Merry Christmas!!

Dawid is doing so well. This week Elder Platter had to say his goodbyes and then two days later it was an introduction for Elder Jackson. Dawid is seriously thinking about how a mission fits into his plans. When we met with him he prayed for the members in the branch, he is now officially a part of things. He is going to Italy for Christmas but when we comes back he will receive the Aaronic priesthood. He is ready to have some responsibility and part in the branch, it is incredible to to see. He has become a good friend as well, just yesterday we were having a pretty deep conversation about the future. I'm grateful for my time in Gdańsk.

This past week was a lot of fun! I went to Warsaw and spent the night with Elder Garrett and a few other trainers. It was a ton of fun to be back in Warsaw - being there for one night and at Christmas almost felt like a little vacation. There was a lot of excitment and energy on Wednesday as we had the trainer meeting and then went to the mission home and were paired up. I love pointing at the map announcing where we will be serving and then have President Edgren call one of the new missionaries. Elder Jackson is here with me now. He is fresh out of high school (so like me a year ago) and is excited to be in Poland. He is out going and willing to talk with people, he is a lot of fun and I love introducing him to all of the new joys of being a Poland Warsaw missionary.

We have a new district, Sister Grgich and Sister Wood stayed but Sister Bąk came up to make a tripanionship. It has been a lot of fun, enjoying the Christmas market and old town in Christmas decor. Today we are in Toruń a city near Bydgoszcz and will spend the night with missionaries caroling. Then tomorrow we will travel to Poznań for a Christmas zone conference. It is beautiful and so much fun!

I am excited to talk with my family on Thursday! Remember not to be stressed but enjoy this time with family and friends.

Wesołych Świąt! Merry Christmas :)

http://www.mormon.org/pol/bozenarodzenie

( it is also in English of course - so good, watch it! polecam ciepło :)

Starszy Kimball


LAST WEEK'S LETTER: Dawid's Baptism and the importance of apologizing and forgiving

Well my weeks as a missionary are always full of exciting events such as a movie night after English class (airing the restoration movie complete with popcorn and drinks) or attending an Australian presentation Sister Grgich did at a local library. There are unique opportunities and experiences, I will focus on the highlights:

First things first Dawid's baptism and confirmation. Saturday morning we wake up and get ready. We met at the Dwór Prawdzica, a Renaissance themed hotel, by the sea for the baptismal service and ordinance (meaning the meeting as well as the baptism itself). Most of the branch was present, President and Sister Edgren drove up, one of the sisters investigators, and then Dawid and his friends Arek and Kuba (who we have met a couple of times). As I took Dawid to get changed into white he was telling me how nervous he was feeling but excited too because he knew he was starting his journey as a disciple of Christ. I was thankful to be there to help support and encourage him before the meeting began. Things ran promptly and smoothly. I gave a brief talk about baptism and Elder Platter shared a short talk about the Holy Ghost. The pool was neck height so when President Kempa (the branch president) baptized it wasn't difficult for Dawid to be fully immersed. He walked out and I handed him his towel, he took me aside and said that he felt something when he was in the water. After they changed and returned to the hall we met in Dawid shared his testimony. He relayed his experience when a priest once mentioned that we are all in search of the path to Christ. Dawid knew that was true, that he was searching and now that he has found it. He understands that this is the first step, not the last. He has had trials, temptation, and adversity along the way but he has deepened faith in Christ, overcame smoking and repented of past sins, was baptized and then confirmed. In church yesterday during the confirmation blessing Dawid was promised that by his example he would help others come unto Christ. He is an incredible example to me and to us all. It's always a reminder to me how quick and simple baptisms are -especially the time in the water. It is a beginning, the start of service, self-improvement, and becoming like Christ. It was a blessed experience.

My birthday was another highlight. We spent the afternoon going to lunch with the Sisters and then planning for the baptism. In the evening I was surprised by Dawid and Elder Platter with a party at Dawid's (consisting of the three of us). Dawid made his "famous spaghetti" and they got me a Gdańsk souvenir I've been wanting. It was a such fun day, I was surrounded by thoughtful friends. Many messages and notes made my day all the better.

Transfer calls were this past Saturday, unlike usual we got them live, in person at the baptism. I will be staying here in Gdańsk training for a second time. I felt it coming, that being said my focus has been so involved in the baptism that I haven't thought about the upcoming transfer yet. The past couple of days it's been sinking in and I am trying to gear myself up. I get to welcome another missionary to Poland: introduce them to the food, the people, the work. The beginning of my mission seems an eternity ago, I have gone through so much and so many changes. I will be at the same point in my mission that Elder Godwin was when he trained me. Pretty fun. 

My last thought for now... This last weekend was incredible but the week leading up to it was one of the hardest of my mission. To put it simply there was drama and I assert that contention is one of the most toxic influences in the world. The anxiety and stress I had, the physical discomfort so tangible - I don't want it in my life. I am still working on softening my heart to forgive but there was a miracle amongst it all. On Sunday morning I approached the person that we had experienced difficulty with. It was just the two of us and I asked if I could say something. I simply said that I wanted to apologize. I didn't try to explain every little misunderstanding. It can be hard, so hard - pride gets in the way and I didn't want to admit I had something to be sorry for (because of course from each of our views we were the victim - as it always is) but my heart was blessed with sincerity as I spoke. I simply shared the feelings and lack of peace that had filled me week and how I was sorry for my part in it. I didn't lie or say what I thought the other person wanted, I spoke from my heart. The immediate peace and Spirit that I had lacked but hoped for in the past week flooded over me. Apologizing is so important, it is freeing - as I apologized I began to forgive as well. At times when thoughts enter my head my heart hardens and its beat quickens with anger but when we are sincere and apologize Heavenly Father comes in and fills our heart with the love we lack. If we want to forgive others, show them love - just as we can't hide from Heavenly Father in sin he knows our hearts in when we are found in innocence even when others don't see it. By promptings from the Holy Ghost we can know what to do and where we stand before our Father in Heaven. 

Enjoy the Christmas season :) Thanks to Christ light and peace are possible in our life in overcoming darkness and confusion.

Wesołych Świąt,

Starszy Kimball

Change it!

Gdańsk is covered with Christmas - lights everywhere and Jarmark (the Christmas markets) are finally up! The district is as tight as ever, we continue to have adventurous P-day excursions and unity in the work. 

I don't have a bunch of time this week and am not in the most write-a-letter mood so here are my condensed thoughts:

Dawid has had some pretty incredible experiences. This past week he faced trials: be it doubt, self-doubt, ridicule from others, confusion etc. He described it as feeling everything at once. There was a darkness, a confusion over him and it was visible. He sent a text on Friday sharing his feelings of feeling unprepared. It was a big surprise but then after the events of the weekend Heavenly Father's hand in it all is clear. We were able to address his issues and then when he asked if there was some magical way he could get help to quit smoking (he repeated the question clarifying that he didn't want dark magic but wished that there was a "light" magic). We then explained the priesthood as God's power and he asked for a blessing, afterward he had a smile on his face. At the end of the meeting another visible metamorphosis had taken place. He enjoyed culture night with us and was able to relax Saturday night.

He was running late to church on Sunday, we were worried it but then it had turned out that he forgot his wallet and didn't notice until he was on the tram. He seemed to get some answers at church and received a lot of support. Our members have welcomed him in. Waldek, a member of over twenty years (so has seen the growth and dwindling of the church in Gdańsk), called Sunday afternoon and shared how excited he was for Dawid and told us his desire to take Dawid under his wing and be a spiritual mentor and support in this difficult new life. Waldek is not the exception. At the end of all the Sunday meetings he said that his mind felt clear. The difference in my life from the influence of the Adversary and of the Holy Ghost is identical. My favorite word to use when I describe how I recognize the presence of the Spirit is clarity. He found peace and surety and is more confident thanks to his experiences. I'm grateful for our opportunities in overcoming struggles to grow. 

I've been thinking about what I want to change this next year. President Edgren's invitation to sacrifice has been on my mind a lot recently. I want to sacrifice having a bad attitude. There are parts of missionary work that stress me out or I plainly don't care for. Similarly, in life there are aspects we dread or worry about it. This is normal and positive stress pushes us to develop but I'm ready to cut out the unneeded anxiety. Rather than avoid or let problems fester in my mind I want to address them full on and change them. Why do we allow ourselves to have these yearly, monthly, or even weekly and daily dreads? I am over it. Even when things seem out of my control I want to adapt to the situation. The need for our positivity, love, and service is infinite and we can't afford to be caught up with things that don't really do not matter but have a knack for weighing us down. We can't help others if we don't first take care of ourselves and when we are in a situation to look beyond ourselves we will see the need and be guided in caring, thoughtful service as we seek the loving direction from our Father in Heaven.

Enjoy the Christmas season! Share your belief in Christ and if you don't have one then listen to somebody who does. Share your love with those around you.

Kocham swojego Zbawiciela i wiem że doskonale nas rozumie i też nas kocha. Miłego tygodnia!

Starszy Kimball

Never pass up an opportunity to do good

A week of miracles:

On Wednesday evening we had a lesson with Gosia and Martyn (a young couple in the branch) after our English class. As we made our way over we caught a tram that said it went to the right stop but we discovered that it went around the city to get to it so we got off at another stop to catch another one. We looked at the schedule and saw that we needed to catch a 2 then saw one pull up close but stop. A moment later a tram pulls up and we hop on. As we are riding I'm noticing that we didn't reach certain stops that I thought we would but because we were going a new way I didn't think much of it. Then all of a sudden it hit me that we were not where we needed to be so we get off at the next stop and see that we had boarded a 3 instead. As I made my comment before getting off the tram Elder Platter said there must have been a reason, I was then surprised by how quickly the need for our detour manifested itself. We find our bearings and realize we are in a settlement near the coast and see one guy on the platform we were on. I walked over to him asking the best way to get to our destination and as he begins to reply he stops and asks "Mormon?" I responded that we indeed were and he continued that he just moved to the area from Ukraine. He'd been meeting with missionaries to learn English and was hoping to get in contact with missionaries here - it must have been a sincere desire because Heavenly Father led us 40 minutes out of our way to find him. We exchanged information and I hope to see him this Wednesday. Meeting Sergiej brought the spirit into our evening and was a confirmation of Heavenly Father's hand in the work. There was then a kind babcia placed in our path to guide us to the Chabros family's home, Heavenly Father is intricate and caring in His purposes. 

One morning this week I wasn't feeling on my game and I noticed that it was because my heart had become a little hardened. I had some anger and frustration with my companion as well as with the branch president here because of some miscommunication and other matters. I've been working on not giving in to feelings of anger or annoyance but as we all can attest it isn't easy. During personal study I slipped into the bedroom in a down and some-what delicate state to pray for strength to be more loving. What I felt is hard to describe. Immediately I was reminded of Heavenly Father's love for me as well as Christ's. I thought of how the Atonement of Christ has led me to receive forgiveness and see growth in myself. As love was poured into my heart I began to feel it soften and my perspective of the whole situation flipped around. Simply, my heart was filled with love and it didn't matter what had been said or been done because my heart had been softened, it had been changed. This is one of the most powerful experiences I have had, it's a testimony to me that the Christ is the Savior. He understands perfectly what we need and His love allows us to be better and love others. Love truly is a gift. Dawid explained how we can know if this is all true yesterday when talking to a guy that comes to church often but doesn't believe it's true with the words, "can't you feel it in your heart?"

Dawid is committed to being baptized the 13th of December, he caught a train at 6:00 am yesterday from his grandparents place to make it to church here in Gdańsk. He is changing his life, recently quitted smoking, and is ready to accept the new lifestyle we are teaching him. The gospel is logical to him but I am convinced that the reason it's so easy for him to adjust is because of what he feels in his heart.

The branch here has had trouble feeling love amongst themselves. On Sunday I taught the combined hour of church. I based the lesson off of President Monson's talk "Love - the Essence of the Gospel. It seemed to intrigue them, great comments were shared, and unlike when I gave my first talk in sacrament meeting, everyone seemed engaged. It's a topic on everybody's mind right now. We had a branch dinner and Christmas tree decorating activity on Saturday and then church yesterday, the atmosphere is feeling better than ever before. Something that many members see a need of is an example to inspire the branch, the sad thing is that they don't understand that they can be that shining example. We need to be the example of love and goodness to those around us. Having good desires and hopes is positive but actually accomplishing good brings a change. As Camilla Eyring (my great grandma) said, "Never pass up an opportunity to do good." I highly recommend that anyone interested in being more loving read/ watch the talk: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/love-the-essence-of-the-gospel?lang=eng&media=video#watch=video

Heavenly Father is a God of miracles and love.

Here I end wishing my love, 

Starszy Kimball