Klaipeda!!!!!

Walking by the river and bridge with paddle boats

More of the river in center

Labas Rytas!!!

On Monday we were able to meet with and talk to a lot of new people. I love this opportunity that I have to talk with the people here in Klaipeda. They truly are a special people and living in such a beautiful place. I just feel very grateful for this opportunity to testify of Christ and know that we can all share Christ's love every day as we go about doing good. On Tuesday we were able to teach our english class to the three sweetest men. They are fairly good at english and are such humble people. I am astounded in their testimonies of God, even if they attend other churches. That night we stopped by a less active, and she let us in! We were able to talk about the atonment with her and her nonmember boyfriend. It was great to feel the spirit in their home.

On Wednesday we were able to do lots of calls and then travel to Kaunas for an exchange in Vilnius. I was able to serve with and learn from Sister Foote, a Russian speaking missionary. It was really cool to be able to use both languages to meet people on the street. 

Traveling back to Klaipeda from Zone Training in Vilnius with the district

Pretty sunset from the bus :)

On Friday we had zone training in Vilnius, where we talked about faith, hope, and charity. I love charity so much! Haha, imagine that! It is cool how our charity drives us to serve others and share the gospel. It also inspires us to set goals in life so that we can progress and therefore help others to progress also. It is a quality that Christ showed perfectly, and one that I would hope to someday obtain :) But through the atonement, we really can improve and become better people step by step. On Saturday we were actually able to have a short lesson with a cute Catholic family. The grandma left half way through, but the children were so cute to listen and learn. They are very believing and aren't sure why other kids don't believe in God. They were raised really well! 

I know that God exists and is there everyday of our lives. If we let Him in, He will raise us higher than we can expect. I love this gospel because it is here for us. I love you all!

Love sese Dzerman!

Eating Lithuanian blynai (potato pancakes) and pizza

Going out to eat in center

One year in Lithuania!!!!

The Klaipeda Love

Eating lunch in a cute alley way

This is where we ate

Klaipeda restaurant

It was such an awesome week!  On Monday we were able to meet with a less active who hasn't been to church in a while. He is a pretty interesting guy that enjoys reading lots of books of Sunday. It was great to have that testimony of the importance of the sacrament reaffirmed to me throughout the lesson. I love that we have this oppurtunity from God each week to repent and change and become better through the sacrament. It is so comforting that we can actually become clean through the atonemet as we partake of the sacrament. I love that so much!

On Tuesday we met with a previous investigator who has been investigating for quite some time. Her biggest concern is the need for the Book of Mormon because she already reads from the Bible. She is a young busy mom who doesn't have a lot of free time to read big books. We were able to testify of how the Book of Mormon completes the doctrine of Christ so that we know how to return back to Heavenly Father someday.
On Thursday we visited a member to buy her groceries and hear her testimony. Her great spiritual strength is so energizing to us as missionaries. I love the power of the spirit that comes from strengthening our testimonies every day. 

On Friday we were able to have a lesson with a guy who lived in enland over the summer. He is really struggling in his life right now but realizes how helpful it is to address God in the hard times and in the good times. I love the power of prayer in our lives. I often take prayer for granted, but it really is the secret to a better life. I know that God hears and answers every single one of our prayers. He really is there to help us at every second. I love you all!

 Love sese dzerman!

It got a bit warmer with the sun :)

More of the pretty beach

My beloved companion picking up sea shells

Picking up sea shells-it was also pretty windy

The sun came out!

We love Klaipeda! This is Melnrage beach

On our way back home

We bought 7 euros worth of raspberries because it was so much for so cheap! Love the fruit stands

So we made raspberry chicken with some of the raspberries :)

Mom's note about the weather

I have observed that the Lithuanians love yellow.  It is their sunshine.  Houses, dishes, wallpaper are most often yellow.  Kayleigh says it is her new favorite color.  She takes vitamin D everyday to give her what the sun doesn't give her because it is often covered.  Today I looked up the "average annual hours of sunshine" in some places.  We have 3030 hours of sunshine a year in Utah.  Oregon has 2340, New York has 2120 and Alaska has 2060.  Lithuania has 1588 hours of sunshine a year which is about half of Utah. She told Amy today that Summer was her favorite season for the heat and the sun.  After a year in the city, she loves seeing the ocean!

Julianne Nell remarked, "The sunshine statistics are fascinating. 
Kayleigh seems to create her own sunshine....her letters are so upbeat." 

Labas is Klaipedos!

This is our cute little kitchen

Our awesome bedroom

We have two balconys and one has a huge avocado plant growing in it:)

Cute Klaipeda house and garden with lots of pretty flowers. So many colorful houses

Labas is Klaipedos!

This past week was really amazing. We were able to meet with one of our english students to talk about the Book of Mormon. I definitely take this amazing book for granted as I know that we have it to help us in our daily lives. I learned the importance of not just reading it because that is what we are commanded to do, but to live by it's precepts and apply what we learn. It has been a huge blessing! On Tuesday we were able to meet with some members, and they are really solid. They joined the church early on and live such great lives of service. I love hearing their testimonies of knowing that they are sealed to their child and each other through the ordinances of the temple. Their example is so incredible.

On Wednesday we traveled to Vilnius for exchanges. I was able to be with one of my trainees and meet with one of their current investigators. We talked about the plan of salvation and how the atonement is the center of that. As I have reviewed a lot of my mission, that is the thing that I have learned the most. That although we all experience hard times, it is for the purpose of coming to know the Savior and His atonement. How to use it better in our lives. That truly is eternal life, coming to know Christ and Heavenly Father. I am so thankful for the atonement and the constant help I receive from it. On Friday we were able to meet with a Chinese member at her house. She fed us yummy Chinese food (including squid which tasted pretty good :) ) and talked about family history. She was able to do the temple work for her parents and grandparents and felt in the sealing room that they accepted her work. She testified of the power of the temple ordinances and how the famliy is the most important part of this gospel. I love that everything we do in the gospel stems back to the family. Forever Families are God's greatest gift!

On Saturday we met with a mother and her son. She is blind and really struggling in her life, but she has the strongest testimony of God. Her faith is truly amazing. Her son was able to read some paragraphs from the Book of Mormon and it eased the stress and conflict in their home. I know that the word of God is so important to us right now every day. It will lead us to the fruit of the atonement and eternal life. I love you all so much! 

Love Sese Dzerman

We made it to the beach!!

It was so beautiful

Lots of beautiful sand and no people!

It felt so cool to be by so much water

The sand was super soft too
(Mom's note - check out her sandal tan!!!)

We ate lunch on this boat last monday :)

A floating restaurant!

What could be on the menu!?!

I didn't realize that all they would have to offer would be fish!

The fish actually tasted really good - I was so surprised. 

Sunny times in Klaipeda!!!

Eating in a bakery with frozen yogurt and bandeles

Laba diena!

Sister Walles and I are just loving our time here. It is such an incredible blessing to be able to serve in this cute little sea town with so many wonderful people and an awesome companion. This week we have been able to get to know the area quite a bit. It is pretty small, but at the same time we do have half of the city :) We have been able to do a lot of talking with people, and the weather has been great. Many have heard of the church before, but they are all such good people. 

This week we were able to meet with a sea man who often is away at sea, but is a really solid person. He is very interested in the book of mormon and has been investigating for some time now. It is just difficult for him as he often gone. Sister Walles and I also get to teach english twice a week to the sweetest students. An older man that actually speaks very good english and a middle aged woman who can only say, sank you very much :) They are so sweet and we have such a good spirit there from them. 

On Thursday we were able to stop by an older lady who is a member to buy her groceries because she can't walk very well. It was the best service opportunity I have had in a long time. It was so humbling and fulfilling to be in her presence and learn from her strong faith. I loved being able to serve her and help her in any way. She is such a great example to me!

We also visited a cute family from the branch to talk about the book of mormon. They live very simply but are so good! They radiate with peace and love. The granddaughter is so sweet and shared her favorite verse of enduring to the end. I know that if we every day will live the gospel of christ, we shall have eternal life. We will be happy now and know that in the world to come, we will be with God. I love you, have a great week! 

Love sis Dzerman

This is the church building in Klaipeda!

A cute alley way with lots of places to eat

All the yummy pastries (bandeles)

A street in Klaipeda center

A flower boat in center! It is so pretty here!

This is a donated boat that stays docked here in the port-it's a fancy restaurant!

Klaipeda is so cool!

The pretty river from the sea

Walking down town in center of Klaipeda

An old lady gave us a huge zucchini straight from her garden after we helped her clean up her yard for service. It was humongous!