A Polish Wedding

From Email sent February 12, 2011:

So tomorrow the sr. sisters are preparing a luncheon for a wedding, croissants with chicken salad, buki with ham and ser(cheese) and lettuce. juice , and wedding cake, It's amazing they are getting married as most couples in Poland don't , just live together for several years til they have enough money to get married, Rafael has been a member for quite a while and Agnieska will be a member a year in a week or so. They will go to the temple in April or May, forgot which. because the temple is out of the country, couples can go up to 3 months after the wedding.

In Poland all marriages have to be performed by the state first, then the couple can have a church wedding or whatever, so first we will go to the building were the official ceremony will be done by the state, then the luncheon, then the bride and groom go to dinner with the immediate family, then a party for all that evening, like a reception. Also in Poland , people don't have to wait a year to go to the temple, so they are going in April, Agnieska will be a member a year the end of Feb. Rafael has been a member for quite a while, don't know for sure how long.


State Official, Great Seal of Poland


Rafiel & Agnieska


The Wedding Cake


Eating Wedding Cake


Me, Agnieska, Rafiel & Sister Briggs

Crafting, Wedding, Teaching & Quilting

from email sent February 6, 2011:

this week has been interesting, mostly working on the quiet book activity, shopping for stuff and making kits, on Sat. there were 22 sisters and one man, Swavek,
and also there is a wedding on Sat. Rafael and Agnieska, and we are doing the luncheon after the ceremony,for 90 people. In Poland all marriages have to be performed by the state first, then the couple can have a church wedding or whatever, so first we will go to the building were the official ceremony will be done by the state, then the luncheon, then the bride and groom go to dinner with the immediate family, then a party for all that evening, like a reception. Also in Poland , people don't have to wait a year to go to the temple, so they are going in April, Agnieska will be a member a year the end of Feb. Rafael has been a member for quite a while, don't know for sure how long.

Also had the opportunity to go with the sisters and teach Wong Dak again, interesting teaching when the investigators have absolutely no knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ. He had two friends there as well, all are Buddhist so we had a very interesting conversation..

Sister Briggs and I are doing a quilt,for a wedding present and we tied it off last night , and today I made pillow shams to match ,Interesting way to quilt here,no quilt stands, so we pinned it to the carpet on the floor, pretty tough getting up after sitting on the floor or on our knees to tie it off. but got it done is just a couple of hours, not bad for two old ladies.

Also had a baptism on Sat. after the activity

pictures include:
quilting on the floor
quiet book activity
apt in Warsaw, huge buildings and tramvie

Crazy Driver!

from email sent January 31, 2011:

will be home in about 6 months, however I still have tons of work here and tons to do.

Polish people are so amazing, wonderful and in some can see the value of some of those Polish jokes. some of these people seriously need an attitude adjustment. mostly the tramvie and autobus drivers, I think they for the most part are aspiring race car drivers or demolition derby drivers. and rude beyond belief, their favorite past-time is to watch an elderly person run across the street to catch the tram, then take off just as they get to the door, I am amazed there are not more fatalities than there are, and there is usually at least two or more a month. drivers just taking off with people not even fully on the tram. seriously (gwupi drivers) stupid, but just have to be careful and pay attention. My favorite statement is that "I was blessed to be kept from harm's way, not stupid's, so pay attention."

so love love love ya and today is a real P day, first one this year, so I think we are going to Adam's Ties and don't know what else, probably out to lunch somewhere. Sister Sheets is here from Wroclaw, so the three of us are having a great time. do widzinia, MOM

ps, on Sat. went to the renik and bought some fun kids toys and had an interesting lunch, will attach a couple of pics, one of my lunch and one of me seriously impressed with the presentation, but it was good.

Missionary Work

Had the opportunity to go with the sisters on a teaching appointment, since I know so little Polish , I generally only bear my testimony of a particular issue, seriously wish Julie was here , one of the investigators is from Tibet and speaks some English, some Polish and mostly Mandarin Chinese, he said he will be here in July when you all come and wants to talk to Julie, it's very interesting teaching someone with absolutely no knowledge of Jesus Christ and see the light go on as a small amount of understanding begins. He is reading the BOM, but doesn't understand much so far. I think he has the same book as the one I sent Julie, funny to see him read from back to front. .... love ya and gotta run. MOM

Cold!

From email sent January 1, 2011:

Oh here it is cold alright, about 2 feet of snow on the ground and snows almost every day, and it's a bitter cold that goes right through your body, standard dress for going outside is....garments and thermals, one layer of shirt/sweater, skirt, another sweater. all long sleeve,scarf, coat..another scarf, wool, knee high socks over the tights, fuzzy socks over that and then boots. and 2 pr gloves. sound warm.... not really enough and still get cold. oh and the wind blows so cold. welcome to Poland. predicted to be the coldest and snowiest in 100 years. I think Julie would turn into a popsicle. love ya Mom

Happy Birthday Song

from email sent December 4, 2010:

this is the birthday song like the American happy birthday
Sto lat sto lat
NIECH zyje żyje nam
Jeszcze raz jeszcze raz
niech żyje, zyje nam
niech zyje nam (only once)

at the end yell Sto lat very loud

Polish Christmas Traditions

From email sent November 29, 2010:

On the nite of Dec. 5, the kids put their shoe by the window so Santa can put candies in them. then on the 25 they celebrate regular Christmas day with big dinner,12 dishes , but don't know what each dish is. one is borst, a red soup, several meat dishes and don't know what else, and an empty place is set in case a stranger comes in, I think that's from the Jewish custom of setting a place for Elijah and leaving the door open a bit. he would be a wecome guest.

another tradition is on Christmas day the family sits in a large area and the head of the family gives everyone a wafer, like the ones Catholics use for sacrament, and each person goes around the circle and gives a piece of the wafer to each person and wishes them luck or happiness or something good to happen in the coming year.

also the tree is decorated on Christmas eve by the older children and adults. with lights and whatever they choose, usually a real tree and stays up til the needles literally fall off. and the last was, there's lots of eating and drinking.