Thursday Morning: As everyone was up early for their first full day in Poland, their trainers were boarding trains traveling to Warsaw to meet these new missionaries. A full day of contacting and training was on the agenda today.
After breakfast, the first item of business was to start their legal work. Everyone headed out on the 8 minute walk to the Mission Office which is just around the corner from the Mission Home.
All of our new missionaries received instructions on what they needed to do to receive a Residence Card...valid for the time they are in Poland. Elder and Sister Hutchinson, our new Office Couple, along with Elders Register and Walter do an excellent job of explaining and keeping the mission running.
"Meanwhile back at the ranch", the trainers had arrived and President was going over their new responsibilities in making sure the 'righteous traditions of the mission and missionary work' are passed on to the new missionaries. Each missionary goes through a 12-Week Training course to assist in becoming more effective teachers of the gospel. (Standing: Elders Zelezniak, Wilson, Tingey, Neuner and Vernon. Sisters Masters and Young)
While this is going on, the new missionaries have finished their orientation of legal work and are heading to the Rynek for contacting...
Elders Register and Boyce speaking with a man about the Book of Mormon...
Elders Jensen and Meherg talking with a lady about the restored gospel which is on the earth today. (This is Elder Jensen's second to last day in Poland, and he is working harder than ever!)
Sister Packard and Lenhart talking with everyone they see...
Elder Gibby explaining to this man as they are walking the importance of our message. Pretty good for his first day and being all alone. Great job, Elder Gibby!
Later in the afternoon. When everyone is back from contacting and the trainers' training is complete, President is ready to make assignments for cities and companionships. The first is Elder White...
His new companion is Elder Zelezniak.
They will be serving in the beautiful city of Gdansk.
Elder Boyce will be serving with Elder Wilson in Warsaw II Branch.
Elder Gibby will be serving with Elder Vernon in...
...North Praga or Warsaw I Branch.
Next is Elder Caskey...
...who will serve with Elder Tingey in the great city of Poznan.
Next is Elder Meherg who will serve with Elder Neuner in Kielce. We will now have two companionships serving in this growing and great branch. Now the Sisters...
Sister Swenson will be serving with Sister Masters in...
our northern most city- Gdansk.
Sister Lenhart will be serving with Sister Young and they are in...
...the Warsaw II District, Warsaw II Branch.
Afterwards they had a few minutes to meet and visit before everyone continued on with training and mission documents. This is always a fun time to be around missionaries. There is a great excitement as a missionary receives his first assignment. Now, they finally get to experience real life as a missionary and doing what they came to do... preach the gospel!
Dinner tonight was a real treat.. 16 around the table. What a wonderful groups of great missionaries. You cannot ask for better than this!!! Elders Meherg, White, Zelezniak, Boyce, Vernon, Sisters Lenhart, Young, Swenson, Masters, Elders Wilson, Neuner, Gibby, Caskey and Tingey.
Tonight after dinner and testimony meeting, the Warsaw missionaries headed to their apartments. They can arrive at their apartments in time for 9:00pm planning and be ready for tomorrow. Sisters Young and Lenhart, with Elders Vernon, Gibby, Wilson and Boyce.
As Elder Meherg was departing the MTC, he received a bag of candy which he could not eat so he brought it to Poland and decided to leave it with our "American Candy Stash" for all of our missionaries to enjoy. They can eat all they want and never have to ask for permission. There is only rule: EVERYONE uses hand sanitizor before helping yourself. (This is NOT a collection of petri dishes for germs!)
Friday Morning: This morning the rest of our new missionaries and their trainers are all ready for the ride to the train station. Sisters Swenson and Masters (Gdansk), Elders Tingey and Caskey (Poznan), Neuner and Meherg (Kielce), Zelezniak and White (Gdansk).
This is always a great sight- eager missionaries heading out to teach the world. It was so fun to have new missionaries and trainers in the mission home. They are so wonderful.
Now, it's time to clean, cook and get ready because in 5 hours the departing missionaries who have served faithfully for so long are coming in for their final night in Poland. The emotions of transfer week. The longer we are here, it does not get easier. I love my missionaries- some President and I have known for only days, others for years; but it seems like we have all known each other forever...
How exciting! I read your blog with a new love of missionaries, since I have one now! Our Mitchell is headed to Culiacan Mexico. He just left the MTC. He is in Boise waiting for his Visa! Hopefully it will come soon! I hope his mission president's will be as wonderful as you two!
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