Weekly Email - January 20th

So, I have sent a pretty detailed recording this week. I have made a few speech goals recently that I am working on. I am trying to develope more "fluency and character" in my speech. I am also trying to eliminate the word "like" from innappropriate uses, which has unfortunately led to the development of an "um" from time to time, so that has to go as well. I think that the recording process really helps with that though. I want to have a more professional and interesting speech pattern, so wish me luck on that one.

This week went really well all things considered. The temperature here in Warsaw dropped to -5 celcius and snowed, and rained, and partly melted into mud, and snowed again, and froze, and snowed again and then smacked us in the face with a nice bitter wind... I hear in Wrocław it is still +5. but I am not there anymore... I got the pleasure of talking with President Edgren this week over the phone after we called a really interesting former investigator named P. P is British and a PhD and did extensive 4 year studies on the ethographics of Mormons in Poland. He had a lot of very interesting insights. We got into a good discussion so we talked for a while. He began talking about how much of a change the change in mission presidents made in the church in Poland, he compared the different mission presidents and their affect on the church. He was interested to hear that there was a new boss in town and he asked me how he was and if he would like him. I told him that I think he would like him a lot and he would have to come by and meet him. He said he would love to, so I then had to call president and ask when he would be in Warsaw for sacrament meeting. He said in 2 weeks, and I was happy with that. Long story short, P is coming to church on February 2nd and he is a really cool guy (I enjoy the intellectual conversations). There was also a lesson with J, from Africa. We invited Brother G to be on the lesson.

Well, it is an interesting time to be a Poland Warsaw missionary. Things in this mission have changed, there is a new attitude across the mission, and I think it is really good. As president Edgren says "obedience is to be expected as a minimum, we are beyond that, we are a mission of faith and purification." He is a great guy and I really enjoy his presence and Christ-like leadership. He is really personable as well and understands human weaknesses but expects improvement.

I am planning a district meeting for tomorrow that I hope will be good and well received by the district. I have been really focusing on chapter 6 of PMG (Christlike attributes) and I have a personal one I am working on extensively, Elder W and I have a companionship attribute, and I want to set a district attribute, but it is going to take everyone's participation, so we will see how it goes over. I have come to realize with the type of mission we have here, that helping other missionaries can be just as rewarding and effective as helping any other person we come in contact with. Missionaries really need a lot of support (especially here) and in the field, all we really have is each other, so it is a fun time.

I hope all is going well at home and that you get the house sold off soon, I am praying for you all.

Love,

Starszy Godwin