. Lexi in Poland .: God created us to feel joy :)

Dear Family and Friends,

Another week full of so much to tell! :) No time to waste!!

So... last week I told you all about my wonderful friends, Izella and Aydin, that we had planned to meet with this past week! Well... We did! :) Those two meetings were definitely highlights of my week. The Lord really leads us to those who He needs us to find. I don't know the whole reason why I was led to Izella and Aydin, but I can tell you right now that they have already touched my heart so much. I am so grateful for them. :)

Our meeting with Izella was so wonderful! She was just overjoyed to see us, and was so welcoming! She welcomed us into her cute house, made sure we had our fair share of little cookies and chocolate, and asked us all there is to know about ourselves! I love her :) Siostra Craig and I were able to talk to her a little bit about the Plan of Salvation, and she was so amazed by it. It was so wonderful to me to watch her as we talked about it, and to see how intently she was listening to every word we said. Her husband passed away a few years back, and I just know that she has been waiting for the peace and hope that this gospel brings for so long. She is WONDERFUL, and I'm so blessed to know her! We plan to go back to see her again this week, and teach her more about the Plan of Salvation. :)

Aydin!! Oh man, he is amazing! If you don't remember him, he is the young man I met on the bridge last week! :) Siostra Craig and I met up with him this past week, and were able to show him our chapel, and get to know him a little bit! It was amazing to me to see his expressions as he walked around our chapel. He grew up in Turkey, and explained a lot to us about the culture and religions there, and was just in awe about the simplicity and reverence of our little chapel. :) After we showed him around, we were able to sit down with him and teach him about the Restoration. That was probably one of the most amazing experiences I have had on my mission. The more we explained to him, the more the spirit filled that room. Throughout the entire meeting he would say things like, "Wow! This is incredible!" and "Yes! Yes! That totally makes sense!" He had so many questions, and it was incredible to see him find the answers to those for himself. :) One of my favourite moments of that meeting was at the beginning when we were talking to him about how we pray. He taught us how Muslims pray, and after I asked if I could say a prayer to Begin our lesson, and he said "of course!" So, Siostra Criag and I bowed our heads and said a prayer, and I'm pretty sure he just stared at us the entire time. When we finished, we looked up and he just said, "Wow... That was amazing..." and just couldn't stop smiling. :) It was amazing, and the spirit I felt during that lesson was one I've only felt a few Times on my mission! The kind of feeling you get in meetings like that is the kind that you never forget. It's the kind that you look back on, and can never deny. This week I've just been incredibly grateful for the joy and blessings that have come from acting on spiritual promptings. :) I can't imagine how different things would be if I hadn't followed through with that prompting I got to go talk to Aydin on the bridge! Never deny a spiritual prompting. :)

We also had an incredible meeting with our investigator, Ewa. She is the cutest little blonde haired blue eyed mom ever :) She recently had a good friend at her work pass away, and has had a lot of questions about what we believe about life after death. We were able to go over to her home this week with our senior couple, Elder and Sister Tufts, and teach Ewa the Plan of Salvation. This was another one of those meetings that I will never forget. Ewa is so spiritual, and to see the hope that came into her eyes as we talked about God's plan for us was one of those moments I wish I could bottle up and keep forever. It was absolutely incredible, and I love her so much! The Lord is so aware of us, and knows us perfectly. He loves us enough to give us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it- not when we THINK we need it, but when He KNOWS we need it. He loves us enough to be patient with us, and give us the things we need little by little. :)

One of my new favourite quotes I found this week in a talk from Prezydent Uchtdorf's general conference talk. It says, "Bóg nie stworzył nas po to, byśmy byli smutni. Stworzył nas, abyśmy odczuwali radość." Which in English means, "God did not create us to be sad, He created us to feel joy." :) I have that quote written on my daily planner, and look at it every day. This week I have really experienced that joy that the Lord created us to feel. There is nothing better, and I promise you that the best joy you will ever find is found in this gospel. His gospel. My family, my friends, my beliefs, all the happiness I have ever had, every blessing I've ever received... I've been given through the gospel. And that gospel has really truly come to me while being on my mission. I owe everything I have to this gospel, and I'm so grateful for it. :)

I hope you all had an amazing week!! Find joy in each day, and bring that joy you find to others. :) I love you all, and I know the Lord does too. :)

∞,

Siostra Kamp

Remember how I said Anna told us she was going to get us crocs to wear around as house slippers? Well.... :)

Anna!! We love her so much!