Sveiki

Hey Family-
Well it has been a fun week. Thank you for all of your letters it really helps to hear from you all. We had an interesting experience this week. My companion and I were walking across a street when we saw a VERY large bald man on the other side. We were about halfway across when he motioned for us to come to him. We got over to him very apprehensively and he told us to give him our phone. We did what we usually do when we are unsure about a situation. We said WHAT!? WE DONT SPEAK LITHUANIAN! WE CANT UNDERSTAND YOU! If people can't communicate then they usually dont give you much trouble. Even though we were speaking english he kept talking to us in Lithuanian. He said we shouldn't be afraid of him and that he just needed our phone for a second. He even pulled out some money for us. I wanted to trust him but with the crisis going on crime rates are out of control. So my companion just turned and walked away. The man then turned to me and said, "ARE YOU IDIOTS???" I just looked blankly into his big bald face and shrugged my shoulders, then walked away. He started chasing us down yelling at us and then I said in Lithuanian that we are not from here and don't speak Lithuanian (kind of ironic) but then he stopped and just yelled in frustration.

Here are some pictures-
This is from our last transfer with Elder Fitzgerald when we biked to Kryziu Kalnas or
"The Hill of Crosses"

The Lithuanians put up a bunch of crosses on a hill. The Soviets then mowed them down with tanks. Over the night people went and brought in hundreds upon hundreds more. They were again mowed down. This happened numerous times but the Lithuanians would not stop. Now thousands upon thousands of crosses have been brought to this hill by people from all over the world.

Also a pict of the scale showing how much I weigh now 160lbs
(it is actually me, you can tell because I have the Cooke toes)


So other than that it wasn't a very eventful week. They had a big party called "Siauliai days" which was kind of crazy. There was traditional Lithuanian dancers and people from surrounding villages in the streets selling little things. We got woken up in the middle of the night to fireworks. We figured that Russia was invading again. The next morning I felt as though it was the "DAWN OF THE DEAD" the whole city was all but abandoned except for lots of trash blowing in the wind and a shopping cart overturned on a fountain outside our house. It must have been quite the party. Good thing we missionaries were safe in our beds at 10:30.

Oh yeah, and transfers are next week (probably will stay here but who knows, i havent stayed in a city for more than 2 transfers yet and i havent had the same companion for more that 1 since my trainer, we will see) so i wont write until THURSDAY. thanks again, love you!

Well everyone thats about all I have time for Thank you for all your support. I hope you all know I have recieved inspiration more than once to fall on my knees and pray for each one of you. I am truly grateful for the restored living church that can guide us and give us the help that we need when we need it. If you feel down this week try and see who can serve. Then go and serve your butts off. I love you all.

Elder Cooke