Entering the MTC

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"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?

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Pictures

Siostra Holdaway and I are matching!

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

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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

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

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Siostra Gustafson with her pretend baby, Lil' Bo

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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! 

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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: 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-07-006-the-hope-of-gods-light?lang=eng

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!!

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

                               

Pictures