Happy new year!!!

Dzień Dobry!

This week was sooo good! It really was so fun! Sounds like you all are doing great. haha I loved the pictures sooo much. Oh my the picture of the Nativity. haha soooo funny. Except almost made me cry... haha But I miss you all! Sounds like everyone is so happy!

Some things that happened this week! Christmas Eve we hung out at the Gay's (senior couple) apartment. Played games all night and read Christmas stories. It was pretty prime!;) Then at midnight we are actually allowed to go to something called "Midnight Mass". It's just the Catholic church does it every year they have a worship service @ midnight! It was very different. hahaha kinda awkward and we couldn't wear our tags obviously. But actually a really cool experience to see the Polish people and what they do and how dedicated some are to their religion. It also mad me sad and motivated. It mad me sad to see how confused so many people were and how much they were missing out on the FULLNESS of the Gospel! But it was fun and good experience.

Sunday morning we went to a nativity type thing! Oh and got to sleep in til 8! hahah wow that was nice. haha kinda threw off my sleeping pattern though. But we did that, and had a good dinner at the Gay's again. They are the greatest.

And then I got to call you all! haha my heart was like freakin out the last 30 mins before calling you. haha and then i decided to call early cause we had time! and i called! and nobody was even up yet!!!!! hahaha you guys are usually always up by then! But i told mom i would call back in 30 mins then! haha it was really funny to hear you all "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!" haha but yeah i loved talking to you guys. haha i felt like i talked for like 2 mins. went by so fast! 

But my favorite part was you guys singing "Families can be together forever" and "Silent Night" the spirit was so strong with me there. I just love you all so much!

The best part about my Christmas was talking to my family and hearing how happy they were! I loved it so much! I feel like they are all happier than ever! Heavenly Father has blessed us with so much! Im so thankful for that! All I want is for our family to be together forever! 

So the day after Christmas we ahd Zone Conference in Poznań! We get to the train station at 6:00 and its me my comp and the senior comp. and waiting for the sisters. The sister's get there  with about 15 mins before our train is gonna leave.. and they say "we forgot our presents" (presents for the white elephant exchange) hahha me and my comp both look at each other and started taking off our suit coats and jackets and back packs. hahah and just start running. It was the worst thing ever cause I'm wear my tight suit....thought my pants were gonna rip. haha we sprinted to their apartment and back......haha barely mad the bus with like 30 seconds to spare. and we are just like sitting there sweating and dying on the train. hahah it was so rough! but yeah funny memories.

On the spiritual note. Yesterday we were contacting on the streets. And sometimes when we contact in the really crowded areas people see us and see that we are trying to talk to people and it can even look like we are trying to sell something sometimes. so its usually one "nie dziękuję" after another. Which means no thank you. But i decided to step back for a sec and look for someone i needed to talk to. I saw this younger looking kid. Looked kinda rough, with a beard, and holes in his clothes. But I went and talked to him anyways! I said, "Hey we are sharing a message about The Book of Mormon!" and he said in English, " I don't understand you....what are you doing?" I tried one more time in polish. And he understood! haha he asked a couple questions about the Book of Mormon and I answered for him. I found out he was actually studying at a University in Sweden and speaks English fluent. But we still spoke in polish. As he accepted a Book of Mormon and we exchanged contact information and set up a meeting there was a silent moment for a sec. And I just told him "The Book of Mormon has changed my life, that's why I am here, And I know it can change yours." He said with a smile, " I hope it can because I'm a little depressed."

The spirit was so strong there! Those are some of the best missionary moments when you can feel the Spirit working through you to someone! We are meeting with him this Thursday! So pray for us! 

I hope you all are reaching out to others and lifting them up. Whether they are already members or not! I love my mission so much! Never been so happy! Love you all! Make some good new years resolutions that will bring you closer to Christ! And build his attributes that he has!

Happy New Year! Thanks for everything! 

Ofa Lahi Atu

Kocham Cię!

Loves.

                       -Starszy Fotu

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT!!!!!

DZIEŃ DOBRY FAMILY!!!!

This week was a crazy one! The main thing we had was our Christmas Program in Church! It was so awesome! Luckily my comp is really good at the piano, and a sister missionary here (Sister Barth) is really good at the Violin. And for me im really good at turning pages for my companion!

But it was really awesome! Guess how many investigators we had...........We had 4 in church! It was so awesome to see the Lord bless us so much. And everyone of them was so impressed! we had 18 people in church! We've also been meeting with this kid named Grzegorz! He is so awesome and he truely has been prepared to recieve this Gospel! He is probably about 21 or 22 years old. 

Our last meeting with him went really good and I can feel the Lord helping me with the language everyday! But at the end of our lesson I invited him to be baptized! He isnt really sure about it yet, cause he was scared if he was baptized that he couldn't listen to metal music, couldnt dress the same, and couldnt find out more about other religions. But he kept asking more and more questions about baptism and we showed him pictures and what not.

In our lesson just a couple of hours ago he seemed a lot more open about it! Our meeting was with Elder Gay, Our Branch President. And the reason that Grzegorz is so interested in our church is cause of the Book of Mormon and what it testifies of. But also because of how much we all love him! 

It's Christmas and time to celebrate the birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Before going on my mission I had never received my answer from the Holy Ghost about Jesus Christ. But I believed that He lived here and Earth and did what He did. Luckily in the MTC, I recieved my answer and felt the Spirit testify of Him. Now being on my mission for this long, the biggest part of my testimony is that Jesus is The Christ. He came here on Earth and set the way for us to follow. He died on the cross for us and was ressurected. And he still LIVES. The main attribute I have learned to try to develope is Charity. If we have charity we can do absolutely anything. I don't believe we can even imagine the kind of love that the Savior has for us and also our Heavenly Father. But I know that as we try to build that love in our lives for EVERYBODY. Not just some people but EVERY SINGLE ONE of our Brothers and Sisters here on Earth. We will become better people. We will feel God's love even more in our life. And we will come to appreciatte the Atonement of Jesus Christ more in our life. 

Find others to serve. Serve them with love. And love them with all your heart. No matter what they do. 

I love you all! I hope you always remember that we are ALWAYS trying to be like the Savior in this life. If you are always trying to do so, you will be happy, and the Lord will bless you! 

Have the Best Christmas ever! Wesołych Świąt!

Ofa lahi atu! Kocham was! Love you all!

-Starszy Fotu

Hey Hey!

Hey looks like no one woke up this morning! I hope I will be able to e-mail you guys next week! Before I get to talk to you all!

So right now what is going on is we actually have a phone here that we can call home with. this week we are gonna figure out the times we will call home! It's not for sure yet. But ill let you know next week! probably gonna be around 9 or 10 in the morning. I hope that doesn't affect your plans!

But im excited for it and to hear all your voices. unfortunately they aren't allowing us to skype. Maybe next time though!

You all should think of some question to ask me for FHE so we are just sitting there. hahaha im just we will have lots to talk about though!

Sounds like you all are doing great! Thanks to Selu and her e-mail. haha im just kidding I know you all are busy! I love and miss you guys!

The work is great here in Poland! Yesterday we had a good turn out in Sacrament meeting! about 15 people. So pretty good. Our numbers werent too hot this week but we are still working hard! 

We got a guy in sacrament meeting too! His name is Edek and he is one of the most amazing polish people i've ever met! He is just so happy and smiling. He didnt have time to meet after sacrament meeting but he just seemed really excited to learn more and we actually gave him a little part in our Christmas Program for next week so he will be there and he's gonna bring a friend!!!! So cool... Yeah Christmas is coming up! Im so excited. This saturday we are doing a Shoe Polish thing. I dont know if you guys saw the news article about the missionaries in New York doing that. But im soo excited for it!

Then we got the Christmas program! Im singing a solo! wassssgoooooodddd! haha sike. That'd be cool though. haha but im just so happy. The Lord is honestly blessing me so much. I feel so indebt to him. But i know as I work hard and try to bring my brothers and sisters to the gospel, I can repay him in that way! Something i've really learned on my mission is that planning has a big role in the mission life. haha Dad always told me I should use a planner and plan everything out. haha I dont think i ever did. But every night we have a planning session. We first pray. Invite the Spirit and lets Heavenly Father know we are here to do his will. As you plan with the Spirit, The Lord will let you know what he wants you to do and where he wants you to go! I've seen it be a HUGE part in my mission! I heard a quote in the MTC say that "planning can break or make a mission". I know that's soo true. I know you guys dont plan out your days. But pray for mission opportunities! Pray that you will be able to find those seeking the truth, or pray that you will know what to say if you have already found them! I promise the Lord will bless you in the very moment! Act on those promptings! As you do so you will be blessed by the Lord and you will be happy! I love you all! Im so thankful for this Christmas season! I challenge you all to lose yourself in the service of others. As our Savior would. Love you all! Have a AWESOME Christmas!

ofa lahi atu!

love you!

kocham cię!

-Starszy Fotu

And something I realized i was always grateful for was how mom would always have us do a secret santa thing for a family EVERY YEAR! I hope you guys are doing that this year. 

Talk to you all in a week! loves;)

Family!

Hey Family! 

How is everyone doing! Poland is sooo good! I love this city Szczecin! At first when I got ot Szczecin there was 8 people in church. 4 of Which were missionaries. Yesterday we had 19 people in church!!!! So awesome. We have really been workin and helping people back into church and to re-activity. And been finding others! We had 2 investigators in church, Francziszek and Grzegorz! Pretty awesome guys! hoping to set some baptismal dates with them this week! Unfortunately we lost contact with another baptismal date. The one that was supposed to be baptised on Dec. 7. But I'm excited to find others! 

This week was soo awesome cause I was actually kinda stressin out during the week. haha I've learned that stress can be good for you though! But I was stressin cause I was puttin a talk together cause I had to speak in Sacrament meeting yesterday! I was sooo scared and just kinda freakin out. But then Sunday Morning came around and I was just sitting in church with the whole room almost filled. And just soaking in the Spirit. The spirit was so strong with me and I just felt the lord's love for me and everyone there. 

Wow I love church sooo much! I love preaching this gospel to everyone! Please pray for our investigators. We need it! We also got a finding idea that the Senior couple found online! Shining Shoes on the street and giving out hot chocolate! Im SOOO PUPMED right now to do that this week! I'll let you guys know how that goes! Love you guys soo much! Always remember to do the basic things so you have the spirit with you!

Love and Miss you guys. Thanks fo everything! 

ofa lahi atu! Kocham was!

-Starszy Fotu

December!!!!

CZEŚĆ Family!

I hope all is going well at home! sounds like everything is going good! Man I miss you all so much! This week was a little slower week! But still miracles are always happening in the mission field! Im sure I don't notice many of them! But this week we had another investigator in church. His name is Franciszek! He is older and pretty awesome. Except he hasn't had much time for us to teach him but he has been in church! He is super nice guy! But this week we are set up to meet on Wednesday after English class! So wish me luck and maybe a prayer! 

A cool moment I had this week was in church. I am beginning to feel the spirit a lot more in church now because I am actually understanding more hahah. But I love church soo much. I pass the sacrament like every week, cause we don't have that much priesthood in this branch!

But as I was sitting in church I was a little bummed about this other investigator that didn't show up. But then I looked around and noticed how many people we did have in church. Which was 16. About 2 months ago, there was sometimes only 8 or 10 people, including for missionaries. The Lord really has blessed us here in this little town. And I noticed we had 4 people who were less active in the past 4 months that were in church cause we simply when and invited them back. One of them named Anita. She is an older lady bore her testimony. She talked about how she decided to live without God for some time in her life. And was really feeling lonely. And she would sometimes think about coming back to church sometime but never did. Until the Sister's here in Szczecin and a Member went and visited her and invited her back. The spirit was so strong in that meeting. I know that even though the church isn't big here, It's still the SAME church. The only true church on the earth today. I hope you all are working on helping bring others unto Christ before Christmas! I promise as you do the simple things; Reading Scriptures, Saying Prayers, and Sharing your testimony. Heavenly Father will bless you and help you bring others! Act on it! Have faith! Faith takes action. As you do those simple things your desire to share the gospel will grow! I promise! 

I love you all soo much! I love my mission. I would rather be here than any where else right now! Thank you so much for your prayers. The power of prayer is real and our Heavenly Father wants to hear from us! Love you! Have a JOLLY CHRISTMAS SEASON! I know I will;)

-Starszy Fotu

Thanksgiving Dinner! 

And the Senior Couple The Gay's! sooo nice! They have 13 kids too!

Nov. 25!!

Whats up errrrbody!!!!

Right now i've never been so excited for missionary work! This week was soo awesome! Usually in church we have about 8-12 people at most! But this week we had 17! So awesome. hahha PACKED HOUSE!!! Really though it was soo awesome! This week we decided to visit some less-actives with the senior couple, Elder and Sister Gay. As well did the sisters here. Us both were able to find a nice old sister and a really cool guy named Mariusz. As we met with them there was just a warm spirit as we invited them back to church! I could really tell they were so happy that we had visited them! And it was so awesome seeing them in church. Re-activating the less-active is sooo important! It's even better if members do it! So i challenge you all to find the less-actives and bring them back! 

We also were able to get THREE INVESTIGATORs in church! A younger kid named Bartek. We have taught him a couple lessons and having kinda a hard time cause he is really smart with science and what not. And doesn't believe in God. But I have faith we will  be able to help him! A man named Francziszek! he is older. And he taught him a lesson right after Sacrament meeting. He had some questions about the Book of Mormon so we read with him somewhat! And commmited him to read and pray to know if it was true. And to come to church next sunday! That is something we are really focusing on as a misison, C.P.R. Church, Pray, Read! You have to make commitments with these people, because you will know who is serious, If they want to know this is true they are going to know through the Holy Spirit. That is the greatest tool in Misisonary work! And these three things will put them in the situation to feel that! And last is a man named Jerzy!

For the past month we had been calling Jerzy cause he actually had a baptismal date and already passed the Baptismal Interview! He's been taught by 3 different missionaries already. And this week we finally got in contact with him! soo awesome! We actually lost contact because he was in the Hospital doing some kind of Theraphy because he actually has Cancer. He is soo awesome though and we have a Baptismal date for Dec. 7!!!! woot woot. so pumped. 

He has alot of struggles in life but he knows that this is the most important thing for him right now. His family is actually disowning him a little. They live in Jerusalem and are jewish. And they really dont like his decision to be baptized! His faith is soo strong and he is such an awesome guy! 

We actually almost had 4 investigators in church but one couldnt come but promised he would come next week! Im so excited for this work! The Lord really has blessed us soo much! I see His hand everyday in His work! That he is hastening!

I love my mission so much! please pray for my investigators! Im starting to pick up on the language I think. I can almost understand everything. I know its the Lord blessing me with the Gift of Tongues! And your prayers. Thank you so much!

I challenge you all to keep doing the basics EVERYDAY!!!! Read and Pray! You all already know.

And also bring others unto Christ. I bet you all could name someone that could use a friend or use some love in their life. In this last conference they said, "If you simply ask them to come to church, They will" I challenge you all to do so! I promise if you do, the Lord will bless you, and you will feel a certain happiness in your life! Love you all so much!

Do Widzenia!

                                            -Starszy Fotu

Awesome week!

Hey Family!

Sounds like everyone is doing good! I was sad to hear that Isaac and his team lost! But sounds like they still had an awesome team! And you can't win em all!!! unless you got chase hansen on your team;)

No Im just messin around! hahha but let me know how jared and them do at the tourney! and send me some pictures of everyone! I love seeing how they are doing! Im sooo glad to hear you guys are helping brings others unto Christ and doing Elder Ballard's challenge! That challenge is from our Heavenly Father and given to us through his Prophet and Apostles. I read that talk this morning and I loved it sooo much! 

This past week was super awesome! We had Zone Conference in Poznań so we had a like 3 hour train ride there. Pretty awesome. And President Edgren was there so that was awesome cause we dont see him too often. I had a good interview with him. He's soo awesome and I just love him and Sister Edgren soo much. But this mission is really trying to think of new finding ideas and what we can do to find different people here in Poland! I go the prompting that we just needed to go on the streets and every person we see just invite them to church! We did that on Friday andSaturday, for an hour each day! 

Saturday night I just prayed soo hard that someone would be in church!!!!

Sunday morning came and the first person to church was a man we had met on the streets the night before! His name is Franczuszek! The night before he was a little drunk. I could smell alcohol in his breath. But he said he woke up sunday morning and had somewhere to be but woke up late and so he said he thought that was God telling him to be at church! I was soo excited. And I just remember sitting in Sacrament meeting yesterday sooo happy. And I loved that moment just sitting there and feeling the Holy Ghost and Love that the Lord had for me specifically in that moment! 

I dont have much time today! But pray that we will find people to bring to church! Im so thankful for all your prayers and I can seriously feel them! Thank you soo much! And also keep working towards bringing someone unto Christ before Christmas! Get your priorities straight and do what the Lord wants you to do! I know if you do so then he will bless you! 

To do so you need to Pray and know who he wants you to bring. Next let the Spirit work through you! Do things that only bring the spirit into your life! And next, Follow the Spirit! Heavenly FAther will tell you what to do and what to say! Trust him! 

I love you all! keep doing the basics. If you master the basics then you will be awesome! Love you guys! 

-Elder Fotu

Hi Family!!!!

This past week has been sooo awesome!

Unfortunantly we lost contact with Bogdan. As for now. But last we talked with him he couldnt meet that day cause his mother was in the hospital and he is super busy taking care of his parents! So I hope we can get back in touch with him soon! A miracle for me this week was just realizing that I can speak more polish than I think! The Lord has really blessed me with the confidence of the language! I seriously feel his love for me EVERY SINGLE DAY! Im alot more confident with the language now, But im definietely not good and there are some things I dont understand so I know I need to keep working hard with the language and studying hard! Thank you for your prayers for me! I know they help me everyday! 

I got a new companion obviously cause my last one went home! His name is Elder Vernon! He went to American Fork. haha his family lives like right next to smith's. He's is pretty awesome! He has been here for over a year and a half. On transfer days I talked to President and I think he wants me to train next transfer. haha yeah so im kinda scared but I really need to step it up this transfer and get some things down! I know I can with the Lord's help! 

Something I've really learned on my mission is why we have hard things in life. I've figured out that the Lord gives us hard things so that we can always remember him! And So we can grow in life! Man I've grown way more than I can even explain on my mission! I've had some of the hardest time in my mission, but the Lord has been there for me every single time! He has blessed me with happiness every single day. I go to sleep every night soo happy. I love my mission. Every time I have a hard time now I just think of the Savior. He did the Atonement for US! He knows every single pain that we will ever have and he knows exactly what we are going through! Everytime we have a hard time we become stronger! My testimony grows everyday as I do Hard things. A quote that is probably one of my favorites from conference is "If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it, and stand strong. And have hope for better days". The Lord will come! I have felt him in my life everyday, and I have seen him in lives of others! 

I love my mission soo much! Love you all soo much!

I challenge you all to master the Basics! John Wooden said, "We just focused on becoming brilliant at the basics." 

I know as you read daily, pray daily, go to the temple weekly, and Love EVERYONE (have Charity). You will feel the Lord's love in your life. He will bless you more than you can handle! I promise you that! Love you all soo much! Thank you for everything! 

Wiele Miłośći!

One love. Ofa Atu.

-Elder Fotu

CZEŚĆ!

Whats up everybody!!!

This week was sooo awesome! So I think I had the best moment in my mission so far! There was a guy that showed up to church last week named Bogdan. He's probably about like 50 or older. And the Sacrament meeting was really weird that he came to. We ended up getting a new Branch President, Elder Gay! Who is here with his wife serving! And when he was sustained in Sacrament meeting there was actually a member that disagreed. And it was just kind of awkward. And then this member was actually assigned to speak in church that day. He got up and started to say some really weird things and false things about the church and my companion who was the BRanch President had to ask him to end his talk. haha yeah so thats just a little taste of what church is like sometimes here in Szczecin! but man as you can see that wouldn't be so good for a new investigator in church. 

After this member ended his talk, My companion got up and bore testimony. A very strong testimony. This spirit was so strong there and I know that Bogdan (investigator) felt the spirit. He said he liked our church and would like to find out more. We met with him last Wednesday. And I decided going into the lesson I was really gonna try to participate more because I am usually just very quiet on lessons cause half the time I have no idea what is going on (due to my language disabilities) But the spirit was so strong there, and I could seriously feel the Lord helping me to say many things and bear testimony! Towards the end of the Meeting we invited him to be baptized on Nov. 16. And he said he would definitley! This spirit was sooo strong there and I don't think I had ever been sooo happy in my life. We met with Bogdan again on Saturday and got him the Book of Mormon on CD because he cant see well at all and his eyes hurt to read. As he ended our meeting on Saturday he said "please bless these missionaries, and their mesages, that it will not be rejected, and people will listen to them"

I love this gospel sooo much! It seriously changes lives. I have seen it here. And I know that it can change anyones life! It has changed mine. My love for the people grows every single day! And my testimony grows everyday! 

I finished the Book of Mormon again this last week and I know that you can grow closer to God if you read it. It has changed my life! I love it so much!

Yesterday we had transfer calls! And Im staying in Szczecin! I was excited about that cause i wanna keep helping Bogdan progress towards baptism! He is sooo awesome! But im staying here! My comp (Elder Mikołyski) is returing to South Jordan, utah. haha And my new comp is Elder Vernon! he's from American Fork! Super solid kid and super good at Polish! Here in Szczecin, President Edgren decide to take out a set of Elders and bring in a pair of Sisters. So now we have Elders, Senior couple, and Sisters! its pretty awesome and im so excited for this next transfer! I love my mission so much!

I miss you all! Keep doing the basics! Everyday!!!! Read and Pray!

Go to the temple! I miss it soo much! I love you all soo much! 

One of my favorite quotes from General Conference is:

"In the sight of the Lord, it is not so much what we have done or where we have been but much more where we are willing to go."

                                    -Elder Edward Dube

Show our Savior and Heavenly Father that you love him and DO The things that he wants us to do!

Love you all! Know that God loves you with a Perfect Love ALWAYS.

                   -Starszy Fotu

Cześć Family!!!!

Man sounds look everyone is doing great! love and miss you all! But this work is sooo great!

Sounds like you guys had a pretty busy week with everything!

Let me know how Selu does! She better tear it up! haha she had like the Tiger stare in that picture you guys sent me of her! meow.

Thats awesome that isaac and them are doing good. awesome that he wore Landon Hannemens jersey! I remember that Micah wanted to do that for me our senior year when i got hurt but he was superstitious about it. haha I think it was ok cause we won!

but that sounds awesome! let me know how they do! Keep workin hard on and off the field. I sent him a letter last week so should be gettin there soon!

Thanks sooo much for everything! 

This week was a pretty crazy week.

hahah like seriously some crazy things happened. but ill just give ya guys the spiritual part!

So ive just been studying Preach My Gospel and what not. And I've seen a lot of missionaries on my mission say that they need to just be themselves on their mission. And they don't need to try to change who they are. I think some of this is true. But I also have been impressed by the Spirit that this gospel changes lives. And Heavenly Father knows exactly who we are and who we can become. Through the many things that we do in the gospel, which is the simple basic, we can change who we are. I challenge everyone to find the things you want to change in your life and change those things. Be willing to recognize those things, and be ANXIOUS to change them. I feel like my Savior has helped me do that so much on my mission. I feel like a different person but the same person at the same time. I have a testimony that if you Study what the Savior of the world did, Jesus Christ, and his example. And apply those things that he did and taught. You will reach your potential. I know that the Lord has helped me and I know that he loves US. Not just some of us but some of us.

I listened to a talk by Elder Bednard and he talked about in the Scriptures when they use the word "chosen"

he talked about how some people like ot say they are not a "chosen" one. He emphasizes on the fact that Heavenly Father does not have a list of favorites. We ourselves choose if we are "chosen" Heavenly Father has given us Agency. We can choose what we do with it. I challenge everyone to find the things they need to change in their life and MAKE IT HAPPEN! Heavenly Father will make of you the best person you can possibly be. And he will bless you more than ever.

I have a firm testimony of that and I have seen it in my life.

Love you all! Do missionary work always, whether it be in word or in example!

loves.

-Starszy Fotu

Wassssgoooooddd!

Hey Family!

Sounds like everyone is doing good at home! Can't believe football season is already over for some of the boys already. And sounds like Isaac's is winding down. haha I miss football so much. But this work is so much greater. My companion leaves on the 7th of November. He is pretty sad but excited at the same time. We are really gonna push these last couple weeks and finish out this transfer hard! Garrett spoke in Singles ward. haha thats cool. Sounds like all the kids are doing good! Send me pics I wanna see all of them. I miss little emma so much. Better be telling her all about me so she knows who I am when I get home.

This week we got some new investigators so if you guys would pray for them that would be great!

We got Paweł, Magda, and Patryk! They are all so awesome and Im so excited to start teaching them! I will let you know the others that we find! 

On a more serious note. haha I try to give ya guys something spiritual every week! So I hope you guys arent sick of it. But this week I've been thinking alot about the Light of Christ. When we all came into this world we were all born with the Light of Christ. As I go throughout my day I really try to look for this Light of Christ in every person. As we search for this light in EVERY single person we will realize that we really do have a love for them. As you see this light your desire to share the gospel with them will grow. As you help this one person you need to let the Holy Ghost work through you. That is how you know if you are being a good missionary, If you can feel the Holy Ghost working through you. As missionaries we are carriers of the Holy Ghost. This is not our work its God's work. He wants his work done HIS way. His way is through the spirit. 

As we let the Holy Ghost work through us, The person we are helping will recognize that love you have for them, they will recognize that rare but familiar feeling and it will become something that they love, want, and need in their life. As we do this work, it will also bring us a happiness that cannot be found anywhere else in life. And as we do this we become CONVERTED! Conversion is a life time journey, there is no stoping. You cannot stop. You must be getting better and better. 

Something i've tried my whole mission is not just sit around. Sometimes you have left over time @ lunch @ night to just sit and hang out. But I always try to do something that helps my purpose. Whether it's read a book or anything! Something that will help me become a better person. As I have done this there has been multiple times where the Spirit just flows into me. Studying the Gosple brings true happiness!

I chanllenge everyone to sudy hard and build up your testimony! And then SHARE IT! Don't be selfish with it. Others need YOUR testimony to strengthen theirs. I love you all! keep being awesome! I love hearing about you guys! 

Heavenly Father has a plan for us and He has given us the way back. And thats throught our Savior Jesus Christ! Always remember that!

Loves.

                                     -Starszy Fotu

cz cz cz cz cześć!

How is everyone doing! Hope all is well in Utah! I heard you guys got some snow? (in the mountains at least) Poland is pretty cold. No snow but just the wind and air here is freezing!

This week was pretty awesome! My Companion as you know is the branch president here, But is getting released this week! haha we are so excited cause this will give us A LOT more time to do more missionary work! Im soo excited!

This week we had a guy in church!!! Edward! I was so excited that he came! I had been prayin all week for him! He came to Sacrament Meeting and said he LOVED what our church was about. He asked us "What is your purpose, Do you all just want alot of members or what?" We told him that this was the True Gospel on the Earth. And this not only makes people's lives happier, but its the only way back to our Heavenly Father. It not only gives us happiness now, but for all Eternity!

Im excited to start teaching him! Ill keep your updated!

Also yesterday we did a whiteboard. We set up a white board in the streets and write a question on it. Yesterday our question was "Dlaczego jest rodzina ważna?" Why is family important! 

As we were doing this I stopped this younger kid and tried to talk to him. He pretty much came straight to my wondering what I had to say. I taught him about Jesus Christ living here on Earth. And how after his death we had the Apostasy. But in 1820 God and Jesus Christ restored this gospel! And gave us the Book of Mormon! He was interested and took the book and exchanged numbers with me. So.... I TAUGHT MY FIRST LESSON BY MYSELF IN POLISH! hahah so stoked! I was soo happy and I could feel the spirit working through me. That is when you know you are being an effective missionary. Not when you have lots of baptismal dates, or big numbers, but when you can feel His spirit in your life and Feel it working through you!

You get this by working hard and relying on the Lord.

I've been praying like crazy that I would be able to do this! I know that anything is possible with God! I love being a missionary soo much! Its all about your attitude and how hard you are working!

The Lord has blessed me! I can feel it!

I challenge you all to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! As you do so he will bless you!

Pray with Heavenly Father! He will bless you! I know that if you "get specific with God, He'll get specific with you" Pray for what you need and have the faith which is the action. Get out and do somethin about it! Act on that faith! I love you all so much! pray for my investigators or that we will be able to find those that we need to find! Love Ya'll!

-Elder Fotu

GENERAL CONFERENCE!

Dzien Dobry!

So how is everyone doing! Right now im just so excited and filled with the Spirit because of General Conference! I loved it soo much! The spirit hit me soo strong while watching conference. Its sooo much cooler as a missionary I feel like. I don't know if I had a favorite talk. Cause I loved all of them! Seriously though. I hope you all listened to the talks and I hope you all apply them to your lives!

This week was kinda boring ish until the WEEKEND! But my companion had to prepare for the Branch to watch conference and we had to do a lot of different stuff! But we still talked to some really good people and I hope we can meet with them soon. Pray that we will be able to meet with the people of Szczecin! I know that we can! Somethin really cool that JUST happened. Elder Vernon that is 1 of the 4 Elders here in Szczecin just turned around and told us that his mom sent 4 referrals!!!! 4 REFERRALS!!! TO US!!! haha how crazy is that. Someone in there ward in American Fork has family here in szczecin! I will let ya all know what goes down with those! Just so excited right now! haha I always am. Being a missionary is just so awesome!

Just a cool story that happened to me this week....

A miracle I saw this week of the many, was in the chapel on a lunch break. Elder Vernon was teaching Bartek (our member) piano. Elder Vernon came into the other room and asked if we wanted to come to Bartek's new song on the piano. As I sat down I was excited to hear Bartek play. He began to play the song "I Am A Child of God". The spirit hit me so hard in that moment. Right that second the spirit manifested to me that the Gospel really does change lives. Bartek is a younger boy about our age. And I can't imagine his life without the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of the Gospel he has SO MUCH LIGHT!When I saw that the Atonement and Gospel of Jesus Christ blessed his life, It strengthened my testimony soooo much! I have learned that on my mission, as we help others experience the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our testimonies will be strengthened, it will bring us TRUE happiness, and it is the way to TRUE conversion.I love this work so much. Bringing the Gospel to others lives bring a different happiness. A TRUE happiness that is lasting. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we ALL have that Responsibility.

I love this gospel sooo much. You all need to STUDY these talks. After conference we should feel very uplifted by the spirit, but we should feel the need to improve! We can always improve! And I know that the Lord will help us.

"The Lord sees our weakness differently from rebellion, and he always sees our weakness with mercy."

The Lord will help you all as you strive to become a better person!  As you lose your life in the service of others. You will only find your true potential! haha I know I just preach to you guys all the time. If I could I would just sit on this computer and do it all day!

One thing that I kinda made up during conference was...

-When in service, the Holy Ghost will come, When the Holy Ghost comes Miracles Happen, When you see Miracles happen in Other's Lives, It will bring us Joy.-

This is how we become fully converted! I love you all so much!

                                                 

                                                        -ELDER FOTU!!!!

my shoes thats I got. they are good dont worry. and they have 2 year warranty. so i didnt waste your money. ;)

 conference. and my new coat!

Wasssgooooddd!

"Whats up ya'll!?!?" haha thats how jacqueline would say it.;)

This week was so awesome! We had some really good things happen. I was sick which kinda stunk a little! So we had to rest for a day. But it was just a cold. I was just all stuffy. haha I told my companion that whenever I got sick at home all my dad would ever say was "DRINK WATER!!!" haha he said his dad said the same thing! 

Just so you know I drank 10 liters of water. So much water! I think i almost drowned myself. But The sickness was gone the next day! 

We are still kinda in the process of finding some people. And I think we actually did! We are really trying to build up the youth in this Branch! And right know we got a couple investigators that we should meet with this week! Patryk, Wojtek, Magda, and Edward! So pray for them!

This gospel can help sooo many people but I dont think they realize it.

We are coming up with a bunch of different finding activities! One of the Crazier things was on friday! We did a soap box! haha we stood on this like 2 foot wall and just preached like they did in the old times. We were just in a area where big groups of people would come and go. Some people like hated it, some people were a little startled, and some were actually interested! I really didnt plan on doing it cause I cant speak polish! 

haha but the 3 other Elders did it and were pushin me to do it! So I DID it! hahha it was so nerve racking but so fun. People are just wondering what this brown guy is doing yelling. I only did it for like 10 seconds. And the key to doing it is just Smiling and talking with a happy voice. But being super loud! hahaha it was so crazy! Next time I will try recording some of it!

What we say is pretty much just testify! 

" I KNOW THIS BOOK IF THE WORD OF GOD!" "I KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US TO RETURN TO HIM AND HE HAS A PLAN FOR US!" "I KNOW THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT PLAN  MORE THROUGH READING THE BOOK OF MORMON!"

haha it was super fun, and I think we will be more effective in the future as we become better and better at it.

I had a realization on sunday of how much polish I am learning. It's so crazy. Ever since I have been in Szczecin I have learned soo much more polish. The Lord has truly blessed me soo much I can't even explain.

But please continue to pray for me cause i can honestly feel the affect from prayer! Thank you all so much for your prayers!

Sister Burns got her call! haha Guadalajara Mexico East Mission! hahah geeezzz sooo awesome! She is gonna be the most amazing missionary! And by the way I totaly called that she was going there in a letter. Ask her yourself.;) Thats sooo awesome though. So stoked for her and how much she will learn. But also how much joy she will have! Missionary work brings a different joy than anything else can! I love it soo much. The feeling of helping others is the best!

I challenge everyone to serve Everyone around them! Search for those oppurtunities to serve. I know as you do so the Lord will bless you with oppurtunities and with more happiness than you have ever had. 

So General Conference is this week! hahah I've been looking towards this forever! Im so excited. Every morning I listen to some conference talk or just the music from conference and I almost start crying cause im so excited. ha jokes. but really.

Something that everyone should do is come up with some questions you have that you want answered. As you truly search for your answers in Conference I promise you the Lord will bless you with them and you will feel his spirit soooo strong. I love you all sooo much!

I love my family soo much. More than anything. I cant wait til we all are in the celestial kingdom!

NO EMPTY CHAIRS!!!!

Much love. I am sending a couple voice recordings with this. It would be nice if you all sent me some! Loves.

                              

                                                   Elder Fotu

piczzzzz

Ice cream on a knife ;)

haha

The banana bread I made ;)

Me and my comp in our bow ties that we got!

love Poland!!!

really cool park that we live right by. sooo pretty.

probably doesnt look that pretty in the pics.

but i love Poland. And this city! (Szczecin)

more pics of the park.

Just Pics This Week!

Early in the morning that's why my eye looks weird. but that is my old companion Elder Garfield on transfer days.

Then the next two pics are just outside our chapel window. kinds cool europy looking streets.

The banana bread i made. yeah just call me chef bouyardeee? hahah 

me and my new comp. Elder Mikolyski! Best missionary ever!

And the wholes in my shows. its worse than it looks.

Ill take more pics of the country its beautiful here!

Hello from Szczecin!

This week has been crazy busy and crazy awesome!

After a lonnnng train ride (7 hours) I am now in Szczecin! Which is almost in Germany! This city is so awesome! You guys should look it up! I love it here so much. I've never been so excited about missionary work! 

So first off my new companion is Elder Mikołyski! He is from South Jordan, went to Bingham! He is in Garrett's grade. He is soooo awesome! This is his last transfer and then he's goin home! He told me " I dont wanna talk about going home...there is way to much i need to do before even thinking about that." That is what kind of missionary he is! Im soo excited. And he has already taught me so much, language wise and teaching wise! In this city it is just us two and another companionship! Elder Vernon and Elder Hardy! 4 MAN CITY!!!! 

The branch is very small here! We meet in this little buidling above like all of these different bars. hahah so crazy. And there was 8 people in church on sunday. and 4 missionaries. My companion is actually the branch president. so the bishop. Yeah thats how small it is.

But its sooo good. the members are soo awesome! So much faith and i love them so much!

Some realllly good things are happening! First off, we got the best district in the world! We have sooo much faith and hard work in this district. Which consists of us two companionship's.. We set some really high but very possible goals on sunday! we want to get 4 baptisms, 200 lessons, 32 new investigators as a district this transfer! So we gotta do half of this just me and elder mikołyski! Us 4 Elders are sooo excited! We are really gonna hit those goals!

Our Poland Warsaw Mission goal for baptisms is 72 baptisms. Im not sure what we are at now! But I got an e-mail from Justin Simpson, he said their goal is 555 BAPTISMS in a year!!! hahah holy smokes! That is sooo awesome! I get sooo excited when I hear how fast the work is going in the states and everywhere in the world!

Sounds like the little kids are doing awesome! Tell jared and kerstin im sorry i didnt write them for their birthdays! But tell them i love them more than ever! My gratitude for my family has grown sooo much since being on my mission. I love you all so much! Tell my fav little neice Happy Birthday TOO!!! I miss that little stink.

So quick story! Our second day in the city we were just walking to the chapel (30 min walk, if we walk fast.) And I stoppped and talked to an older looking man. He was sooo funny. He stopped and said his name is "Alexander the GReat!!!" haha sooo funny. We asked if we could meet with him tomorrow and share more about our message! So yeah got our first lesson set up! So the next day, my companion was super busy with Branch President stuff and so me and Elder Hardy had to go teach the lesson! haha yeah me and Elder Hardy are in the same MTC group. We've been in the country the same amount of time! We were freakin out! haha so scared! But excited at the same time.

We went and met with Alex the Great! And it was the best lesson i've had so far on my mission! The spirit was sooo strong. And even though Alex said a lot that we couldn't understand it at alll!!!! It was still so good. And guess what he had already read 30 pages into the Book of Mormon! We were stunned, and we were even more stunned when we went to share a scripture with him in Moroni, and Alex said, "Oh Moroni? that is Mormon's son right?" hahah we were like yeah! this guy is so awesome! Its so fun to have a investigator that actually reads and studys! The lesson went great and we were so pumped! I prayed with all my heart that night that alex would be in Church. AND HE WAS!!!! woot woot!!! First time i've seen on of our investigators in church! I was so stoked. Church was way good. only 8 others showed up plus us missionaries. so 12. But the spirit was so strong there and we are meeting with Alex tomorrow! I really hope he decides to accept this gospel! 

I'm gonna work so hard this transfer! I know our District is going to DO WORK! Im so pumped. Gonna take a lot of relying on the Lord, and but I know he will be there for us if we work diligently and have faith! I love this mission sooo much! I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else!

I finished the Book of Mormon again! I love that Book so much! I know that anyone can grow closer to God with that Book than any other book! Everyone needs to read it daily! EVERY DAY!!!! Say your prayers. Heavenly Father wants to here from you! Go to temple. I miss the temple soooo much! I love you all! Pray for me! And thanks for EVERYTHING!

                                   -Starszy Fotu