Happy and Healthy

I'm liking that now he's in Szczecin, our packages get there in more like two weeks rather than a month or more.  The last package I sent him contained some fun St. Patrick's Day and Easter themed stuff, including some healthy treats.  We also included some family pictures and one small framed picture of his cello.  For his next package, he has requested more On Guard essential oil and his retainer.  I guess his teeth have begun to shift and he's not happy about that.

He received some kind messages from friends, new and old, this week on Facebook.  So far, he's had 5 or 6 people from Poland "friend" him, so I'm happy they are able to read the updates I put on there!

Last week was their Zone Training meeting in a nearby town named Poznan.  It was wonderful to see some awesome pictures of him, his companion, and the other missionaries in his area.  They all look so happy and healthy!

I'm confident to say that I know these guys, thanks to their moms being so wonderful.  In fact, I was privileged to meet personally with Lance's companion's mom this last week for lunch.  What a great woman! I can see why he and Lance get along so well.

Lance and his companion

I'm so glad Lance gets to serve with these fine missionaries!

Pizza for lunch, it appears.

Lance mentions one new investigator who has recently moved to Poland from China to attend a nearby music school.  She wasn't allowed to believe in God in China, and now is very excited to learn as much as she can.  They have plans to meet with her often.  Their last meeting went well...they brought along a female member of their branch and it appears the two women have created a friendship.

Today, they are attending a culture night which is going to be a gypsy jazz performance.  He is VERY excited to attend that!  He has an appreciation for the gypsy culture and, of course, jazz music.  In fact, one of the tracks on his CD is titled Gypsy Jazz, which he dedicated to my late father (who also loved jazz).

He closes his email with thanks for the advice we give to him and reassures us that all things are going smoothly.  He loves Poland, the people, the language, and all other aspects of his mission...well, except for the weather still being cold.  But other than that, he is doing well.

Drogi rodzice! (Dear Parents)

This week we received a letter from Lance which he had written while on his train ride to Szczecin.

He begins by sharing how much his mission has meant to him.  He feels like he has already learned so much. He admits there are "super tough" days but the "super amazing" days always outnumber the tough ones.

I very much enjoyed the insights he included in his letter.  Like, when Christ was here, he was perfectly obedient to the will of God.  And that alone created faith and desire to act on the Light.  He says he, too, is learning to be obedient to God's will and is stronger and better because of it.  He comments that he is the type that when given a rule, will act on it in his own way regardless, then see what comes of it.
I personally relate to that very much!  If I see something that is worthwhile; call it a rule, commandment, law, whatever, I will apply it to my life in every way possible to see the results.  This is how I came to understand the beauty of paying tithing and donating to other causes.  There are some things you have to DO before you can KNOW.

Lance also shares that faith has become paramount in his life.  He says he has learned to nourish and strengthen it by having faith both in God and Christ.  He feels that if you stay strong in your faith, then nothing can get you down.  When you ask God to bless you, you're exercising your faith and this more fully allows you to accept the blessings God is pouring out to you.

In today's email, he told me that they met with a lovely woman and her friend.  He says he was inspired to pray while there and feels it was one of the most sincere prayers he's ever given.  He feels it was beautiful and very comforting to the woman.
 
Lance's brother has been learning a lot about the toxins in our water system and has shared with me the information he has learned in his environmental chemistry class.  I included some of what we had discussed with Lance in my email.  He says that Poland's water system is pretty dirty.  They have to use water filters because the water comes from a local pond which is full of cigarettes, pigeon feathers, and other terrible stuff.  He doesn't fully trust the filters to do their job, though.  Sounds like I will be sending him a good filter in his next package...which will be his birthday package.

As always, Lance had nothing but wonderful things to say about his companion!  They have become great friends.  I updated him on a sister missionary that had to come home early due to her many health complications.  He was so happy to know she's doing well and says that Poland is a brighter place due to all she did in the mission field.

It's tax season here and I let him know I have all the necessary papers to give to our tax person on his behalf.  He is hoping for a nice return so he can have more money in his mission fund.  He said I could even sell anything he has of any value to go in the fund...except his cello!  I'll be sure to remind him that I would never do such a thing!

I shared with him a picture that was posted on his Facebook page of him and friend.  He was very excited to see the picture and said that young man is one of the coolest members of the branch.  Lance says the friend is also a "health nut", so they have lots to talk about.

The weather was improving in Poland until recently.  He thought he might be getting a cold (the first time he's felt sick since being on his mission), but it went away.  He's been taking his On Guard essential oil to help keep his immune system up.  Sounds like another bottle of that will go into his birthday package!

Lance did ask that in his next package if we might send some "sick MoTab CD that has like a billion songs on it with like sick cello and harp songs?"  I'm sure I can hook him up!

His last request was for prayers.  For himself, his companion, and all the people of Poland.

"Woo, my first punch in Poland!"

As if this were the first of more to come??? I would certainly hope not!

One night last week, Lance and his companion were on their way home when they stopped to talk to someone. It quickly became apparent that the man was drunk. Soon, his friends came out and began asking questions.

He says the conversation was going well until.... "one guy was trying to ask me a question but I was talking to another and the guy freaked out and punched me in the neck!"

Lance and his companion decided that was a good time to calmly walk away. He says that the guy hit his scarf so therefore it wasn't painful. He believes that he was being protected and what could've been a blow to the face, was a softened blow to a scarf.

Needless to say, he found it to be a great learning experience! And though I don't like the idea of my son being in any kind of physical danger, I also know he's being watched over.

Saturday, I received a package from Lance in the mail. He included a t-shirt for his cousin and brother that has a sign of the Polish Uprising. The sign on the shirt looks like this:

I wasn't much of a history expert on Poland before Lance got his call, so it has been a great experience learning so much about that amazing country. If you've never read about the uprising  that occurred during WWII (or maybe you did in high school and can't remember it, either), look it up on the internet. These people were brave! Though they didn't win their freedom, they still stood up for their rights. And I admire and honor those who stand up for their God given rights!

Lance says that though they have spoken with many who are interested, no one is actively investigating right now. But, that doesn't get him down.  He knows that all things come in their own Divine Timing, so he readies himself for the ones who will be invested in learning the Gospel message. He does mention that he's had at least one great and spiritual conversation with one person that ended in a couple of hugs...and he was Muslim, of course.

Lance is very appreciative of his companion. They have similar views and attitudes which he finds is very helpful for them both. This companion is from Utah, as well, so I'm hoping I can connect with his mom at some point soon. I am just so very grateful that Lance has had such wonderful companions during the last 6 months.

They have plans to visit a town that is about an hour away called Police (pronunciation???), which is at the edge of the Baltic Sea. He's very excited to finally view the sea with his own eyes, even though they won't be doing any swimming or fishing. He tells his dad that they will be seeing it before it warms up because there are many nudists that like to frequent the beach in the summer!

He reaffirms that Szczecin is amazing and beautiful and he loves it there. They still haven't seen the whole area, so they have their activities for the next how ever many P days planned out.

I updated Lance on the happenings here on the home front. His cousin's girlfriend just arrived in Norway to do her student teaching, so that means she is in closer proximity to Lance than we are. He thinks that his cousin, who is the biggest history buff you'll ever meet and so very knowledgeable about Russia, ought to just move to Russia soon so they can all be near each other.

I let him know that there are a few people who ask about him, wanting to know how he's doing. One good friend even donated some money to his mission fund this week...calling Lance "her missionary". He is always so grateful to know that people care about him. I have a sweet friend who reads this blog every week without fail and when it wasn't up this morning, she messaged me specifically to see how he is doing! I don't think she's even met Lance personally, but yet she's so supportive. Lance always asks me to tell everyone that he feels their support and knows that they are receiving blessings for being so wonderfully kind.

He closes his email by thanking us for everything we've done and do for him. Though some days are tough, he knows for sure why he's there...and that's to help people gain happiness.

Taken by a friend of Lance's :)

The 6 month mark

Lance hit his 6 month mark on February 22nd.  And now he's serving in Szczecin...a northern town on the border of Germany.

Szczecin is pronounced shchechin.
And I thought the Welsh language was hard to pronounce!

So far, all of Lance's emails have had a resounding theme of "it's amazing!".  And this week's email is full of such sentiments.

The train ride from Warsaw to Szczecin took seven hours, during which Lance was able to enjoy a lot of Polish scenery.  He says it is absolutely beautiful.  And it appears that Szczecin beats Warsaw (not by much, though) in amazing-ness.  The city is near the Baltic Sea and there are several harbors that he plans on visiting.

A Szczecin harbor (not Lance's picture)

Lance shares that those he has contacted have been very willing to listen.  He says they seem very patient there.  His branch consists of about 7 members, including the Branch President...a far cry from the 50 members in his Warsaw branch.  Meetings in Szczecin require the missionaries to do much of the teaching.  He believes the members are very strong in their faithfulness.  

My email to Lance this week contained many questions, of which only a portion were answered.  One of the more important questions I had for him was if he had a new mailing address.  Thankfully, he did share that so I can get his package mailed off to him this week.  

Starszy Lance Kotter

ul Piotra Skargi 5A/4

71-422 Szczecin

Poland

Not surprising at all, he thinks his companion is great.  He mentions that every companion he's had has been wonderful.  

As always, we filled him in on everything going on at home.  I updated him on some of his buddies who are also serving missions, and he was glad to hear about them.  He has one good friend who is serving only 2 hours away in Berlin, Germany.  There are usually a few members of our ward that ask how Lance is doing, so we always let him know there are people who think about him.  He says that he is really excited to come home and see everyone and catch up, but he's loving Poland and wishes time would slow down a little so it won't go by so quickly.  I'm wishing the opposite!

He closes his email by wishing us well in everything we do, and encourages us to continue being awesome.

"Kocham cie!  Barzdo!  I wszystkiego najleprzego!"

Transfer to Szczecin

Lance received his transfer last night.  He is scheduled to leave for Szczecin this Friday and he is so excited!
Though he is going to miss those he has gotten to know while serving in Warsaw, he is looking forward to meeting new people of this new area.  And he is very excited to be Elder Cieslak's companion!  I remember Lance talking about him a couple months ago and how they have many things in common and how he hoped they might be able to serve together someday.  He says that Szczecin is at the northern border of Germany and it is rich in history.

As always, I update Lance on things at home and things that I think he would be interested in.  The recent asteroid "near miss" and the meteor explosion over Russia were definitely topics I knew he'd be interested in.  He had heard about the Russian meteor.  He was also interested to hear about the side effects of the intense solar flares that have been going on recently.  We also updated him on the missionaries that he knows are out right now and a few that have recently been called in our ward.  I know he enjoys hearing about everyone!

He asked for more pictures of his family and more peppermint oil, but other than that, he has been able to find everything he needs there.  He mentions that he loves the blender/food processor he bought and has been labeled "the cook" since he takes time to prepare healthy meals, especially the Indian style meals.

The Malaysian couple he has been meeting with are doing well.  They invited some friends over for their last discussion and Lance thinks it went very well.  He says he going to miss them when he gets transferred.  They receive many promptings and visions of where to go and whom to talk to while they're out everyday.  He shares that sometimes he'll begin to speak with someone, and the person sitting next the them is the one who turns out to be the interested one.  Unfortunately, he won't be able to attend a baptism of one of his investigators that is scheduled for early next month.

As always, he thanks everyone for their support and asks that I send his love to everyone.  He looks forward to catching up with everyone and everything when he gets home next year.  He encourages me to watch Supernatural and listen to Van Halen for him in the meantime.

He closes by reaffirming that he loves it there.  He proclaims his belief that God lives & loves us...and that we are here for a reason.  He also reminds us that he prays for us everyday.

This is why I love Mondays.

Dzien Dobry!

We've become accustomed to being greeted by Lance's email first thing Monday morning.  However, this morning was a disappointment as there was no email.  Though I know he's safe...my "Mom" imaginations take hold and I begin to worry...just a little...about why.

Thankfully, it showed up in my inbox 3 hours later than normal.  Better late than never!

Lance begins by thanking me for the recipes I sent in his last package.  He bought a nice blender/food processor there and has been enjoying making "banana ice cream" and "saag".  Banana ice cream is just blended sliced frozen bananas with some coconut milk to thin it out.  Saag is Indian style creamed spinach.  

He reports that everything is on track for an investigator's baptism next month.  He still meets with his Malaysian friends regularly.  Not everyone he has been meeting with still actively investigates, however.  But he is confident that once the seed is planted, it can grow as strong as an oak tree...someday!  He mentions they met with someone this week who at first claimed atheist, but after some discussion, admitted he does have a belief in God.  So Lance encouraged him to pray with faith to receive guidance from God.  The conversation went quite well, and Lance feels that it was "a miracle of the week".

They made a stop at an Indian food restaurant last week.  Lance said it was very good, but nothing compares to our favorite place here in Utah.  He asked me to let the owners know that he has "Tandoori pride!"

We always fill him in on things that have been going on at home.  This Saturday, I was blessed to hear Sister Sherry Dew and Sister Wendy Nelson speak.  The meeting was absolutely incredible.  I shared with him parts of what Sister Dew said about asking our Angels for help and how she made the distinction between the power of the Priesthood and Priesthood Authority.  These were some of our favorite topics to talk about before Lance left for his mission.  He made the comment that he believes LDS people are usually open minded to these ideas.  And, I would have to agree.

Last week, Lance mentioned that he has the occasion to meet some "grumpy" people.  So this week I included a picture of Grumpy Cat to reference those unfriendly contacts he may make.  Kind of a funny way to look at being told off, I guess.  He says he just smiles at them and expresses love to them.  He figures they probably think he's a creep, but maybe they'll appreciate it someday!

Lance shared that he finds it incredible that prophets like Moses have been testifying of our day and age.  He also shared that he feels we have been preserved for this specific time for many reasons, the most important of which is to be the bearers of Truth and bringing it to the world.  He feels like he learns more and more every day and is so very grateful for knowledge.

He closes by sending his love and support to everyone at home.  He thanks those that pray for and wish him well.

Everyday is a huge adventure!

Well, as usual, Lance seems to be doing wonderfully.  Outside of some of the "grumpy" people he comes across, his typical interaction with the people of Poland is positive.

In this week's email, he begins by proclaiming his appreciation for other cultures.  He recognizes that all people, no matter what faith they claim or background they may have, are all children of God.  He feels like the "message" is one of peace, happiness, and eternal joy.  And it will bring all His children closer to Him.  Lance also paraphrases the words of Elder Holland (probably his favorite Apostle) wherein he says the work will not be forgotten and consigned to the ash heap of history.

They have been meeting with someone who has committed to baptism next month.  Lance is so excited!  Not all his recent investigators have been so accepting of the Gospel, but he knows that planting the seed is of utter importance.  He asks that we continue to pray for his friends, a.k.a., investigators.

Lance was able to visit the cello store last week and get some playing in.  Today they are planning on going to an Indian restaurant called "The Buddha".  Between the few restaurants and his new Malaysian friends, he has been eating all the good foods.

According to Sister Nielson's blog, Poland will be receiving 29 new missionaries!  Which means there will be some transfers.  He isn't sure where he'll be next, but is happy to be where he is needed most.  We absolutely love Sister Nielson's blog!  We check it almost daily to see how the work is progressing and hopeful to see a picture or two of Lance.

Last week, I reminded Lance that he is a direct descendant of many Pioneers, some of whom knew Joseph Smith personally.  His g. g. grandfather was James G. Willie, the captain of the Willie Handcart company.  The Willie company, along with two other companies, got a late start from Iowa and got stranded in Wyoming by the early arrival of winter.  Travelling by handcart was slow and tedious and most of the immigrants were city folk and not used to rugged conditions.  Many people died from starvation and exposure.  Thankfully, James G. Willie survived and helped to settle Mendon, UT.  This is only one story of his ancestors and their contribution to early church history!

Lance closes his email with enthusiasm over his mission.  He says, "Everyday is a huge adventure!"

                                                                      James G. Willie