Our Miracle Referral!

K G, our miracle referral! I don't know what I have shared recently, between talking with my comp, my family, my journal, i tak dalej, I often forget what has been said już and what I want to say. I promise to put more effort into these little updates!

We have been teaching K fror quite a while now. Last week we met with her on Tuesday. Then we returned to go and help her clean her apartment. I thought of my Mum and how she never asks to help, she just starts doign something. So we practically invited ourselves over and cleaned for a couple of hours and then shared a lesson.

The next day her Dad, K texted us and asked us if we could go and check on K because she was feeling unwell and he was at work. So being the flexible missionaries we are, we rearranged some plans so that we could make it to Gydnia thanks to Elder and Sister T, the senior missionary couple. Poor K's body hurt, her condition causes for some unpleasant days.

We helped her. We loved her. We made her lunch, and took her beast of a dog Krowa (cow) for a walk. Then Elder T (President too I guess because he is the Branch President) gave K a blessing. Afterwards there was much peace, we left hoping we had been able to help.

Then came Sunday. K had accepted the invitation to come to Church this Sunday! Because she is kind of confined to a wheel chair, Sister Grgich and I wanted to make her first time visitng as pleasant as possible. We met her in G where we took a train back to for church. After sacrament she looked at me and told me it was all lovely! We talked about the wonderful family atmosphere and the warmth from the members. She was the greatest and such a blessing to have in Relief Society. She participated and everything. The members and her interacted- było finiej. I have so much respect for this young woman.

Then afterwards we all went over to the Taggart's for dinner!

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Sister G and I love K. She says "hi" to you all as well. Her countenance is one of gratitude and humility- I can not imagine finer qualities. She gracefully removes herself from her wheel chair and to the ground as others asssit her onto the train. First they move her wheel chair and then they pick her up and help her back into her wheel chair. She does it all calmy and with dignity. (I get a little mad at the lack of thought gone into providing all the trains and trams with ramps for wheel chair access...) This beauitful woman and her beautiful Spirit touches me. Her desire to learn more as she has been searchign so long for truth helps me value the truths that I do know, which I treasure up. 

The funny moments from this week almost all came when we were with K. The best was when Sister G checked her phone after dinner at the T's her Dad, K had texted us (yeah we are close like that) and he asked, "czy moje dziecko żyje......? :)<3" (Is my child alive?)

Anyways I'll try to send some pictures from Westerplatte, but you'll have to look up the historical significance on your own, nie ma czasu this week to explain!

This week was crazy busy.

This week was crazy. Crazy busy and crazy fun. I think there were some days where Sister G and I only speed-walked to and from appointments, maybe even a light jog.

First exciting news... everyone ready? Drum roll please! M. K. has a baptism date. A beautiful beautiful sweet date of baptism. Her husband has been a member for five years and she has been coming
to Church and participating. I wish I could say it was a result of Sister G's awesome companionship and Spirit but no. The Spirit is the teacher here and there have been many other missionaries and members who have helped her progress to this decision. She is so sweet and sassy, the branch needs her.

I learned from M that Heavenly Father has his own plan for each of us and that he prepares each of us individually for what will come next in the future.

Thursday we had mission conference, so we woke up at 4 20 IN THE MORNING to catch a train to Warsaw. Oh baby were we ever exhausted. We made up a song though about Pączki which we hope to record later. Whenever we go by tram or train, the pączki are there.

President K shared some fabulous words with us. We talked about missionary work from the start of our day, what we do, how we do it, and why. We talked about finding, contacting, and teaching. We also talked about the Spirit and feeding the people milk as opposed to meat because sometimes too much information all at once is not what they need. Who would have thought? Jokes już wiem.

Then we traveled home to our warm beds and enjoyed a blissful sleep. 

while at her mission conference, siostra young ran into one of my(sydney) fellow sister missionary's sister! small world :)

Friday we were able to work with K in YW again. I remember when I was in YW. How exciting is was to work on the goals and set my own. We are going to try to teach her YW on Sundays (she is the only one and has been going to primary for the two hours because there is also no Sunday school for her.) She was so excited. Smiles and fists were pumped into the air. Unfortunately she has been sick and couldn't make it on Sunday, but next week!

Then Saturday was the mother-load of appointments and running around. Our first meeting went a little over and so did the rest. Bit by bit we became more and more behind in our appointments. Our first was with the lovely Jadwiga who doesn't speak much English besides, "please sit down Madam." Ja made us nalaśniki! She had me do the mixing.

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone! but this week TRANSFERS

LAST OF THE WARSAW DAYS... for now:

the week started out with a loving exchange with Siostra B. She serves in Warsaw II and so I spent some time in a new area. Siostra B has a lot of love. She loves the people and over the exchange I really came to love the people we met with too. It helps too when you share a message over a cup of warm tea. (Stinging nettle boiled with a mint tea bag added to the pitcher.) We delivered homemade banana bread, read poetry to an old lady, and visited with a young American mother. I had nevr felt so edified and uplifted by the Spirit as we did our best to bring the Spirit into the homes of the people.

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Then as you already maybe know, K baptism was on saturday! I admire this girl so much, she is a wonderful example to me. Her faith and desire to continue learning and treasuring up the gospel, the scriptures and the history of it all is... words can not describe how wonderful it is. I learn so much form her, about the people in Poland and the Jewish people in the scriptures. In General Conference there was a talk, is it wonderful to you? The gospel of Jesus Christ is delicious and truly wonderful, it will add light to your life and help you share light with others. Kaja's light shines so brightly and I am so thankful that I was able to be there as she was baptized.


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and the rest of the week was a blur. We had our culture night as a district and visited the Copernicus Museum. I have some really fun pictures from that, however it takes so long to upload them, maybe I will send some later. Then we also had Sport Saturday, we had some members come and investigators and played some basketball. (My skills are lacking but I tried.)

The next thing I knew I got a phone call from President E for transfers.

I spent the last few days visiting with the people we have been teaching. My favorite night was spent at the C family, they had us over and we shared some scriptures and bore our testimonies. I met Brother C for the first time, he shared his testimony and his favorite scripture as well. Teaching families in their homes is maybe the greatest feeling ever. Especially bcause it was the C family, the parents met in Mexico and it felt like we were in Mexico for a bit. The kids are lovely and I will miss them. -i'll be sending a picture

I also ate my first Polish Pączek (rose flavored) -i'll be sending a picture

And I said goodbye to my lovely A and my favorite Polish twins, H and E.

Now, I'll be serving in, any guesses?
G! With my fabulous Aussie companion Siostra G. Next week I'll tell you all about it.

30.VII.2015: the ARRIVAL

Perwszy Transfer: Warszawa 

Downtown Warsaw

Kolezanke: Siostra Gammon i Siostra Pierson

Me and Siostras G i P

30.VII.2015

"I am in Poland! And I have all my luggage!" 

-that was exciting because we barely made our flights, one plane was delayed right after another. Our last flight from Munich to Warsaw was rescheduled because we didn't make it despite all of our running and billowing skirts in the airport. We made it thought,m safe and sound with all of our luggage. Our first night Sister E made real food. Those hungry nights in the MTC are in the past, because the food here in Poland is najlepszy (the best!)

I quickly came to learn a few things upon arriving in Poland:

1) Polish is a wonderful but crazy language, i understand about 10% of what people say and i think they understand me even less. Just kidding it is not that bad, they are all so sweet and say "Oh but your polish is so good, you've only been studying for 2 months?" 

2) they do have peanut butter and it is so good. 

3) many people speak english

There is is much to say and I don't know how much time I will have. We write our emails in a Public library and I do not really know how long we have. There are also red squiggly lines underneath every word I write because the computre doesn't recognize these English words I am typing, so I apologize if the spelling is way off. 

Maybe I'll just share some experiences and then if I have time I will share some pictures, dobsze?

Yesterday was my first Sunday in Poland and my first time attending sacrament meeting tylko po polsku. The Branch is small but the people are strong. I enjoyed hearing the testimonies shared, many members talked about eternal families and the temple. 

After Sacrament we helped out in the primary/nursery. There were about nine children in total. Polish children are so very cute, when they talk it doesn't matter what they say because little children speaking Polish might just be the cutest thing ever. 

"nie moge" (I can't) M would always say when jej m asked her to do something. There little high voices and oh my goodness it is seriously the best.

We sang Jezus wants me for a sunbeam for singing time. Sister g studied piano at BYU for two years so she was our pianist. 

the first verse of Jezus chce bym byl promykiem goes like this:

Jezus chce bym byl promy-kiem

i swietcil dzien po dniiu:

sta-ral sie zawsze zyc dobrze

i wiernie slu-zyl mu

promykiem, promykiem

jezus chce bym byl promy-kiem

promykiem, promykiem, 

promykiem bede wiec dzis

every day I try to record a funny moment from the day and a miracle. Siostra B had shared with us that she had done that on her mission. I will be filling up a lot of journals I guess while I am here. Anyways the funny moment for Sunday was we taught a member fro the Phillipines in the evening and she gave us a box of chocolates alogn with more chocolate. As we rode the bus home after our meeting I offered k woman) one before talking about the church.

One of our companionship goals this transfer is to talk to at least one person each time we ride the ram/autobus/metro. Slowly I am becoming a little savy on all of this transportation. At least that is what I think until my companions start going the other way. All in good time I suppose.

The other story I wanted to share was my FIRST DOOR TO DOOR CONTACTING. We were in the other sisters area (Siostra Cand K.) I was with Sister K and the first door we knocked on a man answered. His name was A. Anyways he said, "normally I wouldn't invite you in, but today I feel like I will." He said he would give us five minutes to talk.Sister K can understand Polish much better than I can. We went inside and as always we wre offered some tea or coffee. The other great thing about Polish people is that they love tea- I am defrintiely in the right place! He had many questions, we talked about the first vision, temples, baptism, piligamy, homosexuality- you name it, we talked about it. He was 100% Catholic like almost everyone we meet, but what I love about Polish people is that they are so open and happy to talk abotu religion. They are so eager to listen and to learn, even if it is not there own belief. We had probably been there about twenty minutes when we hear a knock on the door, he goes and ansqwers it. Then three sister missionaries: Sister P, G, and C all walk in. We were sitting around a small table in his kitchen talking about the gospel, it was so fun and he was so kind and patient with us. When one person shared their testimony, he would look to the sister next to her and say "now it is your turn," and then we would go in a circle. We took a couple "selfies", a universal word I thought was just maybe American. We invited us to comre back again, his sister will be in town this week so we will have to stop by!

Anyways it is fun. The people are so wonderful and each day there is a little experience where I think to myself, "even if the rest of the day was going to bad (which it never is) this experience was worth it."

I can easily forbget the heat, the humidity, and the little sleep when I pray and make the decision to be happy. I know the families are eternal and I am so thankful for my own family. I talk alot about families with the people I meet, they ask, "if your fmailiy is so important, then why are you hear so long?" I know the message I have to share has been and is a blessing in my own life. Knowing that I will be with my family brings me joy and helps me be a better person, we are only closer and stronger as a family because of the the gospel. I feel responsible to share this message with others, my hope is that I can help others come unto this knowledge because I know it will bless their lives too. 

Until next week! Dowidzenia, 

Siostra Young

Week 9: NIE MOGE SIE DOCZEKAC!

NIE MOGE SIE DOCZEKAC! (I can not wait!)

I am left asking myself, "wait, is this real life?" Then the words from Elder Holland's devotional address come to mind, "THIS IS REAL LIFE." There is not messing around with Elder Holland.

On Monday Siostra Craig and I will be leaving the MTC and heading to Warsaw Poland, here is the flight itinerary!

Here are some of the highlights from this past week at the MTC:

Siostra Craig and I were talking with a sister going to Japan. She asked what language we were speaking and we told her Polish. She said, "really? I heard Polish, Finnish, and Japanese, were the hardest languages in the MTC!." Before our teachers would always tell us the same thing, that Polish was one of the hardest languages. I thought maybe they were a little biased, but nope it is now official! Polish is one of the hardest languages at the MTC. 

That being said I love the Polish language. There is so much thought and care put into the grammar and the words. I really do feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to teach in Polish. The cases have come along nicely, I finally memorized all six. I have to spend a little time going over the plural form of the cases, but they are not as difficult and I already have a few memorized. what I love about the Polish language is the way it sounds: a little bit of an asian tang here, a throaty sound there, and maybe a little finnish... my point is that is is unlike any language I have ever heard. I love it and can not wait to hear the people speaking way too fast for me to understand when I'm in Poland!

The teachers. The teachers at the MTC are the best and definitely inspired to be here. We said goodbye to Brat Smalley yesterday, it may have been a little emotional and a little leaky. Today is our last day with our other two teachers. They have become like our mentors and I will miss them very much. They have spent so much time with us and have helped us in so many ways. I want to make them proud and can not wait to see them around BYU campus after mission life and give them a big hug!

Also along the musical lines I played the cello in one sacrament meeting. Sestra Duffy sang with her angelic voice and Elder Isaacson played the piano. We performed I Know That My Redeemer Lives and it really was a wonderful opportunity. I PUT THOSE CELLO LESSONS TO USE MOM AND DAD. Thank you for patiently encouraging me to keep playing the cello and practicing.

On Tuesday we had elder Nash from the area seventy came to speak with us. We sang in the choir, Precious Savior Dear Redeemer (music by Brett Stewart) and I had goosebumps the entire time.

Here are some of the lyrics:

Precious Savior, dear Redeemer, thou wilt bind the broken heart.

Let not sorrow overwhelm us; dry the bitter tears that start.

Curb the winds and calm the billows; bid the angry tempest cease.

Precious Savior, dear Redeemer, grant us everlasting peace.

At the end of Elder Nash's address he said, 'Don't Hold Anything Back from the Lord." 

I could maybe stay at the MTC for a whole year and still feel like there is still so much for me to learn. For in a very long time I finally feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. When we match up our lives with His plan, we feel an overwhelming sense of joy and peace. I am so happy to be here and I am so excited to go and serve the people in Poland. There is still so much for me to learn, but I am also ready to go and learn out in the mission field. I recall a familiar feeling when I went skydiving last summer. I did not know exactly what I was doing, had I taken the time to stop and really ask myself if I knew what I was doing, I might have chickened out or had some kind of panick attack. However I went on that sketchy little airplane and I jumped into the big blue sky. I fell through clouds and looked down at the beautiful Earth and I love every single second of it. I am ready to go to Poland. I cam so excited to meet my mission President, the other missionaries, and the members. 

Until next time, when I'm in Poland, 

this is Siostra Young, leaving the MTC after nine weeks.  

Week 8 Nie moge sie doczekac!

Nie moge sie doczekac, tomorrow we will be getting out flight plans! 

Siostra Craig and I had another milestone in our lessons this week. We had another Skype lesson with Ewa and it was really exciting. I wrote in my planner right after we taught her...\

"our skype lesson with Ewa was the greateset! Siostra Craig and I were able to be ourselves and let our crazy/fun/excited personalities shine through, while keeping the Spirit of course."

What made this lesson different from our past lessons is we were able to engage Ewa as well as ourselves as re related experiences. The whole time we were smiling and focused on teaching people not lessons, which is KEY.

This week we also set up a baptismal date z Tomekim. 

Anyways this week has been great, the goal has been to "collect drops of awesome." Sister Melville, the Branch President's wife shared a talk which inspired Siostra Craig and I to "colelct drops of awesome." Example: you say your prayers today, great you collect a drop. Maybe you pick up some garbage, another drop. You hold the door open for someone, add a drop. You work out and fell great, another drop. Maybe you go out of your way to introduce yourself to someone sitting on a bench, hey add a drop. Anyways it is about collecting drops of awesome. Even if we do not fill ur bucket up with "drops of awesome," that is okay. Through the atonement and grace of Jesus Christ, our buckets can be filled. We are asked to try our best and that is all.

Thanks Mom! 

From Canada to Poland with love and a little spunk! 2 more weeks!!

"My Branch President's wife gave this to me. I don't even like nutella, I like Peanut Butter but desperate/stressful times call for stressful measures."

Week 7: CZAZ LEPCIEC!

CZAZ LEPCIEC! (time flies)

Next week we will be getting our flight plans! How is this possible?

This week the most exciting part was our Skype appointment. We skyped Ewa (Eva) in Poland, she is a member in Bydgoszcz and shared a short message with her. I loved every single minute of it, even if I only understood about 20% We shared a message about endurance, but more importantly enduring happily. I shared a quick story of the West Coast Trail. The hike was probably one the of the hardest hikes we had committed to. I quickly learned when that when my frame of mind was positive and excited, time flew by. In contrast, when I thought about myself and how difficult the hike actually really was, time did not only seem to drag on, but to freeze. I can thank my parents for that lesson! Life is not always easy, but if we go into each experience with a desire to endure and to learn, all will be well.