So, last Thursday we got our residency cards and celebrating a little by going to the Renik to see what was happening. There was quite a huge crowd congregating at one end of the Renik and multiple policemen surrounding them and police cars with officers in them all over the place. Of, course we had to find out what was happening. It was a political rally for the Solidarity Party. They were shouting and jumping up and down. I don't know if the police were there to protect them or keep them in line. Anyway, it was scary so we left quickly.
Sunday was an awesome Fast and Testimony meeting. There were three families that came in and almost filled up the one side of the chapel. The spirit was so strong. All of the 3 men stood to bear their testimony. They were friends who had all served in the Polish community in Chicago on their missions 14 years ago and they all had made a promise to each other that they would visit Poland one day. They came to Wroclaw, because that's where most of the members of the branch in Chicago were from. They all spoke Polish still and were very emotional. One of the investigators that the Elders are teaching was there and he even got up and bore his testimony. It was a very special day.
Cindy Call, one of my Young Women, showed me her project she has been working on. She has never used a sewing machine or embroidered anything in her life. But, thanks to my daughter-in-law, Jill and my daughter Tracy, who sent thread and patterns, she was able to do this. I think she did a marvelous job. She did it all by herself. Here is a picture of the completed project. It reads - "Stand in Holy Places."
Monday, we left our apartment at 6:30 am and caught a Tram to the train station. We decided to go with the Elders and Sisters on the train to Katowice. We were having Zone training and going to meet our new mission president, President Edgren. So here we are, all smiles:
Zone training was wonderful. Pres. Edgren told the missionaries to use the language constantly. Even in their apartments. And he will be doing the same. We had some pizza for lunch and then Pres. Edgren started interviewing all of the missionaries. Our four were the last to be interviewed. We had to catch a 3:00 pm train back to Wroclaw. We were running to the train station. Good thing it was delayed by 5 mins. or we wouldn't have made it. Anyway, we got home at 7:30 pm. The train ride is three hours there and three hours back. And the train doesn't have any air conditioning so we left the window down most of the time. Still hot. Our camera didn't have any juice left in it when we got home, so I can't show you how we looked when we got home. I think we'll take the car the next time we go. It only takes an hour and a half to go one way. Needless, to say it was a long day.
President and Sister Edgren are very down-to-earth. They both still had that "lost in the headlights" look. Good thing the AP's were with them. Pres. Edgren talked to us about the YSA Conference that will be coming up the end of this month. Elder Durrant and I can't wait to go. We did received information on the program, and it looks like we are going to have a big undertaking for the 2014 Conference. But we are totally excited! This year's conference is being held in Lirtovsky Mikulas, Slovakia and atthe Hotel Junior Jasna. If you get the chance look it up on the Internet. It looks awesome!
Since our P-day was Tuesday this week, we cleaned and shopped and then met the elders and sisters for Ice Cream on the Renik. They have the best ice cream here and the best bread. No wonder I can't loose weight!!!!!!!
The place that we had our ice cream was a cross the street from the old city prison and of course they had a gnome by it. He looks so forlorn.
Wednesday, we had to mail a package to our grandson, Benjamin, for his birthday. We got into the post office at 4:00 pm, thinking we would have plenty of time to do that and make sure we made it to our English class by 5:00 pm. At 4:40 pm I left Elder Durrant in the Post Office and started running to our class. We had told the clerk 3 times to send the package "Priority" and she didn't do it. So gratefully, there was a person there who spoke a little bit of English and she helped Elder Durrant. I made it to class with 5 mins. to spare.
We had a new person in our class. It is vacation time here in Europe, so we don't know if anyone will show up. But we did have three people and had a lot of fun.
One last gnome. Here is a street cleaner picking up fallen branches and garbage.
Elder Durrant and I have been reading past conference talks. One of the talks in October 2011, "The Time Shall Come" said the following: "the Lord told Joseph that the keys of the kingdom of God had again been committed unto man on the earth. He said the gospel would roll forth unto the end of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands. . . until it has filled the whole earth, just as Daniel had told Nebuchadnezzar."
It's very hard sometimes to know that and then see what is not happening here in Poland. A very difficult land to be in right now. We know that His promises will come to pass and that the Polish people will one day accept this marvelous gospel. I need to tell you about Elder Smith and his experience yesterday. They were contacting people on the street and he had stopped a very fine looking young man. He started to tell him about the restoration and the BOM. The young man said that he had heard of our church. Elder Smith asked him if he would like to read the BOM and the young man said no and then asked Elder Smith if he would like to read his pamphlet. He pulled a very unsavory pamphlet from his pocket and showed it to Elder Smith. When we met with the Elders at English class, you could tell that Elder Smith was very upset and sad. After he relayed this story to us, my heart just went out to him. He knew it would be a while before he could rid his mind of that awful image. We had a lesson with the Elders and Roman (hopefully he will be baptized in August) after English, and Elder Smith did a marvelous job of bearing his testimony to Roman. I'm sure that he had said a lot of prayers within that hour to help him focus on his purpose for being here in Poland.
Elder Durrant and I love this gospel and the time that we have been given to be here and do all that we can to teach the wonderful people that are prepared to listen.
One last thing - We send our love to everyone, but especially to our grandson Wayde and our great-granddaughter Arianna.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOTH OF YOU!
We miss you. "by small and simple things are great works done"
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