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.

Email from Sister Leticia Griffin

Miracles are EVERYWHERE here!!! I am so blessed to be a part of the hastening of the work because Eastern Europe is DEFINITELY hastening its' work. (All of these miracles even 
​happened in the SAME day!) We were extremely blessed to have another baptismal date this week!!!!! SO AMAZING!!! His name is John. He is a Nigerian as well (we are really good at spotting the Nigerians and contacting them since we get to speak English!). He was taught by Elders awhile ago and got a baptismal date then, but then went to Poland and disappeared. He then came to our church when he got home, and we got a lesson with him. We opened up the lesson asking him about the Restoration pamphlet he read earlier. He said, "I read it and I know it is true. Everything is true." We were stunned. Wow!!! We went through the Restoration pamphlet with him to make sure he understood everything and he did! We then set up his baptismal date for June 18th! We ARE SO EXCITED for him!!! We now have Samuel and Charles for May 28th, Rojus for June 4th, and now John for June 18th! It is going to be a busy month for us!

We had ANOTHER miracle lesson with someone named Danas on the same day as John's lesson. He used to be a drug addict, but is now a counselor for those who are struggling with drug addictions themselves. He has turned his life around and now is very aware of his emotions and feelings since he never wants to be addicted to anything again. Our lesson started out with Danas giving the opening prayer. It was so perfect! After his prayer, he asked, "What is this strange feeling I am feeling? It feels like I am high!" We then explained to him about the Holy Ghost and how it is a good feeling. Throughout the whole first lesson, he would mention his feelings of the Holy Ghost: that it was like a tingling feeling in the belly or that he was feeling hypnotized. It was really special to have him so aware of the Holy Ghost since it made me more aware as well. I felt the Spirit SO many times in that lesson. It also helped that it was in English. We asked him to be baptized and he said that he would like that, but that he needs a few more lessons to be sure. We hope to have a date for him this week or next!

Another miracle?! We had a lesson with Rojus and he was struggling with why coffee was so bad. He did not understand why energy drinks were not in the Word of Wisdom and coffee was. He tried to help him and explained that it is God's commandment. At the first of the lesson, he said that he needed coffee this month because of work. By the end of the lesson, he said, "Actually, I can stop drinking coffee TODAY!" I am so so proud of him! He is SO ready and is a GOLDEN investigator! He is so willing to give up everything to be a part of this church! It is amazing!

More MIRACLES!! I sat by a woman on the bus and was feeling like I did not really need to talk to her. Satan was really working with me to not talk to her. I then just turned to her and started a conversation. She had researched a lot about Mormons and was pretty interested. I then asked if she wanted a BOM and she said yes! She was very excited! I then got her number and we will be meeting once we go back to Kaunas. I actually met her in Vilnius, so luckily we go to Kaunas and Vilnius every other week! Wow! I am so grateful I did not let Satan win on that contact. I would never have been able to give a BOM. It made it even more special since we had goaled as a companionship to give out one BOM this week!

FYI: Here are some things I have learned here in Lithuania! First off, Lithuanians LOVE to talk! Haha sometimes we cannot do member present lessons since the members here just talk and talk. It gets pretty off topic fast sometimes. Secondly, it smells like smoke everywhere since EVERYONE smokes here. With my companions, I am known to always cover my face when people are smoking since I hate the smell!!!! Makes me appreciate Utah so much more! Haha my companions are nice to contact the people who are smoking so I do not have to! Third, Lithuanians LOVE nature! They go to their "sodas" on the weekends which are their gardens outside of the city. Plus, people go on walks all the time. It is cute! Fourth, They LOVE apples! Apples here are SUPER good too! And, they LOVE jello! Their cakes, meat, fruit, etc are usually in jello. I have not gotten used to that, yet. Soon though! Fifth, spiders are everywhere now!! It is SO scary! It is now hot, so spiders are coming out. I had one randomly on my forehead, and two on my shoulder on the SAME day! I am pretty paranoid now. Lastly, the style here is nylons. The "Bobs" wear them for warmth, but the younger ones wear them under jeans, with dresses, etc. I don't know if that is the same in the States, yet. But, if you want to be "in" according to European styles, wear black nylons with everything!

Our investigators are amazing! I love them!! Everything is so great here! I really believe it is because of us trying to be exactly obedient! When we contact all the time and try our hardest to be on time, we find people. It is amazing. Obedience is truly of God! I am truly humbled to have wonderful investigators right now. It is a wonderful time here in beautiful Lithuania!

Crazy Awesome week!

 Apartment "Domes" people usually live in

Oh man, we had the best week ever!

So I just love being a missionary right now and always! We were able to have 10 lessons this week, so that was just so awesome. The work of the Lord is moving forth! We spent most of our week in Vilnius and were able to meet with a few less actives. I love the people here so much. I am so happy after I meet with each one of them. I just feel of their spirits and goodness as God's children. He truly does watch after each and every one. We were also able to meet with a few of our investigators in Vilnius and Kaunas because we came to Kaunas on Friday.

The one investigator in Vilnius met with us for the first time after coming to church for a couple weeks in a row. He is so prepared! He wants to "join the club"! We committed him to baptism in June!! It is not a lot of time, so we will have to work really hard with him to help him get ready. But he is so believing and accepting of everything. We are praying really hard for him. It was such a great lesson because of the Lord. I know for a fact He leads His church on the earth today.

Our investigators in Kaunas are also working toward baptismal dates. They also have such great faith in Christ. I have had to do a lot of trusting in the Lord, but I know that He will always help us no matter what. We were able to attend chruch in Kaunas this week, and I loved meeting all the members! They have so much love for each other. THis city is so awesome!! I love the people here and the great examples they show me. Although we each have hard times, God always helps us each and every day if we look for his hand. I love you all!

Love Sese Dzerman

Eating lunch at Jurgos and Draconas- cafe in library. Italian food!

Getting Turkish kebabs after going to immigration for sis Griffin!

Our rent for both apartments we have to pay... a lot of euros!!!

The Vilnius district and us sisters.

Bowling with the Vilnius District.

A selfie after bowling

Fun P-Day Bowling with the Vilnius missionaries

 Gyra. Famous here since it is a rye bread drink. Not too bad.  Sister Griffin had to try it!