Tuesday, April 7, 2015



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



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.





They are not perfect, but I like the results



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


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



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Monday, March 30, 2015



'Bye Starszy Richens! He is going to be an excellent office Elder!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.




Dominika is back!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.




The Dream Team (MTC district) reunites!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


A week of miracles!

This week we had zone conference in Warsaw and were counseled on obedience, what I took away from it was that we can't be perfect all the time, but each attempt we make brings us closer to Heavenly Father and that we are always in the embrace of the Savior. Here are five blessings of obedience:
-Miracles
-Courage
-Love
-Confidence
-Loyalty

Heavenly Father gives us commandments in order to protect us in a chaotic world and we in turn love Him by obeying His counsel. I know that Jesus Christ is not a condemning Savior, he only wants to protect us. I'll tell you something, there has not been a moment where I have felt like I have been in danger because our companionship has taken steps to be exactly obedient, and it has made all the difference! We look out for each other and have been able to be more emotionally aware of each other as well. Our companionship has truly felt the blessings mentioned above and more! I love the Gospel!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Monday, March 23, 2015



ŁÓDŹ



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.





Kozi cheese shaped like an ear of corn!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.




Our district!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.







NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.




It hits you that you're in a different country when nothing is in English!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


If you don't feel light around you, be that light!

Hi everyone! Here's a little bit about Łodź:

1. The name of the city means boat
2. Łódź specializes in manufacturing
3. The babcie (grandmothers/old ladies) feed the pigeons bread because they believe them to be dead popes.

Poland is seeming more and more like Panem!

Siostra Slagowska and I decided to kill two birds with one stone this week and contact on both sides of Piotrkowska street.I met a lady named Ela and talked to her about the Book of Mormon, and that experience was amazing! My Polish may not be good, but she listened so intently to what I had to say! She even took a Księga Mormona! I was very scared at first to talk to people without my companion, but I could feel peace as people stopped and listened to my testimony in broken Polish. I was so busy contacting that I lost track of my companion, and just kept going up the street to find her. We found each other after about 40 minutes! It was crazy, she thought I'd gotten kidnapped!

This whole experience testified to me of obedience and striving to remain worthy of the Spirit! So many miracles!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera




NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Monday, March 16, 2015


​Who says you can't have fideo in Poland??



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.







NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Łódź is amazing!!

Dzień dobry, Rodzina!!

This week, we got to host a mini-missionary from Warsaw, and her name is Róża! She was baptized in December and she is the sweetest! Even though I can sometimes get my point across in toddler Polish, it was really great to work with her during contacting to figure out a better way to communicate! Róża is planning on serving a full-time mission soon! She will be amazing!

We were able to teach our new investigator Ewelina about having faith in the commandments of G-d, even if we might not quite know why He commands us to do so. Sometimes we might not know why we have trials, or why the Lord has set certain standards for His disciples, like not drinking tea, or dressing modestly, but if we only trust in Him, and obey with exact obedience, He will bless us. That is what I have experienced going running every morning, I might not want to, but it is the Lord's standard to keep His missionaries healthy and strong, and I have always found that I feel great afterwards. The thing to remember when asking people to accept and follow the Lord's commandments is that even though they will have to let go of certain habits, clothing, and even friends, they can find the eternal happiness they have always sought. I love Poland and the Polish people!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Monday, March 9, 2015



Not even the john is free!




We went to see Shen Yun for Culture Night!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Poland!!

What's up, everyone??

Sorry I ran out of time to write last week! We had a great flight to Poland! First we went to Houston, Texas, then to Munich, Germany, then to Warsaw! We went contacting on the Rynek and it was awesome! People are friendly in Warsaw!

My first area is Łódź, and it is a magical place! My trainer's name is Siostra Slagowska and she is from Lehi, Utah and she's been here for six months!

The Lord's hand has been strong in my life, even when I hadn't wanted to notice. Just like the Lord prepares the people who have the Gospel ministered to them, He prepares His missionaries, and when I think about the people of Poland, they remind me of my family. Both groups are not aware of the eternal happiness they could have as they become disciples of Christ. It hurts my heart to see the paths of some of the people we meet have taken, but I have hope that they will be open to our message one day. I know this mission will not be easy always, but I think about the missionaries in Alma 26 and how they pressed forward, and I think about how much sacrifice went into building the Lord's church and remind myself that I need to do my part.

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Thursday, February 19, 2015

Entering the MTC







NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


"Bez wiary, nie ma nadziei."/ Final Week at the MTC!

Dzień dobry, rodzina!! 

How are you all doing?? Our district is ready for Poland! We are going to miss our investigators and teachers, though! 

Since I have been in the MTC, I have grown to redefine the definition of success. Being a perfectionist, it has taken me a long time to realize that you can't do everything perfectly, but if you are doing 75% of what you need to do, then you are suceeding. You may not be great in everything, but it's ok because our abilities pale in comparison to what the Lord has in store for us. When we think about the happiness of those who don't have the Gospel, and we do all that the Lord asks of us, whether it's our tasks or forgetting completely about our own problems, everything falls into place. I know that if we only strive to be more like the Savior, we will succeed. This is what makes the Lord proud. It doesn't matter if we seem to take the language easier, or if we know all the lessons. What matters is that we love those we are serving with and whom we are serving. Through the Lord, we can do hard things. 

 If there was any hymn that defines these past experiences, it is my favorite, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". 

"Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise"

When you feel the Spirit constantly, you change to align yourself with what the Lord would have you do and act. Yes, things may be hard, but as long as you rely on the Lord for strength and you work to love, everything will be alright. So as Brat Jensen would say, "Nie stress, nie stress!" (Don't stress!).

On Monday the 23rd, our district will be leaving for Poland! Ahhh!!! I am beyond excited for the next leg of our journey! 

"Take it like an Elder and rub some dirt in it! "

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

Behold! A chocolate foot the size of my foot! Gnarly, eh?



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Thursday, February 12, 2015

Pictures

Siostra Holdaway and I are matching!

With Siostra Delgado! Seeing her reminds me of seeing you, Rachel Russel!




NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Also...

In celebration of Valentine's day, I would like to quote a card I saw in the bookstore.

"I love you more than a bear loves people sandwiches!"

:D 

Do widzenia!

Siostra Herrera



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


May the odds be ever in your favor! 11 days until our departure to Poland!!

Dzień dobry, Rodzina!!

It's hard to imagine how far everyone in our district has come since arriving at the MTC back in December! All of us have had our hard days, but I just like to think about the Polish people and how much they've gone through with being conquered so many times, and there was even a time when all of the signs in Poland were changed to Russian when the country was under Communist rule. I think about how hard the language is, and then remember that it survived even though the Russians tried to get rid of it. When I think about that, I am overwhelmed with the joy of what a privilege it is to speak this beautiful language! I remember that with the Lord's help, we can all do hard things. As limited as our vocabulary is, that is all we need, because by small and simple means, great things come to pass. 

I know that with determination and love, we can pull through our trials, and the Book of Mormon gives us more power to do that. I am so grateful for all of your support and love! Thank-you!!

Kocham was!

Siostra Herrera

P.S.- On a funnier note, I just wanted to take this time to say that instead of Harry Potter, being in the MTC feels more like the Hunger Games. Here's why:

- Male and female tributes from each district are reaped for the talk each Sunday.
-There are announcements every morning and night by a scary voice telling us where to be
- I wear a braid in my hair frequently



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Thursday, January 29, 2015




NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


What we learned last night, the PONZ of Time! Fun!



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Siostra Gustafson with her pretend baby, Lil' Bo



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Week 6

Dzień dobry, Rodzina!!
This week, we gained 10 new missionaries: 
5 Slovenes- 2 Elders, 3 Sisters
2 Croatian Sisters
3 Bulgarian Sisters

We share our room with the Bulgarians, and they are so sweet! I look forward to getting to know them better! For our Sunday night devotional, we had Brother Allen talk to us about protecting ourselves against the ways that the Adversary tries to bring us down. 

1. You can't learn this language
- The Lord assigns your call
- Pray for strength and courage to learn
-You will look back and love your mission

2. You can't do this/too hard
- Don't be your own judge and jury

3. Unwilling to forgive ourselves for past transgressions
- Let them go
- Ammon suffered every privation 
- G-d is grateful for what we've given up to serve Him

I know that the Lord answers our prayers with tender mercies and that He will take our faith and increase it. Even though we are all on the same path to return to Heavenly Father, we are carrying different loads, but G-d Himself has prepared this pathway, all we need to do is trust Him. 

I will confess and say that I have not been the missionary that G-d would have me be these last few weeks. I have followed the counsel of trying to be exactly obedient and diligent, but with that comes being a kind, loving and patient companion. On Tuesday night, I made the decision to strive to love my companions no matter what, and there has been much less contention in our companionship. We have a choice on our attitudes against negativity, and I choose not to just be a missionary, but the Lord's missionary. I know that we just don't have that one or few people who have chosen to come to Christ through our influence, but that we need to talk to everyone, because all of G-d's children need to return to Him, and He is still speaking. I have chosen to be not just a good missionary, but an instrument in G-d's hands. We all have a choice, but in order to ask Heavenly Father what the correct one would be, do you turn inward, or do you turn outward and upward? Do you wallow, or do you pray and search for guidance? Do you see the Lord's hand in your life?

I know that there is something we can do each day to become more like the Savior, Jesus Christ. All we need to do is pay attention to our relationships with others and seek to improve.

I love you all so much and hope that you can see the light of Christ within yourselves! Thank-you for your support!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

P.S.- Also, I saw Rex Alo's cousin, Elder Ah-Fua! It turns out that he had been trying to find me! What a blessing to see friends! Rex, if you're reading this, it has been so awesome to meet members of your family and see the blessings of their service! 




NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.


Thursday, January 22, 2015




Week 5

Dzień dobry, Rodzina!! 

My bad, I miscounted the weeks, the fill-in calendar taped to my desk is throwing me off! We had Elder M. Russell Ballard come speak to us at the Sunday night devotional, it was so awesome!! Here are some tips he gave us:

1. Teach principles of the Gospel
2. Speak in the name of G-d
3. Every member and missionary to know the Apostasy
4. Keep your eyes riveted on those you're teaching- especially when teaching the First Vision
5. Show loyalty to Heavenly Father - PROTECT YOUR COMPANION 
- Speak with love, not contention
6. Be postitive - I like to sing hymns 227 and 293 every day
7. Follow the Spirit

I really loved when Elder Ballard brought up that whenever we're feeling homesick, to write a letter to Joseph Smith. Our prophet spent 4 1/2 months in Liberty Jail, enduring so much, and making the ultimate sacrifice to stand for what he believed in. It is such a blessing to have an eternal perspective, regardless the negative things that will happen to you in life! Here is an awesome video that I hope you will all take the time to see: 

It is so unreal how spoiled we are to have apostles come speak to us often! My heart is so full! 

Our district got the chance to host again! This time I hosted Sister Naganuma from Japan, going to the Japan Nagoya Mission, Sister Morgan from Oregon going to the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission, and Sister Jenkins from South Jordan going to the Tampa Florida Mission. These Siostry are some of the sweetest! Helaman's army is growing so much! 
 
Today we went to the temple and did sealings and visited the Celestial room afterwards. Sealings have seriously strengthened my testimony of eternal families and how important it is for all of G-d's children to strive to make it to His house. I really love the church and how much missionary work makes a difference in peoples' lives everyday! 

It is my wish for all of you to have a prayer in your heart that Heavenly Father will help you understand what you need to do to to return to His presence. I know that He wants that for all of you and loves you. I love you. The Missionary Training Center is an inspired place, and I look forward to the rest of my time here and being aware of those around me and what they need. 

Siostra Herrera

"No matter what happens, you can always choose to be kind."

Also, we got locked out of our residence because we all forgot our keys and the doors lock from the inside. That was great! NIE!!

Thursday, January 15, 2015



Pictures


Week #5

Dzień dobry, rodzina!! Sorry I wasn't able to email last week, I got sick and was put in isolation! This week, our companionship taught Ania about the importance of prayer and how it will help her to have a closer relationship with the Savior. We haven't gotten the chance to teach Łukasz yet, but once we set up an appointment with him tomorrow, we will teach him about the Restoration. Today will be our first night in TRC, we'll see how that goes!

Since I was sick last week, we got to take our first temple trip across the street! It was so beautiful, and I got hit on in the Celestial room! I was sitting in a lone chair between the couches:

Guy leans over: ''I don't know why, but feel impressed to tell you that you are exceptionally beautiful.''

Me: ...O.o... ''Thanks.''  * What I was really thinking was, ''Sorry, I'm spoken for by the Lord!''* Sister Gustafson would have said ''Woah bear! Wooaah bear!'' Should have brought the tag!

As soon as a spot opened up next to Sister Gustafson, I ran over to her.

Ah, the Spirit of the Temple!

 
I love all of the little quirks about our district and the fact we are meshing better. Starszy Cowley, the district leader makes a crazy-creepy face (it really freaks me out) and has told me that he will come over to me when I least expect it with ''the face'' and some Jello (which also freaks me out). One of our zone leaders, Starszy Smith can start rapping and the rest of our zone  can join in! 

Our district had the privilege of hosting new missionaries this week! My first Sister was Sister Peabody who is going to the Idaho Nampa Mission (English), and Sister Rollins is going to the Missouri Independence Mission (Spanish). It hurt a bit to see the tearful goodbyes with their families, but it was so sweet to see the light in these Sisters' faces as they walked out of the Wilford Woodruff building with their new name tags pinned on! These beautiful ladies are going to change lives!       

As a side note, I got to see the missionary who baptized me, Elder Alo! It was so awesome to see him and his teaching companion! I also saw Scott Giron who just got into the MTC! I will post a picture! 

There is so much love here in the MTC, and I've come to realize that it is the foundation of missionary work. It is the foundation of families. It is why we were given this beautiful opportunity to return to Heavenly Father. Because of love, we serve and learn from our mistakes in order to help those who have lost their way. Love is why the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God and then shared it with the world. I have so much love for my district and the people of Poland!

Thank-you all so much for your support and love, it has helped a lot! 

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

                               

Thursday, January 1, 2015

P-day

Failed to mention that p-day is usually Thursday!


Blog

Hi!! I forgot to send the link to my blog, it is http://siostraherrera.blogspot.com/

Pictures


Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!!

Dzień Dobry, rodzina!! Siostry Gustafason, Larcade and I are now in a tripanionship (trio). We have a new investigator, Ania, who has agreed to come to church with us! We taught her about prayer, the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon! I was scared at first to teach lessons entirely in Polish, but our tripanionship always prays that Ania will feel the Spirit in our lessons. 

Polish is such an amazing language! One of our teachers, Bra. Tribe, says that the Ancient Poles used an alphabet similar in apperance to Arabic until the Romans made them switch to the Latin Alphabet. Our teacher says Polish would have been a lot easier had the original script been kept. I feel so honored to have been called to a country with such rich history!

Christmas was certainly a blast at the MTC! We had Elder Nelson come speak to us about the facets of missionary work, a talent show, and Sister Nelson spoke to us about the importance of temple work. I loved what she said about how our relatives on the other side of the veil are angels. She mentioned an Elder whose father had passed. Set apart as a missionary, he could feel his father's presence as his companion. What a priviledge to help those who aren't able to help themselves! I also got to call my mom, dad, and brother! It was awesome to talk to them! 

We also have music in the spoken word and Sister Maria Luisa Torres spoke to the Sisters about her mission in Central America and how she and her husband met at a mission reunion. She didn't think he was her type when she first saw his picture, but when she met him in person, she found him very charming! Sister Torres said that the Lord doesn't look upon our appearance, but upon our hearts (1Sam16:7).  When we have pure hearts and an eye single to the glory of G-d, our purpose becomes clear. As missionaries, we continually strive to have the Spirit with us, and so those who are searching for meaning in their lilves will be open to our message about eternal families and how to reach their full potential.

My time in the MTC has not been without its trials, but I know that as I let them go and lighten my heart, the Lord will give me the strength to endure. It has only been two weeks, but I have felt the Spirit of G-d change my desire to serve with a full purpose of heart and set out to accomplish what the Lord would have me do, to live the doctrine of Christ. We must have faith that everything will be ok, despite what happens. My promise to you all is that Heavenly Father will be with you always as long as you strive to live His commandments. Pray to Him, He is your Father and wants to know how you're doing. 

May the Spirit be with you always!!

Siostra Herrera

Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!!- Happy New Year!!