(Get this design on a T-shirt!)
Free resources about the Poland Warsaw Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
Poland Warsaw Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Poland Warsaw Mission. We try our to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Poland Warsaw Mission
Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa
Świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
Ul. Wiertnicza 135
02-952 Warszawa
Poland
Phone Number: 48-22-665-9892 (phone # required on packages)
Mission President: President Mateusz Turek
Poland Warsaw Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Poland Warsaw Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Warsaw Mission:
Videos with Warsaw RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Poland Warsaw Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
LDS-Friendly Videos about Poland
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Poland. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Poland, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Poland Warsaw Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Warsaw Mission. This blog list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Poland Warsaw Mission Groups
Here are Poland Warsaw Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Warsaw Mission.
- Poland Warsaw Mission Facebook Group (381 members)
- Warsaw Mission Reunion (’93-’96) Group (111 members)
- President Barnett Warsaw Mission Group (5 members)
- Warsaw Mission Reunion 2014 (1993-96) Group (3 members)
- Warsaw Mission John and “Coke” Cyrocki Group (1 member)
Poland Warsaw Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Poland Warsaw Mission!
Shirt designs include Poland Warsaw Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Poland Warsaw missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Warsaw Mission gifts
Poland Warsaw Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Warsaw LDS Mission.
- 2016-2019, Mateusz Turek
- 2013-2016, Steven C. Edgren
- 2010-2013, Stanford W. Nielson
- 2007-2010, Torben Engbjerg (Listen to an interview with the Engbjergs)
- 1998-2001, Douglas Tobler
Poland LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 1,821
- Missions: 1
- Temples: 0
- Congregations: 14
- Family History Centers: 5
Helpful Articles about Poland
Poland Warsaw Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Poland Warsaw RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2015 (Dorothy)
- 2013-2015 (Drake)
- July 2013- December 2014 (Diane)
- 2011-2013 (Austin)
- 2010-2012 (Dalton)
- 2010-2012 (Aaron)
- 2007-2009 (Tamara)
- 2000-2002 (Kurtis)
- 1996-1998 (Jennifer)
- 1996-1998 (Sandy)
- 1997-1998 (Olivia)
- 1995-1997 (Carter)
- 1994-1996 (Tim)
- 1994-1996 (Taylor)
- April 2001-February 2003 (Donald)
- Unknown (Marisa)
What areas did you serve in?
- Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan. (Dorothy)
- Bydgoszcz, Poznań, Warszawa, Kraków. (Drake)
- Wrocław, Katowice, Warszawa 1. (Diane)
- Kielce, Warsaw, Katowice. (Austin)
- Bydgoszcz, Lublin, lodz, Katowice, Warsaw. (Dalton)
- Bydgoszcz, Szczecin, Warszawa, Kraków, Sosnowiec. (Aaron)
- Bialystok, Kraków, Lodz. (Tamara)
- Katowice, Brzeg, Warszawa, Lodz, Gdansk, Poznan (Kurtis)
- Bytom, Lodz, Gdansk/Sopot/Gdynia, Katowice, Glywice, Bydgoszcz (Jennifer)
- Sopot, Krakow, Gliwice, Katowice, Lodz, Warszawa. (Sandy)
- Wroclaw, Warsaw, Gdansk/Sopot/Gdynia, Krakow, and Lodz (Olivia)
- Krakow, Bydgoszcz, Warsaw, Katowice, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gydnia. (Carter)
- Ruda Ślaska, Dabriwa Górnicza, Warszawa, Worcław. (Tim)
- Chorzow, Warsaw, Dabrow Gornicza, and Krakow. (Taylor)
- Wrocław, Jelenia Góra, Wałbrzych, Poznań, Bydgoszcz, Warsaw, Grudziądz, Gdynia, Sopot. (Donald)
- Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kielce, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz. (Marisa)
What were some favorite foods?
- Zurek, Pierogi, Golabki, Nalesniki, and every kind of bread that was available. Especially obwarzanki (bread rings) in Krakow. (Dorothy)
- Pierogi, Ruskie, Naleśniki, Gołąbki, Kiełbasa, Drożdżówki. (Drake)
- Cottage Cheese! Yogurt, Apples, Strawberries, and Raspberries, Żurek, Flaki, Bigos. (Taylor)
- Kiełbasa, gołąbki, kebabs. (Austin)
- Pierogi, Nalesniki, Kebab, Placki, ziemniaki. Everything was very good. (Dalton)
- Bigos, pierogi, pickled mushrooms, and gołąbki. (Aaron)
- Pierogies and Bigos (Tamara)
- Bigos, golabki, pierogi. (Kurtis)
- Pierniczki, galambki, kotlety, polski chleb, bigos. (Jennifer)
- Pierogi, bigos, bread, herbal teas, jableczek (apple pastry – I usually found the most delicious ones in the shops in underpasses), round pretzels found in the rynek, often, the Basa Man’s kielbasa sold late at night in a parking lot – Krakow, glabki (basically a cabbage roll with meat and rice and a sauce). (Sandy)
- Pierogi, paczki, kielbasa, the bread! Really, I loved it all! I loved eating at the milk bars. (Olivia)
- Bigos, kotlet schabowy, kluski śląskie, kiełbasa, ser. (Carter)
- Bigos, Pierogi. (Tim)
- Bigos, Golanbki, Stuffed cabbage. (Taylor)
- Pierogi Ruskie. Kiełbasa. Pączki. Bigos. (Donald)
- Pączki (donuts), Gałąbki, Pierogi, Bigos. (Marisa)
What was a funny experience?
- One evening after we had gone caroling with the members, we planned to drink hot chocolate as a branch afterwards. When we got back to the chapel, we assigned one of the elders to the making of the hot chocolate. After we had gotten our hot chocolate, I sniffed it and it smelled a little like coffee, which worried me. We took the hot chocolate mix (which we had just found in our chapel) and brought it to a member and asked him if it was hot chocolate mix or if it was coffee (as the label was in Polish and we couldn’t understand the ingredients/brand). He told us it was okay to drink, so, trusting him, I drank it. It was really gross and not at all like the hot chocolate that I know and love, but I was really cold and it was really warm so I drank it to warm me up! And then one of the other elders took a little sip and exclaimed that it was coffee and poured it down the drain straight away. We took the mix to another member, who told us that it was actually coffee, but it wasn’t the worst kind. Moral of the story- don’t necessarily trust everything that you receive- even if the giver is a member. 😉 (Dorothy)
- One time my companion and I were having I meeting with an investigator. And my companion was wanting to say, “Wiem, że jesteś dzieckiem bożym, which means, “I know you are a child of God”, but he accidentally said, “Wiem, że jesteś dzikiem Bożym”, which means, “I know that you are a wild boar of God.” Both the investigator and I just bust up laughing. 🙂 (Drake)
- One night my trainer and I were trying to get home from a lesson, but the bus we typically took wasn’t running at that hour. As a new missionary I assumed it was no big deal but my trainer wasn’t exactly sure how we were going to get home so we jumped on the first bus that came and it seriously was so run down, dark, dingy, and empty we joked we were on the Nightbus from Harry Potter and got off as soon as we could! (Diane)
- Walking home one night in Bydgoszcz my companion and I were chased by a drunk man. It was my trainee transfer as well, so it was a ‘welcome to Polska moment.’ Also there was another time when we were in a train and the train ran over a man and splattered his parts, of course we didn’t see all the parts, but our mission mom was hopping around in the tracks until she realized what was up. Not funny that a man died, but the way she was, made it a very funny thing. (Dalton)
- I stopped to look up at which stairway to tract and my companion started screaming. I realized a dog was peeing on me. (Tamara)
- Trying to eat 50 doughnuts on fat Thursday. (Kurtis)
- After a drunk guy was asked by a greenie to stop smoking on the bus he came back to where our district of missionaries was sitting and couldn’t figure out who has reprimanded him because everyone looked alike. (Jennifer)
- On my last day at the mission home, I went upstairs to the bathroom. I was the only sister going home that transfer, and so I didn’t have a companion. As I shut the door, the doorknob came off in my hand, locking me inside. I had no way out. I looked out the second story window and realized it would be dangerous to jump. I just sat there, waiting until an AP came upstairs to tell me to come and eat. I begged the elder to let me out. He was hesitant to open the bathroom door, but I was grateful he did! (Olivia)
- I placed a Book of Mormon with a nun in full regalia! (Carter)
- I was mugged by a group of gypsy women. (Tim)
- Exploding pierogi in the fryer. (Donald)
- I think one of the funniest experiences I had on my mission was when I told a woman on the street that I was talking to people about Jesus Christ. She asked me, “you believe in Jesus Christ?” “Yes I do,” I replied. She proceeded to take a cross (a very large, cross) out of her purse, held it into the air, said nothing, and walked off (with the cross still held in the air). (Marisa)
What was a crazy experience?
- My companion and I were walking along a river bank and a group of drunk guys on jet skis were driving straight towards us in the jet skis and then turned at the last second and got us soaked. Haha. (Drake)
- Working with the Elders outside of Katowice in Sosnowiec was a fairly good experience until again we left and the bus was taking forever to come. At the bus stop there were 3 homeless men that also seemed intoxicated. We tried to avoid the men, but our tags just seem to be targets and the men approached us and kept including us in their conversation. Since it was early spring the weather was quite cold and my nose was running and one man reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of tissues and gave it to me. I really wasn’t expecting that and was grateful for his kindness. (Diane)
- I almost wrecked a mission vehicle. It was my last week in the mission and I hit some ice and the car went sideways on the overpass. We definitely should have flipped, but somehow we did not and we didn’t scratch the car at all. (Dalton)
- My companion and I were trying to help an investigator with a drinking problem. He called us early one morning asking for help because he was drunk and depressed and needed our help. While we were there, he was showing us his guns (he is a police officer) and his finger slipped to the trigger of his rifle, shooting a bullet right past my companion’s head and through a window into the klatka. Nobody was hurt, and he eventually got baptized. (Aaron)
- We were tracting and knocked on a door where we heard a lot of people. A man let us in and when we were led into a back room we realized they were all men and mostly drunk. My trainee didn’t speak much so I told him we had to leave and when he told me we couldn’t I told him we would and started pushing my confused companion out the door till we got past him and out. (Tamara)
- Being near soccer games. (Kurtis)
- When we were out with the Relief Society president a drunk with a scar across his face came after us moaning like a zombie. We ran down the street and hid behind a building. We walked to a bus stop and then got on, but it took us back to the drunk. Luckily we crouched on the bus and he didn’t see us so we got away. 🙂 (Jennifer)
- Some drunk men were outside our apartment and started saying they were going to get us. My companion understood what they said, and told me to run. They ran after us and chased us into our apartment building. Thanks to my companion’s great language comprehension, we got away in time. There are Nazi gangs. Once we were on a tram with just me, my companion, one other person and a couple Nazi gang members. They started making fun of us, and attacked my companion with a choke hold. They ended up leaving, but that was scary. (Sandy)
- My companion accidentally drank vodka! She was a strict vegetarian, but when she realized there had been vodka in her compote, she went ahead and ate pork! We were at a Vietnamese woman’s house. She didn’t understand English or Polish and we struggled to communicate. All we could really do was give her a Vietnamese Book of Mormon, which was great. She was a sweet woman. I also got to teach two nuns on my mission. That was an interesting opportunity. The strength of the Catholic church in Poland can be daunting, but it is also a blessing to share all that we have in common. I got to be in a crowd in Wroclaw as Pope John Paul visited his native country of Poland. Also, I was in Wroclaw when there was a big flood there in the summer of 1997. We had to evacuate our basement apartment and stay with members and eventually senior sister missionaries in Lodz. We got to help with sandbagging and helped after the flood too. It was rewarding. (Olivia)
- Some guys on the street lifted my companion’s wallet; we realized it and went back and made them give it back. They did! (Carter)
- Coming home late at night in the dark. We felt prompted to change directions a few times. (Tim)
- A couple times it appears we almost got into a fight with some punks in Dabrowa Gornicza. Both times it appeared they were coming after us. One time they just stopped. The second time we ran across a small field to some apartments, knocked on a door and the people let us in. They had been taught before. (Taylor)
- Defending ourselves against holligani in a park in Gdańsk. (Donald)
- The most danger I ever felt was just being on dark streets at night looking for investigators’ or members’ homes. I suggest waiting until daylight to go onto those less busy streets. (Marisa)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Once my companion and I were teaching a man about the Plan of Salvation. He was unkempt and smelled bad- he had a rotten situation in life. He was hard to understand and my companion and I didn’t speak the best Polish and so he couldn’t really understand us either. But every time we taught him, I always saw him as if he were dressed in white, waiting to become baptized. I always felt- so strongly- the love God had for him. As His son. I had never felt love like that before- I knew it wasn’t my love, it was God’s. It was such a testimony to me of how loving God is to ALL of His children; no matter their situation or their trials. He understands. He will send angels to give us peace. I know that my companion and I were sent to be angels to this special man and to help him find peace. (Dorothy)
- We had a meeting with an investigator in the forest behind is home and he prayed to ask if the church was true, and the spirit was so strong. (Drake)
- In my first area my companion and I decided to change our backup plans from contacting in a park instead to contacting in front of the Opera. I felt so energized and as if I could talk to anyone without being weighed down by rejection. I had in my mind that talks to a younger person would be ideal and when a person about our age got off a nearby tram I headed over and began talking to her. Our conversation began with me introducing myself as a missionary and she stopped me to say, “I know, you’re from the Church aren’t you?” She pointed to the church’s name on an English flyer and I felt a little disappointed because I wanted her to be interested in the Gospel and not English class. I quickly responded and told her that we do indeed teach an English class but also teach people about our religion. She perked up and intently looked at me and said, “you do?” I quickly walked over to my trainer and we walked to the chapel which was nearby and gave her a tour and explained how Sunday services worked. As we concluded we pointed out a series of pictures of each of the latter-day Prophets. Again, she responded excitedly and said, “Are you telling me that God speaks to man?” when we said yes she looked elated and felt relieved as she said, “That was one of my questions! Why did God stop speaking to man?” (Diane)
- Being in humble situations. (Austin)
- I have too many to mention in particular. I loved every second of my mission and we found spiritual experiences in every circumstance. (Dalton)
- When I was bearing my testimony to someone and I really felt my words guided. (Tamara)
- Helping a small branch survive. (Kurtis)
- When we taught Danuta that Jesus was her brother she freaked out! She started. Flapping her arms in happiness and exclaimed, “Jesus is my brother!?!?!” She was so excited! (Jennifer)
- Teaching those who were receptive to the gospel. One of the memorable experiences was when my companion and I decided not to argue with our investigator. We simply testified of truth and invited her to contact us if she were ever interested further. (Sandy)
- Getting help with the difficult Polish language when I needed it was a spiritual experience–being able to speak beyond my ability by the Spirit. Also, we had a Spanish-speaking member who was married to a Polish man. I had my brother (who was serving a Spanish-speaking mission) write her a letter. We took her the letter and as she read it, she cried. She had had a dream that she would receive a letter like that and she took it as a sign that Heavenly Father knows her and loves her. The Spirit was really strong as she shared her feelings with us. The best was feeling the Spirit as we taught people to pray in their own words. Their prayers were so sincere and as they received answers to their prayers the Spirit was very strong, making me aware of God’s great love for us all. (Olivia)
- I saw many people change their lives and join The Church. (Carter)
- Seeing people change their lives and make covenants. (Tim)
- Identifying the Holy Spirit in first discussions. (Donald)
- Every hour of every day is a spiritual experience if you are seeking the Spirit and being obedient! One of the most spiritual experiences I had was a specific lesson my companion and I taught on the street. She had felt very strongly that we should go this direction and we ended up meeting one of the strongest current members of that branch. (Marisa)
What are some interesting facts about the Warsaw Mission?
- It’s a large mission geographically, but small in regards to the number of missionaries. About 70 missionaries for about 40 million people. Bring it on! It’s pretty culturally and racially homogeneous, meaning that like 99% of the population are Catholic Poles. Not much diversity. Everybody speaks Polish. (Drake)
- The people have a large bark, but their bite is tiny. (Diane)
- President Monson dedicated Poland. (Austin)
- I had 2 different trainers. Another is that our apartment got broken into. (Dalton)
- The Polish people are stubborn but they have to be. If they weren’t they wouldn’t have survived communism and World War Two. There is a holiday called Fat Thursday where we just ate as many paczki as we could. (Tamara)
- Poland has an amazing history. I loved learning about WWII and life under communism. (Kurtis)
- A high percentage of people are Christian, but they don’t really have a personal relationship with him yet. Many people believe the things we teach naturally. There are strong traditions to stay with the religion of their fathers. Those that can see past tradition for tradition sake are the rocks to which the church can build upon. (Jennifer)
- The spodek in Katowice played the theme song from “Close encounters of the third kind” every night. That was fun. There is amazing history and historical buildings, sites, etc. in Poland. Visit them. Poles are proud of the fact that some of their generals helped George Washington in the Revolutionary War. There are even monuments to George Washington in Poland. (Sandy)
- Poland has an incredible history. I got to go to medieval castles, a salt mine, gorgeous mountains, and devastating concentration camps. The people have suffered greatly, but they are, for the most part, very resilient, faithful, and loving. I learned so much from them about what really matters in life. (Olivia)
- The church built a chapel there even before Communism fell; when the mission opened up, we were the only country in all of Eastern Europe with a full-fledged and operational chapel. (Carter)
- It is a very large mission, and requires lots of travel by train. (Donald)
- Poland is extremely rich with history. Look up the role of Poland in the WWII. The Warsaw Uprising as well as Poland joining the European Union are important events to the Poles. The Catholic Church also plays an essential role in the country when Poland was under Soviet control. Very interesting stuff. If you can at least learn a little bit of Polish history before you go, you will come off that much more spiritually and intellectually impressive to those you teach. Poles appreciate your effort to learn their language and culture. (Marisa)
What was the weather like?
- Humid, very humid, and very cold. But the summer was glorious and beautiful and almost made up for the winter. It would rain a lot and snow- but it was pretty manageable. (Dorothy)
- Cold and snowy in the Winter. Pretty hot and humid in the Summer. (Drake)
- During my time spent there the weather was historically warm. There was barely any snow in the winter, but it was still frigid cold in the winter, most likely due to the high humidity. (Diane)
- Hot and cold. (Austin)
- It was cold in the winter and warm and humid in the summer. (Dalton)
- It was similar to Utah weather, within ten degrees. (Tamara)
- It’s cold in the winter but the country has gorgeous springs and summers. (Kurtis)
- Like Utah. It can get super cold in winter, but also super hot in summer. The only difference is that not many people have air conditioning. You’ll need layers and Sorels for the winter. Choose shoes that will be thick enough for cobble stone walking. (Jennifer)
- Winter – Bone chilling winds. Snow. Bring a long warm coat with a hood. Bring thermals, wool socks, turtle necks. Spring – strong sideways rains. You could get soaked through. Summer – Beautiful. Not too hot, as I recall. Fall – beautiful. (Sandy)
- Cold! It was humid too. I arrived in April and it was really cold until July. Then it was hot for about 2 weeks and then gradually got cold again. Of course, I was in Gdansk/Sopot/Gydnia for the winter and when I transferred from there to Krakow (from the farthest north to the farthest south) I saw a climate change on my train ride. It got dark really early up north in the winter. (Olivia)
- Super cold in the winter and very hot and humid in the summer. (Carter)
- Cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer. (Tim)
- Seemed to be just like Utah. But my allergies were way worse in Poland than here. Ill never forget the smell of coal in the winter. Even over 20 years later when I get a sniff of something that smells like burning coal, my first thought is Poland. (Taylor)
- The winters were long, cold, and dark. The spring time was beautiful. Summers were warm, but not too hot. Autumn was very pretty if you were outside of the big cities. (Donald)
- It depends in what part of the country you are serving. I think it’s a lot like Utah weather. I served for two summers and one winter. The winter wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be (although wool socks and toe/hand warmers are highly recommended). People told me though, that it was the most mild winter they’d experienced. (Marisa)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- I loved the sights of Poland- every city I was in was so beautiful! The people though- they were so stubborn. I loved that about them though. I loved the grumpiness that they had- I remember one member who always complained about how sick she was, so that’s why she couldn’t come to church. She still came to church sometimes though. These people, once they set their minds on the Church- that the Church is true and it is what will bring them happiness, they will stay with it until the day they die. They don’t falter. Some of the strongest members are those who have been members of the Church the longest- for 15-25 years. (Dorothy)
- Everything! Poland is so amazing! It is so culturally and historically rich. There are so many places to see, and the people are so genuine. (Drake)
- I loved how the people treat you like family once they trust you. Public transportation was also fantastic and the cities are beautiful compared to American cities. I love how concerned random strangers can be about your health and clothing choices. (Diane)
- I love Poland and I absolutely love Polish people. I miss it very much and hope to return soon. (Dalton)
- It made you appreciate the little miracles and you really got to know the members. They knew you well too and still Facebook me seven years later. (Tamara)
- The people are amazing! They are reserved at first but get so dramatic and passionate about things. They are very lovable. (Kurtis)
- They are friendly and endearing! Even if they don’t want to hear the Gospel they are still generous with their time and means. Be careful about complimenting someone on a material possession they have. They have a tradition of just giving it to you! (Jennifer)
- “Guest in your home, God is in your Home.” The people are very hospitable when you go to their home. They will always offer something to drink and/or eat when you visit. They wanted to know if Americans knew some cowboys or movie stars, often. (Sandy)
- Everything! I love Poland and Poles. It is a gorgeous country with a very rich and resilient history. The people are kind and generous and religious and respectful. I felt loved and accepted even when our message was not. Unfortunately, I have not been back to Poland, but in some ways, it was like stepping back in time. I loved seeing chimney sweeps with amazing twig brooms walking the streets. A neat Polish tradition is to hold a button on your person and make a wish when you see a chimney sweep. I also loved how horses and carts would randomly appear among the cars in big cities. The huge Catholic cathedrals are gorgeous and I loved awaking to their bells (and to roosters–even in big cities!). The food is amazing, the language is crazy hard, and the members of the Church there are wonderful examples of diversity and living the Gospel in difficult situations. (Olivia)
- Loved it all. Loved the people, loved the language, loved the culture, loved the cities. (Carter)
- People were friendly. (Tim)
- The people were mostly nice. Just like anything you get a lot of of Nie mam czasu etc. But that is to be expected. It’s awesome serving in a foreign land. (Taylor)
- Very giving and kind. Herbaty…(Donald)
- Polish people are very real with you. They don’t beat around the bush and are open about how they feel. Traditions and families are very important to them which is evident in how they treat holidays. (Marisa)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- As a sister- I’m not sure about the elders- I would recommend buying boots and a coat in Poland- though if you arrive in winter months to bring a coat, just in case you aren’t able to get to the store right away to purchase one. And bring an umbrella. You’ll need it. (Dorothy)
- You will want to buy almost all your clothes in Poland. So take the bare necessities into the MTC. Don’t bring too many ties or shirts. You’ll want to buy them in Poland. (Drake)
- Most apartments have a first aid kit and towels, so don’t bother. Definitely don’t buy a coat or boots until you get there; some missionaries even leave their’s behind. (Diane)
- Don’t bring boots. Buy a coat there. (Austin)
- Make sure to take some long sleeve undershirts and leggings for winter time. It does get cold. (Dalton)
- Buy as much of your clothing in Poland as you can. American styles stick out really badly. (Aaron)
- Get durable shoes because it’s a walking mission. (Tamara)
- Warm clothes for winter. (Kurtis)
- Long warm coat, gloves, hat, scarf, Sorel boots, thick shoes 2 pair. No dry cleaning easily available so washables only and wrinkle free. (Good chance you might be doing laundry in your bathtub and no dryers) wool socks, good wind jacket with hood. (Jennifer)
- Long, warm coat with hood, scarf, gloves, warm hat, wool socks, sturdy shoes, light-weight dress or skirts/blouses for summer. Shoes that can come on/off easily are helpful because you take your shoes off 95% of the time when you enter a home. (Sandy)
- I am 5’10” and wear size 10 shoes. I had a hard time getting clothes and especially women’s shoes that fit me in Poland. Of course, that was almost 20 years ago. I was so grateful I had a full-length coat from LL Bean, comfort rated for very cold weather. I wore it so much–even to bed sometimes. In our apartment in the fall they wouldn’t turn on the heat until a certain day in October, regardless of how cold it was. I bought a wonderfully warm scarf in Poland. I wish I had had another pair of winter boots that went way up. I wore those the most. I also wore long underwear, flannel pajama bottoms, and two pair of socks under my boots. I was outside a ton. We always used public transportation and we were often running to catch a bus, tram, or train. I wouldn’t wear fancy shoes or shoes with heels. (Olivia)
- Never used the trench coat that was recommended on the list. A little long underwear couldn’t hurt for winter. Scarf, gloves. (Carter)
- Bring warm clothing. (Tim)
- Dress for cold in the winter and hot in the summer. You’ll get a clothing checklist before you go. (Taylor)
- Wool, walking shoes, base layers. Take care of your feet. (Donald)
- Elders – Most missionaries like to wear skinny ties in Poland. There’s a famous shop that’s famous for its ties and discounts them to missionaries because they buy them so often. A bit of advice though – skinny ties aren’t actually allowed in the MTC and teachers will ask you to not wear them so if you want to bring any of your own, save it for the field. Sisters – fleece-lined tights! Boots that are just a tiny bit too big so that you can wear lots of layers with them in the winter. (Marisa)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- My greatest blessings are what I learned. I have become more sure of myself. I have come to realize the meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have come to realize why I need a Savior. I have learned and continue to learn how to love those around me. I have learned about communication. One of the greatest blessings that I received is that I am not afraid. I know that my mission was unique to me and that I experienced things that are personal to me. This gives me the courage to stand up for my standards- to stand up for the things I believe in, especially when it’s hard. (Dorothy)
- I received the blessing of a greater knowledge of Heavenly Father’s love for His children. (Drake)
- I learned how to see past people’s spiritual weakness and love them. This truly helped me to stop worrying for those who don’t love the Gospel and instead serve them with love. When you’re stressed and worried about an individual it’s easy to become demanding, critical, and self-righteous, but when you feel a portion of how God loves them that all changes. (Diane)
- How to work hard. (Austin)
- Everything in my life is absolutely thanks to my mission. (Dalton)
- I gained an incredible testimony of the worth of a soul. My whole mission was worth seeing the baptism of one investigator. Never give up. (Tamara)
- I learned so much and grew as a person. (Kurtis)
- Great friends, life lessons, love and respect for a country that has a deep history of faith and perseverance. (Jennifer)
- Learning to love another people, land and culture; Sharing experiences with young people at my kids’ schools, increased understanding of the gospel; more compassion and understanding by being in other people’s homes and hearing their concerns and seeing their interactions; self-examination of my behaviors and thoughts; and much more. (Sandy)
- Countless! My mission continues to bless my life. The greatest blessing was the growth in me. My testimony, my ability to share my testimony and bring up the Gospel and teach it in natural ways grew a lot. My knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel gained in large part on my mission and blessed my family and me on a daily basis. Some of my best friends even now–almost 20 years later–are those I served with in Poland. Our bond will last forever. Watching the Atonement in action in the lives of others and in myself is a huge blessing. It is also a great blessing to continue to be involved with missionary work–something I wouldn’t have as much confidence about doing without my experience as a full-time missionary. The blessing of knowing who I am and what my mission in life is, stems largely from my mission. (Olivia)
- It shaped my entire future, it set the course for the rest of my life. I think of my mission daily, even now, 20 years later. (Carter)
- Gained a better perspective on the purpose of life. Gained some valuable life skills like working with others and planning. (Tim)
- The blessing of a greater perspective on mankind, and what charity truly means. (Donald)
What are some skills you gained?
- I learned how to follow the Spirit. I always had to be ready to teach whatever the spirit directed me to teach- which was kind of interesting as sometimes I wouldn’t know all the words for what I felt inspired to teach- so I got to be pretty good at explaining things extremely simply since I could only say certain things. As I progressed on my mission, I was able to utilize my study hours better so that when I was teaching people on the street and in their homes, I was able to follow the Spirit’s lead more so that I could say what God needed me to say- as I had done all I could. (Dorothy)
- I learned Polish. I learned how to be more selfless. I learned how to teach more effectively. I learned to work together with another person. (Drake)
- Gratefully, the language has served me well in doing family history work. I’ve also learned how to choose productive activities, or enhance frivolous activities so that I am rarely idle. (Diane)
- Organization and hard work. (Austin)
- I am better at studying and being more diligent. Also I am very good at being on time for things now. (Dalton)
- Goal setting and time management. (Tamara)
- I learned how to organize events. I learned people skills. I learned the Polish language. (Kurtis)
- More openness with strangers, ability to teach spontaneously, ability to speak Polish, how to listen better, see others needs, have more faith… Etc. (Jennifer)
- Polish language, map skills, figuring out how to get somewhere, humility- having to ask people to slow down in talking or describe something in a different way; understanding of other people who come to our country and are trying to get along and fit in. (Sandy)
- The ability to work with the Spirit and follow His direction was a skill I gained. I also learned some Polish and a lot of interpersonal skills. I learned to care about others in a way the Savior does and to help them to feel that. I learned how to get along with people, how to obey and reap the blessing of obedience, and how to work even when I’m exhausted. I learned that I can do really hard things and that I will never regret giving my all to serve the Lord! (Olivia)
- Polish! But also leadership, communication, improvisation, conversation, confidence. (Carter)
- Working with others and planning. (Tim)
- Language. (Taylor)
- I learned how to juggle, cook, and became more of an extrovert. (Donald)
- Everything from learning how to study effectively to knowing how to talk to strangers. Because of my mission, I am a better teacher, student, speaker, time-manager and disciple of Christ. Learning a language helps you learn how to speak simply. A necessary skill is learning how to say something in a different (often more simple) way of saying something when you don’t know how. (Marisa)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I knew the lessons in Preach my Gospel better. I wish I had more confidence with sharing my testimony at the beginning of my mission. I always felt that because of inexperience, because I was a trainee, because I was junior companion, because I didn’t know the language well, etc. that I didn’t have enough spiritual experiences or something to warrant sharing my testimony. I wish that I had the confidence to realize that I was my own person, and that comparing myself to others wouldn’t get me anywhere. I wish I had the confidence at the beginning of my mission to share my testimony with whomever- no matter my language skills. (Dorothy)
- I wish I had learned more about the history of Poland before I went to Poland, because their history is super important to them, and if you know their history and they see that you care about it, they will be more likely to listen to you. (Drake)
- I wish I knew how to study the language effectively. By organizing a notebook by each grammar principle. I wish I worked as a team with my district as opposed to spending all my time with just my companion. (Diane)
- How amazing the county is. (Austin)
- How to speak Polish. (Dalton)
- No matter what anyone including your trainer says, you must believe that this is God’s work. You will be far more successful if you believe this is God’s work than if you simply work. (Tamara)
- It’s not about baptizing, it’s about serving. You don’t need to tear down other faiths. (Kurtis)
- That my companion is the first investigator I should serve. (Jennifer)
- I wish I was more flexible in my ideas of how to be a good missionary, flexible in dealing with people we teach. Sometimes I had a very rigid idea of how a lesson should go, or how we should find people to teach. I think I had to learn to do that. (Sandy)
- I wish I had been easier on my companions and not felt that their perceived lack of work ethic was ruining my mission. I learned that I had to love my companions before I loved others. I wish I could have enjoyed the awkward stage of not understanding what people said to me and not being able to express myself more in the beginning of my mission. I let it stress me out too much. I wish I had based success early on in my mission on those things that were in my power and not on the agency of others. I learned that if I was obedient and faithful and gave my all to my calling, I was a successful missionary. I especially wish I had recognized earlier on that the Atonement is for missionaries too and it’s okay to not be perfect. (Olivia)
- That it truly would fly by, and at the end, you won’t believe it’s over, and you’ll want to be sure you made the most of every minute. Talk to everyone. Be brave. Put yourself out there. (Carter)
- Wished I knew the language better early on. (Tim)
- I worked hard during my mission but I missed out on a couple things. I was young so you have to give yourself a break. But if I was counseling my son I would want him first to follow the principles the Prophets have given for missionaries. Follow the rules, keep the commandments, work hard, pray to love the people, forget yourself. I feel like I had some unique challenges that made it difficult for me. I came in with some things that made it tough on me that if I had some prior knowledge about what was going on it would have been so much better. (Taylor)
- The basics of the language. (Donald)
- I wish I knew that making mistakes in the language or as a teacher isn’t anything to shy away from, the more you try and actually the more that you make mistakes, the faster you will get better. People appreciate your effort and they care more to see you trying than to see you make a mistake. I wish I understood that it’s okay to have questions and doubts, even as a missionary. When questions arise and you don’t understand everything, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be an effective missionary. Think of the one thing that you know for certain and always hold on to that. For me, it is the Book of Mormon. No matter what happens, I can fall back on my conviction that the Book of Mormon is true and that gets me through almost any doubt or question I’ve had. (Marisa)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Poland?
- Listen to recordings of Polish. Get used to hearing the language. Don’t worry about becoming fluent- just worry about knowing enough to bear a powerful testimony. Realize that language is a key- it is a tool that God allows us to use in order to teach these wonderful Polish people more powerfully. Learn the history of Poland. That will help you understand why they act the way they do- why they may initially say no to something that you feel is the greatest news in the world. Be ready to cry, be ready to laugh, be ready to feel pure joy. Don’t worry. God loves you- and He knows your weaknesses. He knows what you have no confidence in- and He will ask you to overcome that. He will place you in situations where you will feel the enormity of your weaknesses. Take confidence in the Atonement. Take confidence that God will never let you fall- that the trials you experience will ALWAYS be for your good. Realize that as a missionary, as a child of God, you are precious to Him. You are special. Remember that you are a child of God. Trust in Him. When in doubt- read the Book of Mormon. Read the Bible. Pray. Go to church. Attend the temple. Make your residence a holy place. Stay clean in word, thought, and deed. Do not falter. Remember and never forget the WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW. We are on this earth to return to God. To return to our Father in Heaven. And we are trying to get as many of our brothers and sisters to return with us. This is God’s work. And though you are only an instrument in His hands, you are a precious instrument in His hands. Never be afraid to pray to God, to ask for blessings, to express gratitude. He loves you. Never forget that. (Dorothy)
- Start learning as much Polish as you can before you go into the MTC. Memorize the case chart endings!! (Drake)
- I would say, just give your whole heart to the Savior while you’re there. Make Him your best friend. Spend a lot of time on your knees in prayer and be authentic with God. Don’t be ashamed and afraid of what your weaknesses may be.That will only make you dislike yourself and you will miss out on feeling the love the Lord has for you. (Diane)
- Find love in everyday contact with others. Also talk to everyone you meet because you will probably never see them again so what do you have to lose. (Dalton)
- Love the people and write down three miracles a day. You will see His hand more and you will stay positive by doing this even if you have a tough day. (Tamara)
- Just relax and enjoy the experience. Don’t try to be perfect. (Kurtis)
- You will love it! The Poles are wonderful and generous. Focus on the language. Learn as much as you can before the MTC. You will not regret it! (Jennifer)
- Open your heart and mind, don’t be too rigid in thinking. Bring some favorite recipes, because you won’t have a dinner appointment every night. Learn to budget and say “no” to things you can’t afford. Be ready to learn. Study and try to get the language down, so you can effectively communicate. Cook with the locals, and write down the recipes, because it will enrich your life and others’ lives when you get home! Learn songs, and children’s crafts/activities. (Sandy)
- Relish in the uniqueness of the experience. It is such a blessing to wake up in Poland everyday and preach the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! Enjoy it because it really will be over before you know it and you will miss it! There will someday be a temple in Poland–I haven’t stopped praying for that and neither should you. Thank you for helping that to become a reality, and keep your goals and sites high! Thank you for preparing Poland for her temple! (Olivia)
- You can’t really prepare for something like this. All the prep classes and books in the world will fly out the window when it’s time to go. Just prepare yourself mentally to be ready for anything, to have faith, hope, be happy, roll with the punches. Make yourself proud. (Carter)
- Be patient. Follow the mission rules. The most important conversion is your own. (Tim)
- Nothing out of the ordinary. While you are on a mission, live a principle-centered life. Follow principles. Remember that even missionaries are not perfect. You will still be tempted in your thoughts, or actions, or emotions. Just do what you’ve been taught your whole life. Temptation doesn’t make you a bad missionary. It is falling for the temptation. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you are having bad thoughts or something else. Follow the rules and you’ll be good and give yourself a break. (Taylor)
- Serve those around you in everything that you do. (Donald)
- Read as much of Preach My Gospel before you go and teach with the missionaries in your area as much as you can. I know that if you were called to Poland, this is where God wants you to be. Continue to build your relationship with Him to learn more about His will for you as you serve. He will speak to you through scripture study and as you attend the temple. I wouldn’t hesitate to start learning what you can about the language before you go. Start listening to conference talks in Polish just so you can get used to hearing the language. Look up words you might need in your first lesson (you will be teaching a lesson in Polish on your second day in the MTC after all) and on Google Translate (as well as on many language apps) you can hear the pronunciation and mimic that and also be aware that the endings of Polish words change depending on how it’s used in the sentences, so it might sound or look different later. (Marisa)
What was a funny language mistake?
- There’s two words that sound kind of similar- “grzech” (sin) and “rzecz” (thing). My companion and I were teaching an investigator about baptism. I asked our investigator: “Czy wierzysz ze chrzest jest wazny grzech?” (Do you believe that baptism is an important sin?) I meant to ask: “Czy wierzysz ze chrzest jest wazny rzecz?” (Do you believe that baptism is an important thing?) Luckily we were able to laugh about it and I was able to fix my mistake with only a little embarrassment. (Dorothy)
- Someone asked if we live with men, which is close to the word “apartment”, so I thought they asked if we lived in an apartment and said yes. (Tamara)
- Missionaries always tried to directly translate; “I am hot.” Which comes out in Polish as “I am aroused.” You have to say; “It is hot to me.” (Kurtis)
- There is no word for excited in Polish. You cannot say “We are excited to share the Gospel with you”. DO NOT try to translate this word directly. They use “very happy” instead. If you translate it directly it means sexually excited. (Jennifer)
- I accidentally cursed when I was trying to tell a friend that they had snow on their rear end – oops! (Sandy)
- The first time I spoke about the Spirit I said you have to be hungry to receive it. I meant worthy, but the two words are very similar. I think that was at my very first discussion. I was so jet-lagged and exhausted at that meeting and I couldn’t understand a thing. I fell asleep! (Olivia)
- Polish is tough—I think I’ll pass on this one. (Carter)
- Was asked if I wanted a cold drink and responded that I wanted an earthy drink. (Tim)
- I was looking for a place to laminate some documents on my mission and I asked where can I laminovac. I guess that means lament. So the guy pointed to the church behind us. (Taylor)
- Przewrocić means to knock over Przywrocić means to return or restore. (Donald)
- I heard someone mix up the words naśladować (to model yourself after) and prześladować (to persecute). They taught their investigator that we are striving to “prześladować” Jesus Christ in our life. Oops. (Marisa)