TAX DAY....Poland Style!!!

Let's face it...April 15th leaves all Americans feeling a little queezy! Little did we know, that not only would we need to be prepared to pay taxes in our own country, but in Poland as well! Here is Stan trying to make sense of our Polish tax documents. Thank heavens for his favorite 'treat under stress'...peanut M & Ms!!! Tracy and Curtis (our accountants at home), where are you??? It is also great to know the Church has people who prepare all these things for you, our only problem is where to sign and what exactly are we agreeing to.

Specialized Leadership Training......The Model: Explain, Demonstrate, Practice, Evaluate and Re-practice.

WARNING!!! This is a long post but I couldn't shorten it. Once you see the content, you will understand. We brought in all the Zone Leaders and all the District Leaders from around the country to come in for a most important Leadership Meeting. Here's how it began.... Yes....Meals on Wheels! You can't get a group of Missionaries together and not have a lot of food involved in the process! Elders Kennedy, Sheridan, Hillyard, Waits and Augustyn help get it from my car to the kitchen of the Wolska chapel. With limited branches and members available, the Food is part of the calling.

Attending this meeting are....Elders Nielson and Buckner (Zone Leaders Bydgoszcz Zone), Elder Tribe (the new District Leader Wroclaw), Elder Augustyn (District Leader Lodz), Elder Sorn (the new District Leader Katowice), Elder Seibert (soon to be District Leader), Elder Davis (District Leader Krakow). And now for the other side of the room.................

Elder Sheridan (District Leaader Warsaw I), Elder Kalinowski (District Leader Bydgoszcz), Elder Hillyard and Kennedy (Zone Leaders Warsaw), Elder Plumb (District Leader Gdansk), Elder Lundin (District Leader WarsawII), Elder Leimer (Zone Leader Katowice) and Elder Eastman (Assistant). Not shown: Elder Garrett (Assistant).

The main goal of this meeting was to reinforce the contacting method- Short, Bold, Statements of Truth. When contacting, you approach someone and you have 3-4 seconds to say something that will cause them to listen or avoid you. Short, Bold, Statements of Truth (God is your Father and He knows exactly what your challenges are; The Book I hold in my hands is proof that God lives and there is a living prophet on the earth today; God surely loves you because He sent these beautiful children to you,...), are statements that will touch the heart and cause someone to think. Avoid the long "runway" (Hi, I am a Mormon Missionary from Utah, and we are here today to tell everyone about...- by now they are gone) say powerful statements that allow the Holy Ghost to tell the person that what you are saying is true. These people have "spiritual amensia"---they have all heard these things before, and the Light of Christ tells them it's true. We are just allowing the Holy Ghost to remind them.

You Testify of a Truth, You make them A Promise and you then Ask An Inspired Question- "What would it mean to you if you knew God had a specific plan for you? What would it mean in your life if you knew there was a living Prophet on the earth today? What would it mean to you if I could share with you what a living prophet proclaimed to the world just last week? What would it mean to you if you had a book that could help you raise your children to become great adults? Allow them to think and let the spirit direct your next words and actions.

A much deserved lunch break was taken; and we welcomed Sister Briggs, the Family History Center Missionary, as we sang "Sto Lat" in honor of her birthday.

After lunch, there was role-playing to practice what we had learned this morning. And then...we were off! Heading to the 'fish-bowl' --downtown Warsaw near the main train station to find those who were searching for truth using "Short Bold Statements of Truth, Testifying, sharing a Promise and Asking a Meaningful Question"...straight out of Preach My Gospel!

The 'Army of Helaman' ready to go and make a difference in the country of Poland. These are great leaders in the Mission. There are excited to share what they have learned and with Short, Bold Statements of Truth they will contact everyone they see. Look out Warsaw....here we come!

Even President Nielson was able to find a few that spoke english well. He even made one appointment to teach.

Elders Augustyn and Nielson having a great conversation. These two Elders 'get it;' and they are using this method with great success in Lodz and Bydgoszcz.

Elder Kalinowski has become "fearless" with how he approaches people.

Elders Garrett and Sorn found a 'Bold Statement of Truth' that caught this man's attention. Elder Garrett is also training Elder Sorn to be Bold as you tell people these Short Statments of Truth... nothing more than what we know and believe to be absolutely true.

Elder Eastman is not afraid to tell everyone about the Book of Mormon. He is really good at letting people know that he is a servant of the Lord.

Elders Garrett and Sorn with another man who they are Testfying, Promising and Asking Inspired Questions to.

Again, Elder Eastman with more people just in front of the Train Station.

Elder Garrett is getting people to stop at this busy spot in front of the "Glass Bubble" Mall- the Zloty Terrace.

Here they are again- Elders Sorn and Garrett.

Elder Davis from Krakow is also having success explaining the truth of the message.

Elder Sheridan has this man listening to what he is testifying of, promising about and getting him to think through asking an Inspired Question.

Elder Nielson and Augustyn have these two men listening and really conversing about truth and their message.

On the bench, Elder Kalinowski is spending 15 minutes teaching this man about the Restoration. The first goal is to teach, not get appointments, but to teach.

Edlers Plumb and Buckner are again having a good and in depth conversation with this young lady. This is a busy afternoon and these Elders are getting people to stop and listen to their messages.

Elder Kennedy and Waits asking this man an Inspired Question. I do not know what it was, but they had a great conversation and set up an appointment to teach him this Saturday.

Elder Hillyard as he is walking in front of the "Stalin Building". Elder Hillyard is one of the most energetic missionaries in Poland. His desire to teach and approach people inspires all of us.

Here, Elders Siebert and Hillyard are telling this man how much the Lord wants to help him with his family. These missionaries are practicing what they learned today. They will teach these things (again) in their District Meetings next Tuesday and go out with their District and practice with companions. This is not anything new. It IS what the Poland Warsaw Mission is doing, and we are seeing results.

Warsaw ll District Meeting- April 12, 2011

We are now back in Warsaw...threw a couple of loads of laundry in, and we are off to another District Meeting....this time we met with the Warsaw ll District.

The Warsaw ll District includes Lublin. Standing L to R: Elders Lewis (Branch President in Lublin), Hancock, Lundin, Murphey, Bode and Taylor. Front row: Sisters Bailey, Harding, Elder Harding (Branch President Warsaw ll), and Sister Leppanen.

District Leader, Elder Lundin, teaches Lesson 8 "How to Begin Teaching". The district followed this with conversation, discussion and of course, Role Playing situations.

As the meeting ended the pizza delivery guy came and Elder Harding took care of the necessary payments. Elder Taylor was on the spot to ask the delivery man if he had heard of the Church.

Sister Harding is showing how to serve an unusual dessert which tastes a lot like pound cake. It is in the shape of a tree and when you cut it across like Sister Harding is doing, you see "rings" like you see when you chop down a real tree. OK...I guess you had to be there! It was cool. Trust me.

A quick lunch before the missionaries headed out to proselyte, and the Lublin Elders caught the train back home.

Elders Lundin and Hancock. These two Elders have opened a new area in Warsaw and are working hard to establish a teaching pool.

The Office Elders: Taylor and Murphey. As we ended here they were off to the office to finish the legal requirements for someone and arrange for "residence cards".

Sister Bailey and Leppanen, just wonderful dedicated missionaries.

The missionaries in Lublin: Elders Bode and Lewis. They have a baptism this Saturday!

When we finished District Meeting, the YSA representatives came by for their meeting. Dominik and Kasia are always ready to assist the YSA program. They both are doing a marvelous job. They are organized and magnifying their callings. This program is becoming strong and developing great leaders, strong members of the Church and the Future of the Church in Poland. They respect the leaders, their directors... Elder and Sister Richards, and want the YSA's to get involved with all the gospel has to offer. Thank you Dominik and Kasia for ALL you do!

Poznan District Meeting- April 11, 2011

The Poznan District gathers for weekly District Meeting. Twice a month, our Elders in Szczecin come in to join the Missionaries in Poznan. L to R: Elders Myler, Stohel, Johnson and Torke. Sisters Ellis and Smith.

Elder Torke (the District Leader) giving Lesson 8- "How To Begin Teaching". Poznan has two baptisms this month and Szczecin has a baptism on May 2.

Elders Myler and Stohel are doing a great job in Szczecin...a city located close to the German border and the farthest point in the mission. Elder Stohel is the Branch President in Szczecin and is sprinting all day long, as is Elder Myler. They are happily tired. They are working with some great investigators at the time....even a family! Elder Stohel goes home in 3 weeks and Elder Myler arrived here in March. They act and teach like they have been together forever. Great Missionaries!

Sisters Ellis and Smith are a great support in the Relief Society and the Young Women's program in Poznan. They are wonderful with members and investigators.

Elders Torke and Johnson earned the 'Standard of Excellence' last week! Elder Torke is the Branch President in Poznan and Elder Johnson is a huge help to him. As you know....great things are happening in Poznan! After a great District Meeting ....

...there's nothing like a good (and fast!) lunch at a new restaurant located just across the street from the chapel in Poznan. Then it's off to work for the Poznan missionaries, and the Szczecin missionaries run to catch their train back to their city...contacting all along the way! A great District where great things are happening! We love these Missionaries!! We love this work!!

The Great Poznan Branch- April 10, 2011

This weekend we found ourselves in Poznan with this great branch! Notice there are two special visitors in the back on the right....President Zelewski and his daughter, Maja, who both spoke today in Sacrament Meeting. Also, Marion....(the man in the suit sitting on the aisle on the 3rd row)...was baptized last month and is the newest member of the Branch....but not for long. You'll see!

In Sunday School, we had a great New Testament lesson taught by the branch Gospel Doctrine instructor, Marta.

The Young Women's program is doing well in Poznan. Maja, Natalie, Sister Smith (YW President), and Iza.

The Poznan Relief Society. L to R: Bozena, Beata, Guaya, Gosia, Sister Ellis, Malgorzata (Relief Society President), Marta, and Grazyne.

Sister Ellis and Smith with their investigator, Beata. Natalie and Guaya...the soon-to-be newest members of the Branch...will be baptized this month.

Elders Johnson and Torke (Branch President) have been teaching Natalie. Here they are shown with Natalie's parents, Michal and Gosia.

After Church, President Nielson, the Elders and Grzegorz (a member of the Branch presidency) went to the largest cemetary I had ever been to and placed flowers on the grave of a sweet sister who had been a member of the Poznan Branch who had recently passed away, Joanna Mazurkiewicz.

We passed a row of very elaborate and huge family graves.

Family members take great pride in taking care of their loved ones gravesites.

A few of the graves we passed had these stickers on them. These gravesites are going to be destroyed and new ones put in thier place if the 'rent' is not paid on them. Every 20-25 years a family member must pay money to keep the site. This sticker indicates that it's time to pay or the grave will be removed.

On a happier note.....

On the way home from the cemetary, we passed this giant football stadium that is being built to host some of the 2012 World Cup games in Poland. This stadium will seated over 90,000 spectators.

Elders Johnson, Torke and Grzegorz.

Other views of the stadium...

In person it looks like a giant marshmellow.... But it is really quite impressive!