We have been assigned to the city of Gdansk, Poland to work with four young missionaries (two elders and two sisters) to help spread the gospel and support the local branch here. We will serve as branch leaders (Branch President and Relief Society President) in this city our entire mission.
Gdansk is a very old port city full of history. It is located on the Baltic Sea in the northernmost part of Poland. It has been claimed over the centuries by almost all the neighboring countries. The first shots of World War II were fired in Gdansk. The labor union called “Solidarity” was founded here (which ultimately led to the freeing of Poland from Communism.)
Elder and Sister Parkinson are the senior missionary couple we are replacing. They took us on a 3 1/2 mile walk around the city. Our apartment is located downtown right next to all the scenic downtown sites. We ate our first Polish food in a “Milk Bar”, a low cost restaurant popular in the Communist days that serves large portions of food cafeteria style. I ordered the cabbage wrapped sausage and rice, served with two large scoops of mashed potatoes and topped with Polish gravy.
