4th of July, Dinners out, New Companion, Reflecting on Uchtdorf Conference

My new companion, Elder Hon

Elder Hon is from Gilbert, Arizona

With Brother & Sister Jensen, the senior couple missionaries in Krakow
(before they left to go back home to Utah)

I love translating!  I got to translate Brother and Sister Jensen's testimonies in our last Testimony Meeting before they left to go home.  After they finished, I thought, "Well, I'm already up here -- I might as well do it too" so I shared my testimony.

Our 4th of July ties!

For the 4th of July here -- well, no one celebrates here  -- For companion study, we went out on the balcony and we sang The Star Spangled Banner (all 4 verses).  People poked their heads out their windows and some even took videos of us :)  Then we went back into our apartment.  I drew a picture of the American flag and Elder Hon and I pledged allegiance to the flag.  I hadn't done that in a year and a half!  Then we read scriptures from the Book of Mormon  and from the Doctrine & Covenants and read about living in a promised land of liberty and promise.

An American came to Krakow on business
and treated all of us to dinner at a Ukrainian restaurant

Another American man was in Krakow for a conference and met up with his relative (Elder Saltmarsh on the left).
He took all 3 missionaries out to eat (Elder Caskey on the right)

Elder Saltmarsh got transferred to Katowice until he goes home in August.  It was really great getting to serve with him in Krakow.

I found LOTS of Disney movies on sale at the grocery store on dvd for just $3!   I bought Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, and Finding Nemo.  All in Polish!  When I get home, I can watch them all and remember my Polish (and I already sent home Star Wars and The Incredibles and maybe a few others).

This was on Facebook at the time of the conference; Drake said the man shaking hands with President Uchtdorf is Dennis, the member from the Congo who made them "foo-foo" for dinner. :)

We had a Zone Conference last week and talked about President Uchtdorf's visit to Poland. We were told before President Uchtdorf spoke that he didn't just come here because he likes Poland or because it fit into his schedule.  He came here to bless Poland.  This was the FIRST time in 28 years that a member of the 1st Presidency has been to Poland (last person was President Monson when he was a counselor).  President Uchtdorf came to give us counsel and because of that, Poland will never be the same again.

I loved getting to see Elder Hubbard and Elder Harris
at the Uchtdorf Conference

Goodbye to you all!

Love, Elder Drake Allen