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

A Gdansk Baptism



Matching shirts....



Hey all of my friends and family!!!

     Wow, this has been a wonderful week! It sure flew by too.  Thanks for your awesome email Momma :) I loved it.  And you too Ash, and Dad, and Makell! You're the best :) 

     Okay, there's so much I want to say! First I'll start with the greatest thing ever! Saturday we had a wonderful baptism.  Basia Kupieraczyk.  She's 64, and she was so ready to be baptized.  She is an amazing example to me.  Her best friend, who introduced her to the missionaries 2 months ago, turned on her, and told her she shouldn't get baptized and a bunch of other stuff, 4 days before the baptism! Basia was so strong though and knew she wanted to get baptized.  She said she couldn't wait to have the Holy Ghost with her all of the time.  So we had a pool in the basement of our chapel and it was so neat.  After she was baptized, I said, "you look beautiful" and she said, "Thank you, that's because I'm without sin now."  She was just gleaming! Truly, she is so sweet and so .... inspiring.  Sunday was amazing too.  When she was confirmed, the spirit just filled that room and it was a very special experience.  One of our fantastic investigators was there too and I looked over and she was crying and she said to me, "That was wonderful".  She wants to be baptized.  What an amazing experience.  If that was all that happened my whole mission, it would be worth it.  I am learning how truly valuable one soul is in the sight of God.  I love this work! :) 

     So that was great.  This week was great, but it was also challenging because of all of the lessons that fell through or some of the people that didn't meet us. :( It is really heart breaking.  But it is sure great to see some of our progressing investigators.  This week Sister Bezdjian and I focused on Charity and Christ-like love.  It was really great.  We also focused on being very specific in our prayers.  We pray for a certain time of the day (tracting or contacting) and pray for someone specific to come into our path, or a family, or an unplanned service opportunity. It went really great, and we're excited to continue to do this.  I personally have learned a lot of lessons about Charity and the root of Christ's love for us.  It is so deep and so powerful, and we only experience a small part of it in our lives, when, if we were obedient and faithful all of the time, we could experience more and more of it in our lives.  I am hungry for that love, and I want so badly for people here in Poland to feel that love and hope as well.  They need it! Well, life here in Gdansk is great.  One great lesson I learned I call "Just Do It."  We were about 30 steps out the door and I thought, "maybe we should grab the umbrella" then sister Bezdjian said "Hmm, maybe I should grab a jacket".  We both decided against it because we didn't want to go back and get it, and it would be inconvenient to carry, right? So then, a few hours later, the storm settled in and we were soaked from head to toe, freezing and looking rather..... sheepish :-/ We learned a pretty awesome lesson.  Just Do It!!!! I don't know how many times in my life there has been a rule that I don't understand or it may not seem THAT important, so I go on and avoid it, perhaps it is "inconvenient" or a "hassle", and then, later, of course, I regret it greatly.  So that is my lesson.  We may not understand the why, and perhaps it may be a hassle for a little bit, but you will be so grateful and you will be blessed!!! (and dry, and warm and happy!) :) 

       So yesterday in church they asked me to translate.  I was pretty hesistant, but said I'll do my best.  But then luckily I was saved!!! this great member from warsaw was here with her dad.  She translated.  I am not quite to that point yet, so I was glad.  But happy they asked me... I guess ;) So like I said earlier about Charity, I had a really monumental moment for me a few days ago.  I was just being... selfish.  I was frustrated with myself and I really just wanted to overcome the natural man (woman) in me and become a missionary!! It was a mental challenge for me.  So I put my personal study towards learning about charity and Christ-like love.  Wowie it was sure a powerful hour for me.  I read in True to the faith about charity and one part says, "He will strengthen you in your efforts to live this gospel." Then it says to strive to love as Christ loves, with unfailing compassion, patience, and mercy. Powerful words huh? I thought about that for a long time.  Compassion.  How can I have more compassion? As human beings, how can we have more compassion? Read Moroni 7, it's great when you have a specific question you need answered.  So anyway, that was a powerful experience for me.  My heart has been filled over and over :) 

      So one thing we are learning to do to get into the hearts of the people here in Poland is to serve them first.  You can't just walk up to people and start talking, or else they think you're a sales persona and they just seem afraid of you.  They really do.  It's tough.  So we are trying so hard to be creative.  We are learning that we MUST serve them first.  Once they know we care and love them, then they may open up and listen.  Then they will also come to know that Christ loves them.  I thought about that, and it sure relates to everyone around us, does it not? Who do you know that you would like to be closer to? I'll tell you how- Serve them, love them, care for their general welfare, and be their friend.  Then teach as Christ would teach.  We're still trying to figure this out with complete strangers.  But we learn something new everyday! :) 



Look how beautiful this new investigator is





An everyday event...being caught in the rain



Shelby's first written letter to Poland.  She wants mail......

     Okay, so some random stuff for you.  First of all, after tracting for a few hours yesterday, we got home for dinner and I came to the conclusion, "Chocolate never Faileth!" :) Mom, that awesome truffle you sent me in the MTC says that on the package and we sure needed that! It saved us haha :) Also, the best juice in the world- Kaktus Sok! (Cactus Juice) :) So good! Oh, and another conclusion: The only reason missionaries bring jeans on their mission is to measure how much weight they gain! :) We never wear them, just try them on the see how we're doing hahaha :)

     Okay, well, I better go.  But know that I love you all so much.  You mean the world to me. I appreciate all of your prayers.  You amaze me.  :) Keep living the gospel, you'll never go wrong.  Go to the temple as often as you can.  I sure miss it.  What a blessing it is to have members and temples, and churches and every resource you could imagine in Utah.  Take advantage of it all :) Okay, gotta go! Love you!!!

  Love, Sister Shelby Ostler