Week 1 E-Mail!

The girls!

Ali and Roro. :)

Last hugs!

:)

THERE SHE GOES!

Ali and the boys.

Ali, Dad, and Mom!

The Whole FAMILY!

chesc!

I love you all so much:) I hope everyone is doing well, and I am super excited that I have Friday P-Day... because then I got a little break only two days after I got here.

I will tell you a little bit about what has happened since I got here,

I wrote you a letter and I think ilt should be getting to you soon so you may have double Ali today! yay!

After I was dropped off, my sweet sister took me to my room , in residence hall 3m. and then I went directly through this assembly line of packets and information and other things. I walked into the room and a lady asked me my name and pulled out an envelope. She took out my name tag and pinned it on my shirt, and I was overcome with this amazing feeling. I have a name tag! I am a certified teacher of the most beautiful message ever to be spoken on this Earth. I felt the spirit so strongly.

I started walking towards my room, and I had a million people say... "Welcome to the MTC!" and it was so wonderful, the kindness and camaraderie that exists here. I love it! I also started getting this alot... someone would say Welcome! and then they would look at my name tag and get this look like... oh my! I started to realize that Polish is considered a pretty tricky little language;) I was taken up to my classroom and the cutest girl ever, Siostra McAdams welcomed me and invited me in... in polish!

It is a pretty tricky language.

I just sat there trying my hardest to understand Polish and it was very confusing. But pretty, which is surprising... so yes. I will speak a pretty Polish language.

I was looking around trying to find Siostra Petherbridge, who was to be my companion. And then she came in! The sweetest girl ever!!!! She is tall with gorgeous curly red hair and she is so fun:) Lucky me! i knew immediately we would get along and even though I struggled a bit at first with remembering that I am on someone else's time, I have really enjoyed having a friend literally attached at the hip. It's nice.

We went to a big meeting with the other newbies... we get these little dots on our tags that say we're new, aka dork dots:) And we sang called to serve. It was really cool to be a part of that.

I started with a feeling of excitement. Everything was new and everyone was new and I was loving it. We had a little class where they role played, quite impressively, a few investigators and there were twenty of us in this room and we were to teach them what they needed to hear. I quickly realized that I may have studied and tried to learn a lot about the gospel, but I really know nothing about teaching! i also learned a lot about how important it is to plan every lesson, and that line upon line precept upon precept is really the only concept that works. One brother we were teaching was from japan and knew nothing about the gospel, or really Christ, and someone started telling him the entire first discussion.... and it became clear to me that if that man had been a real investigator, he would probably have freaked out. hahaha. All I know is that i will need a lot of help from revelation and the spirit to tell my companion and I what to say, and to help them feel it.

We learned that the way to true conversion, and to change their interest in the idea of the gospel is to get them to act. To pray, to read and to do. So True! We also learned that the way that each of us learned the gospel was true is the same way everyone else learns. wonderful!

I went into my room and opened my backpack... and out fell two baby reeses and a note from my little Korean angel, Cara! She had snuck into my room that day and she came by later to see how I was doing. It was so calming and I am glad she is my Best friend, I can claim her. She started speaking to me in Korean and reading a little scripture, and she is doing so well. I'm so proud! Love that girl!

Day 2: i woke up and ran to breakfast, we met our zone, some amazing elders and sisters. They are truly the sweetest and kindest people ever! The sisters especially have been so nice and so giving and so understanding. I will be like them as new Sisters and Elders join us. In our district we have 5 Starzi and 6 Siostri(elders and sisters). One of them, Sister Ott, knew Cragun. Of course:) They really are so kind. i don't know why I'm so lucky and so blessed. We all seem to get along well. We went to lunch and had gym time, our zone played Kickball. It was a party! I had a ton of fun. also... glad I played softball so I know rules. yay!

We went to class after that, and we met our other teacher. He is from Germany, he spoke to us a little bit in English. And we started learning. i learned how to start conversations, how to say who I am and where I am from, and how to pray. IN 1 DAY! wow!  The Gift of Tongues really does exist. i never really understood it, but it does exist. i have watched my zone speak croatian and slovakian. I have seen Cara speaking Korean, and I have already learned so much Polish. I know that is not just something we all can do, it is from the power of God. And it is real.

So my brain felt like exploding after 5 hours of language study, but i really enjoyed it. and i can't wait to speak it all the time!!! yay Polish!

We met our branch president, president Jones. he is so kind and thoughtful, he even printed out this page from the Neilson Poland Mission Blog. It was so kind. Elder Fotu is our District Leader, and he is super nice.

Today we went to the temple, it was such a beautiful morning, and nice respite from the craziness of the day. Our every minute is planned, which leaves little room for panic attacks:) But really, I have been so blessed, in times of nervousness I have been comforted. I have been touched with the love of Poland, and the happiness that after the MTC, i won't be done but just starting! I love it. I am so happy. this is where I need to be. it is wonderful to feel the overpowering spirit that is here. I Love my Savior. Go on a mission! it's amazing!

Okay... love you all. enjoy each minute, and know that I am so happy!

Love, Siostra Hemming!