Miracles of the Fast

June 8, 2015
Hello Family,

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This week was good. We worked a lot with one of our recent convert Linda (He Chong) who is from China! She was baptized last year, but we are having the Elder's in Boston skype with us right now to re-teach her the lessons in Chinese. Usually once a week she comes to the chapel and then we skype with two of the Elders in Boston who speak Chinese fluently. It is a great opportunity to hear the gospel preached in yet another tongue, and the spirit is still there. Plus Linda is great! We get to help her this evening calling some American schools to get her applications worked out. Apparently they weren't submitted correctly so we are helping her figure out what she needs to do. Yay English!

Food Truck Festival Yum!

My district found this big food truck festival over by the chapel here in Lodz. I think I ate the best hamburger I have ever eaten in my life, well at least in Poland. My comp and I ended up going back later for our dinner hour and getting Pot stickers, ice-cream, and gofry (waffel's) with nutella and bananna's. Oops naughty us, but it was oh so fun! I wish you could have been there with us to try it haha. Loved it!

Not so funny story of the week. So I tried to go to the dentist this week. I requested an English speaking dentist so I could explain the situation with the abscess on my gums. I thought maybe I had a cavity on my back molar that was causing the problem. But the dentist that I got sent to seriously did not speak English, apparently he isn't used to dealing with such small things or seeing perfect teeth either because of the smoking and drinking problems in this country. He didn't think anything was super wrong. He was like... You want me pull out? and I was like ummm seriously, no! He said he didn't see anything that I would have to get pictures (x-rays). Well they didn't even have x-ray equipment at the facility so he tried to send me to another one. Then he was like... You get picture here... pay me after to see picture... and maybe something hurt still.. then we drill. Then he charged me money for poking my tooth twice and telling me to go to another place. So I was like okay, and then walked/ran out of the office.


One more thing I have to mention about miracles related to fasting. I have always fasted in my life, I knew it was something that was good. Yet fasting has taken up so much more meaning to me on my mission. When I was struggling last transfer and didn't even know how to help myself I did a 24 hour fast, and things changed. I don't even know exactly what changed, but I saw the hand of God in my life. Then yet again this transfer I have seen the Lord answer my fasts and prayers. I fasted for zone conference, and I was spiritually fed. Then yesterday I fasted to find someone elect that we can teach. My district traveled down to southern Lodz to to some tracting in the country. I chose the area and felt guided to a place called Starowa Góra. The elders got let it (the lady also gave them an emerald suit from the 80's and sweaters haha), and then my companionship met this man and son. The son spoke perfect English and was very patient and kind and actually listened to what we said. He was intellectual, but said he could see the conviction in our eyes. They took a Book of Mormon and are coming to English this week to discuss more. I know this is not exactly a guarantee of someone getting baptized into this branch, but I know it was an answer to my fast and prayer. I know that the Lord will help us in way's we cannot even understand if we will exercise our agency to seek, act, and follow. I know this to be true.
You are all very much loved.

Sister Benson

Czekam

June 1, 2015 Czekam

Hello Everyone,

Today my companion was in Warsaw all day for legal work, so I got babysat by the Elder's all day and our email time got moved back to the end of the day. We don't have much time, so I will just give you a quick rundown of the week.

Well my birthday was wonderfully splendid. My district took good care of me, I bought some fresh strawberries and my wonderful Sister Bąk brought in a ton of birthday mail for me when she came in the evening. Seriously such a great gift to get to spend part of my birthday with one of my best friends in the mission. I was so shocked at how many birthday cards I got, plus all of the voice recordings, and the packages. Thank you all so much.

My district had a wonderful district meeting to spiritually prep for zone conference, then we fasted as a district on Wednesday. Thursday morning we got on a train early and headed into Warsaw. I remember thinking on the train, I have prayed, written down thoughts, fasted and honestly strived to be prepared for this zone conference, yet I still don't feel immensely spiritually in tune. I looked out the window and had the impression... Sister Benson, do you trust me. I thought to myself, as much as I often fight it, I do Lord. And it came again... Then trust me, and you will learn today. Zone conference was so inspired and such a blessing, exactly some things that I needed to hear. The Assistants talked about companionship unity, and President talked about gratitude and following the spirit. It was wonderful. 

 

I know that this church is true. Worthy men hold the true power and authority of God! The priesthood is on the earth, and personal revelation is available to all. I know that if we desire revelation in church, conference, any holy place... If we sincerely desire, prepare ourselves, pray, fast, and have faith in God, He will provide. God is our loving Heavenly Father, trust in Him, and He will make us more through this mortal journey. 

Love you all,

Sister Benson

Birthday

May 25, 2015
 So we had a pretty good week over here in Lódż land. My voice recordings record most of the major things that happened this week. I am grateful to be finding more joy in what I am doing as a missionary. Things that I used to absolutely dread are getting better, for example tracting. It has been really fun to travel way out of the cities and talk with different people. Last night we traveled out to Zgierz and did tracting in a beautiful neighborhood right next to this green forest. (too bad my computer erased the pictures). The people who answered were actually decently friendly, and we had a couple of conversations at gates. I am really hoping we find a family amongst all of our newfound tracting places, that would be amazing!!!

New Hair Cut

So I need to be less stuborn and admit more of the miracles we are seeing. I feel like I might downplay miracles sometimes just because they are not what I am looking for or "walk on water" status, but when we look for them they are really there. To start off with, in all of our searching in the past couple of weeks in and out of Lódż we finally have two new investigators. We met one on a whiteboard a couple of weeks ago and had an interesting conversation on the street.  He has a ton of potential. We will probably pass him off to the elders as of right now, but I really think that what we teach can change his life for the better, he also has two young children. I will admit that teaching lessons to investigators is something that has terrified me for most of my mission but now that I understand the language better,  my desire to teach has increased. I truly want and intend to find, teach, and baptize, regardless of my limitations as a missionary. The Lord makes up the rest. I am grateful to see progress in area's that I have previously struggled with such as finding and having a true thriving desire to overcome my nerves and teach it. I am grateful for time to serve my Heavenly Father, and I know that as I do so, I stand alongside with my brother Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that in all of our struggles as missionaries and human beings, we will never experience the persecutions that Christ endured and sufferings he bore while in His earthly ministry and atonement. How he bore it with such grace, humility, love, and longsuffering I do not know, but I know that as we turn to Him, He will show us the way to everlasting life. He is the light of the world, invite him in.


Tuesday we had the cool miracle of running into two previous Poland Warsaw missionaries. Sister Master's, now Sister Murphey and her husband, both served here a couple of years ago. Sister Masters served in the exact cities that I have on my mission thus far, Lódż, Warsaw, and Gdańsk. It was such a blessing to have an opportunity to be uplifted by their conversation and presence. They left my comp and I some treats which was sooooo kind, and then bought my district ice cream. Miracles I say! :D We also had the opportunity to go into Zgierz to teach a part member family about Alma 32 and faith last week. We bought cute little flower seed packets for the mom and her two daughters, and then carrots for daddy, because dad probably doesn’t' want flowers. Then we put a recipe for how to grow your faith on back, so fun! I also showed them pictures of Anni's baptism and Drew's wedding, they were really interested. It was a blessing to be able to share that with them, lessons like that have helped me to increase my desire to share, maybe that and the fact that I understand people a little bit better now haha! Go Polish!

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, they were very much appreciated. I booobed when I heard all of the recordings, thanks! :D My district was really kind and let me pick what we are doing for p-day, so we have a fun day planned with bowling and chocolate. Then Sister Bąk my last comp is coming on exchanges tonight! We have a four day exchange and then will get back to our old comps in Warsaw during zone conference on Thursday. It is going to be a good week. I am so blessed. Seriously thank you so much for everything, I love you all dearly and hope that you have a beautiful week. Don't drown in the rain please, haha, I would love to join you all puddle jumping haha! XOXOXO

With Great Love,
Sister Benson

You Can Hear Us Tracting A Mile Away

May 18, 2015 In a Rush
Hey Fam,

So I sat down at our library to leisurely read my emails and then just barely started emailing everyone back, then the lady at the desk got up and said the library is closing early today and we didn't know so I have about five minutes. We might try to finish emailing from another place, but I am not sure so just in case I will send this one really fast.

Nothing much new to report this week. We had President Edgren come and visit us down in Lódż this week. He took us out for lunch and interviews. That was my first time doing that with President so that was fun! We have also been traveling outside of the city more often to try to find new people and maybe even a family to teach. President recommended that we try to get outside of the city centers, so we have been going to new and far places in search. We got pretty far out with our district yesterday to do some tracting, for some reason I thought that the country would be so much more friendly haha. Literally everyone has a german shepherd guard dog that tried to eat us regardless of the thin fence between us. You could tell the Mormons were out tracting because you could hear the dogs going off in the neighborhood next to us on the right, oh that is Elders Wride and Moulder, then on our left the dogs started going off, oh that is Elders Fogg and Garrett. I am sorry not to include many details but you could hear us tracting a mile away.

So Funny!
Love,
Sister Benson

"Beautiful Growth Through Difficult Experiences"

May 11, 2015 Happy Mothers Day
Hello Everyone,

My Beautiful Family Skyping on Mothers Day

Oh boy, I can't even tell you how good it was to talk with the family yesterday. I couldn't stop talking about it for probably an hour. I would even add that it was quite constructive; I don't think I have felt so much like myself for months until skyping. Goodness why don't they let us do that more often. Like every Sunday haha, alright probably for good reasons. Ugh I cannot believe that that actually happened. It was so wonderful to actually be able to have a conversation with my family! You are the best! Love you!
Since I already divulged much of what has been going on I will just give a brief rundown of my last week. Last Tuesday we had zone training in Warsaw, which was a good reminder to me of some things I need to work on. (Pride has been plaguing me). Then I remained behind for exchanges in the wonderful land of Warsaw II, my home land!!! Back in an area that I know and love. I think I had forgotten how much I love the people in that branch. I was able to talk with Kaja, Henryk and Diana, Sławyk, and a couple other branch members and missionaries. We played soccer in the morning, white boarded at the university, ate sushi with Sam Chit, Kaja gave me a delicioius jar of homemade pickles, and so much more. It just felt so so good. The people I had the opportunity to meet and serve with there have left such an impact on me. I think I can work on building more solid relationships with people in this area and I know that Lódż will in time become a good home for me.

Lodz Branch grill. We made flower crowns.

Lately I have really been trying to look up and find that personal conversion. I have always been a decently good girl my whole life. I mostly kept out of trouble, and I have always had a genuine desire to be good. When I decided to serve a mission, one of the main things I wanted to learn was how to make my understanding of the gospel and relationship with God something much more deep and personal. I wanted my testimony to be sure and the ability and desire to help others find their own surety. Sometimes I look at my mission and worry that I have actually gone backwards in personal progress. I feel like the attributes of kindness, love, friendship, and service have in some ways diminished instead of grown. But something that I read in Sister Kosanovich

Sam Chit is so kind, she made us sushi 

's email today really struck me. Since their family is moving a lot of people have been asking her lately if their time in Poland has been "fun". Sister Kosanovich said that her time in Poland was like her mission, filled with "beautiful growth through difficult experiences". I would definitely not describe my mission as "fun" either, though I can say I have been blessed with bright billiant rays of funshine through it all. And so I know as much as I feel like a stranger in a far land, a little lost, trying to seem so strong and sure, the Lord is building me. I know that I am in the place the Lord needed me right now, thank goodness I got that information right and followed those promptings, because I am learning so much. I will return home a better woman.

Thank you so much for all of the love and prayers! Stay strong and trust in the Lord! Happy Mothers Day and have a beautiful week!

Love,
Sister Benson

First Week in Lodz

May 4, 2015
Hey There Family,

Sister Benson and Herrera

So just for a quick update on my first week here in Lódz. My companions name is Sister Cindy Herrera, she is from California, in her second transfer.  She is really sweet. They have a nice sized branch here which is great.  I was excited to move areas, but I forgot how hard it is to transition cities. Everyone looks at the missionaries and expects them to just immediately know what is up, the in's and out's of the branch, and everything else with the spiritual maturity of an apostle. Plus my comp is still trying to figure things out from last transfer, good thing my transnavigational system learns fairly quickly. Top it all off with the language, which yes has gotten better, alas it is still a struggle. A lady in the branch heard me pray yesterday in church and talking with a few other members, afterwards she was like "you translate for your companion, you speak perfect Polish," which of course I really do not. Five minutes later she had taken that statement back haha. It's been a pretty good first week. They have a lot of investigators here in Lódz... just not any that are progressing haha. There is a really cool recently returned missionary here who just got back from serving in Chicago, her name is Dominika and I love her already, hopefully we will become good friends.

Tracting a Bunker

This week we are headed into Warsaw for zone training, and then I will actually be staying behind for exchanges even though it is super early in the transfer. Sister Bąk (my last comp) will be coming back to Lódz with Sister Herrera and I will stay in Warsaw with Sister Gustafson. I am definitely planning on going to see Kaja at some point! Our branch here in this area is also having its first Polski "grill" on Saturday. It's a basically like a Polish version of a barbeque and they are popular here during the warmer months. I am excited!

Last Day in Gdansk

Other than that, I am just trying to catch up with everything going on here. I have a fantastic district comprising of Elder's Wride, Fogg, Garrett, and Moulder and I have some high hopes for this transfer. This area was once upon a time booming, it has huge potential. Please PRAY for my companion and I, and our district to find those who are prepared be baptized and strengthen this branch this transfer. I love my Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ and I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to learn more about my relationship with them by serving a mission and others. I also must add how blessed we truly are. Sitting here on the other side of the world looking at how much good I have around me at home has made me realize how richly blessed I am. Allow God to shape you. The quiet reminder I had this week was that we are individually known, trust Him, and humble yourself enough to let him make more of your life. I love you all and hope you have a good week.
-Sister Benson

Transfers

April 27, 2015

Hello Family,

So this week we got transfer calls!!! It has definitely been in my thoughts for the past couple of weeks, yet I still had no idea what to expect. I have just been praying for President to be inspired as to where I need to be. My transfer here in Gdańsk has been an interesting one, way different than I had expected. Looking back I see unexpected growth, hopefully growth that will remain, but I am being transfered to łodz to finish Sister Herrera's training. Well that one took me by surprise. President had mentioned that he wanted to shake things up this transfer, pretty much he rocked the boat in the entire mission, whitewashing multiple areas and changing everyone around, whoot! When he called on Saturday he said "Sister Benson, pack your bags again." I kinda just laughed because I didn't believe him, then he said it again and I was like... "Wait, what, are you serious President." Apparently he had me staying in Gdańsk all transfer on the transfer board until like the day before transfers, he just didn't feel right about it, so he moved me to Lodz and then slept peacefully all night. Well I will take that one as revelation! The hard part is we have been saying goodbyes all week, but for Sister Bąk, not me, because we knew that she was leaving for sure. Sister Bąk is off to my old area of Warsaw II. Both areas are whitewashing. The branch wasn't too happy, good thing I snapped a few goodbye pictures along the way!
It was a good last week here, Tuesday was a great day. We, as in the Sisters, got to teach district meeting. Then we visited Marynela a member here. After that culture night began. My district and our good friend Stan went and rented a squash court and played a couple of crazy rounds of that. I think I am obsessed, so fun. Then we got to eat some delicious Manekin Należniki! Such a good night! We had the opportunity to visit a lot of our members and less-actives this week in the process of saying goodbye. We went and saw Magda in Sopot, Jósef and Irena, Agnieszka and her kids, Ines, and others. I think I was finally able to look back at this transfer and see that I have formed bonds and done good here, though of course at the time I did not know that I was leaving yet. I am so grateful we got to see them all before we left. I will honestly miss this beautiful city, there are good people here.

Sunday the Shaw's cooked us one last fantastic Sunday dinner. A giant ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, brownies and caramel, umm umm so good! Those Sunday dinners were a blessing this transfer! The rest of the time we have spent cleaning and packing, our apartment is a mess. During cleaning checks on Thursday I was telling Elder Shaw, who was checking out apartment, that my wardrobe was really not safe and about to collapse. He was like meh it will be fine, the landlord can deal with it sometime later. Well Saturday during packing in the evening, after I had taken everything out of it and packed it, I was kneeling on the ground in front of the Wardrobe packing and next thing I know.... Booom, crash, smash, and then there I am getting smashed by this wardrobe. I somehow busted through the back on the other side in the process haha, otherwise it would have flattened me like a bug. Super funny picture and video of that one!
I really look forward to this next transfer, of course there are some nerves of moving, yet mostly anticipation. I think I definitely learned some things that I can do better in my next area. Lodz has a beautiful branch and I am excited for the great missionaries that will be with me in that area.

I can say this transfer I learned to trust in God (trust is more than just believing, it is allowing your actions to reflect that belief you hold). Also I learned that no matter how hard my trials are, I am still so so so blessed in family, friends, potential, and so much more. I think I learned a lot of what not to do's haha. I am grateful for my loving Heavenly Father who knows the plan, and a loving giving Savior. Thank you for all of your support on my mission, I love you all so much!
Kocham Was.Z Miłośćą,