Sunday, April 1, 2012

General Conference Comes to Poland....April 2012

We started our General Conference weekend early Saturday morning... actually at 3:30am. President had a conference call with the 'President Lewis Mission Reunion'. We are grateful for the missionaries who have served in Poland and have helped lay the foundation for this great work.Last week was so beautiful and now we have a few clouds coming in. About 30 minutes later it was snowing. This is just like General Conference in Salt Lake City. Spring weather all week then one last blast of winter.We arrived and the translation team was already busy at work. We thank these great members (and there are more who are not in this picture) for their time, efforts and talents in making General Conference possible in Poland and in Polish. President Dresler, Jakub, President Jagard, Violetta, Magda, Brat Magnuski, Sebastian and Andrzej.Not letting the weather curtail this great day were Maja and Gosia.Elder Pofelski, in his second week in Warsaw after the transfer, with Elder Siebert the District Leader in Warsaw l.Inside the church before the Priesthood Session broadcast started were Elders Hancock and Fletcher with Piotr. He has with him (and carries it every Sunday in his scriptures signed by HIS missionaries) his baptismal certificate from 1992.Elder Manwill, who has been in Warsaw now for less than 24 hours, with Elder Jensen the District Leader in Warsaw l. Elder Manwill transferred from Krakow.The Office Elders (Murphey and Tanner) with the Assistants (Krzyminski and Myler) waiting for their investigators to arrive. They also are great greeters as everyone shows up.In the back at the Family History Center, with a few minutes to spare before Conference starts, are Brother Pew and Sister Sheets working on Brother Pew's Family History. A great use of time, and a tremendous work is going on.Out in the foyer as investigators are coming in, Sister Mann is showing Klara and Piotr copies of the Book of Mormon in various languages.Elder Fletcher is telling this good man about the gospel and that Jesus Christ is central to our Religion and Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation. Kszystof and Elder Murphey discuss gospel principles with this Investigator who has come to view Conference. Some of the good Priesthood brethren from the Warsaw I and II Branches. Sebastian, Bogdan, Brat Zielonka, Piotr, Brat Rzeczycki, Elder Peck, Marcin, Tomek and Brat Kodym.More great Priesthood holders- Brothers Neto, Wojczek, Slawek, Rafal, President Jarosz and Tomek. Some of our Priesthood holders from the Warsaw II Branch who watched the Conference broadcast in English were Brothers Pickett, Lywinski, Pew, Denis, (I need help again with a name) Jake and President Armstrong.As the Priesthood Session was ending, our great Sisters started arriving to watch General Conference: Jolanta, Sister Gorniak, Ania, Sister Kulan and Monika.Sara and Sister Jarosz attending the first broadcast which was the Young Women's broadcast from last Saturday night.Elder Fletcher and Hancock with Teresa and Bingo, one of the 6 dogs she owns. Agnieszka and her father. Agnieszka like many of our youth are in the middle of studying for their maturas...an intense test they take at the end of high school which determines where they will be accepted into universities. It is all consuming and includes a very difficult Polish grammar section! Even the Poles dread Polish grammar!This particular session was translated by Andrzej, Presidents Jagard, Dresler and Cielinski.During the Saturday afternoon session everyone was especially interested in the choir. This special choir was from the MTC and one of the members is Siostra Modzelewska from Poland. As you will remember from a few weeks ago she will be serving in Romania. We looked and looked for her and finally during the last hymn......on the very top row as the camera scanned across, we spotted her! The top row to the far right. She is beautiful, and we are so proud of her. If you would have told her 15 months ago that she would join this Church, become so converted that she would go on a mission, be in the MTC and in a missonary choir and be seen on TV around the world...I am not sure if she would have believed you. There are no coincidences.After the morning sessions we had a lunch break. Here are just some of the hungry Priesthood Brethern- Elder Peck, Godfry, Elders Pofelski, Siebert, Denis, Elders Tanner, Murphey, Fletcher, Hancock and Krzyminski.In the other part of the building during meetings, President was meeting with his missionaries individually. Sisters Sheahan, Garcia, Mann and Forsey visiting during lunch and in between interviews.Also during the sessions, the translation team need to rest; and they enjoy a great lunch. Jakub, Andrzej, Magda, Philip, Darek, Violetta, Kasia, Jon, Ania and Sebastian. Great people! We love them.It was a long day but a great day. Conference ended (it was still going on in Salt Lake) for the missionaries. The translation team was still hard at work and we will read the last session in the next Liahona. Elders Siebert, Pofelski, Myler, Hancock, Krzyminski and Fletcher said goodbye to their investigators and headed for home.
What a great weekend with so many tremendous messages. When you listen to General Conference the witness comes again that there are prophets, seers and revelators on the earth today. Every talk is exactly what we need and what the Lord wishes for us to do. This Church is true. President Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth at this time. The keys of the Priesthood are restored and active today. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. God does have a plan for us, and there is a great purpose for why we are on this earth. Happiness and joy can happen when we obey the will of the Lord. Watch http://www.lds.org/ for information and messages.

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