WROCŁAW-April.21.2014

Hey Family and Frieeeendsss!

How is everyone doing? haha im doin so good. Im still in Wrocław. This city is getting prettier and prettier as it gets warmer. 

So lots and lots happened this week. Im not even sure if I can talk about like half of it. So on like tuesday I hopped on a train (by myself, sooo weird) for like 6 hours. And went into Warsaw and stayed with the AP's for the night. And the next day I got my trainee that is fresh out of the MTC! haha man so fun and cool to see these fresh missioanries from out of the MTC. It's so cool to see how excited they are. And they are soo golden! 

It has reminded me ALOT of how I was and actually how far my polish skillzzzz have come along. But my comp his name is Elder Hon! He is from Gilbert Arizona. He is such a stud. And he has alot of courage and faith. And he is wayyy better at the language than I was when I came in so he is learning it quick! Im really just tryin to help him jump into this missionary work quick! But im learning a ton from him. And we are just doin really good as a companionship.

So our train ride back to Wrocław from Warsaw was kinda rough. haha so we like go to our seats. And there is 6 seats in a cabin and it wasnt that packed so I wasnt sitting in the exact seat that my ticket said. But then all of a sudden our cabin fills up with people and we are packed. And this lady comes in and sits in my exact seat and so then ten mins later a guy comes in and tells me to get out of his seat. So i get up and I wasnt like gonna kick the lady out of my seat so I just stood in like the hallway. haha so my nice little comp comes out and just starts talkin to me and we kinda get to know eachother. And I loook down and like this 60 year old lady is sitting in her seat and this man comes and kicks her out of his seat. I felt so bad so we told her to come and sit in my comps seat. So she did. and so we stood for like 4 hours. we came to a stop in a small city and some people got off so me and my comp decided to go look for some seats. we found some decently further down the train. So we go back to our old cabin to get all our bags and it was just a hastle. So we got to move everything to this other cabin and the doors to get to the other part of the train stop working. So we are just smashed in the hallway with the bags with no where to go. It was pretty funny. Finnally we came to a stop and a worker came and fixed the door. We moved all our stuff to this cabin with just a young mom and her baby sleepin. But we were excited we found a seat for the last hour of the train ride. And I was excited to talk to this mom about the gospel. But right as we sat down she got up and was getting off in like ten mins. 

We told her we could help her cause she had lots of baggage and a stroller. She was just like really impressed why we were so nice and willing to help. And was just asking where we were from. I helped her off the train and gave her a little pass along card and just bore quick testimony to her that I know our message blesses families and I know that it can bless hers. The spirit was so strong and she was just touched by it. I got back on the train cause it was leavin quick. And she just kinda watched us as the train took off. 

I just have a big testimony that the little things that we do for people go a long way! "No effort goes wasted" The Lord and these people are grateful for those small things. And the average convert  comes in contact with the church 7 times before accepting it. 

Probably the coolest contact that I've had so far. we were contacting in a park for my trainee's first day. We approached a man on a bench and he swore at us and told us to leave. haha 

my comp had no idea what he said but there was only like one other lady in this whole park. We walked up to her and told her that we are sharing a message about God's Plan. She moved over and asked us to sit down. We were pretty shocked. 

We quickly got into our message. And she really listened. As we taught what we believe I got the prompting to just stop for a second. And just ask her how she was doing today. She kinda talked about how today was kinda hard for her and she was just not having much hope in her life. And just kinda of went off a little about how hard life is. And I was really trying to listen to what she was saying and listen to what the spirit wanted me to say. I asked her even though life was so hard, Had she ever felt love from God in her life? She started crying and said yes. I promised her that our message can help her feel God's life more and we taught some about why we are here on Earth, and just God's love for us.

We are set up to meet with her on Wednesday! so pray for us! Her name is Nela

So Easter sunday was pretty amazing yesterday. EVERY SUNDAY without fail just like hits me so hard and I just feel so blessed. But we had like 50 people in church and it was so awesome. Like 30 of them were from Germany. Just like 3 or 4 families. And it was really cool cause as we sang in Polish, they just started singing in German. haha but it still sounded so good. 

But just wanna say I love you all so much. I love the mission so much. And I know I still have tons to learn. Cause im learning sooo much Everyday.

haha its pretty hard. But my love for the Savior continues to grow. I know he lives. And I know that there is power and hope in the just thought of Him. I know he lives. And continues to always love us no matter what we do. Because of him, "There is Hope in the Future, And Power in the Future."

Love you all! Remember the Basic things daily. (scrip study and pray)

Im so blessed and love you all!

Here are some piczzzzz!

ofas

kocham was wszystkich!

_Starszy Fotu

Pics:

Chillen in the Train

Our Easter Feast

TRANSFERS!!!!!

Hey Family! This week has been pretty crazy! 

So we got our transfer calls on Saturday! haha so im actually staying in Wrocław...

But im TRAINING! haha im pretty stoked! But scared at the same time cause i don't speak polish. haha but i guess this transfer I've kinda depended on my mine alot more too.

But everything is going really good. I will go into Warsaw tomorrow and pick up the new Elder! Pretty excited for that! haha but im just so thankful the Lord has blessed me already with as much polish as I speak. But I still need to work harder than ever!

So this week we had a really awesome lesson with a guy named Tomasz on tuesday. And he is really humble and nice and just listens to us but has some good questions. It was his first meeting with missionaries so we wanted to make it really comfortable for him. We asked him how he was going and he said that His Aunt actually just passed away and he was pretty sad about it. Obviously we kinda broke off from our plans and went into the Plan of Salvation a little. And he loved that fact that Everyone will be ressurected. 

But we kinda lead the lesson into the Restoration. And it was just so cool to see where the lesson went as we went by the Spirit. Elder McConkie spoke about teaching with Power and Authority. And talks about how before the Lesson we prepare and work our best to be ready to teach the lesson. And do so by recieving revelation for what they need. But when the time comes you have to be willing to let go of you plans and go by the Spirit. He says as we do this, the Lesson then is not our lesson anymore, but the Savior's Lesson. 

It was really awesome cause at the end of the Lesson, we didnt even have to invite him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. But he said himself, "So I just need to read and pray now, and I can know if this is true."

We will meet with Tomasz this week so ill let you know more about that. But everything is going good. We also are meeting with a guy named Paweł today. He actually took the discussions in England. And knows alot abou the church already. But before was really stressing about recieving an answer if this was the True Church. Yesterday after sacrament meeting he asked me what other lessson he has to take. And he named off all the lesson he has already learned. And I told him it sounds like he has already learned everything, and he said, "So can I be baptized now?" hahah no one ever asks that.... But we are probably gonna re teach the lessons again so he understands. And he has a problem with coffee I think. So pray for him! But we need to make sure he knows what baptism means and everything. So we will see! Ill let you all know!

But im just super excited for this transfer. Im just gonna take all the faith this new missionary has and run with it! So im really excited! But it will be good for me and Ill learn a ton im sure.

Im learning so much and its so good how knowledge strengthens our testimonies so much. I feel like the more knowledge we recieve the more humble we should be.

But Im loving it! Like I told you all last week! A guy named Jan that I taught in Szczecin got baptized this past weeked! So exciting! And I will see him at Poland Warsaw Misison Conference in Warsaw when President Uchtdorf comes! Wow its gonna be so amazing! Im so stoked! 

But hey I love you guys! Miss you all a ton! 

Im just loving my mission, and see the blessings from Heavenly Father every day! 

keep the P.A.C.E and P.U.S.H (Possitive Attitude Changes Everything/ Pray Until Something Happens)

ofa lahi atu

kocham was wszystkich!

_Starszy Fotu

oh yeah they decided to make me district leader here too...... haha fun fun

General Conference!

Hey FAMILY!!!!

AH MAN SUCH AN AWESOME WEEK!!!! This time of the year is on of my favorites next to Christmas. Its so amazing I love it so much. We are really finding some cool people here in Wrocław and even willing to meet sometimes. But just hard to get them to read and pray. But I have so much faith that we will find someone awesome and willing. The Work is really going good. Something crazy that happened in Poland. In a different City called Łódź some missionaries some how met a Catholic Priest. And he asked them to sing in his a Catholic Mass. haha so President Edgren brought like 16 missionaries to this city and they practiced up. I dont got the singing skills to do that I guess....;) But I heard it was an amazing experience.

So Conference...... hahah man I dont even want to get started cause I could just go on for dayzzz.... But from the very beginning of Conference, something just hit me really hard. And of course starting out with Elder Holland's testimony is so powerful. But I really feel like the Prophet and Apostles and those that spoke really hit on the importance of Family and a warning for everyone to watch out for the World and adversary. So amazing. And it really hit me hard what the Gospel has done for me and my family. I loved the basics of Scripture Study, Family Prayer, and Family Home Evening. So so so basic but so important. I love it. And it took me back to when I was at home, when mom would gather everyone for prayer no matter how crazy it was, or when we would study the scripture together, sometimes in the car on the way to school. And of course Family Home Evening every Sunday night. I really believe these basics were so key for our family and still are. I know alot of my Testimony has come because of these things. The most spiritual testimony meetings i've had in my life and in Family Home Evening. And I know that I leaned on my parents and sibilings testimonies, while I tried my best to gain my own. Im not sure who said it in Conference, but Something about "Children being able to hear and feel the Spirit more powerfully." It's so true. And ive never been more thankful for family and my past heritage than in these past two months. 

Im loving my mission so much. So thankful for my parents who brought me into this world 20 years ago today! Along with the rest of the rascals in our family! I love them all sooo much. haha shoot i hate being 20. I actually told myself that I was just gonna skip over my birthday without noticing it cause i wanted to stay in the teens. But im excited for the future and to grow more. Cause I know i've never been so close to the savior, but i know I can still learn soooo much more about him. I feel like the more knowledge we gain, the more humble we need to be, and keep learning!

And last thing, A guy in Szczecin that I taught, named Jan....the first time we met he was just so amazed at this light that we had. And he was interested to find out more. But convinced that he would never be baptized. We had been teaching him for a couple weeks and he is just the most loving person, he always said, "you will know them by their fruits" and he was so impressed with the fruits of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My last day in Szczecin he wanted to take us out to eat. When we did he talked about how he would never become a member cause he loved his coffee so much. (Saying this as he drank his cup of coffee) This Saturday Jan will be baptized. Giving up his past life and becoming clean through the Savior's Atonement and living ALL the Commandments of God. He now says..."I HATE COFFEE!" hahah guys the gospel changes people. That is why we have this Gospel. To change through His Atonement and become better people as we focus on the Savior and what he did. It brings so much happiness in life and even into the next life. I love it so much. 

Share the power that you have gotten from the Gospel with others!

"DONT SLEEP THROUGH THE RESTORATION!"

We all have our part to do.

Love you all sooo much. Love my Savior. He still lives with our Heavenly Father.

So much ofa's and miłość.

_Starszy Fotu

oh yeah super funny and cool that Jabari got a shoutout from the profit. haha man so awesome. He needs to get on a mission too! He'd do amazing things. "Be the same person you are in the Dark as you are in the light." love you all!

PEAAACEEE!

me and my comp....

1)hahah wen tot some play for culture night.....had to leave cause it got a little crazy.....haha

2)Chillin at the Zoo past P-day

3)Poland is starting to get really green and pretty!

pic of Jan and I in SZCZECIN.

WHATS GOOOODDD!!!! from Wrocław!

Witam Was Wszystkich!

Hey Everyone! Man this week has been sooo good! The weather is startin to get really good! It's super good today and we are headin to the ZOO! So im pretty stoked for that. 

We really are just in the mode of finding right now and strengthening the branch! We are hittin the streets everyday though! And really just trying to find that person! Everything really is going well.....Time is flying by wayyy tooo fast! And we actually met an awesome kid named Dawid.

We had a really cool lesson with him, after he had flaked so many times. But he talked about how he knows he needs to make his life better. He used to be closer with God but kinda fell away for a while. He kinda flaked us a couple times later in the week, but we still have contact with him so i got faith that we will meet again. 

But our lesson really was so awesome. And we focused on how we can be healed through the Atonement of Jesus Chrsit. That really is what everyone needs in this world. And The power that comes from the Atonement can only be found in this church. I feel like that is how main purpose as missionaries to serve others and help them to repentance. And when someone things of repentance it almost sounds kidna of scary and harsh. But really repentance brings us so much light and hope to life and happiness. Alot of repentance can be solved through prayer with our Loving Heavenly Father, and then getting out and doing better things the next day. I love it so much and we can feel so close to the Lord as we do so! 

Yesterday in Fast and testimony meeting we had the most spiritual meeting ever. The members here are just so strong and powerful. And so grateful for this gospel. Some of them honestly study the gospel every single day! It's so amazing I love them so much! 

Sorry I dont got much time today but just wanted to say I love you all. Miss you all! And pray for ya'll everyday! 

The mission is amazing. And I love being here. Even though I miss home so much! 

Sometimes I do feel like my efforts are wasted. But I know that "no effort goes unwasted" in the sigh tof the Lord.

Love you all! I got to go! 

So much ofa's!

Kocham was wszystkich!

_Starszy Fotu

CZEŚĆ frommmm Poland!!!!

Hi EVERYBODY!!!!!

This week was super awesome! The weather here in Poland was starting to warm up! And I got to pull out my short sleeve shirts the other day! That was so nice! Except my arms are bout as white as my shirt. haha but everything is going so good! Im just learning a ton!!!! 

Somethin I learned this week was just getting better at teaching by the spirit! I feel like its something that all missionaries have been trying to master. And when learning another language it is really hard. With polish i've kinda just been learning a ton of these different phrases that are almost like power statements that I can say to people. And slowly these phrases I can like change into different sentences. And maybe kinda teach some doctrine or the Restoration or something. 

But the other day we were contacting in a park and I approached this Dad on a bench that was on his lap top. I said "Hello sir! Me and My friend are talking to people about happiness, what brings you happiness?" He like looked at me for a second and then shut his lap top and  scooted over and asked me to sit next to him. haha he was super nice open to me. As we talked it was really cool cause he asked me questions about what we believe and I could feel the spirit testify through me as I told him about the happiness that the gospel has brought my family. It was cool cause i really didnt just sit and teach him about what we believe in. But we had a really spiritual conversation. And after I realized that I had taught the Plan of Salvation to him. At the end I invited him to reading the Book of Mormon and to find out if your message was true. Unfortunately he said no. Cause he reallly didn't have time to read. So he didnt want to take my Book when I could give it to someone else. It was an awesome moment in my mission cause i really just forgot about everything that I wanted to teach him and kinda just talked to him. And I know he felt the spirit.

It's really unfortunate that people don't except the gospel, especially when you know that they felt something different as you spoke with them! But i heard the average times of hearing the gospel before excepting it is 7. And i've had alot of those moments talking to people and when they leave, I can feel that next time they see missionaries or something of our church. They will remember that conveersation that we had, and more importantly what they felt! But im lovin it out here! The work just gettings more and more exciting! And the Lord continues to bless me everyday! 

I miss and love you all! Remember the weekly and daily basics! 

Wytrwaj do końca! Endure to the End! 

_Elder Fotu

Wasssgoood!

Hey Everybody!

Man everything is going so good here in Wrocław. It was beginning to get warm but then these past couple days were cold and rainy. But this week was super fun and exciting. The Assistants to the President came on exchange with us and it was super cool. I had already served with Elder Vernon so I was with Elder Lanham, who is from Orem. Man I learned so much from him! It's crazy.

He is going home in like 5 months. And his polish just blows my mind at how good it is. It was good cause it really humbled me. But inspired me to do better! 

Really funny experiences while contacting. So he loves like contacting people and joking with them before he gets into the gospel. And it really works here in Poland. But there is this like completely huge guy that just had ridiculously huge muscles walking towards us. haha and Elder Lanham just starts out like this, "It's obvious that the sir has spent a large amount of time in the gym, because you're stacked....but we are sharing a message today about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how we can build big testimonies..." haha the guy thought it was super funny and actually listened to what we had to say but wasnt really interested. One of the hardest things about this mission is getting people to listen. Usually if you can get them to stop, you can spark some kinda of interest if you go off of what the Spirit has to tell you. But I've been working on that lately and just creating a more comfortable atmosphere when talking to people on the streets cause thats all we do.

On Friday we ran into a guy named Domynik. Younger guy and just talked about God and what he believed in. And we were just joking with each other and talking about what we believed in. And it was just awesome to see and feel the Lord help me in what I needed. And the most awesome experiences are when you can have fun with someone you just barley met but then you can feel the spirit testifying through you as you say those things that the Spirit puts in your mind. This was our only new investigator that we got this last week. But super awesome and we are set up to meet with him tonight. So im super excited for that! 

Everything is going really well. The language is coming. It's still super hard. And I really dont understand alot of it. But I can usually tell what is going on and come up with a response for them. 

The branch here in Wrocław is amazing! and theere is a couple families with little kids. and after church we had a lunch thing.  haha and they are sooo crazy. Like super loud and it reminded me of home so much. I loved it. haha all the other missionaries were like super stressed about about it. But I just loved it. I miss all the little ones.

So happy to be here though. Just learning so much right now. And I love it. 

I know our Savior lives! And I know we can repent daily and become more like him. As we do so we become better and happier people. Love it. 

Love you all! 

ofa lahi atu. Kocham was wszystkich! one love!

_Elder Fotuuuuuu

Me and Elder Lanham (not my comp)

Wrocław

Sushi 4 dayzzzz

DZIEŃ DOBRY!!!

Dear Family And Friends!!!!

This week was super awesome! Man we really are workin hard to find some people to teach! And we handed out 15 Books of Mormon this week! So that was awesome. We had made a goal for 10. But super awesome. This week we had a way good Zone Conference in Kraków. It was so awesome and we really hit on the first chapter of the Book of Mormon and the relationships it has with the Message of the Restoration. After we had an awesome Testimony meeting that was really centered around the Power of the Atonement. It was one of the most amazing testimony meetings I have ever been in. The spirit was so strong with me and I could feel my Heavenly FAther's love for me.

This morning I read the most awesome talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland. I think its called Lessons Learned from Liberty Jail. here is the link...
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/09/lessons-from-liberty-jail?lang=eng

But it really just hits on how Heavenly Father really knows what we need and when we need it. I've seen it so much on my mission when I'm having a hard time. And it just gets really and we almost feel like we are alone. But if we keep pushing on with the Faith then he will be there. He is always there. And I love the quote in there that says something like "Man's Extremities are God's Oppurtunities" It's hard for us to see why things happen in this life. But I know, that He knows best. And everything is happening for our own good. All of those moments have turned from being hard to the happiest of my life! It's the most amazing thing to see the Lives of these polish people change because of the gospel. 

I have like no time left. But we can find this power of Christ in the Book of Mormon. Read it daily! It truely is life changing! You all know this. But I just love it so much. And want to share it with everyone!

Love you all! Always keep a good attitude! "It's easier to stay up, than to get back up."

Ofa Lahi Atu

Kocham Was Wszystkich!

_Starszy Fotu

Here is my favorite missionary in this mission. Elder Zależniak from Austrailia! Going home soon;(

BROWN POWER ;)