This is from last week...don't know why it didn't send!
World! (meaning the select few friends and family that look at this blog/emails when you are bored :) ) How blessed am I! We had zone training yesterday and I got to meet my fantastic new mission president, President Edgren! He is amazing! After the training, when we were saying our companionship prayer, I was completely overwhelmed with a fire for missionary work! I know that this work is hastening! There is a curse here in Poland among the missionaries that I am beginning to realize...Sister Bezdjian was immune to this curse and taught me how to be too (which i am eternally grateful for!) But the curse is a mindset. A mindset that the Poland Warsaw Mission is a low baptizing mission with lots of Catholics who aren't willing to budge on their belifs. A mindset that lessons with members are impossible to get and referals you only come by once in a blue moon. A mindset that writing a block in your planner simply with the words "contacting" is okay. Well...it's not! All of that is a curse among the missionaries here! It IS possible to do all these things! Thanks to Sister Bezdjian and the bar she set for me and the lessons she taught me, Sister Ellis and I are applying ourselves SO much to prove this wrong! After Zone training yesterday, Sister Ellis and I were really really excited about our vision! We have a vision of a STAKE of Wroclaw! I have faith that one companionship can change this mission, and we really want to do our part in making this mission a high baptizing mission again! We have the faith! We are going to work hard! And we are going to try to help the other missionaries ehre overcome their mindset and fill them in on some of the things that we think are inspired that we do that allow us to have much success with lessons and bringing people to Christ throughout the week! This transfer is ggoing to be amazing! I can't wait to get started in bringing this fire to those missionaries who think that the Poland Warsaw Mission is not a place for success...because it IS! And it all starts with one! And I can be that one!! HOORAH FOR THE LORD! And HOORAH that I have the chance to be a part of His Mighty and Amazing Work!
Anyways :) I have been learning a lot about family this week...how this gospel blesses families! Every day, I talk to families on the street and say "we believe that families can be together forever!" the response we receive is: "ya...we do too"... huh? you do? Of course I don't want to get into a big huge thing about how they can only be united as a family through the sealing power of the Lord's holy priesthood which can only happen in sacred temples right there on the street! Then we also say "This gospel brings unity and direction to families in a world where sometimes it's hard to find that direction and peace" ...the response usually is: "i have peace!" ... or "i AM happy"...In the beginning this was a little worrying to me...what is different in families that have the gospel... Well this Sunday, we had 3 American families visit Wroclaw and they brought there families...the Spirit that was in the sacrament meeting was so different and amazing and tender and full! I was smiling the whole time and was absolutely filled with joy! THIS is what's different! Families that are built on the foundation of Christ can withstand the winds and the storms that might come in life in unity and with eternal perspective! No matter how happy or content you are in/with your life and your family...the more you put Christ as the center of your family, the happier and more peaceful and unified your family will be!
Thinking of families so much this week, i decided to apply it to me NOW. Being a trainer is very difficult. It is difficult to know how much to push Sister Ellis without pushing her over the edge...but I think I'm beginning to understand her limits a little better. I never really realized how much a mission will prepare me for being a mother! I've always thought that when people said, "Going on a mission will make you such a good mom and wife!" that they were referring to the blessings I'd receive from going on a mission...but now I realize that it's so much more than that! I am learning so many important lessons (especially as a trainer) about love, patience, and lovingly correcting than I ever thought I would in my life! My future children should be very grateful for Sister Ellis because in a certain way, she's like the guinea pig who is teaching me a lot of the things that I need to learn to be a successful, happy, patient, and loving mother!
I'm so grateful for this experience I have to learn, change, and grow! (also D&C 6:18-19 are amazing verses that pretty much explain the kind of mother and wife and trainer I want to be!....how amazing that what we read in the scriptures really can apply to our life! Nicole Hawkins's last email so wonderfully explains this!! When some verses stand out, or when a thought comes to your mind when you read a certain verse, this is personal revelation!! It is from the Spirit! It is from the Lord! Write down your impressions as you read and you will be amazed at what you find as your study and read the scriptures!)
I love you all!
Funny Moment...it was a little windy outside...i was holding papers and talking on the phone...skirt completely blew up for the whole world to see and there was absolutely nothing I could do!! AHH! It was so embarrassing but so hilarious!! I totally thought of you Nicole! haha love you!!
Love,
Sister Blake
OH MAN! Too many thoughts to write down!
World! (meaning the select few friends and family that look at this blog/emails when you are bored :) ) How blessed am I! We had zone training yesterday and I got to meet my fantastic new mission president, President Edgren! He is amazing! After the training, when we were saying our companionship prayer, I was completely overwhelmed with a fire for missionary work! I know that this work is hastening! There is a curse here in Poland among the missionaries that I am beginning to realize...Sister Bezdjian was immune to this curse and taught me how to be too (which i am eternally grateful for!) But the curse is a mindset. A mindset that the Poland Warsaw Mission is a low baptizing mission with lots of Catholics who aren't willing to budge on their belifs. A mindset that lessons with members are impossible to get and referals you only come by once in a blue moon. A mindset that writing a block in your planner simply with the words "contacting" is okay. Well...it's not! All of that is a curse among the missionaries here! It IS possible to do all these things! Thanks to Sister Bezdjian and the bar she set for me and the lessons she taught me, Sister Ellis and I are applying ourselves SO much to prove this wrong! After Zone training yesterday, Sister Ellis and I were really really excited about our vision! We have a vision of a STAKE of Wroclaw! I have faith that one companionship can change this mission, and we really want to do our part in making this mission a high baptizing mission again! We have the faith! We are going to work hard! And we are going to try to help the other missionaries ehre overcome their mindset and fill them in on some of the things that we think are inspired that we do that allow us to have much success with lessons and bringing people to Christ throughout the week! This transfer is ggoing to be amazing! I can't wait to get started in bringing this fire to those missionaries who think that the Poland Warsaw Mission is not a place for success...because it IS! And it all starts with one! And I can be that one!! HOORAH FOR THE LORD! And HOORAH that I have the chance to be a part of His Mighty and Amazing Work!
Anyways :) I have been learning a lot about family this week...how this gospel blesses families! Every day, I talk to families on the street and say "we believe that families can be together forever!" the response we receive is: "ya...we do too"... huh? you do? Of course I don't want to get into a big huge thing about how they can only be united as a family through the sealing power of the Lord's holy priesthood which can only happen in sacred temples right there on the street! Then we also say "This gospel brings unity and direction to families in a world where sometimes it's hard to find that direction and peace" ...the response usually is: "i have peace!" ... or "i AM happy"...In the beginning this was a little worrying to me...what is different in families that have the gospel... Well this Sunday, we had 3 American families visit Wroclaw and they brought there families...the Spirit that was in the sacrament meeting was so different and amazing and tender and full! I was smiling the whole time and was absolutely filled with joy! THIS is what's different! Families that are built on the foundation of Christ can withstand the winds and the storms that might come in life in unity and with eternal perspective! No matter how happy or content you are in/with your life and your family...the more you put Christ as the center of your family, the happier and more peaceful and unified your family will be!
Thinking of families so much this week, i decided to apply it to me NOW. Being a trainer is very difficult. It is difficult to know how much to push Sister Ellis without pushing her over the edge...but I think I'm beginning to understand her limits a little better. I never really realized how much a mission will prepare me for being a mother! I've always thought that when people said, "Going on a mission will make you such a good mom and wife!" that they were referring to the blessings I'd receive from going on a mission...but now I realize that it's so much more than that! I am learning so many important lessons (especially as a trainer) about love, patience, and lovingly correcting than I ever thought I would in my life! My future children should be very grateful for Sister Ellis because in a certain way, she's like the guinea pig who is teaching me a lot of the things that I need to learn to be a successful, happy, patient, and loving mother!
I'm so grateful for this experience I have to learn, change, and grow! (also D&C 6:18-19 are amazing verses that pretty much explain the kind of mother and wife and trainer I want to be!....how amazing that what we read in the scriptures really can apply to our life! Nicole Hawkins's last email so wonderfully explains this!! When some verses stand out, or when a thought comes to your mind when you read a certain verse, this is personal revelation!! It is from the Spirit! It is from the Lord! Write down your impressions as you read and you will be amazed at what you find as your study and read the scriptures!)
I love you all!
Funny Moment...it was a little windy outside...i was holding papers and talking on the phone...skirt completely blew up for the whole world to see and there was absolutely nothing I could do!! AHH! It was so embarrassing but so hilarious!! I totally thought of you Nicole! haha love you!!
Love,
Sister Blake
OH MAN! Too many thoughts to write down!
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