We got up at 5:00am to make sure we caught our train to Katowice. President is traveling more and more by trains so he can get something accomplished instead of driving. Today we have a combined District Meeting in Katowice with the district there and the Wroclaw district joining us. We will be role playing and reviewing Short Bold Statements, asking Inspired Questions and making Promises.
Things were going well on the train ride until about 25 minutes from Katowice when the train stopped. After waiting for 5 minutes, they announced there had been an accident* and we would be there for another 120 minutes.
Not knowing exactly what was really said and not knowing where to go, we started seeing everyone get off the train (and walking to the other side of the tracks). We didn't think that was a smart thing to do because we didn't know where we would go.
Pretty soon we realized we were the only ones on the train. Maybe we better get off...
So we followed everyone else (except going to the other side of the tracks). Notice the Police and fire trucks up ahead. It turned out to be a very serious accident and of course we walked right through all of it...
Finding ourselves in Chruszczobrod waiting for an intercity commuter train to pick us up. Our District Meeting with the Katowice and Wroclaw districts starts when we can get there.
When we did arrive, we found all well. We have great leaders in this mission that can take over... no matter what happens.
From the
Wroclaw District: Elders Marsing and Tingey (both just great Elders) and
...Elders Cieslak and Bode (District Leader). Wroclaw is in great hands with these 2 hard working companionships.
The
Katowice District: Elders Rittmanic and Vreeken (Zone Leader).
Elders Mikolyski (District Leader) and Vernon. These two companionships are finding and teaching some great people in the Katowice area. Very strong missionaries in this district.
Katowice Sisters: Sister Peterson, Sister Howells and Sister Ence are working hard to tell as many people as they can about the restored gospel.
Elder and Sister McGrath were there on hand to make sure that none of these Missionaries went home hungry. Sister McGrath makes a 'mean' sloppy joe that everyone loves!
After District Meeting, one of the real purposes of the trip begins to take fold....interviews! Each 8-10 weeks, every missionary has an interview with President Nielson. This is a great time for him to visit with each missionary. With all that he does, this is probably his favorite thing to do.
As the trip comes to an end, we head to the Katowice train station....which by the way is making great progress in becoming a first-class stop. You can see the 'Galleria Katowice' sign in the background if you look close. We appreciate the Assistants traveling with us as they are working with the missionaries throughout the mission in regards to better contacting and tracting skills.
It's time to return to Warsaw.
It's been a very long day. Getting up at 5 a.m. to catch the train this morning, traveling several hours longer than usual because of an accident and teaching and training all afternoon has taken its toll on Elder Jensen...
...as well as President Nielson. But don't worry, the mission is in good hands because...
...Elder Basha and I are still going strong! I love my mission! It will be the best 3 years of my life!
*journal entry.
Your train ended up with 148 minutes delay. Reason: somebody was tresspassing the tracks (with fatal consequences).
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