Miloscz Blizniego...aka Charity or at least close to it!!

August 26th, 2013

Hello Family Hello! :)

I can't believe school already started. The kids start next week here in Poland, and the colleges don't start until October... wierd.. I think I'll feel a little gyped at some point when I remember that in Poland they have three months of vacation!

Their good friend Ola!

Oscar Schindler's Factory!!  Very humbling!!!

since the lights were out for a week..oops! they decided to have a camp-out

the camp-out

Ali at Schindler's Factory

Ali with Sister Allen and Young and Ola!

You all look so adorable... I want to see my little Harmie going to school! where is his pic:) Talia... you are the cutest little thing ever! Livi, you look beautiful and so grown up! Harmie... Hair is looking good. Heathie Cat... You look so old! STop Growing! :) and braces... nice! Rorskie... like the shirt...and you... :)

Well, what a week! First off, Transfers aren't this week, but the next one. We had a ten week transfer this time because we trainees came in early... and normally they are nine weeks. I can't belive we already are at one transfer! crazy! I don't like to think about it. As far as I'm concerned, I'll be in Poland forever!  But Time moves so quickly, and not at the same time... hard to explain but I love it!

So this week we had Zone Conference. Prezydent Edgren is so great! He and his wife are definitely called to be in Poland at this time for a reason. They are great people, and he always talks about how we have a vision for Poland. This transfer we've talked alot about how hard work and obedience are key, but how in Poland we missionaries are really good at that... what we, as a mission, struggle with seems to be faith. So he's really been focusing on that, and it's amazing! We see so many miracles daily, I don't doubt that this change in attitude will make a huge difference for the work in Poland!

I learned alot this week about humilty... I pretty much hate that I have to learn this lesson over and over again, but I do hope that I can get better each time I learn it. I think that Faith is the great check, if you don't have a lot of faith, you need to re-evaluate your life and find out what is keeping you from that. What an amazing experience a mission is. We really have a great mission here in Poland! As we were on the train going to Zone Conference, we were in a cabin singin with the elders, and I was watching the scenery. We don't really have a lot of time to appreciate things like that, as we always try to find someone to talk to, but I was watching that day, and I am stunned by how beautiful Poland is! It is so green, with rolling hills and forests like in the story books. The homes are old and quaint and the streets are cobble stoned and have old signs and oh it's so great! What a beautiful place! And what great people... just wait...

This week we started out pretty weak... we were working hard, but were having a lot of people flake. I was studying for my talk on charity, so I was trying to focus on how to make my mission seen through the eyes of charity... I realized I need to be a lot more humble and loving and act out of love, not duty .I feel like Poland is filled with charity! We struggled at first... but then we saw miracle after miracle. First off, one of the women who the sisters were teaching before I came but who had lost contact was sitting outside the chapel in a random spot on Tuesday, and sister young wanted to go out there, and she was there and so excited and gave us her new number and set up for this week! She is great! Her name is Ana and we love her:) She's a professional roller blader... literally... she's trying out for the olympics! cool! Then we met this girl and boy who are dating. Paulina and Michał. They are a miracle as well! They were so willing to listen to the message, and had a lot of cool stories. They have both had really hard lives, especially Michał, but they have found each other and are trying to better themselves. I love how the gospel comes to just the right people at just the right times. Michał came to church with us and seemed to really enjoy it so that was amazing!  We have gotten 15 lessons or more the past two weeks, and we only had 10 by Sunday... so we taught four on the street, and needed one more. We prayed ( because we only had ten minutes) and we got three lessons in ten minutes! All of us separated and got one lesson. Amazing how the Lord works and puts people right in the perfect path! Amazing!

pretty much we have the greatest branch ever. our members are so willing to do everything, it's great! We are getting two new families who are moving from other places to Kraków. I can't even tell you how much of a blessing that is! I hope I get to stay here, but we will see.

I learned this week that everyone has to walk by faith. Even Prezydent Monson. We all must do it, and that is why we are here. People always ask me... i need proof that God exists. And I usually talk about nature and families and other things and then say... what more can you ask for? I have learned that it's not easy to walk by faith, because it's not supposed to be easy. We read Ps. 23 as a zone during zone conference. David is talking about how the Lord lets him walk in green pastures and lie down. ( Prezydent Edgren said.... what? I don't feel like missionary work is lying down in green pastures) and he is referring the the Lord in third person... then as it goes on, he says " though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil" and in this part, he switches to addressing the Lord in second person. Prezydent told us that to him that means that it is only through trials that we can come to intimately know our Father in heaven. How true is that? How blessed I am to have this opportunity to know my Father in heaven better!

Well, that's about it for the week... I have a lot of pics so I'll talk more about those! Stay tuned for next time to find out where I'll be for the next transfer;)

Random...

Heath: Way to go! Don't think that just because those boys are older that you can't play with them, you are talented, just remember wherein your power lies.

Dad: I want you to know I'm making a journal of seeing that bigger picture and praying daily:) thank you.also... you should figur out who Kościuszko and Pułaski are( something to do with the Rev. War)

A guy in our mieszkanie(building) has a dog like Zeus... he's like a twenty five year old biker... it always makes me laugh to see him walking the dog.

We're extending a baptism commitment to Magda today... and working for the Standard... so pray for us! I pray for you all daily! I love you so much:) Enjoy school and be good;)

The church is so true! Because it's not just another church, it is the true church of God.

Love you!

Siostra Hemming

HOORAY! Rori has an Irish boy name!

The little chapel in Krakow

Siostra Hemming, Young and Allen with security guard

delicious berries

Siostra Hemming and Young

Siostra Hemming and Allen

Library where all the missionaries email their families in Krakow

Hello Hello!!!

Family... you are the best! This was a great week filled with miracles. I see Heavenly Father lead me and bless me in so many ways, I just want to be closer to Him. I feel this power and realize that there is so much more that as I work hard and strive to be obedient and faithful, I can feel and reach that! Oh the gospel is so amazing!

First off, way to go mom! You little missionary you:) I love that, some people need to realize the letter of the law spirit of the law thing... I feel like that is still a serious problem in most religions. Good thing that we know that people aren't perfect, but this church is! Love it! And there are always people like you to show that we love and serve and are respectful of all people and all beliefs. whoo! Ror, good luck with your test... just remember that when they ask you to drive into oncoming traffic it's a test, so don't do it:) just kidding! heathie Cat, good luck, I'll pray for you! Remember who gave you your talents and use them to lead others to a good place! Cutest little family ever... harmie, I'm glad that you think marriage is a good thing. I concur.

My family is so uplifting! Yesterday in church I sat by a sweet little girl who's family is living here while her dad is going to school ( the Onkins) and her name is Felicity, I love that name! anyways, we were drawing pictures and I remember mom, you used to draw pictures with me, and I always thought you could draw the best little cartoon people. So there's a trip down memory lane for you;)

It was great! We taught a lot of lessons this week, and decided to strive for even more next week. We have a little graph of days when contacting is best and we try and analyze what we can do to be more effective, it's amazing how many super cool people I can meet! First of all, I am so grateful for the example of pioneers. We have this cool thing in our mission called the "consecrated missionary" It basically means that literally everything in your life becomes consecrated to the Lord. It is the kind of missionary I want to be. When Heber C. Kimball left his family, I know it was hard, but he had reached a point where he realized that all he had was from the Lord anyways. I want to lead a consecrated life. I have a ways to go;)

Had some great miracles! This week was the holiday in Poland that they celebrate when they believe Mary ascended into heaven. It's very intriguing. But basically it's as important as Easter... they have nothing open and no one is really in town, they are just in the churches, so we were unsure of what to do, but after a series of the falling through of our 4 back up plans, we decided to follow the Spirit and go out to one of our investigators houses. We didn't even make it down the block before having taught two lessons and picking up three new investigators. We also had an AMAZING lesson that morning with a super cool rock climber guy named marcin. Pretty sure if I ever pictured a Polish king... it would look like him.

We fasted this week that Magda would have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I am confident that if it is the Lord's time, she will have received her answer and be ready to start this part of her life. The part with the true and restored gospel! She gave a Book of Mormon to her dad this weekend... pray for her!

P.s.... the Book of Mormon is amazing. I can't believe the strength and guidance it gives me each day. Those stories are real. it literally is a feast. Oh how I love it!

We taught amazing people, and I learned a lot about how I need to be better and continue to work so that I may be more worthy of His love.

I think Yesterday was the best though... we decided to go find a previous investigator. We went to the street they live on, and there was a man sitting on the bench. We have a lot of contacting techniques, and I've been trying to memorize Polish scriptures, and the moment I saw him I felt prompted to use Alma 32:21, so I did, and he was instantly interested in our message. We taught him a first lesson and it was amazing, and then we prayed with him. We asked him if he knew any one who needed a blessing and he said that actually he was just in that moment writing a list ( letter) to his daughter. She's fifteen and I don't' know what happened, but he said that he was sitting and he was thinking of what he could do to help her, and suddenly these (angels... aniołóki) he called us... came up and started talking with him. We prayed for her and for their relationship, and closed in the name of Jesus Christ. He then looked really astonished and said that he has read the bible and knows it well and has always felt that we need to close prayers in the name of Jesus Christ. Then he said that he is searching for the true church. ( which he didn't tell us before... we thought he was agnostic) I was able to tell him that as  representative of Christ we were there to help he and his family in that time of need. i can't believe how amazing it is to be a missionary! Oh how lucky I am!

Okay... well I love you all so much... I know that Christ is our Savior.I know that He watches out for us as missionaries and members and children of God. How blessed I am to know what I know. To believe what I believe. To have such amazing ancestors who's example pushes me along daily. I know that what I tell people is true. That is blesses lives. I really do rejoice in my God!

Now for the funny random stuff...

Rori... I met an Irish man who said that your name is definitely a guys name in Irish and Rori is Celtic for Roderick, so that's cool;)

I blew the fuse in our house this morning... the first time I tried to use a blowdryer since having been in Poland... we will be in darkness for a couple of days... good thing it's summer and not winter!

I got the Jensens letter, tell Sister Jensen thank you and how much I love her! She and Bishop are amazing!

I'm sorry I don't always have time to tell everyone thank you, Aunt Denice and Uncle Mike e-mail me weekly, and that is the kindest thing! I always read them, and they uplift me!

Mom, We were studying patience and I told my companions that you're probably one of the only people I know who personifies that trait! Thank you for that, what a great example you are.

Also.. I'm shopping for some Polish stuff today... if you could put some money in my account... that would be awesome!

i love being a missionary!

Love, Siostra Hemming

Didn't get to take the tour of Schindler's Factory because it was closed! So... another time:) Still was very humbling to go there though

1. a monument in the Jewish Ghetto in Kraków

2. the people Oscar Schindler saved
3. very cool monument to auschwitz

Old Railroad

Some of Schindler's List.

Cool monument to Auschwitz

Ali

July 22, 2013

HERE IS THE LAST LATE ONE!!!!!!!! 

mom! love from Krakow:) really quick... I love that you're putting my stuff on the blog... appartenly people from Poland are reading it... wierd and great! If you wanted you could put only the mission address on there though..:) Oh how I love you! I eat:) don't worry and we work out each morning so all is well! I don't need anything right now, I think I'll make it to Christmas:) thank you for faithfully writing me with uplifting stories, you are a powerful woman! Thank you for your example. Also, I love children so much!!!!! how I miss them here where there are so few, but maybe it is for the best, I will appreciate them so much the more! Primary President is the best! Now dad will look like grandpa... which is fine because I dont know two better looking guys! I guess it was inevitable... just don't shave your head mom!

Thank you for your prayers... we are struggling right now to keep our investigators, and we have prayed and prayed but they struggle, It's okay though, if we give all our might and faith each day, we will be blessed and I know we made a difference. I just got an e-mail back from our lovely Ola, she is the one that we had to drop, which was sad, she said that she loves us and wanted us to know that she felt something draw her to us, and that she now believes that God is our Father, and that He loves her. we love her so, but she wasn't progressing... and it was so good to know at least we got her one step closer, but she needs these ordinances so! They are the ONLY way to be sealed to God, and we need Him, that is what I want to impress on their minds, that this isn't just for fun, but for eternity! It's so important. Oh how I love Poland!

The language is coming slowly but surely, I understand more each day, and Sister Allen is going on exchanges today so it's just us two goldens(grandma:) and we will pray for the darem jenzykow!

So I learned this week alot more about how this is a work of love. I pray every day that I may have charity, and I know it increases with time and faith. I love meeting all of God's children and discovering a spark in them of truth! I think this is definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I am so grateful to be here! I meet so many interesting people everyday, some moreso than others:) The people here are really kind, if you understand them. They come from harsh backgrounds and interesting lives, but they are strong and sturdy, and if you show that strenght and sturdiness as well, they respect you. I know that these people need the gospel. They dont' understand that you can pray to God, that He wants your prayers, and that He can and will always hear and answer. They don't know that this life is such a tiny speck and that there is so much greater in the future... only through the right athority can we be there though! I Love the Book of Mormon! It is amazing and has taken on a whole new meaning to me! My Savior is loving and kind, and I love that we focus on His life, His sacrifice and most importantly His resurrection and current hand in our lives than the gruesomenss of His death. He loves us now and has a part in each of us! I love the gospel:)

I had a great week... so many people smoke here... but we taught a lesson to one of our lovelies named Magda... she already follows the word of wisdom! what? amazing! I met a man who has one of those throat holes... he was still smoking and had to cover it and gargle out each word through a toothless mouth and it made me so sad. I told him that he is a son of God, and that the Book of Mormon can teach him about that. I could see how grateful he was for kindness, and suddenly he grabs my hand and kisses it! whoah:) actually that's nothing new... but he was so kind and I know that God loves him. I love my companions and I live in such a pretty city! I can't wait for you all to see it someday.

I'm glad all is well at home... poor Harmie... yucky birthday! but it's one of the best birthdays... so I hope you aren't scarred:) I love all of your funny comments, we get pretty funny here but mostly it's just a plethora of awkwardness, which is great!

President and Sister Edgren are so kind and loving, they are wonderful and it was good to meet with them and discuss our visions for the church in Poland. I know it can grow, but it will take time! I will do my best to assist in that! They are adjusting well and are absolutely hillarious! Their daughter died twelve years ago at the age of seventeen. Sister Edgren still cries when she talks about it, but she is stronger because of it, and has a great testimony of the power of prayer and the power of God. A force to behold, that is for sure. I KNOW that those people are blessed with power and strength and so much care. I learned this week that everyone has to have trials, and that the best of us have probably had the worst. "If for a while the harder you try the harder it gets, take heart, for so it has been with the best people who ever lived"~Elder Holland. They are wonderful people:)

Sorry I can't send pictures this week, our library is closed for holiday... as is everything! hahahaha but I hope for better next week:) So excited for Dallin and Morgan and Mikayla! Tell Uncle Mike thanks so much for keeping me updated on the Nelsons... it is such a blessing! I love you all!!! Be well and do good and enjoy your week:)

Sister Hemming

July 29, 2013

SORRY IT'S LATE!!!!!!!!!!!! I COULDN'T FIND WHERE WE PUT HER LAST TWO EMAILS! HERE THEY ARE!!!!!!

Harmie Cat has the preisthood!!! yes:) the best thing ever! Harm.. you should read the talk " The power of the preisthood in the boy". I read it just a couple of days ago and thought of you. It's been on fire here in Krakow for the past coulple of days.. no one told me that I should bring like seven fans and cold packs here in Poland. I feel good though because even the people say it's abnormally hot... so I am writing this down in my journal that I remember it in winter!

I'm glad everyone is doing well, I can't really believe that you are already starting football! what? I'm super excited to see all of the cool pictures of my heathie scoring some touchdowns... Dont' you let him think for one minute that he can't be just as good as everyone else! He is full of potential, and this will be a perfect way for him to reach it! Also... Harmie, I can't wait to see you in basketball. I'm glad that you spoke up for what you wanted and will focus on basketball! Love it! My little Livi, I'm excited for your soccer pictures, and I'm so glad to hear that you are enjoying being the best big sister ever! Rors, I like your blonde hair, everyone thinks your older than me in our pictures,,,,, so that's great:) I think you're gorgeous inside and out and I think the blonde is nice! Dad... way to go! you finally did it:) I think it actually looks good. Mom, gorgeous as always, everyone here says"your mom is beautiful" and I'm like... I know! lucky me, two handsome parents and a plethora of good looking siblings! I love my family so much:)

Okay, so this week was a rollercoaster of events! On Monday sister Allen left us for exchanges... so that means we two trainees were just chuggin along on our lonesome. We were definitely blessed and had a good time, the gift of tongues is so real. We were able to get along just fine, amidst our not excellent Polish. People are so kind and understanding, it's great!

We have been contacting alot lately... like all day:) which is great, I can't believe how many people I meet on a daily basis, it's amazing! I would never have the opportunity to meet people like these in a nother setting! And I have the most amazing thing to tell them. We taught Justyna again this week, she is great and we love her. She told us that she really has had a hard life and struggles to believe in God because all through her life she hasn't felt His help. It was amazing for me to be able to testify to her that He definitely does listen to her, that every prayer she said He heard. I felt His love for her so strongly in that moment and I was so grateful! Keep praying for her, she's amazing and just needs to build her faith.

I learned such amazing lessons this week. I can't believe how much I've already learned and been blessed with. This really is the "training center" for life and the eternities. Heavenly Father is very much aware of us every day, this I know. I studied alot about The Atonement this week, and can't believe how beautiful it is. I really only understand a fraction of it, if anything, but I know that the Savior is real. That He lives and that He really did suffer the most anyone can suffer for us. Oh I stand all amazed. All my life I've kind of assumed that everyone gets down and everyone has doubts and it's just part of life. That I just need to accept that it's life. But this week I learned it's not. As I read about the Atonement and I read the talk from President Holland " And none were with Him". I began to have a change of heart. I read the scripture when Peter sees the Savior and he goes out on the water, I can just picture it... Peter is so excited to do something for the Lord, to prove his faith! He gets out and then he looks down. He sees the waves and he doubts. He begins sinking. He cries for help. It says that immediately the Lord reaches out and pulls him up. He then says " Oh ye of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt". the Lord also says... ' be not afraid, only believe". I realized that this is a commandment. And that the Lord doesn't give us commandments we can't keep(nephi). So I decided to lead by faith! When doubtfull thoughts come, don't invite them in and ask them to stay a while. Shut them out with a thought of faith and hope! The best think ever.

I would also like to say that I am so grateful for pioneer ancestors. In a way, I think the saints here in Krakow are like the Kirtland saints. Those who have stuck it out are amazing! they are stalwart and immovable. And I know the church will grow in Poland because of their examples! I found a picture I hid in my bag a long time ago. It is the picture of Elizabeth and James Steele. I have such a wonderful example. How grateful I am to them and all of my ancestors( including my grandparents:) and their bold strenght in the gospel! I now have that picture hung up on my wall.

I love being a missionary! This week we taught this amazing family... Igor and Jadwiga. They were possibly the coolest people I have ever met! They started off by stating they are very Catholic, and as the Spirit guided us what to say and we decided to teach the Plan of Salvation. They said it was a beautiful plan, filled with hope and light and fairness, and that it made sense. I cannot believe how much perfect sense the plan makes! It's from God. That's all. I love it! They were asking us about how to live that plan, which is an excellent lead into the next lesson. They are on vacation( like everyone else in Poland) so we won't teach them for a month, so pray they won't forget!

I can't believe how much I love Poland! I'm so lucky and have beautiful experiences daily. Also... some funny ones. Like when Sister young accidentally started to pray to a manon the street instead of contacting... awkward:) I continually call men Lady and women Sirs... and I love to embaress myself with poor Polish. Oh humility:) But I have seen how much my langauge improves as I talk with people and have faith in the Lord!

I pray for you every day! I love you so!

Till next week Siostra Hemming

Dzie艅 Dobry my Darling Family! I can hardly believe another week is already here:) But I love this opportunity to mail you all! So glad you all enjoyed your lovely week at the family reunion... I guess summer's coming to an end. Wierd. I'm glad that both reunions were a hit! I can't believe what a great family I have. I love to look at them and see in them what I can use in my life. They are all such great examples to me!

So this week was a miracle week! We had been really struggling to find investigators for a while, and many of our simply weren't answering. We worked our hardest, contacting almost all day for a couple of weeks. We weren't really seeing the fruit of the labor, but we prayed for faith and were given faith and went on. Then this week we had some AMAZING experiences. First off....

I met my first nun:) well... we see them all of the time, but on Monday this sweet lady named Agnieszka sat by me and talked with me for the whole way home, she was such an angel! I wanted to share with her that family is the way to the greatest happiness in this life, but I do respect her devotion. Good people everywhere! ...

We ended up getting 5 new investigators this week, which is pretty much crazy! We also had one go to church, amazing:) I met some really cool people and was super grateful to have done so. This week I was walking down the street, and this random thought came... maybe I want to go to the other side... so I did. I went to the other side and right there was this guy named 艁ukasz. He was really receptive and we talked about faith and I read him some of the K.M.(book of mormon) and then asked him if he wanted to meet, he said yes, and that he wanted a K.M., then he proceeded to tell me that he worked for a member in Canada, and at first heard some really odd stories of our church, but that he decided to work anyways. He said he was astonished( yes... that very word:) at their kindness and faith. It was amazing! he said he wants to come closer to God and we met with him and he shows real promise! Oh the Gospel is so cool!I love that I get to be part of experiences like that, I'm so luckY!

There is a random list of contact names that the old elders gave us... and sister young was looking at them and decided to have sister allen call one of them. An older woman ( 78) who's name is Teresa. She called her and we planned a meeting with her in two days. She told us that she was so glad we called because she had been waiting for the missionaries to call and was so glad we found her... she said she'd be waiting for us at a stop with flowers... which was very strange. We were pretty excited to meet this interesting lady. We show up and she helps us with some things, and then she takes us to a bench and we start talking. After giving us two huge bags of baby plums that she picked from her garden! Such an angel! She tells us how her granddaughter was saved by the missionaries and now has a child and husband and is active in England. Then she keeps talking and we find out taht she knew Jan Paul the second really well, that they were great friends. The whole time I'm thinking ... " She has teh light of Christ in her eyes, and she is a powerful woman, I wish she was a member" We walk and talk and I pull out my K.M. with the family picture in it, and she goes! Oh I love the Book of mormon, and w'ere all thinking... hmm, has she read it? So Sister Allen starts asking her some questions and come to find out she's a MEMBER! She tells us taht she's been a member for a long time, but that they moved away and when she came back she couldn't find the chapel because it moved streets, and then that the elders never called her so she had been searching for the chruch. She was an angel!!!!!! i swear. I still can't believe she's real. She said her daughter is innactive now but that we can come and meet with them. She bought us these beautiful flowers and kissed us like a million times and said all she needs is for us to love her and write her! Oh my she was amazing! I can only say that she was amiracle for me that day! This IS My Father's work. And His hand is in it everyday!

It was an exciting week, and we have a great one coming up! Next P-day we're going to go to Schindler's FActory. Dad... SO Cool! I can't wait to show you pictures. But for now, I'm going to go and find some amazing and prepared people and hope that I can be humble enough to let the Lord speak through me, Ammon and I can join in saying that as to my strenghths I am so weak! But I love the opportunity to see that trials make us stronger!

I love you all so much! I pray for you all each night! Thank you for being the greatest! Good luck with all this week:)

Cool horse guy

Wawel Castle

More Wawel Castle

view from Wawel

yummy ice cream which tasted just like the famous chocolate orange sticks!

beautiful butterfly she saw and wanted to send it to Heath!

Ali's wall above her desk

Siostra Young's birthday dinner at Dluga's  (pizza)

Ali and Siostra Young enjoying birthday dinner

Flowers given to them from Theresa, a member they miraculously found!

Siostra Young having dinner with a darling family that loves to feed the missionaries.

before she cut her hair

after she cut her hair!

Siostra Young and Ali after their hair cuts!  So cute!

The beautiful city...Krakow