Fun fun fun fun, Monday comes after Sunday

If you haven't been subjected to the song "Friday" by Rebecca Black on youtube yet, I won't suggest you look it up.  It's very annoying!  And Lance was always sure to make me listen to it when we were out on wheatgrass deliveries, just to torment me.  Being the funny guy that he is, he would sing HIS version of the song whenever the occasion arose, which has become an endearing memory of our time spent together before he left.  And he is sure to reference it in his emails...thus the title of today's post.

Mother's Day is next Sunday and we have our scheduled time to call him.  12:30 p.m. our time, which translates to 8:30 p.m. his time.  He says that this week will be the best considering he will be baptizing and confirming his Chinese friend, celebrating his 20th birthday, and speaking with his family.  He says, "I love life!"

No surprise at all, Lance absolutely loves his new companion.  Lance says that the companion reminds him a lot of his cousin Ross.  Though he misses his last companion, he knows they have a lasting friendship that will carry over when they are both back in Utah.
I am so thankful that all of his companions have been wonderful, strong, and faithful young men.

Lance is very excited for the baptism scheduled for Saturday!  He is so honored that she has asked him to do the ordinances.  He describes her as a strong person and very solid in her faith.  He adds that she has been such an amazing example for him.  He vows to always be in contact with her for the rest of his life.  

There are two different Elders in Szczecin now, one of which he knew from his time in Warsaw.  Lance says they had an instant friendship.  It appears this young man is into the same type of music Lance is and due to the fact that they're both from Utah, they had friends in common.  That elder's companion has only been in Poland for 6 days and Lance says he told him that, "he is starting in the best town!  You learn Polish the fastest and you get punched in the neck your first week!"  I truly hope Lance didn't scare him!

He says he is finally feeling like he knows the Polish language well.  They recently did a method called "white boarding" where they stand out in a busy area with a white board and write a Gospel topic at the top.  In this case, they wrote the phrase, "What is the purpose of life?" and began asking everyone who walked by to write on the board what they think.  He says it is a very effective way to create a conversation with someone.  

This past Saturday, I was able to visit the local renaissance fair that Lance used to perform at.  So many of the regulars remembered me as his mom and asked how he was doing.  Before Lance had left for his mission, we decided that he needed to buy a hurdy gurdy to bring home since we never see those around here.  Well, there was a lady playing one at this ren fair!  So I took a picture to send to Lance...

If you've never heard this instrument played, please look it up on youtube!  It's an interesting sound...similar to bagpipes.

Saturday evening, we were able to celebrate his grandpa's 85th birthday.  It was a great time to visit with our loved ones though it makes it more painfully aware that Lance isn't here.  But everyone is supportive and has such encourages words and thoughts to relay to Lance.  I am so very grateful that Lance has such support in this endeavor.  It isn't easy to leave your home, job, school, friends, etc., for two full years.