First off, I don't have much time today! But I want to tell
you a bit about Elder Sorn, he's our district leader. He's from
Germany. He's the most hard-working, and personable person ever. He's
so great with people and he's also such a great conductor of the
Spirit. He knows how to lead a discussion on gospel topics and every
time we have a District Meeting the spirit is there SO strong, it's like
you could reach out and touch it. Someday I hope I can teach as good
of lessons as he does and be such a good example of righteousness.
Some fun things: I got to play soccer with Elder Sorn and a
bunch of punk Polish kids last week on P-day and it was SUPER fun! I
was the only girl playing because my companion didn't want to play and
Elder Skolimowski didn't want to either. Haha, but yeah, that was fun.
Also, we got to eat at Ewa's again this week and the food was so, SO
yummy. It had carrots and mushrooms and meat and peppers and spices and
was so juicy and just super good...
Speaking of Ewa. She's like more active than some of our
MEMBERS right now and I just love that woman so much. She is doing
alright but needs prayers. We asked her if she'd asked God if the
church was true, she said she hadn't. Then we asked her if she
would...she changed the subject. SHE KNOWS, I feel so strongly that she
already knows this church is true, she just knows it would take a lot
of change to admit it. Man, she's so cool...
Well, here in Poland there are a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses, believe it or not, and they actually go tracting. When
they go tracting, they leave their mark, too. I guess some of their
members are really forceful and so people automatically shut the door in
our faces sometimes I think because they assume we are Jehovah's
Witnesses. I've personally met a lot of really nice Jehovah's
Witnesses, but anyways... that's besidest the point. What I wanted to
say about this, is that the Jehovah's Witnesses write in pen on the wall
next to the door if they've tracted it. So there are little 'X's next
to the doorbells in a lot of the buildings. The word 'JUICE' is written
- it's English, yes, juice - sometimes above the doorbell and
it's usually accompanied with a date. So I think JUICE means that they
got let in at that door. Then on some doors it says 'TOAST'. We've
been trying to figure out what that means. I think we finally figured
that it means an old person lives there... usually a rather very
old person... SO that is the reference we have to the word 'Toast' in
the subject line of this entry. Another reason why I put it there is
because this week a lot of our lessons were with the older generation,
and let me tell you, I LOVED IT.
One lesson we had with an older lady who let us in and we sang
'I Am A Child Of God' to her, she said angels had led us to her door
because she'd been praying for someone to talk to. We sat on a bench
and had a lesson with an older man who was wearing a baseball cap and
had some really cool things to say about how he respects women and he
agreed alot with our doctrine. Another older lady needed someone to
talk to about faith because all her children don't believe in God and
she is worried for them. This woman really made me think about being
young versus being old. She talked about how hard it is to be old and
how we were only happy because we were young. At the same time, I look
at President Monson and think, that's not true. We can be happy at any
age BECAUSE of the GOSPEL. There's truth in every story and you can
learn something from every person you meet. And as members of the
church we believe in a sort of Never Never Land, you might call it.
Where our bodies will be perfect and never age and we can be happy
forever. It's that hope that we're here in Poland to instill in
people. It's a kind of magic that comes with happy thoughts. You just
have to believe...not in fairies, but in angels. Not in mermaids or
pirates, but in Lamanites and Nephitses, pioneers and visions. There is
a magic to life when you add the Gospel to it. You can do great things
and be super happy, if you only just believe.
Also, this morning in Personal Scripture Study, I’ve really been praying to know how to study for other people. I mean, I’m sort of entitled to receive inspiration on what to teach these people! So
I’ve really had a strong desire to figure that out, because I always
have questions of my own and want to read about that first before
studying for these people. This morning, however,
I prayed that I might be completely committed to finding only things
for others and that I would receive some sort of inspiration as to what
to teach our less-active members and maybe something I’ll need to use on
a contact this week. The amazing thing was, that
after this prayer, I not only had doors opened in my mind as to what we
needed to teach one of our recent members, but the questions I had
weighing on my mind (which I chose not to address this morning) were
actually answered anyways. SO GREAT!
The
Principle I learned was this: You really are taken care of when you
forget yourself and go to work, and I experienced that in a simple one
hour study session this morning! Also, that God will make your burdens light if you are working hard!
One more quick story. There was this man, we just were walking
down the street contacting, and Sister Folsom said that the book of
mormon helps us understand better who we are, where we came from, where
we're going. He said 'Nie Wiem Kim Jestem' - which means, 'I don't know
who I am' - and then he walked away - it basically broke my heart.
People don't know who they are! YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD! Believe it and
act accordingly! I finished the Hymn book this week and really liked
#335, you should all read it. Also, read the preface introduction
thingy to the Hymn book and follow what it says - good stuff!
Other than that, I just know the church is true! I know it
with all my heart. And it's re-confirmed to me SO often! I may not get
to sending pictures in the next four minutes, sorry, it may have to
wait till next week. But know that I love you all and the work will go
forward no matter what!
Lots of love,
- Sister Amber Allen
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