There's no such thing as coincidences!

The last couple of weeks have been really good, I'm enjoying life here in Kielce its been really fun. Serving with Elder Diarra again has been really fun, he's a really good guy and we've been finding a lot of new people. We also had someone accept an invitation to be baptised this week as well so that's always really special. 

This week we had zone conference and it was really good to go Warsaw again. On the way down I had a crazy experience. We had to go to Kraków the night before as there were no trains for us to get to Warsaw the next day. So we got the train from Kraków to Warsaw and while I was sat down a man came and sat next to me and asked how long I'd been a missionary for. I was really shocked and we got chatting, i said I'd been out for about 16 months, he asked where I was from and I said Manchester etc. and then I proceeded to tell him I had Polish family so it's a privilege to be here and all that good stuff, and then he said that he knew a missionary like me, that he was from Manchester and had Polish ancestry and I was like no wayyyyyyyy do you have a picture, which he did so he showed me the picture and it was my Josef! I couldn't believe it, I was amazed. Just goes to show that there's no such thing as coincidences, all the little things that led to that moment. It's amazing. Heavenly Father really is weaving the tapestries of our lives. 

We've had lots of snow here and it's been super cold, it got down to minus 16 degrees. It's nice to see the snow again. That's my little update for today though.

Love you all, miss you all.

Keep the faith, never give up.

Elder Ashworth x

Happy New Year! 2021!

It's been a while but hello everyone. A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks, i don't remember the last time I sent out a message but here I am. I had a lovely Christmas, I was in a city called Szczecin. We spent the day with the senior couple there and also with a family named the Sorensens'. It was really fun, they fed us some really good food and got to speak and relax a little which isn't really the missionary norm haha. Relaxing is something I struggle to do now hahah, when I have nothing to do I get kind of anxious and need something to do so one thing I've definitely gained on my mission is drive, drive to get up and make a difference in the world, even if its only something small. Shortly after Christmas I moved areas again to a city called Kielce, I've been here since Wednesday and I love it. Josef served here at the beginning of his mission so it's really special for me to be here. I love it already, it honestly reminds me of Oldham haha so it's like home i guess. The apartment is really nice though, it's big and warm and has a really nice shower and the beds are comfy so I'm out like a light when my head hits the pillow haha. New years was also fun, we worked hard during the day and then we got to stay up at night and watch the fireworks which was nice. It was a special night though, because when it hit midnight and the fireworks started flying, it was like a weight had been lifted from the world, it was as though hope had filled the hearts of the people and I know I was definitely filled with hope, that 2021 will be a better year, the sun will shine a little brighter, people will smile a little wider and we'll all be able to have hope for a better world.

Recently there's been a scripture that has stirred my heart each time I've read it. Recently my gratitude for the Restoration has grown so much. As I reflected on what it is that I'm grateful for, I read this verse and it expressed my feelings much greater than I can. They were penned by Joseph Smith as he was refined to a home, hiding from those who sought his life. In such uncertain times, this is what he wrote,

"Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy."

I love this verse. This is the joy that we can all have, regardless of circumstances. I particularly love the words, "a voice of mercy from heaven ; and a voice of truth out of the earth." Mercy from heaven and truth out of the earth. We all need mercy, and we know how we can seek that mercy because of the truth we've received out of the earth. I know that God is a merciful God, and He extends that mercy to us so freely. We need only turn to Him. These words give me hope, and I hope they can give you all hope too.

Miss you all, hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a happy new year,

Starszy Ashworth x