Visiting Bydgoszcz and Zone Leader Training May 5-6, 2013

Saturday morning after a side trip to the airport to drop off visitors, we directed our thoughts and efforts to Bydgoszcz.

We love this city.  Why? Because of the Branch, the wonderful members and our missionaries.  We have watched this bridge being built while here in Poland.  This bridge will be completed in 10 months.   They are nearing the point where they start connecting the cables from the tower to the roadway below.  It will be a beautiful addition to this great city.  Then one of our favorites in Poland...

this unique sculpture of a man balancing a wire crossing over the river.  This was erected over the rivier when Poland joined the European Union... symbolizing a perfect balance of economy and opportunities.

Sunday morning in Church was a welcome sight to see so many familiar faces and to see how many of our Branch members are growing up right before our eyes.

The Bydgoszcz Primary is increasing in numbers and in their knowledge of the Gospel.  Renata is doing such a wonderful job in her calling as Primary Instructor.

The Young Womens Organization is also doing terrific.  Sister Kaegle is marvelous. Our Young Women are excited about all they have planned and all they are doing.

After the meetings many of our Youth gather to visit and do what Youth all around the world do after their meetings...wait for their parents who are visiting or in Branch meetings.  What a great group of Saints there are in the Bydgozcz Branch.

Odys is taking care of the younger Aaronic Priesthood holders in not only explaining many things but showing that coming to Church and living the gospel is the best way to find joy and happiness in life.  We see three future missionaries here.

Our Missionaries in the Bydgoszcz Branch.  These are great Elders.  Elder Allen (who shared his testimony in Polish today. Many of the members told us he spoke perfect Polish and could not believe he has been in Poland for only 5 days.) Elder Wilson (new Zone Leader), Elder Harris (District Leader) and Elder Vernon (new Zone Leader).
It was a wonderful day for me and President to visit with the great members here and to feel of their Spirit.  We love these members and this great Branch.

Monday morning we were again at the Chapel for Zone Training.  The Gdansk District came down as the Zone Leaders are teaching what they discussed at Mission Leadership Counsel last week.  Elders White (Gdansk), Allen, Harris and Skolmoski (Gdansk District Leader) arrive ahead of the Sisters and to set up.

Just behind them, the Sisters are ready to learn and participate in our meeting.  Sisters Young (just transferred from Warsaw II to Gdansk) and Swenson (who has grown so much since we saw her a month ago).

Our Zone Meeting for today. (Tomorrow we will attend this same meeting in Warsaw... Katowice on Wednesday).  Sisters Young and Swenson with Elders Harris, Allen, Skolmoski, White, Vernon and Wilson.

Our Bydgoszcz Zone Leaders led the discussion this morning.  They were well prepared and did a fantastic job.  These are great new Zone Leaders.

At the end, as always, we did "role playing".  Here Elders Vernon and Wilson are showing everyone the importance of writing a reading assignment down for someone they just gave a copy of the Book of Mormon to.  Elder Skolmoski is the investigator.

If you have served in Bydgoszcz, you know one of the favorite places to eat is at Marcin's.  We ordered his famous little pizzas and enjoyed them for lunch.  We have such great missionaries in Poland.  We love them dearly.  It was so good to spend the morning with some of them.  They are developing into the missionaries the Lord needs.  We are so grateful for them.  They quickly had lunch and then headed back to Gdansk or the streets of Bydgoszcz to share the Gospel message.
We returned to Warsaw.  Tomorrow we will enjoy another Zone Training meeting with Warsaw I & II Districts.   We do have the best calling in the Church.