Week 5: "ALL I WANT TO DO IS SPEAK POLISH!"

Dzien Dobry!

Life at the MTC this week has really been the greatest of all the MTC weeks. Maybe it will be the greatest of them all, I don't know, but I will tell you all about it:

On Wtorek (Tuesday) I had CMS with Brat Smalley one of my Polish teachers. In CMS we meet one-on-one and discuss all things we want to improve on, language studies, personal studies, spiritual studies, i tak dalej i tak dalej (etc.) Brat Smalley asked me, "What kind of missionary do you want to be?" 

His question really struck a note within me, I have not given much thought to what I want the people in Poland to think of me. Do I want them to think of me as hard-working, Christ-like, a great teacher... ideally I would like to become all of the above. Brat Smalley told me I will change on my mission, all missionaries do. Theoretically the change is for the best, we are made better as our lives are touched by the Lord through helping others come unto Christ. He shared a poem given in a talk from April 2001 by Elder Packer: A Touch of the Master's Hand

’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:

“The touch of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and almost “gone.”

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand

In addition to Brat Smalley's inspired message, we were privileged to hear from Elder Holland (quorum of the Twelve Apostles) for our Tuesday Devotional. The message shared in devotional was also about change and how we should expect to be changed on our missions. Through our conversion to the Gospel, we will change. 

The change that takes place through conversion is part of eternal progression, in other words, after we change there is no going back. 

In summary of Tuesday's messages I decided, I know I will change on my mission. I know that as I work hard and diligently study the scriptures and the Spirit's guidance, I will learn more about the gospel and my faith will be nourished. Through my efforts to be better, I know my life will change. I know that as I help others come unto Christ, our Maker will touch the lives of others. I want the people of Poland to know their worth, to see the perspective with which their Savior sees them. I know that as I help others come unto Christ, I too will develop a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father. I desire to serve the people of Polish selflessly and to learn true empathy for Heavenly Father's children. 

I came across my missionary scripture for the time being:

(Mormon 9:27)

"...Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation 

with fear and trembling before him."

Then Sroda (Wednesday) was a break through day with the Polish language. We started out trying to SYL (Speak Your Language) throughout our day which I believe helped us speak better Polish in our class. Siostra Bart was so happy, she told us our improvement from our last class was so amazing, there may have been some water in her eyes.

I think of SYL like my freshman drawing  class at BYU:

My teacher Mr. Larsen emphasized learning how to access the more creative part of our brains. The part that is not so analytical and needs facts to process information. To succeed in the class it was necessary we accessed the portion of our brains which helped us see objects with a different perspective. If that makes any sense then GREAT!

You might be asking "o co chodzi?" (As in, okay Siostra Young, what are you getting at?)

Chodzi mi o to (I am getting at this) when we learn how to access the part of our brain the processes different languages, we will become faster and more efficient in said language. Wienz (so) because Siostra Craig and I really made an effort to fill our day and well past days with Polish, I think are brains are starting to readjust and rewire themselves!

In summary: THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS SPEAK POLISH!

Our Polish lessons became so much smoother throughout the day, we were able to better help one another and teach with the Spirit. We were more excited and enthusiastic than before, all in all, it was a dobry dzien. 

Siostra Bart shared an analogy with us after we finished teaching her o ewangelia Jezusa Chrystusa, she notice our excitement and taught: The restoration in like a box. Inside the box is a pearl and the pearl symbolizes the gospel. Well it just so happens pearls are my favorite, wienz ewangelia Jezusa Chrystusa jest teraz moj favorite!

That is all I have to report for this week! Next week: my favorite MTC food hacks. 

-Siostra Young

Sometimes we complement each other

Each day is one step closer to POLAND!

Elder Holland came to speak :)

Week 4: Puznia, zawsze puznia

Jestem Siostra Young. I am Sister Young.

First name: Siostra

Last name: Young

I seem to have a bit of an identity crisis. I think if you were to call me by my given name, there is a good chance I would not think to respond.

Already I am almost finished my fourth week at the MTC. Sestra Rusick will be receiving her flight plans tonight and she will only be here one more week. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? Slight panic attack as there is still so much to learn!

Classes this week have been the best. We started to learn cases which most people are usually not excited to learn, but not me! Finally I am able to form correct sentences. Before when I formed sentences my teachers would correct my grammar and then say, "you'll learn about it later." Puznia, zawsze puznia. (Later, always later.) Teraz jest puznia! (Now it is later!) In the MTC we will learn 6 cases and then there will be a few more to learn in the field. This week we covered 2: Biernik  and Mianownik. Cases effect the form a word takes i jest bardzo wazny jesli chesz mowisz po polsku correctly! Siostra craig and I joke that Polish sometimes looks like someone hits random letters on the keyboard and then say it is Polish. vjdklagreahgjklerahgjkae 

On Sunday we watched a recording of a talk Elder Bednar gave to the MTC some years ago. It is called the Character of Christ and it has been one of my favorite talks at the MTC so far. In summary, the character of Christ includes turning away from self and turning towards God. When we turn inwards we become fascinated with the "self", the natural man. When we turn outwards not only are we serving others, but he said:

"Lose yourself in others, come unto Christ, and you'll find yourself."

His words resonated with me as I recall having thought to myself many times, "I need to go and take some time off and travel the world. I need to find myself." Word for word that last bit has definitely come out of my mouth. After listening to President Bednar speak though I realized I will never find myself when I am obsessed and concerned with the search for "self". I know the times I have learned the most about myself and have more confidence is when I am not focusing on myself. Maybe not necessarily in the present moment of service, but upon reflection am I brought back to the learned experiences. 

This whole week my companions and I have been commenting on one another's actions and remarking, "Whoa you're really turning outwards!" when one of us holds the door open for the other or when ever we do something kind. Or sometimes, "You're not letting me turn outward!" Turning so much can get complicated. 

However I do know this, that as we strive to turn outwards and serve others, we will become more aware of the many opportunities we can help one another. We will also become more aware of the needs of others and how we can best help them. 

Facemasks

saying goodbye to the Tahitian sisters <3

Week 3

Dzien Dobry!

Kocham MTC. Wait did i just say that? What is happening to me? I love hearing the little birds chirping in the morning, they remind me that life exists outside of these brick walls. 

However I am truly happy to be studying and learning here. I am already into my third week, how time flies. A good way to describe how fast time flies is to accept the fact I ran out of email time!

-Siostra Young 

(nothing too exciting happened this week but I'll be sure to have something good to share next P-Dzien)

the joys of MTC life: laundry time

Week 2: Krok po Kroku

Czesc!

They say the hardest week at the MTC is your first, I'd like to report that Siostra Craig and I have successfully made it through our first week! We have another Companion, Sestra Rusick who has been called to serve in Croatia and she has been at the MTC for 6 weeks!  She has been the greatest blessing and I doubt our first week would have been as pleasant as it was without her.I love my companions. Siostra Craig and I have the same schedule, we really do spend every breathing moment together, while Sestra Rusick has her own classes and elders in her district. Although we have only been together for a short while, I feel like because we have emotionally been through so much these past couple of days, my companions know everything there is to know about me. Maybe not so much about my life before the mission, but me as an individual and we are able to help and uplift one another. The other day Siostra Craig and I wrote in our journals, something I would have considered a more private matter before the MTC. Then we wanted to share with one another what we recorded. Siostra Craig is like my walking talking journal, we are so aware of one another and each other's needs there are no secrets. We laugh together, cry together, speak Polish together, and yes, like all missionaries... WE PLAN TOGETHER!

While I have not been here long, it feels like I have been studying at the MTC for a few semesters. We cover such a wide array of material, I know that without the Lord's help we would not be able to learn as much as we do. Each day we are bombarded with language lessons along wiht all of our missionary obligations to help prepare us. It can be rather exhausting but the nuts in the cafeteria make up for it!

Polish is hard! However I am so thankful for my previous years studying Italian at BYU, I have already had a few semesters stressing out over a language so now I get to skip the stress and learn Polish the way I discovered to learn Italian. I am not sure what that means, but I think it has something to do with accessing a different part of our brains. The language is dobje! My teachers are Brat Smalley i Siostra Bart. They are very helpful and I am confident that they will help me be proficient and confident enough to speak po polsku before I leave the MTC. Brat Smalley was in one of my classes at BYU last summer, we had talked when I received my call. Seeing a familiar face was a great comfort. I quickly learned how to read and sound out the words and somehow my memory is storing much more than when I tried studying for exams.Okay so it is not somehow, it is through fervent prayers and Heavenly Father's help. I pray everyday morning, afternoon, night, every time I eat, and any other time I need help for the gift of tongues. On Sunday I shared my testimony in sacrament meeting po polsku and I now say my prayers in Polish WITH proper grammar. Guess what, the gift of tongues is real!

Siostra Craig and I have taught five lessons po Polska! While our Polish was far from perfect and more like broken Polish with words such as , to see-to be-families-in heaven- together-forever the message was received and well that is always a relief. 

D&C 42: 14 reads "and the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive no the Spirit ye shall not teach."

Our first lesson with our investigator was not the best, but afterwards we worked really hard to have the Holy Ghost help direct us. As we studied and prayed before we taught, the Spirit made its presence known and our lessons become much more heartfelt. I know that our broken Polish may be difficult to understand, but with the Spirit's help we are able to teach. I have learned that I am merely a delivered of the Lord's message, when I put in my share of the work to study the language and seek after the Spirit, the Lord does the rest and we (Siostra Craig and I) are able to deliver His message. 

When I came out into the MTC my impressions was I can not wait to serve the Lord for the next 18 months. Now I feel impressed that in fact the Lord is serving me by providing me with such an opportunity to learn and grow spiritually. Wearing His name and representing His church is a privilege and I am so thankful that He has given me 18 months to serve the best I can. I know that I have been called to Poland as an "elect lady" (D&C 25 v3) to represent the Church and teach the people in Poland to help them come unto Christ through the ordinances of the gospel. 

Guess what: THE CHURCH  IS TRUE. I now know this as surely as I know my heart beateth. 

Krok po Kroku (bit by bit) I am learning more about the Spirit and the truth and it lights the way so that I can see where I must go. The Polish is happily coming along and I am excited to further advance our lessons.

Siostra Young

Siostras Young and Craig with their Polski Books of Mormons

the Zone 

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I am now 20! So long teenage years, even though I still feel 19. Thank you Woozie, Elena, Grannie, Karyn, Roxanne, and the Campbell family. Thank you Low family for the Martinellis, my district and I enjoyed the beverage after a stressful day. I have learned to end every day on a sweet note: thus I am making progress through my Worther's bag and I will let you know when I run out MOM.

MTC

Czesc!

I am safe and sound in the MTC and loving it. Siostra Craig is the best and YES she is my companion. Our district is just us two, party time. Our zone is small, we have Turkey elders, Bulgaria, Adriatic North, Croatia, etc. Everyone is so helpful and kind. Our P-Days will be on Thursday, (we only have 5 minutes today)

love you,

Siostra Young

the FAREWELL

TUNING INTO the HOLY GHOST

This here is a picture I keep in my scriptures. On June 7^th, 2003 of Rosinka Lake, Moscow, Russia. I was baptized in this lake as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Afterwards I was confirmed a member and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. I remember the weight of my father’s hands upon my head, as I bowed my chin into my chest and closed my eyes to receive the ordinance. June 7^th was my first encounter with the Holy Ghost.

My earliest memories of the Spirit were times when the Spirit bore testimony to me of the truths being spoken during testimony meetings, sacrament, the temple, general conference, family home evening, and Young Women’s. I was able to recognize the Spirit in these places due to an inviting atmosphere. It was in those surroundings I felt confident with my testimony and the feelings of the Spirit.  But those feelings did not always remain.  And I found the different feelings I had troubling as they confused me and led me to question what I really knew on my own. What bothered me most was when I was not at church, or after a youth activity, where did those feelings of confirmation go? Had I only imagined them? I would begin to doubt my little testimony and it would grow fragile as my uncertainty grew.

While these questions and feelings weighed down on me, I had never done too much to challenge them and search for the answer. The cycle of recognizing I had a testimony only to doubt it the next day continued. It was not until recently that I was able to gain some insight and further understanding. I hope today that I will be able to address you and share with you what I have learned.

First before diving into the wonderful blessing and privilege it is to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost, I will explain who the Holy Ghost is. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit without a body of flesh and bones. We recognize him as the Comforter, a Messenger, Spirit of Promise, and our constant companion. He helps guide us, bears witness of truth, and enlightens us. D&C 46: 9-11 reads:

“9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts. 

10 And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church. 

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.”

We receive the gift of the Holy Ghost when we are baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. Baptism by water is significant to the washing away of our sins and being reborn,. The actual sanctification comes from baptism by fire, which is when we receive the Holy Ghost.

2 Nephi 31: 12-17 reads:

“12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

 15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is a blessing that we can utilize in our lives to help us grow closer to our Heavenly Father. The Spirit is a gift, one that will remain and help us if we enable it to. The Holy Ghost is constant, but are we?

A favorite talk of mine given by President James E Faust is called Voice of the Spirit. The imagery highlighted is an old radio with many different stations. President Faust teaches that in order to hear the Spirit we must “tune in” to the correct frequency. Otherwise the stations and voices will distract us. There are all kinds of voices, there are:

“Murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices.

 Whining voices that abhor challenge and work.

Seductive voices that offer sensual enticements.

Soothing voices that lull us into carnal security.

Intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority.

Proud voices that rely on the arm of flesh.

Flattering voices that puff us up with pride.

Cynical voices that destroy hope.

Entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking

Commercial voices that tempt us to ‘spend money for that which is of no worth, [and our] labor for that which cannot satisfy’.

Delirious voices that spawn the desire for a ‘high’. I refer not to a drug- or alcohol –induced high, but to the pursuing of dangerous, death, defying experiences for nothing more than a thrill. Life, even our own, is so precious that we are accountable to the Lord for it, and we should not trifle with it. Once gone, it cannot be called back.”

President Faust describes all these voices as NOISE, noise which bombards us and pulls our attentions away from spiritual things and things of importance. He beckons us to listen to voices of righteousness and pay no attention to the worldly enticements. President Faust’s words helped provide me with perspective. Of course in a setting enriched with the Spirit would I feel the Holy Ghost more strongly- the noise is gone and the righteous voices able to be heard. Transitioning into a different setting such as school the noise returns and while the Spirit remains, it’s voice becomes much quieter- a whisper really.

D&C 130: 22 reads:

“22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.”

The Holy Ghost dwells within us, his presence is constant. Not only does he remain with us at all times, his guidance he prides us with is never changing. He will provide us with the means to benefit ourselves, as he beckons us to make the right decisions and steer away from obstacles. He will also help us in times of obstacles, as we cleave unto the light. The Holy Ghost will help us in our pursuits of righteous and worthwhile things. While he may be with us, it is up to us if we will listen to him. After some time of being ignored, it is only understandable that over time, our senses will become dimmed if we heed not to the voice of the Spirit.

Sister Burton, the Relief Society General President mentions how we can open our hearts and turn towards the voice of the Spirit. One way is through sincere and humble prayer. We can act promptly on spiritual impressions, search the scriptures daily, live the law of the fast, be worthy to enter into the temple, trifle not with sacred things, be prepared to move forward with faith, let the Lord decide the details of what He chooses to reveal and when, and heed prophetic warnings.

When we open our hearts to the voice of the Spirit, we become more susceptible to the feelings of the Spirit. We will be able to recognize his presence and receive promptings and personal revelation. The times I have felt the Spirit most strongly were the time I focused on actively seeking out the Spirit. The simple things such as saying my prayers, reading my scriptures, paying my tithing, and going to Church. These actions contributed to helping prepare me spiritually to receive the Spirit. At times I have often struggled with keeping these good habits, but I know that it is when I am making a conscience effort to feel the presence of the Spirit that my prayers are answered. Often the answers and confirmations I seek take time and do not come right away. Words, which ring truth to my ears, came to me in a blessing I received,

“Remember that prayers that are answered immediately are faith-promoting, but prayers that require time and patience are faith-perfecting.”

The Spirit is constant; the frequency, which he communicates with us, does not change. The volume at which we listen to the radio does. The answers we seek that take time are “faith-perfecting” and require us to do work. We need to be spiritually prepared to be spiritually enlightened. The Spirit can only communicate to us if we listen intently with open hearts and open spirits.

I am thankful for my parents and the teachers I have had who taught me about the Spirit. I am thankful for the scriptures and the pure and simple truths testifying of the Holy Ghost. I know now that I can pursue the Holy Ghost and while the Spirit is constant, I am the one responsible for my spiritual state and preparedness for receiving His word. The Holy Ghost is a gift we can study, learn from, and cultivate in our lives.

I wish I could go back and tell little madi that it is okay to not always have perfect clarity and explain that we live in a noisy world. Noise confuses us but we can “tune-out” the voices, which draw away from the Spirit. When we focus on things of importance and of eternal value, the clarity we seek can return to us. All I needed to do was “tune-out” the world and “tune-in” to the simple truths I knew to be true.

Brothers and sisters I would like to bear my testimony and share with you a few simple truths I know to be true: I know that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, who wants us to return to live with again some day. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and translated the Book of Mormon, which is the keystone to our religion. I know that when we read and study the Book of Mormon, we are able to learn more about the gospel and it's truths. I know that today's prophet, President Monson was also called of God and has the proper authority to receive revelation for the Church and people in today's time. I know that when we follow the prophet, we do not go astray. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life. I am thankful for loving parents and a wonderful family who I am sealed to be with for all eternity. 

and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

the DECISION

A little over a year ago if you had asked me if I would be interested in serving a mission, I probably would have lightly laughed and then ignored the question or said something along the lines of, "Oh that's not for me." Fast forward into the present, I will be set apart tonight as a missionary and report to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) tomorrow afternoon!

What changed? Why do I want to serve a mission? These are some of questions I frequently ask myself.

Last winter semester I sat quietly in sacrament meeting. As I listened to the speakers and the messages being shared I felt heavily impressed that I would be serving a mission. Not that I might be serving a mission, or "Oh what a cool idea, missions are good," but that the decision had already been made. The thought came from no where. The messages shared in sacrament meeting had nothing to do with serving a mission and I had not entertained the idea previously. Think of someone pulling fruit out of a basket and then they pull out a puppy and hand it to you. Where did the puppy come from? No clue. The whole experience was overwhelming and I will admit, I was a little weepy.

I wanted to take time to consider my options but I already knew what I needed to do. After church I called up my parents to share with them the news.

The process of preparing for a mission was no simple feat. I am far from perfect and have definitely made some poor decisions in the past. Often I would look up and beg the question, "Why me?" I learned a lot about the process of repentance and Jesus Christ's atonement as I prepared to serve. The initial steps of preparing to serve a mission were necessary for developing my own testimony. I now have a better understanding and greater appreciation for the blessings of the gospel. I am so thankful for this church and how it has blessed my life.

When I think of my opportunity to share the gospel I get goosebumps! I am so excited for the opportunity to study and to share with others what I have learned. I know that those who I teach will also be the ones teaching me, for I have much to learn. I think of sharing the gospel like eating a cake. In two ways:

1) For as long as I can remember, my church life and my social life I have kept separate. Maybe not as drastic as the Berlin wall, but perhaps at times it may have been as extreme. In high school going to church was not cool, at least that is the way I felt. The way I carried myself was already so different: my standards, the way I dressed, spoke, etc. There was no way I wanted to tell my friends about my beliefs. The goal was to keep my friends and my religion, but to keep them in two separate spheres. Now when I reflect back I wish I had embraced my Mormon culture and let it shine through me. Who honestly cares what people in high school thought? My real friends would have loved me the same and that is all that matters.

I felt like I had this delicious cake, let's make it a coconut cake. I enjoyed this delicious decadent cake all to myself because I was too scared to invite my friends to have a piece. I never wanted to offend anyone and I was scared of the rejection.

2) I do not know every little thing about this Church or the gospel. Much like a (well we already have a delicious decadent coconut cake) raspberry cheesecake I only need to take one bite to know that "this" is a good cake -i don't need to know every single ingredient, or where the ingredients come from. The truth has been restored though the prophet Joseph Smith and the gospel, church, prophets -they are all good.

As I study and learn more about this gospel, Christ's gospel, my hope is that I'll be better able to teach others. However I know that my life has been enriched with both cakes, coconut and raspberry, which is why I feel it is important to share with others.I have much to learn and I know it will not be easy. I know these next 18 months will maybe be the hardest months of my life. However I believe they will also be the most enlightening, empowering, and spiritually strengthening months. I hope to serve the Lord and the Poles the best that I can.

My dear sweet sister will be the one attending my blog while I am away,

pożegnanie !