Week 31 - Krakow

May 29, 2017

Hey y'all!

     How has your week been?  Mine's been pretty good.  On Wednesday, all of the missionaries in Poland (about 60 of us) went to Warsaw for a meeting with Elder Anderson.  That was really good.  He called it a 'historic day' and talked about faith in miracles to get the work here in Poland moving along because it's been really slow for the past 27 years or so.  He served a mission in France almost 50 years ago, so he knows what European missions are generally like and how to see success in them.  He asked us to stay for the meeting later with the members, which was a little tricky.  We all had trains out of Warsaw during that meeting, so we had to cancel all of them and go home the next day.  We had to fit all 60 missionaries into about 6 apartments, but we managed it.  The meeting with the members was also really good.  He talked about President Monson's talk in general conference about the Book of Mormon and connected it with Helaman 5:12.  It was really good.  But we finally got back to Kraków the next day, and it was good.  Today we also went to a really old castle about an hour and a half away, and that was super cool.  We got to see a lot of the Polish countryside, and it's super pretty.  But yea.  With studies this week, I've started the Book of Mormon over again, and this time through I'm highlighting all of the references to Christ.  It's going great so far.  I'm grateful for all that I've been able to learn from the Book of Mormon on my mission, and I know that it is the word of God.  But yea, it's been a great week, and we'll look to build off of it this week.  Love you all and have a sick week!

-Elder Hadfield

Pictures from our visit with Elder Neal L. Andersen, Quorum of the 12:

Pictures below from Ogrodzienic:

Ogrodzieniec is a town in Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,499 inhabitants. It is noted for the extensive ruins of a medieval castle, damaged during the Swedish invasion of Poland.

Week 30 - Krakow

Hey everyone!

     Hope things are going well for you all.  This week I was smitten with a great plague.  Not really, but sometimes seasonal allergies can feel like that.  This week was really good though.  Working harder and harder all the time.  We had a good lesson with one of our investigators that we've been teaching since January, and we're making slow but steady progress with them.  We'll see if we can continue that.  We also had lessons with two of our recent converts, and they are both really strong. It's great seeing them continue to progress.  We were going to have a lesson with a less-active who was baptized just a couple years ago as well, but unfortunately they canceled.  We'll try again this week and see how it goes.  We had some good conversations with people as we contacted this week and got a few people's numbers, so we'll see if we can make anything happen from that this week.  During studies this week, I was able to finish the Book of Mormon again. It is such a powerful book.  I'm so happy with the study time we are able to have in the field and for all that I've learned from the Book of Mormon.  I testify that it is true.  Love you all, and have a great week!

-Elder Hadfield

Week 29 - Krakow

Hello all!

     How are things going?  Hope they are going well.  This week was a good one.  We had some lessons with our recent converts, and they went well.  It's great to see them progress.  We did a lot of finding for our English class as well this week.  So far, that seems to be what is working best here.  We teach English class on Tuesday's and Thursday's at 6:30 for an hour, then we'll have a spiritual thought afterwards where we will read out of the Book of Mormon or teach a lesson about church, and those go really well.  We are seeing more and more people come to those.  So it's good.  We also got to skype yesterday for Mother's Day, and that was fun.  Good to talk to my family again.  This week we have a couple more lessons set up, and we'll be looking to have some success in those lessons.  So it should be another good week.  This week, in the Book of Mormon I read in Mormon and Ether.  I've been studying a lot recently about the Book of Mormon and it's role in the church, and I really like Mormon 5:14-15.  

¹⁴ And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews; and for this intent shall they go—that they may be persuaded that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and eternal purpose[...]  (with his purpose being shown to us in Moses 1:39)

¹⁵ And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles[...]

The Book of Mormon is given to us so that we can become closer to Christ and learn of Him.  This we do as we "press [our] way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron", as is shown in Lehi's dream.  (1 Ne 8:30).  I have been able to learn so much about the Book of Mormon during my time as a full-time missionary, and I've been able to learn so much about myself and progress in more ways than I could every imagine.  I am thankful for this time I have to dedicate myself to the work of God's kingdom here on the earth.  I love you all, and have a legendary week!

-Elder Hadfield

Happy Mother's Day!!