I love that I'm a representative of Jesus Christ

Another week down and I'm pretty much half way through my time here at the MTC. It's safe to say that I can't wait to get out to Poland, I'm literally so excited to get there, just 4 and a half weeks to go now! To say I've already been here for a month is pretty crazy, but I really am loving every minute of it. I love that I'm a representative of Jesus Christ, in everything that I do and say I stand as a witness of Him, it really gives me confidence to know that he is with me until the end. 

This week has been filled with so many good experiences, but in particular I've just been filled with gratitude for the prophet Joseph Smith, I have felt again and again that he truly did restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth, and he really did see god the father and his son Jesus Christ. My favourite thought from this week was shared in a devotional on Tuesday. The first words that were spoken by heavenly father in the grove of trees were "Joseph, this is my Beloved Son, hear him!" Despite all that was to follow, we see that first and foremost this was an answer to a humble and sincere prayer from God. It was the beginning of a great and marvellous time, but it shows us that Heavenly father knows us by name, he cares for us and he answers our prayers, he knows our hearts and our desires, he knows our sorrows and our pains. This truth applies to all people, heavenly father knows you and he loves you. 

On another note, my Polish is improving. It's a slow progress but its progress nonetheless so I can't complain. I can testify of my Saviour and the restoration and the plan of salvation so I should be okay. I miss you all and I'll speak soon. 

Starszy Ashworth x 

My mum and dad are in Poland right now!

Hello everyone.

This week has been another good week again, and it's flown by! That'll probs be what I'm saying each week because honestly it's so weird to think that I'm already into my 4th week. The Polish keeps on improving, we've learned past tense which is really useful but it's still a bit tricky to get my mind around it, but learning the language is so fun and it's starting to make so much sense which is really nice and I just really love it. 

My mum and dad are in Poland right now which I'm jealous about but that'll be me soon and I'll be sharing the glad message of the gospel of Jesus Christ so I'm really excited for that, it's going to be so fun. 

It's been another pretty busy week, most days are the same, we wake up and study then eat, then it's exercise time and then we have study again, then we have lunch and then class then another study period, then dinner and then class again and then we go to bed. This might sound really full on, but when you have a language to learn and you're learning how to teach people etc. then you realise how important it is. Also when you realise the work that you're doing and realise that you're a representative of Christ you feel like you can do anything and you just forget yourself and go to work. I've been working on this as well, having the character of Christ, turning my focus from myself to others. I don't want to learn the language for my own benefit, nor do I want to become a good teacher for my own benefit, I want these things so that I can help others come unto Christ and receive the restored Gospel. 

The devotionals this week have been really good, I've really enjoyed them. What stood out most to me is something that has been said quite a lot recently and that is that we chose to be here at this time, we pled with the Father to be saved for this time, to be part of this great and marvelous work, and I just think that it's so cool. 

Also we each have talents and gifts that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. Find out what these gifts are, use them to help and lift others and you'll find happiness in doing so. One of the speakers also mentioned the story of Enoch, which is a personal favourite of mine. I love His example of humility and how the lord works through the meek and the humble. I've had a lot of great experiences this week while studying, learning more of gods love for me and learning more of the saviours atonement. I ask that when in need, when you feel lonely or feel that life is unfair, turn to Christ, the shepherd of our souls, the author and finisher of our faith, the Lamb of God. Do as the great book of mormon prophet Alma did, and cry out in your hearts, "O Jesus, thou son of God, have mercy on me." He will be there to calm your troubled heart, wipe away your tears and shoulder your burdens with you, that they may be made light.

Speak soon.

Starszy Ashworth

"the night is dark and I am far from home"

Hello everyone!

Another week down and its absolutely flown by. The Polish has been coming along so much better, I can put together my own sentences which is really fun, and then last night we taught 2 20 minute lessons alllll in Polish which was really nerve wracking at first but I actually ended up really enjoying it and it made me realise how much Polish we've actually learned. 

The class time is getting a bit more fun, we're really starting to get into the grammar and things like that so it's getting interesting. We got to go to the temple last week and we get to go again today which I'm really looking forward to, it's fun to take the walk to the temple and get away from the MTC haha. I helped out yesterday with new missionaries.  It was a really nice experience.  I prayed for service opportunities and I feel like that was one.  

Quentin L Cook and his wife came and spoke as well on Tuesday which was the best, it was so good and I feel as though so many prayers were answered, he spoke about the importance of having a testimony of the Saviour and how this is the most important thing we can share with the people we meet. There were other things of course but this is what stood out to me the most. I also joined the MTC choir lol but it's actually really fun, and I got to sing for Quentin L Cook which was a good experience. We sang Lead Kindly Light which has become one of my favourite hymns, there's a line "the night is dark and I am far from home" and this is quite similar to how you feel as a missionary, but I know that the Lord is always with me. 

So yeah I'm doing alright, I'm having fun, I'm making loads of friends and I'm learning about my Saviour every day so I can't complain haha.

Elder Ashworth x 

Lead Kindly Light

https://youtu.be/PnIYLEXHeFk

General Conference was amazing!

Hello everyone, It's finally P-day so I can speak and tell you how my first week has been. Its been a very up and down week but it's been good for the most part. Adjusting to life has been pretty tough, Waking up at 6:30 has been easy hahah but having 2 guys with you allllllllll the time is definitely going to take some getting used to.   Also the language is extremely hard but I'll get there, looking back on it though I've made some really good progress to say I've only been here a week. I can introduce myself, I can say a prayer and  I can testify of a few things, so I'd say that I'm doing alright. 

I've made a ton of friends, I think being English has helped, but I just get along with people really well. 

General conference was amazing, the speakers were so inspired and as a missionary it was like every word was relevant hahaha, we watched all of the sessions and they went by so fast! There's a lot that I took from it but here's the main thing. Nephi, Moses and the brother of Jared were all commanded by God to cross the sea, but their means of doing so were all different, they each did it in a different way. This is much like us today, we are all called to gather Israel, but our means of doing so are all unique to our individual selves. Our Heavenly Father has given us each unique personalities and characters and talents, so use them! This was such an amazing message and one I won't forget. 

I also loved how there was such a huge theme of becoming more like our Saviour and staying on the covenant path, there was so much that I learned and I really could go on forever. 

Until next time.

Starszy Ashworth.

Good-byes are tough!

Tuesday 1st October  was an emotional one.  We had a really early start , in fact we never went to bed  Monday night we pulled an all nighter.  We left the house at 3am to get to Manchester Airport.

People that came to the airport:-  mum, dad, Ben, Naomi, Josef, Abi, Jake, Aunty Jill and Grandma.

Checked in pretty easy, took some photos and then walked to departure area where we had to say good-bye - lots of tears and hugs and kisses.  A wave of the hand and off I went.