it. May God bless all of you, I love you all! 

Siostra Ellis 

P.S. Sto Lat means '100 years' and thats what people say on people's birthdays. Next week if I remember I'll give you the lyrics to the Polish Happy Birthday song.

                                         Her new companion is Sister Blake.
                   These are the new missionaries in the mission home in Warsaw.

                                             Warsaw Poland

                                             Warsazwa Centralna

Week 7

June 14, 2013

Drogi Rodzina (Dear Family),

Koham was! (I love you all)

 

So this past week was pretty historic, as we met for Tuesday devotional for the first time... in the Marriott Center. They had all of us walk over. They opened up a side gate so we walked through a parking lot of the cleaning/work crew right by MTC and then crossed the street, then walked through the BYU parking lot right there and right up to the Marriott Center. I was in choir, which was a huge choir. (thousands, they joked it was the entire MTC, I really wonder if it was). We sang a version of Called to Serve. Mervyn Arnold spoke and gave an amazing talk, I absolutely loved it and so did everyone else. His wife also gave an amazing talk. The Spirit was so strong. This is the Lord's work, and He is speeding up His work and preparing His servants even faster than before.

If you haven't heard yet, there is going to be major leadership training on June 23, at the Marriott Center, on Missionary Work. I am in the choir :) We are sing the same 'Called to Serve' version we sang for this past devotional, and 'Hark all ye Nations', which we'll start learning this week. I think its called "A marvelous work and a wonder"?? you can look it up on LDS.org. Anyone that wants to attend is welcome to, which is pretty cool and they're rebroadcasting it to the entire world... or leaders around the world. I looked it up and it is being translated into Polish :) It makes me happy knowing that the ecclesiastical leaders in Poland will be able to see it, in their own language.  Plus I'm glad I'm going to be here another week or that would be super stressful, because they are changing our entire schedule that Sunday. The entire MTC campus and 'west campus (Raintree and Wyview)' will be at the Marriott center for the broadcast. There are A LOT of us here.  Also..... the First Presidency will be there!

Relief Society is AMAZING! We meet all together.... and you know 19M, where everyone meets for devotionals? Its almost completely full of Sisters! (and that's not counting the 'west campus' sisters, they don't meet with us) Janice Kapp Perry wrote a new version of 'As Sisters in Zion', renamed 'The Sisters of Zion', same tune but different lyrics. We sing that every week.

TRC is intense now..... as we skype the Polish people. Real Polish people...in Poland. Gave me a heart attack this past Monday. Usually TRC is on Thursday for us, but they changed it to Monday mornings. So Sister Ott and I taught a Polish brother, who is a returned missionary. It was great to be able to hear real Polish. I learned how they correct people.... a lot..he got frustrated that I would apologize for messing up after he corrected me, I was very confused. I would also thank him for correcting me, which he didn't like either.... apparently I'm not allowed to have manners.... ;) I think it was just this particular person's personality. My polish is no where near fluency, but it is amazing how well I can speak it. I also can read it and translate it way better than I would expect. Almost as well I can translate French, which mom, you know how great that is ;)..... Gift of tongues is real! and I am truly being blessed right now. I can feel the prayers and the support. The Lord is with me, which I am so grateful for.

 

I love you all so so much! Have a great week!

Siostra Ellis

Week 6

                                        Sisters Ellis & Hatch

                                      Three new sisters as roommates

The language is going well. we leave two weeks from this coming Monday! :o I'm excited :) Also trying to learn as fast as I can and study as hard as I can so I can do my part to be ready to speak the gospel. I know that if I work my very hardest then I don't ever have to worry about being unprepared, despite deficiencies. The Spirit can take over and do the work, for it is the Lord's work I am doing. :)

I love being a missionary and am so grateful.

I hope all is well! I love you all so much! God bless!

-Siostra Ellis

Week 5

May 31, 2013

Dear friends and family,

The MTC is going well! I love it so so much. I learn so much and I have a lot of good fun times :) There is a time for learning and a time to have fun. :)
Gym time is always a blast, especially this last time, as the entire zone played a huge kickball game, it was epic.

The Czech, Slovak, Croatian, and Slovene Elder and Sisters left this past week and the new ones came in. Three Czech sisters joined my companions and I in our room. So now there's six of us in there! Its not originally meant to fit six, only 4, but its not bad at all. (There has been 6 in a room normally for.... a long time, I think since the announcement, we were just blessed to have only 3 in our room. (My companion, Sister Ott; Solo sister, Sister Paxton; and me :))  It doesn't seem crowded and I love all of them being there. I thought'd be something we'd all have to work through, but we all transistioned well and we all fit comfortably and quite happily. (Any friend that's going to MTC, don't worry about being crowded, its not, there's a lot of people here, but they time everything so there's not a lot of people in one place, except for devotionals and for sisters combined Relief Society (which is amazing)).

The language is going along well, The gift of tongues is real!  Fun thing about Polish, becuase it is an inflected language, the word endings change to conotate meaning. There are 7-8  cases (Mianownik, Dopełniacz, Biernik, Miasownik, and others I can't remember off the top of my head). That is how names change with what you are trying to say, like you add -ego to the end of a name to conotate something, or add an -a or something else. So they can say that something is 'by the means of' with one letter. I think the Poles are geniuses, they say so much in so little words, the language is hard, because of the geniusness of it all! They have three different ways to conjugate verbs, and then future and past tense then on top of that they have imperfective and perfective. Perfective does not exsist in present tense though, because that wouldn't make any sense. Imperfective is for something habitual or in the process of. Perfective is something that will be done, or has previously been done, and its finished and done, not reoccuring.

Hope all is going well in all your lives!

Heavenly Father loves all of you so much! Take some time to get to know Him a bit better than you do now.

Siostra Ellis

2 Nephi 9:39 S.M.I.L.E.- Spiritually minded is life eternal :)

                                         Poland District & Entire Zone