Monday 29 June 2015

Trains Vacant Lots and Music

Travelling to Bydgoszcz for Zone Training- we sung primary songs on the train :)

Sister Smith and I posing in the mirror- back in the Gdansk flat :D

Oh look what I found tracting- a cat! "Nachoooooooo"

We were tracting when it started to rain (I straightened my hair that morning- probably won't my time doing that again!)

The car says "Gday".. sort of!

We went searching for a former investigator- their address was an empty block of land! :(
Sister Smith and I on a tram

Me playing guitar at a Relief Society activity (Klaudia, a primary girl in our branch took the photo)

And that would be Klaudia squeezing my face and making me take a photo hehe :D

Wow it almost feels like a whole day since I last saw your faces on Skype ;) hehe That was such a blessing being able to see you all and just talk and laugh, I love you all so much! It was actually a little stressful for me yesterday, I've been struggling a little bit with knowing how to help the branch, when sometimes it feels like I'm not appreciated for my efforts (it can be hard enough dealing with the rejection on the streets from strangers, so I really don't need any more negativity)- but knowing that you all believe in me, knowing that my Father in Heaven sees the work I do that no one else knows about, knowing that I have a companion who loves me and is such a great friend and example to me, having so many friends all over the world that love and support me, really brings me back to reality that I am a daughter of God and I have been so incredibly blessed in my life. I am so grateful to be serving in this branch at this time, I truly love the members and I really want to help them strengthen the branch- sometimes it can be hard for us to trust in God's timing, but when I work the best I know how, and rely on the Lord to uplift me and allow him to use me as a faithful servant and friend, I know that I am pleasing Him, and He will allow me to be a blessing in the lives of others. So I just want to say thank you so much for being so supportive to me :) I love you!


This past week we went to Bydgoszcz (again! I feel like it's my second Poland home) for Zone Training. We had a beautiful lesson/training prepared by the leaders of our Zone, and had the privilege of being there with President Edgren as well. We learnt about self-progression and how to apply the things we learn in our day-to-day missionary lives, and particularly focused on our finding efforts and how we can have more people to teach the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the train ride there and back, I had my guitar, so my companion and I played/sung some songs out of the primary songbook (we prepared a song for Mother's Day, and a musical item for a Relief Society activity we had later on in the week). It was really fun, and really uplifting. After reading my patriarchal blessing again, I feel a strong desire to use more of my unique talents in the missionary work (particularly I'm thinking about how I can use music to bring others to Christ), so Sister Smith and I are both working hard to utilise our different abilities in the most effective way possible.


Speaking of Sister Smith- she's absolutely great! We have been working so hard this past couple of weeks, and it is just such a joy to be with her. We have been teaching people on the streets, setting up lessons, teaching in homes, working to find former investigators, trying to be creative with our finding approaches, and always planning and going about our day with the Spirit- it can be hard with all the disappointments, but we are not discouraged and always have the Comforter with us, which help us in those difficult times. We laugh a lot too, which has proven super helpful in keeping us sane. We have a pretty similar sense of humour, and that has been a great blessing to me!


Last week we went out looking for a former investigator married couple (from a few years ago)- they seemed super awesome but unfortunately lived far away, and the phone number didn't work anymore so we decided to give them a visit. So we planned a day to go out after English class, and the senior couple the Shaws were nice enough to drive us out there. After the long drive, we got the street and are looking for number 18. So we see 22... 20... ok good close... vacant, grassy land, and number 16. Huh?? So they park the car and we get out looking around for number 18... nothing. So we knock on the neighbours' doors- one lady says number 18 indeed exists, and that it is the vacant land next door. She'd never heard of the couple's names that had apparently lived there before.. :/ So that was an interesting day! haha, well sometimes you just have to laugh at these situations and take a photo with a frowny face in front of the vacant land! ;)


Well this past week we've met some really cool people, we're hoping to meet with some of them within the upcoming week, and hopefully we can start teaching and helping these people learn more about the gospel and progress towards baptism. We've been to a lot of new areas (as per counsel given by our mission president) and have been finding a lot of success with that. We are continuing to try and teach families who can build and uplift each other in their spiritual progression, and are praying for help with that all the time. The work is going forward, and I feel so privileged to be a missionary at this time in my life. Every sacrifice is worth it when it is for the Lord :)


Keep being wonderful examples in the different wards where you serve, and never forget the ability you have to influence others and change their lives for the better. Love you all so much!


Siostra Grgich

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