This week has been CRAZY. Our weather has been whacked out of this world. It was POURING RAIN last weekend and Monday (we were positively DRENCHED. Ugh. So gross), and then it got SUPER warm. This weather. It's almost as bad as Utah here! And anyone who tells you Poland is only cold, it's some sort of arctic wasteland of ice and penguins - NO. Wrong, my friend. So very wrong. I've already got tan lines from my shoes. If I can figure our how to send pictures, I'll send one of the tan lines. They're pretty intense.
So we have this investigator - "O". She's super awesome. She lives in the same building as us (we don't think she knows that ... though we aren't sure) - actually, she's in the mieszkania right beneath ours. Which is strange. But whatever. Anyways, we really like her. And we taught her a lesson last week about the Word of Wisdom (that baby's a big one), and she was like, "Whoa! I do ALL those things!" So she went through the list, and she was like, "Coffee? Not really. Tea? Yep. Alcohol? Yep. Smoking? Yep. Drugs? Yep." And we were like, "Whoa now. Drugs?" But not out loud, just in our heads. That would have been weird. And she told us she and her friends go down to this little place and get marajuana muffins. And they just do it, and it's not big deal. What now?! So we committed her to not do drugs for a week (baby steps, right?), We'll see how that goes down. We feel like she'll come around the Gospel, she'll just take a while. Like, maybe a long while. But she'll get there!
Fun Fact - Polish and Star Wars are buddies. The little sand dune aliens? What are they called? Anyways - the ones with the brown cloaks and the glowing red eyes. They say, "O co chodzi?" Which essentially means, "What's the point? What are you getting at?" Cray cray, right? Also, there are other connections, or so they tell me. Fun stuff up in here in Kraków.
So. You guys are going to Oregon. And no one tells me anything about that. When do you leave?
Also. I'm assuming school's out. Also. No one tells me anything about that. For goodness sake, people! Keep me informed!
What to tell you ... Hmmm ... Basically, we're rockin' it here in Kraków. Sister Allen and I led the mission in lessons last week (18! Yeah baby! That's what's up!).
Oh - we had a lesson with a German guy last week! His name was Torban. He was super cool. We're giving him a German KM and someday he's going to get baptized. We've decided.
Yesterday we had dinner with the Onkens. I'm not sure I've written about them before. Or maybe I did, and you get to hear about them again. They're this SUPER cute family in our branch (the only one that's active). The dad, Mitch, is going to med school here in Kraków. His wife, Sarah, is from England. And they have two of the cutest children on the planet - Felicity and Spencer. They're so great! We love them. And Felicity and Spencer remind me of my daycare kids, and I miss them! So it's super fun to be around kids every once in a while. I really don't have anything else to say about them. Just that they're awesome!
So. Contacting. It's a real blast. Or not, if it's been a long day and you're tired. But I try to pretend it's a blast. It's always a little awkward, because you just walk right up to someone, and you say, "Hey. I know the Book of Mormon's true. Ever heard of it?" Of course, this is all in Polish. And sometimes you get a really weird look and they just walk away. Or sometimes they're like, "Yeah, but no thanks." Or sometimes, they're like, "What is this magical book? Can I have one? Can I get baptized?" Then you say, "Yes! Let's go find a font!" I've yet to experience that last one, but pewnego dnia (yeah, not sure on the spelling. Regardless, it means "one day").
A couple of our investigators haven't been answering our calls (which BITES). And we were talking, Sister Allen and I, about how we think maybe they don't want to talk to us because they've had to cancel lessons or haven't kept their commitments - they're embarrassed and maybe a little scared about how we'll react. Which is interesting, because in reality, no matter what they've done, we want to meet with them and help them progress. We love them, and the only way we can help them is if they meet with us and LET us help them. There's a parallel there to Heavenly Father. Sometimes we make mistakes, and we're embarrassed or scared to go to him. We don't want to admit we messed up, or we're afraid He won't want to hear from us. Nothing could be farther from the truth! He loves us, and the only way we can move past our mistakes, is by going to Him! Crazy, right? It's been so interesting, how much I've learned about Heavenly Father that I didn't expect since being out as a missionary.
Well, that's it for this week, friends! Love you all SO MUCH! And I PROMISE I'll send pictures next week. I don't know why, but I struggle with this picture sending thing! But don't worry - you'll get some soon enough.
One More Thing
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DADDY! (It was yesterday, wasn't it? - Sorry, things in Poland are crazy. I've lost track of normal things). I want you to know you're the greatest dad EVER (honest to goodness, cross my heart), and I'm so grateful for everything you do for me and for the great relationship we share. Honestly, I'm eternally grateful! Thanks for always being there and listening to my crazy stories and quoting with me, and overall being incredible. Love you TONS!
Dearest Mother,
I love thee. SO MUCH. The work is grand. Sister Allen. She's just fabulous! She's super funny. And SUPER nice. And she is SO dedicated. Honestly. She works so hard! I think what I love most about her is that she really cares about me and wants to help me - that means SO much. And she's just become my friend, not just my trainer or companion or something. She's so great. I love her.
We got the MOST LESSONS last week in the whole mission! 18! Yeah baby! I'm just kinda excited about that. We rocked it!
I'll try to be more Anna in my next email - pinky promise!
Language is coming. It's still hard, and I'm still struggling (ew. I hate that), but it's coming! I can't wait to speak it for you guys at Christmas! It will be awesome - just you wait!
I heard about Jess' call! SO exciting! She's going to be fabulous! I was thinking and praying for you and Annlie last night (it would have been church time for you guys back in the States).
LOVE YOU!
PS - I'd love to read a copy of your talk ...
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