New Missionaries meet their Trainers!

First FULL DAY in Poland! These new Missionaries are on their way to the Mission Office for orientation and to begin their legal work to live in the country. (L to R): Elders Dopp, Van Bakel, Hayes, and Walter; Sisters Forsey and Sheahan.

The Mission Office is only minutes away from the Mission Home, and President Nielson takes this opportunity to teach,train and visit. There is much to learn regarding what is expected to be a Missionary in the Poland Warsaw Mission....basically, BE OBEDIENT to all mission guidelines as outlined in Preach My Gospel and the white Missionary Handbook.

Once at the office, the new Missionaries begin orientation with Elder and Sister Peck, our great Office Couple. We really DO appreciate the Pecks. They spend long hours in the office making sure this mission runs as it should. Thank you!

After Orientation, they head to the Rynek (Old Town) to do a little contacting.

The Office Elders and the Sisters from Warsaw I have volunteered to be their companions to make sure their first time at 'contacting' in Poland is a great one!

Trying not to be obvious, we 'spotted' Sisters Mann and Sheahan talking to a man. They ended up teaching him the first discussion on the spot, got a phone number. He was excited to accept and read the Book of Mormon. Nice work, Sisters! Way to spread the gospel!

Now, while our New Missionaries are busy getting the hang of missionary work, guess who arrived at the Mission Home?

THEIR TRAINERS! Elders Murphey, Myler, Hooker and Jensen and Sisters Leppanen and Marshall. These great Missionaries are our first to go through the 'In-field Training for New Missionaries Program'.....a 12 week training course for new Missionaries and their Trainers. It has come to us from the Missionary Department, and we are excited to use it.

Trainers and Trainees -- together for the first time. BUT...no one knows who is going to be with whom! Here come the assignments....

Elder Walter will be trained by Elder Myler....and where will they be serving?

In the Warsaw I Branch....where they just had two baptisms last week. A great branch with lots of missionary work going on.

Elder Dopp will be trained by Elder Murphey.

Elder Murphey was just transferred from Bydgoszcz and will be serving with Elder Dopp in the Warsaw II Branch...probably the largest in Poland. Great people and an excitement for missionary work as well.

Sister Marshall will be training Sister Forsey....

...and they will be serving in Katowice where we just held a wonderful District Conference. Again...we thank our members for the great job they do there helping the missionaries.

Sister Lepannen will be training Sister Sheahan. And where will they be serving?

In the beautiful city of Poznan! Poznan has had several baptisms this year and will be dedicating a new chapel soon. They grew out of the old one. That is the kind of grow we love to see.

Elder VanBakel and his Trainer, Elder Jensen ...

...will also be heading down to Katowice to serve there together. Two new missionaries in a city that is ready to be converted!

And our final new Missionary, Elder Hayes, will be trained by Elder Hooker.

And they will be serving together over in Wroclaw where the members there are so good about fellowshipping their new converts.

After meeting their new Trainers, visiting and getting to know them for a few minutes, it was back to instruction time with President Nielson. These new Missionaries come from the MTC well prepared, and they are fast learners. We expect great things from them AND their Trainers.

After training, we all sat down to a great meal together, a testimony meeting, 9:00 p.m. Planning, then it was off to bed. It was a wonderful day. We love our missionaries and know they work their hardest to serve the Lord while they are preaching the gospel in Poland. What better way to spend 18/24 months than this! I need to close....tomorrow starts VERY early. Another full day!