Blue-skyed, bursting with brilliance Bydgoszcz :)

> My beautiful fam, how are you all this beauuuuutiful Tuesday :)> I got to tell you all, I scored again on e-mail location. I write to you from a beautiful library on the second floor over looking the Rynek (city head courters here in Bydgoszcz. The sun is beaming through the bright puffy clouds and it is looking goooood :) > Fam, you all sound way good. Life in Murrieta sounds wonderful per usual, so good to hear. Spence I hope you had one amazing Birthday kid. I thought about you all day, and by the way you failed at giving me your ultimate favorite scripture! That is way necessary. All of you fam! It sounds like you had a good one, minus the sickness. I wish I could have been there at BJ"s eating some delish deep dish. O we will be hitting that place up quite a few times, I guarantee that. Pizzookie. Sweetest of all mercies :) ROcking out at the school dance sounds legendary too, so cool brother! Please record the song will you? Annie you sound like you had such a fun party! Snap sister I wish I could have gone Survivoring with you :) You sound like your doing so good in soccer too! It'll be so fun playing in Murrieta! I hope your Birthday was amazing too, I thought about you tons as well. Sarah, you are such a goof. I love your letters and thank you so much for them. So good! > I am ecstatic to be here in Bydgoszcz, family. I left Warsaw on Thursday morning after somewhat of a crazy couple of days. Tomek came with E.McRae and I to see Phantom of the Opera, and because of complicated problems and restrictions, E.McRae and I were the only missionaries to go see the play, with Tomek. And it was 100% amazing lol. I didn't understand everything, but I understood more then enough to enjoy it. I got a good grasp of my understanding level, because at the begninning when they are doing the auction, I understood all the dialogue and what not, just great, and i thought, "Yah! Woo! This is great! I understand!" ha and then they start describing the things their auctioning...and I understood close to nothing ha. It's alright though, it'll come. > We spent the next couple of days calling our potentials that we had gathered and setting up meetings for the Elders that would take our place there in South Central. E.Daly was with us, and we had to buy almost every single train ticket for the mission and then had to photocopy them all and yah. We did some good contacting and had some good meetings, and then packed. The Banks family ( they're American and work in the Embasssy...Sis. Banks is in Primary) had us over for dinner the night before transfers. We had pork roast, mashed potatoes, american Cheese cake and pumpkin pie, and there was much rejoicing in my belly. It was so nice of them- they were said to see me leave and said that, because they are returning to the states in teh next couple of months, we will for sure be in contact, adn they want to come to E.McRae and My (respective) weddings lol. So darn nice of them.They're amazing. > Living in the same place for 6 months leaves lots of time to accumlate random junk, but I did ok, and packing wasn't too bad. My tie collection...is beautiful and kind of big ha. The biggest addition to my belongings. My train was on Thursday morning at 11. Elder McCuistion, going to Torun ( a city an hour away from Bydgoszcz, they go to church with us and spend p=day with us) was with me until the last hour of the ride. I was alone for an hour and it was the wierdest thing in the whole world. The first time in 8 months I was alone in a train car by my self. I played guitar and took pictures of the beautiful Polish country side. The train ride was amazing. An old, rickety train on old rickety tracks riding through old and beautiful Poland. > I made it to Bydgoszcz and had help with all my things- two cuitcases, a backpack and my sidebag, my comfortor and my guitar. I knew right away I would grow to love this little city, very quickly. It looks so old compared to Warsaw, the buildings are all beautiful and I feel like I'm back at least 60 years in time. The cobblestone roads and many colored buildings with the river running right through it is enough to make me never want to leave. :) My apartment is soooo big. So darn big. I actually have a kitchen now that is bigger than a meter by a meter. We have three huge rooms and our shower is a gift from above. It hadn't been vaccumed since August. Yup. August. It was gross in that sense. The vaccum had broken and we bought one yesterday that actually works and I wnet to town on that bad boy during lunch break. Ha. My bed is way comfortable and it['s a good deal there.> E. Dan Jones, originally form Fresno California, but now from Alpine, Utah, is in the same group as Elder Daly and has been in the country for around 16 months. He has a little bit less than 8 to go I think. He speaks great and is a way easy going guy. I'm glad I get to be his comp.- I miss E.McRae's guts just cos we were way good buddies and we had a good groove going, but I know we can get it to go well here as well. We get along really well, he's easy going about food, he wants to work and he kinda knows how the Zone Leader thing works, just cos he's been around a lot of Zone leaders, so that is helpful. He teaches really well and I have no doubt I will learn tons from him. Definitely a blessing. > THere is so much to tell I really could write to you all day, so I'll give you some info on a couple of really neat experiences I've had thus far and then answer your questions pop :) > Neither E.Jones or I have ever been here to Bydgoszcz, so we both came in here never knowing any of the investigators or members, but it's been a pleasant surprise explorting both of these categories. > We met with the only progressing investigator, Marek. We had to travel a good ways out to his house to set up with him, cos he didn't have a phone. On the second try trying to set up, we caught him at home and set up for yesterday. Our meeting was amazing. The spirit was most definitely present and I felt it so strongly because he knew it was true. He felt like the Book of Mormon was of course from God and that this Church is true. MY favorite was his own personal statement that "if people here don't listen to you, it's because they are afraid of the truth that you have. Because this is true." I for somereason felt like I'd never meet someone this prepared on my mission. We're asking him tonight to get baptized.> Another man, Blazej, came into our meeting, having no intention to rad the book of mormon or pray or anything. At the end of our meeting we agreed to meet after a month so that he could read the entire Book of Mormon and pray about it, and then we will meet. So amazing :)> A newly converted member, Zaneta, it one of the sweetest most tender souled people I have ever met. The last elders that were here (Elder Thomas and Edmunds) baptized her and she loves them and is so thankful to be a member. She currently lives in a shelter for single mothers who need financial help, but she does not belong there. She is an amazing woman with such spiritual strength and so much love for life. We traveled out there last night to visit her- it was the second time we had met her - and I could feel how much she loves the Gospel. She has a lot of hope, and to be honest, I don't know excactly what we can do to help her, but we will be here. I'll think of something. She has a 2 year old son, Czarek, and he is a little firecracker of energy and we're already buds. Love the little guy. > Church is in this AMAZING old looking building and the second my eyes laid sight on it I was so darn happy that was our building. You'll see when I send pictures ( which I'm reaaaaaly working on, promise!). Sunday morning, when I walked in the Building, a young boy and his sister came up and greeted me, with the fist punch and treated me just like I had been there for ages. The other members were just as friendly and I was amazed. The branch here functions so well- it would be just fine with out Missionaries...which is a way wierd concept up in Poland. But they are amazing. Sunday school and priesthood ran like a normal ward at home, minus the numbers. But it's just a matter of time and some intense missionary effort to add those numbers. Truly though, I was amazed and am so excited to be part of the Branch. A little intimidated even, cos they;'ve seen so many missionaries come and go, who they love and remember I hope I can live up to that. Lol we'll see. > One more thing, about last night's meeting with Zaneta. I had been thinking a lot about how we got to get some way good numbers as ZL's, we've got to set the example, bring the most, do the best and whatnot. And I kind of was focusing on numbers more than not. But as we met with Zaneta and she expressed how the Church had changed her life, how she had so much hope and love because of this Gospel, I realized how much more important it is to find those who are ready, those who need this Gospel and will accept it, then any numbers. True, the numbers are indicators of success and guide us, but the people those numbers represent cannot be properly expressed and accounted for by any mark on a paper. > Bydgoszcz is quite from from Warsaw, a four hour Train ride away. In the zone, the cities are decently far away, 2-3 hours away for each city. Szczecin might even be around 4. As a Zone Leader, I take calls in everynight, take numbers for the whole zone on Sunday evening, set the example as far as what is ok to do or not, we are in charge of the funds for the zone, and it all must be accounted for (travels, government costs to be legal, and so many more things), we go on exchanges with all the District leaders twice a transfer, and I'm sure I'll find out more. We have a Zone Leader training meeting this Thursday out in Warsaw, followed by our District Conference in Warsaw on Sunday. I'll get to stay with E.McRae this Wednesday night which'll be sweet. I feel like in a way Zone Leader can be an amazing way to serve your fellow missionaries and build the unity in your Zone and fire to work hard. It can be as big or as little of a responisbility as you make it, to a point of course. > Other missionaries reaction...not to much of one? It's young that's for sure, but it's how the Lord wants it I guess. No one is really shocked or hatin' or anything. It's good lol. > The city is just amazing. I haven't been here long enough to check the "digs" but there is this Nalesniki place (crepish things) called Manekin. It is beyond description in it's amazingness. So glorious. Hope that answers most of the quesitons pop :) I had no idea you were a Zone leader at 8 months, or at all. And you trained at 6? I gotta say pop, and ma, when I was there first night in Bydgoszcz away from everything that I had grown accustomed to and Loved, having to take on more responisibilites, not having my buddy McRae, I would have given anything to call you and talk. I can't thank you enough for the support and love you give me. Pop I can't wait to talk to you about your mish more when We have the chance. that'll be the best :) > Well I must wrap it up. It is so good here. I'm so blessed to see this Gospel change people's lives here in Poland and I pray I'll have the chance to see several people's lives change. I know there are several who are ready to hear it here in Bydgoszcz. Just have to search em out :) Keep praying hard, reading scrips and trying to be like Jesus. Christ like attributes are a sure way to happiness for yourself and those all around you- we'll strive our whole lives to achieve them, but the happiness comes in the trying, failing and trying even harder the next time :) I love you fam, and friends thank you all for writing me, I'm trying my best to write back! Ma, can you give me Tayla merrills address? Please lol. Love you fam :) To next week! > > > - Starszy Michael j Rushton > AND DON"T FORGET YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE!!!! Please :) if Grandma and Grandpa would give their favorite Scripture too, that woudl be amazing :)>