Crepes Times TWO

First thing first, Congrats to Luke on getting baptized, and Nathan you looked great in a white jump suit!  It's so fun to be at a baptism, there really is a special spirit there.  There's also a special spirit in Sacrament meeting if we are listening and paying attention.  This week I really needed my Sabbath Day and it turned out to be just fabulous!  The sun was shining and there were three people who we invited to church who CAME!  One came with us to church and that was fun!  And then another guy came who we'd invited...and yet a third right before the Sacrament Prayer was said and I just couldn't stop smiling.  Yaya! 

Well, this week I learned a lot from a lot of people!  I love how you can learn from each one... some are so RANDOM!  We met this one guy who would NOT believe that we had SAVED money to be here, he just couldn't bring himself to believe it.  Silly... well if he can't even believe that we aren't being paid, I guess he won't believe that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw!  Show me your faith people!  It's so hard in these times to have faith, but I know it's SO IMPORTANT!

We had crepes twice this week, and two days in a row, so delicious!  We found this concentrated milk stuff that is like caramel and put it on them - heaven!  Yay!  We also had a fun meeting at a new investegators house, the mom is from Poland and is married to a guy from Africa and they have four super cute kids!  I love them!  I really hope we get to meet with them again.  They gave us some delicious carrot cake kind of bread - YUM!!!

What I learned this week from one lady coming home from Church on the tramwaj was simply that you can be happy for REALS wherever you are! I hear so many people here complain about their country and about how America is so much better, etc., etc. This woman told me how much she loved her country, how she 'wouldn't dream' of living anywhere else! It was so refreshing to hear, because I love Poland too! She said that she loves it here and is happy and when I told her that I too love Poland and the people here she was happy to hear it!

My companion and I are doing great. We're doing better at not being winded after we get flaked, etc. so even though that happened a TON this week, we're surviving and hoping and walking on and really not just surviving but thriving! We love being in Warsaw and serving these people. I'm super grateful to be on a mission and even though there are up's and down's I'm learning, every step a bit more!

And besides all this, I know that God lives and LOVES US!  He answers prayers!The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is SO TRUE!  I'm grateful for it!  Grateful for all it brings with it! 
Love, love, love you!
- Siostra Amber Allen

A Polish Solo

WELL Y'all, I'm grateful I get to write again! :) I read Jacob 5 this morning, and as Jacob talks about 'digging about' the olive tree, I can't help but feel like this mission is really digging up the people of Poland.  And with this new surge of missionaries coming in - all super young - I'm SUPER excited!  We're really going to dig them up and then nourish them with the good word of God and lead them to the Living Prophet who will prune them and then they'll no longer be wild but healthy and happy!  I thought it was interesting that the olive tree 'grew,' 'waxed old,' and 'began to decay.' -- From this I pulled some crazy things that maybe are not really what Jacob meant but... down in the footnotes it says that this 'growing, waxing old, and beginning to decay' means the Apostasy of Israel.  Well the people of Poland are in a great apostasy still and these three things really apply to them!  DON'T let them apply to YOU! (this goes for myself as well, gotta work on it every day)
1. 'Grew' - sometimes on the street I tell people God exists and they're like, 'I don't believe it.' and then I say, 'Well have you always not believed or did something happen to make you think that?'  And then they say, 'well I grew up and started to THINK' - as if believing in God was a bad thing... and it's so sad!  Jacob 4:10 says that we should seek not to counsel the Lord, and other verses in the Book of Mormon talk about how people will trust to their own understanding and in the arm of flesh and after the manner of their own thought process.  Well, you are one person.  What about the hundreds of pages of the Bible and Book of Mormon?  The millions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  What about the testimony of Joseph Smith?  What about all the evidences ALL AROUND YOU that God really does exist?  Don't get so stuck in your own thinking that you are persuaded to disbelief.  God does exist and he does love you.
2. 'Waxed Old' - a lot of people here say 'I'm too old,' or they say, 'the traditions of our people are too old' for them to really accept their Savior and the true church of God.  You are NEVER too old to be a kinder, more obedient you.  And traditions are worth nothing when it comes to Eternal Life with those you love.  Give up the OLD and put on the NEW!
3. 'Began to Decay' - well, these are those people I meet who are partying, drinking, living with their boyfriend/girlfriend, and many other sins.  They are already decaying, and 'the wicked take the truth to be hard' - so if you are being repremanded, let's try to take a step back and humble ourselves, pick ourselves back up from the rude blast and be better, accept the Savior because He suffered all of this for you and he knows how you feel.

Well, besides this, sorry that was a bit of a ramble about what I studied this morning - but I really enjoyed it! 

We had a baptism in our Branch on Saturday!  His name is Jacek and he's super awesome!  I'm grateful I got to see a second baptism in Poland.  My first was seeing Arseni get baptized back in Poznan in the Summer, maybe the third week I was in the country or something like that.  Baptisms are the best!  My companion sang a solo at the baptism!  Beautiful!

I got to sing a solo on Sunday in Sacrament meeting and was so nervous.  But it felt great to perform again!  I love music!  Haha, then we were supposed to teach Sunday School and shortly before church were told we had to teach Relief Society too!  So I sang in Sacrament Meeting, we taught both Sunday School and Relief Society - and we actually didn't to a bad job. I enjoyed the day thouroughly!  I'm going to send a voice recording about some other stuff, let me know if you get the story about Hania and such!

Besides this all, I just want you to know how much I love being a missionary!  I really am loving it here.  My companion is a BIG part of that.  She makes things really easy for me - and she thinks I'm funny, so that's a good time.  I like to make people laugh.  We smile a lot and have a good time!  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is TRUE!  God answers prayers!  I love you all!
- Siostra Amber Allen

snieg

This is from Siostra Allen on January 22, 2013
 Hi everyone, the church is true! 
There's lots of SNOW here and it's staying and it's BEAUTIFUL!
We had a Sister's Conference this week.  President and Sister Nielson are just so full of knowledge I don't know how to absorb it all. I am enormously grateful for their example in my life.  An amazing experience we had this week was when we tracted into Barbara. She's an older lady here in Warsaw who has been recently really not impressed with the Catholic Church. She thinks maybe we are an answer to her prayers! God has sent us there! So we're excited to see if she'll progress this week and come to church with us. I just loved the feeling in her home and during her prayer.

I'm grateful for this gospel, I know that we need it in our lives to be fully happy!
Keep up the good work, honor the priesthood, be on time to meetings, and smile always.
Thanks Jenny for your letter - that was QUICK!
CONGRATS TIFFANY for your MISSION CALL!  - saw that real quick - you're going to do gREAT!

Love, Amber Allen

He Came to Church!

Hey everybody!  What’s up!  I hear that it’s warmer here than it is in Provo lately...haha...well that stinks!  Just kidding, I like the cold.  It’s fun to get all bundled up and look cute, right?  Not when you contact froggy guys!  Yuck!  Or drunk ones.  Did I tell you about the guy who tried to kiss me on New Years Eve and I had to push his face away? Yeah, that was fun.

Well, miracle story first, maybe.  We’ve been meeting with this super sweet family here in Warsaw and I LOVE THEM!  They are so cute.  The father of their family has been in-active for about two years and people have tried to invite him back to church with no avail...well we’ve met with him and his family twice, and man, he is so cool.  Its sad that he ever stopped coming to church, we NEED him in our branch!  But after our second time kind of prodding him (and also playing the handcuff game with their family!  YAY FOR ROPES COURSE SKILLS AND HANDS ON STUFF!!!) he CAME TO CHURCH!  Cudowny – Miraculous!  I almost wet my pants I was so happy and excited!  Expecially because I haven’t been seeing too much progress around here, so we really enjoy things like that as missionaries.  Fun how the Lord fills us with this AWE of helping souls.

So we tracted into this girl the other day, who just like almost everyone else here, thought we were Jehovah’s Witnesses at first... then, just like almost everyone else here, started asking us the same questions, and telling us how different and how much harder it is to live in Poland than in America.  She complained about everything there was to complain about, and said the same almost ritual-like-comments that most people here think we don’t know or something.  Well I haven’t heard everything, but sometimes people don’t think we know anything.  There’s a big difference... so that got me to thinking.  You know what, God has heard everything and he knows EVERYTHING.  We sometimes probably give him the same sob story that everyone else is giving him, makes me wonder if he ever gets just SICK of us. Maybe I will try harder to say some new things in my prayers this week.  Perhaps I will tell God a joke, or share more of my heart with him.  Maybe I will pray about more things or different things than usual.  Whatever it is, I don't want to be just nagging him about the same old things.  I want to be HAPPY with whatever state I am in.  I'm learning that slowly.  Things haven't been exactly easy in Warsaw...they're different than my last transfer for sure, and our numbers are way lower.  But I'm trying to stay super positive and it's working out alright.  And along the way we see miracles.

Like last night, we were on our way home and thought we'd catch a bus just one stop to home and so we got on the bus and talked to the first two people we saw - right away cuz we knew we had to if we were going to get any kind of a conversation out of the ride.  Well I'm glad we opened our mouths, I very well could have told myself I didn't have enough time.  We got their NUMBER and we gave them a Book of Mormon!  Yeah!  That's what I'm talking about!

Yesterday was one of the first times I got a little bit frustrated with someone on the street and probably wasn't the nicest Sister Missionary I could have been.  I was stammering on a word and he was being rude to begin with, but he got up in my face and said 'well you aren't very prepared to convince me now ARE you!' and was all sassy about it.  Well I said very distinctly and probably with some steel in my eyes, 'I don't want to convince anybody I only want to invite, have a good night.' and I turned and walked away.  Man... so I need to work on not being sassy when people are sassy to me.  It's pretty hard...but I know it can be done.  Christ did it, and probably WAY more than I have to!

People, please don't get offended.  There are SO many ways people get offended and it's just not worth it, not worth it to your family, not worth it to others.  Don't carry a chip on your shoulder, don't hold grudges, just love and let be!  Seriously!  They probably didn't mean to offend you anyways, and if they did, well they'll recieve their just reward from a all knowing God, it's not our job to judge or be rude back!  We've got to be christ-like NO MATTER WHAT!

Well, I know that the Book of Mormon is true!  I know that when life is a roller coaster, if we hold on to the truth that the Book of Mormon contains, everything will turn out alright!  I love the Prophet!  I love this church!  And I hope you all know how LUCKY you are where you are.  Be SO grateful!  Ok?

Love you tons

- Siostra Amber Allen

Happy Birthday Luke!!!

Oh man, it's Luke's Birthday coming up!!  And that means BAPTISM!!!  Sweet!  I'm excited for you bud!!!   Baptism is SOOOooo important.  I know that for SURE!  And you are promising God that you want to serve him all your life, so it's a pretty cool decision.  I am glad you want to serve God.  I'm glad you can understand and choose that for yourself! 
     And Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom! 

So I'm listening to Jazz music being broadcasted via enternet from California in an internet Cafe close to the underground subway in Warsaw, Poland writing to you all and it's an odd feeling... usually there's no music as I'm typing, but I guess I'll have to think while it's playing!  A few thank-you's are required here,
I GOT THREE PACKAGES THIS WEEK!  One from my lovely family...which I took pictures of myself opening and wearing what was in my packages, I just can't get my pictures to up-load, maybe next week... and one from Jenny and Jack! (Nice Turtle J-Wills!,  You are a GEM!  I have something I want to try to send you today, and Jack, please tell Emily to get better quick and that my dad broke his femer his Senior year of High school too... yuck.  Good to see pictures of you at home, Jack, I'll try to write soon)  Thanks guys!  And one from Sister Phillips from the Young Women's for Natalie.  Thanks guys!  You are all so amazing!
Oh and thanks Michael and Bobby for your letters too, I'll try to write back as well.
I also hear that Sydney Patchett is heading out for a mission, I was actually thinking about her this morning, someone tell her good luck and I love her from me!  Also, is Mari going on a mission?  Or Morgan?

Po za tym... that means 'besides that' I am just learning how to love Warsaw!  We've had some crazy experiences this week, and things can always get better, we'll just say that much.  Lots of flakes, so no we did NOT have three lessons every day this week... But oh well, we still had a grand old time and lots of adventures.

One such adventure happened just yesterday, we were trying to get at least 8 lessons in the week because we'd been asked by our District Leader to set that goal.  Seriously we tried so hard and yesterday after church we'd only had 6 lessons and no one was set up for last night.  So we ended up deciding to go tracting... it was an interesting night and we were just quieter than usual and ringing a domophone that was also super quiet and nothing seemed to be happening, no one answered their domophone... then randomly one answered - a lady named Urszula - she goes 'are you guys Jehowa's Witnesses?'  No... 'Please come on in' - WHAT!!!! So we went upstairs and shared the message of the restoration with an older lady, mother of one child, grandmother of one grandchild who is our age and studying medicine her in Warsaw.  Urszula just had surgery and is kind of stuck inside but is completely there mentally and super SUPER nice.  We asked her to read the book of Mormon and SET UP AGAIN for next week with her!  So excited.... so that's what, 7 lessons right?  And we've got what... 1.5 hours left of tracting, right... so we knock on the next door and this guy answers, tall, in jeans, looks really tired, maybe 30 years old, maybe 27... so he's like "uh...no I don't have any time." - but he says it as he like rubbs his eyebrows... then we continue to promise him blessings and he's like, 'well can I make you guys a sandwhich and some tea?'  And we were like, 'uh...no you don' t have to make us anything!  But we DO want to share a message with you!  'No, no, I don't have time' Haha... 'Well can we pray with you?'  'Yeah sure come in.'  Uh... he was either HIGH or just... really...socially inept... it was one of the funniest meetings I've had.  The dude was so off topic, and took FOREVER to answer our questions.  In the middle of a sentance he got up and went to get us some 'tea' and we said 'no, no no!'  I said, 'if you really want to give us something, we'll eat one of those...' pointing to his apples... haha, so he washed off two apples and we ate these apples in his dirty messy apartment.  Super funny... because then later as he was talking, he brings up this word, 'MIRA' and we're like, WHAT's MIRA?  He's like just a second I'll show you... he comes back with this baby tree plant thing and explains that it's Myrrh - the stuff the three wise men brought to baby Jesus!  WHAT?  I met a guy with a MYRRH PLANT!  Haha... then right before we left he gave us nuts too... he was nuts... but it was just exactly what we needed - one more lesson and a GOOD LAUGH!  So we ran away from the building laughing, so funny!  (sorry if the description of this man doesn't exactly make you giggle, I promise it was worth a good laugh)

Another awesome thing!  We get to have a Sister's Training Conference thing coming up!  That means I get to see Sister Bezdjian again!  and Sister Howells!  YEAH!  SO EXCITED!

I loved having Kinga on lessons with us this week.  She's a member here in Warsaw who is our age and super spunky.  She's so cute and it's funny cuz she just lacks patience with people sometimes and was on two hard lessons with us this week, so in her testimony sunday she told everyone what a hard job we have... I didn't realize it was that tough...but maybe I am blessed with more patience than I thought.  I know God blesses us in ways we really don't see out here.  I am so grateful for his blessings, and for all the prayers you guys are saying for us!

One more thing, a man on the street this week was Athiest, like I think at least 50% of the people here are, and he said he was in a hurry but that I had a few minutes, 'Prove to me God exists' he said.  So I had like 3 minutes to prove God exists.  What did I do?  Well, I'll let you think on it and tell you next time, but I want each of you to think about it, what would you say in 3 minutes that could be convincing enough to help a 30 year old guy on the street, super nice guy, to BELIEVE that GOD EXISTS? 

I know he DOES exist, everyone.  He answered my prayers this week.  I know he will continue to answer our prayers.  I've also been reading the Book of Mormon looking for Christ's name and mentions of our Savior and it's amazing how many times it mentions Him.  Expecially it mentions him as the Lamb of God.  I want to know more about that, what do Lambs do?  I guess if they are Gene and Nanette, we know they are hard workers and good looking and they even sing well...but I think the scriptures are referring to the animal... hehe...

We also got to meet with a less active member who lives far away and its sad cuz she now has two kids, one 8 and one 10 who have no idea what the Book of Mormon is.  I think this mom still has a testimony, but they live so far away I don't know whether or not we will be able to help them come back to church.  I sure hope she can see how IMPORTANT the church is for her children.  I'm SO grateful for the Gospel in my life.  I'm more and more grateful every day!

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is True!  Christ lives and LOVES US!  Onward Christian Soldiers!
- Siostra Amber Allen

Stir 'Em Up

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!! I've got like 27 minutes... I'll go fast...

 

It was SO fun to call you guys and to hear everyone's voices and laughter and such.  After a while away from family you forget they actually really still exist and live and breathe!  I love you guys!  Wish I could have talked to gregg, but hopefully I'll get a letter written to him today and see if I can't send it out to BRAZIL... hm?  The weather here in Poland hasn't been to bad, I'm wearing my lighter coat and no hat today, so it's pretty nice... still cold, but nice, the sun is shining.

 

Christmas here was beautiful, we got to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional and it made me so happy and emotional and, man, the mormon tabernacle choir, another reason the church is true :) haha.  I really loved how President Monson said we should take this time to be re-committed to the Lord.  I challenge each of you to do that, look inside yourself, and yearn to be more intensely committed to your Savior and to our Father in Heaven.  We have a LIVING PROPHET ON THE EARTH TODAY!  How stinkin' cool is THAT!  Also, we had Zone Conference and I got to see Elder Jespersen and Elder Rittmanic and Elder Skolimowski from my MTC group!  YAY!  Also, Elder Register is in the Office here in Warsaw so I get to see him more often!  Woot!  I definitely miss my Poznan homies though, I want to know what's going on there so bad.  But I'll find out later, I guess.  I'm going to try to write a letter to Sister B. today too...aaah so much to do...so little time... but we DO have a full day P-day today since President wants us off the streets earlier.  (I can see why, recently -- maybe this is just a warsaw thing or because we're nearing party time for partiers... -- every other person I talk to is piany - to znacze drunk)...

 

A new elder in our zone said something really cool as he bore his testimony (we all went around and bore testimony at the end of Zone Conference - yeah!)  He is always super happy and he just gets excited about the smallest things.  He said that people of Poland need EXCITEMENT.  And as he said it, I completely 100% agreed.  The people of poland need excitement.  I am so ready to give it to them.  I'm going to be a smiling, excited, spirit charged MACHINE for the next 9 months, just you wait...

 

Anyways, I had one of the most amazing Christmases I've ever had.  I was able to really feel closer to the Savior and know that I'm doing exactly what he'd have me do on his birthday for his present - sharing his light with others!  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!  (p.s. mom, no don't have your guy's package yet, nor Jenny's... where did Jenny send hers?)

 

I want each of you to do something for me before next week's letter...just last night I contacted this guy - which means I walked up to him on the street and just randomly started talking to him - and he says he's Athiest and doesn't believe in God and basically said, 'I've gotta go, you've got just a short time to convince me that God exists.'  So what would you say?  You've got three minutes to convince me that God exists... GO!  (try to do it in three minutes or less)

 

I'm sending some recordings of my companion and I, but I'll quick tell the story of yesterday cuz it was CRAZY TOAST!

So we were going to make pancakes for a new family we've been teaching (YAY FAMILY) and we were going to take them to church with us.  We get there at 9:00 (church starts at 10 here and is 3 hours long - weird cuz I've been going to 2 hours of church in Poznan for six months) and knock on their door... NOTHING...we ring the door bell...nothing... we sang songs, we waited, we rang again...waited...called her phone...waited...called her daughter's phone...waited...man we were there for like 15 minutes with hot syrup and pancakes and name tags and scarfs and hats and all... we probably looked really funny (Poland is like DEAD on Sunday mornings so... yeah we probably woke up the whole klotka).  We ended up leaving the hot mess on their door step and going to church empty handed.  But we were still smiling.

No investigators came to church.  BUT WE WERE STILL SMILING.

Someone in church gave a talk about how 'It can always get worse' and we ought to be 'optimistic'  - guess what, SO TRUE!  So be grateful! 

 

THEN we get home from church and we're STARVING, right?  And we try to open our door and... well, it just won't open.  The KEY DIDN'T WORK!  So we called the Landlord, sat on our floor and waited till he showed up with an extra key.  Our key still doesn't work...but yeah...

 

THEN we met this crazy guy yesterday, he told us he was a doctor and that he hates God.  He was a very ANGRY person and you could tell after the first like three seconds of talking to him.  I'm glad, for one, that he's not MY doctor... and two that I didn't offend him.  Apparently the happiest moment of his life was when he sought revenge on this guy who beat up his sister in the streets and he followed him home and 'put a bullet in his head.'  Um... and then this guy said because of all his 'connections' in Eastern Europe, he got away because the police couldn't do anything about it... um... yeah we contacted a murderer... such a crazy life, this mission stuff.  But if I learned anything from him, it's that god DOES exist and when you believe in him, you ARE happier.  He was so angry and so upset at life it was just painful to even look at him... so don't kill people, don't get mad at God, and don't go to the dark-side... :)

 

I also met a young kid who said he wouldn't tell me his name because he's an graffiti artist who does it illegally and has to stay anonymous... CRAZY

 I have so much more to say but it'll have to wait until next week....SO...

 

To end on a more spiritual note... We are finding tons of people and our prayers are being answered over and over again.  When I got here to Warsaw we had no investegators.  Next week, we have like 3 lessons set up every day already, I'm STOKED.  We've been working really hard and seeing the lord's blessings.  I'm feeling that my Polish is getting better and better every day and people always say they're shocked at how good we speak after so short of time in the country, hopefully that's a good measuring stick.  I know God lives and loves us!  Let's take this new year to new limits, so pumped!  Read the Book of Mormon all the way through - a couple times - this next year with me, okay?

 

Um yeah so 'Stir 'Em Up' refers to Enos.  I read Enos this morning - LOVE HIM!  He's so cool.  He is also a good missionary, talks about stirring up the people to rememberance of their God.  I feel like as a missionary that really is what we do all day every day, we stir them up to a rememberance!  We remind people of death, of after life - it's crazy how many people I ask, 'what do you think happens to us after this life' and they go 'Uh... I dunno...never thought about it...' 

PEEPS!  Let's think!  This week my Christ-Like Attribute is Knowledge, so I'll tell you more about that later.

I love you all, have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Amber Allen

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!
I'm here in Poland, and the weather has been pretty cold, it got colder when I moved to WARSAW!  Yep, I'm in Warsaw now and not in Poznan anymore.  I miss my Poznan family a lot ,but I'm also really excited for this new place.  After packing and getting ready to leave Poznan, Sister Bezdjian, chicken pox and all, took me to the train station with the Reeds.  I tried to call a few people to tell them I'd be leaving Poznan, but I didn't get to talk to everyone, so sorry to anyone I missed!  I still love you!  And really wanted to say goodbye, only thing was, I didn't know until Sunday night and we couldn't leave the house so... whoops.  I bought a Lech Poznan scarf - blue and white stripes - proud of myself on that one, I hate buying things but HAD to have something from my favorite city in the world... so yep.  (p.s. someone should look at the reed's blog - did we have a baptism in Poznan or not?  I WANT TO KNOW!  DID MARCIN GET BAPTIZED?!?  Who baptized him?  How does he look?)

Gave a hug good bye to Sister B. and headed on down the hallway of the train to find an open spot, I went in and asked a man if I was in the right spot and he told me I could stay and then went on to haul my stuff up on a rack - SO NICE because it was SO HEAVY!  I got to talking to him, and another lady in the train, they were the nicest people EVER and I got to share the Restoration with them and got their ADDRESSES!  And sent them BOOKS OF MORMON already!  So awesome, the spirit was there, and the CHURCH IS TRUE!
Then I met my companion for the second time... I met her once really quick on my second day in Poland, but her name is Sister Nicole Sheahan.  You may have heard of her before.  She has a song on one of the EFY C.D.'s  - yeah she's basically famous...haha, just don't tell her that I don't think she believes it.  She's really humble, kind of quiet, but fun and nice and a red-head.  And since we all know how I feel about red-heads (Tasha...Tom...Tonja...Jacob) this will be super GREAT! :) (p.s., I love red-heads) Sister Sheahan has just showered me with compliments this last week, and I'm so grateful for her confidence in me.  She's super nice and a good cook, also a vegitarian, that'll be interesting :) haha...

Anyhoo...I am really grateful for this new start, I'm ready to start over fresh and really hit the ground running.  The first few days here I've done just that and it's been AMAZING the difference I feel, just being CONFIDENT!  I know that I'm supposed to be in Warsaw.  We're starting from small numbers here, but we're getting tons of contacts a day and the next transfer is going to be a blast!  When I say small numbers, though, I'm not talking about members.  We have a CHAPEL in Warsaw!  I saw it for the first time on my first day here in Warsaw and it made me cry - literally.  WE HAVE A CHAPEL IN POLAND!  YEaH!  Oh man... that was cool. 

I just know that the church is true, more than ever in my life I know it.  I know that Christ lives.  He loves us.  He wants us to be happy and he wants us to be confident.  He also is willing to give us a new start, everyday if need be.  So I encourage all of you with this new year to set some goals, shoot for the sun, and if you fall among the stars it's okay!  I know that you can do anything God sees expedient in Him.  I loved studying that word this week, 'expedient' - Ask for the Spirit to be in more abundance in your life, He can lead and guide you.  Just yesterday we asked the Lord to guide us to someone on the streets.  Sister S., when I asked her what our contact was going to look like, said 'she's a young college student' = guess what!  We found this girl who says she prayed yesterday morning to be able to talk to some sort of priest because she felt lost... then she ran into US!  We're set up for two weeks away, and GOD KNOWS HER!  And He definitely knows YOU.

Remember the true meaning of Christmas!  Christ will be there for you always!
Love,
Siostra Amber Allen

p.s. there was a lot more I wanted to say, but I want to play basketball...WHAT?  HAha, yeah I'm going to play basketball...in a chapel... in Poland...With some elders and sisters of the only true church on this crazy planet we call Earth!  Wahooo!

Goldi Lox & Chicken Pox

Well, folks... Once upon a time, Sister B. was like, I have this weird sore on my thumb... and a couple hours later, yeah and my head itches... day later... little red boils ALL OVER her body... so we went to the doctor and she goes, 'Ospa, na pewno, ospa.'  To znacze  CHICKEN POX!  Man... crazy... my companion has the chicken pox.  She already had it when she was a kid...and so did I... so I've been a bit worried that I'll get it, but so far, so good.  Anyways, we've been under quarantine and in seclusion for like three days in the same 30 square feet... yeah, fun stuff.  We've called EVERYONE I think we could call in the Area Book.  And EVERYONE in the phone.   We're not allowed to leave the house...so we've been creative, cleaning, making Christmas Cards, studying Polish, decorating the apartment for Christmas.  And now we're at the Reed's apartment e-mailing everyone!   We've been in our apartment for like three days... Wednesday night, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and today.. MAN!  That's like FOUR days... haha, good thing i have the best missionary in the world for a companion - we were up some nights with her in major pain, but it's working out and everything will be okay, she's on the mend.

But what have I learned this week?  How much I really love being out doors and working with people.  I love the work.  Also, I have learned that we can still be really productive as we are at home!  I get worried I'm not being productive enough, but hey... doing my best!    In the one lesson we did have this week - okay we had three... but there was one which I remember the most, where the woman kept saying, 'Well why does God let bad things happen to good people?  Why is there so much death and distruction?  Why is one man born rich and another poor?'  She was so frustrated and upset.  I quietly testified that she could find those answers as she read the Book of Mormon... sad thing is, this woman is also a member, and she loudly replied, 'I've read it and you can't find those answers, we'll never know them.'  I also heard about the school shooting this last week and I know that it may be hard for us (Mom and I) to understand, I was sad about it even and haven't really heard any details - which is fine, don't need to hear any details... however, I read a talk by President Monson titled, 'He Is Risen' given in the May 2010 General Conference...not sure which session.  It was amazing and just what I needed, so if any of you need some answers, read that talk, also I encourage you to talk with God about this, don't shut him out.  If you have questions like this, God is the answer.  HE IS LOVING.  HE KNOWS YOU.  And he cares more about the children of the earth than anyone.  If you want to blame anyone for bad things, blame Satan, or the natural man, or both, they are enemies to God.  But don't blame god.  Also don't think you know better than Him, if something is happening in your life, maybe it's for a reason.  Learn.  Love.  Don't hate.  And don't get the chicken pox on your mission... haha...

We had a really spiritual experience when the Elders brought us the sacrament yesterday, they blessed it right there in our little apartment and it was just so good.  The spirit was there and I felt so special, that God had sent me His Son, to die for me, and to perform the Great Atonement and he would have done it just for me and my companion there in that little room if needs be because the worth of souls is so great to Him!  Oh it is WONDERFUL!  I'm so grateful for the Savior, and grateful we get to celebrate his birth this time of year.  There are Christmas lights and a big tree in down town Poznan and people are out buying presents.  A regular halla-baloo!  So fun.  

Speaking of Poznan, I also have some pretty big news... drum-roll please...I'm being transferred!  Yep, cried about it this morning for a while, and thought about all the crazy good times I've had in Poznan.  This last transfer has been a serious BLAST, we're so close to some baptisms, I can just feel them.  I wish I could hang around for a little bit longer, especially with Sister Bezdjian, I love this girl so much!  She has taught me how to really work.  I love her for all she has taught me, for who she is, and that she even thinks I'm kind of cool.  Thanks Sister B!  Maybe next week will be an Ode to Sister Bezdjian... and a Welcome to WARSAW!  I'll be in Warsaw for a while with Sister Sheahan.  Super excited about that.  I met a guy who knows her right before my mission. He wrote down his name on a napkin and gave it to me and told me to give her a big hug for him... um not sure where the napkin is but it was a tall big blonde guy with lots of charisma, maybe she'll just know him... I plan on giving her that hug on Wednesday, when I'll be leaving Poznan.  

Yep, so that's the craziness of my life right now.  But guess what, I LOVE IT!  The work goes forward, everyone, and everyday I see the Lord's hand.  I'm learning PATIENCE.  I'm learning DISCIPLINE.  I'm learning lots, and it's so good.

Mom, Dad, Gregg, Nathan, Spencer, Rachel, James, Luke, and Hyrum, hope you know I pray for you every day!  I'm sending you Christmas presents -- maybe just a letter to gregg... but they'll be late, so just wait for them!

P.S. Jenny, yes my hair is getting longer, maybe it's the humidity, maybe because I'm not playing with it as much, maybe just cuz I've prayed for it so long and now it's coming true! :)  Thanks for noticing!  I love you tons girlie and I hope everything is good where you are, thanks for helping my family with lizards and such.

P.P.S. JAMES!  I'm sorry I thought that was NELLA dancing, SO COOL that you did a dance, like seriously, I'm proud of you.

P.P.P.S. Nate-  you went to another school dance... and with the cross country team!  Oh I'm beaming! :) :) :)

P.P.P.P.S. Luke haha... nice, letting the cat lick off your face, you are too cute.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S Sister Ostler, I got your e-mail, thanks you're the best!  Get better soon, Love ya!

- Siostra Amber Allen

Less Duty. More Love.

 

Hey-Ho, Hey-Ho!!!

It's snowy outside!!!  The snow's been sticking, sitting, shouting, dancing, falling, and lookin' GOOD! :)  I'm so happy to see it, even though it means it's gunna get COLD!  I really do love how the snow makes me feel, it's like this crisp, clear, beautiful thing that makes you just want to curl up in a blanket and read a book... the Book of Mormon that is... and listen to Christmas music... the Mormon Tab, that is... and you know, just be excited for Christmas time!  I hope there is more snow in Provo.

 

I think I may start to copy-cat my companion in how she writes e-mails...then again, I've never been a copy cat and like to do things my way, but we'll see how it fits in this time... So what she does is she writes under the following titles:

 

Study Time: Czyli, what I studied this week...

Well, this week I studied about lots of things but two stick out to me more than any others.  One said that people listen to the commandments of men and the commandments of the devil rather than heeding to the commandments of God.  Well I started to think, what are the commandments of men?  What do men COMMAND you to do?  Really we shouldn't be letting anyone except God command us in any way - they should have no influence to make us do anything, but I think some of the "commandments" out there are, 1. Be skinny, look pretty, and show off... Don't listen to them!  2. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die... Yeah, see that one ALL the time here!  People tell us all the time that we are wasting our lives, that we should just try some beer, coffee, tea, smokes, I've been offered to break the word of wisdom WAY more on my mission than ever before...as a matter of fact, I don't think anyone ever asked me to break the word of wisdom before my mission.  But the world is FULL OF IT.   Don't listen to them!. 

This morning as I read our 'Good, Better, Best' article from our Mission President (remind me to send you a copy of that, it's really good - Jenny should read it!) I realized that Good and better missionaries are alot of the time fueled by duty.  I know that alot of the time when I think about why I'm on a mission it's because I felt as though I have been given SO MUCH, and I owe God so much --so it's more of a duty thing sometimes...but I should be more focused on Love.  That should be the motivation behind every commandment for me, and I'm really going to try to work on it.  Less Duty.  More Love.  The word for love is 'Miłość' in polish.  To say 'I love you,' that would be 'Kocham cię' :)

Also, this morning I was reading 2 Nephi 27:11, I think it was, and it says that the good news of the 'book' will be read on the house tops.  I sat there on the fourth floor of my apartment building looking out at the snow topped people and cars and streets and thought, man, I'm declaring this book from the house tops - and just like the Newsies' song - THE WORLD WILL KNOW!  I got pretty pumped... someone should go watch Newsies for me :)

 

Christlike Attribute:  As a companionship we've been chosing a Christ-Like Attribute to work on each week.  This last week we worked on Wisdom/Knowledge.  It was fun to learn about the THREE WISE MEN - you should look them up, they seem really cool.  Also, I read some Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew and found out that Christ spoke not after the manner of men, and he didn't need a teacher.  As a child, He was such a genious and had such a relationship with the Holy Ghost and with God that he didn't need an earthly teacher - how cool is that!?  Oh man, I want to be more like our Savior!

 

My Companion:

I'm guessing here she writes something about me... which is silly, I'm not much to write about... but Sister Bezdjian sure is!  This girl is the most optimistic thing I've seen since sliced apple pie and vanilla ice cream.  She's so on top of things and just believes...even when nothing is happening...which is really hard for me to do sometimes... and then when her companion doesn't believe, she carries the faith for the both of us and tries to get me back into gear.  I'm grateful for her.  So grateful for her example in hard times.  We now have zero of the three people with bapstismal dates, and the Elder's investegator also decided not to get baptized anytime soon, so it's just been feeling a little... slow... but hey, I signed up for this game!  And like Sister B. says, or rather it's just how she acts, things are going to work out, 'they're going to get baptized.'  She asks no questions... and so we go.

 

Funny Things:

We got contacted by this guy yesterday after church later in the afternoon - SO COOL.  He comes up to us, he's got an earing and a nose ring, nothing big, but he's skinny and tall and stops us and is all like, 'hey I see you girls here every Sunday at the same time, right at the time I'm coming back from playing soccer.  I figure you've got to be pretty dedicated to a schedule or something, and you're always smiling.  What are you up to?  what's your deal? 

WELL, sir, we'd LOVE to tell you about it... Man it's so fun to get contacted, it's like my favorite thing EVER :) - so the guy eventually tells us that he doesn't use the Internet because he's an "enemy of the internet" - haha funny, and he also doesn't watch t.v. - he's a young guy, plays goalie and recently broke his wrist from it and we're going to meet with him tonight and he's sooooo gunna get baptized.  :)

 

We ate FROG-LEGS in a CHINESE restaurant, with Christmas Decorations all around and in the middle of POLAND... conflict of traditions and cultures going on for sure... :) 

 

We got hit-on by some random 15 year old guys who asked to exchange numbers and then guessed how old we were... interesting...

 

Other:

Well, hope you liked that organization above, besides that, here's some of the other amazing things that happened this week:

 

Two families came to church yesterday and it was such a miracle!  (No mom, not the cool awesome family with the tiny baby, we'll get them next week I hope)  I miss having kids at Sacrament Meeting, and this church really is a FAMILY church, so I was super excited to have four kids at church. Two behaved really well, the others not so well, and I felt bad for their parents so I showed them where the primary room was - half the size of the play-room in our house - and they let the little boy play during sacrament meeting.  They will learn, it will just take some time... also the members in our ward will have to get used to some noise!  I missed a big part of Sacrament Meeting and realized that this is just the beginning.  Soon enough I'll have kids of my own and here goes my crazy life!  Man, it's so exciting!

 

I've been reading a lot from Daughters in My Kingdom - I LOVE IT!  I just love it so much... you should all read it.

 

We had a crazy couple meetings this week, Smoky meeting with Alcoholics and an Angry meeting with Athiests... the Smoky one was pretty horrible at first, then I just let myself not be worried and it wasn't as bad.  The air was FILLED with smoke and i did NOT want to enter that room, I swear I'm going to get cancer for just sitting in that room for 30 minutes... they were also drunk... and told us they were alcoholics so, that was interesting.  We really didn't get much across to them, I'm sure.  It was a husband and wife, and the man's mother.  Sad... I'm just so glad they don't have children and never did have any.

Then there's the Angry meeting with Athiests.  It's a man and his girlfriend, they've been living together for a long time, he doesn't believe in God and just wanted to fight about it.  At one point he grabbed the book of mormon and basically yelled in our faces saying it was wrong.  I told him right back I knew it was true and just felt real defensive while trying to act peacefully....kind of hard to do...actually kind of cool to feel like I was defending the faith, but the spirit was not there...so we ended with prayer and left.  Aah!  PEOPLE!  God exists.  He loves you.  PLEASE JUST BELIEVE IT!

 

Well, family, I think that may be most of all I wanted to say today... I'm excited to read Gregg's letter!  And all of yours too.  I love hearing from you.  And to everyone who reads anything that I'm reading, thanks for being interested in the work, and in what I'm doing.  I hope you all are having a WONDERFUL holiday season.  Just remember the reason for the season!  Read and remember Jesus Christ, the center of it all!  He is so amazing.  I love Him so much.

 

OH and a SHOUT OUT to Sister Bezdjian's SISTER who just got her MISSION CALL!  Man, that was exciting, I don't even know you and I was still excited.  Congrats - she's going to Georgia, will be the first Sister Missionary there EVER and speaking what... three languages?! WHA!?  Cool.  You're going to rock it girl.

 

Yep, the church is SO true, keep up the good work,

Lots of love,

- Siostra Amber Allen

These pictures are of the snow, what I see infront of me as I study, and the christmas tree in the library here :) enjoy!

1. Creepy nun picture... there are lots of nuns in poland, just didn't think they'd use them in a grocery store add...

2. ICE SKATING!

3. Yeah they're selling these... maybe you guys should make and sell them too...just kidding - YAY FOR RANDOM CACTUS SANTA CLAUSE MEN!

4. Us sitting here typing...last week...or the week before it was I think :)

5. Us by the river... last P-day... we are... MAD!!! Just kidding...

6. Us and the cathedral!

j

Adventures with Gypsies

IT's DECEMBER!!! Well hey there everybody!  What's up!?  I haven't read all the e-mails yet, but I see someone got a new PHONE!  One of you boys should give mom a christmas present by putting all her recipies on Google Documents, then she can pull up her recepies on her smart phone wherever, and WHENEVER!  YAY!  :) haha...oh if only we had a smart phone for our missionary work, things would be a lot easier...we have to use more memory power and a LOOOOOTTTT of WRITING!  Yeah, the internet might crash...uh but when was the last time that happened?  And it's more likely that our house will be burned down...right?  Oh I dunno...maybe someday missionary work will get more hi-tech.

As for now, we're just running around Poznań, LITERALLY - I swear we run to at least one appointment a day - we either don't give ourselves enough time and are running late, or we just want to meet with lots of people and pack our little selves in there - Hey, go big or go home, right?  One of my new motto's.  Oh man, the work in Poland is GREAT and to add to that greatness... I'm LIVING IN POLAND!  I LOVE THIS PLACE!  A herd of pigeons flew over my head today...haha okay a flock...and as we walked by some old buildings with kids speaking polish to one another I just got a warm fuzzy feeling.  I really love this place, I hope you can love it too someday, if you don't already!

This week was super fun, there were some weird days, where I just felt sort of off- but I think that was my own fault for being a bit angry with someone or not following the Spirit... You know, you really do feel better about everything when you just DO WHAT'S RIGHT!  There was someone here in Poznań who just blatantly lied to our faces and blamed us for something we didn't do and I got a bit miffed inside.  Don't do it.  It's not worth it.  Just forgive and forget!  I did end up apologizing for whatever we didn't do, and felt a little better about the whole thing, but still, I could have jsut been okay with it from the get-go.  Lesson learned: Just love life, and the only things you're allowed to stand up for are 1. your life, 2. your religion, 3. your families, or 4. your freedom.  Cuz that's what the Nephites did, right?  They tried not to have skirmishes unless their lives or freedoms were in danger.  Cool.

I got a letter from NELLA this week - and was that a picture of her dancing?  Pretty! Thanks and I will try to send you something soon!

Well, last monday, we went out to this family's house in the middle of nowhere's land.  They're super poor and from Romania -so it would have been cool if Sister Folsom was here cuz I think she speaks some Romanian!  But I think they were gypsies.  Sister Folsom told me about the Gypsies in Romania and how they act like they are poor and just live off of other people.  After being out at their place, I think that's true of these people as well.  They all seemed healthy and happy and had enough food but neither of the parents work and the dad is the only one who understands Polish and speaks it - except for religious terms, he had no idea what we said as we shared a first lesson about the restoration.  But it was sad to see where they live, and that they can't read.  I worry about the kids - there were like four or five in the one family -one room, cold floors and blankets on the walls, low ceilings...and then like four more kids in the other family in the other room.  Man... sad stuff.  We aren't allowed to teach gypsies, and I can see why, there really isn't much we can do for them.  Anyways, that was an experience.  On our way out of there, one of the little girls, dirty and small, her name is Maria, followed us as her dad showed us where to go to get back home.  He told her to go home, in Romanian, but she didn't listen and kept following us, close behind me so her dad wouldn't see her... so I reached my hand out behind my back and she held my hand on the way through the muddy street in the dark.  It was just cool.  I love kids!

Funny stories: So Sister Bezdjian had this awesome green umbrella with white polka-dots and it rained hard a couple days this week (AND SNOWED A LITTLE ONCE!) and so we had out our umbrellas as we ran to a tramwaj.  Well, she opened the door and umbrella first started to get on the tramwaj, but the door shut on her umbrella and smushed it!  HAHA!  Then the door wouldn't open so she tried to rip it out...I encouraged against that...thinking it'd probably just break it more...the poor thing!  Ha, but the tramwaj just DROVE AWAY with it!  the little handle blowing in the wind...oh man, it was pretty hilarious- stander-by's sure got a kick out of it, at least it was a good conversation starter!  : )

Also, we were on a bus this week and this guy in a car next to our bus wasn't driving properly or something and the bus driver kept honking at him, then the guy drove up next to the bus and stuck his angry little Polish head out the window and probably was swearing at the bus driver.  So the bus driver speeds up and CUTS THE GUY OFF!  We were blocking the WHOLE STREET!  Granny's apples went flying, the poor girl down the street fell off her chair, and everyone was in a holler... the bus driver gets off the bus and walks over and yells back at the guy, once he's got his fill gets back in the bus and takes off normally again...not sure what that accomplished but...whatever.  Haha...fun, and all the while I was talking to an awesome 15 year old girl who lives here in Poznań and I ended up getting her phone number and we are going to meet with her this week!  COOL!

We had another lesson with Mama Ola this week, and it went really well, I really think awesome things are going to happen with her family!

One more quick story and then I want to read what you wrote and hope to write a bit back - maybe send some pictures too...

Yesterday we'd just got off the tramwaj (said TRAM-V- EYE) and we were waiting at the light to cross the street and go tracting, for like two hours before lunch, and it was cold and we were fasting...well there was this tall cute couple standing there with their baby in a stroller.  So we awkwardly surrounded them on both sides and Sister Bezdjian asked if it was a boy or girl and - AAH! My companion is so studly at contacting, I need to just do what she does, she's so good at it! - and so we started talking to them and they were looking for an open store to buy bread.  Luckily all the stores were closed, after a while, Sister B. was talking with the mom and I was talking with the dad, just about life and stuff, I somehow got on the topic of the word of wisdom and told him we don't drink alcohol or smoke.  Well after about 8 minutes, they're like, well we live here, do you want to come up for tea?  Um... WHAT!   THAT NEVER HAPPENS!  SURE!  So we came up and refused the tea and told them we were fasting and what we do with fast offerings... haha man they got way more than a first lesson that day...and they like ASKED US what our CHURCH was like (my jaw just kept dropping further and further as the lesson went on) ! SO perfect segue into the RESTORATION of the FULLNESS of the EVERLASTING GOSPEL!  Man... so they let us pray with them and the 2 month old baby was crying during some of it, but then the first vision was quoted while mom was standing up holding baby, and the baby stopped crying and there was this presence in the room... BAM.  It hit all of us, you could see it in their eyes - IT's TRUE!  EVERYONE!  I KNOW IT!  Joseph Smith SAW God the Father and Jesus Christ!  He RESTORED the true gospel, I'm feeling it even now - this tingly awesome sensation... man... so cool!  They set up with us AGAIN!  The dad said a kneeling PRAYER on the end of the lesson, OUTLOUD - he was so nervous.  They said they'd READ the BOOK and COME TO CHURCH!  I'm telling you...this really just fell into our hands and they're so normal!  I love normal people!  Now the only down side of this story is that I didn't invite them to be baptized. It was my turn to extend a commitment, I didn't feel that it was going to fit into the conversation - but at the same time I knew that was just an excuse my mind had made up.  We've been asked to ask people if they will be baptized on the first lesson...and folks, I didn't do it.  I was elated after the lesson with my companion, but I was also being kicked in the soul by the Spirit saying, hey you!  You didn't say what I asked you to say, my friend, not cool.  So then I felt really yucky inside and...you know beat myself up a bit... Moral of the story is, NEVER DENY A PROMPTING.  Just do what the spirit says!  No matter whether it's hard to do or not.  I get so nervous,
 and I'm supposed to say it just right and not stutter according to our Assistants to the President, and I just feel really pressured everytime I try to say it to someone.  So I'm going to work on it, and it'll be much better next time, I promise.

Thanks for your prayers and everything, I'm doing great, could use help on my polish GRAMMAR...ugh it's not too good... but I'm WORKING ON IT! :)

The church is true!  If you want an assignment for this week, look up John the Baptist - that guy is a STUD!  Love him!

K, love you all,

peace.

- Siostra Amber Allen

The old guy - fixed Sister B's boots - we ran to his shop in the morning for our exercise

The NOGI - those statues that are just feet and torsos - SO fun :) in Park Cytadella

Chuck Norris - he's EVERYWHERE!

Oh and another fun thing - people in Poland get up super early and go to bed super early - it's really weird.

Love you lots!

- Amber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

The old guy - fixed Sister B's boots - we ran to his shop in the morning for our exercise