Actually this Tuesday is Mikolaj day---the day the celebrate St. Nickolas. So the kids get gifts on Tuesday and on Christmas.

This has been a good week here in Gdansk. We have seen small miracles each day. We have had a lot of adventures. The best news was hearing that Karolina was baptized! The elders also had a meeting in Warsaw so that meant we got mail. I must say I have the best family ever. It was so great to get all the notes from the cousins from Thanksgiving. It sounds like everyone is super busy. It was also great to hear about all of the missionaries from Murray. I also got a great letter from Gary, Sister Whitbeck (she goes home a week before me) and Gabby and a great thanksgiving note from Sister Goodloe, and from Alex. I seriously thought it was Christmas already. I also got the small package sent to the mission office. Don't worry I haven't opened it yet.

Surprisingly, we haven't had any snow yet. In fact we had one day this week where we both decided it was colder in July than it was in December. Crazy- but it is starting to get cold again. Last night was definitely cold.


Okay so like I said that we have had small miracles everyday, well to name a few. We met with a less active on Saturday. She hadn't been to church in a year but we had a really good meeting. We challenged to fast with us and we ended the meeting starting our fast together. She told us she would come to church and SHE DID! It was amazing. The members were so excited to see her. She is sweet lady who I already love. We were talking about hope and she told us that every night she says her prayers and than writes three blessings in life from that day. She told us it could be simple things but as she prayers she remembers the best things of her day. Then when she has a bad day she reads her journal and remembers how blessed she is. It is a great challenge for all of us. Write three things down where we have seen God's hand in our lives and you will find it.

This week Sister McAdams and I learned the lesson of having a good back up plan. We had a meeting set up to meet with a mom and we were super excited about it. But we planned exactly where we wanted to tract if she wasn't there. Well, sadly she gave us a bad address and as frustrating as that was we went to plan b without delay. The last door (always the last) we knocked on a mom opened the door with two kids playing in the background. As we were talking to her, the husband came home from work. They both agreed to start reading the Book of Mormon and set up to meet with us this week. It was a great blessing. (And we know it is a real address :).

I have also seen miracles as the Lord puts people in our path. I have been trying more to contact on trams and using all the time we have. It has been amazing to see how people have been placed and sometimes when I struggling with a way to start talking to them. They ask me for directions and that starts the conversation going.

Each day we are asked how Poland is different than America. Of course we have the culture and language but the more I have been here, the more I see that everywhere is the same. We all have problems and struggles no matter where we live. That what is so cool about being able to share the gospel. It has the answers to help everyone. People ask why we came all the way from America to an already Christian country. We tell them that we have missionaries all over the world doing the exact thing we are doing. It has been great to be able to say that I have friends in the Ukraine, Philippines, and the states right now sharing this message. That it is for everyone. It is amazing to be a part of it.

Poland got some great news this last week. Elder Christofferson will be coming in the beginning of March. All the members are invited to come and hear him. I am so excited I am going to be here for that.

Well I am doing great and love being here in Gdansk. Sorry for the scattered email. But I love you all. The mail was amazing! Remember write 3 things a day!

Love Siostra Steadman

Santa speaks Polish

Once again I am shocked out how fast time is flying. This week has been a great week with many miracles---small but amazing in a life of a missionary.

City of Gdansk.

The first miracle was that we received an referral from the office. In other words someone personally contacted the church and wanted to find out more. GOLD! This is only the second time I had received a referral from the office. The first time didn't come to anything. It is like getting a golden platter and not wanting to break it. Anyway we went the next day to visit the lady. She told us she found a flyer (they really work!) and is interested in learning more. Unfortunately she is leaving for the holidays, but we are set up to come back after the holidays. Feeling really excited about that. We received another text from the office giving us one more referral---another lady who wanted a Book of Mormon and to talk to missionaries. Wahoo! We talked to her and she is also leaving for the holidays, but wants to meet after as well. I don't think they were expecting us to contact so fast. Then much to our surprise we received two more referrals from the office the next day. We have been leaving flyers with everyone and everywhere and it is working! The last two referrals were two girls. The first one we called on the domophone and told her who we were and that we had a book of Mormon for her. She asked "how do you have my information." I think we scared her that we had her name, number, address, and age and she had no idea why. We are not sure how that worked. But she talked to us for a little bit and took a Book of Mormon. Then the next girl opened the door and took the Book of Mormon and said I have been expecting this! Referrals are the best.



Our second miracle is that Sister McAdams and I had our first member lesson in Gdansk! It was with Lidia and Sister Jadwiga ( less active). It was amazing. Sister Jadwiga wants so bad to be like Halina who was her member on lessons. We met Sister Jadwiga and traveled half way there together. I was trying to keep up with her as she ran for a tram. Did I mention she is a grandma? Really it is exciting to see Sister Jadwiga get excited about sharing the gospel. We are going to meet with her tonight and talk about the great role she can pray to be on the mission. Last week was her first week in church in a year and she came again this week.



Our third miracle is that Lidia is starting to see the Book of Mormon bless her life. She likes to read to find greater peace. We asked her how she felt about the Book of Mormon and she told us that when she was wondering if it was a good book she opened up and read Alma 32. It answered her question. I love when investigators find for themselves answers to life questions. She is doing great!



Fourth miracle. We had our first person in Church this week. Ania- she is a girl we contacted a couple weeks ago. She got lost and never showed up to our meeting. But we decided to call her once more on Saturday. It was her last chance. She agreed to come to church and she came! She stayed for all of it and liked it. We are meeting with her this week.



Fifth huge time miracle. Yesturday morning Sister McAdams answered a phone call from Jan. He asked to speak to Elder Leimer who served here 15 months ago. He said he had some business with him and wanted his number. He didn't really explain what business. She didn't really know what to tell him so we called the DL and asked if we could give him Elder Leimer's number. I then called him later that day to ask him exactly what business. He said "basically I just want to get baptized." I was meeting with the Elders and that was the last thing we talked about, and then I got in an accident and I was in the hospital and now I am just able to get around. MIRACLE. The elders are set up to meet with his this week. I will let you know how it goes. Not a common phone call.



This week we also cleaned the church and dear sweet Sister Halina did almost all the work. She is a 85 year old who just never stops. I was vacuuming and she came and took the vacuum away and told me to sit down and rest. This is after she had already cleaned both bathrooms and before she got on hands and knees to wash the steps. She is amazing.



This week we also had a day in Sopot. It was a day that seemed to drag on and feel not very productive. Until we got home and realized that we had met 7 potentials in the one day. Miracle. We also met Santa Claus who does speak Polish. HO HO HO Dzien Dobry!

Gdansk skyline.This week we do have Christmas Zone Conference. Ours will be in Poznan. which is 7 and half hour train ride. So we will be heading down tomorrow and staying with the sisters down there. We are excited. However we are traveling back on Wednesday after zone conference. That will be a long trip.

It is true! I did get my package! I also got something from Sister Bautner-- very sweet. She is getting married in a couple of days. Also I heard from Sister Selph. Tell her thanks---it was very thoughtful. I got your letters from the other missionaries. They are great.



Well those are just a few of the miracles we have had in our life this week. Miracles happen everyday if you just look for them. I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week.