Never fear.

The Last Melon!!

It's the last one, my last email home from my mission! Crazy. I really don't think it has sunk in, and I don't know if it will sink in until I step out of that plane and see SUVs and fast food everywhere. I don't even remember what America looks like anymore, because I assume it looks like Europe. But we don't have castles in America, right?

   

But it is good. Everything is good. I ask myself, why is it good? Aren't I supposed to be freaking out? But then I remember that I have already freaked out. And there's just no point in freaking out anymore because I am leaving, and that's that. I was talking with the Carters about it last night, it's like you are on a slippery slide and about to go to the bottom. There's no going back now! And that is okay, because life is lived forward.

    

I also just feel so much peace and hope for the future. I really feel like I have come to better understand who I am and who God is. I have come to know my relationship with Him in a new way. I really feel as if my Heavenly Father is truly there and truly aware of me. I have learned so much about just getting on my knees and talking with Him through prayer.
    

Actually that's how I handle emotional bumps now. I go into my room and pray until I feel better. I am so glad that I had the experiences on my mission that taught me to do that.

     

I think I also am comforted about going home because I know that I will see everyone again. I just have to. There is no way for me to stay in contact with all of the people I love on my mission. Even with technology it is impossible. And that is OK! Because I know without a doubt that after this life, I will see them again. It will be them, my friends, and we will recognise each other and laugh and hug and just be happy to see each other. I don't know a lot of things, but I do know that when we live righteously, we will have the opportunity to see all of our loved ones again. It just makes sense.

   

  The Gospel gives me so much hope and optimism in life. It truly gives us hope.  I have so much hope that the future will be okay. I have so much hope that everything is going to move forward in the best of directions. I love the quote I think from President Monson, "The future is as bright as your faith." Because it is true. If we exercise faith in our Saviour and trust that He will take care of us and provide for us, then the future is so bright. If we just let go and make the effort to trust in Him. To grasp for His hand, He will lead us to a happier future than we could possibly dream of.

I think of the things I have seen these last 18 months, the people I have met, the experiences I have had and I just can't help but shake my head and say, "Only G-d could make such a wondrous thing possible." I couldn't have planned a better adventure even if I had had all of the creativity and money in the world! These last 18 months have been better than any movie I have watched, better than any book I have read. I truly know that if we let G-d write our story, He will take it to places we can't even imagine. We cannot comprehend what the Lord wants to do with us, it is so magnificent and glorious. I mean, truly just glorious. I think of the things that I have seen and they are glorious.

     

Oh I love my Saviour so much. I love my Father in Heaven so much. I love my mission so much. I love my friends and family here so much. I love my friends and family there so much. I just can't even describe how much goodness fills my heart because of the choice that I made to come on my mission. It is the best choice anyone could ever make. I think these 18 months are one of the greatest gifts G-d has given to me.
     

I love you all so much! Thanks so much for the emails and letters and packages and prayers over this last year and a half. I love you. See you soon!

Siostra Herrera 🐏

Week of Miracles!

Hi everyone, Vlad was baptised this Saturday!! Sister Allowitz and I are over the moon with the progress and steps he is taking in his life to have a better relationship with Heavenly Father! The Spirit was so strong and everyone in the branch is really helping Vlad feel welcome! What a blessing!

We are out of time, but I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Siostra Herrera

Try Not to Devestate the Green!

Hey everyone! 

I am reduced to tears over the reminders of how all along, the Lord has blessed my life. From the people in my high school classes whom I never knew were Mormon to the missionaries and members of the Church who have helped me so far, He has helped me to finally lean on Him as I've come to understand who I truly am. This knowledge that we have as children of our Heavenly Father is so precious. It is a beautitul thing to know that many around the world are coming to this same truth just as I did almost 3 years ago. 

I would like to share a quote from a book I read called Return by Elder Robert D. Hales:

"The knowledge of who we are and what our mission is may come to us gradually as we develop our talents and gifts and listen to the promptings of the Spirit - Staying in tune with the Spirit helps us choose wisely as we make our way in life... There will be times in our lives when things don't go as we plan, but the Lord's plan is greater than we can even dream. When disappointments come into our lives, it is well to remember that we should learn from our experiences, both successes and failures and be grateful for being able to move joyfully forward with faith and hope."

I'm so grateful for prayer and that we can counsel with Heavenly Father, because there have been times on my mission where things just got really hard and I wanted to throw in the towel, but the Lord has always counseled me to consider the needs of my companions first. That is a blessing in itself, because I was able to let go of what I wanted and truly serve. When I let go of my expectations for myself and what I wanted to accomplish, I began to feel much happier because I was able to also let go of my fustrations.

I think the biggest success in my mission is just the conversion that I have made. Not only that, but I have learned the tools to make that conversion last after my mission and developed the skills required for that diligence. Of course we won't know for sure until a few years down the road the end result of that success, but even being able to achieve the progress made so far is a success. I love the Lord and will forever think of how I can serve Him by serving others, by being an influence for good.

 

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 too great, just let your heart be filled with the hope that tomorrow brings. You are all amazing! I love you!!

Siostra Herrera

P.S.-Sister Allowitz and I would like to request prayers on behalf of our friend Vlad who is preparing to enter the waters of baptism this Saturday. He is so prepared!

Życie jest piękne

Cześć y'all!

Hello! We don't have much time today, but I wanted to let you all know that Sister Allowitz and I are doing great. We taught Vlad the Word of Wisdom and he didn't have any problems with it, he is just so prepared!    

This week, I have been reflecting on how much the Lord has blessed my life with awesome missionaries, both the companionships who taught me and the ones I am blessed to work with each day. I just know that every success and trial that comes is for our good.The work is the same everywhere, it's true. It doesn't matter where you get called, you will love the mission just as much because the work is so beautiful and so much larger than us. But, I am so grateful to be able to serve in such a beautiful area of the world. If man really spends time every day stopping and looking up at the stars, smelling the flowers, watching the sunset, there is no way he would ever lose hope. Everything in this world testifies there is a God, there is a purpose.

I am running out of time but I want you to know that I love being a missionary! I wouldn't trade it for anything. This Gospel and this work is so much larger than any of us could ever comprehend. Our purpose here is greater than we could possibly imagine! Never think you are forgotten, never think you are alone. We are not, our Saviour is closer than we think.He is standing there with his arms outstretched to lift us. I know that He lives, I know that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, and that as we turn our hearts and our eyes to the things of eternal consequence, we will find true joy. I am so grateful to be able to taste of that joy 24 hours a day as I embark in His service.

     

I hope this e-mail wasn't super boring. I'm a little tired. I need to go eat some chocolate before we go to our lessons tonight! 

     Have a phenomenal week!

Kocham was!!

Siostra Herrera

Hi everyone! We have less than a month now until Vlad gets baptised!! He is seriously such a miracle! Please pray that all will go well!

I think about how much time I have spent on my mission being stressed. Just how much time I have been unhappy because of expectations in my head. I feel like here in Poland, I am learning to just let go and roll with the punches. To understand that I can't work harder than working hard, and to be okay with simply working hard.To be okay with doing my best every day, and knowing that my best isn't perfection, that I am not perfect but rather a human being.

I have just really learned that I have to rely on the Lord. Not just because He has asked me to, but because I cannot do things without Him. But it is so  true taht with G-d, all things are possible. Well, not all things, but rather, with G-d, the best things are possible. G-d isn't going to have us settle for less if He can help it. With Him, He will only give us the absolute best.

Sometimes we wince at what the absolute best looks like, because in our mind, that's not the best! But then, a few weeks or a few years down the  road, we realise that He's a smart guy. He knows it all, He knows exactly what we need and He knows exactly how it should be given to us. We just have to let go and let Him do His work.

16 months ago, what I thought I needed to go and experience on my mission is very different that what I actually needed to experience on my mission. But G-d knew what I needed to experience and that's what He put me through, because He loves me. He knows what i need yet to experience, hence the fact that the future is ahead. He love us, He really does! 

I love you all so much!! I am so grateful for all of your prayers, Kocham was!! 

Siostra Herrera

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hey everyone! We were very limited on time last week because we could only email at the mission office. Sunday was Labour Day and Tuesday was Constitution Day. Poland was the second country to adopt a constitution in 1791! It only lasted a year, but isn't that awesome? I love Poland! 

Happy Mother's Day to all of you! It was really great to talk to my mom, and the Winegars, the Becks and my brother! I love my mom! 

You are all shining stars, don't forget that! 

z miłością,

Siostra Herrera

PS- I've been feeling really down as my mission comes to a close, but Sister Allowitz and I have sat down to think of ways to liven our companionship. Here's what we came up with: We will have 15 Minutes of Fun each day and Thursday is the Big Kahuna. 15 Minutes of Fun is what its name suggests and the Big Kahuna is the highlight of our week.

Monday-Bubbles and picnic at Łazieńki Park 

Tuesday-Feed the Ducks

Wednesday-Feed the Squirrels

Thursday-Jewish Museum 

Friday-Date night Friday the 13th!

Saturday-Movie night with carmel pretzel bars/Swing Dancing

Sunday-Play a card game

Skyping

Hey y'all, if you want to skype next Sunday, I will be available at 10am pst and my skype name is lunarlady79