Dzień Wolności

Witam! 

This week was good. Right now everything is a bit CRAZY!

This next week we have President Uchtdorf coming for the weekend! It is exciting but there is a lot of preparation needed. Therefore all of us missionaries in Warsaw will be hard at work. Cleaning and preparing the chapel and church grounds and a ton of other little things. All of the missionaries a ton of members from the whole country will be coming into Warsaw so it is going to be quite the event! A lot of coordinating. It will be hectic but fun.

There is also a lot to prepare for personally. Having President Uchtdorf come is such a blessing and I want to be prepared for it. President Edgren has encouraged us all to read our patriarchal blessings (blessings members of the church receive, which provide direction and council for life) and reflect upon our mission experiences to prepare for the conference. President Edgren also said that there will likely be a time to have questions/ be questioned. It is quite daunting but I am looking forward to it all. 

Also, new missionaries are coming in this week (early in order to be here for the conference) but since transfers (when all of the missionaries change where and with whom they work) are this Sunday they won't have their trainers for a few days. Therefore, us missionaries here in Warsaw will be paired with a trainee for a couple of days - even Elder Platter my current trainee! Our apartment will be a little cramped but it is going to be a lot of fun. 

Basically this week is going to be a lot of fun. There is a lot of energy everywhere and my goal is to harness that into positive, productive energy and to seek for peace this week. I am excited to share tell you all how it goes!

This past week wasn't without it's own excitement. We had heard that President Obama was coming to Poland but didn't think much of it. Then one day some missionaries saw a big to do on the big Plac in old town. The next day around noon they called us and said that President Obama was there so Elder Platter and I jumped on the metro and go over there. When we got there the Polish President was still speaking and then President Obama began. It was cool. It was all about how great Poland is so that was fun. It was the 25th anniversary of Poland's freedom "dzień wolności." It was an exciting high light. 

We continue to work and meet with people. Nothing crazy happening. However, last weekend there were two baptisms. I knew them both, Teresa and Andrzej, not well but the missionaries that worked with them are in my district so it was fun. The Spirit was so strong at the meetings yet the whole experience was so humble and simple. I am grateful that I was able to be a part of it. 

Lives do change. We really can reach our potential and become those people we want to be. I know that Through Jesus Christ everything is possible. As we learn to rely on Him and His strength we will be able to do so much more. 

I love you all, 

Starszy Kimball