16 February 2016 - Transferred to Poznan

Jestem w Poznaniu!!!!

(I'm in Poznań- crazy how that little "w" changes that word like that. Ahhhhh, Polish.)

Yep- I moved away from my hometown! Pretty crazy stuff, but the whole last week was pretty crazy, too. 

On Wednesday, we met with an investigator named Grzegorz for the first time- he's the one who sang out during the Christmas Sacrament Meeting, and comes to church all the time- but we finally met with him, and he fed us, as all Poles love to do. However. He said it was his favorite meal growing up, and he kept repeating that it was "from beef" but as far as I know, no part of beef should have hair like that. Turns out it was cow intestines. YEAH! It tasted kind of like a barn smells, so that was nice, and it just had the wackiest texture. You know, I'm just not the biggest fan of eating parts of animals that move independantly of the animal. It's just not my favorite thing to do.

Then on Thursday, we went to the Georgian Ballet (that's the country, not the state) (Also, every transfer, we get a "culture night" where we do things like go to ballets or other cultural things) And that was awesome. I can't really describe how they were dancing, but it was cool- just trust me on that one.

And Friday to Sunday were mini missions for two of the members in our branch- Alex and Nick! They're so 15 years old, though. Like, I thought I hadn't really grown up in the last few years, but seeing them is kind of like "oh, look at me, adulting all over the place" It's nice. So Nick stayed with us, and Alex/Ola stayed with the sisters. And they were really good! They've been members for about a year now, and their testimonies are fire!

And then on Monday, I moved to Poznań.

My new comp's name is Elder Vance, and he's pretty cool, haven't really had enough time with him to figure everything out. 

This transfer I'm working on loving other people. There's a Christlike attribue assesment in PMG, and that's the one I scored least on, so... Sorry, everyone I knew...

Hubert is still a little crazy, but not crazy enough, I guess, but he's in Norway right now for some work, so people won't be able to meet with him. And the other people got back in town, but didn't really want to meet, so... the new elders have a pretty fresh board to work with! WOO! Poor guys, though- Of the four missionaries (excluding the senior couple) only Sister DeMordaunt stayed. She's totally freaking out.

Ugh, last transfer felt so short! I mean, it was two weeks shorter than the other ones, but in ten days I'll be 1/4 of the way done... I need to work harder. I want to be more consecrated, but no one around me wants to go as far as I do. What do I do? I guess we still need to see how this first week goes, but it's going to be good. Poznań is doing some good things right now.

Ok, I have less time on this computer than others, so I gotta go!

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Starszy Liechty

And happy Valentines Day!

They do celebrate it here, just not as big as in the States

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8 February 2016

Another slow week... We got a new investigator, though! His name is Hubert, but I think he's a little insane, so I'm not sure if things will continue that much with him. We taught him about the Restoration, and he was like "Oh yeah, I learned that in Catholic school when I was young!" 

Ehh...

And a pretty exciting story this week! Early, some guys came to the Sisters' apartment, and said they were the police and they were looking for this guy named Marcin and they asked some weird questions, and then left after a while. BUT two days ago, in the morning some guys went up to their apartement and started knocking on their door and trying to break in and yelling at them. So long story short- Elder Platter and I now live in that apartement.

Two of our investigators are back in town now, so we're going to be meeting with them again soon, and others are finishing up school, so they'll have time, but nothing really has been happening. And surprise! This transfer is two weeks shorter, and we have transfer calls on Saturday! Probs I'll stay, but the mission president likes doing crazy things. 

And when it comes to music, President Edgren gives us all the freedom we want. But Elder Platter likes listening to videogame soundtracks like I always did, but after a transfer of that, I don't really feel like I want that. I can wait to listen to that again. So if you do send anything, just MoTab would be good. And we don't talk all the time, but it's not awkward when we don't. At least, it's not for me... 

The timeline is a history of God's dealings with mankind. So we have the Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon with a history of what happened, where it happened, and things like that. Then it shows the great apostasy and then the Restoration, and it's really a great visual. It's hanging up now in our sunday school room, so I'll take some pictures and send them to you.

And speaking of humility- looking through both the history of the Book of Mormon, and Bible, the one thing that starts people off into apostasy is the buying of costly apparel. Expenisve clothes. It's interesting how unvariant it is throughout the histories. And I don't really know what counts as costly apparel, but we should be careful. Pride is one of the sneakiest sins that ever exist.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

(also, all I told the haricut place was to make my hair shorter. I didn't know any other haircut vocab.)

Starszy Liechty

1 February 2016

Pies!

Polish people have these little houses out in the boonies for their gardens that are also out in the boonies, because they can't have gardens in the city. It's super cute and what all of Poland should look like...

This week was a pretty dull one, as well... But FINALLY our investigators are getting back in town this next week, so things should be picking up. But that also means I have like nothing to talk about this week, so... sorry.

I haven't been injured at all in any way, but Elder Platter got pretty sick, and we stayed in one day (which was crazy boring, but I got pretty good at yo-yo, so that's nice) But that's about the biggest health issue I've had out here.

When I give talks I usually write them out all in English and then translate as much as I can and give it. Usually it takes up enough time because I talk slow enough and it makes it good. But the members all complain about missionary Polish, and say they can't understand us... So that was a blow to my ego, but it's only because Polish people don't understand accents because no one in the world ever bothers to learn Polish. But at least now I have this super-secret language that only about 4 million people in the world understand! WOO! But giving talks is kind of a deuce, because it consumes like, four days of studies because there's no other time to write it.

I'm starting to understand people really well now! I can understand missionaries no problem, and as long as people speak clearly, I can get it. But when they slur their speach and mumble, or don't have enough teeth to say words, it gets hard...

I'll usually play the prelude music as people walk in, but a lot of the time people walk in like, five minutes late... There's a lot of cleaning up (in the most positive sense) that needs to be done here, but it's actually happening! Elder Cutting, as the Branch President is doing a fantastic job at making our little branch something that works by itself. He instituted the Home and Visiting Teaching programs, which at first was like "dude, there's no one TO home or visit teach" but it's building relationships with members, and one less active member has come back basically to full activity!

The streets are streets... But last night, (sunday) we were by our home at 19:00, with an hour left of missionary work, because we took dinner at 20:00 because everyone is asleep after 8:00 here... But we could have rightfully taken an hour of study during that hour, because Sunday messes up the usual schedule, but instead, we decided to go and talk to people! And we were able to get one guys number, and give out a Book of Mormon to a couple that passed us! I realize that we didn't set up with anyone, but we had more success than an hour straight of "nie mam czasu"s or "nie dziękuję"s. It was good.

Ok, that's all for now!

Love yooouuuuuuu!!!!

Starszy Liechty

25 January 2016

Recently this last week, as I was sitting on a train traveling across Poland, reading the Polish Book of Mormon, and hearing a Polish person snore right next to me, I realized something- I MISS MY FAMILY!!! 

Not like, in the "I really want to go home right now I can't focus on my work" kind of missing the family, but just the realization that you guys are the greatest people in my life and the fact that I can only email you all once a week is a little stinky. But hey- what's the point of a sacrifice if it's not actually a sacrifice?

Anyway, Meet the Mormons was really good. I actually got to see it in the MTC, so it wasn't new, but after being here for three months, in what some would call a not perfect branch, it was great to see that across the world people are meeting together and that the church is strong wherever it is. We baptize converts, and by doing so, we know that no matter what happens, the converts are willing to learn and accept the will of God. And that's awesome.

Tomasz (the guy in the picture last week) is one of our investigators, but he's out of town until February, so not much is gonna happen there for a bit... And we haven't found any new investigators. We recently had exchanges, though, to Poznań (pose-nine), and with a temporary companion, (Elder Larson, who also went to Lone Peak, but I hung out with one half of the school, and he hung out with the other half, apparently) But we found some fantastic potentials for them! 

And keeping the Sabbath day holy is pretty easy. There's not much to distract us, and doing the Lord's work is pretty much the best thing you can do on Sunday, so we're rockin' it there! After Church we just go on to regular missionary work.

A normal day, czyli the past couple of weeks starts out with waking up, working out, breakfast, showering, and studies, And then we go contact. Elder Platter does a good job of making contacting activites that aren't just talking to people as they cross us on the streets, but things like having a free table, where we just have a bunch of books and pamphlets that we try to give out, or Sister Demordaunt can play the guitar, so that'll be a thing we do soon to atract people. And we go tracting pretty much every day at the end of the day. Then dinner at the end of the day because people go to bed really early here because it gets dark really early here. Being a missionary is easier in the Summer.

We see the Cuttings on Monday during FHE, Tuesday because they tutor the twins in the branch in Math while we are teaching English, Thursday during Institute, and Sundays. Sometimes things come up and we see each other more often, but that's the usual schedule. Also, I forgot to answer this last week, but odds are that theyre staying here for their whole mission.

Anyway, I've been trying to have more charity towards the people, and while studying, I found that Moroni says that we should pray with all the energy of the heart for charity. Because it's so neccessary for us. At first I was like "how the heck am I supposed to pray with all the energy of the heart on command?!" Because we've all had those prayers... The ones where we cry and beg and plead for help or forgiveness in one form or another. But doing that all the time, in every prayer?... But then I tried it. And things got quiet, and my thoughts stopped wandering, and I prayed for charity, and it came. Like it says all over the scriptures- Ask and ye shall receive.

Alright! Love you guys!!

Starszy Lykti

18 January 2016

Hey-O!!!

The weather is COLD! But not that cold. I'll never admit that I'm cold.

Never.

It's been snowing quite a bit up here, and Szczecin is supposed to be one of the warmest cities during the winter, so I bet down south is getting hit with the cold pretty rough. But no, I don't have any boots... We only go in the mall to play pool.

We've been praying for investigators, too! It's strange, we noticed that we weren't being perfectly obedient, so we started to work on the things that we weren't doing, but as soon as that happened, all of our investigators stopped wanting to talk with us. SO... I can't see a huge amount of blessings coming out of this right now, but just wait- we're only in the middle of the story. Things are gonna get crazy. I can feel it!

I don't really know the Edgrens, so the fact that they're leaving doesnt have that much of an effect on me... He is coming up to Szczecin pretty soon, though! But I've only had two conversations with him, and I don't know him that well.

There's some complicated stuff that we have to do if we get a package to our apartment, (which I don't know how to do) so I think just sending it to the mission home would be fine. I can wait! Sending pictures of the fam would be really nice in it, though! Because our family is awesome and I don't have enough of them here. Also, when is Katie's birthday? I don't want to forget her in birthday cards 'n' stuff!

I think sustaining our church leaders is a great thing! One of the biggest issues for people here is that all the leaders live so far away, and most of their teachings haven't been translated into Polish, so the general authorities are all a much smaller part of their lives than ours, and the members are left to their own understanding unless the missionaries step in. And we all know how people trying to interpret the scriptures for themselves turns out. Bad.

Pretty much as the FHE guy, I delegate the responsibilities to someone else.

But actually I'll plan a short lesson and activity and we get together and have a great time! We also play games afterwards, so the members can be together, and just have a good time. Today we're watching Meet the Mormons, because it just recently got Polish subtitles! We haven't gone bowling, because we usually don't have that much more time at the end of P-day because everyone likes emailing forever. (myslef included)

Sister DeMourdaunt DOES know how to lead music! We also had a musical number yesterday because one of the District Presidency came up to meet with us! We played "Abide With Me, Tis Eventide" Or "Bądź ze mną, wieczor tuż" Literally "Be with me, evening really close to right here" I love this language! Also, you're not going to believe how much I've gotten better at the piano! ITS GREAT! We do listen to more music in the apartment, too, but I'm not sure how allowed a lot of it is. Mostly because no one i've been around has asked the president. One day I'll find out.

We also don't keep track of the hand of the Lord anymore... I really miss it, so I do it by myself most of the time. But mostly I've seen it in how much more difficult the work is getting. Because I know I'm keeping the commandments, and therefore not being punished for anything, but it's getting more difficult. So I guess that means I've reached a point where the lord trusts me enough to give me some more trials. It could be also because I asked for something to help me understand the Atonement more, and this is what it'll take. So I accept it with open arms!

I love you, too!! 

Sam

11 January 2016

Hey.

Ile zębów ma dentysta?

Sto ma, to logiczny!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHahahah h.. ahh....

Polish jokes.

Yep. It got cold!!

And it SNOwED!!!!

Like, really cold. So cold, I actually said "it's cold outside" Dang. But when it snowed it made it all ok, as if there was actually a reason for it to be cold. But now it's all hardened to ice, and made walking around really hard for everyone. It's funny to watch everyone on the street slip and slide, though. But here in Poland, everyone wears these GIANT scarves that are basically blankets that you wrap around your face, and I got one and it's amazing. So nie bójcie się o mnie.

But our investigator pool froze up with the winter as well. No one really has dropped us, but no one is responding to us. Just answering machines. I don't know if they're all still out of town, or got scared off. But one investigator we're meeting with is still coming. But he's not on track for his baptismal date, and I think that because Elder Platter can speak the language really well, he's becoming more argumentative, and we're finding out other problems of his. BUT this is ok. Because with the guidance of Elder Cutting (our branch president) the search for potentials is changing. Not really hugely, but missionaries here have kind of gotten to the point where if someone talks to them they're considered a "golden". But Elder Cutting is really pushing on us the fact that the scripture says the field is white already to harvest. Not yellow to water, or brown to plant, but white. So we're finding the white, and those yellow or brown people that we've been trying to work with will have another chance later when they're fully prepared.

I miss skiing... And winter sports in general. We don't know if ice skating is a winter sport, but i really want to do that. But we do play pool- that's allowed. Even though it starts with P which rhymes with T and that stands for Trouble. But hey- it's fun.

Yeah, really, the Book of Mormon is the answer to any gospel question someone has! If you don't know if the Word of Wisdom is really an inspired commandment, find out if the Book of Mormon is true, which means Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that that commandment really is from God! Piece of cake!

Study it, though. I mean, there's no rule against asking God again whether or not it's true. He's not going to tell you "sorry, I was mistaken last time" He's going to say "of course it's true! Thank you so much for asking!" And your testimony of it will again be strengthened and solidified. So don't hold back, please.

LOOOOOOOOVE

Elder Liechty

That's me. I tried to show you the size of the scarf, but you can't really see it (also it's a bit smaller than most of them, sorry)

And anyone wondering about that joke above, it says

How many teeth does a dentist have?

He has 100! It's logical!

Because dentistry is called stomatology or something, and you just put spaces in those words and it becomes a sentence. Nice. The Poles love that one.

4 Dec 2016

HELLO AMERICA!

Elder Platter and I are getting along pretty well. Everyone said that we were like the same person, and it's pretty true. We even look like each other, and we are the two shortest elders in the whole mission! Go team. He certainly is different than Elder Berlin. The first thing is that he really doesn't like hitting the streets like Elder Berlin did. So it's pretty relaxed. I feel kind of off, though, not talking to people nearly as much as I did... We're coming up with a lot of ways to talk with people, which is nice, but we're not really doing anything bout it. Like, in the last week, we've spent a total of two hours finding people. It was also the slowest week I've had here, too. I think we need to talk to people more. His Polish is really good, though. He knows a lot. And everyone else agrees that I'll be staying here for a while, too, but I'm ok with that- I really want to start seeing this branch progress!

Man, New Years Eve was WILD! We had to go in at 5:00 because it was too dangerous outside, but I'm pretty sure that's the norm everywhere, but we decided to set our alarms at 11:58 to experience the new year, and then go to sleep, but it sounded like a war outside. I don't think there's any laws concerning fireworks here, so they were going off right outside our apartment, and there were just explosions constantly for like, half an hour straight, and there were screams of people who were celebrating the countdown, sirens going off of the many ambulances helping people, and our room was just totally bright. A little more intense than back home, that's for sure. And the scale y'all're thinking is probably much less than it was. It was INSANE!

We do have fast and testimony meeting. Usally all the missionaries will get up and say something, but the members are pretty good at getting up. I think they don't really get the point of it when there's so few people. At least, that's what they've said. I just really want them to spend one sunday at our ward in Utah, and show them how great church is when it grows, and that we just need to stick it out for a bit longer! 

We haven't been able to meet with any of our investigators still because of the Holidays, but things have been going along nicely. And I would like to send out a formal apology for not being the happiest-sounding in the e-mails. But Poland is a sad place. We meet people from out of country, and they tell us how great it is to actually see a smile on someone. But all of you must know- I'm not feeling down. I don't want to leave here. Because we need to show these people the light and happiness that this gospel actually brings people. Because I've seen what happens to people when they accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is something that should bring people to frolicking and jumping on the streets! Because it's something that makes all the bad and sad things that have ever happened here and to the people nothing.

So yeah, I'll try to look at the good things more from now on :)

Love,

Starszy Liechty