3 Packets of Tim Tams!!!

Yesterday we joined with the Warsaw 1 branch for a district conference and had a wonderful time listening to the different speakers of all different ages and backgrounds. It was so nice to hear everyone's testimonies and meet with many different members, investigators and missionaries. It was a great time of learning for me (both with the language and increasing my spiritual knowledge) and I'm so excited for the opportunity we'll have in a couple of weeks to watch General Conference- it's going to be so great!

This week I got a package from Australia! It had 3 packets of Tim Tams!!! :D And a really cool letter from you mum- it's so cool to hear about your experience with a legitimately interested investigator of the church. It's so good to know the Lord's promise is sure, that as we obtain His word (by reading the scriptures and listening to modern-day prophets and apostles) our tongues will be loosed, and we'll know what to say at the very moment we need it! Oh, about the Tim Tams- the missionaries in my district LOVE them and so did an American lady in our Polish class. I don't understand why they don't sell them here!! Anyway, your gift is greatly appreciated, and I think I still have about half of the biscuits left :) I also really appreciated the photos- I've stuck them up on the wall near where I study, and they always make me smile :D This week there was a day for companionship study which we watched some church film about how families can be together forever. I think I actually watched it when I was doing the temple preparation course with you, mum. Anyway, it's pretty cheesy and from the 80's, but it made me and my companion both cry! It's so beautiful having this knowledge that we do about the eternal bonds of families, sealed together for eternity by God's power. I'm so grateful for our family and the knowledge that we'll always be together.

This week we met with a member and spoke about Family History work. I've been really impressed lately to put more of a focus on it. I keep reading in Preach My Gospel about how important it is to use Family History in our finding efforts and with members. There's a quote I love from Spencer W. Kimball :

“I hope to see us dissolve the artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and genealogical work, because it is the same great redemptive work!”
And it's so true! Sometimes it's hard on earth to find people who are ready to accept the gospel, but we can do our family history and submit names for people to have their ordinances done at the temple, so that those people (who we know are being taught the gospel in the spirit world) will be able to accept those saving ordinances and receive the consequent blessings. I would love to see myself helping others do their family history work, so that the missionary force can continue to roll strong both here on earth and in heaven. So mum, I'm so proud of your incredible example to me of being actively involved in genealogy and temple work, and I will certainly do more of it when I return home- please don't allow me to get lazy with it!

This week we got to meet with a member who made us authentic Thai food! It was so delicious :) We had a great time with her and encouraged her to prepare herself for the temple. She really wants to go so we're going to do all we can to help her with that worthy goal.

This week we were able to find a few former investigators and invite them to learn more. We caught a few at home but said they were no longer interested, but we did manage to find one that was excited to see us and let us in her home! We taught a little bit about the purpose of life, and we're hoping to meet with her again to teach the Plan of Salvation. My companion and I are excited to meet with her and we hope she can develop a testimony in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ- she's so wonderful and her life will just be 10-fold blessed if she can progress in the gospel :) My companion and I love looking for former investigators- we're praying that some of these people will be ready to receive the message now, and we have great faith!

This week we got to meet with our current progressing investigator and 2 recent convert women. I love teaching them just the basic doctrines, and I love hearing their testimonies and seeing their growth. It's such a privilege for me to be around them and to learn from their amazing examples. I'm so grateful for the missionaries who have found and worked with these people over the months, and I hope I can continue to strengthen them and find others who will be blessed in the same way.

Today we might go to a museum- we'll see! Or we might play volleyball at the chapel. Either way, it should be a great p-day, followed by some tracting later tonight (or FHE, we'll see what happens). The sun continues to shine and I know that I've got Tim Tams waiting for me at home, so nothing will get me down! ;)

Love you so much, have a great week!
Siostra Grgich