J. has always had a passion for discovering her ancestors. She began doing genealogy at age 15 in her native Poland and would gather books, pages and cards with stories about her family history. She later began using websites like MyHeritage and FamilySearch as well.
One day, J. met M., a member of the Church. He had come to Poland from the Ukraine, where he had previously served as a worker in the Kiev Temple. The two married and settled in Zielona Góra. M. started to teach his new wife about the gospel and his beliefs. J. was open to hearing more about the Church and began taking missionary lessons. Over time, her many questions were answered by the elders. After much personal prayer, she was finally ready to be baptized. On October 10, 2020, J. entered the waters of baptism where her husband performed the sacred ordinance on her behalf.
Family history continues to have special meaning for J. She especially enjoys searching for deceased relatives. The discovery of actual photos and places where her ancestors lived gives their names so much more meaning to her. She loves genealogy so much that she could do it all night and into the morning. She has already found her grandfather's and great-grandfather's names to take to the temple and is excited to have their ordinances performed for them. Moreover, once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, she plans to travel to the Ukraine with her family to find the location where her grandfather once lived. J. is happy with the knowledge that she will see her ancestors again thanks to the Plan of Salvation.
Elder Noah Kellmer
Elder Blake Mitchell
Poland Warsaw Mission
Additional Insight from President David Chandler:
In June 2019, Elder Uchtdorf pulled me aside on three separate occasions at the Mission Leadership Seminar and said, “President Chandler, you must send Polish missionaries to Zgorzelec (Görlitz).” With enthusiasm, he briefly explained the history of the Church there and his desire to see it strengthened on both the German and Polish sides. Knowing that an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ had a vision for that part of the Lord's vineyard and in accordance with his counsel, I sent two Elders there in December 2019.
On October 10, 2020, the first Polish members in the history of Zgorzelec were baptized. M. baptized his wife J. as their two young children looked on. Another man named D. was likewise baptized. After word reached Elder Uchtdorf of these baptisms, he responded: “Excellent!! I was hoping for a Polish baptism in Görlitz for a long time. Wunderbar!!” Blessings always flow from obedience to God and His chosen servants.