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.
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.
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