M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

It Started with Tomatoes
Edited by Laurie Williams Sowby

Editor’s note: This article was submitted by Doug Cornell. If you have any inspirational missionary stories you would like to contribute to Meridian Magazine, please write to Laurie Williams Sowby by clicking here.

My wife Carma and I arrived in Warsaw, Poland, on Sept. 11, 2001. It was an eventful day to say the least, in America and in Poland. About three hours after our arrival, we heard the terrible news of disaster in Washington, D.C., and New York City. It was anything but an upbeat beginning to our service as senior missionaries.

The following day our mission president's wife, Barbara Lewis, invited us on a mini-tour of Warsaw. On the tour, she pointed out a small bazaar, or an outdoor market. It looked friendly, so a few weeks later on our preparation day, when we were feeling adventurous, we sought it out.

We were shopping for vegetables, among other items. I was asking for the price of some tomatoes that I had in my hand. The friendly little Polish woman was telling me the price, but I couldn't understand her reply. After a few failed attempts to communicate, a voice came from behind us. A man translated the Polish woman's words, and we bought the tomatoes.

The friendly young man, Oleg, offered to help us further by going along on our shopping expedition. We happily agreed and set off through the outdoor market together. After a few (and only a few) words were spoken between us, Sister Cornell told him about our free English classes. He said he would be very much interested, so we gave him the dates and times to be in our chapel for the instruction.

Sister Cornell and two of the office missionaries had started the free English classes and were distributing flyers around the area in order to gain new friends in Poland. After an hour of instruction, given at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, a religious discussion was offered for anyone who would care to stay for another half hour.

After Oleg had agreed to come to the classes on Tuesday and Thursday, Sister Cornell jumped back into action and asked him if he would like to come the next day to join us in Sunday meetings at the same building where we would teach the English classes.

A good and willing person —- who I believe was touched by the spirit of missionary work already — accepted our invitation, and several people’s lives were changed, ours as well as his. About two months later, after we’d accompanied the young missionaries in teaching him and after we’d helped him give up smoking, I was privileged to be able to baptize Oleg Boguslawski and see him confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As of this date Oleg has served as the elders quorum president in Warsaw Branch 1 and is currently the Young Men president in the same branch.

My wife and I were greeted with more than a welcome when we returned to Poland for a visit two years ago. Oleg was waiting to give us a hug — one that rivaled the one he’d given me when he came up out of the waters of baptism.

I came to know that there are elect individuals in the mission field. All we have to do as missionaries is find them and tell them of the restored gospel; the Holy Ghost will testify of its truthfulness. Good people like Oleg — a man who was willing to help a couple of lost Americans who couldn't even buy tomatoes without help — are the ones we are searching for.

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