POLSKA-GIRL: we "massed"

Wesołego Allelujah! I guess I have to wait a whole year before i can say that one again. Sister Dekker and I were wishing as many people as we could a joyful hallelujah.

We used our dinner hour one night to go to an evening mass at the Church nearby our apartment. It was our first time ever going there. It was cold! And old. The demographics of the people there were elderly too. It is so interesting and fascinating to think that the prayers and songs recited have been done so for years and years! The people strive so diligetnly to preserve the little things. We sat through one of the longest four note songs/prayers I have ever sat through too! I do admire them for dutifully acting on their faith. It was a beautiful service to observe and be apart of. They love the Saviour too and I think it is our love and our gratitude that help us understand one another.

This week has been all over the place. We had District cofnerence last last Sunday in Bydgoszcz, then Zone conference on Wednesday in Poznań, Sister Dekker turned 21 on Thursday, then we had an Easter Egg hunt for the kids on Saturday and then Easter on Sunday! Tie all of that in with some lessons and some studying and some finding. Needless to say it was another awesome week.

Sister Dekker and I have a "Miracle Wall." We write the little miracles we have and then stick them to the wall. Our most recent addition was Saturday as we were doing some street contacting. Near the end we met two beautiful people, J and G. They're probably in their 40's. They are so awesome! They have heard of Mormons and they told us they were actually wondering when they would run into missionaries. (These kind of conversations don't really happen all that much.) We shared a simple message with them and then they asked US when and where we meet for church. (Sister Dekker and I were in shock.) They commited to coming to church on Sunday and they took a Book of Momron. All day, night, Sunday morning we were praying for them.

Sunday morning came and guess who else came! J and G. Not only that but they were dressed so nicely too. I would have thought they were visitors from somewhere else. Anyways they came and they stayed and Sister Dekker and I kinda just wanted to sit and cry because we really didn't know what to do and we were so happy. It's funny being a missionary sometimes (all the time). You prepare lessons, study hard, go out and find people, and have some lessons. We get to do a lot of studying, preparing, and finding. I love when we get to teach, I wish we had more of that. However I know we have been so blessed to have as many lessons as we have had, so I'm very grateful. Havign people come to church, to sacrament meeting is kinda new. That part of the equation doesn't happen as much as we hope it does. But it did!! Not only that, they asked some really good questions and we are set up to meet them in their home later this week!

This whole week was really in it's own unique way the greatest. Sister Dekker and I were blessed with an opportunity to serve an elderly woman carrying some grocery bags all by herself. Often we ask people if they need help and they kind laugh and say "no." However she said "Yes!" And no wonder because they really were the heaviest grocery bags. As we talked and walked she told us a little bit about herself. She told us she is very poor and that each of the bags we were carrying was from someone else. She shared her testimony with us about God's love and that she knows he is aware of her. "He always watches out for me," she said, "He always sends me help, like right now, he sent me you." This poor sister may be poor in circumstances but she is so rich in Spirit. I got to experience a beautiful truth that our Heavenly Father is aware of us and our needs. He loves this woman. He sent her people to help her get food and then he cared enough to help her have help taking the food back to her home. This work is beautiful and Sister Dekker and I are so blessed to be apart of it. That old babcia has a piece of my heart.

Have a beautiful week, the sun is shining here and it's warming up. I hope things are defrosting where ever you find yourself!

Siostra Young

Pictures from this week (killing it with the alliteration.)

-Trainee trainer twinning at zone conference