1. My trainer, Siostra Slagowska and I at Zone Training

2. Siostra Dalton and I at Zakopane
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Cierpliwość, Siostra Herrera, Cierpliwość

I have come to understand who Christ is and what He's done for us so much more than before, and I know that knowledge will just keep growing. I think my new favorite word in Polish (right up there with samochód (car) and dziobak (platypus) is zadośćuczynienie. That's how we say the Atonement po polsku.I just can't believe it. And yet I know it's true. I know that Christ paid the price for our sins and He understands us so perfectly and so completely and so wholly. When I ponder about what He has done, I just feel so humbled and kind of like a small grain of sand on the California coast. I know that without our Savior Jesus Christ, we are nothing. And yet to Him, we are everything. He knows us and understands us. We have one person in this whole entire world who looks at us and sees who we really are and who we are to become. He knows me and because of that infinite knowledge He has of who I am, He has an infinite love for me. That's one reason why it's so important for us to love others if we wish to share the Gospel. When we really spend the time to understand and know our fellow brothers and sisters on this earth, we can't help but love them. When we learn to really and truly love them, we can't help but want them to see the happiness that comes only through knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ and who He really is. He's not just a prophet, He is our redeemer. He hasn't just taught us the way to live, He hasn't even just shown us how to live, because of Him we do live. I am so grateful for Him and if I gain nothing else out of the entire months I immerse myself in this service, the testimony and understanding of Christ that I've been able to grow will be sufficient.

Siostra Bąk and I taught a lesson to Tim and Agata's family and really interacted with their son. Since Tim is a violinist, we thought it would be appropriate to share the General Conference talk, "The Music of the Gospel".

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/the-music-of-the-gospel?lang=eng

I love what it says here:

"We can invite our children to sing along with us in unison as we practice kindness toward a neighbor who is in need.

It won't come all at once. As every accomplished musician knows, it takes diligent practice to perform beautiful music. If early efforts at making music seem dissonant and discordant, remember that dissonance cannot be corrected by criticism. Dissonance in the home is like darkness in a room. It does little good to scold the darkness. We must displace the darkness by introducing light.

So if the basses in your family choir are too loud and overbearing, or if the string section in your family orchestra is a little too shrill or a little bit sharp, or if those impetuous piccolos are out of tune or out of control, be patient. If you're not hearing the music of the gospel in your home, please remember these two words: keep practicing. With God's help, the day will come when the music of the gospel will fill your home with unspeakable joy."

I think this applies to missionary work in that we need to have patience (cierpliwość) to work with our companions, our districts and the people we're teaching. It's the good times we remember when we're on our missions and how hard we worked to bring others that same joy. That joy is what I've felt whenever I've walked into an LDS home. It doesn't matter if the house is spotless, if there are children or pets running around, the Spirit is the same. It's love. This is one of the many things I'm learning on my mission. I love it! I love you all!

'till next week,

Siostra Herrera

1. Elders Everett and Jackson - Elder Everett goes to Łódź and Jackson stays in Kraków. I am compensating for my lack of height

2. We ain't got no can opener! Let's improvise!

Pictures, sorry I forgot!

1. Siostra Holden is going to my first area, Łódź! Yeah! Best city in the world!

2. Ah, Elder Mulder, we were both born in Łódź, and he is now going to Kielce

Letter from the Stuckis

Can someone tell the Stuckis that I got their letter and thanks so much? I forgot to write down their email in my planner! I am sending a letter to them!

4th Transfer in Wonderland

Dzień dobry, Rodzina!! Jak się macie? I am happy to report that I am staying in Kraków and Siostra Bąk is my new companion. She is in her last transfer (in missionary terms, this means I get to "kill" her), I just love her spirit. Exciting, no?

Also, my MTC companions, Siostry Sloan i Larcade have made it to Poland! Our entire district is here now! Words cannot express the joy I feel of having our district whole again. I know that each one of us has a refiner's fire. These last six months have been mine, but I am so glad for it! I know that our trials are meant to build us, and that Heavenly Father knows best. Always! I know if we just pull through our trials, hard transfers, addictions, strained relationships, distractions, whatever they may be, Heavenly Father will bless us tenfold. I have seen this miracle for myself. I have made sacrifices, and I know that I can do hard things. We can to hard things. He who has suffered for us all knows our hearts. My trials have built not bitterness in my heart, but love. I have love and a desire to be the person G-d wants me to be. I don't fully know who she is yet, but she is a better person than I can ever hope to be, and that is only possible though our brother, Jesus Christ. I love my mission!

I love you!!

Do widzenia!

Siostra Herrera

Re: Transfer calls next week!

I almost forgot! If I move cities, I will email on Tuesday.

On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 3:38 PM, Cindy Herrera <cindy.herrera@myldsmail.net> wrote:

I have seen  how much my heart has been given to God. I just feel it, I feel a yearning and a desire to do what He wants me to do. Before my mission, I was maybe slightly influenced, consciously, by what my Father in Heaven wanted me to do with my life. Though He may have been unknowingly guiding me, I still felt like it was my life, my decisions.

Well that has changed in me a lot as I don't want my life to be for me anymore. I really want my life to be for Him, for my G-d. I have found so much peace and happiness as I have put my wants second and His wants first. I mean, just so much peace! Sorry, there is a fly flying around and bothering me. Okay, yes, peace.

I don't think I really understood what it meant to consecrate my life, to really be a member of the Church. In a way, I made some of my covenants sort of innocently, unknowingly. I mean, I had a knowledge when I made them, but now I understand them more completely. And I have really come to learn that those covenants mean so much more than I ever thought. Those covenants mean everything. God means everything to me now.

I just want to live my life so that I can continue to be His tool, so that I can continue to let Him work through me no matter what that call may be. I just know that if I do that, then I will become a better person than I ever expected, and I will do more good than I could ever know. So I think that is the biggest change I have seen inside myself. My desire to continue to do His will the rest of my life. And the ability to recognize and follow that will.

Another thing I have learned is that that will is different for everyone. Yes, some things are the same for all of us. Christ has laid that out clearly to us in His Gospel. But all of the details are individual, the Gospel is for everyone individually. I have learned so much about that. We are individuals with individual talents and strengths.

I think also, this sense of consecration and this strengthening with my Father in Heaven has caused me to also chill out. I just feel less stressed. I have really learned that the things which I don't need to control, I don't need to control! I can just trust in G-d. The only choice I need to make, is to trust Him. I can feel it in my heart, too, when I am trusting Him. There is always a very prevalent peace that comes when my heart is trusting Him. Some days I do better than others, but that is okay, because improvement is a part of this Gospel.

I just feel like my eyes have been even more opened, and I know they will continue to be for the rest of my life. It's just so cool, though. My mission has cultivated within me a yearning to learn more, to search for truth and to understand my Father and the things of God better. I really feel like the path in front of me is as long as ever, but I can see it clearer now. Maybe not the details clearer, but the direction of the path is clearer. I have no idea what the future holds, but I have learned how to handle the fact that I have a future.

Man, missions are the best.  The Gospel is great. I love being a missionary.  I love sharing this happiness with others, no matter what form that may be. I love it, I love all of it! And I know that that love comes from God because all that is good comes from God. All that is not good, God allows to happen, yes. He allows it to happen. But if we learn of Him and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we can also learn why he allows it to happen. We just have to search and ask and pray and search some more!

Well, I love you all. Keep smiling and keep praying. Praying helps you keep smiling. I have a definite testimony of that!

Transfer calls next week!

I have seen  how much my heart has been given to God. I just feel it, I feel a yearning and a desire to do what He wants me to do. Before my mission, I was maybe slightly influenced, consciously, by what my Father in Heaven wanted me to do with my life. Though He may have been unknowingly guiding me, I still felt like it was my life, my decisions.

Well that has changed in me a lot as I don't want my life to be for me anymore. I really want my life to be for Him, for my G-d. I have found so much peace and happiness as I have put my wants second and His wants first. I mean, just so much peace! Sorry, there is a fly flying around and bothering me. Okay, yes, peace.

I don't think I really understood what it meant to consecrate my life, to really be a member of the Church. In a way, I made some of my covenants sort of innocently, unknowingly. I mean, I had a knowledge when I made them, but now I understand them more completely. And I have really come to learn that those covenants mean so much more than I ever thought. Those covenants mean everything. God means everything to me now.

I just want to live my life so that I can continue to be His tool, so that I can continue to let Him work through me no matter what that call may be. I just know that if I do that, then I will become a better person than I ever expected, and I will do more good than I could ever know. So I think that is the biggest change I have seen inside myself. My desire to continue to do His will the rest of my life. And the ability to recognize and follow that will.

Another thing I have learned is that that will is different for everyone. Yes, some things are the same for all of us. Christ has laid that out clearly to us in His Gospel. But all of the details are individual, the Gospel is for everyone individually. I have learned so much about that. We are individuals with individual talents and strengths.

I think also, this sense of consecration and this strengthening with my Father in Heaven has caused me to also chill out. I just feel less stressed. I have really learned that the things which I don't need to control, I don't need to control! I can just trust in G-d. The only choice I need to make, is to trust Him. I can feel it in my heart, too, when I am trusting Him. There is always a very prevalent peace that comes when my heart is trusting Him. Some days I do better than others, but that is okay, because improvement is a part of this Gospel.

I just feel like my eyes have been even more opened, and I know they will continue to be for the rest of my life. It's just so cool, though. My mission has cultivated within me a yearning to learn more, to search for truth and to understand my Father and the things of God better. I really feel like the path in front of me is as long as ever, but I can see it clearer now. Maybe not the details clearer, but the direction of the path is clearer. I have no idea what the future holds, but I have learned how to handle the fact that I have a future.

Man, missions are the best.  The Gospel is great. I love being a missionary.  I love sharing this happiness with others, no matter what form that may be. I love it, I love all of it! And I know that that love comes from God because all that is good comes from God. All that is not good, God allows to happen, yes. He allows it to happen. But if we learn of Him and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we can also learn why he allows it to happen. We just have to search and ask and pray and search some more!

Well, I love you all. Keep smiling and keep praying. Praying helps you keep smiling. I have a definite testimony of that!

Guess who learned how to ride a bike...

in a pencil skirt and on cobblestone! That is what our district did for Culture Night, today, we went to Zakopane, Tatra National Park and crossed the border into Slovakia! Don't worry, we had permission!

We do service every week at a Catholic soup kitchen and it is really awesome!

I've run out of time, so sorry! I will write more next week!

All my love,

Siostra Herrera

"Nie bój się, tylko wierz!"

Hey everyone!

What a great week it's been! We have been able to teach 3 less-active lessons this week, and one of our recent converts, Sylwia brought her mother to Open House and she helped us teach her mother about the Plan of Salvation. We were missing the Daltons this week because they went to the YSA conference in Romania, but it sounds like everyone who went had a great time and made new friends! We are currently working with President Kucia and Brat Tudor-Hart on working better with our members, I am so grateful for the dedication that the Kraków branch has, the Open House was a success!

Siostra Herrera

Ogrodzienieć

Title means green castle, it was very pretty and we played capture the flag. We only have 10 minutes, so sorry!

Oświęcim

I have been learning a lot about patience as a missionary. The fact is that, I am not in control of anything. Through studying the plan of salvation, so many aspects of missionary work just make sense. When we understand why we are here, we understand why things are hard, why things aren't happening, why we need to do certain things. We know what blessings are, we know what trials are, and we know who we are. I think about how great The Book of Mormon is, how great the hope we gain from a knowledge of latter day prophets, but the single most important doctrine for people to learn about from us is why we are here.

 

The plan of salvation is not just a piece of what we believe, the plan of salvation is what we believe. I am so grateful for the peace and hope I have from learning about it, and that peace and hope is why I am not discouraged one bit that things aren't happening on my time scale. This life is much more than me.

 

So the other day it was raining and it was just absolutely gorgeous. There are just some times where I am here and think about how I am totally living a fairytale. But I know it's not because I am living in Poland. It's not just because I am far away from home doing things I would have never imagined. My life is a fairytale because of the Gospel. I know what choices are the right choices to make, and because I make those choices, my life is blessed. When we do the right things, our lives will be fairy tales. This Gospel is the path to happiness. If you don't know that yet, find out. If you do know that, then tell someone else. I don't know why in the world we are so afraid to spread happiness!

I love you all. All of the emails, letters, love from my friends and family back home do more than any of you could know. I read and treasure each one. They get me through some tough times. I am so grateful for all of you. Stay beautiful. I love you all so much.

G-d loves us. We are his children. I know it. I want everyone else to know it. It is such a happy day when someone learns who they are.

Bardzo kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

Kraków- The City of Dragons

This week was a great week, just like the rest. It is hard to not have a great week out here in Kraków. It is possible to have a hard day, maybe a hard two days, but it seems that every week ends up great! Of course I learned from an African man at a bus stop that the secret to being happy and having a great week, is hope. He said that the African people carry a hope in their heart for tomorrow. They believe that tomorrow can be better and so with that hope, they are able to be happy today. We are meeting with him soon, he was super cool!

So look at the world news, now back at me, now back at the news, now back at me. Ah, you must think that the world is a pretty rough place. Full of zły (evil) people who just want to tear each other apart. Well let me tell ya something, turn off the television and step outside! Why am I beginning on such a random tangent? The other day we looked down the street and saw the tramwaj (streetcar) coming. We put our legs in high gear and started booking it like usual. We made the tramwaj with enough time to hold the door open for a cute little old lady. Then we started moving forward.

 

All of a sudden we hear a ton of honking. I sort of ignore it, but Sister Holden looks over and taps me on the shoulder. We see a man with his window rolled down beckoning at us. The tramwaj stops at the next przystanek(stop) and we step outside as he hands me my wallet out his window. This man saw my wallet fall out of my bag, got out of his car, picked it up, hopped back in his car, and followed us to give it back to me. That wallet had all of my MSF fund, my karte pobytu, and all of my credit cards. I learned two things, not to keep my wallet in that pocket anymore. But the more important thing I learned is that a simple act of kindness can inspire multitudes of people. We got back on the tramwaj and all of a sudden EVERYONE wanted to talk to us. Everyone started talking about how nice that was of that man, and how people like that really are still out there today. This man got a tramwaj full of Europeans talking to each other about a Gospel principle. To echo the words of Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Kindness is the essence of greatness."

I've been thinking a lot about Jesus Christ. Naturalnie. I've been thinking about how smart he was, but how we know that he came to his knowledge grace by grace. Christ taught in parables so that all could understand, but to teach in parables, he had to understand what it was he was talking about. For example, to teach about a shepherd rescuing the one sheep, you first need to know what a shepherd is and what he does. Before Christ ever taught in parables, he first had to learn. That got me thinking about how much I am learning here as a missionary, and more importantly, how I am learning.  

It blows my mind that people see the Book of Mormon and automatically dismiss it.  Hand me a Jehovah's Witness Bible, I'll read it. Have an atheist tell me why he doesn't believe in God, I'll listen to him. This life is about acquiring knowledge, as all knowledge, all truth comes from God. So why reject an opportunity to acquire more knowledge? If the Book of Mormon isn't true, your great aunt Anabelle will still make that fruit cake, the oil will still changed tomorrow, you will still have that birthday cake for Jonny to make. But I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is just more truth, more light to illuminate us! How exciting! How wonderful that we get so much truth in such a concentrated form! Now instead of Aunt Anabelle making a fruit cake every year until she dies, you get to be sealed to her and eat that fruit cake for eternity! Now instead of the oil being a chore to overcome, you realize god has given you the ability to change oil so you can help old man Jenkins down the street change his! Now you get to teach Jonny that in 10 more birthdays, he'll be able to serve a mission, share the Book of Mormon with others, and go change his world! The Book of Mormon and the truth that it illuminates dispels the fog and helps us see life in a more brilliant way!

I am so happy to be here, to just love these people in Kraków. These people are phenomenal, they are so loved by their Father in Heaven. Now it's just my job to give them a few pointers to help them see it! I can't wait for the day when all of these people here, these people I love so much, understand who they truly are. I just really love them, I really do.

I also love all of you. I am so grateful for your prayers, support, and letters. I love you all so much, every person back at home. I think about you and I pray for you constantly. You are all so special to me, and so special to our Father in Heaven. I hope you all have a fantastic week! Because you deserve it! And remember, if your day seems pretty hard and you aren't feeling to great, just let your heart be filled with the hope that tomorrow brings.

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

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

2. Siostra Holden and Me
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Pictures

1.view of Kraków

2. The Mound

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Transfer Time Part Deux

Hey y'all!

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

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

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

New agenda cover

1. Elder Fogg. Hahaha, a lady at a bus stop called him the handsomest!

2. My favourite flavour of ramen, pickle!

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