Monday, April 27, 2015




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Transfer Time! Dun, dun, dun!! I will be...

Staying in Łódź!! Spoko(sweet)! I love this city!!

We got to teach Institute because Starszy Kapela was out of town, so since we usually have Dominika with us, we decided to teach on Doctrine and Covenants 25. Well, low and behold, Dominika couldn't make it, but Romek (he's a dude) turned up and I got nervous because the section was about Emma, the wife of our first Prophet, Joseph Smith! We decided to ask Romek about how he respects the women in his life, and he  basically ended up teaching us! It was awesome!

This week, I want to talk about the blessings of the gospel. In my life there were trials that caused me to question my belief in the Savior, and in my depression, I turned away from Him, but I know now that He hasn't stopped speaking to us. The Holy Ghost serves as our conduit to Heavenly Father and if we just listen and ask Him in prayer, He will make us aware! Here is this scripture, it is in chapter 26 of Alma in the Book of Mormon and it is from a missionary (he's pretty rad!) named Ammon:

 35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

 36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

 37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.


It will be two years and seven months since I was baptized into the Church, and they have been some of the hardest I've endured, but the Lord will never give us a trial we can't stand. I invite you to watch this video, it is called the Refiner's Fire:

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-11-010-the-refiners-fire?lang=eng

1 Nephi 20:10:

 10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

To quote from a hymn that was played at my baptism, "I know that my redeemer lives."


Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera



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Monday, April 20, 2015

I want you all to know how much I love you!

Watch this talk!

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/where-justice-love-and-mercy-meet?lang=eng


It particularly touched me because my brother has always been there for me. I am grateful for his example and for the fact that the Gospel has helped me gain new siblings in Christ. :)



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Ewa's działka



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Pictures

We went to Palmaria!



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Smoki i Zameki

Dzień dobry, rodzina!!  10 points to whomever can guess the title of this email! :D What a wonderful week this has been!

2 Nephi 2:3 reads:

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

I realized this week that working hard as a missionary really isn't that different than paid work or school. You still gain skills as you consecrate yourself to the Lord's errand. On my plaque is the scripture 2 Corinthians 4:6:

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

If I could, I'd add the next verse:

 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

As children of G-d and members of the church, we are called upon to lead and live the Lord's gospel by example, and one of the greatest opportunities of this life is to serve and help our brothers and sisters. For example, we were able to go to Ewa's działka raking leaves on Thursday and it was good, hard work!

I am grateful that the Lord shapes us both physically and spiritually to prepare for and endure the trials here on Earth, because if not for trials, how would we learn?

Moroni 9:6:
 
And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.

I am grateful for the experiences and people in my life who have shaped me into the person I am today, especially my parents who taught me the value of diligence. For those preparing to go on missions, keep on truckin'! It's all worth it, I promise!

Returned missionaries! Thank-you so, so much for everything!! I hope I can be as awesome as you one day!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera






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Monday, April 13, 2015






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Guess who tried Vegemite and liked it??

   Hey everyone! Sorry I don't have much time to write this week, we had exchanges and I got to go to Warsaw with Siostra Grgich who is from Austrailia. She is very musical and her father emigrated from the Bosnian part of Yugoslavia. Today Siostra Slagowska and I are going to Find Out where you get locked in a room for 45 minutes and try to find a way to get out. I can't wait!

Funnies and Miracles:

Mon- M: General Conference with District
F: Naming kids- Elder Wride said he would name his daughter Joy

Tue: M:Visiting Israel Poznańskiego museum

Wed: M:Going to the Metro station because it reminds me of Space Mountain
F: Telling Starszy Cowley that he's the cat's pajamas

Thur: M: Exchange with Siostra Grgich
F: Trying Vegemite for the first time

Fri: M: Giving the Hooli (Hooligan- soccer fan) tissues
F: Getting Hooli blood on me AHHH

Sat: M:Skype lesson with Linda
F: Elders shaving their necks while talking to us on the phone O.o

Sun: M: Meeting Stanisław who has been to Utah and was friendly to us
F: Trying to figure out who the fourth Beatle is (John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, George ??? Embarrassing, I know!) and the Elders thought it was David Bowie! Haha, no Ziggy Stardust for them!


I love my mission! I just know with 100% certainty that if I stay on the Lord's side, I never need to fear. God will always take care of us and always provide for us. We always have reason to be strong and courageous. If we don't feel we have reason to be strong and courageous, then we need to get on our knees and pray. Because I can promise that after we pray for that courage and strength, we will feel it. Even when we thought we would never be able to. I love my mission, and I love the Gospel. There's so much happiness that is awaiting to greet us, we just have to do our part and find it.

Love you!!
Siostra Herrera



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Tuesday, April 7, 2015



Zone picture



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One of my favourite images of the Savior. He is always beckoning.



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Pizza! With garlilc sauce.



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Starszy Wride decided to humor us and wear my coat! Snazzy!



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They are not perfect, but I like the results



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Easter with the Diarra Rodzina! (plus Mission Address)

Dzień dobry, rodzina!! I hope you're all well! There has been plenty to think about this Easter Sunday (and Monday):

The Savior's sacrifice was something that I really didn't take consideration of before. I didn't understand the Atonement. Being the Lord's missionary in Poland has taught me that even if we make mistakes, we don't have to let them define us. Jesus Christ is walking with us every step of the way :) This is what builds love and healthy families. I am grateful for the Savior and His presence in my life. Sometimes I've felt like I've made such massive, unfixable mistakes, but what I needed to realize is that the Savior never left me, sometimes we need to remember that everyone's path back to Heavenly Father is the same, they're just carrying different loads.
 

I just feel so blessed. Continually and continually, I just think about how much trusting in the Lord has blessed my life. I think the first thing I have learned on my mission is that I don't want to live my life for me anymore. I want to be able to give up everything to the Lord to let him guide and direct my life. I want to be like King Lamoni's Father and be so willing to give up everything, that I am able to have everything and more. I think of him and of the rich young ruler in the bible and just think about how different their hearts must have been. Lamoni's father was willing to offer up everything and the Lord then didn't require him to. The young ruler was offered to let go of everything and strive for what is truly important, but he couldn't. 

I love both the King James version and the Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 9:24

The King James Version reads:
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

I feel like being able to go on a mission really brings home this principle. For a time you do lose your life.  You lose your friends, your comforts, your social skills (in a way, haha) and a lot of the things that simply make you YOU. Sometimes you lose even friends, or loved ones, or opportunities, or dreams. But any returned missionary will tell you it is all worth it  Because by losing all of those things for that time the Lord has allotted to you, you really save your life, and your dreams, and your aspirations.

I think the Joseph Smith Translation applies to life not on the mission very well:
24 For whosoever will save his life, must be willing to lose it for my sake; and whosoever will be willing to lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

    For the most part, God won't ask us to give up those comforts and things we have in our lives. We aren't expected to live by the white handbook, but he shouldn't have to have to take things away for us to be able to give them up. God expects us to live sort of a higher law.  To live in a world where we do have these conveniences and comforts. He expects us--even with our iphones chiming over our new text message, or our flat screen tv playing yesterday's football game--to keep a heart that is willing to give it all up at any moment. To keep a heart that would put it all on the altar at the Savior's beckon.

    In a way, that is harder way to live. To not have to be compelled to give it all up. But it is also such a blessed way to live. Think about King Lamoni's father, he had so much temporally and spiritually, all because he was willing to give it up. He was able to accomplish so much good and experience so many blessings, all because his heart was willing.

   I just hope that I will always be willing to give my whole heart to the Lord. You know, because we are weak and make mistakes, I probably won't be able to all the time. But I can always repent and try to give a little more to him each day. I mean, I have all eternity, I am sure eventually I will get there!

   Yeah, the mission is the best. It is definitely the right thing for me to do and the right time for me to do it. I mean I have just learned so much and I really feel like I am starting to see more and more of who God wants me to become. Hopefully I am smart enough to let myself become her.


How did y'all like General Conference?? What a blast, my favorite talk is here: http://media2.ldscdn.org/assets/general-conference/april-2015-general-conference/2015-04-5040-elder-neil-l-andersen-64k-eng.mp3


We also had Easter dinner with the Diarras! Our whole district was invited and Siostra Slagowska and I taught a lesson! The Diarras are such a sweet family and the Spirit is very strong in their home!


For those of you who requested my mission address (sorry about that!):


Poland Warsaw Mission
Swiętych w Dniach Ostatnich
Ul. Wiernicza 135, 1 Piętro
02-952 Warszawa
Poland


Letters are most welcome! :)


Email: cindy.herrera@myldsmail.net


Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera



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