Pday, Bday!!!

Chellllllo Familio :) - How are you all this fine day? It is wierd that I am writing you here on a tuesday in the find city of Warsaw, but it's enjoyable for sure. Yesterday was the wierd day... but it went well, we worked hard, and now we're a day farther into the week than usual when I e-mail you. Just different, but nice. I think it was changed because of so many people wanting to set up for monday and not being able to (first day after the weekend, it's convenient for most people here) and also because of the lack of open tourist and historical sites. No major reason though lol. Just giving it a try I guess- this morning, E,McRae's Birthday- we made Biscuits and Gravy for 11 people (it was delish!) went to Adam's Tie factory, and then to E.Wedel Chocolate shop (I had Blueberry While Hot Chocolate. I almost died it was so tasty. And expensive. :P) A wonderful day thus far :)Life sounds way good back in the land of California. It is so funny- everyone always asks where you are from here and when they here I am from California they always give a big "OOOO! It's a little bit different here then in Caleeeforneeea eh?" And i just think, You don't even know lol. Yesterday we got our haircuts and the old Polish barber who was cutting my hair says "I always planned on going to California." The other Barber says "You don't have to any more, California came to you! HAHA!!!" ha they got a good kick out of that lol. Polish old men are funny. You all sound so good though. Amazing about the baptism there, I am way happy that you all went. It means so much to support people in this decision :) Thank you for going fam, ;) to annie :) Sarah that is so crazy your going to Baptism for the Dead!! Snap you are an old fart! :P So neat! You will enjoy it for sure. Mom, that is quite the experience.. You seem like you are quite busy to say the least, you carry it very well to say the least and I know the Lord will support you as you need the energy, time or whatever it may be. For sure :) Thank you for the little notes :) Pop, please send a DVD copy of that if you can and i'll find some way to watch it- I'm pretty sure it's legit. I'll find out though for sure, but send it :) I can imagine the weight that rests on your heart due to the cases you read; it'd be hard for me to do. The comfort is that someone has to do it and it's best that it is someone with a tender heart who will actually feel for these kids and decide what is most right, even when the options seem bleak. YOu sound like you're doing great :) Spence, I miss you kid all the time- wish I could be watching that with you :) We'll have plenty time to just chill lol I'm not worried :)I can't believe that about Ryan. Way to keep cool cousin. I love that the people flipped about "yo". What the trash :P That would probably happen here too lol. I'm looking back through my planner at what we did this week and it just seems like it was forever ago lol. We had a way good week though. Not too many incredible Earth-shattering stories, but a few good little updates for sure. We've been meeting with a couple of members to try to plan some activity to build the relationship between the members and missionaries, allowing us to work in harmony better, and the process, though somewhat slow feeling, is rewarding in itself. While meeting with one member, Brat Grotek, he showed that he was more then willing to help with anything. He came in, sat down, started the meeting with prayer and was down to business. The man has such a good heart and wants to do what is best. I love when he bears his testimony during Testimony meeting, cos the man has a powerful charisma for this Gospel. He is bold in stating that he is thankful that we have the one true church and that it is through this gospel that we can be saved and happiest. It's a hard thing to do when everyone around you is Catholic, and changing from that faith is almost like turning on your Polish heritage. It's almost beyond comprehension. Anyway, he is amazing. A hope for me :) One of these days...wednesday it was, we worked allllll day. From 9 in the morning til 8:30 at night, no studies or breaks. Just work baby lol. Because we had to pick people up and drop people off in the morning at the train station, we just worked in between those times, and we had a meeting in the afternoon, so we were just going to work til that meeting. And we did, had an amazing meeting, and then realized that we had a whiteboard we had planned for, so no break yet lol. Then after the white board realized we had a meeting with Tomek, our most faithful and amazing investigator right now. So, because of our own lack of planning, we worked all day. It felt good, but i don't recommend doing it often lol.On the topic of Tomek Prochenka. I've talked about him a bit, but i must expound a bit- he's been investigating for almost a year and a half now, and had been dropped when I was fresh here in the country. And now he has a baptismal date. We now meet with him twice a week for an hour and it is amazing. The man's countenance is visibly changed everytime we meet with him. He's happier, he feels better, his life is being changed for the better. And that is why I am here :) To see this happen to people. He has good questions about the BOM, he reads a chapter everysingle day and additional scriptures from his Baptismal Calendar (that we made for him). Our meetings our amazing and I have just recently come to appreciate the growth he has made in these past 4 months. We fasted together this last Saturday and Sunday,Tomek E.McRae and I, so that he can get an answer. I know he will sooner then later. Please pray for him. We tracked down this old former investigator who was contacted by Missionaries in 1998! Like right when the mission opened! She is devestated by the loss of her 30 year old son who died several years ago, but listened as we talked about the PLan of Salvation. She was Baptized in the Jordan river, in Israel...lol. By a random priest there. She says she saw a dove when she came out of the water....so we've definitely got some work to do, but she's a way kind lady who hopeful will find some hope and truth in the Gospel. In the land of food lol. We found the best Nalesnikarnia in the WORLD. Nalesniki are like Crepes, but HUGE and have either this sweet cheese, fruit, nutella, whipped creme or all sorts of stuff on them. A Nalesnikarnia is a place where they specialize in Nalesniki. Now i've searched far and wide, but that day where we worked all day, we were walking on the street and I happened to look down this alley and see this little homey looking hut that said "Nalesnikarnia". Turns out E.McRae had been there before- we went there and I was in heaven. So delcious. We're going there when y'all come over here to carry me away from Poland :P ;)When I was first here, I had heard of this activity known as Sports Saturday, where they play sports and investigators come and it's a great party of fun and member, non-member, missionary activity. lol. So this last Saturday we did just that; we organized this Soccer game, and the Sisters said that they had an investigator who had like 20 friends who wanted to play with us. So when the Saturday rolls around, we all meet at this metro stop, Pole Mokotowskie, and we follow this investigator- a kind man from Iraq. So we follow him on this TREK of a lifetime lol. We walked forever, with all us missionaries, like 8 investigators, and finally, we make it to the field. Turns out this guy's 20 friends are this entire legitamite football squad form Iraq. Lol. This other investigator from Ireland and I had been chattin the whole way over, and when we got there, he was all stoked to play. "Us versus them!! Let's go, we can take em!" All in an Irish accent. So cool. 2 of our investigators were from Africa, they were some of the best soccer players I've ever seen. We played us missionaries and investigators vs. the Iraq soccer team. Lol. It was such a blast and for the first 30 minutes we were beating them 4 to 0!!! So good :) A lot of good relationships were built and a lot of good soccer was played ha ;PPrimary was hilarious this week- two highlights. This Mongolian boy, like 3 years old, got his head stuck in between the seat and back of the chair lol. I didn't think it was even possible- everyone was singing and then slowly everyone stopped as this mom struggled to get her kid out- it was way more comedic then dramatic and I was laughing probably harder then I should have. lol. The second highligh was when this little American Girl answered Jesus for everything. We were on a walk- "Who do you think planted that tree?" "That was probably Jesus." ":P I love being in Primary. One last thought...I liked the last line in your letter pop, to seek to build my own unbreakable testimony. Because, it is hard out here. E.Weber and I were talking and he relayed to me something his brother said that we got a good laugh about - his brother said, trying to console him "I know it's hard out there and you get rejected a lot...it didn't happen to me a lot (in the Dominican Republic), but when we did it wasn't fun." lol. It's heart-breaking to talk to really good people who find excuse after excuse not to believe in God, and it hurts sometimes. Sometimes it feels like I get a little "rocked" spiritually. I have an image of me on a boat, with waves all around. I sometimes do get rocked by the waves outside and it's tough to hold my feet sometimes, but everytime I do get "rocked" I remember why I am here, what this Gospel has meant to me my entire life and even more since I've been here on the mission and it helps me keep my ground. Rejection can be hard, but it is worth it to see the select few accept the gospel and feel it's blessings. I hope that didn't sound like my testimony is on the rocks- cos it is the farthest thing from it as I share something so close to my heart and personal with people on a daily basis, that i know to be true. It, I guess is the pain of that person not giving something you know to be so amazing and wonderful, rationalizing to themselves that it is simply impossible that this is true. It's kind of like the people who wouldn't look at the Staff with the snake and be healed. lol. Maybe too much thinking lol. :) Ok, I've got to wrap it up here - Fam I love you so much :) I love being here and I know how true this Gospel is. I love being here more than anything and I know it's what I'm supposed to be doing- I feel the blessings daily and I hope you all do too. Keep on smiling and truckin on :) Your letters are sweet mana to my heart. Pray for Tomek! Look forward to hearing form you next week :)- Starszy Michael Rushton! p.s. I did get Grandma Cohen's package and Grandma Diane's Letter. I appreciate it so darn much. The package was wonderful :) And Grandma, The letter was so great, thank you :)