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