Monday, August 26, 2013

August 26, 2013

Week 23



 I met a lady and walked into her house and her whole house was practically a gallery! She does beautiful paintings! Here is her blog!! barbaragulbinowicz.blogspot.com

Kendall mentioned in her last letter that she might be being transferred in the next couple weeks, so any mail for the time being until we get her new address will be the Warsaw address below. Thanks for your love and support of her. - Proud Mom/Karen
Sister Kendall Taylor Blake
Poland Warsaw Mission
Swietych s. Dniach Ostatnich
U1. Wiertnicza 135, 1 Pietro
02-952 Warszawa


Coolest thing ever happened this week!!! We had Zone Conference and it was President Edgren's first Zone Conference (The President of her mission is from Danville, CA and just got over there this summer). He ended up throwing out all the rules that we had before! He said they are a wonderful resource, but that we are only going to be sticking to the white handbook! I am so excited about it because now I can be more a more consecrated missionary by CHOOSING to be so, not under the obligation that I need to be obedient. It really puts a HUGE responsibility on us missionaries, but also allows us to use our agency more on if we WANT to be led by the Spirit or not! President Edgren also did this to encourage us to have more creativity! He and I are EXACTLY on the same page! I am so blessed to be a missionary under this man! I Have been thinking about it a lot this week and I really think this is an inspired thing! We are told time and time again to "give everything to the Lord" during our missions... I think that a lot of people think that that means giving UP your personality and your talents and your passions for 2 years to a year and a half...but I have been thinking that the true meaning of that should be that we give everything we have FOR the Lord! Rather than handing Him a box of "me" to putting in safe keeping for the next year and a half to two years, I am putting all I am on a platter and asking him to USE all that I am for the people here! In the process of being encouraged to be creative and to be ourselves in this work, I know that the Poland Warsaw mission is not only going to yeild the best missionaries, but the most consecrated Returned Missionaries, who don't have to adjust to "going back to themselves" after the mission...because we'll have already learned how to be our selves ON our missions in order to be diligent disciples of Christ here and for the rest of our lives!! I just think it is the most amazing thing and feel honored to be in the mission at this time!

I also feel so honored to be able to get a TINY taste of how Christ feels while I'm on a mission. Yesterday, we went by an investigator's house who has practically fallen off the face of the Earth. We felt like we should stop by one last time before we let her have a little break from us for a while. We went by and rang the doorbell. I heard feet inside the apartment and shuffling around. We knocked on the door. I heard a person come close to the door and stand there for a little bit. We knocked very lightly again...and we heard her walk away from the door! I wanted soooo badly to just use the door handle and let myself in but I couldn't!!! Our hearts were broken as we walked away from her home that night. As we walked away, I thought of the painting of Christ, where He's standing at the door, waiting for us to let Him in. I sort of felt like I could relate to that picture so much better now! What meaning it has! The Lord not only waits at the door for us to let us in... Sometimes he even rings the door bell! Or knocks! But we have to be listening and recognize that He wants to come into our lives! While I was waiting at the woman's door, waiting for her to open it, I had this vision that she would open the door and I wouldn't even let her say a word, but that I would just give her a huge hug!...I realize that this is exactly what the Lord does for us as well...He wants nothing more than to wrap us in His arms of love! But we have to be the ones to open the door, even a crack, to let Him. I love my Savior. I love how much He loves me! And how much He loves every single person that lives, has ever lived, or will ever live in this universe!

This week, I have been learning a lot about prophets. To tell you the truth, I never really understood the importance of prophets before. But after lots of studying, I realize now that prophets have ALWAYS been the Lord communicates with His children. Think of how we got the 10 commandments even! Through a prophet! Well if God loves all His children equally, wouldn't it make sense for Him to call a prophet now as well as in ancient times?! How do we recieve guidance about things in the world today? such as drugs? pornography? etc? Through a prophet of course! What a blessing that the Lord never leaves us to figure it out on our own! What a blessing that He gives us guidance that applies to us TODAY! I am so grateful for Thomas Monson and I know that he is a prophet of God! Prorocy ZAWSZY są sposobem, że Bóg komunikuje się z Jego dziećmi! Myśl o Mojżeszu, na przykład. Bóg nam dał dzieśenczorgo (my Polish spelling is awful!!) przykazania PRZEZ tego proroka! On też daje nam przewodnictwo w dzisiejszych czasach przez proroka Bożego! Jest cudowny, tak?!

Anyway! I can see and feel myself spiritually growing SOOOO much since I've been here! The more i understand, the more i understand that I don't understand very much! haha But I'm so grateful for how humbling and wonderful and what a growing experience a mission is!

I also made Grandma Ruby's snickerdoodles this week to thank a few people...every person I gave them to asked me for the recipe! Thanks Grandma Ruby!

Funny moment: Sister Ellis has some shoes that really give her some terrible blisters. We were reading in 1 Nephi 18:15 and stumbled upon a verse about Nephi being bound... he said "and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof."  ... I just about died laughing! what do you know! a scriptural referance to Sister Ellis's poor blistered feet!! (it's okay...she was laughing pretty hard too)

Anyways, The church is true and I love you all! Here is a pic of me in the Lake winnepesauki sweatshirt you sent me mom!! LOVE IT! :)






1 comment:

  1. So unbelievably proud of this girl. Love her so much. My neice left this week for her mission and gosh I hope the same wonderful for her. This is such an exciting time and Kendall is just fantastic.

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