Christ Like Service And Salmonella

Hello Hello!!

I hope everyone's week was amazing. 

This week was quite an actual fever dream for me... literally. 

Monday we had an incredible dinner with two of our ukrainian families in our branch. They are just the best. It started off so funny though. The grandma started talking about celebrities she thought were cute... and she wanted to know who we thought was cute... at first I said absolutely not.... no was not an answer. It became really funny for them/ really awkward for me really fast... I will not be exposing myself further but I will say that their group pick was benedict cumberbatch.... well let's say on a scale of doctor strange to aquaman... there was little to no middle ground. So that was so awkward but also hilarious. After a fun light hearted conversation it was interrupted by a phone call...Honestly, this week was quite sobering. Especially that lesson. When we were wrapping up our conversation about celebrity crushes the grandma got a call from her son. He is in Ukraine right now with his children. They were under attack as they were on the phone. They were headed to their bomb shelter but there were rockets flying over them and hearing explosions around them. I honestly was so lost for words. You could feel the gravity in the room multiply. The rest of the lesson was quite somber. A lot of talk about how we need to be prepared for Poland to be attacked and nuclear bombs... 

The next day my companion got a text from her mum that their town and all of Ukraine had been under attack for nine hours and now there is no power in the whole country. A lot of prayers were said. 

Honestly that was a large focus of our week. And one thing that stood out through it all was the strength and hope found in Jesus Christ. 

We had a lesson taught about forgiveness... the women teaching, her daughter on the front lines tending to the soldiers. That lesson was one of the most powerful lessons of my life. 

The rest of the week was really amazing... other than I got taken out by salmonella for a good 2.5 days. But after that we continued to have amazing lessons about the importance of the gospel and the hope Jesus Christ brings! 

I feel very blessed to be serving around such incredible people. These members here in legnica truly exemplify christlike love and service. In circumstances that are impossible to comprehend.... they constantly are searching to serve and give. 

Sunday brought laughing and fun as always... except it started off with us getting stuck in a small elevator with 8 people... if you know me... I DO NOT do small spaces. For the first bit I was able to keep myself calm... then the glass started to fog... so I lasted a good 45 seconds until the panic set in but I maintained a great poker face. It was like Brother Zan read my mind because he then quite literally ripped open the elevator door and liberated us from our (temporary) glass cage. 

Our branch honestly... another example of how they stand at the ready and are eager to serve. 

We have a brother who is in a wheelchair. One of the other brothers in our branch always brings him to church and helps him with everything... As mentioned earlier our elevator was broken. My companion and I were talking with some members once we had made it up the twelve flights of stairs when all of the sudden one of our members came up with a wheelchair.... once we all realised what was happening we did our best to help. One of us grabbed the door, the other held the wheelchair in place. Then came our two brothers.

I honestly have been reflecting on this a lot. The example of the brother who carried the other and the one who was carried. 

The one who carried did EVERYTHING in his power to make sure his friend could come to church. Not only that but he had the fitness to carry his friend and honestly God gave him the strength to endure... literally. This to me was such an example of always being prepared and willing to serve. 

The second brother who was being carried had the humility to do so! His desire to be in attendance outweighed any "barrier". When help was offered he eagerly accepted. 

There are so many analogies and things to learn from these two brothers. All of which I will let you think about:) 

When we follow our saviour we do not just stand ready to serve but we eagerly prepare and seek for such an opportunity. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!