12 Oct 2025, 3:00 p.m. MDT
Fifty young adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from across Europe spent a week in Bulgaria helping to transform the grounds of a school for disadvantaged children.
From July 27 to Aug. 2, volunteers representing a variety of countries — Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, England and France — gathered to serve at the Dimitar Ekimov School of Arts and Crafts in the village of Rusalya, reported the Church’s Europe Newsroom.
A week of work and worship
The gathering began July 27 with a Sunday worship service, a presentation about the school and an evening activity to help participants get to know one another. Elder Steve Bailey and Sister Tatyana Bailey, senior missionaries, directed the service project with the support of young adult leaders and other missionary couples. Three young adults from Sofia, Bulgaria, also joined, helping the group connect more easily with the local residents.
Each weekday, participants worked from morning until evening to clear weeds, cut brush, remove roots and haul stones. Their efforts turned an overgrown, neglected property into a space that can become a playground for the school’s children.
A Latter-day Saint young adult clears a schoolyard in Bulgaria as part of a service project held July 26-Aug. 2, 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Antonela Yescas, one of the volunteers, said in a video on The Church of Jesus Christ Europe YouTube channel, “We’re here to help them create a strong foundation.”
Theon Grigorov, a local project leader, admitted the scope of work seemed overwhelming at first. “The first and foremost goal was to clear the area so that the future buildings or ideas for growth can actually be seen and visualized in the right way. Because it was just a jungle before,” he said, adding, “Doing the work that they’re doing right now and having so many passionate volunteers to help is a benefit to us because we can get so much more work done.”
Connections built through service
Latter-day Saint young adults clear a schoolyard in Bulgaria as part of a service project held July 26-Aug. 2, 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Throughout the week, volunteers paused for meals and spent time with the children, creating lasting friendships.
On the final day of the conference, the young adults finished early so that they could have a cultural celebration — with traditional Bulgarian dances — with the children.
“I’ve never felt that satisfied in my work, as I did in serving these people,” said Aleksandar Stoyanov of Sofia.
Eimer Allott of England reflected on the spiritual atmosphere: “We had a few talks at devotionals … about how the first thing Jesus did was serve. The Spirit of God we feel here means people are kinder to each other.”
Young adults from across Europe gather in Bulgaria for a service project in July 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Local leaders express gratitude
The school’s director, Animari Dimitrova, expressed appreciation to the group. “Thank you from our hearts. We are very, very good friends of yours and we love you.”
Another school leader, Zlatko Zlatkov, explained in the video how the institution has long relied on help from outside supporters. “We are happy that there are such people who help us because since we created the school, we have mainly relied on the help of good people who open their hearts to us,” he said. “And we believe that, as if by some miracle from above, we are surviving thanks to these people who have learned about us, who have recognized the cause and who are giving of themselves.”
Latter-day Saint young adults stop for a snack in Bulgaria after clearing a school yard as part of a service project held July 26-Aug. 2, 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Local civic leaders also gave support. Deputy Mayor Georgi Nedev visited the site several times during the week and attended a devotional Thursday evening. He said he noticed the “warm feelings and the sharing of love” among participants.
Sofia Bulgaria District President Nikolai Danev also addressed the group, quoting Christ’s commandment to “love God and thy neighbor,” reminding them that service is central to discipleship.