Ground Broken for Chapel in Poland

Some two hundred people attended a ground-breaking ceremony in Warsaw on June 15 for the first LDS meetinghouse to be constructed in Poland.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve presided over the ceremonies, which were conducted by the president of the Warsaw Branch. Elder Hans B. Ringger of the First Quorum of the Seventy, a Counselor in the Europe Area Presidency, also spoke. Also speaking on the program were the mayor of Warsaw’s Wola District, Andrzej Ostrowski; Poland’s director for non-Catholic religious affairs, Grzegorz Rydlewski; and the man who preceded Mr. Rydlewski in that position, Tadeusz Duskik.

Elder Nelson called the ground-breaking “a very significant and historical event,” particularly because the Church has been given the opportunity to build a meetinghouse in Poland when it has been organized in the country such a short time.

Plans for the building had to be approved not only by Church leaders in Salt Lake City, but also by local leaders in Warsaw and by national leaders. Elder Nelson and other Church leaders were greeted warmly by government officials. The mayor presented to Elder Nelson the contract granting approval for the building and the deed for the land on which it stands.

One day after the ground-breaking, Elder Nelson and other Church leaders visited with Wladyslaw Loranc, the nation’s minister of all religious affairs. He showed them copies of a new law guaranteeing freedom of conscience and belief in Poland.

The Church’s relationship with the leaders of Poland is “excellent,” Elder Nelson said, noting that the leaders are “sympathetic” to the Church’s desire to build strength among members in their country.

Elder Nelson and Elder Ringger also met with LDS missionaries in Poland. Poland is part of the Austria Vienna East Mission. There are three missionary couples and four young elders serving in the country.