Dzien dobry!

I am getting everything crammed into a Christmas care package to send off this week.
It seems that he has access to most everything he needs, so I'm only sending some toiletries and some homemade healthy treats...well, and some fun Christmas type things!
I've also sent out a request to friends and family to email me any words of encouragement and love they may have for Lance.  I've learned that even the shortest of letters is rejoiced over in the mission field!  This has been an eye opener for me...my friends' kids who have served missions did not receive the appropriate level of attention from me.  That has all changed!

Here are a few excerpts from this morning's email:

"Dzien dobry!  And yes, that's how you say I love you, kocham cie, good job!  Dobra robota:)"

"I haven't gotten your package yet but it might be in today!  I actually didn't have any time to send the letter off last week.  I wanted to everyday but we couldn't get to the post office because we were so swamped with lessons!!!  Hahaha!  But I have the letter I am going to send home today and another letter next week.  Also a Christmas package."

"I knew you were listening to Christmas music like crazy, hahaha!  We listen to Christmas music everyday here and we decked out our apartment with lights!  I finally realize why Christmas is so important!  For a lot of reasons, of course, but being here I look back and remember the many amazing Christmases I had growing up and being with family and everything that goes along with it is amazing!  And that almost every culture celebrates Christmas and bases it around Christ, which is incredible!  I have come to understand how important family truly is.  I am grateful for everything and being here makes me realize how blessed I really am to have such an amazing family and so many blessings!  I am so grateful for you and dad and Russell and for your influences in my life."

"K---- is incredible!  He has so much potential!  We got him a Book of Mormon and we are truly friends!  He wants to hang out with us and go running on P days.  Also, A---- is doing awesome!  And we met with a new dude from Saudi Arabia.  His name is I------- and he is SO COOL!  He is super interested, so today we are bringing him a Book of Mormon in Aribic and one in English and he is giving me a Koran!  He is so cool!"

"The Gospel is true and it means eternal progression, eternal life, and eternal happiness.  I love it and am honored to be here and serving God and mankind, and Poland!  I am so blessed to have amazing family like I have, thank you so much!  Life is good and great!  I don't know where I would be without this Gospel but it doesn't matter because I'm in it and thanks be to my God!  I can be with my family for eternity!  Thank you for raising me in the GOSPEL!!!!!!  hahahaha!"

"Dear Dad!  I love you and how is everything going?!  Everything here is amazing!  Yes, the weather here is sooo cold!  But it's awesome and super beautiful!  You'd love the food.  Pirogi is sooo good, you would love it!"

"I miss you guys but I am grateful to have a roof over my head and food to eat!  Thank you for your prayers and support.  I feel it!"

-Elder Kotter