Week 41

Sorry everyone that I just have not found the motivation lately to find things to write about and actually do it. And I'm sure my mother has told anyone that reads this blog that I had a bit of a rough patch but am doing a bit better now. So, as for what has happened in the past couple weeks.

I finished out a really fun transfer with Elder Loosli, we didn't get a lot of missionary work accomplished in the sense of contacting and teaching, but we did finally finish off the Mission Papers for Czarek Gładun and those are now submitted and we are waiting. We are all hopeing that he can get called to somewhere in the US where the church is really strong and he can learn how it all functions correctly and then bring it back to Poland and help build the kingdom here. Elder Loosli and I talked about a lot of things that I just had to get out of my system and we became great friends in the Process and will be doing things together after I get home.

One week near the end of the transfer, on a Thursday, we got a call from President that said Elder Lewis would be coming down on Sunday and would start training to be the new Branch President, which was a bit odd because we both thought that only I was going to be leaving Lublin, but as it turns out we would both be leaving. I was told I had about a week, and Loosli had about 2. Then on Sunday when we were waiting at the Dworzec to pick up Elder Lewis we got another call from President... He told me that I had to have my stuff packed up and be in Warsaw on Monday... That was a bit of a shock. So I gave a small on the spot talk in Sacrament Meeting and then afterwards I got to take pictures with the whole branch :) It was really sad to have to say goodbye to them :( Especially Beata. One part was funny though, I gave my camera to Brother Gładun to take a picture, and I had it on rapid fire shots, so if you hold the button down it will take up to 11 pictures in one second, yes, that is quite fast. He about fell over, in shock, and asked if I had bought a weapon instead of a camera lol.

I packed up and left my beloved Lublin and the Gładuns yet again and for Warsaw this time. I was told I would be staying with the AP's there, the wierd thing being that there was really only one AP (Assistant President) at the time due to some weird other transfer stuff and the other AP having to be somewhere else. So now I am living with an AP, in Warsaw...talk about a major change. I spent the next week with Elder Stohel, having no idea how long I would be there. It was difficult and frustrating at some times, but we got along okay, and he taught me a lot, both about being a missionary and about Polish. On that Saturday we went and picked up Elder Tribe from the Dworzec, he was going to be the new AP when transfers happened and we would have 2 again. Then at the Office Meeting on Monday, which was slightly hectic because the office is moving, and the office couple (Senior Missionaries) are going home and they are training the new couple. So everything was all crazy. At one point I went out with Sister Nielson, with no companion... It was weird. We went shopping for some stuff and then went to go pick up lunch for everyone that was there. We had ordered from this Naleśniki (Crepe) place and there was only one guy working there at the time. Poor guy was making those things faster than ever before. Sister Nielson and I just stood there and watched him for a while. It was nice to get to know her a bit better, she is really cool. Finally he finished all of our order and we packed it all into the car. Later in the evening I found out that I would be going back to Wrocław! The city I was in two months ago with Elder Allred. I was told to check bus times because I had to be on my way there the next day...holy traveling... I called them up and told them I was coming back and when I would be there. So, because this is now getting confusing...let me map out my transfers

Kielce (Anderton) 4 weeks
Lublin (Beaty) 4 weeks
Lublin (Thomson) 2 months
Poznań (Kontor) 4 weeks
Wrocław (Allred) 2 months
Lublin (Loosli) 7 weeks
Warsaw (Stohel) 1 week
Wrocław (Sheridan) 1 week and counting

I think that is it. Last time I was here I was with really old missionaries, two of which finished there missions here. It was a weird two months. It is completely different here now, with 2 brand new missionaries who are just excited to get out and work. Both of them speak fantastic polish too, like really really good polish, I still know more, but only because I have been here longer. They are just fearless when trying to say something new.

So ya, I am now back in Wrocław, the place where I had to play the piano last time I was here, Elder Hillyard plays now, he is much better. I was so happy that I would have the opportunity to see the Call kids again, Cynthia and AJ. They are way cool, and I wish I had a picture of their faces when they saw me on Sunday :D it was priceless, they looked back to see who the new guy was, then had to double take when they recognized me :) then they both got these huge smiles on their face and could barely contain themselves during Sacrament meeting. It was awesome. I translated for Sister Kimball, which I can do for the most part now, it is hard for me to listen, translate and speak at the same time...so I miss a lot when I translate sadly.

My new companion is really cool, we get along great. His name is James Sheridan, he is from Ogden, Utah. Likes hiking and being outside, but isn't a dummy on a computer. He is also a hard worker and ready to convert all of Wrocław. He also plays Viola and violin and quite a few other string instraments aparently. I look forward to being able to serve with him. And yes this also means I am Senior Companion.

Well I think that pretty much sums up what has happened recently... now for some stuff I have done since I got back to Wrocław.

We have a girl here with a baptismal date! She is so cool, about 20, speaks English and has been so prepared for the Gospel. She does lots of stuff with us, her name is Ania. Last night we went out to a Cemetary for Day of the Dead, which you may have guessed is kinda huge in Poland. It was really beautiful and I have lots of pictures, which I will post as soon as I can. It was quite amazing, and only the pictures will really be able to portray that, so be excited! We also had a really cool whiteboard the other day, and instead of going with some gospel question that people just ignore, we went with something that would just catch people offgaurd and was kinda fun. Our question was... Who would win? A Mage or a Jedi? Oh ya! It was so much fun asking people about that one, and it was a great ice breaker. Some of the older people just looked at us like we were insane or something, but most people thought it was totally awesome. We also talked to a guy who plays on a Football (American Football) team here in Poland, and his family. They were cool and pretty open and the guy said he was looking for ways to come closer to Christ and be a better person. We gave the family 2 Copies of the Book of Mormon and a couple pamphlets! Too bad they live in Poznań...we gave them the Elders Number there. We had fun on Sports Saturday too. We went to a park and played Soccer with some elementary school aged kids. They ended up kicking our trash... but we had to stop early because they were starting to kick each other and it wasn't just fun for them anymore. I woke up on Sunday soooooooooooo sore... That was the first actually physical exercise, as in Cardio and running that I have done in the past like 10 months... everything was sore... even my ribs... It was tons of fun though.

Well, I think that suffices for now.

Again, sorry I haven't posted in a long time, hope this makes up for it :D

Love ya all

-Starszy Taylor