well....Who loves Kielce? I DO!!!!!!!!

Good Bye to Sister Allen and Sister Young.  This is Ali's 1st companionship while serving in Krakow.  She will really miss them. She learned so much from them.  Off to Kielce she goes!

 September 9th, 2013

Culture night in Krakow.  So FUN!!  Crazy companions..hahaha

 

Hi family... first I need to say that I have the BESt mother in the world. I really am convinced of that. Mom, I hope you have a really great birthday, and we will celebrate it in Kielce I will take pictures. You are so beautiful, and I just watched the talk from 2010 April conference by the relief society president and decided that you are just who she was talking about! I love you so much!
so.... I'm in Kielce... It's a goregous town with one main big street and then a bunch of little streets. Our house is only like a half hour walk from the kaplica... which is absolutely insane... since it was an hour by tramwaj in Kraków.

I had a crazy week last week, We met with alot of investigators and had an amazing time. I can't believe how sad it is to have to leave people behind. They are really some of my best friends. But I know that I am here on the Lord's errand and will do whatever He needs, and right now He needs me in Kielce... or maybe I need to be here... or both:)

We sent off sister Allen on Tuesday because she had to go and get her trainee, it was sad but I will see her again... so no worries;) Then it was a Sister Young and I day, I LOVE her! She and I became not just companions, but friends same thing with Sister Allen :) love them. She is funny and kind and a hard worker and grew so much this last transfer. Then on Thursday we seperated. I am SO glad I only had two bags. We live like 15 minutes from the tram stop... so we were walking that whole way with these huge bags... then we had to put them on the tram( it was HILARIOUS) then we had to figure out how to get them up the the dworzec... all in all... quite an experience. I took a Harry Potter train to Kielce... and I just want to say that Poland is the Most Beautiful Place in the whole world. There were green rolling hills and super thick forests with little towns and bright colored trains oh my! I can't believe how lucky I am to serve here! I arrived in Kielce and met Starszy Brown and Starszy Pieper(MTC:) and our Branch President came and helped me haul my bags up Sienkiewicza. I am honestly lost for words to say how amazing our branch is. Poland members are powerful.

Ali, Sister Young and Sister Allen with Sister Allen's former companion who came back to Poland for a visit.

Sister Barth is so great! I am so excited to learn from her. I think that we can both put some great aspects into missionary work here in Kielce. She works hard, but she also knows how to love the people. I think that this last transfer I just tried to work so hard that I didn't think of anything else... I loved the people but I could have done so much better. I have made it a goal to contact and teach and serve with more charity this transfer, for that is how Christ would do it if He were here. Which is really who a missionary is. Someone who does what Christ would do. I love what you said mom, about how I just need to get out of the Lord's way in a sense. I just need to pray to be humble and let the Lord work through me. And I think that charity is a big part of that! Missions are the most amazing things.

I want you to know that I learned this week that prayers are real. I felt a little nervous to get here, but as soon as I reached Kielce, I felt so calm and peaceful. I have felt strengthened and uplifted, so that I could enjoy my mission here in Kielce. I was wondering why I felt so happy, and I read the e-mail and I felt prompted that your prayers have changed this week for me. Thank you so much! I know that prayers are real, I don't think I've even tapped the potential of faith and prayer but I know that as my mission continues I will be able to do that!

I'm sorry this one is so long, but alot happened:) Sister Barth is from Cedar City and is an angel! She has been here four months and we have an adorable little apartment( our landlady came to visit and we're going to her house for dinner tonight:) It is small but has an oven! yes! I can make pies for everyone and show them service in that way... which i've been missing.

The elders before us have made such wonderful relationships with members that we can benefit from, I am going to work on that more this transfer as well! We got to church and this amazing lady came running and was so excited to have sisters in Kielce and hugged us and kissed us( a big thing in Poland)! It is so great to feel loved!

Okay, I hope all is well at home, I pray for you all nightly and I know the Lord blesses the families of they who serve Him. Like Prezydent Bednar said. I can't believe conference is coming up. A year mark from the announcement. All I can say is I am so glad that Heavenly Father was patient enough to continue to prompt and prepare me for a mission. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. The experiences and amazing spiritual moments are abounding and I love to learn languages and see the gift of tongues, to learn how much sense and power is in the restored gospel, and to love and serve people in a place I probably never would have gone, to love people I NEVER would have met. One of our investigators from Kraków, Anna, met with us on Wednesday and gave us a card and a picture. She cried the whole meeting. I cried too. I love these  people. I love missionary work. I am so grateful to be here and serving the Lord. I know it's hard but it is powerful and there is more than I even realize going on behind the scenes here in the Lord's work. I would tell anyone who doesn't know about a mission that it is the BEST decision I have made so far, and every decision after it will be positively effected by it. As I strive to live a Christ centered life, everything else falls into place.
Thank you for your support! Mom, I love you and hope your birthday week is the best yet!

I love you all!
Love, Siostra Hemming

(sorry... forgot my camera:) to next week!