Polska Zima The Polish Winter

Dearest Family of Mine :)
I don't even know what it is anymore lol I am just tired these days. I think I'm getting old! :P This has been one incredible, and very fantastic week to tell you the honest truth. On more than one occasion this week, I was left thinking to myself how amazingly grateful I am to be here, working with these people. It's the best!
You all sound amazing. That's way exciting it's going to rain down there soon. I love how exciting it is - rain in California ha. Tomorrow it's supposed to snow here, and be 0 Celsius. Which is 32 degrees Farenheit. Then I'll be really grateful for the busy-ness which we've been blessed to have ha. We all have a bad feeling this Winter is going to be about two times as cold as last winter. I'm no meterologist, but last winter was really mild, and this summer was practically perfect. I hardly was ever ever "too hot". So logically, this winter is going to dominate us all ha ha.
But, you all really do sound wonderful. For some reason, the cold weather setting in reminds me of being around you, at Grandma Diane's house in Reno drinking hot cocoa ha. Or us having Fondue Christmas. Good memories : )
Just last night we had somewhat Surprise interviews with President Engbjerg, and from what it sounds like, our District, that pretty much is in love with itself, will stay together even past this transfer- in other words, we'll be together for the holidays! Which would be wonderful. It's always nice to have a really good, fun, hardworking district for the holidays. I'm banking for it. Elder Strobehn and I, Elder Brown and Elder Anderton and Sisters Rouse and Brown. It's good stuff :)
My interview with President was a good one.
President really is such a kind and caring man- he took us out to get some Kebabs- even though it was late and he still had so many things to do for today. He really is so loving and caring- it's an amazing example for us missionaries and especially for those of us who are supposed to be leaders and ministers to the missionaries we're to care for. President did say something that I'll remember- he said that I didn't ask for this position that I've had, and when I first got here, I wasn't ready for it, and I perfectly knew it ha. But the Lord has qualified me and with every trial, helped me grow into the missionary I need to be. He's one amazing man of God.
President was down here in the first place, because we had District Conference here in Katowice, and it was one of the greatest Sunday meetings I have ever attended here in Polska. There are only 2 districts in Poland- so all missionaries and members in Katowice, Wrocław, Kraków, and Kielce came to our little chapel in Katowice and the place was packed! Packed with tons of love and excitement and my heart yearned so deeply that every sunday would be like that one. Someday it will. We're doing everything we can so it'll be like that.
The talks were unbelievable. This man, President Pawlik, is phenomenal. He is Polish, and I'm positive I've talked about him- but he gave an amazing talk, and Elder Strobehn ate up every minute of quality talk we heard that day, because we had 2 of our very key investigators there. Dominik Rędziński was there, as well as Ela!!!! Carlos' wife! She, Carlos and their son Nathan had all come. And we were ecstatic because of that. She seemed to just eat it all up, and I have no doubt it was probably a bit hard for Carlos to hear, because they talked so much about being active and going to the temple. Carlos has a lot to learn before he can go to the temple, but I know he and his fiancee will and it will be a beautiful day! Their 3 year old child, Nathan, sat quietly through the entire 2 hour meeting. So amazingly well behaved.
In fact, every person we are working with in that city, Tarnowskie Góry, came to the conference- as well as that young Mariusz, the one I made the doctor comparison about. Yes :) sooooo good!
There's been a push to get 20 lessons. Our mission, in general, spends waaaay too much time on the street contacting and knocking doors, instead of teaching. We're trying to make the ultimate move to teaching more than we're finding. This last week we got 18 lessons. 2 away! Just yesterday, we had exchanges with the Assistants (Elder Shettel was with me, and Elder Hughes with E. Strobehn) and we started our week with 8 lessons. In one day! We're feeling that we;re going to get that goal this week. If every companionship could pull close to 20 lessons everyweek, it would set such a supreme standard for these new missionaries who come in. That's kind of how it works at first...you come in to the mission, and adjust to how the goals and norms are. If the norm is 20 lessons, by golly, you will get those 20 lessons. So, that's what we're going for. And the Lord is certainly supporting us in it.
We're meeting with tons of less-actives and new converts, as well as our steady investigators. No incredible developements with those investigators yet. We're going to try to give Baptismal dates to as many as possible, so we'll see how that works out for next week.
In other news- Andrzej Pappelbaum is baptized :) Hallelujah! I took a 7 1/2 hour train to Bydgoszcz (SOOOOOO LONG) and spent the night in my old apartment. I picked up a couple things I had left there, which was good- and we headed to the chapel Saturday morning to prepare everything. The baptism went perfectly. We went to the swimming pool, the members were very supportive- Andrzej has shown his dedication, going to church every week since I've left. It's pretty amazing.
As we went into the pool, he was very relaxed. It was silent as I said the prayer and laid him under and pulled him back out. I asked him how he felt, if it was good. He said "I'd like to do it one more time!" He was so happy :) He gave a solid testimony at his baptism and I was so happy to see him finally through the gates. He has the Priesthood and he is going to be a good member of the Bydgoszcz Branch. It was so good to see the man in the first place, and to see him baptized was just priceless. I had to literally run to the Train station to make my train back to Warsaw, where the Assistants drove us all back to Katowice for District Conference. I was in all three of my cities in one day. Ha :)
I feel so much responisiblity for these people we're teaching and helping them know for themselves that this Gospel is true. These investigators we have are such quality people and would honestly change the church here in Katowice, that it stresses me out sometimes that we're not doing everything we can. I think about them all the time- more than I have ever have so far in my mission. Each has their own life and own challenges in getting to know the truth and we're really trying our best. Slowly but surely, they will know it's true.
I can't really think of what else to write. Ha that's a first. :P All is good, and I love you all so much. I'm so glad I can share my experiences with you all. They mean the world to me, right now especially. The weather is dropping, but to be honest, I like it. It makes me feel kind of hardcore, doing our duty in the face of harsh weather and incredible odds, but nothing that the Lord's power cannot overcome. I know I am weak. I know there is so much I need to become better at. Everyday of my life I am painfully aware of my imperfections, but I know that as I rely in the Lord, have faith in him, he will help us do everything we need to, especially out here on the front lines of His army. It's a privelege to be here. I try to never let myself forget that.
Have a magnificent day my family, and always remember how blessed we are. I always remember what you are careful to repeat to me Father- where much is given, much is expected. There's always more we can do in our respecitve lives and I just pray I can always remember that.
Once more, I love you. I don't think I can say that enough. I know this Gospel is God's. This is His only true church on the Earth, and I know it is here that we can find the most happiness. We can't just do it halfway though- it's like a diet, or workout, or any plan for improvement. Anything done halfway, will only give you half or less of the results, but doing it all the way can give you the change you never thought was possible. The Gospel is the Lord's plan of improvement and perfection for us. Anyone who lives it like it should be lived will know that 100 percent, if they already didn't before.
Ok, enough preaching from this missionary ha. Smile for me and enjoy the California snow. I'll enjoy the Polish winter, and will be, as usual, praying for you and thinking about you. Pray for our investigators and these members here in Katowice. So much love.
Elder Michael J. Rushton Jr.

p.s. Thank you Grandfather for you words of wisdom and inspiration. I appreciate it so much. :)
p.s.s Thank you so much Jakey boy and Kor for the letters. You don't even know how cool I felt with those intense Asian envelopes and writing. Jake, your letters are always the bomb, no matter how much is writtten. Kor, I'm doing men's chorus and you have to do it with me ha.