We arrived in Poznan Monday night.....just in time for Family Home Evening at the chapel. It's a great way for the members to enjoy each other's company as they study the gospel, play games and have refreshments. (LtoR): Marian, Marta (who reports the to MTC in Provo June 11- Illinois Chicago Mission), Natalie, Grzegorz, Jola and Sister and Elder Sheley.
The next morning (Tuesday) we were up early and heading to the chapel....it was going to be a full day.
We were greeted by the Szczecin Elders who had come in for interviews and Zone Training Meeting.
Elder Cieslak (District Leader) and Elder Kotter... both excited to be in Szczecin and serving the Lord.
Elder Saltmarsh and Elder Godwin. Our second set of missionaries in Szczecin who are just are great as any companionship we have in Poland.
Our Poznan Elders, Elder Tingey (District Leader) and Elder Ciaskey, were there to open the building and make sure everything was perfect for the day's activities.
The Sisters were hurrying to update the Branch Bulletin board....showing pictures of members and Branch activities...before the meeting started.
They did stop, however, when I brought out the mail....and they had much to smile about! Sister Bezdjian and Sister Bown are teaching some great people....including a wonderful family!
Our Senior couple, Elder and Sister Sheley, are wonderful and support the Branch in every way....including being the Branch President! Bringing something special for lunch, going out with missionaries to teach lessons and finding inactives are only a few of their many duties....we just love their enthusiasm for the work.
The Bydgoszcz Zone Leaders, Elder Bokinsky and Elder Gudnason, are here in Poznan to teach and instruct what was discussed at Zone Leader Council the week before. This is their opportunity to make sure the "water gets to the end of the row". They did a great job of leading the discussion today.
Zone Training in this part of the Zone. (Tomorrow the Zone Leaders meet with the Bydgoszcz and Gdansk Districts in Bydgoszcz). Front row: Elders Gudnason, Bokinsky, Tingey and Caskey. Middle row: Elders Saltmarsh, Kotter, Cieslak and Godwin. Back row: Sisters Bezdjian and Bown.
Sidenote: It was also a reunion for the "Valley of the Sun" Elders. Elders Caskey and Godwin were friends in Phoenix before their missions. They knew each other in High School and in College. When Elder Godwin got his call, Elder Caskey came over to congratulate him and said, "It would be so cool to go to Poland on a mission". Well, a few months later Elder Caskey's wish came true!
SIDENOTE: Meanwhile, Elder Caskey and Elder Godwin's mothers had a 'Polish moment' together.
They are both involved in Stake Girls Camp this summer. The theme...'Mission Possible'. Each ward chose a foreign mission from a list of where missionaries are serving from their stake. Thirty-six countries were possible for these 14 wards to choose from, and Poland was one of them. What a great girls camp theme considering all the young women in the church that are now contemplating missions.
Back to Poznan...
A quick lunch before some headed back out to 'Find and Teach' and some headed to the train station (to do the same thing!) A train is a great place to talk to everyone you see. It was a great day and now to apply the things we learned. For President and me, it's on to the next city...
As we have traveled under this bridge so many many times, I couldn't help take one more picture of this colorful site. We appropriately call this the "rainbow bridge" (not to be confused with another Rainbow Bridge that we love).
Every once in a while you will come across something like this. 'The arches' connecting both sides of the road. Today with the snow, the colors just jumped out. I don't know why I took this picture... just another memory for President and me. So....where are we headed next?
Even though the car wants to veer to the left.....we have more work to do. Lodz is our next stop, and we are excited to visit with our missionaries there.
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