April 9, 2010

Dearest Family :)
It's so good to read those e-mails. I love them to death, every week. Pop, I appreciate the "preaching" more then you know. I've thought a lot about what I want to do when I go home, and it's a struggle in my heart and mind. I'm definitely going to need the Lord's help on it. I loved reading your story so much about how you found out about it all. In fact, I always love reading any story you write. They are my "movies" for these last two years. I can see each sentence so vividly played out in my mind, and I love it. Thank you, both for taking the time to write me like you do every week. It means so much to me, I can't even express. Ma, I appreicate the letter so much, as usual :) I just read the hand-written letter you wrote as well. I loved your insights, and wisdom, and I can always sense how much you love me. That means so much. You are the best parents. Period.
Again, I'm not going to have much time to write today (kind of a trend eh? haha). Elder Mehner went with President today to Gdańsk for a baptism that will be held today, and Elder Handley (one of the Office Elders) also went with them. I am here today with Elder Owen, and on this very day, Elder Owen's parents are going to be here in Poland! That's crazy eh? This is like the 3rd set of parents I've seen in the past 3 weeks. Luckily it doesn't really trunk me out to bad ha. 3 months is not a long time, and I know how much I'm going to miss Poland when the end of this time comes, so I've got to make the most out of it I can. But we're going to the airport to pick them up at 10:50. They were in Prague for business, and they asked President Engbjerg if they could see their son while they were so close, and President is really kind like that, and agreed. So, that's the plan today. ha. Absolute craziness. I look forward to the chance to come back someday soon with you all and experience that same thing.
My life is without a doubt busier then it has ever been, and in a different way then I've been used to for the past year and a half out here on the mission. The days where all I had to do was focus on investigators and how they are progressing is gone- our priorities are with President, with making the mission better, and more excited and then with our investigators in the last slot. Which is really difficult for me, just like I knew it was for Elder McRae. In spite of that, we've had a couple of really amazing meetings with our investigators, and I'm really proud of a couple of them. I do love being here, and I'm getting a hold of the craziness of the schedule, and all the different responsibilities that lay on our shoulders, and it is a very uplifting experience in the end. Every day is a new adventure with tons of neat learning and growing experiences. I am humbled on a dailt basis, and am grateful for it.
Tomek Procheńka has a baptismal date for the 5th of June, which is decently far away, but this is a big deal for him. This is the Tomek that I wrote about the last time I served in Warsaw. The man is one of my favorites. He is kind, sincere, and really desires to be a member of this church, and we just have to prepare him to his Baptismal date. We had a solid lesson with him and Brat Herman, and in general it went wonderfully.
Just a bit more about Brat Herman. He is absolutely hilarious, and is one of my best friends here in Poland. He has an amazing sense of humor and reminds me a lot of Uncle Randy, but 10 years older, and with a bit more Polish mentality. He's a very street smart man, and just funny as can be. He wants to write a song with Elder Mehner and I, called Nie jest grzechem mieć 16 lat. It's not a sin to be 16. Ha. It's going to be about the church, it'll be great. Love the man. He's the ward mission leader and is trying his best to do his job. We're doing our best to try and help him do his job.
Bogdan, the middle-aged very intelligent man who wears glasses is absolutely amazing as well, and he decided to take a baptismal date for the 8th of May. I'm excited for the man and I know he will be baptized when the date comes, but he needs all the prayers he can get. He's a major intellectual and knows the BIble like the back of his hand, and he just needs to be able to feel it a little bit stronger in his heart. Please pray for him. He's showing the faith, and I know the Lord will bless him.
We're trying to go on exchanges, or at least reach every single missionary companionship in the mission, which is a lot easier considering how small the mission is. Yesterday I went on exchanges with Elder Taylor, and that was a blast. He's been in Poland for about 3 months. It blows my mind that I've been here for so long. I can't even comprehend it. I feel like one day I was here for a year, and the next, I have 3 months left. Crimany.
I read this talk by Elder A. Dyer, I think he was an apostle, or secretary to the first Presidency. Anyway, he gave a fire&brimstone talk about being a Challenging and Testifying missionary, and Elder Mehner and I are addicted to it. It's one of the greatest things we've read, outside of General Conference, and we're going to share it as we go on exchanges, and interview trips.
Interview trips will be happening the next couple of weeks. One of us will go with President all over Poland, visiting districts and I am so excited for that. It'll be an amazing time and experience.
A bit about Elder Mehner. I was Trained in the South Central District, and 2 months later, Elder Mehner was trained by Elder Antczak in the Mokotów District (both districts in the same ward). We spent a lot of time together and I always really respected and loved Elder Mehner, and since I lift Warsaw, I always loved seeing him at Conferences and random meetings, and I love his trash. He's a really good man, who is just down to business, but so funny and I just respect him a lot. He's from Oklahoma, and is going to BYU-Idaho. He is the man.
We live in a housing tract called Wilanów. It's one of the nicer ones in all of Poland. We have an underground parking garage (:P) and then we live on the ground floor of the building. Our beds are nice, and basically we in this mission are spoiled. Excepts my first apartment, all my apartments have been really nice. Most are throughout the mission. We are spolied. What happened to the days where missionaries had to find lodging with the investigators????!?!?!? (ha. Whoo. Glad we have an apartment.)
Ok, I've got to leave, but I love you tons. This next week should be an amazing one. I'm going to do better at writing down specific experiences that I've had during the week. I feel like it's so hard to remember these days. I love being on a mission. I love preaching truth to people and seeing them change their lives.
I talked to Dominik Rędziński from Kato- he just got the Aaronic Priesthood. :) So good to hear things like that. Ok, I've got to sign off. I love you family so much. You all are the best.
Elder Rushton

p.s. I'm sorry my letters are slowly becoming less interesting. Any questions you have, just ask. I'll do my best to shard more experiences. Love you so.