Luckily this week was one of the best!
It started with an invitation from Katie and her boyfriend Gab for sweet and sour chicken. I started an exchange with Starszy Weggersen Monday so for P-day (our day off) we went over and had a really good time. Relationships are something that mean the most. I usually forget how much they mean until I am reminded, by seeing them, hearing from someone, or even a fond memory. It was great!
The exchange with Elder Weggersen was super fun. He is from Norway so we have a euro bond. I am sort of the outcast because neither the Europeans not the Americans truly accept me as theirs. We had an incredible time together. We worked hard, had fun, and it was good to be with somebody I could connect with and talk to. We were able to have a lesson with Zbyszek. Elder Wilson and I started teaching him at the beginning of my stay here in Warsaw and met pretty regularly. Since I am not in Żoliborz anymore I haven't seen him for a while and there hasn't even been a meeting for awhile anyway. It was a miracle lesson. Zbyszek is just so cool. I feel like we actually have a relationship, we are friends. I felt like it made the atmosphere of the lesson comfortable and effective. We just talked. It was real, honest, bold, but normal. I have been praying to feel the Spirit while teaching. I frequently feel directed but rarely do I feel like burning feeling in my heart, that strong confirmation of Heavenly Father's love during lessons. Often during personal study I do but I want to feel it when I am meeting with people. I felt the Spirit during the lesson with Zbyszek in a way I haven't before while teaching. It was a great blessing. Elder Weggersen is one transfer behind me so we are comparable in our mission timelines. It was just fun and a motivating experience. Elder Weggersen is driven. I have been working hard not to compare but I feel like it has caused my determination to fall a little. I regained some hope and focus of the things I can accomplish.
When President Uchtdorf was here he made a comment about studying the language together. It is hard to do. We are all trying to learn Polish but have different techniques and styles, how can we learn together? Well I spoke with some other missionaries here in Warsaw and we decided to have language study together twice a week. I wanted this to be productive and not a waste of time to just hang out with other missionaries. I am happy to report that so far (for the past two weeks) it has been a huge success! We teach each other principles, we roleplay teaching and it is a lot of fun. There is a lot of support and knowledge as we all get together. I love Polish. I am still a long way from feeling comfortable but slowly I am becoming more confident. These study sessions were extra productive this past week because Cindy Call from Wrocław is here with Sister Poklinkowska on a mini-mission. (Sister Swenson extended but could only stay half way through the transfer so Siostra Call is now here) It has been a lot of fun to serve alongside her. It is fun to see the progress I have made from my first few months in Wrocław to now.
We had zone conference this week - of course, so so good! They combined Warsaw I and Warsaw II zones so it was huge - about half of the mission (since there are four zones). It was so much fun. President and Sister Edgren are powerful and loving. There was a big focus about working with members and this has kickstarted to work in our branch. It was a terrific meeting. The testimony meeting at the end was great. It was crazy to hear the last declarations of faith from those missionaries about to go home - now all the groups going home have missionaries I know and have served with, it is intense to say goodbye to so many. The highlight of the conference was a presentation on Polish history and culture. A church member from Bydgoszcz, Karolina, came down and spoke. It was heaven. It was fascinating and fun! It gave me a lot of understanding. She explained topics from the poor tooth care many of the older population struggles with due to the lack of tooth paste during communist times to the significance of the political connection the churches have here in Poland. I was able to relate to the Polish rebellious dislike of authority as well as learn how to politely yawn in public (by placing the back of your left hand over your mouth). I just love Poland. It is the greatest.
On Friday we met at the chapel with members and missionaries alike. Missionaries split off with members. We had a lesson from Preach My Gospel (the missionary manual) and then went out and taught with the members. Elder Blom and I were with President Jagard and it was fun. Having Sister Call here and then working with President Jagard ("normal people" - not missionaries) gave a great sense of normalcy to our work. Often it can be easy to fall into this missionary bubble but having non missionaries to work with helped me to have more understanding and connect more with people.
I went to Białystok again this weekend with Elder Garrison. This time there were no church leaders from Warsaw coming in so we caught a train on Saturday and stayed the night. Białytok is the closest city to East where we have missionaries, it's right on the boarder with Belarus and you can hear it in the accent. The church is very small still in Białystok. I conducted and presided, as well as administering the sacrament, conducting the music, and giving a talk. It was thrilling. The meeting started about 10 minutes late with Dorota (the relief society president) and us two missionaries. Part way through Evelyn came in, she is from Nigeria living in London and came to stay for just a month. After Patrycia came for Sunday school, she raced over from the train station as she was coming back from Warsaw. It was a small group but so good. Elder Garrison taught the Sunday school lesson and it was so good. Everybody contributed a lot and even though we were few in number we were still reading the same material from Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon that we would have anywhere. We sang the same hymns and partook of the sacrament. It was a super experience.
After the church meetings Dorota drove Patty and us to the hospital to visit Helena - the third active member in Białystok. She is sick but we were able to administer the sacrament and give her a blessing (my first one in Polish). Dorota washed her hair and seeing the loving bond and service of these faithful sisters was empowering. I am grateful for the diligence of those who are faithful despite difficult circumstances. It was a fun trip.
Another fun little Polish culture extra: everybody always says a general "Do Widzenia" (goodbye) whenever they leave anywhere. I was reminded today as we left Helena's hospital room and Patty (Patrycja) said Do Widzenia to the room of bed ridden women. Then on our train ride home i noticed it again. Whenever it was their stop a passenger would collect their baggage and then leave the compartment with a "Do Widzenia". It's done in elevators to. It's not really directed at anyone, there is no eyecontact or other conversation but a fun little custom.
Have a great week.
w pokorze,
Starszy Kimball
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