March 23rd...Health Trials

Hello everyone,

Thanks so much for the prayers and love this last week- they reallymeant a lot throughout this week! It was definitely a tougher week,but it really was one of the best weeks of my life.Something really cool happened this week. I didn't want to lay down and donothing while I was down, so I made a bunch of calls through the areabook, and set up a meeting for Tuesday night with a former namedAgnieszka. The other elders met with her while I had to come down to Warsaw,

and now her and her boyfriend have baptismal dates... The Lord has reallybeen blessing me!So on Tuesday last week, I got a call from President telling me that I needed tobe on the next train to Warsaw (never thought I was going to be thatmissionary that got sent to Warsaw for health problems... but there Iwas). I had really the coolest experiences on the train. I told myselfthat I probably couldn't do normal missionary work for a little while,but I could definitely talk to people on trains. I made a bunch of newfriends. I talked to a lady and her husband who live a little waysoutside of Szczecin. They were really cool, and even gave me theirnumber when they left. I had given them an ulotka, and they werereally excited to go look us up. Then, I had a really coolconversation with this lady who had just become a grandmother like afew hours before. She was headed right then to England to see her grandson. Shewas excited to go learn more about us, also. Then, my train layover inPoznań was super late, so I was running around the train station withthis girl (It's really long and polish and I can't even remember it...oops), and we ended up spending a while together-and I got to teachher all about the Restoration in the train station. So that was reallycool! But the coolest part was that when I got onto my train fromPoznań to Warsaw, I met Ula. She's a member, about 40-50 years old, 

and from Warsaw. She's SO cool. I talked with her for literally 3 hours straight.

She bought me dinner on the train, and we talked all about her family and hermission to the United States, and her church calling. She's honestlythe sweetest person in the world-I already love her so much... I thinkI'm going to keep her;) She ended up calling me later in the week justto check on me, and then she found me at district conference onSunday, and gave me the coolest present I've ever gotten. She gave methe Poland, Warsaw mission tie that was given to her by the missionpresident 2 transfers back-it's the mission tie that all of the reallyold missionaries that have been home for years have. I almost criedand then almost hugged her, but was able to refrain myself.So in Warsaw I spent a lot of time in hospitals (I had to go to twodifferent hospitals). Essentially all three hospitals I visited told me threedifferent things. Unfortunately, they were all right lol. It's coolthough. Everything is going to be fine and work out in the end. I getto stay in Poland!! :) I'm also on a bunch of medication (I look like adrug dealer), which is really helping. I stayed at the mission home for a few days and Sister

Edgren took great care of me.  Now I'm in the office helping out the office elders while I recover.

I have another hospital appointment on Thursday night with the Specialist at 18:00,

and hopefully after that I should be able to return to Szczecin! I'm so excited to get back. Abunch of these people that we've been teaching and finding want to bebaptized. We have 9 baptismal dates in Szczecin. The Lord is Reallyblessing us:)So this week I've been really trying to understand the enabling powerof the atonement in my life-and to apply it when I didn't think Icould go any farther. I've been really turning to the Lord, and givingeverything to him. So last night in the middle of the night I woke upin just so much pain. I was somewhere between almost crying all overthe place, and just starting to punch everything in sight. I literallyhurt so bad. In faith, I said one of the most sincere prayers I'veever prayed. I prayed that the enabling power of the atonement wouldhelp lift me and carry me through my trials and that everything wouldbe alright. Instantly the pain went away. I went back to sleep andwoke up in the morning with no pain. The power of the Atonement is soreal. I am so grateful for the many opportunities that I have had overthe past 3-4 weeks to rely on the power of Christ's atonement, and togrow closer to him. I really have, and I've really come to understandthe power of the atonement on such a deeper level.This week I was also working on not "murmuring", but being positiveand thankful. I really tried my best with that. I am happy to say(Idon't want to say "proud" or that might just have to become nextweek's attribute) that I didn't complain once. Sister Edgren, my mission presidents

wife had to tell me to stop smiling and acting fine so that the hospital wouldtake me seriously. They said I would be the only person ever to smilethrough something like this. I definitely wasn't trying that to be"seen of men", but that was definitely something cool to see that agood attitude really does affect everything. Some nights I would justbe in so much pain, but stopped and told myself to look for thepositives. I usually focused on the fact that my ears almost Neverhurt. I was really grateful that night for the fact that my ears feltgreat and that everything was going well with them. I also learnedthat God has a sense of humor, because the next day my ears startedhurting... haha :)So that's me and the update... I'm actually really grateful for the manyopportunities that I've had over the past few weeks to really grow andto experience trials. I am grateful for the relationship that I havegained with my Savior. I am so grateful for the Atonement, and that wecan use it's power every single day of our lives. I know that thischurch is true. I know that Christ is my Savior and yours. I am sograteful to Him and to my God. Love y'all. Make it the best week ofyour lives.Elder Quackenbush NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.