Katowice Baptism 7 April 2012

The branch in Katowice enjoyed a baptism this afternoon. Andrzej was baptized by Robert. Elders Waits and Basha taught the gospel to him. This was a great day for Andrzej and the Church in Poland. Congratulations to all who helped in this wonderful event.

April Interview Trip: First stop...LODZ!

Leaving Warsaw Friday afternoon, we headed out on a week long interview trip. It is taxing to travel, but it is wonderful to be with the missionaries in their respective cities. Our first stop on this journey is the city of Lodz. We arrived just in time to attend the Branch Missionary Correlation Meeting. This meeting is where the missionaries, Branch President and Branch Mission Leader go over investigator needs and make plans for the coming week. Jakub is the Branch Mission Leader and does a fabulous job. We are grateful to him and for his diligence in fulfilling this calling. Elder Tarasevich is the Branch President and also fully involved in the missionary efforts. After the meeting, there was some planning going on for the Sacrament Meeting Easter program this Sunday. I looked around the room and saw the above....I had to take a picture. Sister Masters was totally engrossed in studying her Polish cards. Her trainer, Sister Jones, says that Sister Masters even studies when they do their morning run! She is determined to learn Polish and doing a great job. (She had no idea I took her picture)

That night, we were able to go out to dinner with 2 great members of the Lodz Branch and Elder and Sister Tarasevich. Domika and Sebastian took us to a great Polish restaurant...great old-polish dishes. One of the items we ordered was 'the trough'...for 4! Everything was delicious....and the company was wonderful. We love and appreciate Dominika and Sebastian who do so many goods things for the Lodz Branch. These two YSA's are not only helping that program move forward, but are great (and always willing) to be on lessons with the missionaries. Here they are with the Taraseviches...who are such a great support to both members and missionaries alike. They are the best!On Saturday morning, interviews with President started. While some of us were enjoying the lunch that Sister Tarasevich prepared, interviews were going on in another classroom. Elders Szymanski, Tarasevich, Sisters Tarasevich, Masters (her companion Sister Jones was in her interview with President), Elders Rogers, Tiner and Dabrowski. Elders Szymanski and Rogers. Wonderful missionaries. Elder Rogers who is a new senior companion is doing absolutely Great! Elder Szymanski is progressing well with Polish and has a senior companion that is guiding him in all the right ways. Sister Jones and Masters. Sister Jones is a new trainer and doing an outstanding job. Sister Masters is doing well. They are both such a great blessing to this terrific branch. We love our Sisters! They add so much to the mission. Elders Tiner and Dabrowski. These are great Elders. Elder Tiner speaks Polish so well. Thank you Legeres, Bairds, James and others in Las Vegas for telling him all the Bishop Nielson stories...(at least the funny ones). These are two companions that are helping each other, the district and this great city. We miss Elder Dabrowski who was a former Assistant, but he so great in the field that we know this is exactly where he should be.

Some special meetings....

This last week some special meetings were held that will effect the Poland Warsaw Mission. First: A Property Search meeting was held as we look for new properties for future sites in Poland. This is a long process but steps are being taken to purchase land for future Chapels. President Jarosz, Brother Wentz, Brother Lutter and Pawel. Until that time, our attendance in Sacrament meetings and Real Growth in the Church are critical. So, let's keep up the good work!

Second: Some of our Senior Sisters gathered to discuss the English program our Missionaries teach. We are in the process of 'tweeking' the lessons, moving times the classes are taught around and offering a 'Parent/Child' class among other things. Exciting changes are coming! We want to take this valuable opportunity to make our English classes an even more effective 'finding tool' than ever! What better place to start than with this group of women who are all educators...some even have Doctorates in Education! (L to R): Sisters Jensen, McGrath, Tarasevich, Nielson and Peck.

We have a new Senior Couple!

We welcome Elder and Sister Reed to the POLAND WARSAW MISSION. Last week we put Elder and Sister Richards on the plane home to Las Vegas. (They had the best and easiest travel home of anyone we know.) Today, unfortunately, was just the opposite. The Reeds came on probably the toughest travel itinerary we have seen. They got up at 2:00am in Provo at the MTC to catch the bus to the Salt Lake City airport. They flew to Minneapolis and had a 6 hour layover there then flew 8.5 hours to Amsterdam. Spent 3 hours there and flew for 2 hours to Warsaw. They had 9 hours in layovers and 13 hours in the air. They look great for being up for so long. The Reeds are from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sister Reed walked off the plane ready to work! Elder Reed was not far behind her. This great couple have served a mission in Ukraine and returned home one year ago. They are eager to serve the Lord again....and we are eager to have them here in Poland! Not knowing how much luggage they would have, we brought along our great Assistants, Elders Myler and Krzyminski, to help. The Reeds are seasoned travelers and didn't bring much. As it is with the young Missionaries, our first stop when we left the airport was the Best Mall to take pictures for Residence cards. As we were waiting for the photos to develop, I took the Reeds into the grocery store to start getting them used to shopping in Poland. True to form, it was a madhouse! With photos in hand, we headed to the Mission Home, dinner and got to bed early. The next morning, Elder and Sister Reed were ready to go. Elder and Sister Peck, our great office couple, came by to start legal work and explain a few 'housekeeping' items. Now...it's time to see where the Reeds will be serving....This morning we met and Elder and Sister Reed received their assignment to serve in Poznan. They are excited, and they will be fabulous. They love the people of Poznan already!Now, it's off to Poznan to serve in that great part of the vineyard! Elder and Sister Reed will do great work there. They will continue the traditions of serving with all your heart, might, mind and strength. We will be checking in on them soon, as we start our Interview trip in a few days!

Baptisms in Poznan!

There is no better event to have on a General Conference weekend than that of a baptism...unless it is TWO baptisms! And that's what was held in Poznan over the weekend. Agnieszka and Marlena were baptized into the church. We welcome both these great sisters to the Poznan Branch. Standing with them are our great Missionaries: Sisters Lepannen and Smithee and Elders Marsing and Curtis.

Spending some time with Dominik.

Dominik leaves on his mission in 4 weeks. We have been helping him get everything organized to take with him when he flies to the States and enters the Provo Mission Training Center. Shopping for suits, shirts, shoes can be taxing...but he has remained in good spirits. One day after spending several hours in the mall, it was time for lunch. At the Food Court, I sent Dominik off to buy his lunch, and I went and ordered a salad. Sometime later, he came back with this conglomeration of food on his plate! Chicken sandwich, fries, spagetti, pizza, chicken nuggets......I thought to myself, "He will probably take 1/2 of that home."

Well, I was wrong. He ate every last bite....excluding the ketchup! All I can say is..."This is one Elder that will get his money's worth at the MTC cafeteria!" They had better stock up on food!

After shopping, it was time to take Dominik home.....

...where we were able to spend a delightful time with his family....His mom, his grandparents and his cute twin sisters, Natalie and Ashley (who by the way are very good cooks!)

A special surprise: Dominik's Grandfather was kind enough to give President Nielson a commemorative Chopin medallion. His Grandfather has a truely impressive collection of these beautiful medallions from many years past. Thank you for the great remembrance of a wonderful time spent with new friends!

General Conference Comes to Poland....April 2012

We started our General Conference weekend early Saturday morning... actually at 3:30am. President had a conference call with the 'President Lewis Mission Reunion'. We are grateful for the missionaries who have served in Poland and have helped lay the foundation for this great work.Last week was so beautiful and now we have a few clouds coming in. About 30 minutes later it was snowing. This is just like General Conference in Salt Lake City. Spring weather all week then one last blast of winter.We arrived and the translation team was already busy at work. We thank these great members (and there are more who are not in this picture) for their time, efforts and talents in making General Conference possible in Poland and in Polish. President Dresler, Jakub, President Jagard, Violetta, Magda, Brat Magnuski, Sebastian and Andrzej.Not letting the weather curtail this great day were Maja and Gosia.Elder Pofelski, in his second week in Warsaw after the transfer, with Elder Siebert the District Leader in Warsaw l.Inside the church before the Priesthood Session broadcast started were Elders Hancock and Fletcher with Piotr. He has with him (and carries it every Sunday in his scriptures signed by HIS missionaries) his baptismal certificate from 1992.Elder Manwill, who has been in Warsaw now for less than 24 hours, with Elder Jensen the District Leader in Warsaw l. Elder Manwill transferred from Krakow.The Office Elders (Murphey and Tanner) with the Assistants (Krzyminski and Myler) waiting for their investigators to arrive. They also are great greeters as everyone shows up.In the back at the Family History Center, with a few minutes to spare before Conference starts, are Brother Pew and Sister Sheets working on Brother Pew's Family History. A great use of time, and a tremendous work is going on.Out in the foyer as investigators are coming in, Sister Mann is showing Klara and Piotr copies of the Book of Mormon in various languages.Elder Fletcher is telling this good man about the gospel and that Jesus Christ is central to our Religion and Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation. Kszystof and Elder Murphey discuss gospel principles with this Investigator who has come to view Conference. Some of the good Priesthood brethren from the Warsaw I and II Branches. Sebastian, Bogdan, Brat Zielonka, Piotr, Brat Rzeczycki, Elder Peck, Marcin, Tomek and Brat Kodym.More great Priesthood holders- Brothers Neto, Wojczek, Slawek, Rafal, President Jarosz and Tomek. Some of our Priesthood holders from the Warsaw II Branch who watched the Conference broadcast in English were Brothers Pickett, Lywinski, Pew, Denis, (I need help again with a name) Jake and President Armstrong.As the Priesthood Session was ending, our great Sisters started arriving to watch General Conference: Jolanta, Sister Gorniak, Ania, Sister Kulan and Monika.Sara and Sister Jarosz attending the first broadcast which was the Young Women's broadcast from last Saturday night.Elder Fletcher and Hancock with Teresa and Bingo, one of the 6 dogs she owns. Agnieszka and her father. Agnieszka like many of our youth are in the middle of studying for their maturas...an intense test they take at the end of high school which determines where they will be accepted into universities. It is all consuming and includes a very difficult Polish grammar section! Even the Poles dread Polish grammar!This particular session was translated by Andrzej, Presidents Jagard, Dresler and Cielinski.During the Saturday afternoon session everyone was especially interested in the choir. This special choir was from the MTC and one of the members is Siostra Modzelewska from Poland. As you will remember from a few weeks ago she will be serving in Romania. We looked and looked for her and finally during the last hymn......on the very top row as the camera scanned across, we spotted her! The top row to the far right. She is beautiful, and we are so proud of her. If you would have told her 15 months ago that she would join this Church, become so converted that she would go on a mission, be in the MTC and in a missonary choir and be seen on TV around the world...I am not sure if she would have believed you. There are no coincidences.After the morning sessions we had a lunch break. Here are just some of the hungry Priesthood Brethern- Elder Peck, Godfry, Elders Pofelski, Siebert, Denis, Elders Tanner, Murphey, Fletcher, Hancock and Krzyminski.In the other part of the building during meetings, President was meeting with his missionaries individually. Sisters Sheahan, Garcia, Mann and Forsey visiting during lunch and in between interviews.Also during the sessions, the translation team need to rest; and they enjoy a great lunch. Jakub, Andrzej, Magda, Philip, Darek, Violetta, Kasia, Jon, Ania and Sebastian. Great people! We love them.It was a long day but a great day. Conference ended (it was still going on in Salt Lake) for the missionaries. The translation team was still hard at work and we will read the last session in the next Liahona. Elders Siebert, Pofelski, Myler, Hancock, Krzyminski and Fletcher said goodbye to their investigators and headed for home.

What a great weekend with so many tremendous messages. When you listen to General Conference the witness comes again that there are prophets, seers and revelators on the earth today. Every talk is exactly what we need and what the Lord wishes for us to do. This Church is true. President Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth at this time. The keys of the Priesthood are restored and active today. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. God does have a plan for us, and there is a great purpose for why we are on this earth. Happiness and joy can happen when we obey the will of the Lord. Watch http://www.lds.org/ for information and messages.