Ground was broken June 15 for the first LDS meetinghouse ever to be constructed in Poland.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Council of the Twelve presided over and addressed the groundbreaking ceremony, which was attended by about 200 people including government dignitaries and religious leaders from various faiths as well as LDS Church members and other interested parties.The ceremony took place on what was described as "a beautiful sunny day, which in Warsaw is rather noteworthy because it, like many cities of Europe, is often under a cloud cover and rain."

In addition to Elder Nelson, speakers at the 4 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony were Elder Hans B. Ringger of the First Quorum of the Seventy and a counselor in the Europe Area presidency; Andrzej Ostrowski, mayor of Warsaw's Wola District; Grzegorz Rydlewski, Poland's director for non-Catholic religious affairs, and his predecessor, Tadeusz Duskik. The groundbreaking ceremony was conducted by Warsaw Branch Pres. Cieslaw Mazur. Also attending were Warsaw District Pres. Juliusz Fussek and his wife, Dorothy.

"It was a happy day," reported Elder Nelson. "Everybody was excited, not just the Church members, but the dignitaries and other religious leaders as well. This represents the celebration of the erstwhile efforts of many people over a long period of time. These plans had to be approved by, of course, the leaders of the Church, and also had to meet with the approval of the city leaders in Warsaw and Poland's national leaders. To have everybody's approval was cause for celebration."

Elder Nelson noted it is a "very significant and historical event to begin construction of a new meetinghouse by a relatively new Church" in Poland.

"The land on which the new meetinghouse will be built is in a very lovely area, next to a park, in a location convenient to transportation."

Elder Nelson said government and civic leaders warmly greeted him and other LDS Church leaders. "At a reception hosted by Mayor Ostrowski, he presented to me in a very ceremonial fashion the approved contract granting permission to start the building, and the deed to the land," said Elder Nelson. The documents were accepted by Elder Nelson on behalf of the Church.

The day after the groundbreaking ceremony, Elder Nelson and other LDS leaders met with Poland's minister of all religious affairs, Wladyslaw Loranc. "This was a very warm and friendly meeting. The minister was very candid with his view of the political and social change occurring in Poland," said Elder Nelson. "He shared copies of a new law effective May 16, 1989, which guarantees freedom of conscience and belief in the Polish People's Republic.

"Our relations with the government leaders of Poland are excellent," Elder Nelson reported. "They are sympathetic to our objectives of building strength of the congregations, increasing numbers of missionaries, and blessing the people of this great nation."

While in Poland, Elder Nelson and Elder Ringger also met with the 10 LDS missionaries currently serving in that country. The missionaries include three couples and four young elders.

Poland is now a part of the Austria Vienna East Mission, presided over by Pres. Dennis B. Neuenschwander, who also participated in the groundbreaking events.