Katowice Leadership Training- 8 Mar 11

Trainers, District Leaders and Zone Leaders gather every other month (usually right after a tranfer) for Training meetings. Here we are preparing to start on time (IF the trains are on time...) with R to L: Elders Hinckley (Krakow), Davis (Krakow), Dabrowski (Katowice), Kennedy (Katowice), Garrett & Tribe (Assistants), Leimer (Katowice), Sheridan (Wroclaw) and Sisters Smith and Mann (Katowice).

Our plans were to walk down the street during lunch to a "Milk Bar"; but when we arrived it was packed, so with little time remaining, we stopped at "Micky D's" and came back to the Chapel to eat. Sisters Mann and Smith along with Elders Kennedy, Hooker and Hinckley still enjoy the taste of an American favorite.

Elders Davis, Vreeken and Sheridan take a quick lunch break.

After lunch we are ready for the afternoon sessions. While we had training with the leaders, some of the junior companions were out together doing the real work.

Elders Hooker (out 1 week) and Elder Vreeken (out 9 weeks) went out and in a couple of hours placed 14 copies of the Book of Mormon and made 12 referrals for appointments. Now that is one great afternoon. Congratualtions to these great Elders. Our mission is rather young but this is the caliber of missionaries we have!

The Katowice Chapel is in the Centrum and a great location. Across the street was a small "Prop 8" gathering. These are supporters. The gathering got quite large. This is not a big issue like it is in Amercia. But it was held on an interesting day....

"National Woman's Day". Flowers were being purchased all over the country by those wanting to honor a special woman in their life. It is said that Polish women receive more flowers than any other group of women in the world. Today was no exception.

These men were out buying flowers for their special lady...I don't happen to see President Nielson anywhere, do you?

That evening, in the Chapel, Sisters Mann and Smith are teaching Damian. He will be baptized on March 26. When the lesson was over he came and helped.....

Elders Hooker and Kennedy teach Symon who also has a date for baptism on March 26. These are great young men who will be coming into the Church. The lesson that Elders Kennedy and Hooker taught was outstanding. They asked President and I to sit in. With our terrible Polish we shared our testimonies; but these two nice young men spoke better English, so we were able to be included in the teaching. What a great night! It is so much fun to teach the gospel and to see what it does for people. You don't have to know the language very well, you can feel what is going on .

Dinner time and NO...it's not Pizza Hut. This is another missionary favorite, Nasz Nalesziki. Here Elder and Sister Neiman join us. They are great in Katowice and are returning home to Canada in three weeks. They have been a huge support to the YSA Center (Outreach) and the Branch and District. A great day in Katowice, now a 3 1/2 drive back to Warsaw as we continue our week of Leadership Training. In bed by 12:30am.