April 14, 2014: Week 59

Let me paint you a little picture: Top floor of the Hilton Double Tree Hotel here in Łódż. A beautiful eternity pool (literally and figuratively :) ) overlooking the biggest and most beautiful park in Poland. The sun setting. 3 beautiful women in white. My 3 sisters Aleks, Beata, and Aneta all got baptized this Friday! I cannot even begin to tell you how joyful I am! It was a day I will NEVER forget! Each of them was so excited to be baptized..to have a fresh start in life!  

It has been so amazing to see the change made in each of these women! the changes might not be super noticable to some, but each had a light about them. A look of peace and happiness as they have been learning about the gospel with us for the past couple of months. Aleks has this light about her! Her eyes are clearer and brighter and she has more faith in the one and only thing that one really CAN truly rely on in this life: Jesus Christ. 2 months ago, Sister Montesinos and I started talking to her outside of the mall close by to the chapel. Her heart was open and her life is changed forever! Beata who was super shy is always smiling and joking now...she found the church that matched the beliefs she's always had! When the missionaries tracted into her door, she recognized that it was an answer to her prayers and willingly accepted the gospel! Aneta had never been a very trusting person, she has some phobias including fright of crossing the street and shaking people's hands. But after her mother passed away a few months ago, she realized she needed a change in her life and found the missionaries' phone number online and called us. I can see the Atonement helping her with her fears and with the problems she has in her life! She is more and more peaceful and trusting. It is amazing to see! And she even shook the branch president's hand after the baptism! A miracle I tell you! I will never be able to repay the Lord for allowing me to be His tool in the work! I have never been more happy!  

And to top THAT off, Tamara ( who i had the priveledge of teaching in Wrocław and she got baptized in Dec.) came to the baptism!!!!! She came to support Aleks in her decision and to meet Beata and Aneta! I can't tell you how joyous it was to see someone whse baptism I got to be a part of coming here to be a part of someone else's baptism!! My joy is absolutely overflowing!

Despite how much I love these women and would do ANYTHING for them, The Lord sees fit that on this Transfer Wednesday I move to Warsaw for the next 2 months. Even though I wish I could be here to help these 3 sisters of mine become more converted and participating members of the church, I'm grateful for the chance to go and find more people who are waiting for the gospel! I hope that I can keep the trust that the Lord has in me. I'll be serving with a Sister named Sister Owen, and I've only heard great things about her and I've met her once and she seems super cool! I'm absolutely ECSTATIC because I will be serving in the same branch with 2 of my many new best friends here in the mission: Sister Hemming and Sister Poklinkowska (who I was companions with in Wrocław!) I'm excited to be serving in a branch that will actually have a meeting house!! The only one in Poland! I can't wait for the Lord to teach me even more lessons about how to work with members so I can go home and BE a member and work well with the missionaries! 

The Lord is in the details of my  life! The miracles can be easily overlooked, but for those that really pay attention, they can see that they are everywhere! Keep a liffle journal of miracles you see that day! Sister Moncur has this little day planner where she doesn't write plans for the day, but instead writes down ways she saw the hand of the Lord in that day...it's in the little things! In a storm there are millions of snowflakes that make up a beautiful powder day, but each of those snowflakes EACH have a different design (a fact I learned in the 3rd grade)... If the Lord can be that detailed, then how can He not be involved in my life when I see things like 3 of my best friends being baptized this past Friday! I can't tell you how many times I've said this this past week, but I'll say it again: I stand all amazed!

Love, Sister Blake

Pictures:

1. Left to right: Beata, me, Aleks, Sis Moncur, Aneta

2. Aneta, Beata, Aleks

3. Beata, me, Tamara!!!, and Aleks!

4. Zofia Adamkiewicz taught us how to make a Polish food called gołąbki! Delicious! I wrote down all the details so I'll make it for you all when I get home :)