We had a wonderful conference at the Mission Office in Warszawa with our fellow Senior Missionary couples:
We made our first venture outside of Warszawa was to Białystok, about a three hour drive northeast. We went with another Senior Missionary couple. While the Elders met with the younger missionaries to do some apartment repairs we Sisters met with the only YSA member in the city and went on a mini-tour before settling down to some serious planning for the upcoming Eastern Europe YSA Conference being held in Poland this year.
On the floor at the center of the underground crosswalk is a large inlaid directional compass to well-known sites in the world and the distance to them from Białystok
Patty's Białystok
Can you see the 'smile' on the tower of the Ratusz (Town Hall)?
It was the week before Easter and the shops in rynek (market) in the town center were full of colorful decorations and treats for the celebration.
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Traditionally the baskets are filled with food for the family Easter meal and taken to the Church beforehand to be blessed by the priest.
Then, while I was gawking like a tourist, I tripped on a curb and tore the heel of my hand open when I reached out to stop myself from inspecting the cobblestones with my nose. I did NOT tear my stockings! Quite a feat I think, either that or my gaurdian angel caught me :)
Once we got my hand patched up we enjoyed lunch at the 'milk bar' a Polish cafeteria. It was great to try real Polish food - especially the rolled up pancakes (like crepes) filled with sweet cheese and cream! After lunch we headed through the park on the way to the palace and found this interesting creature...
Bulldog in the park and the backyard of the palace (now a university)
Front of the palace
Then my friends taught me how to take a 'selfie' to prove I'd 'been there, done that'...
In front of the palace and leaving through the front gate.
We participated in our first Polish funeral:
Members rode a chartered bus from the chapel to the cemetery. They bought flowers, wreaths and lanterns from a little shop set against the cemetery wall. Then we reverently followed the hearse through the cemetery to the grave site. The grave diggers waited while the Branch President and others said a few words. I led some hymn singing while the coffin was lowered and the grave filled in. After dedicating the grave the flowers, wreaths and lanterns were lain atop.
This month we also helped by chauffering missionaries to doctor's appointments, doing apartment checks just before transfers,as well as purchasing supplies for and putting together 72-hour emergency kits for each of the 9 missionary apartments in our jurisdiction.
Siostra Roulstone (aka Nana) met and angel at the train station while waiting for some missionaries on transfer day...
Easter luncheon at our apartment with the missionaries in our Zone and the Assistants to the President
Easter is big celebration in Poland with lots of Catholic traditions. Easter Monday we went for a walk in the park and cemetery next to the Wolska Chapel in Warszawa. Many of the Polish visit the graves of their family members where the place new floral arrangments and lanterns...
Papa in the cemetery, but not dead yet...
Nana in the park by the Wolska Chapel on Easter Monday...
There are two gminy (branches) of the Church in Warszawa, but only one chapel owned by the Church. It is actually the only church-owned chapel in all of Poland. All of the others are leased spaces. Warsaw I meets at the chapel in Warszawa. Warsaw II meets in a leased office space.
Open House at the Wolska Kaplica (Chapel on Wolska Street, Warsaw):
Zaprasamy (Welcome) banner & Dzien Otwarty (Open Day) Banner with Starzy R and Piotr
Starszy Roulstone waiting at the tram line for visitors to the Open house - still waiting. Catholic chapel in the background.
Our little missionary choir sings hymns for an audience of half a dozen members/missionaries and two visitors. It's a great day for missionary work in Poland!
Starszy i Siostra Roulstone outside Warszawa II Gmina - ul. Wiktorska
Our first Keyboard/Hymn lesson was held at the end of this month. Our first student was Siostra Ryng. She's wanted to learn to play the piano all her life and now the Lord has answered her prayers!
Our first Polish pianist!
What an amazing time we are having here in Poland. I can't believe it is already the end of May and I am only just posting the pictures from April. The time is flying by! We are busy doing the work of the Lord and staying healthy for the most part. We did have a week long bout with eye infections we believe were due to an allergic reaction to the spring pollens, but we survived and can see our way around again! There are definitely challenges here, but we know the Lord loves ALL of His children and wants us to support one another in finding our way back to Him. That is why we are here sharing Christ's restored gospel of love and peace and strengthening the members of the Church. It is the only thing that will save the world from the confusion and chaos and evil which mankind succumbs to when they forget their God.
My new motto: Be faithful and be happy :)
