Family History Lessons

This week we taught a couple of lessons on family history and temples, so you would be proud of me mum! So on Tuesday we visited a less-active member and encouraged her to prepare for the temple and work on her family history, and she was willing and happy so we're hopefully going to help her with that (particularly with creating an account on FamilySearch because it's not really translated fully into Polish). It was really awesome to get to know this member better (I hadn't known her very well before this) and help her with something that I'm now a lot more passionate about. We also did a "musical whiteboard" where I played songs on my guitar and we sang while other missionaries spoke to people to see if they're interested in learning about the gospel. It was really fun and it felt good to share my talents in such a way. It was also one of the elders' last day in the country so it was a bit of a solemn occasion with the music and everything- a lot of emotions of happiness for this beautiful gospel, and sadness for saying goodbye to this amazing missionary. Later that day we also got to meet with two recent convert women in our branch- we spoke about teaching and learning in the church and watched a mormon message- it was really nice to be with them and share and listen to each other's testimonies. 

 

The next day my companion and I got to help out with an American family who are preparing to move back to the States not long from now. We were helping with moving boxes and food etc, and we got fed lunch so it was a pretty awesome day :D Later that day we had planned to teach a potential investigator, but he didn't show up, so instead we were able to do a Book of Mormon reading after our English class, and we ended up having a really good lesson with the people that came to that! We read from 3 Nephi 27 in English and spoke to discuss the verses while reading. I truly felt the Spirit testifying, and afterwards one of the people there mentioned how he felt such a good atmosphere with us and during that reading/discussion. It was so nice to hear that, and reminded me how grateful I am to have the gospel in my life, and to always have the Holy Ghost with me:) 

 

On Thursday we went to Somchit's house (Thai member), discussed the visiting teaching message for this month (about the Christlike attribute of being without guile) and then made some sushi! I wasn't too excited for the sushi haha (but I thought of you two mum and dad), but it was cool to read from the message, because Somchit was able to read it in Thai (we found it for her on her ipad). It was probably the most understanding we've ever had in our lessons, and we were also really happy because she mentioned how she has spiritually grown since the last week we met with her. It's so fulfilling to know that the commitments we extend to people really do help them make changes for good in their lives. 

 

On Friday we were able to have a few good street lessons- at one point 4 young students actually came up to us and so we spoke with them for a while. I don't know how interested they are in learning more about the message, but they happily took pass-along cards and we encouraged them to look at the website for our church. We also got to visit with Kaja at her house- she made us dinner and we helped clean her turtle tank haha so that was fun (my 'best friends' are her turtles- Barbara and Jerzy). We were able to speak about the importance of not procrastinating, but making decisions now (particularly moral ones) so that we are strong for whatever happens in the future. We also got to see Kaja yesterday in the town- she was volunteering for an awareness cause about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising so we went and said hello to her :) She is seriously the best- we love her so much and I'm really gonna miss her when I leave :(. Thank goodness we have phones and the internet and mail, right? :D

 

Well we actually did a lot more this week but I've got to go, so I'll just keep those memories in my journal haha. Love you so much, have a beautiful week :)

 

From Siostra Grgich

Science, Painting and Translating

Sister Herrera and I at the train station

Riding a science bike at the museum

Teaching Somchit (Thai member) basic English

The National Stadium in Warsaw- next to a bridge, and right around the corner from the Copernicus Science Centre/Musuem

Building a dome at the museum (it has an inflatable dome inside it, and you build the blocks around it then deflate it and see if it'll stand)

This week we had exchanges! So our p-day was on Tuesday instead of Monday because of the Easter Long Weekend, so after p-day we took Sister Johnston to the station and sent her off to Łódż, and then Sister Herrera swapped her place. So I got to be with Sister Herrera until Thursday. She's super cool, a convert to the church (she was Catholic and then converted to Judaism before meeting some of our missionaries), speaks a bit of Spanish and is super awesome! We were able to teach a recent convert and find some potential people to teach. We spoke to a lot of people and invited them to church- one man even rang us back and told us he was interested in learning more, so that was exciting! I was a little bit sick still, but we were able to get a lot done and learn from each other, and I was so grateful for Sister Herrera's enthusiasm! She's only in her first transfer, so I'm sure we'll be able to work with each other again in the field.


This week we also had our "culture night/day" for the transfer. Our district decided to go to a science museum here in Warsaw, it's called the "Copernicus Centre" or something like that- it's basically just got a lot of fun sciency stuff to play around with. I was grateful that they had everything in Polish AND English haha because you just have to walk around the different exhibits and set ups and figure out what to do with it all. It was great fun, and the weather that day was incredible- 20 Celcius, just glorious! Later we went to the chapel, had some food and watched a movie about Joseph Smith before heading home.


I wish I had taken some photos of this but oh well... on Saturday we helped out with painting and cleaning in our chapel with other branch members. The walls all have a lot of scuff marks, so we were able to clean a lot and get the Primary room repainted. They'll probably continue to paint different rooms as time goes by- it looks good and it was a lot of fun spending time with the members helping out. And we had Pizza afterwards so I guess that was a bonus too ;)


Yesterday at church I translated into English for the American members in our branch- it was pretty difficult, so luckily I had Kaja (an investigator) help me with it. For one of the talks she basically did all of the translating herself hahah poor thing. I did however translate in Relief Society by myself, and I think I did an ok job if I do say so myself ;) I'm slowly getting more comfortable with understanding Polish- it's an interesting language so you have to constantly be willing to study and improve! After church we went to the city centre to talk to people about the gospel, and we ended speaking to a man from Barcelona. That was pretty cool, although I didn't attempt to speak much Spanish because that language is pushed WAY back in some dusty corner of my brain now :p He said he's come to church in a couple of weeks, so we're hoping to see him there soon! We were also able to invite many others to come to church and see what it's like for themselves- hopefully they'll come :)


Well this morning was a little bit crazy with the weather, but the sun's already coming out, so I'm not sure what we'll do but hopefully we'll spend some time with Elder Hardy before he goes home (this is his last p-day before going home) and I'm gonna try to send off some letters too. I Hope you have a wonderful week, love Sister Grgich <3

The Living Prophet is More Important To Us Than a Dead Prophet"

Hi Family! I'm a little sick today and my brain's not entirely working, so I'll just keep this short! So this past week my companion and I got to teach a lesson for YW in our branch, we taught about General Conference, how we can prepare and then we played a little game with learning more about the First Presidency and Quorum of the 12 Apostles of the church. We spoke about how in this world full of voices and information, it can be hard to know what we should do or who we should listen to. Thankfully we have not only the scriptures (writings of prophets of old) but we also have living apostles and prophets and they can guide us by speaking with authority from our loving Heavenly Father. Their words are more relevant now than anything else (there's a quote in the Liahona this month from Ezra Taft Benson) :

“The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet. …
“… God’s revelations to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. Therefore, the most important prophet, so far as you and I are concerned, is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore, the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet … contained each month in our Church magazines. Our marching orders for each six months are found in the general conference addresses, which are printed in the Ensign magazine. … Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.”

I like that quote. So this weekend we did indeed get to watch General Conference! We actually still need to find some time to watch the Sunday afternoon session, but everything else we've seen so far. I'll encourage you to do the same thing we encouraged our investigators and members- go to Conference with one or a few questions you need the Lord to answer. Then bring something to write on and listen for the answers :) It was a great experience for me to feel the Lord's love through these inspired leaders and their talks. When we come to the Lord ready and willing to receive answers, we will not go back empty-handed.

I'm grateful for the time we had this weekend to remember Jesus Christ's Atonement and resurrection. It's been nice speaking to people this past week about life after death and why Jesus Christ matters to everyone. We generally talk about that anyway, but perhaps this week, people were more willing to take time and reflect on what this season is about. It's so good to have and know my purpose in life. I'm so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how I can feel at peace knowing that we are all children of God and members of His family. I'm so grateful the church has been restored with all the principles, ordinances and authority from Christ himself.

Yesterday we were contacting people on the street when a young family came up to us. They're here visiting from England, although they're French natively. They're members from our church and so we started talking. It was so nice having those automatic friends :) It sounds funny but it's true! No matter where you are in the world, when you find someone that's a member you just feel right at home in their presence! I think it's because we know that we are all family, we're not afraid of anything, we're not skeptical of each other- we just want to help each other. We know that we're all trying to be more like our Saviour and we have so many reasons to be happy :)

Ok I'll finish now and I'll wish you an amazing week full of great experiences and lots of smiles!

Love you so much,
Siostra Grgich

Eating Caterpillars

Sister Johnston and I at Park Łazienki last p-day (it's a massive, fancy park in Warsaw)

Me on the tram on the way to Zone Conference

Me with Sister Bąk at the chapel

4 of the 6 Commonwealth missionaries! (2 from Canada and 2 from Australia) There's another 2 missionaries from the UK but they weren't in this photo

Sister Johnston and I at Dennis' house

Us with Dennis and his friends

A plate of caterpillars!

This week we had a few exciting things going on! Monday after emailing we went to a famous park in Warsaw called the Łazienki Park. We saw a lot of interesting animals like peacocks, squirrels, ducks and humans ;) It was really nice walking around and talking with the other missionaries. The sun was also shining and it was just a nice relaxing time.

On Thursday, my companion and I went to the government office to get some legal work done with my residence permit- we had to wait a really long time :/ But now everything's all done and dusted so in a few weeks I should get my new card and not have to worry about any legal work for the rest of my stay here. It was pretty cool while we were waiting, we were doing some of our morning studies, and at one stage we were reading aloud to each other from the Missionary Handbook (in English) and a lady next to us started speaking to us and saying how she wants to learn English. We ended up speaking for a while, she's actually from the Ukraine, lived in Germany for a while, and is now nannying here in Poland. So we were swapping from speaking Polish, English and then settled for a while on German (it was her more comfortable of the 3 languages) it was so fun! Haha we invited her to come to our Enlgish class and we're hoping that we'll get to see her again soon. I always love having someone to speak German with :D And I guess I have a soft spot in my heart for Ukrainians after living with one for a year :) Then later that day, we were contacting people on the street, inviting them to learn about the church, and who did I find?- A German girl! Hehe, we started talking in Polish and she cuts us off and says "I don't speak Polish" and we said "Oh where are you from?" and she says "Germany" and I just about freak out ;) We spoke for a bit in German but swapped back to English so my companion could understand, but then she said she was in a rush to go anyway, so we gave her a pass-along card and we hope she'll look at the website and give us a call.

Oh, also, on Tuesday we finally got our washing machine fixed. It had been broken for 4 weeks and we'd been having to go to a laundromat (it was getting expensive :/), but finally someone came and fixed a broken part, and now we have a fully-functional washing machine :) I'll never take one of those for granted again! I also shared a Tim-Tam with the handyman and showed him my kangaroo fur scripture case, so that was fun haha.

On Wednesday we had a Zone Conference for missionaries at the Warsaw 1 meetinghouse. It was nice to see a lot of the missionaries and catch up. We also had good food and a lot of inspired words, aimed at helping us be better missionaries and people in general. I particularly enjoyed learning about how we all must strive to be perfect, but we shouldn't expect that that's going to happen in this life. We spoke about the blessings of obedience and we all committed ourselves to being better at specific things in regards to the missionary work. My companion and I are both working hard and we see the blessings every day from our efforts. I love being a part of this work :)

On Friday we were invited to go to an African member's house for dinner and a lesson. His name is Dennis and he's on of the most enthusiastic and happy people I've ever met! He made us fufu (not sure if that's how to spell it) and he had 2 other Christian friends there. He fried up some caterpillars and I mustered up the courage to eat just one haha. He also told us that he had crocodile and monkey meat, but he was just kidding! We all believed him though for a while hahah. It was nice to spend time with him and his friends, we all spoke about how beautiful it is to have the knowledge that we are all brothers and sisters- one big family and we need to look out for each other. I love multiculturalism- there's so much we can learn from one another :)

On Saturday we had a YSA girl Róża help us make calls to former investigators, and we were able to set up a meeting with someone for tomorrow. We've been doing a lot of work with trying to find former investigators and less-active members to see if there is anything we can do as missionaries to help them progress in the gospel. So far, we've had good contact with a lot of people, some of whom are interested in learning further, so we're excited to teach them and help them. Even though we don't always know what will come out of our efforts, we know that we have to give people the opportunity to accept what we teach, and then it's really up to them to accept the blessings that God is waiting and willing to pour out on them.

Love you so much, have a wonderful week!

Siostra Grgich

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

Sisters Conference

Me with one of Kaja's turtles (either Jerzy (George) or Barbara)

Me with the Book of Mormon in Croatian!

This week I made 2 friends- Jerzy and Barbara. They're pet turtles of our real, human friend Kaja hehehe. I held them and got photos with them so hopefully I can upload them to you later today! Anyway, being real now! This week we had the amazing opportunity to go to a "Sisters Conference" held at the mission home in Warsaw for all the sisters currently serving on the mission (minus the senior missionaries). The Sister Training Leaders organised different parts of the program (held over an evening and morning), all focused on trying to unify the sisters in purpose and helping us be uplifted and encouraged. I taught a section on obedience and my companion and I sung a song from the Children's Songbook (Keep The Commandments). It went really well, and I enjoyed the other things we spoke and learnt about (dealing with discouragement, avoiding jealousy and other bad feelings, understanding the role of sisters and women in general). It was so nice to see all the different sisters that are currently serving all over the country, and it was nice to see our Mission President and his wife, who were both so kind and accommodating to us.

I guess this week was women's week or something, because we also had a Relief Society activity! It was for the 163rd (I think) anniversary of the establishment of the Relief Society program, and my companion and I along with 3 sisters serving in the Warsaw 1 branch performed a song for it (I played guitar and we all sung different parts, 1 verse in English and 2 in Polish). It was really beautiful and just so pleasant being there with all the other sister members (and investigators) from both Warsaw branches. We had food afterwards (Sister Johnston and I made cookies for it!) and made little sock bunnies (I'll have to show you a picture some time) and just got to chat and mingle, so I really appreciated the time to get to know more of the women a little better. I think I say it a lot, but one of the things I love about the church, is the actual organisation of it! I love how we're all able to come together and strengthen each other, look out for each other, and simply be with each other. There's a scripture in Moroni about this: (Moroni 6:4-5)

 4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the HolyGhost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might beremembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchfulunto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.
 5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare oftheir souls.

I'm so glad to hear from you and others that tell me about how much they care about the different people in the wards where they serve. We're all in this together, and we all have to help nourish each other by the good word of God! I'm so happy to hear about everyone's missionary efforts, and I love that those Sisters and Tracey came to see Baba! I know that we as members of the church, need to always live as Christ did. We must remember to serve those around us, and help them grow in their faith so that they too can help others around them. I'm certainly working on exerting more of my efforts to look out for others, and I'm grateful for your examples to me :)
Yesterday at church, my companion and I had the privilege of teaching the Gospel Principles class. We were a little under-prepared (we didn't know we were teaching it!) but it went well and even got to meet one lady who hadn't been to church in 5 years, and another man who's from Africa that just decided to find a Christian church to go to, and ended up in our building! Pretty incredible miracles if you ask me! We also had and investigator and recent convert in the class, and I was just so filled with the Spirit, looking around the room and thinking about the beauty of these people and their different levels and understandings of faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel- all united in their desire to really learn and grow. I am so blessed every day as I'm able to meet different people and learn from my experiences with them. Life is a beautiful thing :)

Today I think we're going to be playing some volleyball (the sun is shining yet again!!) and then after p-day we'll meet some of the single members in the branch FHE and hopefully find some people to teach on the streets or in their homes. We're hoping everything goes well and that we can invite some more people to learn about the restored gospel :D.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, I love you so much!
Love Siostra Grgich

Warmth in Poland

The weather is getting warmer now and the sun is making itself known again to this beautiful part of the world! This past week was another busy and rewarding one, filled with some familiar and some not so common experiences. We've been able to speak with a few different people on the streets- some more interested than others, but nevertheless, my companion and I were able to teach, testify and invite people to follow Christ and we felt so fulfilled in doing so. 

One experience we had a couple of days ago, was in talking to a man who actually had met with the missionaries before and had a Book of Mormon. He was really kind (actually, most of the people we spoke to this week were kind) and had some questions about our beliefs which we were glad to answer, but unfortunately his skepticism stood in the way of wanting to learn more from us or read and pray about the Book of Mormon. He actually knew a fair amount about some of our practices, such as the Word of Wisdom and how we perform baptisms for the dead, but these were precisely the things he found too "weird" to accept. I felt sad that he didn't want to learn more, because I know that these commandments, principles and ordinances, which are sometimes "weird" to the natural man, can become clear and not only normal, but they can be seen as they really are- essential and beautiful parts in our Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness for His children. One question this man asked, was why do some Mormons not live according to our standards (he made an example of a famous Mormon singer). My companion and I explained that none of us are perfect, for if we were there would be no point for us being on the earth. Jesus Christ makes repentance possible (and all the things that accompany it such as healing, comfort and strength) through his Atonement, and of course even members of the church will make mistakes, but we repent and become better- that's what life's all about!

Another man we spoke to took me a little off guard. Normally in Poland, we speak to a lot of Catholics, or at least people who have a general belief in God or who once did believe. Yesterday we spoke to a man from Turkey, who had a fairly different idea of who God is to what we know to be true. We mentioned how God is our Father, and asked him what his beliefs in God were. He said that he was Muslim, but wasn't really practicing, but then he made a point that God is all around and in everything and he has many names and we can't call him 'father'. I suppose the first point is true, that God is aware of everyone and everything, but the second point just really took me aback. I felt sad that this man didn't look at God as being his father, and I really thought about how essential it is for people to have faith in this eternal truth, in order to understand the gospel and the role of Jesus Christ and everything that goes along with it. We were at least able to give this man a pass along card, and he promised he would look at the website (mormon.org) and we hope that some of the truths he reads will resonate in his heart and encourage him to learn more. He was friendly anyway so that was good, and I'm so glad that for the most part, all the different religions of the world generally teach about love and the importance of being kind to fellow man- for that I'm truly grateful!

This week we also had a great opportunity to teach some members- one of them is from Thailand and hardly speaks any English or Polish, but I truly heard the language of the Spirit- and I know that this woman's testimony was strong and real. We read a scripture with her from the Book of Mormon (it was actually about how the Spirit speaks for man's understanding) and as she read it in Thai I just felt so warm- I guess that's how I can explain it! I could see the smile on her face and I felt the strength of her words, bearing testimony of how she knows this gospel is true. What a great experience it is to be a missionary! I have also been blessed to teach others and have similar experiences of knowing that the Holy Ghost is there to testify and comfort. It's an incredible gift that members of the church have been endowed with- to always have the Spirit with us. How grateful I am for that!

Love you so much, remember that we always have the Spirit with us as we are living worthy of His presence- and take time to listen! :)

Siostra Grgich