Cześć!!
Monday, we went to GOJump, which is a trampoline park here in Wrocław! It's really similar to JumpTime back home. You know, it's kinda crazy because normally when we think of living in or visiting another country or part of the world, we think of doing all these crazy touristy things. But now I'm to the point where.. I live here! And while I still really love the touristy things, I've also started doing things as though I live here haha! Like... I never would have thought I would be going to a trampoline park in Poland. XD It just makes me feel a bit more at home. Kinda weird, but it does! Oh, and also, you all will be proud to hear that I am the only one who can do a backflip out of us 6 missionaries here in Wrocław and Legnica right now!! And that includes Elder Stewart who would be a "body double" and did some stunts for the movies he acted in. Haha, y'all should be proud. ;) XD
Tuesday, we didn't have a lot happen in the morning, but things picked up in the last bit of the day. We met with Doni and we taught the Word of Wisdom. Part of the conversation went something like this:
Me: You want to get baptized right?
Doni: Yes! Definitely! I really do!
Me: Then this is what you have to do to be able to get baptized.
Doni: Okay, I'll do it. I will do that!
I love it! He is just SO willing to give it up even though he still REALLY wants to drink certain things. He is willing to stop! And that willingness he has just impresses me SO MUCH!! He is sooo prepared and ready. He truly is repenting! And it's just so incredible to see him growing and improving every time. He said that every time he prays, he feels a step closer to God. And he notices a difference when he forgets to pray. He is really feeling it and noticing what these changes are doing in his life!
After that, we went and delivered more cookies! (Haha yeah, it's a long process..) But we met some awesome neighbors! A really fun couple, Grzegorz and Patrycja, were really excited about the cookies and thought our Polish was great! We also finally met our nextdoor neighbor!! His name is Piotr (but he introduced himself as Peter). He speaks really well in English! One of the first things he asked us was, "Okay.. Which one plays the violin??" Haha, I got caught! I admitted that it was me. He said, "It's really good! Keep playing the violin. Play lots for me!" I was a bit surprised, thinking that he would be annoyed with it. Especially because he's into rock and roll. Oh and he is also an AMAZING guitarist. I hear him play on the balcony a lot and I LOVE it! But about my violin playing, he said, "Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I hear it and I'm like, oh that's really nice!" So that's good to hear!
Wednesday was 9 months since I left home and came on my mission! So so crazy!
We were able to do a Book of Mormon finding activity with the Elders today. We drew some chalk things on Plac Wolności (this big empty plaza). And wrote scriptures and our contact info.
While I was writing something, a man actually started talking to me! He told me he had a Book of Mormon at home and that he's read the whole thing! I asked him if he was a "believing person" (it makes more sense in Polish.) Basically, it's our way of asking if they're religious. He said, "not really" and that he doesn't really go to church, but he is a "searching" person. So he definitely wants to meet up and talk with us. Should be interesting! After that, we met up with Mariusz at a cafe. We talked about what he thought about church on Sunday. He really liked it. He really wants to come again and also really wants to read the Book of Mormon. He wants to keep searching and learning about our church. He's really faithful! But he doesn't agree with everything the Catholic church teaches or that the priests do, so he doesn't really go to that church or follow it. He has his own individual faith. He's taking it as a sign from God that he met us and he says "time will tell" about what will happen next. So we'll see! Later, we met a few more of our neighbors. Barbara was super nice! She really wanted to read the Book of Mormon and to meet with us in September!! She is SO NICE and super fun! We also met Maciek and Deborah, this couple who speaks practically fluent English. They were really funny! We had a good time talking with them. And they even gave us homemade bread!! It was SO GOOD!
Me studying the Book of Mormon and eating oatmeal (my favorite) on my 9 month mark!! Just normal missionary life for ya!
Same day, but at our Book of Mormon "chalk talk".
Took some pictures for my 9 month mark!
I look way too excited haha.
Thursday, we had District Council and then we went out and handed out a ton of English fliers to people. There was a big military event going on at the Rynek and also today was a big Catholic holiday and so there were a million people outside! It was kinda crazy! But we handed out lots of ulotki! (Fliers) I even had one lady stop me and ask me which church we were from. We had a decent conversation and she was way nice! (Even gave me 2 hugs throughout our time talking.) She asked me who Jesus is to me. And I told her that he was the redeemer of the world! She was so pleased with that, she gave me a hug haha! But it ended with her saying that the Catholic church was the only right way and the Bible is the only word of God. She didn't seem too open to the idea that there is continuing revelation from God today. I'm always sad when people don't even want to test it out! Anyway, we had a meeting with Doni today! We taught some more commandments and he is still really excited to get baptized! He seems happier about it every time we meet. :) And that always makes me happy!
Friday, we had a meeting with a lady we met a while ago named, Magda. She has 2 young girls who were kinda crazy the whole time, but it's good. Basically, she believes in God, but doesn't go to church. She believes that there are also other scriptures besides the Bible that we don't have. Of course, I went off of that and introduced the Book of Mormon to her. She seemed interested in it and wants to read, but doesn't really have time to meet with us right now. So hopefully in a month or so! (Also, while we were there, her daughters were watching "Lilo & Stitch" and "Toy Story" the whole time!! Let me tell ya... I've never had to try so hard not to look at a screen!! My goodness... the things you love can be so distracting!!) Anyway, later in the day, we had another great meeting with Doni! We basically just taught him a ton of the commandments and he agreed to live all of them!! It's so great! He's so excited to get baptized, already refers to the church as "our church" including himself, and is so humble as he really tries to do what we ask him to do!! Today, I was also able to finish reading the Book of Mormon!! I did it! And in 40 days! It was such a great experience to do that and to feel the power that came into my life. I truly love the Book of Mormon!! And I'm so grateful to have it in my life!
Some pictures for finishing the 40 Day Book of Mormon challenge we've been doing!
An accurate picture of what it looks like to take pictures with me! Haha! XD
Saturday, we had a fun time with Sports Saturday and going to Babcia's. She seriously has the best stories! They're so interesting! This time she told me about this American radio station they would listen to at midnight. This was still during communist times, so they had to be really careful and not let the neighbors hear otherwise, they would get reported to the police. It's so sad how much they couldn't trust people.. or didn't know who they could trust. But Babcia said that radio station gave them a lot of hope during those difficult times and I thought that was really cool. Later, we had another meeting with Doni and again it went well! He's just ready to be baptized already and next week can't come soon enough! He said he just feels more confident day by day. He described it as a "peaceful confidence" and I love that! The Holy Ghost really does help us to feel calm and peaceful. That is how he tells us that we are making the correct decision.
Sunday we had a fun day. First, Elder Asendrych came to church in Wrocław. Well, I guess he's not Elder anymore since he's home from his mission haha. But yeah.. it would be weird to call him James... so I didn't. Anyway, we also had a meeting with Lisa. She's still trying to figure her life out, but hey, she said that she's really thinking about joining this church! So that's pretty cool!! After that, we had a meeting with Doni. It was our last meeting with him where we were teaching him new things! He had a meeting with the Branch President today too. Doni said he's a really good man and Doni feels "2 times more confident about baptism." It seems like every time we meet with him, he is more confident and more excited. And I know I say this all the time but... that just makes me so happy!
Love and miss you all!!
Siostra Shaylin Carroll
At service... "But I've got all the bananas!" (a favorite quote of my Dad's... bonus points to the rest of you if you get it, but you probably won't haha...)
A picture from a different finding activity we did a few weeks ago! (with the missionaries here in Wrocław. Elder Stewart and Elder Baer.)
We helped some old guy push his dead car to the auto shop, so that was fun!!
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