The Mission Home:)

August 25th, 2014

Hello my dear family!

This week I started off e-mails by reading all of the ones I received. I definitely had a mini freak out as I saw all of my good friends home and also some of them preparing to leave the mission field, honestly it is sad but also so good! I know that their lives are changed from their choices to serve a mission. The first best decision you will ever make is to serve a mission! The second best one is to serve it well:)

It's a pretty huge miracle to me that I am a missionary in Poland! This week I got new companions( actually just some old best friends) and met some wonderful new missionaries. I know that my sadness at saying goodbye to my best friends from the mission was totally swallowed up in the Lord as I went to the mission home on Tuesday to meet some new missionaries! I LOVE this mission. The feeling at the mission home was wonderful and I was able to drive over there with the APs.( Elder Caskey, Elder Brown and Elder Fotu!) I named them because I have served with all of them at some point in my mission. It was so cool that almost all of the sisters from my group were there as well! Beautiful and lovely sisters:)

Okay... so I just went and played football with the elders for P-Day:) Yep... I'm pretty much pro now;) But It was fun and now I'm back. Speaking of football, I need to let everyone know how proud I am of my Heathie! I know that sometimes things come up in life that we didn't expect, but after the fact, we discover that Heavenly Father really needed us to experience that thing for the better of our future. I feel really strongly that this is evidence of Heavenly Father protecting my family while I'm gone. You all look so beautiful as you go out for school.

Well we saw some real miracles this week. I am trying to be aware of the small instances where the Lord's hand is shown in my missionary life, and it has really made a difference! We received 2 referrals this week! I can't even believe how wonderful it is that I have seen so many referrals lately. They're kind of like a little missionary pay-check. The woman we visited is wonderful and I"m excited to see what happens.

Also, the new missionaries came in and I was so blessed to spend some time with Sis. Benson on an exchange. It was fun because we were able to talk about my family and her family and I think it helped both of us as she was feeling the "new missionary" pressures and I was looking forward to the excitement for the work.

This was a great week! I want everyone to know one thing. This week I really tried and was blessed with specific topics to study for personal study. I felt so prompted to study "As sisters in Zion" and about our personal worth to Heavenly Father. As I specifically prayed to my Heavenly Father He blessed me to know where to go to find answers and I had wonderful experiences. One of them was this... as I was learning about personal worth I read in the Young Woman book( wonderful thing;) Right as I finished I got a phone call from Sis. Durrant( office sister) and she said that my mom e-mailed her for some medical stuff and she told me that my mom said she loved me and that Heavenly Father sent her a wonderful daughter. That was a miracle for me! Our prayers are answered. I invite you all to sincerely seek for a topic when you study and then think it out in prayer. I know that your studies will be truly filled with light and understanding.

I can't wait for another week! I sure love you and and wish you a good week!

Siostra Ali Hemming

Everything We Hoped You'd Be:)

August 18th, 2014

Hello My Lovelies!

I always loved how aunt Cathy would refer to us as her lovies or lovelies:) I think it's funny because Polish people use that sometimes as well.

Rain Storm from the 18th Century

This was a wonderful week filled with a lot of love and fun! Sister Blake and Pokli and I had a lot of fun and filled our lives with testimony and love and laughter! It was the best:) We started off the week providing FHE! That was hilarious as we tried to make some dinner for everyone but we only had some flour and a few other things... time to get creative. It was really hilarious as we made some biscuits and gravy and they all worked out! Hooray! We also decided to really take this week calmly so that we didn't freak out... well the first test was on Monday. We were at this restaurant eating outside and suddenly it started POURING! Polish storms are crazy, they sneak up. It's 100degrees and sunny and suddenly you're soaked. So we decided to have fun and go play in the rain! Happy P-Day:) It was a blast.

Eating at my favorite place...Purple Turban

We also took culture night this week. We get one day a transfer where at night we can go and experience the culture. I appreciate that so much! We went to Copernicus Museum and it was filled with cool science experiments. I was so grateful as I was struck at the beauty and wonder of all the things that Heavenly Father has given us as people. I felt like Moses..." Now I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed". I also have felt that way. All the wonderful conveniences we enjoy come to us because of our Loving Heavenly Father and His willingness to enlighten our minds.

I've also really thought about how much the restoration makes sense and is shown in how history has worked. There wasn't a huge surge in understanding or in new inventions until after the dark ages. As the Holy Ghost really influenced people from all over the world, which enabled them to recognize the wrong traditions of their fathers. They gained a desire to seek God by study and also by faith. So eventually that lead to the restoration! It's a pretty big miracle, and I want to study more about it:)

Sister Elaine Dalton conference

This week we had many miracles, I think my biggest miracle was being able to serve my companions as we all prepared for big changes. Next transfer I will be staying in Warsaw! I am having a really big miracle as I'll be with Sis. Pokli for 3 weeks and... Sister Moncur! We'll be back together again. Then in a few weeks I will be training:) The sister I'm training has to take care of some legal work in America and then she'll be here! Her name is Sis. Smith:) So that's pretty exciting. I have faith and confidence that the Lord qualifies who He calls. I am nervous and also excited and love the faith that trainee's always have!

It is crazy that this is my last transfer. I was really grateful for a HUG
E surprise we had this week as we were sitting in church and in walks Sis. Dalton and her husband!!! I have admired and loved her and her willingness to follow revelation and call women to return to virtue! She told us in her talk that we were the result of that revelation. And that we had become all that they had hoped that we would be. I felt the powers of heaven give me that message. That as a missionary I have been becoming what I am meant to be:) That is a miracle! She is so inspiring and I loved talking with her and I was even able to sing with the Warsaw sisters a song for her! She and her husband are wonderful examples.

Super Cool View that helped me feel Heavenly Fathers Love!

Then I had to say goodbye to Sis. Blake. Ouch! It has been really hard since she is one of my best friends and we've been through alot together. She has taught me so much about alot of things and we will definitely be friends forever;) But seriously:) This morning I woke up and Sis. P and I felt pretty lonely but we're spending time with other missionaries today so all will be well.

Another miracle from this week was that I was able to really open up my heart to this woman on the street. After we said goodbye to Sis. Blake I decided to try out living a more Christ-like way and instead of wallowing in self-pity;) We talked to this wonderful woman on the street. Her name was Ania. She was in a rush but I was able to testify with all the fervor of my soul that she is God's precious daughter and that she is known by Him. We talked with her about prayer and I was grateful that I can communicate with my Heavenly Father and receive answers and promptings. I am recognizing those opportunities and searching for them. I am also learning to serve others in the their good times as well as bad. It is meant to be that way:)

The Rynek at night with fire dancers!

I know that the mission age change was inspired of God. There are prepared people for these prepared missionaries! Sis. Dalton talked about making sure that we don't let satan win. We already fought this fight, and what did we fight it with? Our Testimonies. I am certain that we all had strong testimonies of the Savior and can continue on in them in this life:) We are truly children of God with divine potential!

I love you all. I would love it if this week you could all review the Strength of Youth pamphlets! I know they are inspired to prepare us to make and keep sacred covenants.

The Church is True! I Love you!

Also... if there are any older couples looking to go on missions. Our mission is in real need of senior couples! The members love them and the missionaries do as well, some of ours have gotten sick and had to go home:)

Love,

Siostra Hemming

The Character of Christ:)

 August 11th, 2014

Good morning, good morning! ( singing in the rain:)

Myself and Sister Blake with our coconut cake we made for the wedding!

I sure love my family. Today as I was looking at old pictures I was struck by a gratitude for how much Heavenly Father loves me that He's enabled me to grow up in the gospel and continue forward in faith. This was quite the week of faith!

First off, the wedding of Monika and Tadeusz wasn't our investigator. Sadly:) This couple are both members and Monika has been waiting a lot time faithfully to be married in the temple and she finally got her dream!!! It was a lovely wedding, our Monika actually had to go to the hospital with her mom for the week and so we didn't get to meet with her, but we have faith that she's doing well!

We did find a new eternal friend this week! ( I'm kind of sick of calling them new investigators:) Her name is Kinga and she's wonderful! We met on Monday and the lesson went really well and then she came to church on Sunday. Before church we watched the restoration video and it is so true! I was really praying that the Spirit would be there during the meeting and it definitely was. As I was watching it I just realized that the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is SO LOVELY! There is so much good that has come from it. At church the Spirit was strong and we all felt it, including Kinga! We'll see how she keeps progressing! Miracles abounding.

Another miracle... this week we were praying to know where to go contacting and we decided on Nowe Miasto. So we went there and were walking around talking with people, for a couple of hours we shared the gospel, and then took an ice cream break:) As we were walking back up the street eating our ice cream, Sis. Blake noticed a Chinese woman sitting by a window shop who she wanted to talk to! She couldn't speak English or polish but then this young girl came out of the store and asked us what we wanted and she looked at our name tags and said... oh you're missionaries!!! Whoah!!! She ended up being the daughter of this mom who had been living in Poland where Sis. Barth is and was being taught by her. She and her family were on their way to Switzerland to drop her off at school where she'll now be studying. We were able to bear witness of the gospel and it give her one more witness that she should meet with missionaries in Swiss. It was a miracle! The right place and the right time for that person!

Family History Board!! 

Then another miracle happened, we decided this week to do a family history board!!! We even spiced it up a bit by dressing up like 50's girls to talk with people on the street. It was really good and we met some cool people( hearts of the children:) but the real miracle took place later. We were walking back from Nowy świat and I was looking at the restaurants and saw everyone drinking alcohol, except one mom and her daughters. I smiled at them, and I heard her lean over and quietly say to her daughter ( hey, it's the sister missionaries) Whoah! I stopped and said, "are you a member? " She ended up being an inactive member who was there with her daughters for a few days. She had the SAME conversion story almost identically to Sis. Poklinkowska. We told her to remember what she knew, to search the scriptures and to make the first steps back to activity. It testified to me that the Lord loves all His children. Truly He does. His hand is always extended.Count your blessings:) Suddenly I remembered all of these miracles we saw.

Something else I'd like to share is what I learned this week. I was feeling a lot of irritation and frustration and comparison for the past few weeks and was not relying on the Spirit because of this. This week I decided that I needed to change. I needed the Savior's atonement to take place in my heart, that it could in others. I really prayed to know what to do, what the first step should be. I was led to Matthew 14. Please read it tonight. It is a lovely story of the true character of the Savior Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ , my friends, isn't knowledge.It's better. It is inner confidence and assurance that my spirit loves and relies on Him and that He loves and loves and loves me as well. This is true for all of us. I believe in Christ. Faith in Christ is understanding that His promises are sure, it is experimenting on His words and being humble enough to accept the answer. As we act even in a twig of faith, Heavenly Father allows us to grow it. I have seen this on my mission in others, in world history, in the scriptures, in myself. I had so many experiences this week that allowed me to remember and rely on the Savior. I stand as a witness of His love.

I realized that I desired to change and be like Him! but how? Well in Matt. 14 I found my answer and the Spirit confirmed by what Pres. Jaggard calls a " Spiritual hug" it isn't just a warmth like a hug but it envelops my mind, my heart, and my soul. It is love:) Anyways, that's how I think it's best described for me. Christ just found out about the death of His trusted friend, John the Baptist, who died in a terrible way. He surely NEEDED and wanted to get to the mountaintop to pray and seek comfort and guidance, but along His journey He is met by the thousands. People with sick children, evil spirits, terrible illnesses and spiritual baggage from sin. I don't know how He felt, but I know what He did. In deep love and sacrifice He healed them, taught them, and even when the disciples were ready to leave, He fed them and prayed for them. Then, and only after loving and caring instruction and goodbyes, did He retire to the mountain to pray. This experience, coupled with many others allowed me to see that the thing I need to change is to stop stressing about me and my spirituality and if I'm progressing and growing in the gospel well-enough and look out. Like the Savior.

I don't intend to perfect this or be the best at it right off the bat, but I have faith that as I act on my faith that I've acquired through years and years that I too will be able to love as Christ did. To look outside of myself, and even when I feel anxious or scared or insufficient that I remember others and see their needs and trust in the Savior to provide.

Sister Pokli and myself preparing to paint fingernails!

I learned so much this week. Spiritual experiences don't happen like this every day, and every week can't feel that way, but I'm grateful for the opportunity I had.I have faith in the Savior. His promises are sure. I have seen this in my life as He's guided and directed me to where I need to be and who I need to become. If we feel we're drowning but we are living true to our commandments then it truly is like being in shallow water, we just need to put our feet down on the foundation the Savior has built and we've worked towards. The foundation of faith.

I love being a missionary. I miss my family and care about you all alot and got a sweet sweet e-mail from my harmie pants that made my day;) These things help me look outside. I have a testimony of the truth of my message, and I've seen the fruits of it in many many people's lives, including my own!

The Church is True!

Love, Siostra Ali Hemming

Unexpected Means:)

Happy P-Day!  I am in EUROPE!!!!

August 4th, 2014

Hello Hello! My lovely Family:)

Well what an action-packed week! I really can't believe how quickly time flies and how crazy it is that this week had so much going on... buckle up;)

70th Anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising!!

Well I've got to start out the week by saying that I was so blessed this week for a lot of reasons, one of them being that I got to be in Warsaw during the anniversary 70th of the Warsaw Uprising, August 1st.! Oh my goodness how much I love Poland! It was soooo cool. I know that some people see it as a loss and that's true, but so many people showed so much valor and faith! I am certain that the majority of those who fought were faithful and good people! It was so cool I'll tell you what happened that day... at 17:00 there was a moment of silence. The whole city pauses and the air raid sirens go off and all the cars honk their horns for one minute. It was a spiritual experience actually, as the people all around were remembering their ancestors( Malachi4:6  anyone...) A huge group of youth dressed up and paraded down the streets, and then we ended the night during dinner by going to the tomb of the unknown soldier and singing "forbidden songs" from the war. So Lovely! I was so grateful for that.

The next day ( Saturday) we had a really hard day. Well, not for any given reason,mostly just pride(it's the worst)  but basically I was SO grateful that Heavenly Father answered my prayers as Sis. Edgren showed up at the baptism( of another branch) and she offered to take Sis. Blake and I out for dinner! Oh how I love that woman. She is a wonderful example and I love her a lot. She helped us feel a lot of peace and told us to take care of ourselves:) ( insert sheepish grin for mom...) So we've decided that going hard to the end doesn't mean anything other than living with continuous progression to the end of our lives, not just missions!

Sunday was a Miracle Day! Sis. Poklinkowska is back in our group! Hooray! She will be with us for the next few weeks of the transfer... I'm grateful, she is a wonderful example.We met with a woman named Monika who Sis. Blake found on a tram. I felt prompted to share the first vision and as a told about how Heavenly Father loves us enough to send us complete truth, and even to appear in person to a prophet I was struck by the Spirit. It was a lovely experience and I felt the Spirit very strongly. She accepted to be baptized and I am so grateful that she will be able to be free of sin and enter into the fold of God. What a wonderful promise and place to be! The church is true.We taught in such unity and it worked so well!

Fingernail Painting!

Then things got interesting... it was fast Sunday, and we had this new idea from Sis. Blake's friend... to paint fingernails! So we gathered up a heavy table and 6 heavy chairs from the chapel to carry them to ogród saski... Let me paint a picture... Sis. Hemming( 1 heavy backpack, one foam mattress from the mission home brilliantly wrapped up in a giant circle and strung through the backpack handles and then placed on my back, 3 heavy wooden chairs) I looked like a dutch girl with one of those water holders on her back! Sis. Blake with a huge wooden table, and Sis. Poklinkowska with 3 chairs as well and her huge backpack and purse strung around her neck. Pretty hilarious! Let's just say that we looked crazy and were sweating up a storm. yep.. it's pretty hot...

ANyways... From great sacrifice comes great things... WE had a lot of faith in this activity and guess what, we had Killer conversations with tons of moms as they and their daughters came up and got their nails done! Plus it was calming for us. Normally and naturally sharing the gospel! I loved it! By far the most effective finding activity I've ever done!

Cool Polish Gnome

Cool view from the culture palace

Well, those are the highlights of the week. I must say that this week spiritually has been wonderful. It's hard sometimes as I feel a lot of pressure spiritually to know where to go and what to say(I know this makes no sense but just bear with me) but as I was preparing to read Ether( which is kind of a tragic book)I prayed that it would be uplifting to me. I ended up being blessed as the Holy Ghost testified of the power of the atonement. The Book of Mormon testifies of the character of Christ! Ether is a book about how we have free-will and when we choose good we are blessed, when we choose wrong there are consequences. The Savior always forgives, but as we learn we are to remember what He's done for us. I am still learning about how to grow and learn and remember but I'm grateful that the Lord blessed my efforts. I know the book of Mormon is truly from God. It contains His gospel. I hope that everyone reading this e-mail is also reading the Book of Mormon, if not, start now. It teaches pure doctrine of Christ.

I love you all! Pas!

Love, Siostra Hemming