It's my party and I'll laugh if I want to :)

July 14th, 2014

What???My favorite...dried Mangos!

Okay... so I know the title of this sounds pretty egotistical... and Also it's " cry" but who want to cry on their birthday? Not me:)

So this was a wonderful Week! Monday was hectic, but I was so grateful because we were busy:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday to my Harmie Buddy! I sure love him and hope he has a great birthday!

My birthday was seriously the best birthday of my life. No joke> I was so grateful to be a Poland Warsaw missionary for the Lord! I woke up thinking... " I"m in Europe on my birthday... I'm spending it with some of my best friends... I'm doing to work of the Lord" Doesn't get much better than that. We ate a lot of good food, and spent the day contacting and having a ball. I met some really cool people from all over the world. I woke up and opened up some wonderful presents from my cutest family. ( The cake was gone in a day... missionaries;) and I was so touched by the sweet notes. I must say that one of my favorite birthday moments didn't come until later... I was finished with Language study and preparing for the day when our phone rang. I answered and this sweet, gruff Polish voice answered " Cześć Siostro, tu Prezydent Najberg" Hello my sister, it's president Najberg. He remembered my birthday and called me, I talked with him and his sister and I loved it! What a treat. He is like my grandpa, and I sure love those Kielce saints. I also got a birthday card from one of the members in Warsaw. I'm so grateful! We topped off the day with some sushi... Elder peacock and Garrison gave me a batman comic in Polish... I'll look at it when I get home! And Elder Peacock ate a HUGE chunk of wasabi. Oh dear:) Then we talked with some members and had a missionary meeting. Wonderful Day:) I made a goal to do 21 things I"ll miss about being  Poland missionary... I''ll share them with you another time.

Happy 4th of July...Raspberries!!

Sister Blake and I learned a lot about how the world works this week unfortunately. We are literally sometimes walking through the world and sharing light with people pretty lost in darkness. I prayed to see the difference in a life centered on the restored gospel and a normal life and Oh Boy did I get an answer! I saw that in normal life there are a lot of things to distract and even deter from the path Heavenly Father desires for us. This church teaches with authority the things that keep us on the right track. Follow the prophet:) Don't stress, nothing terrible happened it was just a lot of stories of people who need the gospel in their lives.

As for miracles for the week...

Birthday Lunch...Yummy

1. We went to a referral... we got 6 this week by the way!!! and we saw this family. I knew we had to talk to them but had no idea what to say,so we said "do you know this woman?" She ended up getting her son who was in the car and he got out and said... I've heard of your church. I lived in Maryland for a few months and I know some Mormons! Miracle! That is really rare here!!! Then the mom said... "Oh yeah! you have that really pretty white church that lights up at night." Okay!!! They'd seen the temple! We were able to testify of eternal families and the power of the restoration. They said that there was a light that came from us. We sincerely have the light of Christ! The Holy Ghost:) Miraculous. I had a moment then that helped me realize that Heavenly Father is mindful of all of His children. He prepares specific moments for all of us to eventually reach true conversion. I was just a part of theirs!

2. We had a drop lesson for one of our investigators who hadn't been keeping commitments and we couldn't help anymore. She show up with her Book of Mormon and she's like " I've read to page 90 and I can't put it down"! Sister Blake and I were beaming:) It was so cool. her life has changed so much.

As for funny moments... This one is pretty good! It was raining and Sis. Blake and I had no umbrella... but then all of the sudden I get an idea... the laminated map!!! So in the pouring rain we were running around with the map literally over our heads and laughing. It was so funny! We were DEFINITELY sharing light and joy. Especially when we went to run across the cross walk and Sis. Blake thought I had the map and I thought she had it and it ended up getting dropped in a huge puddle of dirty water. We were dying as we picked it up and ran the rest of the way. Oh I'm sure you can just picture it!

I want to share just one insight of knowledge I received this week. I have wanted my whole mission to become like Moroni or Ether, solid and faithful and filled with love. I know that I am these things, but I think I was setting these really height expectations. Well, this week I was really stressing. My mission is coming to a close( in Poland;) and I really want my testimony to be like Ether. Well, I was stressing myself out with this and ended up really feeling lame about my testimony. I prayed and had this really great insight... Um Hello! If you live the gospel your testimony comes line upon line, precept upon precept. It really touched me that Heavenly Father answers prayers and through revelation. Also... I had the strong impression to read Isaiah to understand the Savior's Atonement... I am doing so and I love it! Who'd have ever thought? hahaha!

Well, I am so grateful for all of the birthday wishes and packages and cards! I am really a spoiled missionary!

I hope you have a lovely week! Tell Bear Lake Hello for me and all the fam! I love both sides of my family so much:) The story of picking up the trip really touched me mom. I know that that was meant to be and Heavenly Father is so proud of you and dad for your sacrifice and love!

The Church is True!

Love, Siostra Ali Hemming