The Power of Thoughts

The Power of Thoughts (October 21st 2013)

My Darling Family!

Wow, what a week:) Well, for starters I got a little bit sick on Monday... probably from the galereta;) But all is well now and I am grateful to be back working and giving my all. It is getting a little bit colder here, but we have been blessed because I've only had to wear my big coat one day. We will have a lot of lessons and are striving to find some new investigators. Kielce is blooming!!!

I have learned alot this week about the power of thoughts.The Prophet Joseph Smith said that he would treasure up in his mind continually the words of life. Then he was prepared to deliver sermons filled with revelatory power. I have made that my goal this week and will be striving to give every conscious thought to the work of the Lord. Unfortunately the opposite is also true. Satan will try and get our thoughts to be focused on things that have no real value to us, and can even be harmful. I love the scripture that focuses on thoughts, words and deeds. They all make a huge difference!

I am going to Auschwitz today, which is a three hour drive. I'm so sorry this is short and I can't write anyone else back, but I have wanted to go for a long time. Our good friend Włodzimierz is taking us in his car, and President okayed it and I am so excited. I know that's probably not an appropriate response to this, but I have studied alot about it, and am prepared to see a piece of history that I hope will NEVER be repeated.

We have seen miracles this week in Kielce, I will share one with you really quickly. Last week as Sister Barth and I were walking to the Library , our investiagtor Virginia was sitting at her booth( her family own a booth at a bazaar). We went up to say cześć and suddenly we felt inclined to stop and pay closer attention. ( sometimes my excitement gets the best of me... quiet dignity sister hemming... quiet dignity:) but she was sitting at her booth, with the Book of Mormon( in bulgarian) sitting on her lap. She had her hands clasped and was fervently praying. Wow. what an absolutely beautiful experience. I was so grateful to the Lord for having blessed me with the opportunity to see that wonderful moment. It will forever be a highlight of my mission.

We had a beautiful week and loved the changing of the leaves. Please pray for Virginia that she will see the importance of one true church on the earth, and that Karina can talk with her husband. She is such a wonderful woman, and just recently invited us to the baptism of her children... in the catholic church. That actually meant a lot to us, because we see her trusting and loving us just as we love her with all our hearts. It will be a great opportunity to meet her husband.

I testify that I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That God has restored His church on the earth, and that it was restored through a living prophet. We learn that the only way to come to God someday is through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that is true. I'm still figuring out the Atonement for myself, but I know that is has more power than we realize. The pain of guilt can be completely overcome with the beauty of His love. Joseph Smith also said that man my come closer to Christ by the teachings of the Book of Mormon than any other book. That means that this church is essential to all men. I LOVE that I can share such a powerful message with the people in Kielce.

Mom, thank you soooo much! I know it can't be easy for you to find time each week to write me, but they mean the world to me. I see your personal growth as well as the families and I am built by your testimony. I feel the same way as you do... I want to just have more opportunities to serve , when I get home I want my life to forever be in service to the Lord. I am so grateful for having learned to put Him first.

I love you all so much! So much love from Kielce!

Siostra hemming

Count your Blessings... ( not hard!)

			10/14/2013

HELLO MY DARLING FAMILY!!!! I just wanted to scream that out here in the library, I have the best family ever! oh I love you all so much:)

I have seen more miracles in these months of my mission than are normal in a lifetime I'm pretty sure. THis week has been the best week of my mission so far:) I have learned so much and struggled alot, but I have grown in a testimony of the need of humility, the importance of the Holy Ghost, and most importantly, the all-encompassing and loving power of the atonement.

It started out as a pretty tough week for me. I dont' know why but I struggled. I prayed and prayed for help and pretty much just felt helpless. As I strived to work and do my best, I saw a small change, but it was when I realized the need for REAL faith and real humility that I saw the miracles begin.

The scripture that has hit me this week is this " seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you" along with " I stand at the door and knock". The Lord really is mighty to save. He is patient and loving and once again I am touched and grateful for the knowlede that Uncle Shawn gave me one day. " Christ bought the whole bike. He and He only can save us and help us get on the right path. We don't pay for part of the bike. Our work is to show our gratititude and become closer to Him". Please let him know how grateful I am for He and Aunt Erika and their love and advice for me! I am so blessed!

We started out the week in Kraków... again:) I don't know why I ever said goodbye! It is always a beautiful experience. We learned alot about being those clean vessels of the Lord. What a responibility, what a blessing! Then we continued on with our week. We met a new investigator, her name is Virginia and she's Bulgarian! She came to English by complete miracle. ( we had given her mother an ulotka at her bazaar and she found it right at 17:00 and told her that she shoudl come) Elder Lanham( exchanges) met her and was talking to her during english and ended up asking her if she'd like to meet with us. She came in and started off with sharing a beautiful experience she had had with prayer and with the HolyGhost. She is so amazing! We had another lesson with her and watched the REstoration movie in Bulgarian. I felt the Spirit and I KnOW that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he was humble enough to be called to restore the work. I know that because of the Book of Mormon, and even though I didnt' understand the movie, I felt the Spirit. Appartently she did too because she accepted a date!!! She will be baptized on November 9 and She is truly praying and trying to decide if this is from God. But she said that she knows that Joseph Smith saw a vision. Oh how prepared people are!

Sorry my e-mails are so long, but my heart is always so full:)

We also had a super crazy experience with Karina. She is such a woman!!! She has dealt with so much and this week had to deal with more. Her husband is a good man, but he has a problem as a alcoholic. ( I absolutely detest alcohol the word of wisdom is FOR SURE from God) Basically she and her kids had nothing to eat for three days when she came to our meeting she said she couldnt' stay because she had to get food cards for teh kids. WE immediately got to work helping her and said we could drop off food for her that night! I LOVE how the church works that way. We got with the Elders and made a big dinner( spaghetti and french bread and salad:) and brought it over. They weren't home and as it turned out her husband got home that day and brought them money. So we were stuck with this HUGE thing of spaghetti... needless to say we ate itfor like three days:) But I was grateful for the chance to serve.

I love love love love love my mission:)I'm so grateful for the experiences I am having and I hope they will make me into a worthy servant for the rest of my life. I hope that we all have a week filled with gratitude. I am so grateful for what I have been given. I have no idea why I'm so blessed but I do know one thing. Where much is given, much is required. So I'd better get to work!

I ate Galereta. So basically when you cut all of the gross parts of a chicken off to throw in the trash... they don't throw it away. They mix the gross ( chewy fatty and bloody) parts of the chicken and then they mix is with oil and carrots and then they put it in Jello.... It was my meal after fasting... it was interesting. But I really am so grateful for the love of the sweet poor people who served it to us.

I love the Lord and I know His atoment is real and all encompassing. There is nothing we can't do with Him, and nothing we can do without Him.

I lvoe you all and pray for you nightly!

Love, Siostra Hemming

I LOVE CONFERENCE

10/7/2013

Ali walking in a park in Kielce

Hello my darling little family! Or not so little... as I saw my gorgeous Rori at homecoming! I swear I just barely went to my first homecoming with Cragun... wierd! She looked so beautiful and so old, I am very grateful that she is modest and looks like a beautiful young woman! I would expect nothing less:)

Ali

This has been a week of miracles, I'm pretty sure every week is and I am so grateful for that. We started out pretty worried. One of our investigators, Karina has a baptismal date and is really progressing toward becoming a stalwart member. She was taught by the elders before we got here and it's been a miracle that we can be here because she couldn't have met with the elders... you will find out why. So on Friday of last week, her husband called us and was pretty mean and was saying all of these things in lightening fast polish( which we don't even fully understand at normal speed) and ended up saying something to the effect of ... we don't want to meet with you. My wife is not interested and she already has her own church, don't ever meet with her again. I am sure you can imagine that we were pretty sad about it. But Sister Barth had faith and we continued on planning that she would meet with us. We heard nothing from her for four days and were trying to give her some space for a while. Every tuesday we have district meeting in the chapel and make goals and become edified:) We were sitting there this tuesday and suddenly we hear these little kid voices and I think to myself... that sounds like Kasper( her son) and as the voices get closer I become certain it is her son. We run out into the foyer and she is standing there with her children and says... "Hi, I'm really sorry to interrupt but my husband deleted your number and I didnt' know what to do and I'd like to set up a meeting tommorow."

I literally almost died.I was so shocked! ( Have more Faith Sister Hemming!)

She said that simply her husband had talked with someone at work who told her wierd things about us and was really upset and so he called us and then deleted our number from her phone. She told us that she prayed alot to know what she should do. She told us she recieved a very firm answer that she should meet with us again. She said that she KnOWS without a doubt that she needs to be baptized, that she has found the church of God and that she knows that this is the direction she needs to go. I cannot even explain how I felt. Just so grateful. So joyful. We set up for the next day and then knelt down and thanked Heavenly Father for letting us see miracles. Oh how blessed we are.

The next day she shared her life story with us and really opened up. She is a woman who has been through the worst that life has to offer. Poverty and loneliness and abuse, but she has stuck to her faith in God and has also seen many miracles. She was told from every doctor that she could never have children but prayed to God to help her and was given three absolutely beautiful kids! She is an amazing example to me. Most of the time I sit and wonder why I was called to be a missionary when the people I teach are better examples to me than the other way around. All I know is this. The work is true and the Lord loves and cares for each of us. She has shown me that.

We have had wonderful experiences with her all week and are hoping that she will be able to talke with her husband and that he will allow her to be baptized. We have prayed so hard that his heart will be softened . What a powerful experience that was.

Ali's companion Sister Barth

I love Sister Barth and I am so grateful that I can be a part of the work here in Kielce. I don't know what the Lord has in store for Poland but I know it is something beautiful and marvelous and I feel so blessed every day to be here and be a part of it. I hope that I can give a broken heart and a contrite spirit to the Lord every day to renew my drive to do my best. I love these people with all of my heart!

Any one for Apple Crisp..Polish style?

I watched the Relief Society mtg. and was brought to tears many times. It is so interesting how a mission has softened me so much, i cry ALL THE TIME! :) But usually because I am so overcome with love and gratitude! I can't imagine anywhere else better that I could be. This is the place;) Ania was in General Conference yesterday and was asking us about how she pays tithing because she wants to give her part to the Lord's kingdom. She is amazing! We also were able to watch the first session of Saturday conference with Prez. Najberg. But it was in English, so he couldn't understand. It was an example of me of faith and obedience that he stayed the whole time and watched it... in english! What amazing members.

The wonderful baptism of Ania.  Notice it is performed in a swimming pool! So great

Ania and Ali

We had a few funny moments this week. Most of them associated with our lack of understanding of Polish... or the fact that I am the worst cook in the world:) We made No bake cookies but didn't have a pan or anything to put them on... so we cleaned of the counter and just plopped them on there! super funny! then they wouldn't dry so they were pretty squishy, but our english class liked them all the same!

Ali with a sweet member named Ella

Polish food....cabbage rolls

Polish Cake

Cauliflower Soup!

     I know that the Lord lives. I know that the Atonement has real power and that Heavenly Father is Loving! He loves us even when we don't love ourselves, and He helps us see our potential. Sins and doubts are overcome through the Lord, and they sometimes take a long time, but the Lord is mighty to save;) I know that Conference is a time to listen to a prophet of God. Just think about what that means! I know that conference and probably everything else associated with the Savior has more meaning to me on my mission and will have more meaning after my mission. I am ALWAYS grateful I chose to serve. the 80,000 missionaries out will all come home stronger. It is the Best decision I have made yet, and all other decisions will be affected by it!

I love you all so much!!! I hope you have a week filled with the power of the atonement. I pray for you every day!

Ali in Kielce!!! She is so happy and loving it!!!

Love , Siostra Hemming