Investigators!!!

   Hey everyone! :):)

So this week was so great! Really, I don't know how to explain it.  I am just so thankful to be a part of this work.  I'll start with yesterday, since it's so fresh on my mind :) 

    So I have to tell you about our amazing Sakrament meeting.  Since we don't have a chapel at the moment, and we are in the process of looking for one, we weren't sure how many people were going to come to church.  We fasted together and invited everyone we could to come to church and meet in the library here in Centrum.  Well, on our way to church, we picked up a member, walked with her, then along came another humble sweet man who has come twice, then comes our recent convert right behind us.  We showed them up to the room, then sat in amazement as more and more people came in! We went outside in the park and waited for any more people who might not know where to go, and of course, more and more people came.  We had about 30 or more people in church! We had a very powerful experience as members and investigators alike bore testimony.  The cute little man who came just felt the spirit so strong he couldn't help but clap and say "bravo!" He's about 85 or so :) We got to share our testimonies and I personally felt so blessed to be in that room with everyone there.  What a tender mercy from the Lord and a true miracle. 

      So in personal study I've been reading about Alma and I just love him.  He is such a missionary! Alma 8:9-18.  He is so discouraged, then he's reassured from the Lord, blessed for his obedience and faithfulness, promised blessings, and then (here's the key) he SPEEDILY returns (verse18) to teach the people.  What's the significance?? He bounces back, has an eternal perspective, and he is willing to make the long, hot, tiring journey back because he knows the lord will provide a way. Soooooo cool! I just love him :) So there's that.  

       So a few quick random things that happened.  First of all, when we were teaching our Book of Mormon reading class, we were at the best part, literally a few verses before nephi cuts off laban's head, when the power goes out.  We were in complete darkness! The suspense was sweet.  Now they really want to keep reading later! So we went outside to see what happened and there was a FLOOD!!! It was soo cool! It was only like 3 feet deep, but it was fun to go wading through it talking to people about the church :) It went away quickly, but it was pretty fun :) So on August 1st all of Poland has 1 minute of silence, a lot like america, to remember the warsaw uprising.  It was a really neat moment because we were teaching english and all of the poles got to tell us about it.  I loved it.  Really cool.  So one day we were tracting and we were running out of ways to start the conversation, so we decided to start by singing...... hahaha.  Wowie, funniest experience of my life. I wish you all could have seen it.  We started singing where can I turn for peace (in polish of course) when the lady opened the door, the dog started barking like crazy, and the lady shouted "Nie! Idz tu! Idz tu!" Which means "no, leave, leave" as she summoned us with her hands and the dog chased us away.  Hahaha. We were just laughing so hard.  What else can ya do, right?? So funny :) The phrase, "When the Lord closes one day, he always opens another" has totally different meaning to me now :-D

      Okay, so the important stuff.  Guess what! Agnieszka's kids, Tomek and Kasia 8 and 11 are going to be baptized too!!! We were so excited!!! He is 8 years old and he read the whole kids Book of Mormon, and almost the whole kids D&C!!! We taught about fasting on friday and he said, "I think the most I can fast is 2 days, Mom." Hahaha, cute kid! He says the cutest prayers every! :) I am so excited for them.  They have sure changed a lot as a family since the gospel has become a part of their lives.  I love them.  

     So my companion has taught me so much.  Every day I watch her very closely (that may seem weird.....) but she's my trainer, and I still have soooooo much to learn.  She cares so much about our investigators and about every single person we meet.  She knows the Bible and the Book of Mormon so well.  She is always 100 percent obedient and she is a powerful teacher, always listening so close.  I have learned a lot from her and I know that we always have something more to learn from those around us.  :) :) :) 

     Well, I know there's more I want to say, I just can't think....... Hmmmmm, Gdansk is absolutely beautiful.  Always fresh fruit and vegetables everywhere.  I love it.  Well, I better go.  I love you all.  The gospel is true. I am so glad we get to be a part of this great work.  Every one of us get to be a part of it.  What a blessing! Take care and enjoy your loved ones in your life.  :) Love you!

Love, Sister Ostler 

So Blessed

Sister Bezdjian and Sister Ostler! What a beautiful companionship! Go to it girls!!!


Hey Fam:)


 Wow, this week sure did fly by! It's been hot and humid and jungly around here! How is it at home? I miss the dry air! :) You're right though mom, it totally feels like I was just writing home! 
   So to answer your questions real quick, 1) Her name is Sister Harker and she is a member here from Hawaii/Cali/Provo! She's awesome! Accept her!!! :) 2) You can send packages to this address and please tell Ashlee she can send stuff here, not to the mission home.  I'm so glad you go my letter so fast! Awesome :) :) :) 3) my shoes rock! I'm sooooooooo glad we bought them, I have a funny tan line from the strap ones haha :) 4) the weather is actually SUPER HOT! It feels like 90's most days.  It's a scorcher! 5) P-days..... Hmmm. I don't really like them actually.  I'd rather just shop, rest a little and stuff.  But we rush around all day trying to do fun stuff, and buy stuff we need and get our food and do our laundry and email and then fit in lunch and dinner before we go teach at 6.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE emailing you and reading them :) but the rest of the day just isn't my favorite.  We might go to the Zoo, that'll be fun :)
so yeah, there you go. :)

Okay, so this week has been soooooo great! We were so busy, we really didn't know what to do with ourselves.  We had about 17 lessons last week, and they challenged us to have at least 2 more than last week this week, and we got 22, so that was great! We just running all over the place, trying to catch this tram or that bus and trying to be on time.  Everyone we meet with is so great.  They have the smallest little living arrangements I've ever seen! We're just so blessed and spoiled in America.  Everyone gives us gifts and loves to feed us, and sometimes is hard because we just don't have time to spend at everyone's houses that long- too many meetings.  It's so great though! :) We love it.

So I'll copy and paste part of what I wrote to President Neilson:
One story I wanted
to share is about service.  We had a meeting at the chapel and the
person we met with had a dog follow her all the way from her house ( a
long way away). So we looked at the dog tags and found the number and
called the lady who the dog belonged to.  We traveled by a couple
different trams to get there and we started talking to a lady while we
were on our way.  She helped us find the house.  Well, long story
short, we have 2 new investigators from doing that.  One referred us
to her son and his girlfriend, and the other is the lady who the dog
belonged to, she has 4 sons under 10.  We learned a lot about the
power of service.  A little thing can go a long way, and what better
way to teach about Christ's example?  Actions definitely speak louder
than words.

 So there you go :) It was a great experience.  So I didn't plan very well what to say in this email, but I just can't testify enough of this gospel.  Every day we meet and talk to people who spill their challenging life stories and their hardships and all sorts of things, and we try to help them come unto Christ by teaching them about His Atonement and the power it has to change lives.  It is probably the saddest and hardest thing about missions when people don't accept it or they won't listen.  How do you explain to a person that what you're trying to give them and teach them about really is life-saving and meaningful?? Please, find everyone you can.  Teach them about this gospel.  Love them, serve them, be like Christ.  That's the only way to bring them to this knowledge.

      Well, one other story, more of a light-hearted story.  We were at YSA with a whopping 4 people! Wahoo :) and played ping pong after our lesson and stuff.  Then we needed to make a bunch of calls, so we walked to the park right by our chapel and all of a sudden it started to down pour!!! Like, really! It was so loud with thunder and lightening, we could hardly make phone calls.  So we laughed and had a jolly ol time walking back to the chapel :) Then we went to a meeting, and we taught her, soaking wet. :) It was awesome.  Then she told us she makes arrows (and we could tell because she had hundreds all over the place along with bows and arrows) and she gave us each one! Hence the cool picture hehe :) She's awesome.

     Well, I'm sure there's more I could share, but I have no time, and this computer was a little frustrating, but oh well! :) I love you all so much.  Don't take the little things for granted like I did for so long.  Make every moment count.  :) Kocham was!!! :)

Love, Sister Ostler

Eatng Gelato after the polish opera

Polish food YUM!

YSA Activity

Homemade arrows (Gotta love the homemade pull-up bar above their heads!! Go Shelby)



At Jadwiga's



The Tramwaj!!!! (like trax, we spend way to much time on this)

Shopping and getting soaken wet.  The rain surprises us all the time.
But we LOVE it :)

The Centrum



The Elders



President and Sister Nielson