Radość‏

Dearest Fam!It's 9 am, and I have a train to Kraków in exactly an hour. I'm in the little Internet Cafe and luckily, because it's so early, it's relatively quiet and enjoyable. Everything in Katowice is so close, it is blissful. One minute walk from the apartment to the internet cafe, 2 minutes from the internet cafe is the Dworzec, the Train Station. Despite the closeness, we still run everywhere ha. Every time we catch a bus to Tarnowskie Góry, we are always running to it. It's hilarious. We always have this conversation in the elevator from the 15th floor down to catch the bus.
Strobes : Are we gonna make it?
Rush (looking at cell phone) : I dunno...yah we'll be ok.
Strobes : Good. (2 minutes later, still in the Elevator) Are we gonna make it?
Rush (getting out of the elevator, simultaneously looking at cell phone) (then his eyes grow real big) : RUN! Yup. But we never miss it! Ha, we're just always out of breath when we get on :PThat's so fun that Grandpa was down there. How cool. It sounds like everyone's doing very well. Go Rushton family! Sports domination! ArghHh!!!!! :P So cool. It's been such a good week, with a couple really clutch meetings and good experiences, which we are grateful for.Ela is really doing amazingly. We are so grateful for her and for the amazing human being she is. She is so spiritually in tune it's just a pleasure being around her and talking about the Gospel. Our usual Saturday meeting had to be rescheduled because she simply was too tired and felt like she had to spend some time with her child, but she planned to be in Church. We recieved the sad text message that they got up too late, much to their dismay, but they offered that we meet that evening. So we did. They picked us up at the bus station in Tarnowskie Góry, and Ela invited her sister to come with us, the one we met at her house and was way excited to meet us. The atmosphere of our meeting was...hilarious. Polish people are fascinated by wierd places ha. We couldn't really meet anywhere outside or her house so they took us to this water Park. Yah. There's an upstairs to the water park where there are tables and places to sit. But to the left, the entire wall is a huge window, looking right onto the indoor water park, which apparently is the hip place to be on Sunday evenings. :P And Europeans where little to nothing when it comes to swimming gear, both men and women. So that was interesting ha. We were just in awe - we took positions so that we sat backs to the giant glass wall of nakedness and then we had an amazing lesson. It was great because we answered Ela's questions and Grażyna's questions too, and Carlos, not speaking much Polish, wanted to understand so every once and a while we would catch him up real quick. The coolest part of the meeting was that, while we would catch Carlos up, Grażyna would ask Ela a question, about the Book of Mormon or something related to the church, and Ela would teach Grażyna and testify that the Book of Mormon is from God and helps us deepen our understanding. She told her sister why she's meeting with us, and the sincerity in her voice and eyes were joy-inpiring for me as I enjoyed secretly evesdropping, looking at Carlos, listening to these sweet Polish women discuss the true gospel of Jesus Christ. One of those testimony-builders that you remember for a good while. This Thursday we're meeting with Ela, and then going to Grażyna's house. I'm going to play guitar for them and then we're going to talk some more, meet Grażyna's husband, and so on. Apparently Grażyna's husband is a bit on the rough side, but the power of God is to the softening of the heart, so we'll see :)Sweet and awesome story of the week goes to Carlos ha. We drove out to visit Dominik, the 23 year old kid who has a baptismal date for the 12th of December who is in the Hospital, but has all intentions to get baptized on that day. Carlos took us out there with his car- about a 45 minute drive from Tarnowskie Góry. The drive out that was stunning. The Polish forests in the fall are simply unbelievable. Driving past the thin trees, all crammed right next to eachother, creates an amazing sensation. I felt like I was just rushing through the forests and mach speed, thousands of trees rushing past me on either side. So neat.We went and visited Dominik while Carlos sold his Peruvian goods at this little swap meet deal thing. We visited Dominik twice since last week- this occasion i'm currently describing and just yesterday. He used to be an alchoholic and a punk simply, but he's changed, and he's understand the Atonement and the power it has in his life. He is for sure getting baptized.Back to the story- after we visited Dominik, we went back to see Carlos. He had sold somethings and was ready to pack up. He packed up, we walked around a bit, and then we started to drive home. 2 minutes after driving in the car, the battery light comes on in the Car and it starts sputtering and Carlos cries "My car! Eldercito somethings happening with my car!" He was out of Gas ha. He pulled over the the said, said that he saw a gas station a bit back, got out of the car and started heading towards the Gas station. He left his car in an incredibly inconveniant spot howerver- people couldn't get into our out of this side street without pulling some Jason Bourne status maneouvers. So, E. Strobehn gets in the front seat, and I push us on to the most convenient place...the only place we could really move it to without power steering...the sidewalk ha. There we leaned against the car for a good 25 minutes, while old Polish man after old Polish man said "This is a sidewalk, you can't park here! Maybe in america, but not here! no sir!" I don't even know how he knew we were'nt Polish ha but we sat there. Carlos eventually comes running down the street with a Gallon of Gas, and fills it up. We made it back to Tarnowskie Góry, after Carlos tried to get us to drive his car "to make sure he was doing it all right" ha. The tempation was definitely there ha. :P We ate some good chinese food, and then headed home. Good stuff :)Carlos says he's 58 years old. Which is impossible! I just don't believe it. You have to see the man. He's like 40 at most ha. Ridiculous. He does speak the English ha. He went to school in Vermont and even lived there for around 7 years. He speaks very well. His Polish is another story ha. But he is a gold mine for contacts. All his contacts also are Goldmines for contacts. We met yesterday with Ola again, the girl who has the horses on the Ranches. She is amazing ha. She just texted me this morning and said she found this blog too, which is funny ha. We met with her and her good girlfriend, Karolina in this little Cafe. It was a good meeting, and they are both quite interested, and said their both coming to church on Sunday which is sweet! Karolina, is 19 and is hilarious. She;s the daughter of Gennig, the ranch owner. The seating situation was such that Karolina sat next to E.STrobehn and I next to Ola. They sat down first..and yah. So we taught and the lesson was good, and they listened- it was the time between the end of the lesson and our bus home that the Girls got giggly and goofy like most 20 year old girls do when their good friends. THe hilarious part was when Karolina looked at Elder Strobehn and said "Zostaniesz moim mężem?" Will you be my husband? O snap, Strobehn's face was pricless. She's not serious, just messin, but still, for missionaries it's hilarious when stuff like that happens. I think after church and whatnot she'll understand the missionary, member, investigator relationship. So, I've probably got to leave real soon and catch this train! We have Zone Conference tomorrow, with Elder Kerr from the 70, he came exactly one year ago, and he is the man! He's Scottish, and just full of energy and the spirit and it's just great listening to him. I'm way excited :)Transfers are going to be next Thursday, Sarah's Birthday! We're going to find out though by next Tuesday. I'm praying with all my heart that both Strobehn and I avoid this transfer. I really really really really want to stay here and see these people get baptized. There's just to much to do here, and I like these people way too much ha. So I hope I stay. :) I thank you fam, and everyone else for that matter, who prays for us and for our investigators. We feel the power of it all the time. Things happen, miraculous things, on a daily basis that can't be explained and I know that God is answering our righteous prayers for the good of these people. It's magnificent :) I hope I answered all your questions...I'm pretty sure i did? O, about my england trip- I had to renew my visa. Generally missionaries "born" in Warsaw struggle with Legal work...but I'm legally retarded. Ha. yes. I think everyhthing is aces now though. We'll see eh. :P Martnya, the ridiculously cool 18 year old recent convert who is simply the bomb, is going on a mini mission, which is way exciting! She is our greatest asset in terms of missionary help. She is always willing to help, and she is the epitomy of a converted human being. So, we're excited for her.O! Another cool thing we've started- we're going to the Branch President's house weekly and visitin with his family and teaching the Gospel. It's a good experience, but can be frustrating. Remind me to expound upon that next letter, because I will forget and I lack the time right now to explain like I would like to. Simply, his wife has a hard heart and doesnt' realize the blessings and power of having the caliber of man that president Krzykawski is in her life. He's the epitomy of quiet power, humble and just a good man. I love him and love working with him.Well family. I love you. Have a wonderful day :) Talk to you next week! You all are the best. I'll write you more next week~! See you!!!! miłość - Elder Rushton!