6 months!!!!!

Hey Mom!

Yep, six months as of Friday! Weird stuff, that it's going by so fast. It doesn't really feel like I've been out that long, but I'm not really a baby missionary any more. It doesn't help that there's only 2 groups of missionaries here that are younger than me. I think that's why time goes so fast. So for the 6 month mark I burned a tie. It's a tradition here, so I reserved a tie with a pretty bad stain that had served me well and sacrificed it. Unfortunately, it was a nylon tie, so it didn't burn well, it kinda just melted. All in all failure, but still pretty fun. Maybe I'll send the video.

Dang AJ already got his call? That's awesome, I know he's gotta be totally psyched. That was all he ever talked about. I still remember when I got my call, and he kept saying I'd be going to Boise, Idaho, so I told him that's where he'd be going. I guess we're both wrong! Seems like everyone else is getting to that point where it's time to go. Crazy stuff, I can't believe it's been almost a year since I got my call. By the end of this transfer we'll be getting close to Mother's Day, and it'll be time for another Skype sesh!

I've been hearing a lot of stuff about Caleb's lacrosse! Dad said he's actually pretty good! He's an athletic little dude, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He's getting big. By the time I get home, he'll be about where Luke was when I left. Weird.

I actually remember that Packer talk you used. He was really good with his analogies and stuff. I think that the whole "only being able to see the croc from the right angle" thing relates to perspective. Honestly, back at home, I really didn't see a lot of bad stuff that was right in front of me, but now with perspective and looking from the outside, it's so much easier to see danger. I wish everyone could understand that earlier (including me haha). If we just listened to people who actually have perspective, teachers, prophets, parents, for example, we'd be able to avoid a lot of problems. But nah, teenagers are actually the smartest people in the world, and we don't actually need any help. That still includes me. I've got 2 more years.

Teaching was fine this week. Nothing really new with Ola. After Monday, she got way sick. She's been out of it all week. We're meeting again today, possibly to give her a blessing. Hopefully she gets better, we're hoping to take her to District Conference (kinda like a mini Stake Conference) this week in Katowice, but if she's still out, there's no way.

Really bummer about Ellie. I remember her well. We always visited for Thanksgiving. I lost my first tooth at her house haha. It must be much harder for them, seeing that they don't have the gospel, or the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. Luckily, that's why it's there. She'll have the chance to hear it again up there, and maybe this time, it'll all work out. 

It's kind of weird to think of how few people actually believe in stuff like that. Even the ones who do, usually don't really believe. There are a ton of Christians that I've met here that say they believe, but in their hearts, there's no faith. It's kinda sad. There's so much comfort in knowing that we've still got an eternity after this life.

So as for stories this week, we had a meeting with President, and he told us that our English class should start dividing into more of a college age group, and an adult group. So we had to kind of separate classes. We were telling people about the new times and this one guy just refused to switch classes. He's easily the worst speaker in any of our classes, and we've tried to kick him out of the intermediate class a million times, but he never leaves. So I went for it this time. I told him he wasn't ready for the class, and he tried arguing with me in English, and it was actually kind of horrible. He just started singing the ABCs at me, and then tried to talk to me about the election and Donald Trump or something, and just would not leave. This was after class on Wednesday, so we were just trying to go tracting, but he wouldn't leave! Finally after about like another 15 minutes, we had to call security. They took him out, and now he's not allowed to come into the building between the hours of 5 and 6 on Wednesdays (in other words: our intermediate class). Problem solved!

Also we were leaving a meeting on Saturday, and right as we walked out the door, we heard this dude start swearing really loud. So we looked off the balcony, and saw this guy just cussing at a cop. The cop told him to calm down and come talk to him, and the little jerk just kept saying really rude stuff. Then he tried to run away, and the cop started chasing him, but he was just slow as possible. All the sudden this random dude takes off like a runningback and tackles this guy, then picks him up and pins him against a wall. The cop came over, cuffed him, and the other dude just went off the other way. Citizen's arrest! It was wild.

I think that's it for the week though! Love you tons Mom! Thanks for the Tagalongs! They are amazing!

Elder Haskett