What.Is.Good.

Man so much that happened this week. Im just gonna get right to it. 

So I had an exchange with Elder Dodge this week again. That was fun. It's always fun to be with someone on the other side of the world that you went to high school with. I learned a ton and set some good goals.

Next, we had this service project. This random lady that a member knew need help moving on Thursday. But the thing was she lived like a 40 min train ride away. So we actually cant really go unless we get permission from our mission pres. I called President Edgren and he seemed a little iffy about it and just said I will leave it up to you to decide. So I prayed and what not and it came down to where I just decided that we should go. This lady's name is Bazena. She is like 50. Lives alone and is divorced and has 2 boys. She was a super happy lady and so nice. And we helped her move a bunch of stuff. And after while we were waiting for our train we worked slowly into the gospel. You could tell she was really lacking something in life. And she told us that she really wanted to get to know God. She would almost cry with every answer she gave. So we hope more will come out of it. And we will be in contact with her. She gave us big hugs when we left....(against the rules) haha but its ok i think with older woman.

Next...The other day we were walking around the rynek (town square) and I saw this younger couple sitting with their little girl. I told them we were sharing a message today about God's Plan. They said what kind of message (as they laughed a little) I just started tellin them that God has a plan for everyone of us and wants us to be happy. I sat down next to them and talked to them for about thirty mins. It was really awesome and spiritual. And They had a little girl that was like 3 years old. The Dad was holding a like balloon for her that was one of those balloons that they like make into a dog or hat. And Through out the lesson i introduced the Book of Mormon and I handed it to the Dad. As I did he set the balloon down in between us but the wind started to blow it away... I grabbed the balloon to stop it, and it popped..........I was like ohhhh no.... as i looked back at the little girl that was playing behind me.... and she just started bawling.....hahahah it was soo bad. I felt soo bad. And the Dad was like "Ola...its ok....you didnt even want it....." hahha and she just ran off bawling..... so bad.

But this Dad named Rafael was so solid. Told me how he lived like ten years in his 20's just trying to make his business huge! and realized after he had reached his goal that none of that brought him true happiness. And so he got married. Sold his company. And he said he just hangs out with his family all day. But it super humble guy. So I got their number and he said we could possibly meet. So im pretty stoked for that. Its not often that you get a family and you end up giving them a book and getting their number. 

Last thing.....

We this transfer has been pretty hard for me. My comp and I have been having some problems. Its starting to work out. And I was just really stressin about everything.....(im not the one to stress about things) and i was getting pretty down on myself. But i preyed for help. The other day during personal study I thought back to when I was about 13 to 18 years old and realized how excited I really was to be a missionary at that time. And it was my biggest dream. And now Im actually LIVIN THE DREAM. It just really brought a sense of grattitude and realization that im living the dream so all i need to do is my best and enjoy the moment. Im happy I can represent Jesus Christ and share His message with Poland. I love it out here. Im learning so much.

Miss you all. Ofa lahi atu! Kocham was wszystkich!

lovezzzz

_Elder Fotu

Wasssgoood!

Hey how is everything going!!!!

Everything is going good here in Poland. The work continues to get faster and faster! Kind of frustrated cause I haven't found that person yet! But Im continueing to be patient and continue to work hard!

This week was really cool cause we took a little train ride to a little city just right outside of Wrocław, called Legnica. There are two members there that just couldnt be more excited about missionary work. There is a sister named Sister Call and another named Sister Zań. They legit talk to everyone about the Gospel. And we went there and had a good meeting with Sister Call and her land lord....

After she wanted to go out and go contacting with us.

On our way to this park that we were going to there was this younger guy sitting on a bench smoking. She just yells to him, "Hey! smoking is pretty bad for your help. Dont you want to stop?" She was super bold but super loving and smiling as she said it. The guy didnt get offend but was like "yeah, ive been doing it for about 15 years, so its kinda hard." Sister Call went over to him and just told him that God loves him and with God anything is possible. And just kinda told him why we are here. To help people with stuff like that. 

But its just really cool to see members here so excited about the work and doing something about it instead of just talking about it. There is a quote that i heard, "Soon people need to stop telling the stories of the Book of Mormon and start living them"

But this week has been pretty hard. We didn't have much success with finding anyone. But miracles are always happening! And just trying to stay grateful for my circumstances.

In church yesterday we actually did have an investigator. He bore his testimony...but then preached a little false doctrine at the end, saying that God's name is Jahvi? (Dont knwo how to spell it) Then our District President who has such a strong testimony got up and kinda straightened things out, saying people interprate the Bible in their own way. Thats why we need the Book of Mormon and Prophets. But our investigator is still pretty cool, the first lesson we had with him a while ago, he said he didn't have any sin..... So that was a little different. We will see how it goes.

After church I was helping with the finances and everything....cause it was a mess....(probably my fault) haha im like the second clerk here in this branch. And President Zań was there (District President) and then President Cieleński was there (Branch President) and so we were misssing some receipts and President Zań is just pretty frustrated with everything. haha and so President Cieleński is looking through his suit coat from receipts. He has 3 little girls and find this like super pink, yellow, orange, and red necklace in his coat and throws that on the table. haha and President Zań looks at it and says "oh great!" and picks it up and like holds the beads and starts to pretend like he is praying.....(catholics do this with their beads so that they can repent) hahahaha it was super funny. Maybe you had to be there. 

But eventually we figured everything out. So all is well! 

I thank you guys for writing me e-mails and what not! I really do appreciate them!

And I know your prayers help me so much. Im so thankful.

Love you guys! Thanks for the support.;)

ofa lahi atu

z miłośćą

_Elder Fotu

14 monthzzz?

May so crazy! I just realized that tomorrow is 14 months on a mission.

Its so crazy to me how fast time has gone! I have ten months left I think? But we are continueing to work hard! And the work really is amazing. I see so many miracles every week.

This week on that was really cool was with this guy named Rafaeł. We had a white board and we wrote on it, "Czy kiedykolowiek slyszałeś o nas?" Which means have you ever heard of us. And then we put our name obviously Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa Świętych w Dniach Ostatnich. And so everybody looks at the white board as they walk by. And as they are looking I will like yell out to the have you ever heard of us!? and i think we had like 30 no's and 7 yes's within an hour. One man was walking by and I asked and he said "yeah!" I said well what do you already know about us! and he just said he had talked about he had met missionaries on the streets a couple times and they told him about us.

We continued to talk about changing our lives and experienceing a change of heart. He told me about how he really changed his life around the past 4 years. He quit drinking which was huge. He saw that it was ruining his family. And he really changed his life around. And just talked about how happy he really has been. The spirit was really strong and he said he has been searching for God and how to grow closer to him but felt like the church he was going to really wasnt right.

I taught him abou the restoration and how the fullness has been restored. It made sense to him that we needed it. And everything went well. we will meet soon. And before he left he said, You know im really happy we talk. I remember meeting other missionaries and alot of times I would just walk past them cause i was in a huge hurry, but everytime I saw them they would say "milego dnia!" Which means have a good day! And he always remembered that about us.

So its cool that their efforts to say that really didnt go wasted. I know God sees all our efforts! And he expects our effort!

I read a talk by President Uchtdorf this week called "Are you sleeping through the restoration?"

Lets always make sure we are involved in preparing for the coming of our Savior. And make sure we are involved and not just watching. The talk is super good.

But I love it out here. Im tryin to become better and better every week!

There are definatley hard times. but its easier to stay up than to get up! And the good times are so much better and make up for all the hard times!

Love you guys thanks so much for your love, suppport, and prayers!

Ofa lahi atu! Kocham Was Wszystkich!

wytrwaj do końca!

_Starszy Fotu

Wrocław

Hey Family!!!

So this week just flew by sooo fast. The weeks really fly by when you have change. And so with my new comp (Elder Stumpf) It's been a little different going from Training someone to Sending someone home after this transfer. But It's been really good. Im really excited to learn alot from him cause he just has so much experience. But yeah we are just learning to work hard and find those that are searching the truth. 

Yesterday in church it was super awesome. we had 58 people. haha it was crazy cause two weeks ago we have 28 or something. But that was thanks to Elder Garfield and his whole family here from. It was really cool to see him this last week for the first time since we served together, my first transfer in the mission. He is such a solid missionary and taught me so much. It was cool to see his family and see how happy they really are cause of the Gospel.

So the other day on like Friday me and my comp had been contacting for about 3 days straight hitting the streets with no one wanting to talk to us. Friday we started out again and walked for about two hours looking for someone. Towards the end of our Contacting session we ran into this kid that was willing to talk but didn't seem very open. We gave him a little pass-along-card and invited him to church not thinking anything of it.

The kid shows up to church. His name is Sławek. Such a solid kid and was just so impressed with the members and how everyone loved eachother so much. He was impressed by the Book of Mormon and wants to read it and pray. I see alot of potential with him. So we are excited for that. The members here are just so solid and excited for missionary work. Also a guy named Fraser came to church. He is a member living in England I think but originally from Australia. He is in poland for work, and brought his friend with him to church. Such a solid guy and just so excited for his friend got him a Księga Mormona and Fraser comes up to me after church and says, "Hey you need to go up to my friend (Mateusz) and bare your testimony like you never have before!, This guy will build the church and Poland and be the most awesome member!" So he was just super fired up about it. It's just amazing to see how member missionary work really is the best and most affective way. The Lord really is hastening the work. It's quite amazing.

And we just need to be ready to hit the plow together as members. And recieve the inspiration to lead us to those finding the truth. Im continueing to try and get better and better as a missionary! I think I need to work on patience and waiting on the Lord's time.

I love it out here. A HUGE group of missionaries just went home and it was really sad to see them leave. Obviously every single one of them just the time flew by. It's already flying by and I hope I can use it to the best! 

Thank you all for your prayers! They really do help and Im so thankful for them! 

But I love you all! Remember the Basics! Read, Pray, Temple, and Service.I know the Lord waits to bless you all if you do these simple things. 

I know Christ lives. He's our Redeemer. Rely on him at all times. Not just when its hard. Have an Attitude of Gratitude. 

Kocham Was Wszystkich!

z miłośćą

Elder Fotu

President Uchtdorf Conference

Man probably best week of my mission. I know I always say that but this time I really mean it. 

So first we got transfer calls on wednesday. President is keepin me here in Wrocław for my third trasnfer here! Im good with that cause i love it here. My companion is Elder Stumpf from Germany. He's a tall kid and a stud. Speaks better English than I do. But so we are pretty stoked to just od work this transfer! This is actually his last transfer on his mission. He's served here in Wrocław before. And so he was really excited to get back. 

And then obviously we had the Poland Warsaw Mission Conference. All the missionaries. And all the members that could come were there! It was so amazing. On saturday we had a meeting with President Uchtdorf and he actuallly shook all our hands first and just kind asked who we were. hahaha it was super fun and super spiritual. My comp obviously got a hug cause he is German. But man so good the spirit was so strong as everyone spoke. And I could tell that President Uchtdorf really did have a calling from God. And he was an Apostle with those Preiesthood Keys. Pretty amazing. Something ill never forget for sure.

Something that really hit me was when he talked about our calling as missionaries. I love how he speaks cause he is up beat and really bold at some points in his talks. But then he will get really quiet and just lets the spirit sink in to what he is saying. It's so amazing. And he just really hit on how our calls to poland are not just by chance. But a calling from God. The spirit was so strong there. Everything he said was just so good and I just soaked it all up. In the End his testimony couldnt have been more powerful. He said slowly, "I know we have a Savior. He lives. I know him." It was just so good and I cant even explain it. 

But yes everything has just been amazing. After the conference we had a train back to Wrocław that was about 7 hours total cause it was a little late. But we made is back.....

hahah everything was good til this morning we are doing language study.... and the washer (for our clothes) like exploded. really it sounded like a bomb when off. We go running into the bathroom and you couldnt see anything but we opened it up. And like all these pieces were broken and we actually layed it on its side and the whole bottom was blown out. so thats fun....

ahahha so not really sure what we are gonna do bout that yet. But uh yeah imma gonna call the mission office about this when im done here. 

Everything really is great. And im just really excited to hit the ground running right now and find those that are searching for the truth. Im so thankful for all your prayers for me. I know that they help. And I know that we have a responsibility so share this gospel and repent and change our lives. 

Love you all. Miss you all! But never been so happy! 

z miłośćą

_Starszy Fotu

June 9th, 2014

So this week just flew by, like every week. But we were supposd to get transfer calls on saturday but they actually moved it to this wednesday and tuesday. So how its working out is if you are transfereing to a new area then you will just bring all your stuff into Warsaw for the President Uchtdorf Conference and then leave there with your companion. So I really couldnt be more exicted for this next week with The Poland Warsaw Conference. Its gonna be amazing to be there with all the missionaries and members. And an Apostle too.

This past week was really good. I dont know if I already told you guys about this guy named Mieczysław. But I met him on the streets about three months ago. And we've kinda met off and on. But he come to church a while ago and after I was talking to him and he was saying that he felt like only rich people come to this church and that these people are too good for him. And I was really confused cause there arent likre rich people in Poland. But as he was saying this our branch president who is just super humble and actually like disabled and on crutches comes up to him and like welcomes him and is just super friendly. Mieczysław was really impressed by that. And we've met with him off and on. But he has never taken a Book of Mormon cause he didnt see the need for it. A week and a half ago he finally took a Book. And we text him EVERY day and give him reading assignments. And have been meeting with him every week. So he really is our only progressor so far. But alot of exciting things are happening. The baptisms in this mission are really shooting up. So we are excited to find those ready to recieve it!

This past week something funny was.....

So there is this family here in Wrocław and they are The Zań family. Is their name. And they are sooo amazing. Its like this younger couple. And they have 4 boys that are just about as crazy as my brothers. Probably crazier in church actually. But they have one named Samuel and he is 8 years old and about to be baptized. haha and he comes running into church the other day and he looks at one of the misisonaries here in Wrocław and says "Elder! loook!" And puts these sunglasses on and says "Gangum Style!!!!" hahaha and starts dancing around. They are just like hilarious kids. And President Zań is the District President. And he got up on fast sunday and talked about his Son samuel saying something in the car about how the gospel is true and stuff. And President Zań finishes his testimony and sits down. his son Samuel comes up right after and says "I'd like to confirm the words of President Zań, that I know this church is true." hahah notice how he used President Zań instead of saying i'd like to confirm the words of my father. But they are just hilarious. I'll send a picture of them. It's nice to have some crazy kids around and just feels like home to me. 

This week really has been awesome. This morning I studied what the message of the REstoration is? and Why its important? Some things I came up with were....We can now recieve a remission of our sins and be able to access the Atonement more. We can recieve the complete companionship of the Holy Ghost. And we have a better knowledge of the Nature of God, The Atonement, The Plan and purpose of life, and how we can recieve ETERNAL happiness. Doctrine and Covenants 128:19

All of these result in some kind of Joy. This gospel simply tells us how to have joy. And I've never doubted that. Im just so happy I can be here in Poland trying to make others happy. And I've never been so happy because of it. Always remeber what true happiness is. And remember where is comes from. Our Loving Heavenly Father. Who loves us with a perfect love.

Love you guys! Have the Best week ever!  Im thankful for all your prayers! I know they carry me throughout my mission!

z miłośćą

                  Starszy Fotu

Dzien Dobry!!!! Its June......

So This week just flew by! We had another awesome week...

Miracles......

First off..... This morning as we kneeled to pray before we left to the Library to e-mail.....

As we prayed I was about to close my prayer and realized that I needed to pray for an oppurtunity to find those searching the truth during our P-Day. I prayed for the oppurtunity. I've been e-mailing for a little while now and this girl leaned over next to me and said "Hey....Are you Mormon..." haha I said yep! she responded..."Yay!" hahha and we talked for about 15 mins. She had a best friend in France that was Mormon and was her english teacher. And is actually from Macedonia. And is studying here in Wrocław. She is super super nice. And really wanted to come to church. And talked about how missionary work was just allowed into her country! Heavenly Father heared my prayer and answered it! 

So also I dont know if you guys remember the Lady that we met about 7 weeks ago named Nela. We met her in the park on my new traniee's first day in the country. And she began to cry when we asked her if she had ever felt God's love in her life. And we hadnt been able to meet with her since this past week! She took the restoration very well and came to church! And we've past her off to the Sister's but im excited for her. She is so nice and the members her were really nice to her when she came to church.

Exciting things are happening in the mission. Our mission President is commiting everyone to alot of new and exciting rules. And he really is just changing the mission and it's culture. We are really focusing on being united as companions and districts and just as a mission in whole. Cause this mission is so small and every missionary knows or has heard of most missionaries.

Yesterday we had a funny moment when this really loud old lady come up to us as we were singing.....And she just thought we were so interesting and gave us some little flyer about Catholic Church going on.....She walked off.....Ten mins later she came back and asking where we all come from.....But instead she just guess where we were from....All of us are actually from the states but she said.....pointing to my red headed comp...."you are from Ireland" the next elder "you are from Jerusalem." and then she didnt say anything to me. And just asked which of you speaks the best polish. I definately dont but everyone pointed to me and (in poland you start with sir or man instead of every saying "you") and she pointed and me and said "The Obama Sir?" haha so i either get like im from Mexico or I guess im black now.....

But really everything is going really good. I've never felt so blessed in my life. And there are hard times but the attitude changes those hard times into good times. Its all the mindset.

But i continue to try and become better as a missionary and a person over all really. 

I love it here! Miss you all so much! 

Continue to do the simple things. Reading and Praying and Going to the temple.

And share your testimonies. That is how strong testimonies come is through sharing them with others. If you think you have little faith, then act on it. And share that little belief that you have. And you will see miracles happen as you do so! 

Love you guys!

ofa lahi atu! Kocham was wszystkich! wtrwaj do konca!

trzymaj się!

_Starszy Brązowy Fotu