Leadership Meetings....Every Other Month!

It's time for Leadership Meetings in our mission again. Every other month, President Nielson gets his Zone Leaders, District Leaders and Trainers together for training. This month, we divided the group in half and did the upper part of the mission first.....in Bydgoszcz.

(L toR): Elders Torke (Poznan), Siebert and Krzyminski (Gdansk), Assistants Garrett and Eastman, Elders Nielson, Buckner and Kalinowski (Bydgoszcz). Sister Steadman is the beautiful one in the middle!

Instruction by our assistants, Elders Garrett and Eastman. This was an open discussion with partipation by all.

We were reviewing the guidelines of the mission, responsibilites of Leaders and their stewardships.

Here again, the attributes that make missionaries better and more in tune with the Spirit.

With training going on in the other room, some of us had to get lunch ready. Elders Fletcher and Fritzsch showing what we were serving....great individual pizzas and pastries from a little bakery around the corner from the church! Elder Fletcher just transferred in from Krakow and Elder Fritzsch from Lodz.

While training was going on, Sister Jones and I were doing walking the streets passing out pamphlets and pass along cards. Sister Jones has been in the country just less than a week, and she is fearless and speaks amazing polish! A great addition to our mission. We have not had Sisters in Bydgoszcz for some time and it is great to have them assigned there again.

Three great missionaries in our mission....and all from Germany! Elders Siebert, Torke and Fritzsch. Elders Torke and Fritzsch are companions in Poznan and Siebert is the District Leader in Gdansk.

Finishing up Leadership Meeting in Bydgoszcz, we headed back down to Warsaw to train the rest of the leaders in our mission the next day.

This group was active and ready to learn! Who attended? Front to back- Elders Hinckley, Ball, Eastman and Tribe. Elders Garrett, Davis, Augustyn, Sorn, Dabrowski, Hillyard, Curtis, Lundin, Kennedy and Sheridan.

Our Elders in Warsaw: Elders Lundin (District Leader Warsaw II), Sheridan (District Leader Warsaw I and Trainer), Elders Kennedy and Curtis (Zone Leaders-Warsaw).

From Katowice, Elders Dabrowski (Zone Leader), Sorn (District Leader & Trainer), and Elder Hillyard (Zone Leader).

From Lodz: Elders Ball, and Elder Augustyn (District Leader).

From Krakow: Elders Davis (District Leader), and Elder Hinckley.

And not to forget.....Elder Tribe! District Leader in Wroclaw. He is a former Assistant and we miss not seeing him!

This group was ready and eagar to learn! Elders Augustyn, Hinckley, Tribe, Ball, Sheridan, Eastman, Garrett and Dabrowski.

With Elders Davis, Sorn, Lundin, Hillyard, Kennedy, Curtis, Eastman and Dabrowski in the back.

After training all morning, a lot of DeGrasso Pizza was 'wolfed' down.....
.....then it was back for more training! Elders Hillyard and Dabrowski (Zone Leaders in Katowice) gave an outstanding presentation of not focusing on the box as much as what is in the box. The gospel is the message, the Pearl. In contacting, its still about teaching and bringing the message. Not about the appointment or what we would like to arrange. Teach to Find and Find to Teach.

It was a great Leadership Meeting where much was accomplished. It was so great to see some of the Elders from our cities far away that we don't get to see that often. Every one is doing well. We are baptizing everywhere and it is a good feeling. These missionaries are working hard to bring those who are looking to their Savior.

An added bonus....Later that night we had very special visitors for dinner!
Mark Broadbent and his wife, Melissa (Sister Castleton!) both former Polish missionaries came for dinner. They are here for the summer on business. (Brother Broadbent had been our 'Preach My Gospel' instructor at the MTC and Melissa had come in to help us with language.) They will be attending the Warsaw I Branch and are excited to reconnect with the people they served and loved. And.....Melissa is expecting!!! What a great couple and it was so fun to visit with them!