YSA all Poland Activity

It's a beautiful late Friday afternoon on the 26th of August and we had just arrived at Wolska Chapel where a few of the Warsaw YSAs were busy decorating for the dance that night. The clouds were beautiful and Ross couldn't resist capturing the moment.

We had picked up Jackie Pickett on the way and who do we see but Dorota Musial (right) and Karolina Bochenska. Dorota was responsible for the music for the dance and the music was WONDERFUL! Karolina works with the Young women.
The dance was for both Branches and all adults were invited.

The dance started at 7pm ans as you can ssee bbelow the YSAs began to show up.

Marcia LAfortune and her frined Michaelle are from Haiiti and are here going to school at the University with scholorships.

WE celebrated 2 birthdays at the dance, Karol Wilkosz (Kielce) and Dominik Lywinski.

Below is Dorota Musial, Marta Wisniewska and Piotr Duell.

As you can see we are gaining in numbers!

Maria Kaniewska and her friend danced up a storm. He was reluctant at first but became a willing participant. Who could resist the music?????????

How can I resist these cuties!!

Klaudia Gorniak is kasia's mom. she has the most beautiful blue eyes and actually looks like Glenn Close in person. She is a great lady!!

The dance is in full swing.

I asked Dominik when he was going to dance and he keept saying "Maybe later." finally out he went and then there was no stopping him.

The YSAs from out of Warsaw stayed at a Hostel not far from Old Town. After the dance they all ended up there socializing until late. They love to get together as it doesn't happen too often.
They all took trains to get here and some came from as far as 6 or so hours away. Even after the late hour they all arrived at the Branch on time for breakfast which was provided by our CES couple, Elder and sister Simons.

After breakfast the YSAS gathered in the YSA center and got ready for our Institute lesson taught by Jackie Pickett called "Weathering the Storms of life and Staying Strong in the Faith."

Kamila Komarnicka translated for Jackie and did a great job. It's not easy being a translator which requires active listening, processing and translating into polish in this case.

Here is the group picture of the YSAs from left to right in the baack;

Sebastian Gorniak, Adrrian Kozak, Marta Wisniewska, Karol Wilkosz, Patryk Klimek, Damiam Dudek, Kamila Komarnicka, Solongo Unursaihan standing in front of the back row. Sitting are, Marcia Lafortune, Aleksandra Modzelewska, Kasia Gorniak, Michaelle Jean, Dominika OLejniczak. Jackie is right behind them.

After a great class, the YSAS went out in the back of the Branch and played volleyball. It was about 89 degrees with high humidity. It was then back in for lots of water, juice and pizza. It didn't take them long to recover and they split for Old Town and Ross, Jackie and I split for home. we took Jackie home and picked up a few groceries, and got ready for Sunday. A good time was had by all

Torun and the Hapgoods farewell

Once again on a Friday, Ross and I head out of Warsaw for an overnight get-away. We are headed for the city of Torun which is known as the Gingerbread capitol of the world. The gingerbread is the most famous product of Torun and has been made for centuries and is one of the most popular Polish food products. Torun escaped significant destruction during the 2nd WW most of the buildings are still in their original state.
It was a beautiful late summer day and Torun ws only 3 hours away so we left early and were able to spend the whole day there.

We stayed at Hotel Filmar which wwas a short walk from Old town where we would head after checking in. Come to find out they weere doing some major renovation.

Every city in Poland has an old town sometimes called the Rynek.
In the picture below, men are tearing up the street to improve it. It requires lots of man power and shoulder work. They literally dig up the street stone by stone and then replace the stone or reuse it. They lay it back down one by one, like putting a puzzzle together then pour sand around the stone wateer it down and you are good to go.

Nicholas Copernicus was born here in Torun in 1473 and is famous for his astronomical theory and the picture you see is the Planetarium which has shows every hour. quitee impressive. The Old Town of Torun has many architecurtural monuments and buildings dating back to thee middle ages and more gothic structures than anywhere else in Europe.

I'm standing outside the city prison, one of the oldest buildings here. The picture below this one is another shot of the prison. the round tower with the windows at the top house the prisoners. Apparently, it ggets very cold in the winter and hot during the summer.

We are inside the home that Copernicus lived in. Notice the modern kitchen appliances!! The attendent caught us taking the picture and told us to put our cameras away.

This is the Ginger Bread factory, now a museum.

We had a great and informative and hands on time at the Museum. We were able to go through all the steps of making gingerbread. Here we are pledging never to give out the secret ingredients. The man with the glasses is the gingerbread maker.

Here he is explaining the ingredients,

Along with the ingredients such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, honey, ginger, there is a secret ingredient. It is black pepper. The bread ussed to be ccalled pepper bread. We all got a chaance to work the dough and then got our own little piece of dough.

Yummy!!!!!!!!!!




















Our little cookies are now ready to be baked. Ross's is the horse shoe one and mine is one of the square ones.

The gingerbreadd is now put into the wood burning oven.

ONce the gingerbread is in then the bakers kneel down by the oveen and pray fervently that the bread will be perfect. Thus Ross and another kneeling and praying.

We are leaving the factory with our cookies in hand.

A couple shots of Old Town.

We made our way over to the bakery that is famous for the gingerbread and waited in line to buy our gingerbread. It smelled wonderful! Ther are all different kinds and shapes of gingerbread to include chocolate covered gingerbread, gingerbread filled with a jam of some kind, gingerbread with a glaze. We decided it was all good.

We actually came back a second time to buy more.

The wall is all that is left of a ruins of a 13th century Teutonic Knights castle. If only that wall could talk!!!!!!!!

For accordian music, these guys were good.

Sunday we had a sort of reception out in our foyer for the Hapgoods, Brian and Ewa. They are returning to England where he is from. They have been here almost eight years and have given great service to the Church. He was the District President when we first arrived in Poland.

Asia Nabozny and her husband are leaving also and they will be missed. They are heading to Hungery where he will be involved in a Graduate school course in International History.

He is from Arizona and served a mission here and when he came back he met Aasia, fell in love and now are expecting their 2nd child.
He has been teaching in the Amerrican school here.

Our cute Relief Society President. Ania Kulinicz.

Kasia Gorniak, one of our YSAs and Karolina Bochenska

A couple of our YSAs, Kamila Komarnicka and Solongo Unu

Wojtek Swiatkowski and Andrew Staples. Andrew and his family moved here from the states. He is working for the Embassy and will be here for 2 years. Wojtek is a master of languages, knows Finnish, French, English and, of course Polish.

Monika Dublicka andd Gosia Neto both serve as counselors in Relief society. Gosia is a busy girl. She is in Law School and helps her husband in his business. She is fluent in French and English. Monika haas been teaching Institute for the seniors and is a wonderful teacherWieslawa Alechno teaches in Relief Society and is a librarian. She is a convert of lesss than a year and is amazing.

Dennis Kilongo has quite a story. He is from the Congo area in soutth Africa. HEe was pretty high up in a government position and when there was a polittical uprising he escaped and came to Poland, otherwise life over. He had to leave his wife and children, the thought was to either get them out or come back. Strong member of the Church, served in his ward in Africa, Temple marriage. Due to circumstances he can not go back and they cannot come to Poland.

Jackie Pickett and Seija Staples. Jackie is here with her husband from Houstan TX and Mark, her husband is here with Marathon Oil. They will be here for 3 years. Seija is a counselor in the YW program which now has 4 girls, 2 polish and 2 american. Jackie is going to be teaching Institute with me this Fall and is the Activities person.

Elder Sheridian, Jerzego Kasperkiego and Elder Hillyard. Jerzego is a new convert and has an amazing story,photographic memory and huge intellegence. He will be a great asset to the Branch.

Susan Nabareweh and our two sister missionaries, Sister Bailey and Sister Jones.






























































































The wonderful Elders in our Branch; left to right. Elder Hillyard, Sheridian, Johnson, Eastman, Hooker, Davis. They work so hard and are such a good group of missionaries. We love them and that goes for Sister Bailey andd Sister Jones.

Again, here is Jerzego!

A busy Sunday but a good one!!!! The Church is so true!!