round one of exchanges? Check

First off, picture from last last week

-nothing like mashed banana and oats on one's face! (Yeah I know, not the best quality)

Alright well this week was... wait for it, the Old Lady at the Dom Opieki would say, "THE BEST ONE!" Why? I don't know if I can really explain, everything was so good. We were able to meet more people than before, we had many great conversations, we've gotten referrals (that doens't really happen often), we actually made some of our goals (for once!), and we are even more excited for this week. It is like the hope meter and took a full turn and now there is so much potential building up. 

We started out wih an exchange with the Szczeciń siostry. That was wild and fun. Sister Dekker and I got to be even CLOSER. Our sleeping arrangements were a little creative because the apartments are really equipped to have four sisters. We had some sister power and took turns switching things up. We did a little bit of finding, some service, and some teaching. We even took a really early tram ride to the beach because I wanted to make Sister Sloan's dream of seeing the beach come true. Let's jsut say it started out as a good idea, but we had to wake up a little earlier than normal and it may have taken a toll on Siostra Dekker and I. Let;s just say we aren't going to mention it when the sister from Bydgoszcz (Sisters Craig and Kamp) get here.

I think our miracle for the week was when we were contacting. Thanks to the warmer weather, people actually don't mind talking to us! We met a mum and her lovely little daughter. The mum spoke beautiful English with a lovely English accent. She asked us for our number. She wanted ours! That alone is a miracle. We also got hers though to be safe. We shared a message about families and we gave her a księga mormona. Yesterday afternoon we set up with her and if all goes well, we will be meeting her in her home this week!! 

Anyways time is running out, but miracles are happening here! We had a great week and it was hard to believe when it was over. Round two of exchanges here we go!

"DUNG"

"DUNG" has done it again, another great week in Gdask. (Young + Dekker = DUNG) We're pretty fond of our companionship name, I mean not every companionship can refer to themselves as "Dung" now can they? 

And well that is what looks like is on our faces in these photos with Kasia! (Wait the photo is on Sister Dekker's camera and she left it behind... so next week!) Basically we made natural face masks for Young Women's and it included some mashed banana and some oats. 

I think my favorite moment this week was fast and testimony meeting on Sunday. I sat next to Oskar and I could tell he had some things on his mind. He asked me, "If I want to be baptized, do I have to share my testimony?" I should have said "YES!" but I told him the truth, "No." But I emphasized how it would be totally awesome if he did! I told him a testimony is just like a prayer.There are not "wrong" testimonies. He continued to think about it. Later on through the meeting I felt encouraged to ask him again, he told me he wanted to but he was kind of nervous. I wonder why? Maybe because it can be so intimidating that is why! I asked him if it would help if I sat up at the front and he nodded. So up to the front we went and O gave the most beautiful and sincere testimony. 

I followed him after and NEW RECORD! I shared my testimony without crying! I think Heavenly Father was proud of me. Sister Grgich would be so proud of me!

Anyways being a part of something so sweet, like helping someone learn of the simple truths of the gospel and then acting, it is so beautiful. That is why I am here and I feel so blessed to be able to help out in this work. What an unexpectedly beautiful Sunday it was. 

I hope you all have a great week, 

siostra Young

10 M O N T H S

Sister Craig sent me a little SMS this morning wishing me a Happy Ten Months. I've been a missionary for 10 months! "That's WILD!" as Sister Person would say. 

This week we had Zone training. Lucky me and Elder Cotou got to lead this one. It was crazy with all the interruptions we had in such a short time to plan it. However we managed and all was well. At the end I was so touched when people expressed their gratitude. I really didn't feel like I had done that much, but it was much appreciated afterwards. On the train ride home, I finally relaxed. Zone training? Check. 

A goal I hope to accomplish this transfer is feeling connected with the sisters. We are all so spread apart, it is easy to forget there are other sisters here. I am excited for exchanges. Both sets of sister will be coming here to Gdańsk! Sister Dekker and I are going to show them around our lovely area and the things we do. Czyli trackting trackting trackting. We actually don't get to go trackting as much as I would like. Believe it or not. We do do other things. We have our English course, english klub, YW, district meeting, other meetings, lessons, finding activities, we help members, we translate things, it's always changing. 

Last week I learned a valuable lesson, a lot can come from a small, simple, and genuine gesture. I had talked with a member a bit ago. He encouraged Sister Dekker and I to reach out to some people we had not successfully had contact with. We were counselling with him about our lack of contact with some people. We sent out a little note when we felt was appropriate, just letting people know we were thinking about them and that we cared. Well we have had contact with all of these people and we were able to have a meeting too! We're even set up for some more meetings this week. SO don't be afraid to reach out. A small, simple and genuine gesture can go a long ways. Nauka nie poszła w las. (The lesson did not go unlearned.)

-train ride to poznań for zone training. (Or is it Alberta?)

-siostra Sloan and I at Zone Training (also my mum wanted to see my new skirt I bought last Pday...)

-siostra Craig! I love her too much. I am so thankful to be on this journey with her. TEN MONTHS!! And well sometimes I scrunch my nose? 

M I R A C L E S

the head has been rolling non-stop for a few days now. There is so much to think about all the time. I wake up with my thoughts racing, then I chase after them as I run around the court in the morning, then at night it is a race trying to make all the calls needed and jej-ku I need a breath. I might have a slight aversion to cell-phones when I get home because I maybe sometimes want to chuck the one I have now out the window. Warning. 

I had the opportunity to go to Warsaw for a meeting. We talked about this upcoming transfer and some things to help set the tone. A big part of the discussion was about miracles. 

The Bible Dictionary says, MIRACLES: An extraordinary event caused by the power of God. Miracles are an important element in the work of Jesus Christ, being not only divine acts, but forming also a part of the divine teaching. Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the Resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable. Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power.Miracles were and are a response to faith and its best encouragement. They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith.

Every day is a miracle, we should expect miracles. I've seen some special miracles on my mission. They aren't always big, they can be small. Sometimes it is having someone listen to you share a message, sometimes it is being okay with standing outside in the rain, sometimes it is safely avoiding sketchy situations at night time, successfully navigating yourself around Poland, brightening someone's day, meeting someone who in the moment before was wondering how they could learn more about Christ,or maybe it's simple like eating your avocado at the prime time. One miracle that I am totally a fan of is when people ask me if I'm from Ukraine. Do you know what that means? Yes I've been meeting a lot of Ukrainians, but also that I have a Ukranian accent. Hello family heritage and goodbye Canadian-Polish accent! (#miracle) I am so thankful for the richly blessed life I have been blessed with. 

There are miracles all around us, have the courage and faith to go and find them. 

Have a lovely week!

-my sister's in Warsaw (Sisters Carlson, Pierson, i ja) #MLC

-with all this mind racing, doing yoga with K for YW was probably for my own benefit... (the yoga video we used was absolutely hilarious and maybe there was more laughing than actual yoga-ing. Hey laughing is healthy too though, so it's all good!)

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE IN GDAŃSK?

walentynki - valentines 

What a beautiful week. We have been crazy crazy busy, there has been some running to catch trams and trains and then some more running to the next tram stop because maybe a tram never came. At the end of each day we were exhausted, and by the end of the week, even more so. However we made it to all of our appointments on time and everything worked out splendidly! I would take last week again any time. 

-we tried to make our finding activity this week in spirit of Valentine's. One man from Moscow was so thrilled, he wanted to to pay us, nie wolno. He came back and brought us red tulips! We even got some flowers this Valentine's weekend. 

-bug heart eyes

We were able to have a number of lessons with a member present like never before. I have such a great appreciation for the lessons we were able to teach. The quality of the lessons went up, the level of understanding went up, and the feelings of the Spirit testifying of the truths being taught was so much stronger. I have a much deeper appreciation for member present lessons and more motivation than before to try and involve members. It is hard with so few here, but we were able to make a member match up with one of the lovely people we are teaching and we met a few times this week! It has been a whole new mission experience for me! I am so thankful for this week and the members that really stepped up! 

We also made some heart shaped brownies (we found a pan in the kitchen, probably left behind by some past sister) and had a Service Saturday! We made some good old fashioned brownies with a little note and a scripture attached (John 13:34). The members were so delighted and surprised, I feel like we really did our best to make the most out of St. Valentine's Day this year. 

And the best part is, that's not all! Our time together isn't over yet! We got our transfer calls and....

These next ten weeks Sister Dekker and I will be staying together in Gdańsk! 

Hooray! So we're pretty happy about that, these next ten weeks are going to be such a blur. I am excited and already we're making plans for the wonderful things we hope to accomplish!

miłość - love

Well it is almost that lovey dovey sappy commercialized time of year again! I remember icing heart shaped sugar cookies with black icing in high school. My thoughts and feelings seem to have evolved over the last few years and I find myself looking forward to celebrating the love I have for others. Black iced sugar cookies still sound tasty to me, but it is a new time, a new chapter, with new people, and in a new place!

Last Thursday I got to celebrate me love for pączki. (I'm not actually a doughnut kind of gal', but hey, when in Poland, do as the Polish do.) Last Thursday was "TŁUSTY CZWARTEK!" In other words, "Fat Thursday!" It is a time before Lent and so people fill up on sweets before the period of fasting. Czyli it's doughnut time!

-people lining up to get there doughnuts

-here is me on my 2nd of four doughnuts for the day. I record for sisters in the mission this year was 18 pączki! I have so much Canadian pride for this lovely lovely Canadian Sister. (If you've been reading my blog, you'll probably be able to guess who it was.) My first two pączki were at Pellowski Bakery for brunch. So delicious and by far the best. Think Honey Crueller (my favorite, it is like eating a CLOUD!) from Timmies but better and with a hint of orange. 

This week Sister Dekker and I are looking forward to a very busy week last week of the transfer! There will be some train riding, flower surprising, English teaching, brownie baking, heart attacking, sweet beautiful member present lesson teaching (Svitlana came to Church and it was wonderful! She has made some really great connections and I am so thankful for our new Ukrainian member who moved up here from Białystok and for our RS president who served her mission in Russia. My Polish skills only stretch so far, I am still learning Pol-Ukrain-Russian.) cleaning, naleśniki eating, scripture reading, gospel studying, street contacting, apartment door knocking, volunteer singing, and so so very much more! I've learned to make the plans as bast as I can, then to let Heavenly Father take my plans and turn them into something even better- it has worked our pretty well for Sister Dekker and I so far!

President Uchtdorf said, "Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true attitude for our descipleship." 

This year I hope my loved ones know how much I love an care for them, they mean so much to me and help me be strong. I hope the people here in Gdańsk will fell how much Sister Dekker and I love them as we do our best to serve them. 

Happy Valentine's Day, 

Love Sister Young 

Dzien Dobry!

Dzień Dobry!

Sister Dekker and I started our week out in the beautiful Szczeciń! We were on exchanges there and it was a blast. 

First we had an awkward long train ride. Then when we got there we got to meet some members at FHE. I had a sweet conversation with Jan, a fellow cello player. Excuse our awkward picture, but we're pretending to play the cello. Unfortunately he sold his a while ago, so we are both missing the sweet music. We were able to find solace as we talked about our favorite songs, it was like talking abut a common old friend.

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Then well, we did what sister missionaries to best at the end of the night. Sister Dekker was especially excited for this bit because it was her favorite treat back home. We had peanut butter and oreos. You dip the oreo into peanut butter. I don't think I could have found more happily satisfied sister missionaries in all of Europe that night. (It was good, maybe not my favorite, but I do love peanut butter!)

Anyways we had fun with the Szczeciń sisters, we had a spiritual district meeting there, ate kebabs, had a finding activity, met with some members, and taught English class. I finally got to meet the famous Ola! We have done some Skype lessons with her and with Kasia, so meeting her in person was too good to be true. 

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The rest of the week went by so fast. We came back and got ready for our grill and sang at the old folks home. 

This week had some tender cello moments, first the talk with Jan and then while trackting before singing at the old folks home, Sister Dekker and I met the sweetest elderly couple. They let us in, we only had 10 minutes before we were supposed to sing, we had a lovely very fast "how-much-can-we-get-to-know-the-sister-missionaries-in-ten-minutes" meeting. They found out I played the cello and so I found myself even playing a little tittle on the cello. Then I was sitting at the piano playing. One right after the other. I felt so exposed! But also so blessed for being able to have them so enthusiastic and delighted. We didn't have long and they gave us their number so that we could set up for another time and share a bit about our beliefs. "You have to get to know the people and love them before you can teach them," is what everyone told me before coming out here. Well Sister Dekker and I sure love them!

We also had a fabulous Grill on Saturday, the food, games, hand-made decoartions by yours truly and with help from Kasia, and participation was so lovely! I will miss Janina, she is heading off to Thailand to work for a bit (what a crazy but absolutely delightful lady.) I will attach a picture of her of us at the Grill together!

Miłego tygodnia!

Siostra Young

SIDE NOTE: FAT THURSDAY is happening this week! It is a Polish celebration where we get to eat pączki all day (donuts). Sister Dekker and I are pretty pumped. I think this day might follow me back to North America afterwards. The Polish just know how to roll.