A Polish Wedding, Gingerbread houses and just plain old fun

Last post of 2012

Czesc wam!

Well I can start off by saying congrats to Jimmy and Nadia on another baby! geez little Brenda will be like 3 when I am home. Matt and Melissa's baby will 2, As well as Brian and Lauren's baby.   The family is changing. Hopefully they like me when I get home haha.  This week was a weird week, we had like no time really for proselyting because Monday was Wigilia which is Christmas Eve and its a big deal in Poland, so it was a full p-day. We did however hang out with what they call gypsys out here they are the darkerskinned people who are usually from Romania I think and they are comparable to.....Mexican's sorry don't know how else to put it. We have 3 YSAs who are gypysys or however you spell it, they are born and raised in Poland and don't speak Romanian just have blood does that make sense? Well we hung out with them and ate lunch and it was so much fun! they are so cool! I will tell you more about them later! and then Tuesday was Christmas and we hung out at the Senior couples home they feed us we made ginger bread house and it was just fun! They had some phones and we were able to call our families from them so it was good to hear from them! Gosh! everyone sounds so much older! talking to you guys really motivated me and pumped me up! t Wednesday we had our Christmas Zone Conference  that was so much fun! I got a cool tie in the white elephant game! it's from a place called Adams and it's a missionary favorite. It's in Warsaw and I can't wait to go. Ties are like 9 American dollars and the nicest ties ever, so I will be getting a bunch there when I go haha. We helped our branch President and he accidently grabbed our cell phone on Thursday so we waited for him to bring it back. That was funny though, he is great though his name is Adrian and he is one of the ysa gypsys as well.

 Friday we worked, but Saturday one of those gypsys got married! It was so cool to see a polish wedding, but it was weird a girl married them, and we were all sitting down even them the entire time and she says you guys will live together in happiness on this earth till death do you part....I hope....and all of us missionaries are like did she just say I hope? haha it was way funny, but hey that's how they do it here in good old Poland.  Sunday I helped teach Sunday school, that was fun my polish still isn't the best, but hey I did it and they understood so that"s good!  This Christmas was the best! Thank you all for your prayers! I miss you and love you all. I felt your prayers during the holiday season. Today I want you all to know the Book of Mormon is true! It blesses lives. I miss you all, but I hope your all being blessed while I am here if your not seeing the blessings then open your eyes god loves you I promise. If you don't believe me look at a baby....look into it's eyes and tell me you don't see God....he is true and son died for us. I miss you and love you have a good New Year be safe party it up ( safely of course ;) ) have a good week! would love to hear from you guys as well!

Love

Elder Harris 

Katowice Christmas Conference

 The Katowice Zone.  Seated: Elders and Sisters Sheley and Hutchinson.  Middle Row: Sisters Smithee and Howells, Elders Weir and Garfield, Sisters Holmgren and Ence.  Back Row: Elders Szymanski, Godwin, Neuner, Lanham, Brown, Bokinsky, Harris and Hayes.

 The Katowice District.  Elder and Sister Hutchinson.  Elders Brown and Bokinsky (District Leader), Sisters Ence and Holmgren, Elders Harris and Hayes (Zone Leader)

 Sister Hutchinson had planned a 'Cafe Rio' lunch for the Missionaries. It was fabulous....and tasted like the real thing! Sister Sheley brought yummy desserts.  Thanks so much to our great Senior Missionaries for making everything special for our Christmas Zone Conference!

  Elders Hayes and Harris were the fastest in finding quotes and statements in Round One.

 The entire Zone did marvelous in the Preach My Gospel Chase and everyone collected a prize as well.  Now it was time to enjoy our White Elephant Gift Exchange.  Everyone brought one gift and you could not spend more than 20 zl on any item.

In the end, there was trading and taking as everyone got something they needed or at least laughed about.  

Another successful Zone Conference full of fun, instruction and of course, the Christmas spirit. Tonight we drove to Poznan for our final Christmas Zone Conference.

Wesołych świąt‏ (Merry Christmas)

 Enjoying some bowling on my P-day

Hey! well I know I said I couldn't email but, we a found a place to email so I thought i would send a little one.  I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Things in Poland are still going good it's freaking cold though! It will snow then the next day it rains and then good bye snow. It's all gone.  This past week was good we found a new investigator named A  from the Ukraine and he is cool he likes american sports and music so we get a long but, he came to our branch Christmas party and I felt as if I had to baby sit him and he doesn't respect polish people at all and is only here to work so it's really stress full when he is around then I finally asked him if he is interested in our message and he said sure if it will help him get to America.....so that sucks. My polish is improving I am leading every lesson now and asking all the questions and for the most part talking the entire time just throwing out words to the investigator, which is good practice. I now see why this language is in the top 4 hardest in the world it's tuff but, so much fun! Well not to much to say sorry but, I love you all and hope Christmas is good. Remember why we celebrate Christmas.....for the presents duh.. Please  remember why for reals and remember that our Father in Heaven loves us all the same and knows us personally. He knows what we want and need I treasure his love. I feel it so strong on my mission.  It helps me continue. When I miss home something little happens and boom my head is in the right spot. I see miracles everyday and I am grateful for them. I am grateful for you my family and love you all! Merry Christmas!!!

Love,

 Elder Harris 

PS: I tracked into people whose names were Janikowski and Grąkowski the real name of Gronkowski cool! Right?

Pic's from Poland

 Elder Harris with his new companion Elder Hayes

Elder Harris with one of his buddies from the MTC Elder Weier

Transfer week and a week before Christmas

This next week is transfers, so I found out yesterday whats going to be happening to me! I am staying in Katowice with Elder Hayes and my old companion Elder Mikolyski is now an AP! I am sad I won't be with Mikolyski anymore because he was awesome, but Elder Hayes is from wales and is so so so funny!!!! so I am excited for this transfer! Also hello Cole Tyler Cottingim! Witam rodzinie!( Hello Family) I  can't believe I will pretty much have a whole new family to see when I get home! 

This week was a fun one and stressful one. My companion actually left early so that sucked but we also had 3 straight days of nothing, but finding! no meetings set up nothing, it was long and really cold.  Saturday I stopped a kid on the road and asked him what makes him happy in life and he looked at me like okay dude why do you care so I go czy moge pitac? meaning can I ask? and he laughs and goes sure....I guess work food and family. of course this is in polish, and I go cool what makes me happy is playing rugby watching football talking to people about God and most important my family and right after I said that his face changed. He was like that's cool. You love your family? and after he asked me that the spirit was there even though we were outside and it was way cold I could feel it. We talked about families and how he likes going to church, but sees some faults in the catholic church, I even shared how my family from Poland are catholic and it doesn,t mean they are bad people I love them just as much as my Mormon family and he thought that was way cool! We talked a little longer and he goes to church every Sunday and prays all the time. I gave him a Book of Mormon, but he didn't want to exchange numbers, but we said he would read and think about. For  having a couple days straight of nothing but contacting that was a miracle  a tender mercies of the lord. Not only did we feel the spirit, but hey I was freaking speaking Polish! It was amazing! And also this week we met with Kris the guy from our English class and he recommitted him to read and pray and he goes okay and the next day calls and says we need to talk about his book after English again, so pray for him he is so ready! Also those nice girls I was telling you about? Paulina and Patrica? yeah Paulina came to English class and met with us after. We told her we can not met with her because we have sisters who can and she goes okay this stuff is interesting I can't wait to learn more. So it was a miracle she wasn't only interested in some American men, but also the gospel! Also this week we had zone traning and Elder Weir from my MTC group who is my favorite missionary was there so it was fun being able to see him! But this week was fun and full of stress, but hey that's a mission right? I love you all and wish you all a Merry Christmas. No email from me next week. Christams Eve is a big deal here in Poland so everything will be closed, but love you all and will email you all when I can! Moses 6: 63 Everything we have in life testifies of God, you see a huge cruise ship which a an amazing creation that man created and it's incredible then you think of a blue whale which is this massive 3 football field long creature that peacefully move through out the water. That's evidence that God loves us. I know he does. I promise he does remember Jesus this Christmas Season najdzieja wszyskto podzaku z wami!dzieki Jesusowi Christusowi jestesmy tutaj na ziemia. i wiem ze to jest prawdzwym z mojej calej serca! Bardzo kocham was. mam 

Milosc

Starszy Harris

PS: i am sorry can't spell in English let alone polish and google translate sucks for polish, but you can probably get the basics of what I just said,  plus I can't put some letters so sorry!

,

Christmas from Poland

This is what can in the mail yesterday.

Not a very big mission. This is every missionary serving in the Warsaw Mission.

Great group of young men and women.

Wesotych Swait!

(Merry Christmas!)

Eating my favorite food Mac and Cheese

Big Mac are a must. 

Well this week I got a new companion Elder Hayes from wales! So i am in a three some for now, but with transfers coming up next week who knows what could happen...wait that means Elder Myler goes home :( that sucks! but Elder Hayes is funny he has an accent so you already know that I am mocking him and trying to sound like him lol. Its starting to get really hard to remember what happens during the week,but this week we met with a guy from Nigeria named David who is tall!! I mean like 6 foot 7 tall he is a giant! but I contacted him hmm I don't know a week or two ago and finally we had time to meet, but he was telling us that when he saw me that he felt the spirit and had to listen and wanted to know more. Also just talking with him never met a more spiritual guy he puts TePuts to shame! Just kidding, but no seriously what an amazing guy so nice. He was miracle for sure! We also meet with this less active member named Andrzej Sadowski, and elder Mikolyski goes okay elder Harris you find a chapter we will read with him and your going to do all the talking gee garsh okay no problem!  I prepared and what do you know I can spit out some polish words and he understood me! Holy cow coolest thing ever! 5 month's in and I can kinda talk! haha we taught him twice this week and I taugth both lessons and when we meet with our old baptismal date named olek I was able to understand and jump in. It's incredible now I just got to keep studying and not slacking off. This week was hard though kept having thoughts of home and it would get me down, but then I would look at my pictures I have of my family and thing about them, they help me carry on. There alot of cool things going on here in Poland sorry I don't really know what to share or to say I suck this week, but I love you all! Congrats Brayden on your call Texas. Lucky it's warm there! Can't  wait to hear from you! umm I know this church is true I know gods loves us and he care about all of us even the ones who don't think he does. If your willing to look, he will help if your willing to feel it he will show you his love. Be like Enos and pray to him with a real desire and I promise you that he will answer! Lauren good luck with the baby and stuff and everyone have a good week!

Love,

Elder Harris

PSIi am eating McDonald's and Mac and Cheese

Elder Harris has a big HEAD

Elder Hayes favorite color is RED

Elder Mikolyski wants to go to BED

Because Elder Harris is TIRED

Yo Elder Mikolyski you are FIRED

Elder Hayes you look like your WIRED

Sorry Elder Harris is waiting for this to LOAD

Oh no Elder Mikolyski whats the CODE

Oh well Elder Hayes lets hit the ROAD

President Interview and a Baptism

The Missionaries of the Katowice District. This District is finding incredible people to teach. We thank the members for all their love and support of our Investigators and new members in Katowice.

Elder Harris and Elder Mikolyski (Zone Leader). 

These two look like they could be trouble. (I mean on the funny side)

The Special Event:  A Baptism...Two in fact!  Daria and Patryk were baptized and the Katowice Branch was there to support them. The above picture shows some of those that attended this special occasion. 

I love the fact that all the Missionaries in the district were there.  

How wonderful for these 2 members of the church to have this support. 

There's snow in the air

Baby it's cold outside

So this week we where riding in a tramwaje, which is like trax and all of the sudden we hear this old lady go "Pan Jezus!" which is taking the Jesus's name in vain, but we look over and this old lady has your arm stuck in the door and the tramwaje is moving, you would think this is sad but you gotta have been there it was so funny! she was being rude to everyone who tried to help her and told the tramwaje driver she was going to sue him or however you spell it and he goes you crazy old lady just walk home and we went on our way, but to hear everything in Polish was ten times funnier lol. But on that note my week was awesome we taught 20 lessons which is a lot in Poland its my second time over 12 on my mission I am usually around 8 to 10 a week which isn't bad but its a lot of contacting and finding on those weeks still. Nothing to exciting happen this week until Wednesday in English. We have a student who is an old man who is a really annoying and always has a comment that are on the wrong topic and after he always says dobrze poweidalem? which means did i say that right? (basically) and its like yes E sit down and shut up. Then he asked me to translate text from his family in Chicago and that was hilarious! he kept telling me I was wrong and  said okay then I won't do it so he goes okay your right go ahead...this went on for a good 25 minutes ha ha  But through out the week lessons just kept happening like we would get canceled on, so we would call someone and they would go I can meet now so we would and it was awesome! we had some good meetings too, we met a guy who wants to be baptized just needs to be taught totally cool but he lives in Kielce which is another city,where we have missionaries so we will talk to him this week about that, but he is awesome. Then we met with olek he even came to the baptism we had on Saturday! it was a blast too he liked, so we just need to get him to talk with his mom, hopefully she will. We gave him a for the strength of youth pamphlet to show to her so pray for him! But on Sunday Pres. Nielsen came to Katowice, to do interviews and see the baptism it always good to see him. but being in Poland really makes you realize how the gospel does bless peoples lives. I mean to see someone go from this totally sad down in the dumps person to after meeting with the missionaries be smiling and way happy. and to hear the members stories are great as well. I am so grateful to have been born in the church and to have had the chance to live and do what i have done. and to see how the Book of Mormon has really helped me. I love it! I honestly love reading the Book of Mormon every morning it makes the day so much better. and prayer...you don't have to go to Church to pray....everyone can pray and if you don't think god loves you ask him and he will show you his love if you really wanting to find it or to know I promise he will show it to you he has everytime I ask him on my mission so far. It"s hard being out here but so worth it at the same time, there are people I wont see at home ever again or things I can't do but there are people in Poland who I wouldn't have meet or done things I have done I love it. it's so much fun! I love you all and thanks so much for your prayers and help! and thanks to those who were involved with the Lynnae package I got it and its awesome thanks so much love you all have a good week!

Love

Elder Harris