Week 45 - Lodz

Hey everyone!

     This week was a solid one.  We went to Warsaw on exchanges with the zone leaders on Monday, and those were really good.  Warsaw is a good city.  I'm hoping I get to serve there in the future.  We got back to Łódź on Wednesday.  

          On Friday, we went to a Polish restaurant with O, and that was really cool.  Good to spend more time with him.  Then on Saturday, we had Polish class with O and then had a lesson with him after.  We've been reading the Book of Mormon with him, and this week we're going to hook him up with a Book of Mormon study guide.  We're hoping that will be helpful for him as he continues to progress.  

          On Saturday, we also got transfer calls.  I'm staying in Łódź for another two months, and I'm also going to be training!  So that's going to be interesting.  Elder Toone's going to Bydgoszcz, Elder Barlow is coming down from Bydgoszcz to Łódź and he's going to train, and Sister Anderson is staying here and training.  So we'll have three trainees this next transfer in Łódź.  Pretty cool I guess.  It'll be a good transfer for sure. 

          Something that I learned a lot about this last transfer is self improvement.  All of us come up short in different ways.  Luckily, thanks to Jesus Christ and his Atonement, we have the possibility to repent and improve ourselves every day.  When we do that, we come closer to Him and we feel His presence in our lives through the Holy Ghost.  Excited for this new transfer and the opportunities and experiences that we'll have.  Hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 44 - Lodz

Clearing church property in Lodz- Time out for boys to climb trees

Hey all!

     This week was a good one.  It went by pretty fast though.  It's pretty crazy that we are now down to the last week of the transfer.  We get our calls on Saturday and then transfers are on Monday.  I'm almost positive I'm staying.  I've heard that we are going up from 2 elders here to 4, so it's pretty likely they'll just split Elder Toone and I and put us with different elders.  We'll see what happens though.  We had a lesson with O yesterday (the investigator who has been investigating for over a year now), and it ended up going pretty well.   Just reading the Book of Mormon with him, and it's going alright.  Still working on getting him to read it every day, so we'll see how it goes.  We weren't able to have a lesson with D this week, and he's starting to get really busy this week.  So not sure when we'll meet with him next.  Also, this past Saturday, R from back in Kraków got baptized and confirmed on Sunday!  So that's super exciting.  Pretty pumped for him.  So yesterday before church, I was listening to a talk by John Bytheway about the war chapters in the Book of Mormon, and it was really good.  He had a lot of good things in there.  One of the things I liked is found in chapter 40 of Alma.  In verses 1-4, it talks about Moroni strengthening the cities of the Nephites.  It says that they dig pits around the whole city, then they cast up ridges of earth, then they build works of timbers on the tops of them, then they build a frame of pickets on top of the timbers, then they built towers on top of those, then they build places of security in those to defend from the Lamanites.  They weren't messing around.  That's because they were doing it "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children". (Alma 46:12)  So they couldn't mess this one up.  Neither can we.  John Bytheway spoke of building up those fortifications against satan in our own lives and the importance of doing that.  I know that as we spend our efforts fortifying against satan, we will be "delivered at all times" by the hand of the Lord. (Alma 50:22)   Love you all, and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 43 - Lodz

Hey everyone!

     This week was good.  We had zone conference on Thursday in Warsaw, and that was really solid.  We had Elder Sabin there, the same one who spoke in general conference about the young man who wouldn't unroll his sleeping bag so he didn't have to put it away the next morning.  He's in the Europe area presidency.  It was really solid.  He had some good things to say and some good training to give.  He was at the conference we had with Elder Andersen back in May, and so we did some follow-up on that meeting as well.  So yea, that was really good.  We didn't have any super great lessons this week.  We're looking for more potentials through English class and some other things.  We have transfers coming up in just two weeks now, which is pretty crazy.  It feels like we just had transfers.  But yea, life is good.  This week, while preparing for a talk I gave in sacrament meeting, I read some parts of Revelation chapter 7.  I like verses 9 and 14 especially:

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

14[...]These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 I like verse 14, where it talks about those who receive salvation and says that they had "great tribulation" but their robes were "made...white in the blood of the Lamb".  Life is usually a difficult experience, but through these trials, we are molded into the people our Heavenly Father wants us to become.  Have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 42 - Lodz

Hey all!

     Hope things are going well for you all.  Things are going well over here.  This week has been alright.  We've been putting in more work, and we'll see where it gets us.  Unfortunately, this past week, the investigator we started working with two weeks ago and got a baptismal date with has had some hard stuff happen, and he's convinced he's more comfortable in the situation he's in than with what we have to offer as missionaries.  So we'll see if we can get a lesson in this week and help him change things around. 

The other investigator we are working with has been doing really well though.  He's in his 20s and we had a couple lessons with him this week.  We are reading out of the Book of Mormon right now, and he's making some good progress.  He's honestly such a cool guy.  He started investigating over a year ago, and has come to church for the majority of that time.  He's read a ton of church material too.  If he were to be baptized right now, he would probably be one of our more solid members.  He's even been helping get one of our recent converts to feel included in church.  He's a very logic-based guy, and wants to be 100% sure the church is true before he's baptized. He definitely has that sincere desire, and I'm confident it's just a matter of time before he gets baptized.  Super solid. 

My spiritual thought this week comes from my study in the Old Testament.  I was reading about Joseph this week in the book of Genesis.  I just wanted to share two verses I liked in chapter 41:

¹⁵ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

¹⁶ And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

I just read those and I find it really awesome how Joseph gives all the credit to God in this passage for his unique gift to interpret dreams.  I think that’s a good example for us, and in our lives we can try to give credit to God when he helps us out.  Well hope you are all doing well.  Have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 41 - Lodz

Hey all!

     Hope things are going well.  They are going well over here.  This week was pretty solid.  We had district meeting on Wednesday, and President Turek came to that.  That was really good.  Being around President is awesome.  We also had interviews with him that day.  We also got a new investigator this week.  He's a young adult, and we had our first lesson with him on Friday.  The lesson went okay, and at the end, he committed to baptism!  So we're super excited for him.  September 2nd is the date we are working towards, and we are looking forward to help him work toward that.  Also, back in Kraków (my first area) Elder Ashworth and his comp helped set a baptismal date for a really promising guy we started teaching when I was there.  So his date is August 26th.  Super excited to see all of the success our mission is seeing recently.  We'll look to make it improve even more.  In my studies this week, I continued in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon.  In the Book of Mormon, I was reading in Alma, and I found an interesting verse in Alma 28.  It's verse 10, which talks about the sons of Mosiah and those that went with them, and their experiences:

8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of Jershon. And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless their souls forever.

I thought that was really interesting how it lists those experiences they had: sufferings, sorrows, afflictions, and 'incomprehensible joy'.  It's like Mormon was linking those altogether.  In our lives, we all seek joy.  Even if we are in the midst of great suffering, we can come to taste the joy we all seek.  What an amazing truth to know!  Well, I love you all, and have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 40 - Lodz

Hey all!

     How are things going?  Hope they are going well for you all.  Life is good over here.  Still working hard and enjoying life.  It has been pretty warm this week.  This week wasn't too eventful, but fun nonetheless.  There is a main street here we call P-street, and we've done a lot of contacting there recently.  It's a pretty nice street.  We also met with an investigator this week who has been investigating the church for about a year or so, comes to church every week, but isn't quite ready for baptism.  We are working with him and he's making solid progress though.  It's good to see.  But yea, stuff is going well.  We'll work hard this week and make it another solid week.  Have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

Week 39 - Lodz

Hello all!

     How are things going for y'all?  Hope they are going well.  Things are good here in Łódź.  It's been getting a little chilly here with a lot of rain for some reason.  The weather here is pretty unpredictable sometimes.  This week we've been trying to do some finding activities in some different locations, and they've been working pretty well.  We actually met a guy who was born in New York, but has traveled all over Europe and stuff for his parents work and now his work.  He's in his twenties right now, and he's super cool.  We've already had lunch with him a couple times, and he's super interested in what we have.  He also speaks 8 languages, which I find amazing.  But yea, we're hoping to get him to church soon.  The work is going well.  So this week, I was reading some more in the Pearl of Great Price, and it's got some really good stuff in it.  I especially liked Joseph Smith - History as I was reading through it.  I'd like to share just a couple verses I really liked:

24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.

25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it[...]

Reading Joseph Smith's own account of the Restoration is very powerful, and it definitely gave me more faith in the work that I go about doing every day.  One thing that I love about the Restoration is that Joseph Smith's experience in it can easily be applied to our individual circumstances in one way or another.  As Latter-Day Saints, we face some adversity and persecution, but we can stand tall knowing who we represent.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a witness of Jesus Christ here in Poland, bringing His amazing truth into the lives of the people here.  How lucky are we to be living in the time we are today.  Love you all, and hope you have an amazing week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 38 - Lodz

Hello all!

     How are things going for y'all?  Hope they are going well.  Things are good here in Łódź.  It's been getting a little chilly here with a lot of rain for some reason.  The weather here is pretty unpredictable sometimes.  This week we've been trying to do some finding activities in some different locations, and they've been working pretty well.  We actually met a guy who was born in New York, but has traveled all over Europe and stuff for his parents work and now his work.  He's in his twenties right now, and he's super cool.  We've already had lunch with him a couple times, and he's super interested in what we have.  He also speaks 8 languages, which I find amazing.  But yea, we're hoping to get him to church soon.  The work is going well.  So this week, I was reading some more in the Pearl of Great Price, and it's got some really good stuff in it.  I especially liked Joseph Smith - History as I was reading through it.  I'd like to share just a couple verses I really liked:

24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.

25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it[...]

Reading Joseph Smith's own account of the Restoration is very powerful, and it definitely gave me more faith in the work that I go about doing every day.  One thing that I love about the Restoration is that Joseph Smith's experience in it can easily be applied to our individual circumstances in one way or another.  As Latter-Day Saints, we face some adversity and persecution, but we can stand tall knowing who we represent.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a witness of Jesus Christ here in Poland, bringing His amazing truth into the lives of the people here.  How lucky are we to be living in the time we are today.  Love you all, and hope you have an amazing week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 37 - Lodz

Hey all!

     Things are going well.  I don't have a lot of time to write today, so this is gonna be a shorty.  But this week has been good.  Łódź is a good city.  I enjoy it.  It's the third biggest city in Poland, but it's super spread out, so it almost has a small town feel to it.  This week, something we've been trying a lot is basketball proselyting.  There is a basketball court near our apartment, and so we go there often to play with people there.  There is a group of kids that we have played with a few times, and they are super cool.  We even had lunch at KFC with them the other day.  One of them came to church on Sunday, and another will be coming this Sunday.  Super exciting.  We'll try to get them to come to English as well so we can spend more time together and build that relationship.  But yea.  I guess basketball is good for more than one reason.  Well, that's about all I have for this week.  Hope you all are doing well. Have a legendary week!

-Elder Hadfield