Hello!

Today has been wonderful but I have basically no time so if I still haven't responded, don't worry! I will. 

The reason today was so special was because I got to go to Temple Square. All "international" missionaries get to go there their second last week and because my mission call came from Switzerland I counted as "international." Starszy Retallick and I went with about 30 others to Salt Lake early this morning and just barely got back. We had the incredible opportunity to go to the temple. It was so beautiful. I've been to Temple Square a fair number of times but this was my first time going into the temple. After that we were taken on a tour by some sister missionaries there. It was cool to get their advice and it was funny because we are now one of them. It wasn't quite as weird to be out in public as I thought it would be but then again it was Temple Square so I guess that's as much the "real world" as the MTC. Overall it was such a fun, spiritual, happy day. We also got to talk with other internationals and S. Retallick got his UK fix (as did I, I miss having all my foreign friends.) 

As if that weren't enough when we returned we got our travel plans to Poland! CRAZY. We leave November 4. Our flight is 11:09 from Salt Lake direct to Amsterdam (didn't realize there was a non-stop SO nice) and then we go to Warsaw and get there at 12:00 p.m. November 5! We are all so excited but scared out of our brains as well. This upcoming week will be our last and we are all feeling extremely bittersweet about it. In some ways I am feeling more than ready to leave the half mile radius I have been inhabiting for 9 weeks and get to Poland teaching real people but we have grown so close to our teachers and other missionaries in our zone (going to Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria etc). I'm glad that us Polskis will stick together, we have grown so close. We are preparing what we want for the "tadpoles" (little Poles - like I said last time Pole puns are our favorite here) that enter the MTC after us. There will be 8 missionaries to replace our 9 so we're glad the numbers are continuing to stream in! It's funny how close I feel to the other Polish missionaries though. That is something that I noticed here. There are so many people in my district, zone, even the Branch Presidency (some older couples from the area who are called to be our church leaders while we are at the MTC) that at first I either didn't connect with or didn't like. I feel like I have been blessed with love. My judgments and worries about people "not getting me" have left me and I have a sincere love for everyone around me. That is something I really struggled with at first but Heavenly Father has really helped me and I am so much happier because of it. It reminds me of a quote I probably overuse but I like it so much: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” - Mother Teresa. For me this is one of those principles that everybody knows is true but it is really hard to execute. For example, with my companion sometimes he does things that annoy me and I know that I need to get over it but sometimes I don't, however then when I am blessed with a forgiving and loving heart bad feelings go away. I feel like here I am starting to experience the attributes that I've always wanted but didn't always feel. This goes back to how I feel about my views in life as well as my testimony. As I grow and learn I don't feel like the words I say change but the depth of understanding and meaning behind them change dramatically. I am grateful for our chance here on earth to grow and prepare. 

This leads into something I learned on Tuesday night. Every Tuesday and Sunday we have devotionals given usually by General Authorities of the Church. Due to the rush of today I don't have my notes but Elder Allen spoke. He works in the Church administration for missionary service and he had a lot of good stuff to say. The greatest thing I got out of the night came during the review after the devotional. We met with the Bulgarian missionaries, they are awesome and only a week behind us so we are pretty close. Elder Gierisch is one of them, he doesn't always have the best attitude and he sort of likes to break the rules but he's a great, funny missionary who said something that really hit me. He talked about how Heavenly Father has all the power and knowledge in the world. He mentioned that with the Holy Ghost and Christ the Godhead could do missionary service so much better than we could. He relayed how the Spirit could testify to the hearts of people and convert them without us but that isn't the way the plan of God works. Heavenly Father gives us responsibility and work for our benefit, so we can learn and become more like him. When we teach others we so often learn more and grow. It also is more meaningful when we teach others and our prayers are sometimes answered through others. This was true for me a couple of weeks ago, in particular. I often see the blessings others are in my life but when Siostra Wood shared her feelings of self-doubt, stress and how she realized the Adversary had been working hard on her it answered my prayers and worries about myself that I had been having for a week or so. Heavenly Father could have answered my prayed right away, and sometimes He does but He also gives us the opportunity to follow promptings and serve and grow. This gospel just makes so much sense and I love it. 

Life overall is so good. I am continueing to learn a lot, Polish is coming and I love it more and more everyday. My teachers are incredible as always, offering us so much. I was released as zone leader last Sunday (leadership callings here are 3 weeks) which was nice. I loved it but I am glad for the extra time to study and I feel like I can get to know a lot of the missionaries better when they don't feel like I am an authortiave figure, which i wasn't really anyway but still. I am ready to work hard and finish up this last week strong. 

I love you all. Always try your best and improve everyday. 

Starszy Kimball 

This last week has been one of the best!

I just felt a lot more motivated, reorganized some goals, and just felt positive overall. We moved buildings which was sort of a pain and stressful but a change of scenery is always nice. We now have another zone on our floor, consisting of Scandinavia and Holland/ Belgium. 

We got another set of new missionaries this week, 6 of them, going to Bulgaria and Croatia. I have gotten to know some of the new elders pretty well and they are great. Elder Yentes (going to the Czech Republic Mission) is awesome, he's from California and is just a really good missionary. The MTC is great because we get to know so many people, all of us going all over the world! 

To start off with some exciting news, our Tuesday Night Devotional this week was  given by Elder and Sister Oaks. It was a broadcast to all the MTCs in the  world and it was really good. There had been rumors circulating and we all knew it was an apostle but when Elder Oaks walked through the doors I was excited because his talk from General Conference really spoke to me. I got a lot of insight again and the main points that I needed to hear from him were 1. A reminder that the Lord qualifies who He calls 2. I need to strive to be the best I can be. This second point has given me some trouble over the past few weeks here. We are constantly reminded that as we do our best Heavenly Father will come in and help us with the rest. During a Polish district "Tender Mercy Monday" where we all share a way we saw Heavenly Father's hand in our life throughout the week, Sister Wood (the oldest and wisest out of the group) talked about how she saw that we were all trying our best and how we need to therefore have faith that as we try our hardest Heavenly Father will bless with everything we need to fulfill our role of inviting others unto Christ. When she said that I had two realizations, both to do with the fact that I didn't feel like I was doing my best. The first was that my best doesn't mean perfection, which is hard to accept. I had to realize that I can't do everything I want to do exactly the way I want to do it. The second thing I realized is that because of point one I never really thought I was or even could do my best. I never thought that I would be doing my best because I wasn't doing everything I wanted to, which I realized was terrible for my view of myself. I understood how bad it was that I never saw myself doing my best. I now know that I need to do everything I can and be happy with it. Likewise, I am prone to doing just short of my best as a defense mechanism in case my "true best" isn't what I want it to be. I am trying to accept my limits and really give it my all in order to receive the blessings and help I need. That's not to say that I haven 't been receiving blessings because I have received and noticed more here that ever before. 

Sister Peterson is the jokester of the district  and this past week she showed us our new favorite hymn, #269 (I don't have the title) in it is has the line "from Pole to Pole." We love our punny Pole jokes in our district! Another funny thing that happened this week... Brat Tribe was teaching us and telling us about some practical things about being in "the field." He said that one of our first nights we are going to be tired and hungry and our trainer (missionary companion who is experienced and been in Poland for a while, so helps us out) will have us call to order pizza. He was talking about a the nervous feelings that come as you have to think of words and numbers in Polish. The whole time I was laughing to myself because I have been the family's "pizza orderer" for the past six years. My parents always said it was good mission practice, having to use my French - who knew how right parents could be!

As always I have much more to say without the time to express it. We leave to Poland two weeks from Monday! Crazy, exciting, nerve-racking, and happy! Don't worry about being perfect but do strive to be the best that you can be.Serve others and get outside your comfort zone. 

I love you all, 

Starszy Kimball

Hello again, 

That's five weeks down, three and a half to go! It is crazy! 

I don't have as much time this week as I have in the past so I will just highlight the week.

General Conference last weekend was happy, inspired, and just the best! It was so nice to be able to be here at the MTC. Although we had to be in suits and dresses and we couldn't eat and lounge as we watched the strength in numbers was incredible. All the missionaries in the MTC went to the auditorium where we have devotionals and watched it there. I was more excited and prepared than I ever have been before. It was so much more meaningful for me this time. I got something out of every talk and I appreciated the divine call and authority of each of the twelve apostles. I usually have my five or so that I intently listen to but this time I got a lot out of so many and even more from those I usually don't. I really liked the themes I picked out from conference, which I will name a couple. For one, I feel like missionary work was everywhere. Part of it might have been that I was more aware of it than ever because I am a missionary but there was so much about this great work we all get to be a part of. My favorite scripture was also mentioned I think three times: Matthew 11:28-30. There was a lot of talk about trials. I love how this gospel doesn't eliminate trials. In Matthew, Christ doesn't say "burdens will disappear" but they will be made "light." Having trials but then being given the strength to overcome them makes so much more sense because we are able to learn and progress so much more. I am so grateful for the one on one nature of the Atonement and personal progression in this gospel. Likewise, we have each other to look to for support and seek to seek comfort from. When we follow Christ's example we will be blessed. I know that because I have experienced it. Something else I got out of conference was an answer to a question I went in with. I feel like here at the MTC I have developed so many good habits that I either didn't have before or have improved. I wanted to figure out how when we improve we can sustain that change. The answer is great and hard. It's a matter of daily diligence. In some ways it would be great to reach a point and say "yes, I made it" but we are never done. Once we accomplish something we have to maintain it and continue to work at it. However, this is such a blessing. It means we only have to take trials, struggles, life a day at a time. Each day as we set goals and try to improve we will grow and some days we might slip back a little bit but that's okay. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always ready to help us. Conference was great and I can't wait to go back, reread and study it more. Also, shout out to the Hamilton's. When Elder Hamilton first started to speak I thought wait I know him, then I saw his name and realized that was our mission president in Brussels!

On Sunday night we were told that we were going to have a special devotional. Many people thought that meant the prophet or a member of the 12, instead we were all surprised when Vocal Point performed. They are a BYU a cappella group that have won all sorts of awards. They were really good and had good testimonies to share. It was a fun way to end the weekend. 

The other day I realized my knee was a little rough and then I looked at the other and noticed the same thing. I realized it's probably from all the kneeling I've been doing hear as I pray. It was so humbling to see how much more I have been kneeling and see how much more I am relying on the Lord. Prayer is one of the biggest blessings we have and as I learn more about it I love it more and more. I encouarge you all to pray and as you do pour out your heart to Heavenly Father. It is freeing and you will feel so much love! 

I wish I had more time, I have more to say but for now I love you all, you are in my prayers.

Starszy Kimball

How are you all?

This week may have been the most eventful so far! 30 missionaries from our zone (i.e. everyone who was here when we arrived - the whole zone of eastern european misfits besides the polish and two new districts who came the week after us.) They all left into the Mission Field on Monday and Tuesday. It was pretty depressing to see them go but we are all so excited for them! It also got me a lot more pumped for when my time comes. Also, I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but we are not moving to West Campus, we are staying on the main MTC campus so nothing is different for mailing etc.

This week we also received 11 new missionanries. A czech district and a slovak district, 7 elders and 3 sisters. they are still freaked about but we are excited to get to know them better. With all the change our district (the Polskis) are now the most senior in the zone - what? We all still feel new and like we have no idea what we are doing but at the same time are looking forward to leading the new group of missionaries. 

Last week Starszy Whiting and I were called to be the new zone leaders (the missionary leadership for the zone.) As of Monday morning we have been fulfilling our roles. It's a lot of fun and we were especially excited that we were able to welcome all of the new missionaries on Wednesday - as zone leaders, and held a meeting with the sister training leaders (the sister missionanry leadership in the zone, one of whom is Sister Owen, also a Polski) It's a little more work and eats up time but I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve.

Our district just keeps growing closer and closer. All of us elders are now in one room, which is tight but means we hang out more and get to know each other better. We are all more comfortable with each other, sisters included. It doesn't seem like we are hanging out together just because we have to, now we are all genuine friends, which makes it so much more fun, easier, and motivating. On Sunday nights after the MTC devotional they show films. We all decided to go and watch a rebroadcast of a talk by president Uchtdorf but then when we got there they announced that they had accidentally sent that film to West Campus and had a talk by Elder Bednar we had already seen. As we were trying to figure our what to do Sister Owen comes up with a genius plan. We went back to our residence halls, popped some popcorn, grabbed some candy and went back to our classroom and watched a movie on lds.org about faith in Christ. It was so much fun. It was so fun and then afterward we talked about our faith and testimonies in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It was an incredible night! Being here for 9 weeks leads us to be creative, which accounts for most of our excitement here in the MTC. At lunch they have a salad/wrap bar and sister Owen and I realized that the cafeteria also has microwaves so we made chicken Quesadillas. Everyone thought we were pretty cool, to be honest we did too. Being here we just take so much joy in the little things and encourage each other to be grateful, it's such a happy way to live!

Polish is also coming along really well. Starszy Whiting has a big break though. He has had more Polish vocab and grammar than any of us combined but he's had trouble using it in speech. this week, in lessons especially, he has been able to just let it all pour out, it's been great to see. Now we have to work on him giving me a chance to talk but we are learning how to work off each other much better as we teach. This week I felt the Holy Ghost more present in my teaching than ever before. It was my main goal this week and I think I was blessed. There has never been than shocking burning in the bosom as I teach yet but my mind has been clear and I am so specifically directed. I have recognized my mind being filled with inspired things to say. I have felt more than ever that the message I am giving isn't coming from me but from the Savior. At the same time, I have also been able to share my personal experiences with the mock investigators more than ever. I think this has come as I have developed a love for the people I am teaching. It's hard when I know they are mock investigators but I feel like I have been helped with this case. My Polish still has a Long way to go but I can now express myself pretty well. Often small words or phrases I want to say, even such as "yes" or "is" come out in "tak" and jest!" It's pretty cool. Us Polskis are able to communicate better with each other now as our understanding and speech improves. Besides fervent prayer and blessings from Heavenly Father, our progression is greatly due to our teachers. Every time they teach I am reminded of how great they are. They are loving, funny, faithful, and care about us. Brat Tribe especially, I found a note is my suit jacket one night, it was a note from him about my lesson with Olek (his alter ego mock investigator.) It said, Elder Kimball great work, you are an amazing teacher. Love, Brat Tribe. They are super motivating and encourage us all to try our best. Siostra McAdams is also amazing and Brat Jensen has started to teach us a lot more now. 

Speaking of support, thank you so much for all of your support. I feel of you love, prayers, and support. I love receiving letters and dearelders - they really do make my days and I enjoy reading all of them. They help me feel connected to all of you. 

The weather has drastically changed. It was lovely, sunny weather for a while and now all of a sudden it's become a frozen tundra. The mountains all around us are covered with snow, it's cold! 

General Conference is the next two days! Never have I ever been so excited for General Conference in all my life. I feel so lucky to be able to experience it here in the MTC. I have never looked forward to hearing the new temples announced or number of missionaries serving because it hasn't ever meant so much to me. Everyone here is excited! We all go to the hall where we have devotionals and watch it as an MTC. I would like to echo my sister Sister Kimball. Go into conference with questions in mind. Do this in all study of gospel principles (praying, reading scriptures etc.) However, especially now as we have the divine opportunity to hear from our church leaders search for the talks and ideas that have been prepared with you in mind. When we have specific questions we get specific answers. As Kristin said, have spiritual questions as well as questions for life in general. General Conference is a semi-annual broadcast worldwide where the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address the globe with inspired words. I invite everyone to watch some of it, it is a great experience. Anyone can view it on lds.org.

I love you all. Work hard and be grateful. Be kind and loving! 

Love, 

Starszy Kimball