Poland is very cool.

This week has been really good, probably one of my best since I've been here. I've had a couple of tough weeks but this week I've really focused on being happy and trying to find joy no matter what my circumstance is. My mum sent me a really good quote from President Hinckley about happiness, about looking deeply and searching for the good in life, and that's what I've done, and it's helped me to realise that happiness is a mindset. Of course we're not going to be happy and bouncy and smiling every day, but we can always be grateful for something, and we can see all the good in life that God has blessed us with. It takes time too, but all things that are worth it require work and time and effort. If we want happiness we have to seek it, we cannot wait for it to show up, it has to be something that we look for.

 I've been making a lot of friends here in Łódź. I'm really growing a love for the people here. There are 2 people in my ward who I adore, they're both a bit older but I just love them so much! It's a funny thing really, but when Heavenly Father let's you catch a glimpse of what He sees it just changes everything, these people are children of God, we all are, and when we see people that way our love for them grows and grows. Łódź is my home now, it's a funny place, sometimes scary, sometimes I feel like I'm back in the 60s or whatever but I love it! 

We're still going to the handicapped school as well, I love going there and seeing the smiles on people's faces, they're usually quite happy to see us but I think I love it more than they do. We had zone conference this week too, it was really good and I'm glad I got to see all my mission friends, especially my boy Starszy Jensen. It was also tłusty czwartek which is fat Thursday and the whole nation just eats donuts haha. I only managed 5 but as a mission we ate a total 655 donuts. These things aren't small either.

 My Polish is alright as well, but all thanks goes to Heavenly Father. I've been having good conversations with people, and I can understand maybe about 50-60% of what people say lol. Still scares me but it's actually quite fun being new to something. 

To finish off, I wanted to share something from the scriptures that really touched my heart, and grew my love and adoration for the Saviour. It's in the book of St. John in the New Testament. It's after Christ's resurrection and He appears to Mary as a resurrected being. The account says,
"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

I loved this account because of the way that the Saviour reaches out to Mary. He appears to her as a resurrected being after doing what no man had ever done before, or ever could do, and rather than introducing Himself as the Risen Lord, proclaiming Himself and His glory, He simply calls Mary by name. This is when the realisation hits, and she recognises that it's her Saviour that stands before her. She recognised the love in His voice, the care, the kindness, the compassion and His gentleness. He reached out in the most Christ-like way possible, by ministering to the one. The Saviour teaches us a lesson here on how we should reach out to others and how we should minister. We need to do it in the same loving, caring and individual way. Let people know that they matter, let them know that you love them, and know them and care for them.

In short, try to be more like your Saviour because He's the best.

Love you all and speak to you all soon.

Starszy Ashworth x 

An okay week.

This week was an okay week. Missionary life is busy, sometimes repetitive, actually mostly repetitive but I wouldnt want to be anywhere else. Some days have been tough this week, it feels like you're pushed to your limits but I'm always reminded of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me. No matter what he's there, He hears the silent pleadings of our hearts and He helps us in our quest to become more like Him.

We visited the handicapped school again which was really fun, always boosts the spirits and helps me to see all the things I should be grateful for. We also had one of those cool missionary things happen where someone just rocks up to the chapel and asks to be taught. It finally happened to me lol. Good times. Only a short one but speak to you all soon. Peace

I bought some T90's!

So for those of you don't know what T90s are, they are some of the most legendary football boots ever and I found a brand new pair for about 20 quid haha. So when I actually get the chance to play football I'm gonna be like Rooney, Henry and Bergkamp mixed into 1 player. That also probably made no sense to most who will read this hahaha, but basically I'm just really excited that I found my favourite football boots ever. Oh, they were also the only pair left and they were in my size. Happy days.

For the week, I've been busy, it's been the usual contacting and meeting with people and all that good missionary stuff. 

On Thursday, a Babcia from the ward came and made us some Polish food at the chapel for FHE and it was amazing. It was basically a cornish pasty (if you don't know what that is then look it up) and then she made some barszcz for us which is beetroot soup and I actually loved it which I never thought I'd say haha.

Also, last week for the first time in forever I did leg day and I have been regretting it now for 4 days and counting haha. I've literally been struggling to stand up and walk about haha and I can hear my dad saying, 'get on with it you wuss,' hahah. That makes my dad sound really mean but he's not, he's the best and coolest dad ever.

So for personal study this week I've been mixing it up with Plan of Salvation study, the Restoration study and then reading all of the scriptures from the topical guide about the Saviour and it's been really good, and so many times this week I've been reminded of the mercy of our Heavenly Father in providing for us a Saviour who came to Earth to rescue us, to literally save our souls and allow us to one day enter into the rest of our God. There's a quote from Elder Jeffrey R Holland that I just love and it says,

"That first Easter sequence of Atonement and Resurrection constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of the world. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life." 

It's so powerful and so true! 

I'd love to hear from you all! I hope you all have lovely weeks.

Starszy Ashworth x 

I Got Called Fat!

Cześć wszystkim!

This week has flown by again haha, I don't know where the time is going. I've finished my first transfer which is crazy to think. It's been a very busy week, we've had so much to do but it's been nice to have a busy schedule haha. Our investigator/friend, not sure what the technical term is haha, is sooooo cool! We had another meeting this week with him and he brought 2 friends with him which is the best. It was funny because his two friends didn't actually know eachother, he just brought them both along with him and they got to know eachother at the meeting haha. It was fun though, it's nice to have some friends finally that we can meet with and hopefully we can share with them the glad message of the restored gospel.

We do service at a handicapped school and it's my favourite part of the week. They are all so happy and when I'm with them I can feel the light and the love of Christ in abundance. They take joy in the simple things, and it's so inspiring for me. They don't have much, they're held back by the limitations of their minds and their bodies but they are so full of love and happiness.

I guess my only funny story from this week is that I got called fat hahahah, I made the mistake of showing a lady my pictures of my family before the mission and she looked at me, and in english said, 'you are more fat now.' You love to see it haha.

There's a really good talk by Jeffrey R Holland called how do I love thee? It was given at BYU and it made me really think. As I thought about my Saviour I asked, 'how do I love thee?'
The answer is how did Christ love me? We can show our love for our Saviour, our Heavenly Father and all of His children by loving the way Christ loved. While we'll never have to bleed from every pore, and suffer on the cross, we can still give of our time and our efforts and our love to others. We can still be kind, patient, gentle and compassionate in the way He was. We learn in Acts that He simply went about doing good. Christ is the perfect example in all things, and so if we're ever wondering how we can better love others, how we can better serve others, if we're ever wondering 'how do I love thee?' just remember 'how did He love me?'

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Have a blessed week everyone!

Starszy Ashworth x