Day 5

This morning we went to church for the first time in Lublin. Wow! Coming from Mesa central stake... it is fair to say that even though I was expecting different, that would be an understatement. The blessing of strong stakes is far beyond what I ever comprehended. The church is in an old building like an office space. At the front door you ding a bell and the door opens to a concrete entry with office doors on either side. It smells like smoke. (Who was it that said, "the best smell at church is that of cigarette smoke?) You walk up a concrete set of stairs to more office doors and enter the little open one with a white piece of laminated paper saying "the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints" in Polish. Once inside there was a kitchen off to the left about half the size of my house kitchen in Mesa. The Sacrament mtg room was about as big as Bailey's bedroom in Mesa with a podium, table that had one bread and on water tray, about 15 chairs and a keyboard. Elder Plumb, the senior missionary, is the branch President who presides over and conducts every mtg. There was also a bathroom and one other classroom and the elder's office. The kids were all given a Book of Mormon in Polish and we sang our hymns in Polish... funny. Today was a busy day at church. There were 2 missionaries, our family of 5, a visiting couple with 2 kids, Marline and Sabastian, Lukus (the investigator who will be baptized on saturday in a lake. Nate gets to do the honors since he was there when Lukus accepted the invitation to be baptized) lacey and Troy Potter, and a Ukrainian lady that I didn't know and brother and Sister Guadoon and Mikial. 20 people! And that is double what it normally is. Yeah! We had sacrament mtg and sunday school and everyone was joined together. Yep... even the kids.
Things I learned at church:
1) even if you are a visitor you might be asked to speak. That's right... Elona was visiting from Canada (Native Polish) and she was the speaker in Sacrament mtg.
2) I think it will be hard to give a talk that has to be translated in to Polish by Elder Plumb. LOST train of thought.
3) The Polish members in Lublin are pioneering the church in Poland and they are very strong and faithful people.
4) My children could answer all the questions in Sunday school. this gives you and idea of the basic level we teach on out here. No Michelle Ayalla deep doctorine like I love... back to basics. It is very strange.
5) Appearantly I can now wear tank tops and slacks to church so long as I have on high heel pumps, but I can no longer drink coke because its against the word of wisdome! We were waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overdressed in our Sunday duds.

After church we drove to Chelm (pronounced HELM) to see nate's office. He is back to work tomorrow. It is about a 45 min drive to the Ukrain boarder where he works.

He works in a place where the Polish people worked on a cement plant during communism. It was still there but old and run down. we also saw Ancient rail cars that were used at that time! The plant isn't currently in use so it is very run down... but they've built a new one. It is just around the bend from the old one and doesn't look much cleaner... just not as run down!

nate's office is small. Portable... since this job is a temporary site for Dome.


We also did a little drive through Chelm to see some of the many Cathedrals that stand majestically over the tree line. They are beautiful buildings and were hopping today with all the worshiping Catholics. It is nice to see a religiou people. The Pols are very religious and steeped in their traditions. So much so that they are very difficult to share the gospel with.


In Chelm we stopped so I could meet Joanna (the secretary at Dome who helps all the Americans! She speaks beautiful English... Bless her!) I loved Joanna. She was at the park with her 2 year old son. The park was down a one lane pitted dirt road. It had a fish restaraunt with a lake next to it. Quite nice! On the way out we pulled to the side to let somebody go by and landed in a pit and gave the car a little damage. Mr. Mecham remembered the Sabbath and chose nice words to say but there was steam shooting from his ears. Good times.
the drive was fun. we got home late and ate dinner at 10:00. Lame! We had spaghetti... remember the story about the grocery store? Yeah... the sauce we bought wasn't good. It was sweet. And we were starving so we ate it anyway... I need to find spices and tomatoes quick if we want that meal again!
Things I learned on my drive to chelm:
1)The country out here is amazing! Rolling green hills with beautiful homes and churches placed throughout.
2) Many of the famers were harvesting hay with a rake, pitchfork and horse drawn wagon. It felt like a step back in time.
3) Storks aren't as big as I pictured them. And they are just about to make their big winter migration back to Africa until next spring.
4) Communism wasn't long ago. There are traces of it everywhere. Kinda crazy.

I can now say Hello, Goodbye, Thankyou, and ice cream in Polish. I think its time to pull out Rosetta.