Insert from Sister Bezdjian Blog (Shelby's companion)

*Sad thing...Sister Harker left this week! And Brother Harker too. We miss her a lot already (Bro H is coming back next week or so)! She was the light of our week and so calm in everything she does. ALSO before she left, she bought me and Sis O skirts! So sweet. 

The Harkers are shown here with Pres. and Sister Nielson.
The Harkers are so kind to the missionaries even when they are not in Poland.
 Since Bro Harker is returning to  Poland he took orders from the missionaries
for something they miss from America:   Sister Ostler (Salt/Vinegar Chips)
Elder Myler (Microwave Popcorn/Hot Chocolate) Elder Harris (Ranch Dressing Packet)

Sara didn't put in an order so we will see!  The Harkers treated the missionaries to Mexican Burritos in Poland, a favorite spot of the mission on their last P-day together.  Sara and Sister Ostler were so blessed to be in Poland during Sis. Harker's 12 weeks there. 

*We are offically homeless! Haha just kidding. We are out of the library and now meeting in the Hotel Mercur. So please pray that we can find a good place for a chapel soon. We would love to have a more permanent place to meet. 

This is the library where they were meeting.  They will not be able to meet there for a month so they will be meeting in a Hotel downtown.  Hopefully they can find a good location and building soon.  They also will not be able to teach their English Class in the library right now see below.

Buses, trams, trains, and thousands of people

Hello Family and Friends

Shelby found a new friend

Looks pretty scary

Lunch with Irena, the newest member of the church

Well, what a great week.  I feel so blessed.  I am so thankful to be here in Poland.  We have been having a great time in the Fall weather here.  I don't know where to begin.  First of all, I feel such a deep gratitude for all of the missionaries who have gone before me here in Poland.  We meet people daily that say, "oh yeah, I met some missionaries a few years ago." or "oh I have a book of mormon at home actually." and then they feel even more willing to meet and talk.  What a blessing! Sister Spear, Sister McAdams, and my trainer, Sister Bezdjian of course.  I am sure thankful for them. They have done so much work, and this would be a lot harder without a foundation to start on.  So thank you all for you work :) 

     So I have started to read all of the Doctrine and Covenants and it is awesome.  I really love to see how the Lord talks so clearly to us today.  He really entrusts a lot in us humans down here.  I really like D&C 5, really cool.  We can sure learn a lot about the Lord through these sections.  I'm excited.  I have 2 challenges for you all. 1) read D&C with me :) 2) Say at least one prayer of gratitude daily.  Sometimes it's hard and you forget, and it's even harder when you feel bummed or discouraged or down or something, BUT that's when they are the most meaningful prayers.  It sure makes you feel great to just step back and realize all that the Lord has given.  So there you go :) 

      One day, while we and the elders were doing a whiteboard, Elder Myler said something profound which was an amazing answer to my prayer.  He said (something along these lines. It definitely sounded better when he said it.) "The difference between Disappointment and Discouragement is that when you allow others to exercise their agency and they use it differently than you'd like or than you'd hoped- that's disappointment.  When you allow others decisions to affect or control your agency- that's when you get discouraged." I thought it was a blessing and an answer to prayer.  So I am grateful for that.  I am also so grateful for prayer.  I have been blessed time and time again when I go to my knees.  He really is the only one who can bring comfort to our souls and hope to our hearts.  I am so thankful for prayer.  I have started a study, along with the elders and my companion up here in Gdansk, on Desire.  What is desire? How do you get desire? and How do you keep desire? Obtain and retain.  That is one of my personal goals.  From desire- like it says in Alma 32- can come all other blessings of the gospel.  Must be pretty important.  I hope I can continue to learn about desire.  :) Oh, and one other thing I learned in study this week- Actions fulfill prayers.  Simple right? I've heard it and seen it, but then I really started thinking about it and it just makes sense.  As missionaries especially, we must be diligent, and that stems from Action.  When we Act, we refuse to be acted upon, which shows the Lord we are serious, which opens the door to more blessings, which we probably asked for in the first place, which then allows answers to prayers to flow into our lives.

So this week was fun.  We go around in trams and buses and trains with hundreds and thousands of people squished together.  It's so fun.  As soon as you get on a tram or such, you just gotta go for and talk to somebody about the gospel, other wise it becomes awkward and weird and then ... yeah, too late.  That's been something I've learned here: Just Do It! How did Nike know? Ya just gotta be bold and go for it.  The times that I don't, or I'm afraid or whatever excuse I use, I just feel lame and ... yeah, just lame.  Sharing the gospel is what we are meant to do.  It just feels so good! :) 

      Well shucks, I don't have much time to share a lot of experiences, but when we had a whiteboard, I met a girl and talked with her for a minute and then she said, "I saw you missionaries in the milk bar and wanted to talk to you but didn't have the courage. Thank you for talking to me." I was so excited! She was excited about the Book of Mormon and we have a meeting with her soon. Her name is Dorota. :) Well, I better go.  But the church is so true.  I love the gospel.  I testify that our Heavenly Father is ever so aware of what we are going through.  He truly wants what's best for us.  I love you all.  Have a great week and keep striving to become the person He wants you to be.  Love ya! :) 

      Love, Sister Shelby Ostler

A post of the Poland Mission Blog

NIELSON POLAND WARSAW MISSION BLOG

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

Spending Sunday with the Saints in Gdansk.

Sunday morning...early! Why are we meeting the Missionaries in front of the public library?  We are looking for a site for the Gdansk Branch.  The searching has been slow, but we know the Lord will lead us to the perfect spot to help this Branch grow and thrive in the gospel.  What are they carrying?  Everything needed for a wonderful Sacrament Meeting....hymn books, trays, etc.  "Sacrament meeting on wheels!"

Our great Elders serving in Gdansk:  Elder Harris and Elder Myler (District Leader).

Soon, the Sisters arrive...Sister Ostler and Sister Bezjian.  And now it's time to get everything ready for the meetings.

We start with the room.  This is what the 'conference room' looks like in the libray when we arrive.

After some 'remodeling'....

...it is turned into a very nice chapel.  Good work, Missionaries!  Yes, they do this every Sunday.

Some of the Sisters in the Gdansk Branch.  (LtoR): Anja, Lydia, Wioletta, Agnieszka, Halina, Sister Harker, Ilena and Jane...an investigator.

The Primary in Gdansk is growing, too!!!!!! Claudia (brown sweater) used to be the only member. Now she has plenty of friends!

Agnieszka, Kasia and Tomek were all confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Little sister, Anna, will be baptized in December when she turns 8...which is considered the age of accountability in our Church.

Irena was also confirmed a member of the Church today.  She and her husband, Josef, are very happy for this day.

What a great group of Missionaries we have serving in Gdansk.  They work diligently every day to find those who are looking for the purpose of this life and wanting to know what God's plan is for them.  (LtoR): Elders Harris and Myler.  Sisters Ostler and Bezdjian.

After church (and some visiting!),  the members help put the conference room back in order.

Two great members of the Gdansk Branch, Brother and Sister Harker.  Just to show you how small the world is (especially in the Church), Sister Harker grew up in Hawaii and served in Church Institute with a very good friend of ours...President Teshima, of the Las Vegas Lakes Stake.  The Harkers are residing in Gdansk on business.....but we use them as  full-time Senior Couple Missionaries.  We appreciate all they do for the Branch and all they did for us while we were in Gdansk.

Visiting the Ronald Reagan Park in Gdansk where this statue was unveiled last July.  Pope John Paul II and President Reagan.  These 2 men are credited in Poland for helping to topple Communism 23 years ago.  The statue was inspired by an AP photograph taken of them together in Miami, Florida in 1987 when Pope John Paul II was visiting the United States. 

We had a great time in Gdansk visiting with members and missionaries alike.  How do you end a wonderful visit like this?  How about having a delicious Sunday dinner with our dear Sister Missionaries.  Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy.....it was just like home.  Thank you, Sisters Bezdjian and Ostler for the most delicious meal .....and great company!  They invited US to come and have Sunday dinner with them.  How nice is that?   Gdansk is doing well.  Great Missionaries, Great Members...Great City!  We love Gdansk and the people who live there!

What a great week. Started in Hel and ended in Heaven

 Well Hey there Family and Friends!!!!

Agnieszka, Tomek, and Kasia and Irena What a special day.  With Brother Harker

 I don't know where to begin! Sorry about last week.  Hel was really fun! It's beautiful up there.  The ocean was really cool and the beach was so nice.  This week was amazing.  Started in Hel and ended in Heaven ;) ;) I'll start with Saturday.  There were 4 baptisms; Agnieszka, Tomek, Kasia, and Irena.  Wow, it was so powerful! Brother Harker baptized them and they were so happy.  I can't explain it.  When agnieszka got out, she threw her arms around her kids and said, I love you so much! I felt the love of the Lord there with us and with them.  What a neat experience.  Then on Sunday, they were all confirmed.  that too was a wonderful experience.  I wish there were words to describe it. I am just so filled with love for them and for the gospel.  Their lives have changed soooooo much.  You can literally just see the spirit working in their lives.  It's wonderful.  

     So yesterday after church, we had the wonderful opportunity of having our Mission president and his wife over for dinner.  They sat in our study couches and we ate our our study table hehe :) I made a roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy and carrots and jello and juice :) I was in heaven being able to cook and have them over and just talk and get to know them more.  What a great experience! Our mission president is so inspired and so humble.  They work so hard and always make sure everyone is taken care of.  It sure means a lot to us.

  

     So aside from those wonderful experiences, there were many throughout the week.  A bunch of little tender mercies.  One day we were sprinting so hard to catch the bus to be on time to our next lesson and I just wanted to stop and walk sooooo bad! But I knew we could still catch it.  So we kept running and running and finally, we made it right as it was pulling away and we got on and made our 30 minute trip.  So cool! :) Then one night we went on a wild referral chase :-) It was clear out in the hills and we took one tram, then another, then a bus, then walked, then another bus, which happened to be wrong, and then we walked forever.  Well, we were just going to call it a night when we got the building and realized we didn't have the apartment number.  BUT we tried the first 2 and ended up finding the person we were looking for!!!! Soooo coooooooool! That was awesome :) That night I celebrated by eating a couple Oreos in milk :) ( and I thought of you daddy!) :) 

      So we try to always invite our investigators (on the first visit) to be baptized when they know this message is true and the God answers their prayers.  Sometimes it's a little scary, cuz we don't know what they'll say. But yesterday this awesome girl named Agata, when we asked her, she said, "If I get to that point, for sure!" We were so excited.  It so good that they know why we're there.  She is cool! So there were so many stories throughout the week, I wish I could share them all.  I am learning so much.  I would also like to apologize to anyone and everyone reading for being selfish and over confident.  I am learning a lot about myself, and I know that I have a long way to go.  But I hope that you can forgive me for not always being the best listener or the best person to turn to.  I hope the Lord can make the turn in me throughout this short time in my life. 

     Well, I have to go.  I wish I could stay and write forever.  I love you all. Thank you all for taking care of my family.  I miss them and I miss all of you.  This gospel is worth it all.  Have a great week.  Till next week! :) Love, Sister Shelby Ostler

Wonderful Baptism

Irena with her husband who is already a member

At the beach in Hel

The sisters with sister Harker

With the elders at the beach

After the baptism with Agnieszka and Irena

     

Sister Ostler is going to Hel and back.....

Note from Shelby's mom.....

Shelby had exchanges this week with Sister Folsom.  She loved it and said she learned so much from her,

Sister Folsom leaves is a Month.  Her family is good friends with some friends of ours.

When Shelby first received her call, Sister Folsom's mom would email us some of her letters, we were wishing they could be companions sometime on the mission.  How fun for them to be able to teach together for just a little bit.  The letter is short this week as I think they had a fun trip planned for P-day to Hel and Back....:)

What a great Saurdayt ahead.  Can't wait to see pics next week.  Stay tuned for some special ones...

Hello Friends and Family! :) 

      Well I don't know where to begin.  This week was so full of great stuff! I don't have much time because we are going to a place called Hel.... I know right? It's a peninsula of the tip of Poland.  We are so excited! But anyway, one of our investigators decided to be baptized. Her name is Janina and she is so spunky! We just adore her.  She will be baptized on November 24th.  We can't wait :) This Saturday is the baptism that we have been anxiously awaiting for months! 5 people will be baptized and confirmed and they are all so excited! Agnieszka, Tomek, Kasia, Zbyszek, and Irena.  Oh we are just so happy for them.

 Oh no! I have to go! I'm sorry, listen to my voice messages! I love you all! The gospel is true!!! :) Love sister ostler

Sister Folsom and Sister Harker

Sister Folsom 

Lunch time with Sister B

Oooooo Sweaters and long socks.  Winter is coming...

Looks like it is starting to get cold......bring out the scarfs
sure hope here boots are warm enough

More notes from Shelby's mom

For the past 2 weeks we have been vacationing in Europe.  We went to Rome, Florence, Cieque Terra, and Interlocken Switzerland.  It was very hard to be in the same time zone as
Shelby and so close, and yet not be able to go see her.  But we were obedient. and stayed away.  It is fun to be able to see  kind of the same country that she lives in.  The trains are very similar I am sure, and believe me, we rode on many of them. The language was very hard.  It made us appreciate her letters and understand them a little better.  What a beautiful place she is able to live in.  Europe is wonderful.  Just a few pics for you to enjoy.  (don't mind the dates on the pictures, we forgot to reset it)

In Rome

On the train, notice the T-shirt

Florence, we walked and walked and walked...

Cieque Terra

Vatican City

Switzerland

So beautiful

Yes we went paragliding

The marathon that we ran...second hardest in the world. 
and boy was it hard....

This is really what it looked like