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News of Successor and Conclusion of Mission
Saturday, July 27, 1946: The appointment of Elder Alma Sonne, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, to preside over the European Mission to succeed Elder Ezra Taft Benson, was announced today by the First Presidency.
Elder Sonne will be accompanied by Mrs. Sonne. They will leave for the mission headquarters in London as soon as arrangements can be made. (Church News.)
Saturday July 27 1946:
BERLIN, GERMANY
Spent day in conferences with military government and mission authorities and in arranging for visit to Poland. (ETB Journal.)
Sunday July 28 1946:
BERLIN, GERMANY
Held meeting with mission presidency and then met with Saints (322) of the Berlin area in a special meeting in the auditorium of a school building. As I entered the hall, little children were standing on benches along the aisle by the wall and, as I walked along, they each threw flowers in my pathway. It was so touching I could not hold back the tears.
We held an excellent meeting, and afterward the people lined the aisle, hallway, and stairs (three flights) and shook hands with me as I made my way to the car.
I was surprised to find the little children, three lines deep, on tables in the hall, where I shook hands with them as they all shouted three times in English, "Good-bye, President Benson."
We held a sacrament meeting with servicemen and U.S. government people and then enjoyed music and good food at Brother Merrill's lovely home, where we closed the day in prayer together. (ETB Journal.)
Monday July 29 1946:
BERLIN, GERMANY
Conferences today with Religious Affairs Secretary, military government, and United Nations Relief Agency (UNRA) officials with whom I was a luncheon guest.
Met the Polish ambassador and received passport visas. Further conferences and arrangement for supplies to take to Polish Saints. These were packed in several cases in the evening in readiness for our journey. (ETB Journal.)
Tuesday July 30 1946:
WARSAW, POLAND
Arose and left for the airport. After some weather delay, left and had a most rough ride in an old army transport freight plane-only room for eight passengers (rest of space taken by freight for embassy). On arrival, our plane could not land because workmen, trucks, and cows were on the runway. There is no radio contact with the ground, so we flew low over the field to let everyone know we wanted to land. Then we rode out five miles and turned around and landed on a rough field.
We were met by several guards with machine guns. Had some little difficulty clearing customs and passport control because of difficulty with English and Polish and reluctance of Poles to speak German.
With help of embassy, we were given cots in a room with five of us together at the Polonia Hotel, the only one intact in the city. Our room was also a sort of club room or meeting place for U.S. news correspondents, so things were lively.