Losing Yourself In the Service Of Others
Yesterday, I taught Relief Society. We discussed several things on the topics of service, love, and unity. One of my favorite quotes that was shared was from the Teachings of Gordon B Hinckley manual: "The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best medicine for despair is service. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired." I loved that! It is so true. We also talked a lot about why us missionaries are so happy, too! It really is because we are completely focused on other people--I have never been so happy in my life! It was such a neat lesson to teach--at the end, everyone went around and said one example of when someone has offered them service and how it has blessed them...over half of the room was in tears at the end! One small act of kindness really can leave such a big impact on someone!
My Polish Grandma Murphy & the Temple
We visit this really cute lady here in Gdansk around two times a week. For all of you who know my Grandma Murphy, this lady is HER to a tee (probably the reason I love her so much). Our branch has been focusing a lot on the temple and trying to get as many members there as we can. Unfortunately, from Gdansk, the Freiberg, Germany temple is about 8 hours away by car (which a majority of the members here don't have). We were talking to my cute Polish grandma about the temple in our last meeting and she just started crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "hang on, give me a second" and then left the room. She came back a few seconds later with a little, old beaten-up envelope she grabbed from her bedside table. She told me to open it. I did, and to my surprise, it was a temple recommend from 1996! Before I was even born! I asked her why she still had this piece of paper. She said, "I have never been able to go to the temple--for one reason or another. Sometimes it is too far to travel, sometimes my health isn't good enough to bare the trip, etc. But I have always kept this piece of paper near and dear to me...always within sight and always kept it a goal to stay worthy of the possibility of going there". I was just about in tears! How special--a goal we all should always have.
Well, that's all for today.
I hit my halfway on Wednesday. WEDNESDAY. How did that go so fast?? Elder Anderson from the Quorum of the 12 is coming to speak in Warsaw that day, too! What a treat.
I'll sign off with a joke Dooley dropped during district meeting this week: "What happens when a cow jumps over a barbed wire fence?"--"Utter Destruction". It had me in literal tears.
have a great week!
siostra talia beem
ul. Wiertnieza 135, 1 Pietro
02-952 Warszawa Poland
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| The Polish countryside... |
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| Since Gdansk is a "beach town" Tal ran into some of her Warsaw friends... |
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| Teaching Primary:) |
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| Sopot sand. |
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| The Baltic Sea. |
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