Start of New Beginnings!

Hello Family and Friends!!!

I am committing myself to write this email first so that I can get in all the details of the week. Oh man, it was a great week. We were able to serve one extra week together as the traveling trio, and it has been crazy awesome!! 

View of Vilnius

So on Monday we ate at the TV tower to get a huge view of our city Vilnius! It is such a pretty city and so cool to be able to look at it all. On Tuesday we met with a young student named Jonas. He actually committed to a baptismal date in July! He still isn't sure if God is even there but is willing to find out.  He has great love for his family and is trying to follow Christ. That night we were able to be with a member as she opened up her mission call to serve in Finland! It was such a great experience to support another missionary being sent out from Vilnius!
That night we met with a student who is from Nigeria. She is very strong in her Christian religion and shared a lot of her thoughts with us. She has great faith in Christ and hope that we can still meet with her. 

On Wednesday we met with an older investigator who happens to be pretty rich and happy with life. Or at least he thinks :) It was kind of a struggle to get our message out because he loves to talk, but the Lord helped us through. Then we were able to meet with a couple of less active members who are so great. I truly love them so much and am thankful for the faith they have. We met with Sergei, who is a new investigator, and he is super strong in the Catholic church but willing to learn more about the gospel.

On Thursday we met with Rojus who is really struggling right now. He has read a lot of anti mormon material and isn't sure if God exists. It was a heart wrenching lesson because of how Satan has worked so hard on him, but my testimony was strengthened in my knowledge that God does truly exist because I have seen His love in my life. He has answered every one of my prayers in His way and timing. The Book of Mormon is His true word on the earth today. If anyone will read the Book of Mormon even with a desire to believe, they can know that it is true because God does live today. We were also able to meet with Danas!!! He is super awesome!!! He is working towards baptism in June, and we are so excited for him. He has received a lot of signs from God that this is His true church and is willing to act on them. He is still waiting for a really big one, but the spirit truly speaks to each of us through soft and simple ways. We were able to meet with him again on Friday to talk about some of God's commandments! He is progressing really well. He even came to church on Sunday and stayed for all 3 hours!!! 

On Saturday we received transfer calls! I will be in North East in the apartment where we have been in Vilnius, Sister Griffin will be in Vilnius East, and Sister Hodson will be going back to Kaunas. I am so excited to be able to stay in Vilnius but will definitley miss Kaunas. I am so thankful that i was able to serve there for a few weeks; it is an awesome city with so many great people. On Sunday we had church in Vilnius and then traveled to Kaunas where we will be for a couple days until we go to Riga to pick up the 5 new sisters!! We are all so excited for them coming. 

I truly know that God knows us each individually and that He loves us so much. Every day is a blessing from Him. Through our hardest trials is when He supports us the most. I know that He speaks with us through His Holy Spirit. He will answer our prayers because He is our Heavenly Father. I know that Christ lives today and that this is His true and restored gospel. Through the atonement of Christ we can truly change and become new, cleaned from sin and guilt. I know that God loves us.

I love you all so much. Have a wonderful week!

Su meile, Sese Dzerman

Our last district picture in Vilnius before transfers. 

Our Vilnius Ward Missionaries

The two Vilnius districts, old districts :)

Zone Conference with all the Lithuanian Missionaries.
Labas, Elders & Sisters!

These are some of the Lord’s finest missionaries! 

We love you and love being with you! Keep making a SPLASH!

Love,

President & Sister Harding

Summer!

Us in the Vilnius church.

Hi everyone!

We had such a fantastic and warm week here in Lithuania. We were in Kaunas the first half and Vilnius the second half. It was super great! The sun is shining all day now, and I love it. It doesn't go down until about 10 and comes up at least by 5, probably earlier. Definitley the best thing ever, and it will only get better :)
We were able to meet with a few of our investigaotors this week. Rojus has committed to read the whole book of mormon in about 10 days, so we are super excited because we know he will receive a sure answer from our Heavenly Father that it is His word. Any that reads and prays to know if the Book of Mormon is true will receive the answer taht it is. I love that book so much!! It is a huge blessing in our lives. We were also able to meet with Danas who is willing to be baptized if he receives the answer that this is God's true church. God wants to and will tell everyone if they ask of Him. He answered my prayer and will answer everyone, even his children in Lithuania :) On Sunday John and Rojus came to church! We had District Conference, so all of the members from Lithuania came here to Vilnius, there were so many people. I loved it so much. Feeling everyone's spirit and seeing the strength of the members here filled me with happiness. We have so much power as God's children who enjoy the blessing of the gospel in these latter days. On Friday we had zone conference, so President Harding and his wife visited us for a few hours. We received lots of great revelation about recognizing God's blessings in our lives. Not only recognizing, but better receiving them by putting away sin and focusing on the good. I testify that God never gives us a bad day, we are the ones who choose our attitude. I love you all!

Love Sese Dzerman

​Donuts in Kaunas.

Kauno Pilis-Kaunas Castle.

Kaunas Pilis (Castle)

So cool!

We tried using the camera timer. . . 

Then we got some help.

Another church across from the castle.

This is in centre of Kaunas.

Walking down Laisves Aleja in Kaunas.

View after walking out from the big white church. And my two cute companions.

Here is the white church in Kaunas at the end of our street.

This is inside the church.

Another picture from inside.

Inside another cool church in Kaunas.

Inside the church.

Part of the same church.

In Kaunas I think? 

More of Kaunas.

Our Kaunas district!

Last picture with Kaunas district.  So sad.

The Strength of the Spirit

I just love being a missionary! We were able to meet with a few of our investigators this week, and it was super awesome! Relying on the spirit is definitley key as we try to help others come unto Christ. On Tuesday we met with an investigator who loves the new testament. He isn't able to meet with us too often, so it was a blessing. He is very religious and just needs to read from the Book of Mormon in order to gain a testimony of it. He could teach a sermon all day with the fastest speaking skills you have ever heard. 

On Wednesday we traveled to Riga for a conference with President. We talked about finding skills and how to better gain trusting relationships with the people that we meet each day. On Thursday we had a lesson with Rojus, who accepts the gospel. He justdoesn't have his sure answer yet that this is Christ's church. I truly know that if he prays for an answer with real intent, he will receive one. That is God's promise to us all. We were also able to meet with Danas, who is so sensitive to the spirit. Because he is a past drug addict he is really aware of his feelings. He feels the spirit so deeply, and it is so cool to see. He asks us about it all the time! I have never had that happen before! After teaching english we were able to meet with a less active and have a lesson with a young student outside across from the church. God is truly a God of mercy. On Friday we met with an investigator who is accepting the gospel, but not willing to act. I know that agency is a gift from God, but if we put in the effort to truly seek if the gospel is true, we will receive that answer that it is. 

I once again prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have read it a few times, but I wanted a direct answer. I received that direct answer from God. We all can if we ask sincerely, with real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ.  We are God's children, so of course He will answer every prayer. I know it is the word of God.

On Saturday we met with Rojus again and skyped two investigators in Kaunas. Each needs to act in order to know that the Book of Mormon is true. On Sunday Danas came to chruch and after partaking of the sacrament, he asked why he was smiling so much! He thought that he had been drugged because he felt the spirit so strongly. He couldn't understand where all his joy was coming from. It was such a cool expereince for us to see! The sacrament is powerful if we let it be. We are promised to always have God's spirit to be with us, and we really need His spirit all week long! I testify that God gives us His spirit to help us in our daily lives. We gain that spirit through partaking of the sacrament each week. As we better honor the sabbath day, we will see the difference in the rest of days throughout our week. I love you all so much, have a great week!

Su meile, Sese Dzerman

Studying on our warm balcony.

Laisves Aleja.

All the restaurants put out their summer seating-looks just like Europe.

All the trees are green on Laisves Aleja!

Laisves Aleja

On our trip to Riga, just some cute houses in a town we stopped in.

Another cute house.

Coming into Riga.

So many of these cover all the fields right now.

Lots of green fields too.

Church in Riga!! So pretty!!

Leaving Riga.

On our way to the garden in a taxi :)

A cute garden with plants.

Us sisters in the Japanese Garden.

More of the Japanese Garden.

Pretty ponds everywhere.

So many pretty flowers.

The stable house where horses were kept a long time ago.

Spring Time is here!

Lithuania is all green and yellow! Spring is so pretty here! There is green grass everywhere and tons of dandelions for everyone to enjoy. I just love being here and seeing it all, can't believe how warm and great the weather is!

Dandelions on the way to the Kaunas church building.

There are so many dandelions here! They are so pretty, I love them.

Our view from the Vilnius apartment today.

This week was just super aweomse and busy. We were in Kaunas all week and able to meet with a couple of investigators. We also got to do service at a member's soda or garden and help him clean out his house.

Making a bird house for Povalis, a member, at his soda (in Kaunas)

This is his living room, he lived here for 15 years at one point in his life.

This is the other room. We torn down paper from the celing to clear out and cleaned up.

Then on Friday we traveled to Vilnius to meet with some investigators.

This is what happens when you travel a lot I guess.

We had a lesson with Rojus, which means paradise, and he is super solid. He has come to church three times now. He says he will start living the word of wisdom immediately and just knows that what we are teaching is the truth. We are super excited for him. We also met with another investigator who is close to committing to a baptismal date. After he prayed in the beginning of the lesson he told us about this strange and great feeling he had. He thought he was on drugs, but we of course explained that it was the spirit. It was so cool for me because I have never had anyone identify the spirit like that in a lesson before. I know the spirit is real and testifies of truth if we are worhty of him. We were also able to meet with a Nigerian who committed to baptism, so we hope that we can contnue to meet with him. Pray that all these investigators can continue to progress and come unto Christ.  All that can be said is that God truly does lead His church here on the earth. I could not do anything without the help of the spirit. I know that is so essential in our lives because He leads and guides us. 

On Saturday we traveled back to Kaunas to serve at the high school where we play soccer drills with adorable kids. on Sunday. It was so great seeing my wonderful famliy on Sunday, Love you all!

Then I loved seeing all of the Kaunas members in church

Love Sese Dzerman

Soccer

Soccer with the kids

Cool fountain on Laisves Aleja street in Kaunas where we live.

Eating at Talutti's Tex Mex in Kaunas (much better than the shake and bake)

Elder Kurtis joined us wishing Happy Birthday to Sis Hodson.

Laisves Aleja is so long!

The huge white church at the end of Laisves Aleja.

A bridge off of Laisves Aleja street in Kaunas.

There is the bridge again.

And a mirror selfie I guess.

Eating at Talutti's Shake and Bake in Kaunas.

In front of Urmas with a really cool old bus.

Just the hugest pear you have ever seen!

Language thought with cake because Sister Hodson is 20.

Our Kaunas district.

Our view from our patio at the Kaunas apartment on Laisves Aleja.

This is our super nice Vilnius apartment with green grass!

Crossing the three crosswalks from our house.

Shopping at Urmas in Kaunas, tons of little shops down a huge line like a train station.

Trying to be funny.

We are not sure what sis Griffin is doing.