Opposition can be a blessing

For the last time.....Time flies. Thats kinda all I have to say.

This week was amazing. My companion is the greatest. Elder Berlin just keeps my on my toes all day and I love it. He has so much faith. He just got in the contry 6 months ago, I still remember picking him up from the airport, and on sunday he was made the branch president here in Szczecin. He just has so much love, faith, and hardwork. He is gonna be awesome.

Alot happened. We had a baptism on friday. These two twins. Born in Florida, and moved to Poland a little while ago. They are hilarious. Only 14 years old but so smart and spiritual already. They are so fired up about spreading the gospel and building the church. Nicholaus, the boy, bore his testimony and it was really powerful. He got emotional as he talked about when he started meeting with the missionaries, he figured out how God speaks to him. And now he knows that he and his sister are supposed to be here. They are such studs! I love em!

Before the baptism we had breakfast with President and Sister Edgren at their Hotel. President gave us all interviews. President actually gave me a temple recommend interview. Those questions get me everytime, especially the first three questions. My eyes swelled up, and it just felt so good to answer those as a missionary. And I think im just so excited to get back to the temple. Its really weird to me that I can say, next week im going to the temple. It's been so long.

I don't feel like there is much to say cause I can talk to you all next week. I feel like this phrase is really said over and over again. But I really do love my mission. I love this country, the people, and my Heavenly Father.

The main opposition I would say for missionaries in Poland is probably loving the people.The people just have this little hard shell on the outside where they arent really willing to let anyone in easily. Its definately possible though. But that opposition has been the greatest blessing and trial i've experienced so far in my life. I have more charity to gain but I have the biggest love in my heart for these people, this country, the restored gospel, and my Heavenly Father, because of that opposition.

Here are a couple pictures. With the branch here in Szczecin. This saturday I have a train to warsaw an im gonna be in the Warsaw I branch this sunday.

Its gonna be really sad to say by to these people. But im excited to see you all! I hope we all can figure out how to change ourselves and come unto our Savior, as well as bringing our brothers and sister along with us.

z miłośćą

_Starszy Fotu

pic with the Branch here in Szczecin

pic with the Twins (Alex and Nick)

So many blessings!

Well I stayed in a city for a whole week. Here in Szczecin it is pretty amazing. I love it. I think most of it is because my awesome companion. Elder Berlin is such a boss. I love it, so much love, commitment, and hard work. Exciting things are happening. We are working with a guy name Mariusz. He is pretty amazing and really wanting to find truth and follow Christ in his life. We also are like befriending a group of religous kids form another church. We like went to their little like YSA activity. It was pretty awesome to see such searching and believing kids. Pretty much we might set up a some things with them, and we will see how open they are to recieving the restored gospel!

Everything is just going really well. This week was alot easier to stay focused on the work and area cause we are just focused on the area and branch and what not. There were 16 in church. Which was awesome. The branch president is a missionary. But we are excited cause the YSA really has potential to explode here.

This saturday the other elders in the city have a baptism. For two twins that are polish but grew up in america. They are awesome and just really smart 14 year olds. The next week they also have an awesome kid named Janek set up to be baptized. It been pretty amazing. We played soccer with some people that we are teaching the other day. And my body is super soar from that. My excersizing schedule got thrown off a little, and my companions ELDERBERLIN90x is a little too hard for me. But we are running around and everything. Today for P-day we are just running to everywhere. The store, library, park, chapel. The weather is getting really nice! Its awesome.

I just got a talk from my friend, And it helped me realize that I could have been doing something a little differently for a while. But I cant really remember who its by. But its about making decisions. And when we make a decision God is giving us that opportunity to make a choice. We need to pray and seek for guidance and ponder the thought out in our mind, make a decision, and then ask the Lord if it be right. Instead I think too often I had been praying for guidance, pondering, and wait for Heavenly Father to give me the prompting to do what is right. Instead of making the decision, and acting on it til I later feel his confirmation.

Im so grateful for my mission. Its not really possible to put into words of how I feel about it. Its been amazing to build a love in my heart for many different things, and I would say the most important things. People, the scriptures, family, friends, the gospel, and most important our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I've built so much love and built my knowledge of them of who they are and what they have done for me, what they do for me, and what they have promised for me as I continue to do my best.

Its been amazing to see the hand of the Lord here in the missionary field. But also at home in teh lives of my family and friends. I've seen so many lives changed for the better since I left, all of my sibilings have been touched with the goodness of the Gospel, my little brothers are strong men in the priesthood and preparing to be the best missionaries. Im sure in you are reading this you have grown closer to your Savior over the past four years. If not I invite you to do so. 

Next week is my last week to e-mail. I think. But I love you all so much. Thanks for the support. I dont think I would have gotten this far without the support from home.

Trzymajcie się! Kocham was!

_Starszy Fotu

Claim Your Blessings

Im not really sure where to start! I am now in the city of Szczecin, Poland. President called me on sunday morning and told me that an Elder got really sick. (Elder Quackenbush;) he is such a stud!) And he was in the hospital in Warsaw. So im not in Szczecin with Elder Berlin! The biggest stud ever. Its a little weird being back here in Szczecin. Its like I never left. I love this place. I've never seen the branch members so happy. Alot is going on in this city. It is now back to 2 sets of Elders. My favorite senior couple just went home (Elder and Sister Gay) It was a year and a half ago I brought them into Szczecin. They are some of the most amazing people I've met on my mission. Wanna hear somethin awesome.... They had 12 kids....They were able to go home during their mission for a week for their youngest childs wedding. They were able to be in the Celestial Room with all of their kids and their spouses. Thats pretty amazing. Rightous living! They have so much charity for all around them.

But yeah so some crazy changes happening. I was just gettin comfortable with Elder Campora in Warsaw. But im lovin it with Elder Berlin here.

So we had General Conference. It was pretty amazing. Saturday night I walked into the one and only chapel (building) in Poland. Its a really special place for me. And as I sat down I was just overwhelmed with love and joy for these people and this country. Im not sure I will get many chances in my life to love a country and group of people like this one on my mission. I watched all of the conference in polish, so now I am listening to it in English.

I loved Elder Holland's obviously. The way he described the Fall, and the purpose of life was so amazing to me. He has so much fire behind things and love. Also Elder Pearson's talk was pretty amazing. The line that I loved...." Casual obedience and lukewarm commitment weaken faith." Nothing but the best. Thats all the Lord suspects. Im so grateful that my mission is helping me build simple daily habits to show my comitment and love to my Father in Heaven.

Im gonna love studying conference this week. And then setting goals where I need to. The Spirit of missionary work is so amazing. It cant really be described clearly, everyone just needs to experience it.

Just gotta keep grinding it out! We got a couple really good things going on in this city. After Elder Allen and I finished doing our little training tour thing around Poland, these two groups of Elders found over 10 baptismal dates. They just caught the vision so well and applied the things.

Well I love you all! I've had a good birthday so far;) I love my birthday cause we can always listen and hear what the Lord has for us through conference! Im so grateful for all the support back at home. Thank you all for everything!

trzymajcie się! ofa lahi atu! z miłośćą

_Starszy Fotu