I left my heart in Bydgoszcz-August 10th, 2009

My Family!Transfer news has not yet hit the press, but soon enough, I will know who my companion will be. I already know where I will be going- tomorrow is Zone P-day, so we're all going down to Warsaw, but I will not be coming back. Transfers aren't until a week from now, but I'll be spending this entire week in my new area, of KATOWICE!!! It's one of the biggest cities in the South of Poland and it is affectionately named the Dirty South by all missionaries. Everyone who serves there loves it with all their hearts. I'll be taking over Elder Antczak(who is going home)'s area and his investigators and I am so stoked for that! The Branch there is apparently one of the kindest, most willing to help with missionary work and the Branch President is the nicest man in the world. I look forward to cofirming all of this while I'm down there :) No idea who my companion will be, but I'll be on of the South Zone Leaders, over the cities Kraków, Kielce(elder McRae opened this city), Wrocław and Zgorzelec (elder Hughes opened this city) on the German border. It'll be saweet! Elder McRae was just there with Elder Antczak the transfer I was with Elder Hughes, and he told me about all the amazing investigators they have there. So, it'll be one beautiful ride down there. My only worry is that I won't be staying there for long- I've only served in 2 cities for 6 months a piece...i wonder how much Longer I can keep that up! I'm so accustomed to staying and falling in love with a place it'll be a bummer if I leave Katowice after one transfer. But we'll see :) I just packed all my stuff yesterday, for the second time in this country lol. It's the best. Elder Harvey has packed 6 times. To wrap that up though, I am super excited!Elder Beaty is staying here and taking over as Bydgoszcz DL, and I hope Elder Harvey stays here to take care of our investigators. He's kind of freaking out that Transfers aren't out yet. Kind of dying lol. I'm coming back here this upcoming saturday to Baptize Andrzej (you say it Andre, like Andre the Giant, but the r is the "rg" from garage, kind of wierd to say, but yah lol. And pappelbaum is exactly how you'd think it'd be.) I pray everything with him is in order. He's staying at this Members empty room that she usually rents our for tonight and tomorrow before the renter of the room comes to take it. The Lord really is providing a lot of help with Andrzej- I'm really praying it will work out. And I do have the hope that it will work out. The prayers are all very welcome. We're meeting with him one last time before I leave. I actually just talked to him on the Phone ma, and he told me, that when I have contact with you, I need to tell you that he reads that letter (I translated it into Polish the best I could) everyday, with the Book of Mormon. It means a lot to him, and he is very grateful for it. I'm going to miss Andrzej- i'll certainly be in contact with him though. No doubt about that. The days preceeding a transfer where I actually move are devestatingly tiring for me. I feel like it's a mini end of my mission. Trying to wrap up everything with these investigators to make sure the next missionaries can do the most with them, contacting potentials, making sure my companion knows everything he needs to about the city. It's kinda intense. The lack of order to my day is probably one of the hardest parts about it all. I look forward to getting everything all settled down in Katowice (cat-oh-vee-tsa).This last week has been great though :) We've had a couple crazy adventures and miracles too, one of which seriously stuck out to me- even as it was happening I was kind of in awe, but too tired to really rejoice in the moment. Last week I said we were going to meet with two families- one lives right on the Rynek, in the center of town. They weren't there. But they live so close it's not really a big deal, we'll find them soon enough. The second family though, lives in Fordon, which is like the Lake Elsinore of Murrieta, except it's still considered part of Bydgoszcz. But it's way the poop out there. So, we catch a bus and head out there, not really knowing which stop to get off on exactly. I ask someone, and they let us know- a younger kid kind of one-ups him and says he'll show us the way, he had nothing better to do. So we got off and walked down to the street we were trying to find, talking Gospel the whole way there. He was kind and sincere- he didn't want to meet, but he was interestedin the Book of Mormon, so we gave him a spare copy we had. He led us right to the street where this family supposedly lived. We walked to the number, number 38, and I stood in a but of confusion, because it looked nothing like the woman had described it, but we walked inside anyway. I gave the family a call right there. When the mom picked up, I said who I was, and she hung up on me. I was dejected right about then. So far out of the way, in the middle of no where, to find this family, who just hung up on my face. But we decided to tract the building anyway. Nothing really came of it, so we headed to the Bus stop, to head home. At the bus stop, I asked a man which bus goes to centrum, and he kindly helped us and said he was taking the same bus and actually going to the same stop and he would help us. He was there with his little daughter, who looked impeccably like my dear little sister, Annie. Short red hair, freckles and a cute little smile :) We ended up talking the whole 30 minute ride home, and in the end got their number and said we could come over and share our message this next saturday. It was amazing. Here, this somewhat promising family rejected us, but in the outcome, the Lord led us to an amazingly promising family who we have good contact with. It was something very beautiful for me and Elder Harvey. I loved Ryan's anology about how our relationship with God is that of a father, and how often life is like when we learn to swim, and our parents always step back a little farther, and it can be frustrating, but it pushes us for the better, and if we ever do start to fall, they will bring us back up immediately. I felt that 100 percent in this instance. His hand was right there, lifting me up. We met with Janina, the Less active who has not missed a day of church since about a month and a half ago when she came back, and with Jurek Choleczynski, another man who is less active simply because of his work schedule as a Security Guard. Both were nice meetings- Janina's was nice, but hard at the same time. She is back and is a good lady. She is definitely a stubborn one and we got into an off topic argument about Nephi and Laban and whatnot, but it was good in the end. She is incredibly kind and will surely help others join the church. Sorry for the vagueness, it would take far to long to explain lol. Jurek was sad to see me go, and I felt the same. He is such a funny man. He always says he's "too stupid" to understand God's ways, but knows they are right. He says he's beyond faith- he just has a conviction of the truth these days. He does have amazing faith, and is a great member. I bet the missionary who led him to the church is darn proud. I was proud and I've simply had the pleasure to teach him for the past while. We met with Andrzej 4 or 5 times this last week preparing him and getting everything ready for his Baptism. It looks like his Baptism will take place in a really really not pretty pool that we have to get shipped in from Lodz (a city)- it's a do-it-yourself pool. We've tried so many options, but this looks like the only one that's really going to work. The major plus is that we'll be able to do the whole thing right there, at the chapel. Which really makes it all worth it. Andrzej is ok with it either way. :) Church was good, but sad. I bore my testimony for the last time there for awhile, but it was good. I really do love this Branch. They are so amazing. It's hard to comprehend the beauty of a self-sufficient branch without being surrounded by several branches that have the Missionaries as the beating heart, the central organ, without which all chaos would break out. This branch, despite some issues with a Branch President, is full of worth Priesthood holders, familes, great and caring people who have so much potential! I hope every missionary who serves here realizes that and takes advantage of it. I probably would've have used them all a little more had I realized the beauty of it earlier in my time here. So yes, I will be sad to live them behind. But Katowice's branch is also amazing. Maybe not as dependant, but very amazing. Maciek, our 18-year old investigator, is the bee's knees. He is our buddy, because he is so darn cool, but he realizes why we meet and he has been praying about a baptismal date hard. I know he will be a Branch President here in the future. He is the epitomy of a Kingdom Builder. He has sucha good head on his shoulders, he is caring, mature, and good-natured and sincerely seeks after the kingdom of God. He has more common sense than most, and will be one amazing member of the church. I hope I write home that he has a Bapt. date soon. Well Family, this is my last e-mail from this beautiful Library overlooking the Rynek here. How glad I am that I have more time in this beautiful Country, that round 2 of the Mish is merely starting. It will be something special, I have no doubt. I have so much left to do here, so much the Lord wants me to do, and it'll take a lot of self-improvement and self-criticism, as well as several more amazing companions, investigators and faith-building experiences on the way. I wrote to you once, now that I think about it, from Katowice when i wrote the Mission Song down there with Elder Daly. I really liked it. :) :) :)Thank you for the Letters again. My family truly is as great as they come. How I miss you all, but relish in the fact that we have more then a little time together after my Mission :) I wish you could see the things that I see sometimes- see the people who really want to change their lives, see the people who really understand what Faith is and who not only proclaim it by the means of their words, but live it more then anything. I love my time here. Everyday is a treasure. I've felt so much stress here lately because I know that my time here is winding down, and that I would be leaving. I can't really imagine that feeling of leaving this country. I need to give my all- and there is a lot to give. I love this Gospel family, and I know how much everyone needs it, whether they know it or not. It is the way to happiness. It is His plan for us. How grateful I am that we find ourselves in it :)Tomorrow is Zone P-day, it will be amazing. Have a beautiful week! Be safe Spence playin ball, you bruiser you. My Gimli axe is awesome eh?! It was real as could be ha. I miss you kid. Glad you enjoyed efy. Sarah, hope you are doing good, sister. You are so darn funny and amazing. I love you so. Annie, I love you so, it was crazy seeing that girl that looked like you. Maybe she;ll get baptized and you can meet her. Made me remember how much fun we would all have together, on the tramp, or on the lake, or anywhere :) Love you all so much! Have a great week :)Elder Mikey Rushton p.s. Ma, that scripture from D&C 121 is the exact one i read to Andrzej. That's amazing :) p.s.s Pop, I know how much you wish you were at Home. I'm so grateful to have the family and the love we do. Andrzej talks a lot about how he never really had that. I do feel way too blessed too often these days.