Cześć!! : June 2015

Monday, June 29, 2015

1. Elder Cowley's creepy face!!! AHHHHHH

2. Siostra Holden and Me

I wanted to let you all know that I've walked the plank and am now serving in Kraków with Siostra Holden, she is from St. George, Utah and has lived in the Bay Area of California. Starszy Mulder who also served in Łódź, but broke his toe, so now he's in Kraków, too! It's nice to serve with a familiar face!

Well it dawned on me today, just about 15 minutes ago, this really is the best mission in the world. It is the best mission because it isn't just the Polska Warszawska Misja, or the California Carlsbad Mission. It is the best mission in the world because, in fact, it is all one mission! Yes, for logistical purposes there are mission boundaries, but in reality, there are no boundaries to this mission. This mission is borderless and eternal. It is the exact mission that we read about in Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

This mission is His mission. It is the mission of the most almighty, expansive, all knowing, and magnificent being in the universe. His mission is just as wielki (great) as He is. Now that, my friends, is something cool.

In this sense, then what does it mean to be a missionary? Well, if His mission is borderless and eternal, then you may best bet that his mission doesn't just last 18 or 24 months on this earth. It is so much more than just putting on your little black name tag and talking to people about the Gospel.

This mission is to help people discover who they are. Whose they are! It is to help people take their vision from their shoes and look up to their creator, to their loving Father. It is to help people learn how to enjoy that beautiful sunset behind the rolling vineyards and oak trees, knowing that that sunset was put there just for them at that moment, to enjoy and cherish.

Really, this mission is hope. It is hope that there is something better and something bigger than what we can see. It is also the hope that comes from the knowledge that we can change. I treasure that knowledge as much as any other principle that I have come to learn of in my life.

I don't know about you, but for me change and hope are intertwined. I can't hope for anything, if I don't think anything will ever change. I also can't change anything, including myself, unless I have hope that some greater power than myself will assist me in the task to do so.

This mission is the best thing that will ever happen to you, you just need to let yourself do it.

Today, we're emailing later than usual because we went to go see the Kościuszki Mount, it is a giant grave for Tadeusz Kościuszko who served in the Revolutionary War. He is buried in American soil! Ever heard of the Kościuszko Uprising? Look this dude up!

Do widzenia!

Siostra Herrera

Monday, June 22, 2015

Skryzpek na Dachu

What an awesome month we've had! Before I came out into the field, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let fear keep me from using my talents on the mission. This week, we got to prepare for Open House and we were asked to each teach parts on the Restoration and Plan of Salvation. Elder Garrett also prepared some musical numbers and asked Siostra Benson and I to perform a duet! I never really thought my singing was good, but even though I was scared, our district encouraged us and Elder Garrett said he was very happy with the results! We had members and investigators come and Rafał brought his girlfriend, Asza! I feel so humbled that Heavenly Father helped me realize my worth as His servant!

Every day here in Łódż is filled with love, fun, challenges, and G-d. It is the most indescribable and amazing thing, to be here and devoting all of my time to the Lord. Being a missionary is the single greatest experience that has happened to me so far in my life and I am so eternally grateful! I love these people so much! I love you so much! I love my friends back at home so much! I miss all of you but I am also so grateful to be here. This is where I am supposed to be. Ah, being a missionary jest najlepsze (the best)!

I almost forgot, we got to see Fiddler on the Roof! What a blast!

I love you all and will promise to respond to your emails next week, as we are out of time.

Do widzienia!!

Siostra Herrera

Monday, June 15, 2015

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay! Emailing was hard for the past couple of weeks, but I wanted to let y'all know that I am doing ok here in Łódź and that we are working hard to find new investigators! The 28th is the anniversary of missionary work in Poland, so all of the members are invited and all of the missionaries are coming to help out! That's also the day of transfers, so I will let you know if I'm walking the plank or not (remember that Łódź means boat?).

We got to go to Julianów and tracted the domki (homes/houses as opposed to klatki- apartment buildings) and got let in by a lady seemed open to our message, we gave her a book of Mormon and promised to come back soon.

We got to visit a food fair and ate the best burgers ever! I got a chili burger.

Talk to y'all later!

Siostra Herrera