January 3, 2011

Dear Family,
Let me answer questions quickly so I don't forget.
- Mom, I bought the most intense boots ever (which was a process including decisions, yelch!) you can look them up online if you want. They are Sorel brand called "Joan of the Arctic". (sounds warm enough eh?) They have a wool liner with fur in them that I can take out and then they turn into rain boots for the LONG rainy season that Poland has. They are rated to -25 degrees Celcius. I was worried about other boots losing their waterproof-ness so went with these ones.
-I also bought a super warm, quality coat. It is North Face and goes down to my knees with a fur hood. I keep telling my district "I will never be cold again!" It's the kind of coat that will last and be able to maybe go with Savannah on her mission as well.
-I haven't bought gloves here because I wasn't sure if you had sent any, but I can. That might be a bit of a cheaper option (esp with shipping). I will do that, but it hasn't been a huge need so far (however I hear that Jan and Feb are colder than Dec)
-requests: :) The food in Poland is very bland, but at least they have AMAZinG chocolate. If you are sending a love package, I would LOVE soy sauce and something spicy (Tony's creole seasoning or Tabasco). I also miss sour treats. Thank you!!I hope that's it... I'm not in desperate need of anything.

Kato:
Katowice is awesome, I am so happy I am serving here. We have the largest district with 7 missionaries (including Starzsy Hanneman and Tanner in my groups from the MTC). It is in the "dirty south" or the śląsk. Katowice was/is a coal mining city, and as a result has really poor air quality, and is pretty ghetto. It's the poorest section of Poland, but the people here are nicer and more receptive to the Gospel than up north. There were around 25 people at church on Sunday, not counting missionaries. Our branch is the second largest in Poland, and is full of a lot of 'interesting' people. They are wonderful though, the members are happy to help and are very involved. There is a great feeling of unity and camaraderie with our branch of misfits.

Investigators:
Well, Adam isn't an investigator anymore, because he was baptized! (I know I already said that, but it's awesome. He was one of 3 baptisms in the mission last month) Adam is way solid and a cool, normal person. It was a little bit crazy trying to get a swimming pool during the holidays, but at the last minute it worked out. A small miracle happened, and his whole family came to the baptism! There aren't any families in our branch, and they are Catholic, but supportive of his choice to get baptized. The babcia (grandma) came to Sacrament on Sunday to see him be confirmed. We tried to teach her and she turned us down, but she has a Księga Mormona and said she would try to make it to church again next week. Adam is on fire with the Spirit and has a roommate, Kristof, and teenager, Konrad, that he has befriended and is helping out.

Konrad we met from English Class and have just started to teach. He is 17 and loves parkor. He is very religiously Catholic, but we have taught him twice, and he comes to a ton of church activities.

We taught Leszek the non-smoking program, and we will see how it works this week. It kind of is the make or break for keeping him as an investigator.

Life in the mission:
Everything is great, but I got frustrated for the first time this week. I am a little sick of trying to carry on conversations with members, investigators, and people on the street and having zero idea what they are saying. I have been here for two weeks, I should have the language by now... Ha. Well, I think one of the biggest things I need to learn on my mission is patience, and it will take a lot. I feel like the Polish that I used to know in the MTC is gone, but I still just try and speak whatever I can say. I am on my own contacting on the street or having a conversation with people at the chapel a lot more than I expected. It is good and bad, and can only get better. I have been SYLing with Sis Smith, and it is also frustrating, but helpful.

Sylvester:
Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku! (Happy New Year!) They call New Years Eve "Sylvester" b/c it is the name day (catholic way of having birthdays..) for everyone named Sylvester. Sister Smith and I had some sparklers which we lit and launched off the balcony of our apartment using my tights into the snow. I got really creative and got a waterbottle filled with some water, put play-dough in the top and then stuck the lit sparkler in it and sling-shot it for better launching distance. Sis Smith and I live in the superjednostka, which is this HUGE apartment building that houses 1,300 people. It is right next to the spodek, which is an amphitheater shaped like a huge concrete UFO. (Big, concrete things are way in in Kato). There was tons of loud music and partying all night, but Sister Smith and I went to bed at 10:30 and slept through the fireworks.

Well, I love you and miss you! I had a super realistic dream last night about hanging out with the family. I played with and talked with Maggie like the whole time, it was great. I loved the pictures of your little nativity you had. Tell Sister Lewis how much I love her and how much she means to me as well. I love that Caleb wanted me to baptize him, ha.

Thanks for your emails!

-Sister Stay