Poznan District Meeting- April 11, 2011

The Poznan District gathers for weekly District Meeting. Twice a month, our Elders in Szczecin come in to join the Missionaries in Poznan. L to R: Elders Myler, Stohel, Johnson and Torke. Sisters Ellis and Smith.

Elder Torke (the District Leader) giving Lesson 8- "How To Begin Teaching". Poznan has two baptisms this month and Szczecin has a baptism on May 2.

Elders Myler and Stohel are doing a great job in Szczecin...a city located close to the German border and the farthest point in the mission. Elder Stohel is the Branch President in Szczecin and is sprinting all day long, as is Elder Myler. They are happily tired. They are working with some great investigators at the time....even a family! Elder Stohel goes home in 3 weeks and Elder Myler arrived here in March. They act and teach like they have been together forever. Great Missionaries!

Sisters Ellis and Smith are a great support in the Relief Society and the Young Women's program in Poznan. They are wonderful with members and investigators.

Elders Torke and Johnson earned the 'Standard of Excellence' last week! Elder Torke is the Branch President in Poznan and Elder Johnson is a huge help to him. As you know....great things are happening in Poznan! After a great District Meeting ....

...there's nothing like a good (and fast!) lunch at a new restaurant located just across the street from the chapel in Poznan. Then it's off to work for the Poznan missionaries, and the Szczecin missionaries run to catch their train back to their city...contacting all along the way! A great District where great things are happening! We love these Missionaries!! We love this work!!

The Great Poznan Branch- April 10, 2011

This weekend we found ourselves in Poznan with this great branch! Notice there are two special visitors in the back on the right....President Zelewski and his daughter, Maja, who both spoke today in Sacrament Meeting. Also, Marion....(the man in the suit sitting on the aisle on the 3rd row)...was baptized last month and is the newest member of the Branch....but not for long. You'll see!

In Sunday School, we had a great New Testament lesson taught by the branch Gospel Doctrine instructor, Marta.

The Young Women's program is doing well in Poznan. Maja, Natalie, Sister Smith (YW President), and Iza.

The Poznan Relief Society. L to R: Bozena, Beata, Guaya, Gosia, Sister Ellis, Malgorzata (Relief Society President), Marta, and Grazyne.

Sister Ellis and Smith with their investigator, Beata. Natalie and Guaya...the soon-to-be newest members of the Branch...will be baptized this month.

Elders Johnson and Torke (Branch President) have been teaching Natalie. Here they are shown with Natalie's parents, Michal and Gosia.

After Church, President Nielson, the Elders and Grzegorz (a member of the Branch presidency) went to the largest cemetary I had ever been to and placed flowers on the grave of a sweet sister who had been a member of the Poznan Branch who had recently passed away, Joanna Mazurkiewicz.

We passed a row of very elaborate and huge family graves.

Family members take great pride in taking care of their loved ones gravesites.

A few of the graves we passed had these stickers on them. These gravesites are going to be destroyed and new ones put in thier place if the 'rent' is not paid on them. Every 20-25 years a family member must pay money to keep the site. This sticker indicates that it's time to pay or the grave will be removed.

On a happier note.....

On the way home from the cemetary, we passed this giant football stadium that is being built to host some of the 2012 World Cup games in Poland. This stadium will seated over 90,000 spectators.

Elders Johnson, Torke and Grzegorz.

Other views of the stadium...

In person it looks like a giant marshmellow.... But it is really quite impressive!

Changes in the Mission...

Tonight we said 'Good-bye' and 'Welcome' as we had a change in the Office Elders. Elder Darowski (horizontal!) has been transferred to Wroclaw while Elder Murphey (far left) has been called to serve as the Mission Secretary. Other Elders...L to R: Elder Taylor (Logistics Secretary) and Elders Garrett and Eastman (Assistants). We love and appreciate our Office Elders. They do much to keep the mission running smoothly, and the missionaries 'legal' in this country. Thank you for all you do!

Zone Leader Council. Where it all begins...

One thing a Mission President learns very fast is if you want to change anything in your mission or know what is going on, it starts with the Zone Leaders. This is why monthly Zone Leader Council meetings are so critical.

The Zone Leaders of the Poland Warsaw Mission. L to R: Elders Kennedy and Hillyard (Warsaw Zone), Elders Nielson and Buckner (Bydgoszcz Zone), and Elders Leimer and Dabrowski (Katowice Zone). Sitting: Elders Eastman and Garrett (Assistants).

Elders Garrett and Eastman are Explaining the steps of contacting with Short Bold Statements of Truth. Testify of something you know, extend a Promise with the testimony and then Ask an Inspired Question that causes a person to really think. Set up a time when you can teach them the Principle you were testifying of.

The Zone Leaders are now Demonstrating the "How To" of Short Bold Statements of Truth.

A continued discussion on Demonstrating and suggestions on contacting people. Elder Leimer is sharing with Elders Buckner, Nielson and Kennedy what he has learned. Elder Hillyard is taking notes and Elder Dabrowski is observing.

Elder Garrett is practicing what was just Explained and Demonstrated. Elders Dabrowski, Hillyard and Leimer will follow Elder Garrett in practicing what they have learned. The "Role Play" part of Zone Leader Council----one hour. That's how important it is.

Following the Explaining, Demonstrating and Practicing, comes the Evaluating of what we just practiced. The what we did "Good" and the what we can "Get Better At". When this was finished and everyone learned better ways, we practiced it again (and again).

It was a great Zone Leader Council Meeting ... much participation. These Zone Leaders are really outstanding leaders and missionaries and...

there were many things discussed to help us improve and become better teachers. We love these leaders of our Mission. They give 100% and they are making a difference.

Side Note: In the Mission Office, the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of construction noise. We are getting neighbors in our building and they are doing some remodeling. Wouldn't you know in the middle of the night a worn out mattress appears in the dumpster filling up the whole bin. They come and empty the dumpster, and then next day...another mattress appears. This must be a universal problem!

A Full Tuesday......April 5, 2011

We left the house before 10:00 am to get over to the Wolska chapel so President could start interviewing before District Meeting began at 11:30. We were met at the chapel by this group of great missionaries......

....the Missionaries of the Warsaw l District. Standing L to R: Elders Ball (He and Elder Kennedy, the other Zone Leader, were on an exchange from Lodz), Sheridan, Waits and Hillyard (Zone Leader). Sisters McAdams and Stay.

The District Meeting was lead by Elder Sheridan and Lesson 7, "We Teach, They Commit, We Follow-up" was discussed. The Assistants, Elders Garrett and Eastman eagerly listened...

With every District Meeting comes the "Role Play" session and practicing using Short Bold Statements of Truth.

Elders Sheridan and Waits looking up one of the scriptures they often quote.

In the other end of the Wolska Chapel was Sister Briggs. She runs the Family History Center. This center always has someone looking up ancestry. She does a great job keeping this very busy center in order. Above, she is sorting films that were ordered by our patrons.

After District Meeting, its time for lunch. Elder Garrett made his famous pancakes for everyone. It was a great way to end the meeting and hurry off to find people to teach...and they cleaned up after themselves! (I witnessed it!)

With everyone interviewed, Assistants meeting with President regarding the Zone Leader Council meeting that would be held in 2 days, we finally left the chapel just in time to get to a YSA Planning meeting at the Warsaw II building at 5:30 pm. There we had the privilege to meet with these great young people....

...the YSA's and some investigators of Warsaw. L to R: Emil, David, Solongo, Marta, Dorota, Kamila, Piotrek, Dominik, and Agata. That night we attended FHE and Institute class. Great lessons! Since most of these great young people come straight from school or work to FHE and Institute...

....they always enjoy something to eat afterwards.

Sister Richards...YSA Leader, Ellie, Dorota, and Marta. And Below is Solongo, Kamila, and Agata.

After having a little nourishment, the guys were up for a little friendly competition.

Emil and David playing a little fooseball in the YSA center at the Warsaw II chapel.

Then the competition got a little more fierce as Dominik challenged President Nielson and President Shaha (District Counselor over YSA's) to a game........not sure who won but EVERYONE had fun! It was a great night and so fun to be with these great youth who are so strong in the gospel. WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

General Conference weekend- Poland Warsaw Mission

It was a beautiful day in Warsaw.....perfect weather for a perfect weekend. Here's how it went...

We drove into the parking lot of the Wolska chapel.....and who did we see out playing in the park...

Dominik and his son, Michol...practicing a little soccer. Over on the other side of the park, a YSA Activity was taking place.......volleyball, frizbee football...

a group shot of our great YSA's, Missionaries, and Investigators! Everyone had worked up an appetite so into the Wolska chapel kitchen we went where the YSA's showed how to cook some of their favorite recipes....hamburgers, sushi, homemade chicken noodle soup, and more. An interesting combo.....but everything tasted great!

L TO R: Elders Lundin, Hancock, Darowski, Dominik (bent over), Sister Briggs, Elder Murphey, Kasia, Dorota, Solongo, Agnieska and Sebastian (sitting in the front).

Kamila, Solongo and Dorota enjoying the great food.

Just shortly after the YSA Activity ended, it was time for General Conference to be shown in Poland.

It's 6pm and all the 'english speakers' and those who speak english very well met in the Relief Society room to view the Saturday morning session of General Conference.

How great it was to sing the hymns in English as we enjoyed singing a rest hymn with the rest of the congregations gathered around the world.

We had a visitor, David Sattler from Meridian, Idaho, who by the way was thrilled when President Monson announced that a temple would be built in his city. We wanted to get a picture of him so his family could see him on the blog, and before we knew it...everyone jumped in and it was a group shot! Standing L to R: Andziej Wencel, Elder Harding, Dennis, The Shaha family, Dave Sattler. Sitting L to R: Sisters Richards and Harding, Susan, Sisters Stay, McAdams, Leppanen, and Bailey.

In between conference sessions, a few of us enjoyed some food...Monika, Anna, Dominik, Sisters Lepannen and Bailey, and Beata.

Rafel and Agnieska, Ryszard (visiting from Salt Lake City), Marcin, and Karolina.

These are the real heroes of General Conference....the Translators. They put in HOURS of hard work so that the members in Poland can hear Conference in their own language. L to R: Anya and Marta from Warsaw; Andzej from Bydgoszcz; Wioletta from Lodz; and President Cielenski from Wroclaw.

President Cielenski and Marta translating the Sunday morning session.

These great members work into the wee hours of the morning and occasionally get a break. Thank you for all you do!!!! You are appreciated!!!!

What great talks were given this General Conference. How blessed we are to have a prophet on the earth today! After listening to the messages of our prophet and apostles, how can anyone NOT know this church is true. How grateful I am that I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.....which is led by a living prophet. I LOVE THIS CHURCH!!!!!

Elder Tribe goes back out into the field...

This is one of the saddest days for me is when President Nielson decides that it's time to send an Assistant back out into the field. Elder Tribe has been transferred to Wroclaw and is really excited to be able to concentrate on missionary work and not the responsibilities of being an Assistant. He will be missed. Just to show how much I love our Assistants, I broke out the A&W Rootbeer (that is sent over from the states) for his going away dinner. L to R: Elder Tribe, President and Elder Garrett.

But I can't be sad for long.....Elder Eastman (who had been serving as a Zone Leader in Warsaw) has been called as a new Assistant. He is a great missionary and we are excited to work closely with him. Welcome Elder Eastman!!!