Goodness gracious i have so much to tell you family! July 8, 2008

CZESC my ridiculously awesome rodzina :) I just read all your e-mails, which i loved darn much (it is like sweet mana to my soul, in all seriousness :)) I just love em. I am now writing you back from this little, but very well kept library in Warsaw, right across the street from our chapel (which is a rented out floor of a building, but it's very nice, i'm so STOKED to tell you about church!) Goodness gracious i have so much to tell you family! and i'm hoping i'll get it all down. It feels like SO much as happened since i've been here, so wish me luck. Here i go: After I got off the Phone with you, we snagged some pizza and jumped on the plane to Vienna. It was long, but it was good. Had a few airplane meals and slept a few hours, but finally we got into Vienna. I was freaking out with excitement right about here and everyone was pretty tired. We barely had time to get through customs and go to the bathroom before we were shuttled to our plane. We flew Polish Air into Poland. And right about there I just stood in awe and amazement. I was getting on a Plane to go to Poland. And I did. We got situated in our seats and the directions for seatbelts, non-smoking blah blah came on in Polish. Didn't understand hardly anything. Just talking at light-speeds and i loved it haha. We talked to a man going to the Czech republic before we got on and he spoke some Polish to us which was sweet. When the Polish directions came on he looked back and was giving us all the thumbs up ha bless his soul. We all broke out our POlish language materials right about then so we could talk to the flight attendents as they walked by. They came by with juices and i think they're supposed to be able to speak English as well as Polish and we were obviously American. So she asked us what kind of juice we wanted, and we answered like Pros and Polish lol. After she chuckled for a sec she poured us come Polish juice (which is RIDICULOUSLY tasty. Like holy smokes- i'll go on a juice rave in a bit.) I was just contemplating the fact that i was going to arrive in Poland in less than an hour and meet my mission president and find out where i would be assigned and who i would work with- everything. We finally arrived, took us awhile to get our luggage and everything ( we are surrounded by Polish people at this point ) and we walk out of the baggage claim. There were a bunch of people there waiting for whomever they were picking up, but out of the corner of my eye I saw this white thing bobbing up and down. As i turned my head i realized the bobbing thing was one of the AP's (Starszy Smalley) and the office Elders with the President and his Wife. I was told in the MTC that the mission president knew where he was going to place you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you, so i was kind of freaking out, but trying to play it cool ha. So we President Engbjerg and Sister Engbjerg and all the Elders there to greet us and it was too rad. President is one of the nicest men i have ever met in my entire life. We briefly talked and than walked over to this parking structure across the street and threw our luggage in one of the "Transporters" (name of the car). The Elders jumped in with the AP's Elders Smalley and Broadbent (i love them both so much already) and the Sisters went with President. We came out of the Parking garage and onto a main road and my eyes just shot open, taking in this city of Warsaw. It is something else. And as i sat in that car, taking in all of the Polish signs i couldn't read and all the people walking on the streets, i was in awe. I was actually in Poland, driving down a street in the capital. It looks very modern in most of the city, but with green everywhere. Big trees and just streaks of grass here and there, it's beautiful in a different way. I was chatting up a storm with the AP's and kinda felt bad cos no one else was really talking ( i think a couple of them were sleeping cos they couldn't sleep on the plane) but i was just asking them lots of random questions and was so excited to experience this new culture. We drove though a few of the main parts of the city, which isn't saying a lot cos this city is much bigger than i comprehend i think. But the car ride was super enjoyable. I was shocked that the Elder Smalley, who was driving, did not crash cos the traffic laws seem nutso to me. Like the streets don't follow any normal straightness parameters like they do in the states ( in cali at least). They just go every which way, if that makes any sense. But he drove great, and we survived. We made it to the Rynek and it was beautiful. I was in shock and awe to say the least. I can't remember how many times i just looked up at the buildings and said, "How beautiful is this?" The Rynek is the old town center of Warsaw and they rebuilt all the buildings to look like before WWII. They are a sight to see, let me tell you. Just beautiful. The center of the Rynek is just littered with beautiful colored buildings and is a major tourist spot. But i just loved being there. I contacted with Elder Gonzalves, who is the trainer of my Trainer. Cool eh? That was something else. We would be walking and he'd stop someone and say who we were and than that i was going to tell them about the BOM. Major butt-pucker moment. I did my very best and felt a thousand times more comfortable by the end of it. I also contacted with Elder Smalley for a bit and then with Elder Broadbent. I got to the point where i would stop people and it was a great feeling. Just being in Warsaw contacting. Wowza. And i'm so glad you got to see pictures of it :) Elder Broadbent is one of my favorite people i've met. He's got red-hair and is just a solid funny kid and it was great contacting with him. I stopped this young guy, Filip, and i taught him and Elder Broadbent was saying "YOu are the man! You just taught that guy all by yourself!!" And Broadbent got his number and everything, it was awesome :)I'm going to have to be more brief or i'm never going to get everything down i want to :( BUt continuing on. :) We went to presidents house and chad an amazing experience, and I'm going to condense it so i can give you a bigger schpeel about being in Warsaw and such ( :( sorry) But we got to know the Mission President very well, we went running with him both mornings we were there through this beautiful little forest and that blew me away. We ran by this old Palace and by a catholic church and by the nicest McDonalds i have ever seen in my entire life. lol. President treated us to great food- Polish breakfast is spectactular. THe juices blew my mind - banana, cactus, pineapple, apple juice that taste like the green jolly ranchers, black currant, peach juice, all of this spectacular juice and meat and cheese on these little rolls called Buka. O goodness, it was spectacular. :) We had a testimony meeting after the second day, which was our tour day where we went back to the Rynek and to Lazieki (Wah -zank - ee) park, which was also beautiful- i took tons of pictures (Sarah your e-mail wish will come true:) ) We had an interview with President and i enjoyed mine so much. I loved talking to him and he said he thought he knew he my trainer would be. I was excited to find out :) THe next day we did. It was a very cool experience. I can't elaborate for times sake, but my trainer turned out to be Elder Henrie. He has been in the country for four months and he is a super nice guy. We get along so well and i love it. And i was told i would be serving in Praga area, South Side Warsaw. Ok i really have no time to write so this is going to be quick- forgive me :( We came back to our Apartment in the South Side, which is right by the huge city center, Centrum. And it is so intense to live right there next to all these huge buildings and yah. So different than Murrieta, but i'm getting used to it and learning to enjoy it more. Our Apart. is way homey, and i love it already. Elder Henrie is supposed to cook for me for the first month and he's been doing a great job. I've been eating way good and will contiue to for sure :) We're going shopping right after this and than going to do a white board meeting :) I've been out contacting in the city, had meetings with the members and with a less-active- no non-members yet. But there will be :) Church was awesome :) Goodness, i played Piano for sacrament meeting and for Primary. Our branch is the international Branch so people speak both Polish and some speak English.It was awesome :) I was in Primary too, playing for the little kids. IT was the best :) Ok i really have to go. I will write more next week and you can ask all the questions you want. I know i proabably didn';t asnwer so much you wanted to here. But next week i will. I love you all so much i cannot even express. Thank you so much for your letters mother and father, spencer sarah and annie. They are the best. Keep going hard in football and soccer and dance and that is so rad about going to Hawaii :) I"m way jealous. I love you all more than i could ever say. Just know i'm happy and working hard and think about you all the time. Til next week :)Starszy Rushtoni don't have much more time to write but have so much to tell you :( I'll just have to write a letter or someting:(