Sister Shelby Ostler's mission to Poland

Dear Friends and Family, 

      It has been a learning week for me.  I don't know where to start or what to talk about because there's so much and I don't have it all organized in my head.  I'll start with yesterday.  Church was sure neat.  Our branch President was gone and his counselor and the usual people to bless and pass the sacrament, so we were a little worried about how everything would work out.  What a blessing it was! We had a lot of investigators and members in church and Elder Myler presided and Sister Bezdjian spoke, members passed the sacrament and I taught the Gospel Principles lesson.  It was a great day at church and one of our investigators came for the first time, Bozena, and she really liked it! We are excited for here and her husband.  I also had a great experience as I got to prepare to teach a lesson.  I sure felt blessed because it was in Polish and it was on the Atonement and I really wanted it to come together for the people there, and I know the Lord helped me to teach.  It was a neat experience for me.

     So the other day, we had just eaten dinner on the go at a little wietnamese place and it was so good! :) But we had some left overs and there's always this man that we see at the train station without a home or food. So we gave our leftovers to him and in english he said, "Well how can I pay you back" and we said "No, no, it's free!" and then he said, "Oh I know!" and he started singing "I see trees of green, red roses too.... " and he sang "What a wonderful World!" It was soooooo good! He is just a neat guy.  :) So then we were on the bus, and this man came in with a really bloody face.  I was sitting next to him and had no tissues or any way of helping.  I looked over and two or three fancily dressed women were ferverently searching their bags for tissues.  One found some and gave them to him.  It was really neat for me to see their example and the love and kindness.  I invited him to church and promised him everything would be okay.  His name is Lukasz, he is really cool. 

     So we had Zone Conference for the first time since I've been here.  It was great. It was in a city called Bydgoszcz.  I saw an elder who was in the MTC with me, elder raines, so that was cool! :) It was really uplifting and I really needed it.  Our mission president is so inspired.  He really amazes me.  I feel so blessed to have him as our mission president.  So the other day, there was this cute little boy, like 10 or so who came up and asked if he could help us hand out ulotki (flyers) and we said, Sure! So he went around to people giving out pass a long cards :) He then found out that we do it for free and said, oh. Never mind. Hehe, cute kid. BUT he said we could meet his parents and talk with them about the gospel, so that was cool.  :) 

      So , there are many attributes I am trying to work on and focus on right now in my life as a missionary, and as a person in general.  I have learned that I just can't do it without help.  As much as I give, the Lord will always make up the other half.  Sometimes we may feel like we are not enough.  Like we aren't good enough because we can't do it by ourselves.  But that's what it's all about- learning how to be independent and strong, and yet, completely dependent on the Lord.  It's a huge part of what we are here to experience and go through.  Some days are just.... hard.  Whether on a mission, on a 2 week vacation, in the middle of mid-terms, at the end of a long week, or in any circumstance at all.  We'll have them our whole lives.  Sometimes it is tempting to say, "Oh it'd be so much better IF...." and then fill it in with something in the future or something that we wish we had.  But really, if we remember the WHY of the gospel, like President Uchtdorf teaches, we wont' need to fill in that blank, because we'll feel the hope and reassurance that all will be okay.  That is why I love the gospel.  

     Well, I don't have any more time.  So I just want to testify that I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is here for us to benefit from and to share.  The church is a wonderful way to teach about, learn from and experience the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Book of Mormon is our handbook and can be a great comforter.  Prayer is our communication with the One who knows us best.  I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  

I love you all, have a great week

Love Shelby