Warsaw Uprising:)

 February 24th, 2014

I love this city:)

Super cool underground passages!!

I'm not "Knockin' on Heaven's door!"

Alright...So President called this week and has informed me of a few things......
I am leaving Kielce.I knew it was coming, I had a feeling, and it did:) I will be sad to leave these people who I love so much, but I know that it is time for me to head somewhere new... We had a week of miracles and I know that they are in good hands. Sister Whitely from my group will be coming in and staying with Sister Owen! I am sorry but  I don't know much about others yet because we can't call other districts:) I know that Sis. P is in Poznań and Sister Barth is staying in Szczecin!
I'm going to WARSAW! It's going to be great! I've already sought out revelation and I am super excited to take this city on! I also know the tool I'll be using.
Family History.
Yep. I can't wait! I am going to get in there and start to share with people the wonderful blessing of family history that we have! It is such a miracle and I am so grateful for it. It has changed my life and I know it can help change people's lives all over Poland. I even have a secret dream that it will change the work in Poland!  I can't wait to get in there and re-awaken the branch to the beauty that is in Poland Missionary Work! They even have there own chapel! The only real one from our church in Poland! So cool! So... that's what is happening. The Lord needs me there. And I'm ready! Watch out Warsaw:) I am also going to be Sister Training Leader. Crazy! But I'm so excited to pump up the sisters as well. I think it will require me to forget myself and go to work. Forget my insecurities. My Flaws. My Feelings of Inadequacy. That is in essence something that hinders the work. Just give Him all of it:) That is my Goal this Transfer! Charity and Selflessness!
This week we had a miracle! We had a self-referral from online. We went to her house and she was this cute little mom with two kids! She said that she met the church a while ago, but has been investigating it herself for some time. She has a friend in England who is also investigating and they've talked. She said she would like the "honor" to read the Book of Mormon( her words)! She is wonderful and has accepted to be baptized by someone holding authority on 22 of March!!! Pray for her:) I am sad to leave all of these wonderful people, but I know that the Lord is pleased with what I have done, and President Uchtdorf is coming in June! So all of the missionaries and members will gather in Warsaw! So I can see all of these sweeties again.
We went on a cool culture night this week! Took a little trip up to this gorgeous city near Kielce! Called Sandomierz. It has The cutest buildings and I love it!! Definitely going on the List! I think when I come back I'll have to rent a car and drive because all of the cool things are outside of the cities!!!
I'm glad that Dad had such a good birthday! I have such a good looking family! Inside and Out! I thank Heavenly Father every day for my family and all of my blessings. I can't wait to show my gratitude to Him in another city! I have been so blessed and helped here in Kielce, I loved my opportunity to be here, and made friendships to last forever:)I love Kielce, and I'm grateful I could give it some of myself for this time! The Gospel is the Greatest Gift I can Share!
Love you all!
Love, Siostra Ali Hemming

Kielce!  Such a beautiful city!!

This huge hole in the ground....reminds me of Lord of the Rings!

Kielce district exploring the castle:)

President explaining that this door is very old:)

Elders Guthrie, Raines, Sisters Owen and Hemming at the Gate!

The sweetest castle!  So fun and so huge!!

Castle:)

I love you!!

Happy Birthday to the world's best DAD!! P.S. IT'S SUNNY!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!

February 17th, 2014

 

Happy Birthday Dad!!! I sent you a letter and your own e-mail:)
yes... I repeat. everyone... it is sunny and warm and there are birds and green grass! Who lucked out and missed the crazy freezing winter in Poland? Me!!! I am so grateful for this weather and it's effect on my spirits and the work!! Oh I am so blessed!!!

Anyways... sorry I flipped;) We had a really good week this week. I am constantly in awe of the many miracles that are dropped in front of me and I need to be better at writing them down! I know this is crazy but I LOVE to write in my journal but I struggle having time for it:) Mom... I think you understand:)
We started off the week at Zone Training. Awesome. They started out by clapping for ourselves because we found the most investigators in one zone in a week ever in Poland... I felt like that was pretty weird. I think I've spent my whole mission knowing or at least trying to remember that every ounce of success I've had has come from the Lord. But... It was nice to know that the field is GLOWING white and ready to harvest:) We have transfers this next week, normally they leave me feeling a little anxious... but this time I just feel like I want to give every ounce I have to the work this week! To Love Kielce into the church as much as I can.

We have been teaching these two women and we love them! They learned about the word of wisdom and have been doing so well, but this week we went over and started the no smoking program... It was a miracle! The one girl, her name is Ania. She stood up, went and got her cigarettes, ripped them up and chucked them in the garbage!!! I love it!!! I have developed a new hate for alcohol, cigarrettes, and all things involved with breaking the word of wisdom. ( even meat... I will tell you that one in a minute) Anyways... wonderful miraculous things happening in Kielce.

I have been striving alot to better myself this week and have realized that satan always tries to get me to think I can't do something because I am lacking. ( that sneaky satan.) But! I have been studying and finding ways to improve and have come alot across two things. 1. Faith! Hello! I need to have faith that I have potential and that the Savior can help me reach it. I will let no man despise my youth. In the strength of the Lord I can do all things. I can change the work in this country and in the world. I have great potential. If you could pray for me as I pray for myself to catch sight of that I would be so grateful:) 2. Charity!!! Everything must be done with charity or it just doesn't count. I know this is my Father's world and His work!

We met with Karina this week. I told her I might be leaving... I think it made her sad but I felt I should so that we could both prepare for it. I feel like she is part of my family. Because she is! I am determined to take on this next transfer with Joy and Rejoicing. Faith and Hope! Whatever it brings. We made dinner with them on Saturday and spent too long searching for this ground chicken. ( yep... gross) So I finally told them that we can't find it and we'll have to just eat normal chicken! It worked out well, but we went into this meat shop. It was so gross. There was a giant pig head cut in half with teeth and eyes and all just sitting there. Who would eat that!!! Anyways...I am sticking with chicken and fish.

I hope you had a wonderful week and I wish you all Happy Valentines!

MOm... If I could get the Family History stories of Elizabeth and James Steele that would be great! Thank you for sending me a package:) Also thank you for the workouts;)

Also.. I read the story of Josph of Egypt and how he cried when he saw his siblings. I know I will! but I also think of the joy of seeing so many wonderful people on the other side of the veil. What a beautiful experience that will be!!

The work is on fire. I love being a Poland Warsaw Missionary!!!

Faith in Progression and Potential!
Love, Siostra Ali Hemming

Happy Valentines Day!!

February 10th, 2014

I thought I looked European!!

Hello Hello My Lovely Family!!                

I also can't believe time. It is CRAZY! I can't imagine leaving Kielce but I know that transfers will be soon and I am trying to give it my all these next couple of weeks! I love to hear about your skiing adventures. I think I may give it a shot again... after all... It's all about sticking to something and finishing it out! Please don't worry about Valentines Packages! I am so grateful you're even sending me one:) I know it's not cheap and I'm just super grateful so please don't worry:)

This week I began to read the bible. Let's be honest... at first I was really doubting that decision because I struggle with accepting some of the weirder stories. So I was praying about it and I had another striking example that Heavenly Father answers our prayers! I looked up and saw that the Liahona had a New Testament study guide.. czyli I need to study it. So i began to look at it from a new angle and saw that it has so much good! I read about Abraham and almost cried thinking about him having to take his child whom he loved so much up to the mountain. Then Isaac asks him where the sheep is to be sacrificed, I think he must have understood. There is a lot of symbolism in the fact that he had to carry the wood. Then Abraham is ready to perform the deed. the whole time he doesn't question, just does. The Lord is pleased with him and doesn't require it at his hands, but blesses him and his posterity. That really hit home with me. I am dedicating this week to be a week wherein Heavenly Father can know that I am prepared to give my all. That He can count on me to do His will. Heavenly Father's sacrifice of His Son is something I don't understand but am increasingly more grateful for. What a blessing the scriptures are! I also was touched by the three love stories. Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and Rebeca. Jacob and Rachel. It is obvious that love between these righteous people is expanded and fulfilled in living righteous lives, and they pass it on to their children. "Virtue Loveth Virtue, and Light Cleaveth Unto Light".

So thankful for running water:)

Go Batman!!  Thanks Dad:)

We had a lot of lessons this week and were able to meet two new young girls who are fabulous and have great potential! At church on Sunday we had four of our lovely investigators. I am so grateful to be here and to know these people. It is a miracle to see how the Lord works miracles. I am striving this month for Faith. Polish people have faith. I have seen it so strongly in so many members! This week two of our investigators committed to live the word of wisdom! I know it is so hard but I can't wait to meet and see how it has changed them. I LOVE the word of wisdom! It is soooo inspired. I can't even describe how much I have seen the negatives effects of not living it during my mission.

Sister Owen and I feel so much better! It is a miracle how few times I've been sick on my mission. We got to discuss alot about ourselves and it led me to reflect on the lessons I've learned while being on my mission. So many, and I know the Lord has many more prepared for me. I feel that Elder Dube's talk is perfect for me right now. Don't look back at what's happened, but just look ahead and believe that more will be expected, more will be felt, and more will be recieved. I am so grateful for that. I would tell you all to look at Gen. 29 : 20. This time in Poland has felt like days, I am so grateful for the Love that leads this work. President Edgren told us about how the Lord is with us. Laboring with us. That sure puts a whole new twist on things, I can't believe I've never thought of it before, or at least never applied it. Missions are the best!

Karina's daughter Victoria! So cute! Just like livi:)

Me being sick:(

It's been Crazy warm here!!! I am in shock! It was so warm that I didn't need gloves or a coat yesterday, just a jacket. miracle. I can't believe how blessed I've been! We can find more people when it's warm... maybe that's why:) The Lord is preparing Poland!!!  Sister Owen and I have just been loving our transfer, working harder every day, and asking ourselves how the Lord saw our day and I have been asking myself how the Lord sees my heart. Because that is most important. I am so grateful for this mission and all I have learned, for the changes made. I was reading my patriarchal blessing and realized just how blessed I am and have been. Feeling that gratitude has brought the Spirit so much stronger into my life!

 Sorry for such a long one but I love you all so much! I have to share all the things I've learned!!! I love this place! I love you and and pray for you each night. I think of your love and examples for me and I wish you a wonderful valentines day filled with the best kind of love there is! Charity:) the only True and lasting love, the love of Christ.

Love Love Love,

Siostra Ali Hemming

I LOVE KIELCE!!!!

February 3rd, 2014

 

Hello my family!!! First off, this week has flown by. I feel very odd that it's almost Valentine's Day... they celebrate it here by the way... but they say it in English so that's wierd. I can't believe you all have Valentines!! You're too young;) just kidding... I definitely remember Harmie giving me that little rose. What a miracle of a family I have. I don't know if I'll ever comprehend how blessed I am. Rors, don't worry! I remember being crazy busy with the play but loving it so much! What a great experience. I can't wait to see more pictures... Karina's family was part of the circus... she was a snake charmer. literally. I can't think of a worse job:) hahaha! But her brother and mother and dad alll work as acrobats ( I always think of Robin and how his family were acrobats, and it makes me scared for them :) sorry, enough with the Batman references...

Anyways... This was a great week. We have been blessed with a lot of miracles and a ton of new investigators so we were trying to figure out how we could help those new investigators progress. We have been praying for what to teach them and how to help them and it has been a miracle! They are such wonderful women. I remember praying and praying for families in Kraków and nothing... then I get to Kielce and they come out of the woodwork! The women we are teaching right now all have these amazing life experiences and hard times. One of our investigators had a cousin die this past week. I am so grateful for the ability I have to understand. We talked for a long time about the plan of Salvation and it was a miracle for me to see how it can help answer those deep questions we all have. I have been pondering on the plan alot this week. I am so grateful for the revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith and all the prophets that have ever been on the earth and how they have helped me understand what happened in the life before, who I was, and what will happen next. We are so blessed to know what we know.

All was going well this week and then Saturday hit! We both woke up feeling awful and have been sick since then. It is a lot better now but I am dying to get out and work! There is something so powerful about interacting with others and giving them that message and light which is most precious to you. Saturday night I had a really high fever and wasn't sleeping so I got up and prayed that if I needed to be in church the next day that I would be able to. ( One of our awesome ladies said she'd be coming for her first time) I realized that Heavenly Father loves them more than I do and I didn't need to worry, whatever needed to happen for their good would happen:) So Sunday morning we felt pretty well! It was a miracle we went to church and a woman just walked in and said that we gave her a card one day and she is searching for truth! She just kept saying that she wanted to know what was this book of mormon!!! The Best Question! Karina actually ended up teaching most of the lesson about that, which was an even bigger miracle! I love these people and these strong women and their examples to me. When we got back home Sunday we were pretty sick again... so it was definitely a miracle!

What a wonderful week. I am excited to tell you more next week about the way the Lord's hand is in our lives, and in which ways we were His narzędziami ( instruments) to bring about His work! I love this work and I love that I am serving in Kielce and in Poland... and most of all I love that I am serving the Lord. I love Him and am determined to give Him more this week. Mom, that quote from Joseph Smith was just what I needed! To become as He is. He commanded us to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven... and" He giveth us no commandment save He shall prepare a way"! So I am focusing on that and I'll tell you in what ways I have become changed this week:)

Love you around the world and back, literally:)

Love, Siostra Hemming
sorry... no pics this week, you don't want pictures of me being sick:) also... Frankie sent me like twenty pictures of people getting married that I know... I think that made me a little more sick. I can't believe that I'm that old. wierd:) But what a great new step. Marriage is definitely more wonderful and more eternal than I ever comprehended before my mission. Another reason I'm so grateful to be here! Sorry, I will let you go but I love you all so much! Muah!

SNOW:)

Siostra Owen and Hemming.  Bandits!  Yep...but otherwise I can't speak Polish because my chin is frozen:)

Snow:)

Our little restaurant!!

Hot Chocolate....

Dinner!

Siostra Hemming, Owen and Elder Raines

Tracting:)

January 27,  2014

Yep. that's right everyone! It finally snowed in Kielce!!!! And it's beautiful. It was also in the negatives but we won't talk about that:) Don't worry, I'm warm, Sister Owen let me use some of her hand warmers.

This was a great week! It started off will miracles after miracle! I really love to see how many people the Lord is preparing. It's so cool. Kielce is booming, now we just need to see some baptisms. We met a ton of cool people and are preparing to help them continue to make and keep commitments. To change. To repent!

We spent some good time this week serving the members. I'm not sure how much longer I'll have the privelage of staying in Kielce, but I'm imagining not super long... so I'm really trying to just give it my all! So we went crazy... making banana bread, running across Kielce to lessons and then to service. And we also have tried to serve the community more. It was a success because we had some of our less-actives in church!

Karina is doing really well. She is strong and firm in the gospel and speaks like a member. She is already a missionary and doing so well at it! She reminds me of my own selfless mother. She gives her children her all. It is very inspiring.

Stanislow!

Sister Owen and I had this awesome experience. We had a referall from the office(internet) and we had tried to call it, but the number was unavailable. During my mission, most every referall we've had has ended up being someone pranking someone, or something, so I was a little hesistant to take our whole day to go and find them, but Sister Owen and I did just that. We went out to her little city and ended up being stuck out there all day because we didn't know what time the buses came to go back to Kielce. We met her family who thought that we were amish and polygamists... like most people in Poland! And we ended up eating at this gorgeous restaurant!!! But we didn't get to meet her. When we got home that night,I was feeling like our day was wasted, but then she called!!! It was awesome, she set up and we had a really great meeting! Oh how blessed we are in this work.

Every week we visit this nursing home by our house. Sister Owen and I just started and we love it! This week we visited Stanisław who is such a riot! He is 100 but is still super energetic and sits there telling us about his family and the war. He has a lot of medals. Such a wonderful opporunity. Elder Raines was with us yesterday and afterwards we went tracting. His companion was on a train for exchanges... let's just say it didn't convince people that we don't have polygamy:) hahaha!

I love you all so much! I can't believe how quickly time goes by... but I also know that Elder Dube's talk in last conference about looking ahead is so for missionaries!!! We all have to keep pressing on, not taking a moment for granted!

I love the opportunity I have to be here. I love that I can work on my weaknesses on trait at a time, and lose myself in the work! What a blessing we have to know what we know. I am almost done reading Jesus the Christ, and I am in awe at all that I have learned and continue to learn of Him! I Love to be His Missionary!

Love, Sister Ali Hemming

Disciple...czyli:) (someone who learns)

January 20th, 2014

 

Hello my lovely family!!! I love you so much and I'm so glad that you got my package. I'm sorry that it got opened and that Rori's ring wasn't there. Super Lame:) I hope that you all enjoyed the rest of it though. Also sorry that I sent you crazy amounts of chocolate right when you started the "Getting Into Shape Athon:)" awesome! hahaha. I loved the pictures of Rori cutting dad's hair. Oh dad would never trust me with that:) Too many terrible hair cutting jobs. I also love your story of the temple mom. Sometimes I get what I call " temple sickness". Basically it is decided that I will go to the temple ASAP after my mission.

This week we saw a lot of miracles. I normally like to share the great things that happened to other people and help you see the wonderful lives of these people in Poland, but I would like to share a personal experience. A miracle that happened to me.

We began the week with a Zone Training. It was all about giving your heart to the Lord. I LOVED it. I felt the Spirit so strongly and felt the great love that the Lord has for me. I left it feeling uplifted and prepared to repent and change some of my missionary work, so that I could be a better missionary. Not sure exactly why... or what triggered it... maybe being tired. a little sick. and feeling a bit overwhelmed with the work, but I began from the next day to feel very weighed down. I started to focus on the things I wanted to change in myself and ended up feeling like I couldn't do anything right. For me that was very hard. It's so important for me to know that what I am doing is pleasing the Lord. I felt very weighed down, and the work suffered. I prayed. Super Hard. I cried a little bit:) actually just a lot:) I know that it's good to think about the things you need to change, but I also knew that this was not building and uplifting. So it happened that this week I learned a completely new lesson about the Atonement. I learned so much. My whole life I've learned about the power of the Atonement. It has been at the focus of countless lessons and countless experiences. Even in view of all this, I don't think I've ever really understood how it works. I read a talk " His Grace is Sufficient" and realized that I'm not perfect, nor ever will be. The Savior already paid the full price. My side of the bargain isn't to try and pay it back or to be worthy of His love, he already paid it. My part is to give Him my heart. To give every effort and every conscious thought in order to show Him how much I love Him. As I began to see it in that light, something inside of me changed.I'm still learning more and trying to take it all in stride.  I learned so much, and throughout the rest of the week, we saw miracle after miracle. To me it was as if Heavenly Father was showing me His love. Even in the fact that one day I felt so much joy and contacted this amazing lady!!!!!!!! Actually she contacted me. She was so cool and we talked for a while and she said " You know what... I think that the reason I asked you who you are and what book you are holding ( Book of Mormon) is because you were smiling. You are happy. She's right! I also want you all to know that there are birds chirping and it's raining here! This weather has been a miracle to me. We've also had some lovely and spiritual lessons with some of our investigators. Plus Przemek and his dad came to church!!! I think the love I felt for him was a miracle as well. Their family felt the miracle of temple prayers. And As you can see, I did too. Oh how I love the temple. Sister Owen has been so great, and we've made a super solid goal sheet so that we can not feel overwhelmed. That's why I Love goals! it's so doable if you just draw it out!
I know that missionary work and really life is all about change. It's all about repentance and calling to repentance and being called to repentance:) I am going to begin my week with a fast, that I may know how to better give my heart. I want to " know Him as He is" as Moroni quotes.
I love this work. I can't wait to give more to it. I love my Savior. I love Him so much. I need to give Him my heart, and my desires, and even " every conscious thought". That is my goal.
Love, Siostra Ali Hemming

After contacting in the rain!!!

Love It!!!!

Eating our Sunday obiad in the chapel closet:)  It was a party!

Am I serving in Poland...or is this Jamaica?

Saying goodbye to Sister Moncur!  I Love her!!

Hopefully someday I will be a good cook!

Awkward Day with the Elders

porcupine guy walking down the street...odd:)

Olo!
Alright... maybe not to that extreme, but It has been so warm here lately. I'm SOOOOOOOOOO grateful! It just barely started to get a bit chilly lately, and I can't believe it. I know it's because you have been taking the hit for me in the states:) Thanks!

I miss you all! I love you so much, and I can't believe that you are so wonderful. On my mission I've learned to much about my family, about how blessed and lucky and grateful I am for a wonderful family who has so much love and direction. How could I be so blessed? I don't know, but I love that I can share that joy with others!

So the week started off with me saying goodbye to Sister moncur. I love her and I love sister barth so I know they'll get along great! Now I have Sister Owen! I love her! She came in and we've been working hard and seeing so many miracles. She and I are very alike and have similar goals this transfer, so we're excited to get to see how prayer and faith can build up Kielce! She is from Seattle and went to BYUI. She is 19, and is a great missionary! Elder Retallick went up to Bydgoszcz with Elder Swicegood! Elder Raines is staying in Kielce and training, so he has to deal with me another transfer. poor guy:)

I love to hear about you and your primary teaching mom! Those children will be so much better off thanks to you. How blessed are they. I love to hear about you and dad spending some great time together, Sister Owen and I have been talking about families lately and we are so greateful we have such wonderful examples. There are always opportunities to share the gospel, even to share happiness and love. It's so important as we have so much to give.

This week we saw a lot of miracles, and have one more wonderful investigator! Her name is Stanislawa and she's probably in her 60's. Most of the older Polish women here kind of hate us... so I was a bit nervous at first, but realized that she is SO prepared. I can't wait to tell you how she progresses. Karina is doing well, we are trying to think out of the box and recieve revelation for how to help Przemek. I know the Lord loves him too...  He will come around, As a branch we are all searching for ways to touch them! It will work out.

I still love Kielce, and we are just enjoying life here, Sister Owen and I have decided that we want to look for ways that we try to please others, and change them. We want this transfer to be for the Lord. If it's not for Him, it doesn't mean anything. I have learned alot lately about being grateful for weaknesses, and seeing them in a diferent light. No one is perfect, and that is good, because we never get bored! And anyone who knows me knows I don't like to be bored:) I think that's how I've always been.

I read the talk " His Grace is Sufficient". It changed me outlook on a lot of things. I realize that in my life I am not living right to try and pay back my weaknesses. Nope. I am doing right to come closer to my Savior. To be more like Him, that I may love Him so much that I would do anything to be with Him. To show Him my gratititude. That sure does change things. When that is our purpose, then everything falls into place. I've decided that I am me for a reason! I have something special to bring to Kielce, Poland and the World, and I need to use that and love it! What a great week, Sister Owen and I are so happy and I'm so grateful for all of my MANY blessings.

I love you all so much!
Love, Sister Hemming