Marcin's Baptism

Our MTC District at the Uchtdorf Conference

The conference with President Uchtdorf was a time of reunions with church members from areas I used to serve in and with missionaries I haven't seen in a long time.  My MTC companion, Elder Blom (far left) and I haven't seen each other since we arrived in Poland early last May!!  Same with Sister Young (in the white sweater).  It was so great to see them all again!  But the conference was also a time of goodbye's.  All of the sisters from our group will go back home in August and it may be until I get back home till I see some of these elders and many others I've served with, as well.  

Singing in the park

Laser Tag with the other missionaries :)

Dear Mom,

The baptism this week was amazing. I'll make a voice recording all about it.

Haha, I don't even remember talking about Pringles during a voice recording, but I guess I must have. I tend to ramble on those.   (He had told us a few months ago that he was super excited to find Pringles in Poland and spent quite a bit to be able to have some :) )

Elder Hon, Marcin, and I
It had been raining all week and early in the day.  But when we got to the lake, the skies had cleared.

Marcin's baptism went really well. It was really cool to have it be at the lake and to be able to be the one to baptize him.

The Pawlik's are the best. We are hoping to actually go to their house next P-Day! I'm excited.

The Pawlik family and Aleksandra (far left)

Tell Elder Hammond congratulations from me and ask him if he still wears the H-Dizzles :)

Love,

Elder Drake Allen

Singing a medley of hymns at the church for the conclusion of the service after the Baptism.  

4th of July, Dinners out, New Companion, Reflecting on Uchtdorf Conference

My new companion, Elder Hon

Elder Hon is from Gilbert, Arizona

With Brother & Sister Jensen, the senior couple missionaries in Krakow
(before they left to go back home to Utah)

I love translating!  I got to translate Brother and Sister Jensen's testimonies in our last Testimony Meeting before they left to go home.  After they finished, I thought, "Well, I'm already up here -- I might as well do it too" so I shared my testimony.

Our 4th of July ties!

For the 4th of July here -- well, no one celebrates here  -- For companion study, we went out on the balcony and we sang The Star Spangled Banner (all 4 verses).  People poked their heads out their windows and some even took videos of us :)  Then we went back into our apartment.  I drew a picture of the American flag and Elder Hon and I pledged allegiance to the flag.  I hadn't done that in a year and a half!  Then we read scriptures from the Book of Mormon  and from the Doctrine & Covenants and read about living in a promised land of liberty and promise.

An American came to Krakow on business
and treated all of us to dinner at a Ukrainian restaurant

Another American man was in Krakow for a conference and met up with his relative (Elder Saltmarsh on the left).
He took all 3 missionaries out to eat (Elder Caskey on the right)

Elder Saltmarsh got transferred to Katowice until he goes home in August.  It was really great getting to serve with him in Krakow.

I found LOTS of Disney movies on sale at the grocery store on dvd for just $3!   I bought Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, and Finding Nemo.  All in Polish!  When I get home, I can watch them all and remember my Polish (and I already sent home Star Wars and The Incredibles and maybe a few others).

This was on Facebook at the time of the conference; Drake said the man shaking hands with President Uchtdorf is Dennis, the member from the Congo who made them "foo-foo" for dinner. :)

We had a Zone Conference last week and talked about President Uchtdorf's visit to Poland. We were told before President Uchtdorf spoke that he didn't just come here because he likes Poland or because it fit into his schedule.  He came here to bless Poland.  This was the FIRST time in 28 years that a member of the 1st Presidency has been to Poland (last person was President Monson when he was a counselor).  President Uchtdorf came to give us counsel and because of that, Poland will never be the same again.

I loved getting to see Elder Hubbard and Elder Harris
at the Uchtdorf Conference

Goodbye to you all!

Love, Elder Drake Allen