Great Week in Gdansk

Wowie, what another great week! :) 

Hey Friends and Fam! I am sure grateful to get to write you every week.  What a blessing! This morning we woke up and cleaned the apartment, and while we were listening to Mo tab, it finally got to the Christmas Mo tab! We loved singing along to "Walking in a winter wonderland" :) That was pretty fun! We cleaned real good cuz it's the start of a new transfer! Sister Bezdjian and I will be staying together here in Gdansk for another 2 months.  I can't wait! It's going to be awesome.  I learn something new from sister B every day.  There is so much work to do up here.  The days aren't long enough sometimes.  Crazy how that happens.  Time really flies on a mission.  

     So a few things about investigators and such.  We have a way cool guy to teach named Lukasz.  He is 22 and he is a sculptor.  He is very inteligent and he read up to 2 Nephi after our first visit! So cool.  He came to church on Sunday and He really liked it.  He prays at the end of our lessons and he is learning a lot.  It's so cool to see him learn.  So we have a member here named Josef and his wife isn't a member, so we meet with them once a week.  The other day they fed us dinner and he just shared all of his hopes and dreams with us and he said all he wants is the Kingdom of God.  He said he knows that is the greatest blessing or dream anyone could ever have.  They are wonderful.  We hope she will get baptized.  So there is also a member here that has been a member for about 20 years or so.  She is 85 and she has been through so much.  There have been a lot of members come and go and be strong and some that fall away.  She has been one of the most solid members here for years.  She is so sweet, we love her.  

      So this week I learned a lot about faith and miracles.  I have been reading in Alma and I love to read about Aaron and Ammon and all that they experienced and went through as missionaries.  They AMAZE me!!!! I read chapter 26 today and it was just so powerful to me.  Sometimes I feel like Ammon, when my heart is just so full of joy and love, I don't know what to do! It's amazing to think that they were so against the church and they were so far off, and after a serious of events, they became some of the most successful instruments in the hands of the Lord in bringing this gospel to people.  Thousands and thousands of people.  What if Alma and the Sons of Mosiah's families would've given up on them or if they would've turned back (ch.26) because they were depressed and had no success??? So crazy to think about that.  What a lesson it was to me.  We just have to endure through the tough times because we have no idea what the design of this plan really is.  There's so much to it that we don't see.  They were amazing missionaries, and still are I'm sure! :) 

     So my challenge for you this week is to be happy.  Just that.  Try your hardest to be happy no matter what.  Trying to do something, no matter what it is, is always a train reaction.  You try, the Lord blesses you, you receive blessings, you become more grateful, you show gratitude, you're humbled, you're then humble and receive more blessings for your humility, and then you're happy because of the blessings you have.  Effort goes a lot further than we know sometimes.  God knows when we're trying our hardest.  We have so much to be happy about :) Just knowing what we know is reason enough to be happy right? :) 

      Well, one of the funniest meetings I have ever been in was just the other day.  Awesome investigators, a lady Grazyna, her friend Maria and her husband mirek.  They fed us a little and then their big ol dog came in and tried to get our food.  I was having to refrain from laughing as I looked over and saw Sister Bezdjian trying to protect her food from the dog and he jumped up and almost got her in the face! Then he made his way over to me. It was hilarious! Then as Grazyna said the closing prayer, she was so sweet and remembered everything in her prayer.  I peeked up and she was just so animated and so grateful for everything in her prayer! She whispered to her friend, "Did I forget anything"?? I was so great! I love them and we sure have a lot of hope for them.  

     Well, time's  about up.  This gospel is the greatest source of joy, and I'm so grateful to be a part of this.  Thank you all soooooo much for your support.  I can't thank you enough for your prayers and friendship throughout my life.  The Lord sure knows our needs.  Well I hope you all have a great week! Be strong, and remember, Be happy! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) 

    Love, Sister Shelby Ostler (Or as the poles say "Oster". Supposedly it's a pretty flower or something) 

Yeah...... they are staying together for another transfer...9 more weeks together

I bet they  are standing on a chair.....haha

Work those Mussels Sister Ostler

They love the Hawkers....

Family News........

Shelby's sister Ashlee and her family were able
to go to the Sacred Grove in Palmyra NY
What a wonderful place. and the spirit was very strong there.

                                                             

Shelby's new niece Kamryn is getting so big

These 4 miss Aunt Shelby so much.....

Aunt Trisha, Mom, and Grandma and Grandpa a
day on the lake.  One of Shelby's most
favorite things to do.

Shelby's Sister Kelsee and her cute family.

A special Aunt and Uncle to Shelby.
Trisha and Troy Rindlisbacher

Shelby's dad, doing what he loves....water skiing....

Shelby's only brother, just moved to Portland Oregon

Sister Ostler is blonde again....she must have found a hair salon in Poland

Hey Friends and Fam

Gdansk Missionaries

Wowie, what a great week.  Where to begin where to begin? I don't know where the time goes, it just flies! This week was full of a lot of miracles.  First I want to talk about some of our investigators.  They are so cool! One is about 50.  She is trying so hard to learn English. She's intrigued by the pioneers and mapped out a bunch of stuff in the Book of Mormon. Pretty much, she wants to be baptized.  She just gets it, ya know? Her name is Janina and she is so cool!  Her husband is living in England for a while and we will teach him when he gets back.  We have so much hope for her! :) So another one is named Aleksandra.  She's just this spunky lady around 65.  We met with her for the second time on friday and she invited a friend to listen in.  We gave a lesson on the restoration and Aleksandra was just excited about it, she couldn't stop telling her friend more and more.  They love how we pray in our own words and how we can repent.  They are so fancy and elegant, they just make us smile.  Then her other friend comes over! We taught all 3 of them and are meeting with them again in a while because they wanted more time to read the Book of Mormon. Sooo cool! :) So yeah, we love them.  There's lots more, but that's all for now.

      So one really neat experience this week was in our previous english class which is now our book of Mormon reading class.  We had 4 people and a member in on the lesson.  We had them act-out chapter 4 of 1st Nephi and then we talked about it.  It was really interesting to see the different responses.  One of them (who has SSSSOOOOO much potential) had a really hard time with Nephi being commanded to kill Laban.  It can be a tough subject to talk about, but it really opened the door for her to start thinking more about it.  We talked about the nature of God, and how much He really loves us.  And then, one of the other girls, Mili, joined in and started talking about God in the Old Testament and it was so cool to see them help turn this story into real life.  The Book of Mormon is so great! She will come to know this truth and she will be so strong, you can just see it! :) I love it.  

      Okay, so pretty much, I love the first 4 or 5 hours of the day.  We go running, get ready, have personal study, have companionship study, and then 12-week program (Which is awesome).  Personal study is so great!!! For an hour we just get to read and study from the Book of Mormon, Preach my Gospel and church magazines.  It is so uplifting! Then we get to talk about it comp study.  This week I studied compassion a lot, and that was sure powerful to me.  Compassion sure goes a long way. It means so much to me when someone shows compassion or empathy, so I tried to study how we can implement more love and compassion everyday to those around us.  Christ is just the perfect example.  So I've noticed that when we sing in our lessons, the spirit is always stronger.  We've been doing that as much as possible.  It's really neat. 

     Okay, so a few things I've learned and my challenge for you.  First of all, I learned that if all else fails, and nothing else is working out in life, no matter what it may be- Hard work will bring you comfort and confidence.  That is something we can control.  Second-  By our willingness to be consistent, we are blessed consistently, and when we are not committed and are wavering, our lives too, will be unconsistent and will waver from time to time.  So, here's my challenge.  Pick one thing in your life and be consistent in it.  Maybe it will be praying mornings and nights, maybe it'll be reading 20 minutes a day, maybe it'll be changing every little complaint into something you're grateful for, and maybe it's just consistently trying to share your love for others around you.  I have chosen the complaining one.  I know it sure helps me to be consistently happy here on this mission.  I testify that being consistent in this gospel will bring blessings.  :) :) 

Haha. I knew it was just a matter of time until Shelby
found a hair salon.
Now I think they are teaching the hair dresser :)
Cute dress Shelby.....
and cute hair Sister Ostler and Sister Bez

Love It!!!!!!!

These great Sisters earned the Standard of Excellence.....
They love to talk to people.....and people love them

A lesson on the beach.....

Beautiful Poland

Baltic Sea in the baskground

      Okay, I am trying to think of what else to say.  My mind always goes blank under pressure! :) Well, I have a fantastic trainer. I really feel like I couldn't be more blessed.  She is so solid! Every day I learn something new from her, whether it's gospel related, teaching related or polish related.  I hope we get to serve together longer.  We've become great friends. :) So the other day we walked into this old house/apartment and it was pretty sketchy....... spider webs all over and then on the old stairs there was this huge cat with a tumor on it's face and it was breathing heavily and staring really creepily at us.  I had to laugh because it was like this old scene in a movie and were right in the middle of it.  So funny :) Well, life is great.  I love the mission.  It's hard work.  I'm pooped about 98% of the time, but it feels so good! How do you explain that??? I'm not sure, but it's a good feeling.  Life is great.  I hope you're all doing great at home.  Remember I love you all :) Enjoy the journey! :)

      Love, Sister Ostler

Miracles in the extra miles......

Hi Family and Friends
Shelby has a different address where she can get packages and mail within about 5-7 days..
She would love to hear from you.  She loves snail mail.....


Sister Shelby Ostler
Brzozowa 9c/1
Gdansk  80243
Poland

Finding time to cook.  Always a must for Shelby

Hey Friends and Family! 

     How are you all? I hope life is great over there in America.  One thing I am SOOOOOOOOOOO grateful for this week is that the gospel is the same everywhere you go.  I mean it.  What a blessing!!! Prayer is so handy.  You don't have to pay for long distance calls, or worry about getting good service.  It just works every where you go! :) This past week was truly one of miracles every day, around every corner, and in every extra mile we went.  Lesson #1 (and my challenge for all of you) = There are always miracles found in the extra mile.  Whatever it is you are doing in your life, find something and go a little further, push yourself a little harder, stand a little taller, and I promise you will find miracles in that extra mile.  I am trying to apply this every day. Some days are easier than others, some days are just plain TOUGH to give any more.  But it's worth it.  :) Let me know how it goes :) My mom has my address ;) ;) 

        So, one of the miracles I want to talk about was from one of our investigators, Agnieszka.  So on Monday, we met we her after FHE at the church.  We had been praying that she would feel the desire to be baptized because we knew that she knew this church is true.  So we had a great meeting, and we talked about all of the fruits of repentance, which then leads to baptism.  The spirit was so strong, she closed her book of mormon, looked up at us and paused for a second before saying, "September 22nd.  I want to be baptized."  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! It was so great.  I got teary-eyed I was so excited and happy for her.  She got teary eyed and said she knows it's all true.  It was the most powerful meeting and experience I've had here.  But that's not all.  The miracle comes after the trial of your faith, right? So the next day, Agnieszka was at the store to buy their food for the rest of the week (tuesday to sunday!) with 13 zlots... about 4 dollars or so.  She didn't know how she was going to get by, but then all of a sudden, this man she kind of knows came up to her and said, "do you believe in God?" and she said, "Of course!" and he gave her a bunch of food and groceries that could last her about a month! Then she went and gave half of it to her friend in need.  She called us to tell us about that awesome miracle and she knew it was a blessing from the Lord.  Watching this investigator grow has been one of the most testimony-strengthening experiences for me.  She has so much faith.  From day 1, she knelt with us and experimented a new kind of prayer for her.  She asked sincerely to know if this message is true, and she felt goosebumps when she was finished.  She signed up to clean the chapel, she is making the dinner for our FHE tonight at the chapel.  She is already such an example to so many! So yeah, what more can I say? She's teaching us so much.  And people say missionaries do the teaching.  The spirit is so amazing.  

       So I have been so blessed with a wonderful companion.  She wants to work hard, be obedient 100%, and she just gets things done.  I have learned SOOO much from her.  I really feel blessed, and I feel like the Lord knows us all so well.  How does He get it so perfect every time? No matter what it is, it seems to be just what I need. So yeah, Sister Bezdjian is fantastic, and I hope we get to work together for a while longer.

Shelby and her awesome Trainer Sister Bez

Are these guys on a mission?!!!!
Looks like a pretty fancy place

  

      A mission is really an amazing thing.  I've heard this said many times, but now I really believe it: A mission is like a mini life packed into 18 months or 2 years.  I feel like that, except I feel like sometimes it's all packed into one week or even one day! We had the most crazy day on friday.  We met with an inactive member who told us she doesn't believe in God any more.  We cried with her.  My heart was broken. She was sooooo strong. She brought her friend to baptism, and was so set.  We left just distraught.  Then a few hours later, we had an amazing lesson with Agnieszka and her 3 kids came in, and we all talked together, and we all prayed together at the end.  It was the most opposite of feelings I have ever experienced! We left her house asking ourselves, "What greater joy could there be"?  The gospel has everything GOOD to offer.  We just have to trust, and try.  The next day we ran from one appointment to the next in the pouring rain.  We laughed and sang because we just loved that moment.  It was so ... surreal! I love the mission. 

    I'm sorry I don't have a lot of time to write much more.  One more random thing.  Don't forget to live in the precious present moment.  My insititute teacher taught me that, Brother Rau.  I am loving that principle every day.  Sometimes it's hard.  Sometimes you can't wait for the next thing- what ever it may be.  But how precious is each and every moment.  Especially as members with the knowledge that we have- this life is so short.  Okay, well I gotta go! I love you all.  I hope you're all doing great.  You are amazing.  Keep spreading the good news :) Love you :)

Love, Sister Ostler

Beautiful Poland

A lesson on the beach....such a cute family