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 

First Week in Poland

Dzien Dobry!!! Jak sie maczie??

I can't believe this is all happening.  It really is just like I have imagined my whole life! This past week has been CRAZY! Full of random, spontaneous and new stuff.  I am serving here in Gdansk and it is beautiful! Well, I guess I'll rewind a bit first. I got in the country on tuesday about 5 pm and we ate, had interviews, then hit the sac! We woke up, had a wonderful breakfast, did a bunch of paperwork stuff, then we went contacting on the Rynek (the town square).  I was a little nervous, but we had practiced SOOOOO much that I was actually really excited.  So the first 5 or 6 people weren't interested and kind of just shrug you off.  Oh well :) Then the 6th or 7th person I came to was an 18 year old girl named Ola.  She was so interested, so we (me and 2 other awesome trainers) sat down and talked for 20-30 minutes.  She took a book of mormon and set up another appointment with the sisters in that area! Soooo cool :) I was really happy about that.  So then we went back and met our companions and found out where we're serving.  I am soooo happy to be serving here in Gdansk with Sister Bezdjian :) :) :) she is wonderful.  She's been here for only 3 months and she's my trainer! We have had a blast together.

        So thursday morning we took an 8 hour train ride up here and we unloaded our stuff and went to work! :) Wow, what a first day I had! It was pooring and we didn't have an umbrella because it wasn't raining before.  I learned how to make phone calls and I called about 10-12 people to set up appointments, then we tracted 2 huge buildings.  1 person let us in! :) Miracles :) So then we contacted in the rain and I was loving it.  I have learned that the more you smile and talk to them, the more they smile and talk back :) We have a couple new investigators from that first day in the rain.  Really cool!

         So Friday was pretty hard for me.  I had a really bad sinus infection, and I kept thinking about you guys at home and I didn't want to get out of bed.  So, I did what any missionary would do, and I hit my knees.  I needed a turn of perspective and I needed to feel loved and comforted.  I needed to know that I will see you all again and that this is where I'm supposed to be.  Sure enough, after a good couple hours of studying the gospel, I was feeling good and ready to go.  We had a fantastic day.  The language is coming more and more every day.  when I first got here, I could maybe understand about 30 percent of what people were saying.  Then about 40, then about 50, now I can understand maybe 70 percent and I can be involved in the conversation a lot more.  It has been so great! I really love this language and people are just so grateful that we can speak it to them!

        So there is so much I want to tell you.  Wow. I've just learned so much.  The three biggest things that make this mission successful (I've discovered) are diligence, obedience, and perspective.  When all three of these are in order, everything just works out better.  Miracles and more visible and we find more people to teach.  It's amazing! I think this goes for life as well.  These 3 things will bring joy and success when your heart and works are centered in Jesus Christ.

       So, some of the things I wanted to share real quick.  Oh first of all, thanks so much for the info on the iron man. I was sure praying for you Daddy! I want to know how it went!!! How are you all? It sounds so beautiful! How's Kelsee and ashlee and chase and jon and zach and the kids? Ashlee, thank you sooooo much for your email! I loved all of them, mom, dad and ash :) I sure miss you all.  Okay, so saturday was fathers day here and we were contacting on our way to an appointment ( we are so busy we can hardly handle it.  Sometimes we just don't have time to eat meals, but that's okay! we love it!) and all of a sudden, about 30 priests come out of this HUGE cathederal.  We were standing in the middle of all of them at a stop light! Hahaha, it was hilarious! We got up the courage to offer a pass along card to one, and it didn't really turn out hahaha oh well! :) It was too funny :)

      So about the language - I love it! My brain hurt REALLY bad for the first 2 or 3 days, but I'm getting used to it now, and it's coming easier and easier.  Sometimes I speak polish and people don't know I'm american until they say a big ol huge sentence that sounds like a question and I look at them blankly and am forced to say, "eh..... nie rezumiem... (I don't understand)" haha, but it's all part of the experience eh? :)
      so the sun goes down at about 10:30 at night and it comes up at about 3:30 in the morning! It's nuts! I'm getting used to the mornings though.  Oh and the weather.  At any given time, it'll be sunny and hot and beautiful, and then without 10 second's notice, it's cloudy and POORING rain! Haha It makes for some serious adventures :)

      So yesterday was my first sunday.  I loved it.  Church is only 2 hours here.  I gave a 10 minute talk and I think it went really well :) I felt good about it.  Then we had to get to an appointment clear out of town and we couldn't be late, so we ran the whole way! Well, and mile or 2 and we made it 2 or 3 minutes late but we were sweating soooooo bad! Haha, it was worth it.  They are amazing.  Today we are going back to their house and they're going to teach us how to make pierogi soup! I love that stuff- so excited! :)

       Well, there is so much I want to tell you about.  Please just know that I love you sooooo much.  The people here love the pics of our family.  I think about you everytime I bear testimony of the plan of salvation.  I pray for you every day, all day.  I want you to know that I will never give up.  I am learning more and more the importance of this message.  I love it and I want to share it with everyone. Don't worry about me okay? I am happy and doing great.  I hope you like the videos and pics.  You are my heroes.  I love you soooooooo much!!!! Pa-Pa Na Razie! :)
Love, Sister Shelby Ostler