New year, new outlook

This is the fourth time I've sat down to type. If you've been looking for some indicator that we yet live, I'm sorry. We do.

We made the transition from Gdańsk to Warszawa at last, and tonight in our apartment we feel we can actually say we "live" in Warsaw. We've had stuff scattered in three places for the past six weeks so this marks us landing.

***

We had the joy of another Gdańsk baptism this weekend, not in the sea, but in the only church font in Poland, which is in Warsaw. Adam decided to be baptized after seeing the font last month. Tonight we returned from his confirmation in sacrament meeting in Gdańsk. What joy as he witnessed that he has been looking for God since he was a child, and it turned out, God was always with him, he just didn't know it. As soon as he read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon he knew it was the word of God and it would help him be a better person. The opposition of family and friends has solidified his resolve and faith.

***

We have been saying goodbye these weeks to the beloved Małachowskis who returned to England last week after their mission in the office. The large hole they left is now filled with us. For our part, we get to be uplifted daily by interacting with all the missionaries in the country as well as with our President and Sister Chandler. Though it's hard to explain the special relationship with the young missionaries when it's only you and them in a remote city.

I've said before, change is part of missionary life, and we've got sufficient of it. There's been lots of doings, but you'll have to take my word on that cuz I ain't writing any more tonight or there will be a fifth time starting with no finish. 

***

Let's see what pictures we've got...

 I've documented the seasons weekly from our Gdańsk apartment balcony. 

For the first time this winter there was snow. It came on December 28! 

(It was gone on the 29th)

One of the many people who love Jean. 

New Year's Eve was freezing, but required one last visit to the sea. 

"Bro, I thought you were gonna be in the 3 Kings parade."

"Yeah, didn't you see the camels?"

"I saw one camel. Were you on the camel??"

"Eh, not exactly... I was a camel's rear hump."

"Oh."

 For ten months, every Saturday we were at the home of Ola cutting mountains of onions and other savory fare to go into the soup cauldron. Ola noticed that I always went for this knife out of the dozens. She began setting it aside for me. As we said goodbye, she made a precious gift of it.

Our first Saturday away, there the knife sat. Ready to work.

Small things - 2019 Christmas

What's wrong with this picture?

Here it is Christmas Adam (tomorrow's Christmas Eve) and this is our small tree. At the pinnacle of decorating, Jean had nine trees ready for Christmas by now, with ornaments enough for four more. 

We returned to our apartment in Gdańsk from our trying to grasp all that departing Elder and Sister Małachowski know about running the mission office in Warsaw. After a few final days here for Christmas we'll return to Warsaw for good. The four-hour drive back and forth and living in three places at once has pushed aside what have been the normal activities of the season.

(The other wrong thing you noticed with this picture is the bottle of milk on the balcony. As a welcome home after two weeks we found that our fridge was cold only in the dead sense. We're so lucky it happened at this time of year when outside it's a steady 3° C—perfect to chill milk)

***

 Jean loved that some child thought to cheer us all by adding their small decoration to the apartment building elevator.

More elaborate, but no more important decorations are setup at the Wilanów palace which is not far from the Mission Home. President and Sister Chandler hosted half the missionaries on each of two days at their home. The nine hours of speaking and music and food in that homey environment seemed like minutes as they addressed head-on that missionaries rightfully are missing home.

As they, then we, reflected on the Christmases that are most memorable, it was obvious that the acts for others stick most. After 18 or 19 years of Christmas being "What am I going to get?" it can become "What am I going to give?"
Beyond that, what small things can I give "of" not just "from" myself.

***

 At the Oliwa cathedral in Gdańsk we were lucky to enjoy a very good performance of The Messiah. The relatively small space and excellent diminutive orchestra with talented soloists brought us the powerful emotions of that work we love.

***

The Church branch in Warsaw is unique in all of Poland. There are over 100 people attending weekly.
We were there for the Children's sacrament meeting program. Two children at a time approached the podium; the first said their part in Polish, the second said it in English. The children sang each song in Polish, then repeated it in English. Little kids are amazingly adaptive.

For our Gdańsk Christmas sacrament meeting we sang and heard Christmas hymns with individuals' sharing their thoughts on each, ending, as appropriate, with Silent Night.

Edit out the 7 missionaries and it's obvious our little branch is quite different from where we are going to be.  

With the driving back and forth and general busy craziness, 

these weeks have reminded us how much our hearts have grown to

💗 GDAŃSK

Ever learning

We're lucky that the blessing of never-ending learning is such a part of our lives right now. We get that learning accelerated sometimes by experiences, but also from people who have something to share. In the past couple of weeks we've had a flood of the latter. 

This generation of (young) missionaries seems uniquely skilled at using social media tools for reaching more of our Father's children who are seeking to know more of Him. We had two brothers from the Church area office talk to the missionaries about how to transition a Facebook connection to a face-to-face connection. Though we can reach millions, the teaching of the gospel and testimony of the Holy Ghost has to happen one person at a time.

We get to interact regularly with our regional Seminaries and Institutes coordinator Henri Kosak. When we're really lucky, we get to have him visit and teach. He attended a YSA Christmas get-together in Warsaw this week. The first instructions from Jesus when he visited His flock in the Americas were to: arise; come to Him; thrust their hand in His side; feel, that they may know.

How do I do that daily?

(3 Nephi 11:14)

Elder Kopischke of the Seventy and area presidency uplifted the missionaries and members with his insights on experimenting with the word constantly. He reminded missionaries that our faith does not change another person's agency, no matter how diligent, or prayerful, or faithful we are. 

He compared this small group of 40 among 40 million to Oliver Granger in that "his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord."

***

 In the basement garage of our apartment building, as we hurried to church last Sunday, we met Santa Claus and one of his elves. 1300 Santas road their motorcycles through the city encouraging people to donate for poor children for Christmas.

He is one of our most friendly neighbors, though all those we have met in our building are really nice and also willing to speak English with us.

This might appear to be just two festive, awesome missionaries, which they are, but it requires a little more explanation.

As you know, we serve in Gdańsk where we help in the small branch and also with the young adults throughout Poland. We love both of those assignments. Three months ago the couple serving in the mission office had a health scare which threatened to send them home early. We happened to be with the president around this time and told him we'd be happy to fill in at the office if that became necessary. Fortunately the health issue was resolved and the couple is feeling great and able to complete their mission as planned, on January 15th, so crisis averted. Then December began with still no replacement couple assigned. Thus, we are training with the departing office couple to fill that roll now and it may be that we stay in that roll or that we pass our training on to a couple arriving in February. We are happy either way, as in "the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good" (D&C 51:17).

Oh, what about those Elders? Right!

 We are staying in Warsaw at an apartment previously occupied by Elders (whoosh, in Jean's vernacular) and these two met us late to give us the key. They wore those hats to brighten our night. Success.

So many bridges, so little space to share them.

Here and there

After a busy week my companion has gone to bed early. This provides two things: 1) Time to stop putting off writing a line or two to you, and 2) A chance to get the bag of chips she's been hiding from me. If you care about either, I'm guessing it's the first.

It's not for lack of events that I haven't written, it's more because of not knowing where to start. So, to the photos...

We and our rental van left home in Gdańsk when it was dark, added young adults at 4-hour intervals, and arrived at Freiberg when it was dark. We planned on a bus for more than 20. The number who could go changed our plan first to two vans, and ended up as one van and a car. 

All I can think of is joy from the trip and from being at the Freiberg temple. 

Five of our eight young people, having been baptized just months ago, learned by experience what it means to be baptized for a dead person.

 "the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other—and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also" D&C 128:18

Our service opportunity allowed us to search everywhere for a leaf that had not already been raked.

"Each temple is a beacon of light and hope. The temple, the House of the Lord, stands as a symbol of our faith in life after death and as a stepping stone to eternal life for us and our families. The temple is a sacred and essential part of God’s plan for our happiness, now and forever." ---Russell M. Nelson

Dresden, near Freiberg and not far from Poland, has been carefully rebuilt in much the same way as our city of Gdańsk.

The old, dark stones contrast the new ones making obvious the painstaking rebuilding effort.

"It matters not how completely ruined our lives may seem. It matters not how scarlet our sins, how deep our bitterness, how lonely, abandoned, or broken our hearts may be. Even those who are without hope, who live in despair, who have betrayed trust, surrendered their integrity, or turned away from God can be rebuilt." ---He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2016

And there were bridges.

"Excuse me, we're going to go up on this interesting bridge, will you take our picture on it?" 

I can't fault them for this picture, they did what we asked.

Inspecting missionary apartments gives us a chance to see new cities, such as Białystok (the one in eastern Poland, not the one in The Producers)

There is no want for churches here, just one with authority to perform ordinances and a plan for us to become like our Father.

“Ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God” D&C 42:6.

This could've been a selfie if it weren't for the nice man who snapped a picture of us after the Jim Gaffigan show in Warsaw. 

I won't include it here, but he did end up taking a selfie too, "because he's a weirdo."

If I included the picture of the friends and missionaries at our house, you're probably nicer than me and wouldn't react with "Oh, a bunch of people I don't know, eating food. Fascinating!"

We had a great feast, though, and good feelings all around. We hope you did too.

Half of the people it reminded of home, and for half it was their first Thanksgiving. 

They now understand why it's the best holiday. 

Bonus, WE get to relive it for days to come.

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." D&C 59:18-19

Inside and out

Gdańsk branch has been a "mission" branch for some years and recently was included with the other lone mission branch into the Warsaw District. There are two districts in Poland, no stakes. Our first invitation to a district conference was this past weekend. The members in Warsaw opened their homes for travelers. The six members and three investigators who made the trip got a chance to see what a church meeting with more than a dozen people was like. General Conference is just unfathomable; the images and buildings and people are too far-removed. 

Being the only chapel in Poland, it gave a small sense of what our church is like elsewhere, though the purpose of the gym was hard for some to figure. One investigator, on seeing the font said, "I'm going to get baptized before the end of the year." He's been afraid to get baptized in the cold sea. I can't fault him.

The visiting Area Seventy, Elder Cziesla emphasized the need to follow the Spirit as we each minister. Even in small branches where "Peter's telling that story again for the hundredth time" or "There goes Mary again pushing her favorite principle," we need to treat each other with love, even those same six we see every week.

***

Gotta admire street performers, even the terrible ones, because they put themselves out there.

This Chopin virtuoso at the Warsaw tram stop did it in freezing weather AND with woolen gloves. 

That was worth a few coins, even from cheap me.

On November 11, 1918 Poland took advantage of the political situation and declared her independence from Germany, Austria, and Russia after 120 years of being divided between those powers. 

Their parades are participatory, everybody walks in the parade instead of watching from the sideline.

We spent the cold and short afternoon of Independence Day with our friends Mateusz and Natalie, (and some kid looking for his gum in the sand).

Gdynia harbor as the sun sets, one of the tri-cities of Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia.

The harbor was opened to compete with Gdańsk harbor and has many buildings in the "Socialist Realism" style. These newer ones, however challenge that in what seems to be the "Optimus Prime" aesthetic.

An important reminder that there is no swimming allowed in this area due to yellow submarines.

Walking through the old Gdańsk Stocznia shipyard where the Solidarity movement was born and then shipbuilding died. 

Peering through a broken window at an old and vacant building lighted by discolored glass.

And others we've visited.

Light---more or less

With all the deciduous trees, the various warm colors draw us in as it gets colder. 

Sorry to all you in Utah, we've barely reached freezing temps, it's been a very pleasant and gradual transition into Fall.

The light on the square where we help serve the homeless each Sunday is fading fast. 

It was dark when we finished today and soon we'll be in the dark from the start (3:00)

Couldn't have taken this picture as young missionaries. 

I enjoy reminding the young missionaries that the white handbook does not apply.

But we love walking this road together.

These awesome friends invited us over to their place to celebrate our birthdays. 

Though a month or two late, it was so kind of them.

She prepared a great traditional meal here for us to share in their living room/dining room/weight room/office/master bedroom. 

Halloween is fun, the dressing up, the pumpkins, the gatherings. 

Jean hosted a great party for our English class at the "chapel" and she and the missionaries gave them a good sampling of how we Americans behave on Oct 31. (I hid out in another room)

Their tradition, like others in Europe, centers around Nov 1---All Saints Day.

We were lucky to go with a young member and her mother to the grave of her grandfather. They lit candles, we each said a private prayer remembering the light we've received from those who have crossed through the veil.

I hope you can see how the lighted graves go on through the trees, seemingly forever.

Another day we celebrated with a small meal together on the beach after the sun set on a wonderful, but very cold baptism in the sea. 

Our small group feeling the warmth of the small light we share amid the darkness.

We sometimes feel small, we sometimes feel overwhelmed. Darkness can seem impenetrable.

Candles, whether in jack-o-lanterns or on graves, get our attention only when it's dark.

"And again Enoch wept and cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the earth rest?

 And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live...the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth;

And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; ...to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth."

That's the light we're trying to reflect in our small way.

Illumine

I can always fall back to pictures when I can't come up with a thousand words. Doing that probably makes it easier on you, too. But, I can add a couple of stories from the last few days, maybe.

We had occasion to visit the old town with some visitors one evening. The rainy day mixed with the early darkness revealed a pleasing ambiance on the old streets.

But the real interest is in the people, mostly the people we interact with. The problem with writing about our experiences with people is that they might not want their story shared. Or the story might be completely different from their angle.

...

Our mission president and his wife are adept, as mission leaders must be, at motivating missionaries. I'm fascinated every zone conference that they come up with new ways to share the gospel while eliminating the repetitiveness that can lead to drudgery. As invariably occurs, we finished our conference this week with revitalized confidence and hope.

We left our elders in Warsaw and we made our 4-hour drive home alone. Being late, we stopped at a roadside hotel/restaurant with an "authentic Polish kitchen." The place was empty, but a bell on the desk got a gal to come from the back room. Sister Bridge used her well-practiced phrase to say "Hello ma'am, do you speak Polish?"

This got a quizzical response, so I quickly corrected it to "speak English" She replied in Polish, "No."

I'm proud (note foreshadowing here) that we made her understand that we did not want a room, only food, we got a table and our dinner ordered, ate and paid for it with not one word of English between her and us. (pride)

We went next door to the gas station to fill up and the guy couldn't understand the pump number I told him. (fall)

The sturdiness of the stairs leading to the apartment we visited made me think of a wet paper plate and I mused how I would explain it when I broke through them. They held out, miraculously. Being the last of us to squeeze through the door of his unlit space, I walked right into our frail host as he held out his hand to greet me. Oh! Hi!

The elders were sharing a spiritual message and after half an hour of earnest attention, grasping an occasional word for some kind of context, I found myself searching in vain for two identical bricks in his kitchen wall. Then marveling that it still stood and also supported those stairs.

He's seen this same wall lighten and darken every day since he left the army, these 39 years.

There are people who stand independent, whose countenance somehow brightens the dark spaces. They reflect light for the rest of us to receive. They don't seem to mind being that kind of different.

There's another story there, but maybe later.