The Poland Warsaw Mission Bydgoszcz Zone! This Zone is our International Zone- Some of our Missionaries in this zone are from Finland, Iceland, Germany and yes- POLAND! Since we only have Zone Conferences every quarter, it is especially nice to get together to be instructed and edified.....and visit!
Top Row: President Nabozny (1st Counselor Mission Presidency) Elders Krzyminski, Leimer, Garrett, Nielson, Eastman, Buckner and Lundin. Next row: Sisters McAdams, Leppanen, Elders Hillyard, Rogers, Murphey, Fletcher, Gladun, Fritzsch, Gudnason, Sisters Steadman and Garcia. Front row: E/S Simons, President, E/S Zatylny.
Elder Nielson and Elder Murphey did a great job teaching their Zone the importance of 'Following up'
You never have to beg anyone to come to a 'buki break'. Our Zone Leaders had to be 'extra' prepared for this lunch. Today was a holiday which means EVERYTHING was closed. All food was bought on Saturday, and it tasted great! (They bought 'buki' (rolls) that needed to be baked before serving. The entire church smelled of fresh bread!)
A special 'thank you' to Sister Zatylny who baked the rolls and arranged the food while we were in the morning meeting. We appreciated it!
During lunch break is when we celebrate birthdays. A rousting "Sto Lat" was sung to these missionaries....Elders Gladun and Rogers; and Sisters Zatylny, McAdams, and Steadman. And of course, the traditional homemade M&M cookies were distributed!
Me and the Sisters of the Bydgoszcz Zone. We love our Sisters. They work hard and are fearless in making contacts. Sisters Garcia, Steadman, Leppanen, and McAdams.
After lunch we held a Preach My Gospel Chase. Those countless years I spent serving in Seminary came in real handy!
Our Judges: (L to R) Elder and Sister Simons, Elder and Sister Zatylny, Richard Nabozny (1st Counselor in the Mission Presidency), and Elder and Sister Dahl (the Area Doctor assigned to Poland who is doing a whirlwind tour through most of our cities helping us secure proper medical facilities for our Missionaries...a task that was much needed!)
And the Chase began......
In the far corner left, Elder Leimer is working with Elder Rogers, Elder Dahl is checking answers, Sisters McAdams and Leppanen are finding the correct pages and statements. In the front table are Elders Murphey and Nielson writing and Elders Fletcher and Lundin doing the same. Another judge, Elder Simons, is adding up the scores.
Elders Garrett and Gladun are identifying the correct scripture referrences to the "fragments" on the page. These Elders achieved the 'Standard of Excellence' in Gdansk the week before.
Elders Leimer and Rogers making sure "Your Purpose" is correctly written on their score sheet.
Elders Eastman and Hillyard busy on the left as are Elders Gudnason and Krzyminski on the right.
President Nabozny still adding up points as Sister Steadman and Garcia fill in all the boxes. Elders Fritzsch and Buckner were doing very well themselves. The scores were close, but one team stood out...It was the companionship of the Poznan Elders! Everyone is a Winner but this companionship really knew their stuff.
Elder Buckner and Elder Fritzsch coming up to the front of the room to 'choose' their prize. It looks like Elder Buckner has made his choice. Elder Fritzch being an obedient Jr. Companion looks willing to go along with his Sr. Companion's choice. Maybe it's because Elder Fritzsch is from Germany and has no idea what original Cheetos taste like.... or American Super Chunk Peanut Butter for that matter! He is in for a treat!
The Poznan District: Elder Buckner (District Leader and Branch President in Poznan), Elders Rogers and Leimer (serving in Szczecin), Elder Fritzsch in Poznan and Sisters McAdams and Leppanen (serving in Poznan).
The Gdansk District: Elders Krzyminski, Garrett (District Leader), Gladun, and Gudnason. Elder and Sister Zatylny.
The Bydgoszcz District: Elders Nielson (Zone Leader), Lundin (District Leader), Fletcher, and Murphey (Zone Leader). Sisters Garcia and Steadman.
In November we lose several Elders....many of them serving in leadership positions at this time. President got Elders Eastman, Nielson and Garrett together to talk to them about their last transfer and what he would like to see happen. These Elders have begun to call themselves the "Yellow Group". That is because on the President's Transfer Board, their group is designated in yellow cards, and they have been in most of the leadership positions for some time.
Would YOU trust these guys? We're going to have to!!! Of course, we do! They are some of the finest missionaries in the mission and will truly be missed when they return to the states.
In the far corner left, Elder Leimer is working with Elder Rogers, Elder Dahl is checking answers, Sisters McAdams and Leppanen are finding the correct pages and statements. In the front table are Elders Murphey and Nielson writing and Elders Fletcher and Lundin doing the same. Another judge, Elder Simons, is adding up the scores.
Elders Garrett and Gladun are identifying the correct scripture referrences to the "fragments" on the page. These Elders achieved the 'Standard of Excellence' in Gdansk the week before.
Elders Leimer and Rogers making sure "Your Purpose" is correctly written on their score sheet.
Elders Eastman and Hillyard busy on the left as are Elders Gudnason and Krzyminski on the right.
President Nabozny still adding up points as Sister Steadman and Garcia fill in all the boxes. Elders Fritzsch and Buckner were doing very well themselves. The scores were close, but one team stood out...It was the companionship of the Poznan Elders! Everyone is a Winner but this companionship really knew their stuff.
Elder Buckner and Elder Fritzsch coming up to the front of the room to 'choose' their prize. It looks like Elder Buckner has made his choice. Elder Fritzch being an obedient Jr. Companion looks willing to go along with his Sr. Companion's choice. Maybe it's because Elder Fritzsch is from Germany and has no idea what original Cheetos taste like.... or American Super Chunk Peanut Butter for that matter! He is in for a treat!
The Poznan District: Elder Buckner (District Leader and Branch President in Poznan), Elders Rogers and Leimer (serving in Szczecin), Elder Fritzsch in Poznan and Sisters McAdams and Leppanen (serving in Poznan).
The Gdansk District: Elders Krzyminski, Garrett (District Leader), Gladun, and Gudnason. Elder and Sister Zatylny.
The Bydgoszcz District: Elders Nielson (Zone Leader), Lundin (District Leader), Fletcher, and Murphey (Zone Leader). Sisters Garcia and Steadman.
In November we lose several Elders....many of them serving in leadership positions at this time. President got Elders Eastman, Nielson and Garrett together to talk to them about their last transfer and what he would like to see happen. These Elders have begun to call themselves the "Yellow Group". That is because on the President's Transfer Board, their group is designated in yellow cards, and they have been in most of the leadership positions for some time.
Would YOU trust these guys? We're going to have to!!! Of course, we do! They are some of the finest missionaries in the mission and will truly be missed when they return to the states.
It was a great zone conference in Bydgoszcz. We love being with our missionaries. We truly have great missionaries who serve valiantly and honor their parents by their preparedness.
Afterwards we headed home. It was the end of a three-day weekend and the traffic into Warsaw was terrible. This trip was only 5 hours back home....
Warsaw Zone Conference on Thursday and Katowice on Friday. Back on the road again!
That was so smart of them to buy rolls to bake. I didn't realize that a holiday meant all of the shops would be closed. We went to the mall because that is what Americans do on a holiday. We shop! I guess that is not the case here. We had such wonderful time meeting you tonight. THank you so so much!
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