Christmas Eve at the Rzeczyckis

A truly remarkable expierence as we shared this Xmas Eve with a wonderful Polish family who, after climbing 81 stairs met us at the door of their 400 sq ft. 2 br, 1bath apartment that in years gone past when the communists were running the country was designated as 6 person flat and this was before they added on to the kitchen taking it from 350 to the 400 it is today. The only reason they were able to live there with four in the family was because his grandfather was in the governmnet and as we know in America the Gov.can do as they wish. We were immmediately seated by their HS age daughter who speaks good English to a table that was beautifully arranged and with enough 'starter' or cold food as they say, to feed the Branch. However, before we began we took part in a traditional Polish pre-meal event which started by each of us taking a thin, flour-baked waffer, (much like the communion waffers in the Episcipal Church), then turning to your spouse and while each break a small corner bite off you tell the person something special about them. Then your partner does the same to you before moving around the room doing the same with all who are at the meal. A really wonderfull and spiritual way to begin the evening. Then onto the begining foods which were mostly unknown to the American eye, (and taste). But of the 15 or so mini dishes we did recognize pickled herring, marinated mushrooms, and of course about 4 types of sliced bread. The drill is for everyone to have a taste of each item and if necessary you can wash it down with my least favorite vegitable in the U.S. (or anywhere for that matter), beets! My only problem was that the drink was heated beet juice more commonly known as Borsch. Next it's time for the hot foods or the main course (s). Lots more breads, perogies filled with mushrooms and cabbage, pastry filled with more mushrooms and a golosh of some sort that among other items in it were mushrooms, of course. A quite good ocean fish, (not Carp) which was fried and had some fine bones in it much like trout does and on and on. Then, when it was enough already, the desserts were brought in and it was PLURAL desserts! All that we tried were great which we think, along with the yogurt and vegitables are as good as you can find. And let it be known my waistline is showing it. Just before leaving, sitting around the table talking with this sweet family we learned that in all the years they have been married they had never had anyone but family with them on the first day of Christmas (Eve), so we felt honored to be with them to share the evening. Then the daughter started passing out the gifts which is when they do it here and each got 2-3 only and very inexpensive at that. Jean and I also got a Polish Xmas CD and a hand painted picture of the old town area much to our surprise. We then took turns reading from the Bible in Luke chapter 2 and the evening after about 4 hours was concluded. As we said goodnight and returned to our vehicle in the cold and wet evening we commented how this
had been the highlight of our stay here thus far. How meaningful to spend Christmas in such a humble way and with such a warm and loving family. It really has us thinking how in the future a more conservative Christmas can be so much more heartwarming allowing the real Christmas spirit to come forth. We feel blessed to serving here.

The Post Office Experience

To me the post office in the photo looks like any normal government facility....if the time period was in the 1880's and you were living in Tombstone Arizona. And if it looks cold inside, it was! You had to park in the rear of the building but walk through unshoveled snow around to the front to enter, even though there were five doors in the back. Once in, you waited in one of three lines. Of course I had a few sizeable boxes that would only be received by one of the windows which I didn't determine until the line ahead of me dwindled. I thought, these boxes are not going through those little 'mail slots' so asking the young lady in front of me she said "Nie", meaning 'no' and pointing to the other end of the building to window #3. So, down to my new 'window' where larger package could be received only to find about 8 people in front of me while all the time trying to figure out what is going to go wrong next. After another 1/2 hour I found out. You had to fill out a Polish form for each package and have it on top of the box when the window guard opened up to take your package, before quickly closing it with a 'slam' as if to say ....only one box at a time! (I immediately thought of the Jerry Seinfeld episode of the soup kitchen when Elaine walked up to the counter and asked for her soup but somehow managed to tick the soup nazi off, and she heard the words,"no soup for you....") I finally found the forms and began filling them out when the person in front of me saw what I was doing and once again I heard that term that I was becoming familiar with, "Nie"! So, she is at 'wardens window' #3 now and asks the marshall if she had the correct forms for me,(international shippments) which she said Nie, again! I am now an hour and a half into this drill when I finally get the right forms which I couldn't fill out for you see we have a language difference over here. Anyway. I got them done with the help of three people behind me who only lent a hand as they were getting real upset with this American with the funny Church tag on his coat. All the while, all throughout the building you are hearing this huge noise which sounded like a hammer hitting a piece of plywood. When my boxes finally got to the "window" each one had to be weighed of course and then she sat back down and had this form in 3 copies and I learned where the hammer noise was coming from. It was a stamp on each form and a couple of her documents as well. Each stamp action was like shot in the night and this was going on at all three windows all day long. You should have seen the muscles in their right arms. I finally finished after over 2 hours but of course not before I tried to pay and didn't have enough cash. Will you take my credit card......Nie! "lLet me see your license" she said. I showed her my international DL and she said "what's this?" I knew that I was in for yet more problems. Now I've got the other patrons about ready to make a snowman out of me when the postal nazi came to the desk to see what was wrong. He said, in his worst english that they don't take C. cards because it takes too long , (it was one of those hand slide type card devices which I hadn't seen since the 70's). I said, do you see this line of 15 people behind me, one of us is not going to be leaving here as healthly as we were when we came in if we don't solve this problem and I have been here way too long to start over. Finally after about five more "nie's" he took my card and I headed for the door, watching my backside all the way out. All I could say as a departing gesture to my linemates was "przepraszam, przeprasam"! I'm sorry, I'm sorry.............Next time to the post office will be done by the office Elders, do you think?

The Renyk (Old Town) Experience

If any of you were blessed to have received a Cristmas trinkett from us this is where it was purchased. (Sorry kids, friends and relatives, grandkids only this year) This place is amazing and as you can see the weather was rather frigid so we didn't loiter for long. But, come spring we will return and enjoy what was once the heart of Warsaw but which was totally destroyed during the wars. It was rebuilt years later and is patterned after the originaltown square. It has all kinds of really cool little shops and eateries. The one shown is where they made these hollow cones with dough and then dipped in cinnamon and/or other tasty ingrediants. Of course I had to try one, (or was it a dozen?) The photos this week include one of Ada and her mother, sister Jarosz. Ada leaves for BYU on Christmas day and as excited as she is, mom and dad are just a little apprehensive about sending their oldest daughter away from home to attend school 6,000 miles away. The group shot around the conference table in our office is a meeting of the Warsaw District which is held weekly. Jean and I are invited to this meeting and try to be there for at least part of it. Then there is the pictiure of Jean with the office elders, the tall one who is being transfered to become a Branch Pres next Friday, (E/Torke from Germany who was Austen's MTC companion and who has been in the office for 5-6 months). His replacement, on the far left, E/Taylor who is a computer whiz, (too much time on computer games,Elder?) Elder Crittenden who is in the grey suit, 2nd from the right who is also leaving and Elder Darowski. Great young men, the all of them. And then there is my 'cold weather' hat. Relax, my children, it really isn't mind although I wish I had it on my head Saturday when at the Renyk.
the kiosk which sold the cinnamon goodies. It's interesting, these places here and elsewhere especially near the cemeterys set up their little booths, regardless of the weather. I guess when you have to provide for yourself and/or family you will do whatever it takes. I mentioned the Elder,(Crittenden) in the photo who is from wWyoming and who is leaving. Before coming in country he had the strongest impression that he would be going to Scotland. So he got his call to Poland and had a real dificult time with the language at the MTC, but came to serve nonetheless. A couple months ago while playing football on 'P-day' he incurred a bad high ankle sprain and there was some discussion he wouuld have to return to the States for surgery. Well, it is now improved enough for him to return to the field however the President and this young man both felt he might better serve in an english speaking mission. Thr President submitted the request to SLC for a transfer and when it came in where was he reassigned to? Scotland, of course where he will serve and then may end up in England south where there is also an opening. We can never deny the hand of the Lord in our lives, can we? Now for a few of my weekly tidbits.the wooden coat hangers here hav a rough edge on the top so the garmet wou't slip off. When you get your monthly water bill, which by the way is nearly three times what it is for the electricity, gives you a reading of how much hot and how much cold water you used and were charged for. You would think with all of the rain and snow here that they would paying you to use it! There are virtually no diet drinks here. Shopping carts at the grocery store charge you 2 zl, (about 70 cents) to unhook from a locking devise and use while shopping. If you return it to the trolley, (cart) station you get back your money. The milk we buy is on the shelf and not in the cold storage of the store. It also lasts for 5 months, so you really need to take this stuff down in a hurry.....and, speaking of lasting, one square of toliet paper is like three or four squares of ours and feels like a piece of paper towel, which, by the way are about the size of a small napkin. Well, enough jibbish for now. We are listening to the beautiful Mormon Tab Choir from one of their Xmas CD's and are enjoying our little mini tree and reflecting about our first exchange with two of sister missionaries and the visit we had with youg man from Nigeria who is here studying A. engineering. What a great experience and perfect way to finish off a Sunday. Our Christmas will be spent at the baptism of a man and his wifee and we hope to have our office Elders and these same two sisters with us for a Christmas eve meal and evening of thanksgiving for all of our blessings. Next week will include a visit to an underground parking experience in a mall.........................Stay tuned!

The Power of Prayer

No matter what your beliefs are we all offer prayers that can be answered by our faith through the power of prayer. A couple examples...when we thought our laptop had been left in the garage before departing for the office we looked everywhere even returning to the garage but no computer. We were at wit's end so Jean and I and the Elders who were in the office for a Zone Conf all offerred a 'computer prayer.' I returned to the car and hesitantly said to myself I would take one more look. And there it was, in the car where I had looked previously. Then,the office Elders were having trouble getting a baptism candidate to return their call after repeated tries. This went on for some time and finally aftter a couple weeks they deceided to offer a prayer in this persons behalf that they might be able to make contact with him. As the prayer concluded, it wasn't but 5 minutes and their phone rang with guess who.....? There is, in the mission field nothing that takes place without having a mighty prayer first. I can recommend it to everyone, because it works if you only believe in it and have the faith that it can happen. The photos this week are the Apartment and the office Christmas trees, each a whopping 2 feet tall! My 'work station', the new Warsaw 2nd Branch building and Chapel that they just moved into a couple weeks ago. Our young Single Adult representatives, Dominac and Tasha and one of the three primary children on Primary Presentation Sunday. And a couple additional differences here in Poland....the light switches are on the outside of the door rather on the inside like at home; They don't seem to like cold drinks and you ever hardly see ice, other than on the streets and when a red stoplight is about to turn green it turns yellow first where it is the opposite in the USA. Finally, they have the very coolest windows, (and some doors as well) in the apartements and offices, they open as usual but they also open a 2nd way by turning the handle the opposite way they open from the top about 6" as well. Hope you all are getting with your exercise programs cause we aren't......no time nor facilities. Maybe later on.