Our missionary's birthday in Poland!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I had a good birthday. I am glad it was on Sunday. Sacrament meeting was great. I could understand it all, and you know it is the end of the transfer when two people give me the numbers of the hymns we are singing. Do you remember my first week here? No one told me and I started to play the wrong song. The members here are great, and I was wished many wonderful things for my birthday. Renata (the branch president’s wife) gave me two necklaces she crocheted so no fears, I was not forgotten. I also got a call from a sister in Lodz wishing me a happy birthday from the branch there. It was fun to talk, but I was really confused as to whom I was talking to for a while. I celebrated my birthday by eating Oreos and ice cream and reading my letters; it was fun.

The branch president in Bydgoscz with his wife Renata. A colorful couple.

This week has been crazy. The weather has not been typical summer weather. In other words, we have been doing a lot of tracting. I have attached a picture of me on my birthday. I am wearing my cute new shirt, but you can't tell because as you may also notice, I also have a coat, scarf, and tights on. I am carrying the whiteboard we use daily and standing on the corner our chapel is on. What happened to the 107 degree weather when I was born? It was definitely the opposite this weekend. Just so you know, this isn't normal for Poland, either.

July 3, 2011 in Poland.

So this week we have transfers. I will be staying here in the Big Ghost as grandma calls it. I am excited---I feel like we are starting to build here. I will be getting a new companion---kind of. Sister Garcia is following me up here! It will be a fun transfer. President Nielson called about transfers and totally forgot my birthday. Then at 10:30 on the dot he barely made it and called to wish me happy birthday.

President Nielson with the statue of the Pole who broke the Engima code during WWII.

This week we had our first Young Women’s activity. It was fun. Olivia taught us how to make necklaces as one of her experiences. I failed completely at it. I still cannot do crafts---not as a leader or as a young woman. Olivia is rocking at personal progress. She had me sign off 8 experiences this week that she has been working on for awhile. She is very detailed in everything she does and keeps track of it and writes everything down. She has way more motivation than I did. She is going to EFY in two weeks for the first Europe-wide EFY. I am way excited for her.

Mom, I got the package today. I love the skirt and the shirt. The DHL guy rang the Domophone, but we weren't fast enough to answer it. So I chased him to his van. But I got it. It was fun to get all the letters from the kids in the ward. And yes, I am sleeping on pretty flowers. Thanks for the pillowcase, Barbara---I love it!

Bydgoszcz at night.