21 Nov 2013

Happy Birthday Garrison on Sunday!

Hello everyone. We are finally feeling like we belong in Warsaw.  We haven't moved into our apartment yet, but hopefully, this weekend.  Things are going easier at the mission office.  I'll take some pictures of our office elders next week.  They are very smart young men.  They will help us alot.

On Saturday, we got to go around Warsaw a little bit with the Hutchinsons.  It was very cold and windy, so we didn't get out of the car very much, but they did show us the place to buy chocolate.  I am definitely going back there.  I think the chocolate here can compete with the Swiss any day.  The first place we went was to the US Embassy and right across the street is a statue of Ronald Reagan.  The Poles honor him for bringing down the Iron Curtain.  They even have a street named after him.

Here's looking at the embassy from behind the Ronald Reagan statue.  I don't know if you can see the American Flag flying, but it sure looked good to us.  And here we are standing next to Ronald Reagan.

After that, we went to the park where Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the land of Poland in 1977 for missionary work.  It is a beautiful park and probably looks gorgeous in the spring and summer. 

The people actually gathered inside the bushes.  There is a little open area where everyone stood so that

they could have a little privacy.  Here is a close up of Wayne and me.  Wayne's ears were freezing.  He was trying to keep them warm.

So in this same park is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  They have two soldiers protecting it and they change the guard every hour.  There is an eternal flame also. 

As they change the guards, the two pictured above come out of the tomb area and stand in front of the structure waiting for the two new ones.

The two new ones walk the full length of the courtyard and then stand by the ones leaving.

They came from the building in the far background that you can see.  Their walk was very precise.  It 

very interesting to watch, but doesn't compare to our Unknown Soldier tomb in Washington DC and the changing of the guard.

Here we are in front of the tomb.

We then went over to the Renik. (Every city has a Renik)   We didn't get out, because of the weather.  But they were putting up Christmas decorations.  So we will go back over and get some pictures when it's completed.   At the one end of the Renik is a statue dedicated to the young boys that were used during the war to take messages back and forth from the front lines to the commanders.

People in Poland put flowers and candles on every statue.  We'll have to take a picture of the cemetery just down the street from our apartment.  It really is beautiful.  

So that's what we did on Saturday.  On Sunday, I had to talk.  Wayne got out of it because they ran out of time.  I also had to go into the nursery and watch the kids.  Wayne was in with me.  And he snapped this picture.  The little girls are twins, Helena and Ania and the little boy is Isaac.  We had a lot of fun. 

Monday night was FHE and I can't remember if I told you or not, but Sis. Hutchinson always cooks dinner and takes it to FHE.  So I will have to cook also.  But we have had the same people at FHE all three weeks:  there's Stan, Alsbieta, Jeslawa, Godfrey and Sisters Pearson and Tobler. And some times Dominique. 

After we had dinner, Alsbieta and Jeslawa came in the kitchen to say good bye to the Hutchinson's and give them a little gift.  

The one with the package is Alsbieta and her mother in front is Jeslawa.  The Hutchinson's are on the left and Sister Tobler has the scarf on.  Jeslawa started to cry.  She is 90 years old. 

  So this is what the Hutchinson's got.  

It's bread sticks and they are very, very good.

Tuesday was a very busy day.  The office elders had gone down to the Ursad (government office) to do some legal work for the 9 new missionaries that arrived on the 5th of this month.  They didn't like the signatures of 6 of the 9 presented to them, so Wayne, Sis. Hutchinson and I printed their name on the documents before we went home.  The office elders were going to try again in the morning.  

Wednesday we went to English class.  I know I told you before that it takes us an hour or so to get to the chapel during rush hour.  We did find a faster way, but I'm used to walking to the chapel.  Everyone said goodbye to the Hutchinsons.  It was very sad for them.

By the way, the government office accepted the printed "signatures".  We just don't understand what and why they do the things they do.  

So another week almost gone by.  Sister Edgren said she was going to make a Thanksgiving dinner for the missionaries in the Warsaw 1st branch.  She asked me if I would help.  I don't think we can get a turkey here, but she will think of something.  

We can't wait to get into our own apartment!!!

Love you all.  

14 Nov 2013

KAYLEE AND MEGAN - HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY

Well it's been another crazy week.  Our brains are fried!  The legal work alone for each missionary takes a long time to prepare and a lot of leg work.  The office elders do most of the running around at the government offices.  That helps a lot.  

We haven't been able to see anything, because we are at the office all day, everyday.  Hopefully on Saturday we can go and do a little bit of sightseeing.

It was "Independence Day" here on Monday.  Everything was closed again.  They even had streets closed because of parades that the people hold.  And the police were everywhere.  I guess it gets kind of crazy and people get drunk.  We held FHE and it took us a very long time to get to the chapel.

On Tuesday, the office elders brought in some Pierogis that they had made from scratch.  They did a pretty good job.

Last week President and Sister Edgren, besides transfers and us staying here, had some friends fly in from California to visit them.  They were an awesome couple, besides being very well to do.  Anyway, I was talking about the YSA Conference next year and Kathy (friend's name) asked if I would like to have Elaine Dalton speak at the conference.  I told her that would be awesome.  So she got on her phone and text Sis. Dalton.  In about an hour, Sis. Dalton sent back a message and asked what the dates were.  So by the time the evening was over, Kathy had made all the arrangements for her to come.  Kathy and her husband would fly her over in August.  Kathy asked us if there was anyone else we would like to have and Sis. Edgren said, "How about Henry B?"  (She meant Pres. Eyring)  Kathy said that he doesn't travel anymore, because he's too fragile and his wife has Alzheimer's.  I asked if she really knew Pres. Eyring personally and she said that her son was married to his daughter.  So anyway, Sis. Elaine Dalton will be talking at our YSA Conference next year.  We are sooooooo excited.

This week is very short.  I have no pictures, no experiences with missionaries, no nothing.  These past two weeks have really been awesome for Wayne and I.  Not only are we in the mission home with Pres. and Sis. Edgren and feel of their faith and strength in the gospel, but we get to dry our clothes in a dryer.  THEY ARE SO SOFT!  Bye for now

Love and miss you all

6 Nov 2013

Hello everyone from Warsaw.  WOW what a difference from Wroclaw!  We have been staying in the mission home with President and Sister Edgren  since Sunday and 9 new missionaries since Tuesday.  It's been crazy especially watching Sis. Edgren fix a lot of food everyday.

Last Thursday, we had our 4 favorite missionaries over to our house for our "last supper."  Sis. Blake wanted french toast and buttermilk syrup.  So that's what I fixed.  We had a lot of laughs and cried a little bit also.  We will miss them very much.   Here is our final picture together.

Saturday we spent all day packing and then got ready for the baptism of Krystyna.   It was a very special day for her.  She was afraid of the water a little bit because it was deep for her.  President Zan did the baptism.

Sunday was hard for us.  We had to say goodbye to everyone.  And Sister Zan called President Zan during the meeting and told him to come home.  She was in labor.  I did find out later that she had a little boy and everyone was doing fine.  When we finally got everything into the car, it was totally packed.  There was only room for Wayne and me.  So we drove for almost 6 hours in the rain and finally got to the mission home at 7:00 pm.  Sister Edgren had some dinner waiting for us.

So Monday it was to work.  Here are the AP's at their desks working.  We will take some more pictures later to show you the whole place.  

It is a very busy week this week because of transfers and people coming and going to the airport.  There are 5 going home on Friday.  There's lots of paperwork to do in the office.  I know that we will learn everything that we need to do, but these past four days have been hectic!

Here are some of us on Tuesday night sitting in the living room.  We listened to one of the new missionaries play the piano and talk.  All of them were trying to stay awake until 8:00 pm.  They were so tired.

So on Monday night we went to FHE with the Hutchinsons so we could meet some of the people.  We left right from the mission office.  It took us an hour to get to the church because of the traffic.  And then Wednesday night we went back to the church to teach English.   I don't think we get a "P-day" here.  So all our shopping and laundry will be done at night, I guess. 

We haven't seen our new apartment yet.  The Hutchinsons don't plan on leaving for another couple of weeks.  So we will stay at the mission home the whole time during our training.  

The new missionaries received their new assignments last night.  Elder Kimball (President Kimball's great grandson) is going to Wroclaw.  All of the 5 Elders that came in on Tuesday are all 18 years old.  But they will all do great!

Well, gotta go.  We will let you know how things progress and what we actually do in the weeks to come.  

We love you and miss you all.