The Krakow Threesome

Well, I wanted to have the subject of my e-mail be 'We're Comin' in Hot, Kraków.'  Haha... but wasn't sure if it sounded too high-school... :) Oh my, oh my.  I am learning lots of lessons here in Kraków, fam, and they are hitting me FAST.  It's amazing how much you learn from each companion you have and Sister Hemming is no different.  THIS GIRL IS A FIRECRACKER!  She's SO ready to hit the road running and I'm SO proud of her, like SO proud of her.  She's teaching me faith all over again - I think every new missionary does.  It's that 'trainee faith' you hear about, I forgot about it.  But they have such high expectations and there's no such thing as limitations and it's so good.  Also reminds me how TOO realistic I get sometimes.  I could stretch my imagination a bit more and expect more miracles!

This week, we saw lots of amazing things happen. It's interesting being a trainer and starting to think more about your trainee's and their welfare more than my own. I pray for them so much. I love them so much. And I want the best for them. I see how hard it is for them and what an adjustment they are making and I just want them to see miracles, and we have seen them, this week! We prayed to know where to go, as we were planning Saturday night, and Sister Young felt we should go to visit a former investegator named Monika. I wasn't really feeling the same, but I sent thoughts heaven-ward and thought that I should let her have this decision to make. And so we did it the next day and instead of Monika we met Joanna. Joanna is Monika's roommate and is searching for her 'droge w życiu' (way in life) and she really was interested!!!  And she's so cute and college-age and doesn't agree with the institution of the Catholic church, automatically AWESOME.  We shared about the Restoration and gave her a book of Mormon and she is willing to meet again. This really brightened our day and let Sister Young know that she was important in the eyes of the Lord, let me know that God is really looking out for her as well.

I've learned a lot about being a mother, actually, in the last week. It's one thing to have one child, but a whole other ball game to have two. It requires love in all directions except inwards. I mean, I can like myself, but I HAVE to be thinking of others at all times. I love it. I love to love, and I want to do it more effectively.

I've been reading in Alma recently, Alma 12:30 says 'And they began from that time forth to call on his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the plan of redemption, which had been made from the foundation of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their faith and repentance and their holy works."  - whoa... I LOVE THE BOOK of MORMON - yeah, 'God conversed with men' and he STILL DOES.  He can converse with YOU and he converses with ME.  I also have enjoyed watching how much Sister Hemming prays.  She comes home and prays, she prays more than once during personal study and at other times of the day.  I pray a lot in my head, but maybe I need to be making more of an effort... and kneeling really helps.  I just wish everyone in Poland knew they could have that personal conversation with God.  I wish they knew that plan of redemption.  I wish they knew that if they just had a seed of faith and if they'd just TRY to live the laws God has given us, the world would be a better place SO much quicker!

 

We also recently got April's General Conference talks in Liahona form FINALLY!  And I've just been eating that thing UP!  I read president Monson's talk that says "Appreciate the sacrifices which your parents so willingly make in order for you to serve.  Their labors will sustain you, their faith encourage you, their prayers uphold you.  A mission is a family affair.  Though the expanse of continents or oceans may seperate, hearts are as one."

OH HOW I LOVE THIS QUOTE!!!  I'm so grateful for you guys!  You are the sustaining, encouraging, praying force behind what I'm doing here and I love you for it.  I'm also really grateful for the families and parents of the two women with whom I'm serving right now.  They miss their families and love them dearly.  They talk about them all the time and I'm especially grateful to here that there are other great fathers in the world.  There are a lack of those, I believe, and not discounting the mothers, we love our mothers SO much too, but the world is lacking in good fathers and we are so SO grateful for our dads.

 

Mom, I watched part of the broadcast, but only part...not sure if we'll ever watch the whole thing while here... but I watched Elder Perry's talk - SO GOOD!  Aaah!  I'm so excited about this missionary stuff... cuz guess what!  I'm a SISTER MISSIONARY when the world is EXPLODING!  :) aaah!  So cool... Mom I didn't see you in the choir, but Sister Hemming was singing in the choir WITH you! :) So that's cool!  And thanks for being there, and singing, it made me excited to watch!!  The Lord is hastening his work, PLEASE everyone BE A PART OF IT!!!

 

Anyways, I think you are all at Bear Lake?  So send my love to everyone!  I got an e-mail from Tasha today which made me SO happy!  I just want to hold baby Tyler SO BAD!  I also got an e-mail from Sister Folsom and one from Sister Bezdjian who left me last week, she's home!  WEIRD!  And she saw Sister Ostler and... man I just miss them so much. 

 

Oh wow.  This week I feel really old.  Have I said that before?  Just feeling older as the days go by... and they go by so fast.  We're in July now?  What!?

I know that the Lord is looking out for us, he loves us SO much!  He showed us a great sunset last night even, and I loved it.  I love Kraków!  And we're seeing miracles, tons of numbers and books of mormon in the past few days!  I'm so excited for this transfer, we're going to rock this town and see some baptisms, I know it.  Hobie Ho Here we GO!  (spencer, that was a Spader reference, when's the last time you read those books?)

Love you tons,

- Siostra Amber Allen