Monday, January 26, 2015

Nie Boj Sie, Tylko Wierze! Do Not Fear, Only Believe!

January 26, 2015 
Dear Family,
Its been a pretty good week. Working to the bone as usual. We have been tracking down a lot of less actives on our branch list and trying to keep balanced. Our investigators have been super busy this week so we didn't have a chance to meet with a single one, which was a huge bummer, but I have high hopes for the future with all of them. It is all in the Lords hands.  
I got a bad cold last week, that I just haven't been able to shake quite yet. I should have just taken a day to rest it out when it started getting bad, but I felt guilty for not working and now here I am a week later still coughing my lungs out. I just about lost my lung a few minutes ago when I was coughing and from the dirty looks coming from the people around me I was worried they were going to boot me from the library for being too loud haha. Polish people don't really go out if they are even in the slightest sick, thus everyone looks at me like I have the plague. Oh well:) 
Hmm, what else did we do this week. The gracious Kosanoviches has us over for dinner on Tuesday. Then Wednesday we helped Sister Kosanovich peel like 50 kilo's of apples for apple sauce again. Goodness I love that family! 
I really just appreciate this time on a mission so much. I am forever grateful. I was preparing to teach a lesson the other morning and turned on some Bible videos for ideas. As I watched scenes from Christ's life and ministry play I was just struck with a deep reverence, love, respect, and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that He lives! There is something deeply personal and peaceful about having such a surety that this is His gospel on the earth today. This is the one true church. I have always believed, had the faith, the testimony, but that conviction makes a world of difference. The key is just trying to always remember it, keep feeding the flame; never let it die. Missions are hard stuff, they take great courage. I love this saying so much in Polish, it is my personal theme now... Nie Boj Sie, Tylko Wierze! It means, do not fear, only believe! Have the courage to always seek the light and share it with others. Eternity is effected by the small choices we make every day. 
I am hopping a train this evening and am off to Lodz on exchanges. Hope that you all have a wonderful week! Love you all. 
Siostra B. 


Monday, January 19, 2015

Winds of Change

January 19, 2015

Hey Family,
Yet another week has passed in the mission field somehow. Something really cool is that I have gotten to play a lot of soccer recently. The elders are working with a couple of less-actives who love to play, thus when there is a game and they need people, they always call Sister Benson because she knows how to get her game on. Actually I am pretty out of shape right now, which hopefully I will be able to change. haha. We shall see.
I finally got sick this week. I always gloated because I am never the companion to get sick, but the sore throat and cough finally caught up with me this week. Not that I have time to deal with that at all right now. I am in a group of singers for the special zone conference with Elder Charles (one of the area authorities) this upcoming Saturday, thus I am going to need my best singing voice.
The work is going well in this part of the vineyard. Winds of change are starting to sweep over the mission, for which I am very grateful. We were trying to instill such a positive mindset with the Elders and Sisters in the past couple of weeks, but then I hit my own rut. Now I am in the process of repenting and changing. The mission doesn't change until the missionaries start to change. Satan has been working so hard on the missionaries right now, because I believe we are on the verge of something great! I believe Poland has the potential to be the stronghold of some of Europe's strongest saints. It’s been a learning and growing experience to watch myself flounder and not know how to help fix things. But this week I am recommitting to do better. I don't ever want to be mediocre again. The more I study the gospel the more my understanding increases. Serving a mission has been the best decision of my life. And I especially can't wait to see what the coming year brings.
Love Siostra Benson

Monday, January 12, 2015

Progression

January 12, 2015
Dearest Family,This week I officially got registered in Poland, I even called my landlord, and did the paperwork by myself, (with the instructions from the office haha). Then I marched down to the state urzad and got my Zameldowania (registration). Now that is something I never thought I would be doing a year ago. We have been teaching a lot of investigators and recent converts lately, and my goal for this next week is to find someone new to teach. We are teaching some really amazing girls right now. It is quite a privilege to get to meet with and teach so many interesting people every day. Missionary work is amazing. Progression is key. Not just as a missionary, but as a Child of God. You don't have to serve a mission to continue to progress (but let me tell you it is excellent for whopping you into shape), and it is part of our heavenly fathers plan that we have the opportunity to change and become better thanks to the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love my Savior, I know that He lives and Loves us more than we could ever know. The price for our Salvation was not cheap, so let us never take it for granted. Honor it every day, grow, and progress everyday! Love you all and have a beautiful week.
 Love, Love, Love,Sister Ellie Benson

Monday, January 5, 2015

Blackout Year!!!

January 5, 2015 
Dearest Family,
Technically the title of this email doesn't apply because I won't spent exactly 100% of 2015 in Poland, but heck it is close enough. This is going to be my year of change in the mission field. I want to make as many positive changes in my life in the next year as possible. The crazy thing is looking back on the past six months and knowing that it is completely possible. Thus I am going to count it as my blackout year! Bring it on baby!
So many things happened this week, and we don't have much time today so I will keep it brief. I left MLC training last week so inspired. A change happened in me and I couldn't wait until I could share the vision with my zone. On Tuesday we did zone training with most of our zone here in Warsaw and it was amazing. I thought I had learned a lot in preparation but I think as we were able to present I learned even more.  It was probably one of the most powerful meetings of my mission. I know that the stereotype of this mission can change, but only if each individual can change their self first which is the difficult part. Good thing it is a new year, and every day brings a new opportunity to change and be better. Actually sometimes I find myself waiting for that new dawn every day to start over and change. But because of the atonement of Jesus Christ we never have to wait to make those changes, we can start anew and recommit every moment. It is not just enough to be satisfied with where we are at, we must always push for change and becoming more prepared to meet the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
On Wednesday we got to spend New Years Eve at the mission home with President and Sister Edgren and the Warsaw missionaries. Yeah, we Warsaw missionaries are pretty dang blessed, or as the outlying cities call it... spoiled haha! Much to everyone’s delight and surprise President and Sister Edgren somehow got the film Meet the Mormons to watch. It was amazing, especially since I thought I was going to have to wait another year to see it. The hilarious thing was watching some of the Elder's cry when the football scenes came on haha. It was great! We have the best Mission President and mission family ever!!!!
Love Sister Benson