tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70844307614485729452024-03-13T02:38:11.975-07:00Sister WestAmy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-52791618018871876862011-07-06T07:08:00.000-07:002011-07-06T07:08:57.095-07:00I'm coming home... and I dont know how I feel about it.Ok ok ok, mom this can go to everybody cause i guess people will find out anyway right? haha so for those of you who dont know, this will be my last letter from russiafor a while... I have a piece from my meniscus just chillin in my knee so i have to come home and get surgery... so... ya. this is a crazy mission i know. Who would have thought? 2 surgeries in my mission.. wow... but yes, i am really really sad to be leaving russia right now. Its the perfect weather and i am starting to see miracles. I am just starting to get ahold of the language and i can finally kinda communicate.. man... the lord has a plan doenst he? No, really, from what i have learned from this is that the Lord totally has a plan, and i know that. And i hope that i can come back to russia but if i have to finish my mission somewhere else, i will.. so we will see! whatever the lord has in store for me... i will follow!<br />
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Anyway, i did see the greatest miracle this week....when I was here the first time, in Novosibirsk, we were teaching this lady and her name was Irina... and she had a daughter her name was dasha... and the mom was interested in the gospel and we taught her about 5 times and then we left to tomsk. And we asked her daughter if she wanted to listen and she said "no, i dont believe, if he does exsist he hasnt given me anything" and it was really really sad... but she was just kinda a crazy teenager. Well, then we met the guy who gave us Irinas number, and he said "her daughter wants to meet with you".. and i was like "what? no way".. but we called her and she was so willing to have us over.. so we went over and she was all the sudden 4 months prego, and we sat down and talked to her and she just went off...on things like " i know god lives, i can feel him i know theres something.... i want to know more, i want to come to church with you..." and sister and i just sat there and just stared.. and it was a completely different person... i couldnt believe it.. i want to say more but i can explain. We are just praying she comes with us on sunday cause shes amazing. I cant believe. I really beleive that we were sent there to Irina to meetdasha... It was so cool..<br />
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anyway.. this week has been pretty crazy. Just preparing to come home... sweird... but its ok... i am just trying to do what i can this week so i cacome home, figure out this surgery, and come back and finish the work here! i can honestly say i love russia, i love the pepole.... i love the work...its crazy that you dont realize how much you are going to miss it until you have to leave. and its even scary when you dont know if you can come back. But... i just know that this experience has been one in a million.. i have great pictures to show you guys!<br />
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anyway, the rest of the week was pretty normal.. a lot of people saying no...a lot of chasing buses.. and lot of eating weird food! we did go to the big swap meet and saw a TON of fur... it was so cool....and we are now at a 4th of july party with the missionaries.. sister and i are in blue and white striped shirts and red skirts... the thing is is its not so much american pride because russian colors are red white and blue too...<br />
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anyway... random letter i am excited to see you guys... mom you got my<br />
flight plans... so i guess i will see you monday night!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-16523292058729466082011-06-28T22:46:00.000-07:002011-06-28T22:46:45.115-07:00no....I didnt see another naked manHello!!!!<br />
> so another week has gone by! i am sorry i can respond to everybodies emails<br />
> but just know I love you all soooo much!!<br />
> first of all... brookie jackson and amy! thanks for the letters, i love you<br />
> both.. and the pictures of ashtons wedding were amazing! ASHTON YOU ARE<br />
> GORGEOUS!<br />
> i love you guys!!!<br />
ok... first off.. a little about my companion.. her name is sister clark andshe is from washington.. she studied at BYU and i have to say.. i amcompanions with amy/aly giles... its sooo great! there are sometimes whenshe says something and i just look at her because its exactly what amy would say.. so amy... know you are with me right now and i love it! we have a lotof fun.. and its great because we contact a ton.. and of course nobodyreally likes to talk to us, and they are slightly rude.. but we always make some dumb missionary joke after and say things like "fine, I dont think wanted to give you salvation anyway..." haha so lame i know, and definetlnot what christ would do, but you gotta make it fun sometimes. .and truly..it does break my heart when people just completely disreguard us or theycall us a colt.. or something like that, because i know they are so far off,and i know that they are all daughters and sons of our heavenly father...but we gotta make it happy too.. hahaanyway, she is so great and we have a ton of fun...ok to tell a little ab out my week...after i wrote you we went shopping, and mom, i am pretty sure it was at that mall you looked up before... its like legit.. reminds me of america... hah and they actually had a ton of sales. i was able to buy some t shirts and not just t shirts, cute shirts for like 7 bucks... so it worked out great...<br />
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oh! and it was sisters birthday so we ate at ikea and KFC... hahah yum! Then after we met with the lady nina, and she has the biggest dog and scary dog i have ever seen, just a side note.. anyway, we met with her and she lives in a house and she has a garden so for sisters birthday we picked strawberries! it was so cool! then on thursday... get this.. WE SET A BAPTISMAL DATE!!!!! with tanya.. shes a young girls with the mom olga... she really wants to be baptized we just have to teach her... so that was a way good day for us... then i honestly cant remember what happened friday.... hahah then saturday we met with babavalia in the toilet again.. this time it was incredibly stinky... i wanted to puke the whole time.. probably because it was saturday and she works by this park thing where there are always tons of people.. because there are fountaints.. and get this... people like swim in the fountains... siberia is strange i know.. anyway... people always have wedding picctures there and stuff.. oH! and when we were there, the bride totally went to the bathroom in her toilet.. ahaahaha it was like 27dresses... it was classic... then after we met with tanya again and taught her about sabbath day, we have a feeling that going to church will be her biggest problem... and then sunday... lo and behold... she didnt come to church.. so thats going to be hard with her but we are hoping that she can make it to church and make her baptismal date...which is the end of july... then monday... so my knee has been hurting and so sister trejo called me and told me the doctor would be calling..so he called and he said its either 2 things... the swelling which would mean that we can just take the fluid out again.. oooorr i tore it which would mean surgery.. and he said that i just need to get an MRI to find out...so yes.. we found an MRI and it was actually a way nice place.. and i got one monday.. and it was hysterical.. at one point i moved during it and in russian english the lady goes over the intercom and says "dont move" hahaha i was dying.... anyway... that went ok... mom i will have to tell you the results in a different email :) hahaha... ya i have an interesting life i know...anwyay... then sister left to finland on tuesday so i have just been with the senior couple the huffakers and have been off my knee... we dont rreally have a busy day i am just kinda relaxing for this p day...<br />
anyway...i hope this week is great! i love you guys and i love eerything you do for me! know that the mission is going! hahah i know we dont see a lot of success but i like to think that maybe i wont see it for a while...as long as i am doing what the lord asks thats all i can do...and he knows all and if i am doing what he asks i can work as his hands... i love this church and my mission! and i love russia! i love the people and these experiences... i love you guys!<br />
>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-31395020666852802112011-06-28T22:41:00.000-07:002011-06-28T22:41:54.080-07:00Yes, we have a fat naked manok! family and friends hello! i know the title of my email sounds crazy.. well thats probably because it is.. hahaha i want to start off with my crazy week here in siberia! First of all.. i am here in novosibirsk again and yes i am in the same place i was before, same apartment and all! left bank so i love it... and secondly.. president peterson who was supposed to come after president trejo will no longer be our president... something happened and he isnt allowed to come to russia so we will have a president for a month while they<br />
are training a new president i dont know his name but all i know is he was called to go to new mexico and no he is coming to siberia... quite the change i know! haha so thats different for us.. it should be good though<br />
well to start off my week... wednesday we were just contacting all day and funny story.. sister told someone in russian we had an "animal prophet" instead of a "living prophet" so that was hysterical.. the lady just kinda<br />
looked at us crazy... hahaha its fun learning a new language right? haha Then on tursday we met with this lady valentina and she has the fasted pet turtle i have ever seen... and its just roams around her apartment its<br />
pretty hysterical.. we weer teaching her and we like heard the turtle speeding down the hall.. so random... then our next meeting was with this lady galina.. and she is just like brutally honest with us... she tells us we cant speak the langauge at all and then she told me that my hair doesnt tell people that i am a hairdresser... haha shes a hoot.. but she ended up loving us when we left so we will see. she just aways tells us we are<br />
horrible but loves having us over its hysterical...Then! on friday, we met with this lady babavalia... and we met with her at her work.. and guess where she works... and public toilet (because you usually have to pay to use the bathrooms) so she takes money.. so ya.. we met in a toilet... hahaha it was hysterical.... then the good part of our week... we have these investigators a mom and a daughter named olga and tanya and they are so great! they told us they would for sure be baptized when they knew it was true... which is a huge step and<br />
they always do what we want! its amazing! they are such amazing investigators the mom just works a ton so its hard to meet but we are trying!!!! then the rest of the week was just crazy... let me tell you... russia people<br />
are nuts.. i love them dearly... but i cant describe the things i see here... you just have to be here... hahaha<br />
other than that we just meet with inactives and members and contact... we have done a ton of contacting this week and have had very little success... most of the time people ignore us or just say "net"... sometimes we orrr.. they say "not allowed" and we just always say "yes.. its allowed ahah its funny cause sister clark and i just laugh at it... its ok though, yes its hard.. but we just keep our heads up and know that as long as we do what the lord wants then we will be blessed...<br />
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well.. let me tell you about russia in the summer real quick... first of all, all i can say is they have NO SHAME! women walk around basically naked... and wait, men too.. haha men always walk around in itty bitty shorts and thats all... and i have seen so many men just change clothes... its so strange... haha new culture i guess.. .oH! and funniest thing ever... this little fat girl like ran by one of the trees and just started peeing in front of everyone and the mom just stood and watched her.. ha it was so funny....<br />
THEN! this morning... sister and i were studying and we were in the kitchen and we live on a main street and across the street are other apartments too.. and the window looks out to them, and then out of nowhere, a fat naked man just walks outside and starts enjoying the summer breeze.. haha i just stopped and said "sister... they is a fat naked man outside our window luckily i couldnt make out anything specific on his body) but he was definetly naked... we both just lost it.... it was just like "yep... we live here" hahaha i totally thought about friends....it was so great...<br />
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anyway... that was basically my week... the miracle we saw this week was that one day our planning day, was really hard, so we decided to go buy lunch even though we didnt have any money.. but we decided to anyway causewe needed to get out.. and we just kept walking when nothing souded good...and then we came to this place which kinda sells wraps.. i dont know how to write it in english, and there was one of the elders investigators, anton...and he worked there i guess, and he speaks english and said "these will be<br />
free for you today!"and we said "no no... we can pay.." and he said "no no!"and then we just talked with him about the church and stuff and for us...obviously it was a blessing and we realized that the lord is always aware of us... always... he knew we needed to get out of the house and he gave us the opportunity to talk to an investigator and have free lunch... and for us it was an amazing experience that the lord blesses us when we need it.. We have been working really hard this week... and we know when we do the<br />
blessings come...i am sorry that this email is random, i just dont have much time today, its<br />
my companions birthday so we have a lot planned and i have to go cut someones hair!! but know i love my mission.. russia is crazy! but i love it... and i am learning more about myself every day....<br />
i love you guys!! miss you!!!!!<br />
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ps.. telicia your baby is adorable i am sending you a letter<br />
ash! i got your letter i will write you soon!<br />
ali! i need your address in san fran!!!!!<br />
I LOVE YU GUYS!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-80865124543173230132011-06-21T07:48:00.000-07:002011-06-21T07:48:50.404-07:00CRAZY WEEKhello family! everything sounds like it is going well!!! i am excited that you got the package! i know i didnt send pictures but its ok... not much is really happened here! i will try to send one more but its kinda hard from here... Well i didnt end up getting a letter from jess but thats ok... i am just glad that she got to be there with you guys and that you all have had fun! its always great when the family can get together and that i was there via russian dolls right? haha i am glad that it worked out...<br />
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well i cant really write that much this week but a lot has happened... we had a good week in tomsk and we had great zone conference with presidentthere and it was his last conference with us there and it went really well..we did the cutting of the tie.. i guess that in our mission whenever a missionary goes home the mission president cuts the tie... and now that hes leaving he got to cut a tie off of each of us so he has a tie from each missionary he served with which was awesome....anyway., other than that the work was going great in tomsk! i love the branch and i love the people... but then on monday i got emergency transfered to novosibirsk to the same area i was in when i first came on my mission... so ya.. sunday we decided and then monday i was on a bus by myself traveling 5 hours to novo... it was so funny cause i was thinking the whole time.. "ok.. i am in the middle of sibearia... by myself... on a bus.. i have no phone, i dont really know russian.. i am CRAZY!" haha but it all turned out ok.. i am on left bank right now and my companion is sister clark,,., she is a transfer older than me and we were in the mtc together... its only been two days but its been really fun so far... this should be a great next 7 weeks I think... and i am closer to a senior couple and doctor if i need one... so its going to be great i think.. i feel really good about the early transfer...other than that.. i dont really have any crazy stories except that a drunk man on a bus told me that in 1920 that the workers in siberia rose up against the smart people and killed a ton of them... and then told me that i was one of those smart people and that i should go back to where i camefrom.. hahahahaha honestly.. its kinda scary if you REALLY think about it but not really because he was drunk and nothing would ever really happen.. but i just laughed cause i was like "yes! he thinks i am smart!" haha Then the conductor lady on the bus i was sitting next to her and she kinda yelled at the guy and then started talking to me to try and comfort me... she said she really appreciated that i liked russia and that i would be here.. so it turned out really good...<br />
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SO ya.. we are just getting started here with the work in novo.. i am excited to be back and people remember me so its been really fun.. its been a good couple of days even though i miss sister vasilevskaya and tomsk so much.. but i guess this is the lords plan and we have to follow it right?well family.. i am sorry i dont have much time!! i love you all and is seriously am so grateful for your support and ;ove.. i miss you so much and i feel like you guys are progressing like i am here on my mission... we are on the earth the become even as christ and i know that its a day to day basis... maybe read in ether this week about the brother of jared and the jaredites and them building barges.. ive gotten a lot out of that story lately and especially chapter 6 on how the lord blew the winds so strongly that they at times were ecompassed by water... but he never ceased to blow toward the promised land.. and even though sometimes we feel as if we are encompassed by waters... we know that its the lord refining us.. and blowing us back to him.. its only through our trials that we can return to our father in heaven...i know that he gives us trials to make us grow... i know that with all my heart...i know that this gospel is true and has given me so much strength here on my mission... i know that i am called of god through a prophet of god to be here in russia right now.. i love my misson and i wouldnt trade it for anything<br />
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i love you guys! keep up all the good things you are doing. you are all great examples for me and i love how i can see through your letters that you are growing and that life is good no matter what happens...<br />
rach tell evan i am sorry and i will pray for him... that must be hard but at least we have the plan of salvation right? jess.. thanks for much for bringing the package! i really appreciate it!! Mom dad grandma.. thanks for your supporting letters.. i love you all!<br />
TELICIA!!!!!YOUR BABY IS ADORABLE!!!!! I CANT EVEN BELIEVE IT! whats his name? how big is he? when exactly did you have him?!?!? ahhhh i am so happy for you! i love you and i know you will be such a graet mom... you are amazing! congrats to you and matt both!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-85922058480773618052011-06-21T07:30:00.000-07:002011-06-21T07:30:29.111-07:00Summer is here in Russiahello family!<br />
thanks for your letters! it sounds like grandmas birthday party went really well! good job to all!! i am glad it turned out! Grandma, thanks for your letter! i dont know exactly when your birthday is, i want to say the 5th of june but i am not sure so HAPPY BIRTHDAY! i am glad that it went well! also i am glad that there was conference this week and you guys enjoyed it... its always good to hear from someone the lord has called to look after us! thanks for always writing me grandma, i love you! tell grandpa i love him too! also tell tami and jeff to have fun! they have always wanted to do that! i am excited they get to do the alaskan cruise! that should be fun!Mom, thanks for the money, i hopefully can go get some shoes... also tell gracie i sent the package with the alands, they ended up going home this week so they are in colorado and i had them send it to jess because there was stuff for my friends too, i figured that was easiest and then jess can send you guys the package... just and fyi, theres something in there for everyone.. the letter to jess explains it but if she has any questions shecan ask me!<br />
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Dad! it seems like you guys will be swimming a ton this summer.. man i wish i could swim here, its soo hot! its like 90 now.. but its humid.. and from arizona i dont know humid.. haha so its been crazy! i love you dad! Rachel. i am excited that you have your own house! the pictures seem great! i am excited to see it when i get home! keep up the good work! keep being a good mom and working hard, nothing good comes without work right? haha love you sis Jess! thanks for the letter too! it seems like you have 4 crazy boys! neil has teeth!! what!?!? oh my gosh i cant believe that... i havent even seen him! haha.. well it seems like you are pretty busy too! thanks for your letter... it helps to get encouraging letters from your sister... you and rachel both. you guys are great examples! thanks for all you do i love you! tell the boys i love them too! and like i said to mom, i sent (sister aland will send) you a package with little dolls, theres some for my friends in utah and then some to go to az.. the letter should explain it all.. if youhave questions ask me! thanks jess i know i am a pain i just didnt know how else to do it! haha love you! OK! on with my week... well it was funny cause wednesday night i got a phone call from elder aland and he said "sister west did your mom write you?" andi said "no.." and he said "well she sent us an email so you can check it tomorrow here!" haah so funny.. so i ended up checking my email thursday so thanks mom! its always good to hear from you... hah then the next day sister aland called me (and long story short they have a granddaughter in the hospital right now she was norn only a pound and is really struggling) anyway.. they called me and they told me they were going to go home for a little bit! i was really sad but i am glad that they get to go home and take care of their family.. they had been really worried about their grandaughter and daughter and they needed to be there to help.. its great cause now they arent constantly stressing... then on friday we had planned a girls pajama party for the branch and our investigators and we made crepes and watched tangled and we made bracelets! and guess what! we had 6 non members there! it was so amazing.. a miracle for sure... honestly... it turned out really great.. we have 15 people there all together which was a really good turn out.. so it was awesome... and everyone had fun! then on saturday we helped the alands move and we went home after cause of my knee, i needed to stay off of it for a while...then sunday... we said good bye to the alands! it was really sad to say goodbye, even though i am really glad they get to go help! then monday.. was a crazy day,. i think i told you about the kids camp we went and cleaned out out in the villages.. well we recieved a fund to help them buy sports equipment so sister and i went and bought about 400 dollars worth of sports stuff (balls and stuff) so we could deliver it to the camp,then we went to prepare dinner because we were having a big FHE with the Lee family because they are leaving for the summer,... so i prepared rolls and taco soup! and then the whole lee family came, with all the missionaries we had about 16 people there i think! so we ate dinner then we did a competition with them where they had to listen and draw the first vision.. and then we talked about answers to your prayers.. overall, it was an amazing night, the family (mom and dad) told us how muuch they appreciated us and how much of an example we were for their children! it was so great but now we just have to work on them building a testimony! they know its true i know they do.. we think the biggest challenge for them is their daughters are gymnasts.. (acrobats so weird i know they should be gymnasts) and they compete on sundays.. so hopefully we can get them over that! we will see.. they leave in a few days so hopefully when they come back...then that night we met two girls about our age on the street, and lo and behold! they were jehovas witnesses.. it was so funny.. it was like 4 young girls, all preaching their gospel.. and i never like talking with them becaue they know exactly who we are and they always try to prove us wrong with the bible.. and they asked about the book of mormom (and they were nice but in a sneaky way haha) and they read that same scripture from revelations where it says something about not adding to the bible which.. thats just how they interpret it.. anyway.. i was tired and i simply said "you girls are believing right? you believe you can recieve answers to your prayers right?" and they said "yes" and i said.. "but only if we do something and then ask god right" and they said yes... and i pulled out a random book and said "if you didnt read this book, how would you know what was in it? and if you read it and did pray about it, how could god answer you and tell you if it was true?" and they said "i dont know?" and i said "exactly.. so how can you say that the book of mormon isnt true unless you have read it and asked god? you cant! i know you can.... because right now, just looking at a book of mormon, its simply a book, but i know and i know because i have done it..that if you read and pray about the book of mormom that god will tell you its true... and you cant say that its not because you havent read it... "i said it nicer than it seems... but anyway.. they just said "its great to meet people who believe too" hahah and then we said good bye... it was funnyand sister was like "sister west where did that come from!?" and it mightnot have been the best thing... but i needed them to know that this is whatwe beileve and we wont stray from it..and they only way they can find out is to read it.. its simple..<br />
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anyway.. that was a crazy day! then yesterday, we went to that camp and delivered the sports equipment and then cleaned a ton! the kids come this saturday.. then on the way home, we were on a bus, and we stood up and we heard this man talking to some kids, and they didnt understand them, and sister was like "he isnt from russia.."then he looked at us and was like "do you speak english?" haha and i was like.. yes i do! and he was like "do you speak it well?" and i said.. yes...i am america... haha and he looked at me.. and he was from france so he didnt speak it that well but we could communicate.. anyway long story short we ended up helping him find his hotel and he was just on a tour of russia by himself.. he has been taking a train from moscow and seeing a ton of cities and will end up in the other side of the country... haha so random..but we got to share about why were are here as missionaries and everything... and hopefully, we made an impression and he will then try to find the church in france! we told him to look haha...<br />
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other than that.. just the normal.. meeting with people every day, stregthening the branch.. meeting with new people, teaching english.. trying to be the missionaries the lord wants... its hard but it is a great experience and i will never forget these moments i have had.. and i hope that i can do my best to work as the lords hands... so that i can be doing the things i need to be doing here... and even if i dont realize it.. i hope i am strengthing others...i love you guys! and i expect letters next week! i am sorry i dont have much time to write!!<br />
love you and i look forward from hearing from you! love youuuu!<br />
love sister west!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-27769551647953838582011-06-03T16:42:00.000-07:002011-06-03T16:42:29.035-07:00Another week...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">FAMILY!!! hello!!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">it seems like everything is going well with you guys! i was glad to hear</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> from.. well dad and grandma! haha its sad when you get so excited about</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> emails and your mom doesnt even write you! haha its ok... next week right?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">well..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> dad first- it seems like a good week having gracie and gainer there.. tell</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> katie i am sorry about the accident but she is in a great car right now! hah</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and the new bishopric? wow... that sounds like a good one though.. all three</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> men are pretty great i would say!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and about don... i wish that i could talk to zach and knock some sense into</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> him.. he needs to realize that the mission isnt meant to be a walk in the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> park.. and if he thinks that every missionary who has served hasnt thought</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> about going home is wrong... i can guarantee that EVERY missionary has</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> wanted to go home and EVERY missionary has seriously thought about it... and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> we have to remember that its the lord who called us on a mission...i know</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> that those times when i have had a hard time... i always think that the lord</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> didnt send me on a mission to come home.. i have to realize that there are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> people here, for the next (now year)... who need me.. and heavenly father </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">knows and knew that.. and he send me here, this specific place, this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> specific time.. for a reason.. and whenever i think about coming home, i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> realize how selfish it is because i would be missin out on those people who</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> need me... anything.. thats my two cents about it.. i am truly sorry that he</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> is coming home, but i can honestlty say i know EXACTLY what hes going</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> through... i really do.. the misison is tough... especially in a different</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> country and when you have given up so much, but in the end, we have to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">realize that when we give up this stuff for the lord, the lord will bless</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">you so much more... i dont know... tell him i am sorry and i wish him the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> best...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and tell don i wil be praying for him... also dad, hows grandma west? tell</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> her i love her and i think about her!! i hope she is doing well!!! dad i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> love you and i also know too that the lord is taking care of me.. he truly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> protects his missionaries and blesses their families! love you dad</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Grandma! thanks for the birthday invitation! i do wish i could be there but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> maybe for 80th birhtday? haha i will be there for that! and next year i will</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> be there for your birthday too! it sounds like a good week for you! you siad</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you had the fifth sunday... we (sister and i) actually taught that lesson</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> for the branch... haha it was great! and you asked about the branch and the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> people who live far away.. as for now, there is only one branch in tomsk so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> the people who live out of the city travel to church.. its pretty amazing to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> see their faith.. i know in some country people drive 4 hours to get to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> church... they really are great members! and it was great to hear about your</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> service and the lady from sierra vista! the lord truly answers prayers i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> know... i am grateful you are doing that grandma you are a great example,..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> also i am grateful grandpa is holding strong! i am so excited to see the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> change in him when i get home! thats truly a blessing and a tender mercy of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> the lord.. its helped me a lot out here in russia...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> anyway, you said something about a unique world? hahahahah grandma thats an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> understatement.. its crazy here.. i cant even explain it.. i will remember</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> to take a ton of pictures so that i can show you guys.. oh! and you said</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> about that boys call.. haha grandma i dont know how lucky i am... haha i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> think that south carolina will be a pretty crazy mission too.. and he will</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> definetly have his trials.. i do feel lucky about my call but man.. its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> hard! hah sometimes i wish i was just in a temple! haha but then i think</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> about my experiences and i wouldnt trade them for anything, i can really</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> tell my children and grandchildren about this... its a great experience.i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> love you grandma!! tell grandma i love him too!</span><br />
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> oK!!! on with my week... ok first off.. its june 1st!!! haha can you believe</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> that!!! its been officially 6 months since i have been out.. thats so crazy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> to me! honestly!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> well thursday we went to the lee family, i have told you about them</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> before... but this time the little girl shena was graduating from her little</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> class.. so i did her hair in a cute little updo! haha she has amazing hair</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> it was so fun! i have pictures i will have to send you.. anyway this family</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> leaves in about 2 weeks for the whole summer! i am sad cause i probably wont</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> be in tomsk when they get back.. i guess i can only pray for them. they are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> such an ideal family!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then on friday we have an investigator galina, and she too is leaving for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> the summer! she however, goes on a boat, and its like a floating store, and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> they travel to little villages up north, where people dont have stores and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> stuff and they sell to all the villages.. its pretty interesting,.. anyway</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> we went and saw her on her boat! and she is actually the cook... and there</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> are 18 people who work on the boat.. it was actually a cool experience, its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like a floating store.. haha so we got to see the boat and stuff before she</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> left.. she too is ready for baptism but theres something thats holding her</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> back! ahh its so had!! then also on friday i talked to a doctor about my</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> knee... he said i have probably just aggrivated it and the cortozone shot</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> masked the pain... so now that thats worn off i can feel it.. so we are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> working on a few things to make it better.. i do need new shoes though..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> haha doctors orders i swear! haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then on saturday we went to this village and theres a camp there thats for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> kids who have bad families or no familes at all.. and we just cleaned this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> time.. (its kinda like a girls camp) and the area is so pretty.. but we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> cleaned for them and we go back this saturday and help with the kids.. i am</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> excited to go and see the kids.. it should be a really good opportunity to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> serve!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then that night we have sports night, we play frisbee (well i dont cause i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> cant :( and it started pouring rain! haha we have sweet pictures... other</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> than that that weather got pretty hot yesterday.. it was actually 88</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> degrees! can you believe that! haha i am like sweating now! haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then on monday we taught the mongolians again.. haha its so great to teach</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> them cause theres like 3 languages going on... anyway we have this girl</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> gana.. and she is great we are just trying to really work with her!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then yesterday.. this just kinda describes russian people.. we met with this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> lady from the branch.. and for the first 40 minutes... she sang.. just sang</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> to us... hah we dont know why.. we just had to sit and listen.. it was</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> pprrreeettttyyyy interesting.. man.. sometimes i really just cant put my</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> mind around the country i am in right now.. sometimes i feel like its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> normal.. and then random things like people singing for 40 mintues, or i pee</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> in a barn.. or like i went shopping this morning, and i cant find turkey!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like just to eat! haha its just crazy to me... i am grateful for this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> experience though.. i have grown and learned a ton.. and i know it can only</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> get better from here... its been 3 full months in the country and i have</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like 1 week less than a year left.. thats just crazy to me... time really</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> does fly!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> well... we are hoping this week is great too! we have a busy week of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> course.. just trying to be the missionaries the lord wants...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> as for me and everything else... the language is coming... slowly but yes...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> its coming... i just want it to be here now! hah but the lord likes to test</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> people...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and i really do love my mission...... even though it seems like i am half</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> way across the world.. oh wait i am.. haha and even though its a COMPLETELY</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> different world here, i am learning and growing a lot...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> life has take on a whole new meaning and this church, has taken on a whole</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> new meaning... truly it has...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> i love this church and i love you guys!!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> as for my friends.. i just sent some letter...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> tell kristin if she can send me one of her cds to send one! and tell ashton</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> to send me her wedding pictures!! helloooo! haha i have to see them!!!!!!!!</span><br />
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</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">LOVE YOU GUYS!! LOVE SISTER WEST!!!!</span>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-66289610697432341262011-05-26T13:50:00.000-07:002011-05-26T13:50:50.443-07:00Another Week!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hello family!! well another week has gone by i cant believe it! it sounds</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like all of you guys are doing good!! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well i will start with my week! first off, last wednesday was our p day and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">we kinda relaxed that day because my knee has kinda been hurting.. but when </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">our p day was over we met with this member emma, and she asked us to teach </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">her about the plan of salvation... which was weird because our first meeting </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">she said she believed in reincarnation... haha so we taught her and the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">whole time she was sooo interested! we were kinda scared at first becaue we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> didnt know if she wanted to argue with us or what when she asked us to teach </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">her that, but the whole time she just listened and at the end we asked her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">to pray about it because and this is what we said "if this plan is true </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">then reincarnation is not..." haha it was kinda bold but she agreed so we will see!! then we just met with a few other people during the next couple </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">of days and on saturday my knee has been bugging me and pretty swolen so </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">sister aland said i could take a day off, so we went to her apartment and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">she let us watch movies! haha we saw tangled and how to train your dragon.. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">(so not allowed) however, we had to sit there anyway and we had to preview </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">the movies so the youth can watch them at a conference.. haha but it was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">good day because i got to be off my leg for a little bit...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">then on sunday we met with our investigators lida and masha.. and we cant </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">count them as progressing anymore because they didnt do what we asked them </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">to do so that was sad, but we will still work with them, and once we have </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">done all we can, we are going to have to tell them that as missionaries, we </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">cant do anything more.. that they have to do it themselves! it is really </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">hard! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">then monday... and this is what made my week soooo interesting... we woke up </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">at 5 because we were going to see this member and she lives in a village and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">the only bus that leaves in the morning leaves at 615... so we woke up, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">bought a bus ticket and were on our way to ribavovo... weird name i dont </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">know how to spell it in english.. it takes only about an hour to get there </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">so we got there at 715 and we met with olga... and shes kinda a crazy </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">women.. shes a great member but crazy... and she lives in this village and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">everyone in this village basically knows eachother... anyway we get to her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">house and its so sad.. she has like nothin, and what she does have is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">broken.. and her apartment is soooo dirty and gross..and keep in mind.. the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> only bus that leaves this town leaves at 2!! so i was like " i seriously </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">have to be here for like 7 hours.." hah but i guess thats missionary work..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">then we helped her son with english cause he isnt doing wel in school and he </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">left and we taught her, then we had brought stuff to make a cake.. and this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">is improtant too.. i went to the bathroom at olgas apartment and i almost </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">threw up.. so... thats important for this story</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">.. but she didnt have an oven, so she called this lady and she let us go get </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">her oven.. so we went to this ladies house.. taeese.. weird name too i </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">know.. and she had this oven, hard to explain.. but it was like a pan with a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> lid, and the lid heated up.. and you heated up the lid and cooked the top of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">the cake first, then you put the pan on a burner and it cooked the bottom, i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> have a picture i will have to send it to you.. anyone.. something i havent </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ever seen but kinda like a dutch oven that was electric..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">THen.. it was interesting because she let us come in and teach her? and we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> had NOOO idea! so we taught her about joseph smith and the book of mormon</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and she was interested so we gave her a book of mormon and she said she</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> would read! whcih is soo great!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> so that was a good meeting but by the end i really had to go to the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> bathroom! so i asked her because i didnt want to go at olgas because it was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">gross.. and she said "Oh its not working but you can just go outside!" haha </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">so i was like "thats great, i would rather go outside then in olgas house..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">" so she leads me to her backyard which you can see from the road.. and the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> fence is about up to my chest and made out of wood so you can see through it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and she opens the gait and says "go right here nobody will watch or see</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you!" hahaha and i was like "right here?" and in my head, i was like</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> "EVERYBODY CAN SEE ME! THE GAIT IS SEE THROUGH! and its only up to my</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> chest,. and at this point sister is dying laughing.. and then all the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">sudden, about 20 chickens come running out of the chicken coop! haha and i </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">was like, i cant go here because the chickens will attack me...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> anyway.. she asked why i wasnt going and i just said laughing "i cant go</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> here!" hah so she took me to the back of her house in this little abandon</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> barn thing and it was so nast and gross but it was hidden from everyone.. so </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">yep.. i went there! haha but.. it was better then going in the gross</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> toilet... ahaha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> so if i get diseases you know what! haha this barn was just old and who</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> knows what was in there, i should have been scared but it was kinda like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">going when you are camping, except i was in a skirt?,,, haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> anyway that was my crazy story this week!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Then on tuesday we met with galina.. and she needs to be baptized she has</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> been a 12 year investigator.. but she is working on a river cruise ship this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> summber so friday we actually get to see her... on the boat its going to be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">so cool! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">anyway, i will get to answering your questions, but other than that.. this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> week wasnt too bad..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and this week should be busy tooo!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ok! tell telicia and courtney thanks for the letters! courtney i wish i </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">could send you a letter to thailand but i am so happy you are doing that! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">haha the living situation sounds crazy! but i can understand where you are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> coming from! hahah love you i will send you a real letter soon!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> telicia! your belly is so cute! i wrote you a letter and it should be</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> getting to you soon!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> amy and brooke i wrote you too!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> mom, it sounds like things are good! i will see if i can figure out my</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> account here in russia...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">you asked if people had freedom? ya they do here, its hard to leave the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> country but other than that things are pretty normal...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and ya we see the missionaries here in tomsk almost every day so thats great</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> too! we all teach english club together because there are 3 groups so thats</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> great..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> i am excited the summer for you is starting! that should be great.. i cant</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> believe summer is here!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> dad... thanks for the email! it sounds like you and gainer swim a ton like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">you did last year! haha its always fun to hear gainer stories and the things </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">he says!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> i love you dad!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> grandma! it sounds like that concert was amazing i hope to be able to see </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">them when i come home! and grandpa is a priest! thats awesome!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> tell jamie congrats for me too for graduation!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> love you grandma!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ok.. i am sorry i dont have much time i will send pictures hopefully next</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> week!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> i love you guys and i really do appreciate when you write me! it helps</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> soooooooo much! i love you guys! talk to you next week!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> mom make sure you send some to amy ok? the ones i sent to dad and you! love</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you soo much!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">></span>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-22130109978801899972011-05-22T13:20:00.000-07:002011-05-22T13:20:16.255-07:00Hello!FAMILY!!!! helloooo!!! thanks for your emails!! i am going to start writing<br />
my week first and then i will send emails back to you guys!! ok first off, finland was AMAZING! seriously.. the missionaries here call it the fairy land because first of all.. finish is the strangest language ever and they sound like fairys when they speak it.. and secondly.. its the most beautiful country ever.. its europe which makes it way different than russia.. its so clean and the people are all beautiful.. they all like ride<br />
bikes and look so happy! haha then they all speak english too!!! its like the perfect place to live.. sister trottier and i were like "um,... why didnt we get called here?" haha no no.. russia is a good place but yes,<br />
finland is amazing! i would actually hope that if you guys came and got me that we could fly to finland after and do the temple there together!! you guys would love it!!!<br />
<br />
Ok! to start off, last wednesday i got on a bus and got to novo around 9, I stayed the the makalys house, and then woke up at 5 to get on my flight to moscow! it wasnt too bad its like a 4 hour flight, then i saw all the missionaries there waiting for me in moscow! including sister trottier!! which was sooo fun to see here! it was me sister trottier sister margelies and then 5 elders! 4 of which it was their last visa trip! then we got on a<br />
flight from moscow to finland and its only and hour flight which is so nice!! then we landed in finland and got on a bus which takes us to this mall thing... which i sent a picture and it has an H&M haha so next time the<br />
sisters decided we would shop.. we then walked to the temple cause its only about ten minutes away and got in our into our rooms, the temple housing is right next to the temple so its nice.. and its way nice too! then we were off for a little adventure.. the elders knew where they were going so it was nice! so we took a tram into the center of finland where there was the big church i sent a picture of.. and let me tell you, the center is amazing! its just like europe, lots of cafes and nice shopping and cars!! it was so fun!! so we walked through the center to the fairy, which took us to this island in finland! and its just an old island where people live, but i think its like a war island or something, anyway, we just walked around the island all day and took pictures and everything! it was soooo fun! its funny being with elders cause they are hysterical! I am not used to hanging out with 21 year olds! hahaha it was so fun and so pretty! and they have amazing food there.. they have this yogurt that like.. the best thing ever, and their chocolate is amazing too!! hah basically finland is amazing! then after our adventure on the island we got back on the fairy and headed back... we got some food and made food then went to bed.. it was funny cause we were sooo tired cause 1030 there was like 2 in novo! haha but sister trottier and i still managed to wake up at 615! haha it was crazy! but we work up the next day and this was kinda a day to relax.. we got to spend the day until 1 in the temple and we did a session and finland temple is beautiful! man, i didnt realize how much i missed the temple until i went there.. it was such an amazing experience to be there.. in our session we had it translated into 4 languages i think.. english, finnish and russian and i think spanish! it was crazy! (we just have little headsets) but it was so amazing! i loved it! then we were back on a bus to go to the airport! we all flew to moscow and then we waited about 4 hours for our flights and then i was off to novo.. at this point it was friday night and i arrived in novo sat at 5 am.. i waited at the makalys again until my bus left at 8 am.. then i got on a bus for tomsk and got to tomsk by noon! haha it was quite the fast trip but definetely great! it was an amazing experience! and right when i got back we had a meeting and sports night! haha so i was dead exhausted but we got<br />
right back to work!so all in all.. finland was amazing! seriously.. we will HAVE TO go if you<br />
guys come here! seriously.. so plan on it!! then saturday night sports night.. we play ultimate frisbee and about 20 or so people come! oh! we got new misisonaries and elder haynes./.. who is in don and traceys<br />
ward is in tomsk now! haha small world! he graduated 2009 so we went to high school together!<br />
<br />
Anyway, we now have 6 elders here in tomsk and then us sisters,... two elders set 2 baptismal dates!! yay!!!!! we were sooo excited for them! anyway.. then sunday the alands got back from their adventure, they were gone for 2 weeks in turkey and moscow and finland too! so we saw them, then monday was an awesome day! we had FHE with the lee family.. i have mentioned them before... and they brought all their kids! so there were about 6 kids there and then 6 missionaries! and it went really well! the family had so much fun and the dad said they would do that at their house now! so it was a success!! we want to get them baptized... and it was crazy, the little girl mika, she is about 7 i believe, and she was asking sister all these questions about christ.. like deep questions, like she just knew everything, she even said "so, its impossible to live without christ right?" and thinking about it.. ya it basically is,... it was kinda an eye openeing experience because we know she knows a lot.. we want them to be baptized so bad! the three little girls know they need to be we just need to get the parents on board! so hopefully!!! and then yesterday i cut hair and had english club... overal it was an interesting week.. it was kinda a crazy week what with talking to you guys and going to finland and coming back to missionary work... but it was amazing!! we are starting a new transfer and have set some goals so hopefully we can achieve them! let me tell you, missionary work is challenging but its definetely an experience i wont get anywhere else.. i have learned a lot being here, and i have grown in ways i couldnt have without this mission... and the gospel has completely opened new avenues of learning and looking at life for me..<br />
<br />
I want to let you guys know that i know that this church is true... i know that only our church contains the fulness of the gospel... only our church contains the fulness of gods plan for us and the only way we can return to him... i know that we have a prophet who holds the keys which we need to have the whole gospel... i know that the book of mormon is true and as we read it it can open new windows of understanding for us and can answer our questions we have at that> very moment...I cant tell you guys how this church just makes sense to me.. i can only tell you that its something i feel.. and i know i couldnt have felt it without this mission... i know that this is where i needed to be now...<br />
<br />
thanks for all of you guys support! i love you guys and i am grateful that> you love me enough to support me!! i am sorry i dont have time to answer emails.. pictures took too long! but keep writing me! > tell amy and brooke i got their emails and i am sending them a real letter!> thanks for writing me friends!! i love youuuuu!! grandma i got the pictures thanks sooo much! i love themmmmmm!!!!<br />
tell telicia i love her and to send me pictures to me email! i dont know my address in novo!<br />
tell court to have a great time in tailand! so random! hahahahaha> tell leyla i love her and am praying about her!!!<br />
<br />
dad and mom i love you guys so much! keep up the work you are doing at home!<br />
you guys are amazing i love you!!!!<br />
and i didnt get to send the package so hopefully soon!<br />
<br />
ok i love you guys! all of you! talk to you all next weekkkkk!!!! LOVE YOU<br />
ALLLLL!!!!!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-82089199161553604232011-05-13T10:07:00.000-07:002011-05-13T10:07:37.966-07:00Temple soon!o this week was a pretty fun week!! it was great to get to talk to you guys! i am so happy that i got to talk to everybody! Its strange to think that i wont talk to you till christmas though.. that seems so far away.. but summers always fly by dont they? i am thinking that it will be the same on the mission.. and keeping in mind that i really only have one month of a real summer.. they say that it only gets really hot for one month? so we will see! after i talked to you we went over to the alands apartment and met all the missionaries there.. the elders there were cooking lunch! hah it was great to see four boys making food.. we had chicken and mashed potatoes and veggies... then we watched chronicals of narnia, the third one.. but they didnt have it in english so we watched it in russian,... then i made crepes for everyone, then we got to watch another movie and we watched toy story 3.. this time it was in english, so i understood all of it.. haha and then the mongolians came over because one of the elders here, elder Gushin, got transfered so they wanted to say goodbye.. and we all just hung out and played phase ten.. it was a pretty interesting day because i am not used to not doing anything! haha then the next day we had a lunch planned with this family, the lee family,and guess what we did again.. tacos! haha and guess who was in charge again? me! haha for some reason they thing i am like mexican or something, little do they know i usually bought everything when i made mexican food... but i can tell you guys that i have made probably 600 tortillas in the past week! i am not going to come back russian, i am going to come back mexican. haha anyways, this family is great, they picked us up early to take us shopping to get the food to make and we went to this store called metro.. and its like a costco because you have to have a card to get in, but then its probably more like wal mart with the stuff there... its pretty cool here in russia because there arent many stores like that around.. and guess what i<br />
bought there.. MANGOS! haha so mom you dont have to send any.. even though i would still love them... anyway we bought everything there and then we went to the bus station to send off elder gushin... everyone was so sad to see him go because he goes home in 2 months and hes from ukraine. hes a way<br />
awesome missionary so everyone loves him... and then we went to make the food. all the missionaries who were here in tomsk went and it was really fun. THe mom, yana, loved the tacos... (this family ps arent members... ) we are doing what we can to make them members because they are soooo perfect! they have 4 little girls and 2 little boys.. (which is a ton for russia) and the dad always tells his girls they are going to serve mission. so we just need to build their testimonies... And then after that we met with this lady emma.. and we got there and she said "i was just about to color my hair" haha and so i did it for her, except she just bleaches her hair all over... and i HATE doing that.. but thats what she had and she was going to do it herself anyways so i just did it.. i would usualy NEVER just bleach someones scalp.. it was funny cause sister vasilevskaya talked her into doing a new color.. anyway she is great and she loves us which is awesome, cause before we went to her house and helped her clean and she didnt think i knew how to clean cause i was american, and she didnt like me so much haha but now she does..then english club again! and yes, we still do english club! the osama thing hasnt stopped us at all.. it was fun i taught my class popcorn popping because they were all little kids.. and then they sang it to the older groups...<br />
<br />
Oh and for everyone who doesnt know, i am staying in tomsk for another transfer with sister vasilevskaya... we will be together for 3 transfers which is a 4th of my mission.. crazy huh? haha its ok.. we get along.. we<br />
have fun most of the time its just differernt because we are from 2 completely different parts of the world. but we dont have problems at all...we just have lots to work on as missionaries.. but we are doing what we<br />
can...aynways, yes we are staying and we are actually getting 3 new american missionaries... which is awesome..so there will be a lot of americans here and so english club will be way better.. and we will actually have 6 elders here cause one of the elders here will have a mini missionariy... so this should be a way fun transfer! anyways.,. the big news today is that i leave in about 3 hours to go to novosibirsk and them tomorrow moscow and FINLAND!!! i am so excited to go to the temple.. its crazy when you dont get to go for a while! and i am so excited to see sister trottier too... this should be a way fun trip because we have 8 people going.. all the rest of the people going its their last visa trip... so we will see what happens next visa... i am pretty sure we will be with the missionaries who come in today... we have 3 new elders coming today and one will be serving here in tomsk.. anyway, i guess that i will be flying to moscow by myself because the rest of the people fly out of the cities that they are in... so i will leave tomorrow(thursday) to fly to moscow,... i get on a bus here and drive to novosibirsk.. its about a 5 hour bus ride.. but i have to go alone and i dont want to cause who knows who i will sit by hahah...so next letter should be a packed full letter...<br />
<br />
well... i dont really have much to say... ive been reading about alma and amulek lately and when i was reading about how alma went to preach to the city where amulek lived and they rejected him, and when he left the lord told him to go back... and i love how in the scriptures its says something like "he immediately went back"... and i think about alma, and how strong of a missionary he was... and i compare myself to him and think "i have a ton to work on..." because alma was rejected and spat on and hit and all this crazy stuff and yet he still tried to preach to them, and when he thought he had done all he could.. the lord said no.. go back.. and he didnt even question it.. he just went back (i love how it says he went through the city a different way cause he probably wanted to go unoticed and not get kicked out again ahah) and then he went and amulek was there waiting because the lord had prepared him...it makes me think about how sometimes.. i just want to give up on someone, or not do something because "oh.. ive already done that" but the lord work in mysterious ways.. and sometimes, things dont happen immediately.. we have> to go back and try it again...<br />
<br />
If i have learned anything from my mission so far is that the lord definetely has a plan for each of us, and sometimes its not what we want, just like alma probably didnt want to go back and teach a city who already completely rejected him... however, if we do what the lord says, and in his ways.. we will be the people he has intended us to be.and i have realized that the best things in life are deffinetely not easy to get... as missionaries, if we want something we have to work for it and have learned that the hard way.. but i am glad i have learned it now and not> later in my mission...<br />
<br />
anyways... i hope this all makes sense! i have nothing more to say really but i love you guys and i hope all is well... tell my friends i am disowning them for not emailing me.. even though i send them keychains too.. haha and that i want pictures of the new dog and ashtons wedding! tell them to email them to me!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-22923695575353599632011-05-13T10:01:00.000-07:002011-05-13T10:01:07.758-07:00I get to talk to you soon!!!<div style="text-align: left;">Well i will start off with my week again, it wasnt as crazy at last week so wednesday i went to that family i told you, the lee family and did their hair, i did three haircuts and a color. it turned out really well and they<br />
loved that an american was doing it. they actually own their own little salon so they showed me around there first.. the mom said she liked the way i cut her hair.. this family is amazing though.. they are investigating and<br />
their one daughter who is 18 is a member and then they have like 6 little kids (which is really unusual for russia) and the 3 little girls do gymnasitcs. We were hesitant to teach them because we thought they just<br />
liked americans but now the dad said that he is starting to read the book of mormon and he is understanding it.. its kinda funny cause this family is kinda a joint effort between the missionaries.. we all go and teach them and they love to have us over... and every time we come they always feed us this huge meal! so we are hoping they come to know the truth sometime... then on thursday it snowed!!!!! we thought it was going to be hot so we didnt wear our coats and yep... snow! its like utah weather here you never<br />
know what you are going to get.. i have some pretty funny pictures in it though.. it was the kinda snow that it just sticks in your hair... then we met with this lady, galina,... she has 2 daughters her served missions and<br />
comes to church every week and does all a member does but isnt a member... kinda sounds like you mom huh? haha so we go and teach her and we are just waiting till she is ready. she knows she needs to be baptized we just dont know exactly what to tell her to help her find that one answer she is looking for.. we hope it is coming soon though... i love her though.. she always worries about me being cold outside.. haah she is always like "wear my jacket wear my shoes! you are going to get sick" haha even when its 90<br />
degrees outside... she is great oh! and on thurdsday i played all of we thank thee o god for a prophet on<br />
the piano! haah i will play the piano when i get home! haah then friday i went and cut sister alands hair (she is the older couple) and she wanted to give me something so we went and picked out material cause she<br />
wants to teach me how to make a skirt... she is so nice i love her.. i told her if her son isnt married when i get home that i want to be in their family hahaha they are so great. They left this week for 2 weeks so if i get<br />
transfered i wont see them! i am sad! hopefully i stay here, i like tomck... Then on satrday we went and met with this armanian girl who is a member of the church, she came to church on easter with her husband but her husband isnt a member and the whole situation was strange, well she invited us to come see her, but we couldnt go into her house beceause her family didnt accept that she was a member of a different church... anyway, so come upto her house, and it is an apartment on top of a grocery store.. and there are 3 apartments next to eachoter and they are 3 brothers who are all armanian and who all run businesses together.. well she lives with her husband and his family in one, and they have an arranged marriage, so she is basically told what to do which is so strange so her family doesnt accept the gospel... but her cousins family, who lives next door, are christian and she totally welcomed us in and she wanted to learn more about the gospel. and side not, these apartments are super nice! really wealthy fmaily.. anyway..we taught her the first lesson and she is interested and we are excited to meet with her again... its just interesting cause one brother doesnt agree with the church and the other is compltely open to it.. and i had heard about the whole arranged married thing but i had never seen it,.. but i saw it first hand! but this girl who is a member is such a good missionary..even though her family doesnt accept she does all she can to come to church and be a missionary to her family.. so we are hoping things go well for her and her cousin! then after that we went to the alands and prepared mexican food because we promised the mongolians we would cook them food! so sister aland and i made enchiladas.. and get this, we had no tortillas and there arent any in russia.. so gues what! i made my own! hahah they were just like the ones at costco (ok not really) but i was so proud! and they worked! so i am going to learn how to make them better so i can make them really good when i get home... and that meeting went really well.. they brought 3 mongolians who werent memebers of the church! one of them, ghana, had a baptisimal date and then decided not to be baptized, so we are really working with her.. other than that the two who are members, sonsar and mogy are amazing members.. its interesting being there cause we have 3 languages going when we teach we have enlgish and mongolian and russian because they know english just as well as russian.. so its interesting... then sunday was my 5 month mark! when i wrote may first in my journal i was shocked!!! i cant believe it! well then we went to galina.. the lady that i love who had 2 daughters serve missions, and we made mexican food there, she loved it cause she was a cook and likes to learn different things.. it was really fun! then we went home cause i havent been feeling well lately.. i think alergies are getting to me and my head has been pounding! then monday... yes we heard osama bin laden was killed.. it was interesting cause just for percausiion here, because there are lots of islams, the area 70 wrote us a letter telling us to take our nametags off and not to speak any english at all.. and we have to do that until they tell us.. it was kinda scary at first cause it seemed like a huge step right? but its ok i realized the church just really protects their missionaries.. its just weird being in a different country when things like that happens.. cause i am on their side of the world... so i hope everything goes ok.. we are safe though nothing to worry about... then we sewed my skirt! hah really simple pattern but yes, i made a skirt (with sister alands help) its really cute too.. haha that or my style has just gone way down.. im guessing its probably my style but i like it.. haha i laughed because i am going to come home knowing how to sew, play the piano and make tortillas.. haha maybe this isnt what a mission is about? haha no dont worry we are helping people too...then yesterday we had a meeting with a member family and they live like out in the country. it was like 5 hours to get there meet and get back, and i havent been feeling well so we went back and i went to bed, i just dont want to get even more sick but i am ok dont worry! anyway, that was my week! hopefully this week goes well too! i get to talk to you sunday! yay!!! and then i leave to finland on thursday! I am soooo excited! i miss the temple so much! and i am so excited to see sister trottier! haha and then we have transfer calls on friday! so we will see if i stay in tomsk or go somewhere else! i love it here so hopefully i stay... oh! and ps... if you can send me dried mangos from costco please do.. i dont know why but i have been craving those like no other! hahaha i know so weird right? hahah but please! birthday present please! and i am sending you a package from finland! with dolls and stuff..hopefully it isnt too much! and pictures.. i htink i am going to buy another picture card cause its so hard to get my pictures to a cd.. anyway... i love you guys and i appreciate your letters.. i miss you but i am excited to hear your voices.. i am going to cry right away so just beware! haha tell my friends i love them but i am sad they dont email me.. brats haha i hope ashtons wedding went well!!!! and kristin!!! send me a cd if you can! of you and your beautiful voice! i listen to church music and i want to hear you! miss you love you!<br />
</div>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-11975241125225399582011-04-29T09:50:00.003-07:002011-04-29T09:50:52.810-07:00another week..wow and Happy Easter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hello family!!!! i am going to start off with my week before i answer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> emails!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> First off, it was a great week i would say.. we had a lot of activities and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> we kept busy!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> After i wrote you last week we went to subway and it was good.. except it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> literally took an hour to get all of our sandwiches! haha not like the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> subways in america.. it tasted pretty much the same though.. then thursday</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> we went to our investigators house... Ina, she is doing really well and we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> were hoping she would come to church but she didnt make it.. that makes it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hard when they dont keep our commitments.. we are working with her and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> smoking and just trying to get her to gain a testimony about the book of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> mormom.. she said he husband was kinda interested too but we have yet to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> meet him. She ha a family so hopefully she can have enough faith to trust us</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> and trust her father in heaven...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then that night we went to the branch building and this bum came in.. he</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> usually comes in and asks for food but this time he had some really really</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> bad sores on his legs.. sister vasilevskay helped him and we have to get him</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> a doctor.. they were things i have never seen before.. its hard because</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> there are bums everywhere here and they do it to themselves because they</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> drink, but then i just keep thinking that its their addiction and its so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hard for them to stop.. i wish there were something we could do to help them</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> but we cant until they help themselves.. its just so eye opening when you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> see things like that... i feel like im not mature enough to see that... i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> just get really sad.. but its ok, thats why we have this gospel...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> Then on friday, the alands (the older couple here) made us sloppy joes!!! i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> was so happy cause i loves sloppy joes!! it made my day... until the zone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> leaders told me that i had to speak in church on sunday... hahahahaha that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> ruined it! haha no it was ok.. just the fact that i had to plan a 20 minute</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> talk, in russian.. in 1 day... so it was interesting..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then that night, we have this group of mongolian youth here and they taught</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> us how to make mongolian food! it was so good dad would have loved it! i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> know how to make it now so we ca do it when i get home... we will have to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> set up 2 weeks when i get home so we can make and eat all the food i learn</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> how to make! it was incredible how fast and how easy they made these things</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> look.. .they took this dough and filled it with meat and some with mashed</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> potatoes and then they closed it with their fingers ( i wish i could</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> explain) i will send pictures soon, but they just made it look easy and its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> not! then we deep fried it hahaha... very healthy i know.. but it was</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> awesome.. then of course cabbage and carrots and onions.. it was yummy!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then saturday we had the flower activity again! let me tell you mom, its a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> huge hit here, the women are loving it and they want you to send pictures of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> other flowers you are making... i only did the ones you burn and the ones</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> jess taught us how to make and i forget how you do they rest.. but they want</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> you to send more pictures of all of the kinds you make and different ideas!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> THen sunday! EASTER! and yes i gave my talk.. sister helped me write it but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then i got up there and didnt really use it.. it was great though cause i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> could speak russian when i needed too! my russian is coming along and i am</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> super happy about it.. but i still have to work hard... its a really really</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hard language...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then after church the whole branch brought food and we had a huge easter</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> meal! all sorts of russian food! it was so yummy... except you should see</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> the way they eat in big groups.. they just hover around the table.. like</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> nobody sits down and you have to like cram your way through people to get</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> food.. and you know how much i HATE like tons a people... (ask my friends..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> they knew i wouldnt stay at parties more than 30 minutes) so its like the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hardest thing to get food around russians.. then! you would except that a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> meal should take what... an hour to eat then to clean up.. so about 2 hours</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> right.. for 70 people to eat? NO! it was over and cleaned up in 45 minutes!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> haha its like unreal here.. haha the culture is soooo differentt! oh! and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> instead of hunting for easter eggs.. the little kids have like a halloween</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> type thing on easter.. .but they wake up really early and go to peoples</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> houses and knock on the door and when you answer they say "he was</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> ressurrected!" and you say something like "yes its true!" and then you give</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> them eggs (real eggs) and maybe candy! the earlier they get up the more eggs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> they get... so they start at like 6.. .haha we didnt have anyone come but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> sister was telling me about it.. its kinda different here!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then monday we have the univerisity come to the branch and they put on this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> little concert.. it was very interesting but cool... a lot of opera</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> singers...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then yesterday... we did service for this lady in the ward who believes in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> reincarnation... haha she thinks she was a french man in her previous life</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> who sold wine.. hahaha thats a little taste of russian people.. haha oh man</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> i love them.. but anyway we cleaned her windows and then english club! and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> then i learned how to play "we thank thee o god for a prophet" on teh piano</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> by sister aland.. it was great!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> and today we are doing service for this family who are interseted in the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> church.. their daughter sasha got baptized in january.. and they are great..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> i am doing their hair so hopefully it goes well! then its onto another week!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hopefully we can do well!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> I was reading in mosiah yesterday... mosiah 2 when king benjamin speaks to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> his people and he speaks about service and about how we are eternally</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> indebted to our god.. and thats a good chapter if you guys want to do some</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> reading this week... it really puts things into perspective.. we constantly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> will owe something to our father in heaven... because we already owe him so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> much for the life he has given us... then everytime we do something good he</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> blesses us right? so theres no way to repay him...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> thats how i feel on my mission... there are times when its really hard here,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> when i see things like the bum, or just the way people live, and what they</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> have gone through,... and especially members of the church and how they have</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> gone through so much to stay strong... and how i feel so weak here.. and how</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> my life has been so easy.. and a lot of times i start feeling selfish and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> its hard to stay on a mission being selfish.. but then i read this.. and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> realized how much i truly owe to my heavenly father and how that this year</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> and a half of my life is nothing compared to what i owe him.. and then to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> see the blessings that have come into our family already... its just amazing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> to me... its all because of our father in heaven and jesus christ... so i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> think i can bare siberia another year what do you think? haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> well know that i love you guys so much! more than you know... i miss you so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> much! but guess what! i sent you that email about mothers day calls and i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> will send my number next week and how we can call! i love you so much! I am</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> so excited to talk to you!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> ASHTON ADAIR!!!!!! HAPPY WEDDING!! I AM THINKING ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME AND</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> I HOPE THAT ALL GOES WELL! YOU BETTER SEND MY PICTURES SOON!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> my dearest friends.. kristin i got your dear elder! and i loved it.. you are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> so great and i am sending a letter when i go to finland! love you!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> and all my other friends! write me you fools! i thought you loved me hello!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> i will try to send a package with trinkets soon ok? love you all!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">></span>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-39837151240585377832011-04-29T09:49:00.000-07:002011-04-29T09:49:41.160-07:00Half a transfer gone!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">FAMILY! HELLO!!!!!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> Ok to start off thanks for everyone for writing me! it was good to hear from</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> everyone and see how they are doing! i miss you guys so much... you have no</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> idea! but i am glad to hear that all is going well!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> But other than that thanks for your email! its good to hear things are going</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> well.. i am sorry about the black eye, i never got one of those haha except</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> in diving. Well the weather is really good here, all the snow is gone! yay!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> and its actually really really hot most days except today, its kinda cloudy.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> Most days i dont even wear a coat except today its a bit cold so i have a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> coat on... You asked about tracting mom... we kinda tract i guess you could</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> say that? but mostly its just contacting on buses and on the streets... we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> just talk to everyone wherever we go... except its a lot harder than i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> thought it would be to just talk to people randomly.. so thats one thing we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> are working on as a companionship... most of the time when i start talking</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> to people they just laugh because they either dont understand me, i have</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> said something not right.. or just cause i am american... there arent many</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> americans around here... haha i think the missionaries and thats all! haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> you asked about the missionaries around here... we live about 20 minute walk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> from the senior couple the alands and i love them! we basically see them</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> everyday and then we just have 4 elders here.. so all in all... 8</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> missionaries in tomck right now. we actually cover the whole city so its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> pretty cool being sisters here.. it is hard though because its really just</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> me and my companion.. no other sisters... and sometimes i just feel alone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> because shes russian.. and shes great dont get me wrong i love her.. but we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> dont agree on some things and the cultural differences are hard sometimes...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> so i like talking with sister aland because i just feel like she understands</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> me... I never thought that would be a problem but being raised in different</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>countries really makes a difference... anyway.. mom keep up the good work!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>im glad you are having people help make hairbows! that should be great! and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>good job on the missionary work too... our work as missionaries should never</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>stop, we should always be looking for ways to serve and share the gospel..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>what did they say in conference? something along the lines of "you should</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>always be teaching and sharing the gospel, and if needs be, use words" so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">>basically we need to be doing missionary work through our deeds.. and you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> are a great example of that by the way you always are willing to give what</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you have.. you always got mad at me for not charging that much for hair but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you do the same for everyone and its because its a way we can serve... and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ya its kinda crazy to think that there is only one branch here in tomsk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> right now... just ont and only like 50 memmbers come... its gunna be crazy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> in 20 years,... if we baptize people or help in their conversion to see the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> church grow here in novosibirsk! i know that not that long ago places like</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> brazil and mexico were just like russia... no that many members... i am</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> hoping in no time at all.. russia will grow like that too!!! i can only do</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> all i can as a missionary and let the lord soften their hearts! i love you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> mom! thanks for everything!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Oh! by the way... i think i have like 8 dollars in my account... haha i need</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> like 30 i think so i dont get charged... so hopefully you can put more in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> there.. and if possible.. just put extra when you can so if i need anything</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> during the week i dont have to worry about how much is in there and wait</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> till p day to ask you? i am sorry... life is crazy being a missionary!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> dad! it sounds like fishing was fun! we actually went again to the forrest</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and made a bonfire for family home evening too! The senior couple here, the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> alands are great. Elder aland is a fisherman and hunter too and he tells me</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> about his stories so i tell him about yours and he says he wants to trade</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you a trip up in the utah mountains to this place where you can catch 80</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> trout an hour for one of your mexico trips! haha i told him you guys could</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> be friends when they got home... and that sam would have to go too.. haha so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> maybe you guys can go when they get back!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> THe weather is great dad, you will be happy to know i am not freexzing but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> really hot!! And the food here... i havent really tried anything i dont</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like... they have this salads that they eat, and its like BRIGHT pink.. and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> its either cabbage and beats or something.. i dont know.. but i stay away</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> from the pink salad.. other than that i think you would love the food here</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> dad.. its seriously sooooo good! i cant explain what we have but most of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> time its like meat or mashes potatoes wrapped in some sort of dough... then</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> we have salad but not salad.. its like a bunch of stuff tossed in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> mayonaise.. Russians LOVE mayonaise.. its gross actually how much they love</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> it.. haha and theres a whole bunch of rice stuff thats not rice and they put</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> meat and veggies in it... its all really good.. we get fed by members</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> sometimes so its pretty cool... the only thing that i dont really like are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> the sweets here... their cakes and stuff arent the best.. just not sweet</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> enough. its almost just like bread.. which isnt bad because the bread here</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> is of course amazing! And then they have thje bleenees you get on the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> streets.. they are like flat pancakes and they put all sorts of stuff in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> them! haha and then the dairy is all like whole milk.. like some yogurt you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> can buy.. usually the yogurt i would say is like 2% in america right? here..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you can get 17% hahaha its like 300 calories in a little tiny thing.. its</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> like pure fat! hahah we did have hot dogs at our fire and we cooked sausage</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> there too and thats good.. but we just eat them with bread because theres no</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> buns here! haha Anyways.. thats the food.. i wish i could send some to you..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> OH! the juice is amazing too... thats another thing thats way better!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Anyway.. gainer seems like hes still so funny! haha he is just a little</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> manipulator! its because hes so spoiled! haha grandma and grandpa give him</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> what he wants! haha he will be so old when i get home! so weird! well dad,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> it seems like you are doing good too! i hope work is well and that you can</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> get enough fishing in... i love you and i appreciate your letters and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> everything. Everyone told me you did an awesome job at the baptism and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> stuff... i am proud of you i wish i could have been there! i love you dad</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and look forward to your email next week!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Jess! thanks for the email!!!! its good to hear from you and how your trip</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> was. i am glad you got to be there for grandpa and gracie! its weird to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> think if you werent there it would have only been mom dad and rach.. usually</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> i am there ... we know gary was there in spirit too.. i think he wouldnt</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> have missed that moment! i am glad you got to take neil! hows he doing? hows</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> your family too? are the boys so big?? i cant believe they are so old.. dean</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> will be 5 soon right? so weird! i hope sam is doing well and all is good</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> with the family and the job!! i love you jess and i am thankful for you and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> your example to me... its crazy because we only have like 2 families in our</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ward.. that or the rest arent active.. so its good to tell people i have a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> sister with 4 boys and she goes to church every week! haha its possible!! we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> know it! so thanks again! i love you and thanks for the email! keep on being</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> a great mom! you will soon be getting emails from your boys when they serve</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> missions!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Grandma!! thanks soooo much for the pictures!!!! i started crying! its so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> great to see that... i am so happy that that day happened.. i just cant</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> believe it..its such a great feeling to see all these changes! grandma you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> are so great! I am so excited to come home and see our family and be able to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> go through the temple and see the results.. by the way did you find out how</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> that works? you guys will be sealed but will mom be sealed to you too? I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">love you grandpa and i love getting your letters and pictures! thanks for</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">everything!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> OK! i hope i answered everyones questions! thanks for writing me.. its good</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> to hear from you guys and see the changes in you too... i hope you guys are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> reading and going to the temple and doing all you can! i will keep asking</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> you so i hope you are! mom dad family..... if you want i can read the book</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> of mormon with you? like every week we can read 5 chapters and discuss them?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> that could be cool and we could grow from that too? tell me what you think?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Ok this week was pretty busy!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> We met with zanieeda and we taught her about baptism but then.. at the end..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> she said she was leaving and we couldnt meet with her till june? russian</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> people are so weird.. seriously... haha but hopefully she thinks about what</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> we said cause she says she wants the holy ghost so hopefully her heart can</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> be softened soon...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Then we have a new investigator... ina..and she is like the golden</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> investigator.. we found her on the street and she just wanted to know more</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> right away and we went to her house the very next day and have taught her 2</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> times already adn she says she will come to church! hah sister and i want to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> know what the catch is? cause this never happens! hahaha but we can just</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> pray and maybe she is just ready! she has a family... a husband and 2 sons..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">so we will see!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Then on saturday we made flowers mom! you would be so proud to see! we had</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> about 15 people there which was a really good turn out and they loved them</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> so much we are doing them this saturday too! hopefully we will have more</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> people there!! we actually got an investigator out of it kinda too.. so it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> was a huge success! alll because of you mom.. so you are actually doing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> missionary work in russia too!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> then monday we went to fhe and had a bonfire out in the forrest too.. we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> crossed that way old cemetary too! i have pics i need to send its just so</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> hard on the computer i will figure it out sometime though i am sending a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> disc soon! anyway we went and then we ended up leaving way later then we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> thought we would and sister and i left our clothes at the branch so we had</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> to borrow elder alands keys and he actually gave us the wrong key so they</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> had to come get it cause it was the key to their apartment then we had to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> call a taxi cause it was already 1030 which is an hour later than we have to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> be home.. and when we got in the taxi it was BLASTING beyonce! haha i just</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> felt like the worst most disobedient missionary ever.... but we repented..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> haha it will never hapen again! but man it was funny... me sister aland and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> elder aland we all thee squished in the back of this itsy bitsy taxi and we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> were all dying laughig at how the situation turned out... man its crazy</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> being a missionary..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> Then i did more hair... i did it for this ladies sister in our ward.. she</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> actually hates missionaries so it was amazing she actually let me do it..</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and we prayed with her too.. so it was a good service to do because now she</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> knows that missioanries arent that bad.. that we are slightly normal hahaha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anyway.. today we are actually getting subway and going to a park with all</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> the missionaries! i am excited! but i have to write my mission president!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> THanks for the emails!!!! i love you guys!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> know i love my mission, and even though its soooo hard! i wouldnt trade it</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> for anything! the church is true! it really is! i was reading in jacob 5</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> today about the olive tree and at the end in like 70 when it says there were</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> few servants but in the end when they were dilligent and kept the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> commandments, the fruit they produced would bring them joy! read it cause i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> know thats how missionaries can be! if we are dilligent the fruit we produce</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> will bring us joy! i love my mission!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Oh! ps! HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><wbr></wbr></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TAKE</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">PICTURES FOR ME!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and i know you guys get to call on mothers day so like 2 1/2 weeksss! yay!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and then i have my visa trip to finland may 12th! yay!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">> ok i love you guys!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ps! happy birthday brooke and court! sorry its late!!!! i love you guys i</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> hope that you love being 22!!!! ahhh!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> ASHTON! HAPPY WEDDING SOOOOON!!!!!! i wish i could be there,... i better be</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> there in spirit! i love you sooo much!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> love... sister west!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-14183175176218291092011-04-14T11:51:00.000-07:002011-04-14T11:51:14.954-07:00Hello!Hello family!!! ok so i had to read the emails really fast because there were a ton! so i hope i didnt miss anything! I am glad you got to go to telicias baby shower!!!!! i am so sad i couldnt be there!!!!!! but i am glad the family misses me.. i miss them a lot too! they are all like my sisters, but at least i can come back and still do their hair! I am glad to hear that the gym is doing well... lots of cheer girls is great! and hair bows too! haa you will love to hear that we actually have an activity this saturday that i am setting up for all the women and girls in the ward and we are making hair bows! it should be fun... i feel like i need you though to know exactly what fabrics are best and stuff... but i think it will be ok. we are using some of the ones you gave me for examples and i will make some new ones... dont worry about me and the food.. believe me i get enough so we have been working out too... i have literally gained 10 pounds.. i will hopefully send pictures today if the guy comes and helps me and you will see that i gained a ton.... haha its sad.. But keep it up! working out makes you happy too.. but keep it up with the gym and all... Im glad everything worked out! tell ruth and Debbie good job on the food it seems like it all went together well for so many people! i love you and talk<br />
to you soon!!! thanks for all you do mom... know that i am surviving here....<br />
Dad! thanks for your email! i am glad that you survived the baptisms and the confirmations! dad, thats a lot of church stuff right away! i am proud of you for doing all of that. Especially for making it through the baptisms and crying! i am sure it was an amazing moment... That day i actually was watching conference and i thought about you guys the whole day.. it was a good day for me thinking that you were baptizing grandpa and gracie... its quite an amazing day i would say... i wish i could have been there but hopefully rach will send me pictures this next week so i can see... I am proud of you dad... Thanks for your example... Its crazy cause in russia there arent many men who are worthy priesthood members so its great to see that you are.. so thanks... i love you and oh! my knee is doing better... it hurts sometimes but its ok! i can make it!! Love you!!<br />
Grandma! the baptism seems to have gone wel!!! did you ever think that day would come grandma!! i am so happy that its actually here.. and for him and gracie to be baptized together... honestly thats amazing. Tell grandpa i am so proiud of him and that i thought of him often and i still do. I pray for you guys all the time.. I am really excited to come home and go through the temple with you guys! ps.. you guys will be sealed right? and can mom get sealed to you guys? that would be amazing i am just not sure how that all works... i am really excited for that day... Well grandma i love you and I appreciate your support and example. I wish i could write more but maybe i can try to send some real lettters... we just have like no time! we are always so busy!! love you so much! tell grandpa i love him too!!! Rachel! thanks for the email! i am excited you are starting school and that you are the coach!!! what!!!! that should help you and gainer out alot huh?<br />
thats a great blessing i think!!! i am happy for you! just remember rachel to always try to be the happiest you can... the gospel doesnt promise that we will always have the best things happen to us, but it does promise help and hope... i forget what the talk in conference said but something along the line of helping investigators through their afllictions and afflicting the members? hahah isnt that the truth! it seems like the stongest are the<br />
ones who have the hardest times right? but this is what this life is for.. to prove to our heavenly father we have faith in him right? well i love you and keep up the good work with you and gainer! i hope all is going well.. just remember to have family prayer and scripture stufy and go to the temple. I never realized how much i miss the temple if it wasnt for me not going... so go!!!!! i love you and dont worry about me!! haha i am fine!<br />
russia isnt that bad! hah Tell jessicas family i love them!! i want to see pictures of the baptism> tooooo!!!<br />
<br />
Ok! well i will send a quick note about my week! then i will hopefully send<br />
pictures! first off! we watched conference on saturday and sunday! it was great we saw it in english! just four of us and the russians watched it at the branch! its cool cause here in tomsk we have a building thats the churches! so we do everything there... i loved conference.. it was crazy to me how much i wanted to keep listening... usually i fall asleep or i say i will watch it later but on your mission it truly is an amazing thing.. they really are caled of god... this is what we preach every single day we are here! i wanted it to never end!!! it was amazing. Elder Uchtdorf did and amazing job i thought and elder holland too... i just loved it all!!! ah! it was amazing... We have an investigator Zanieeda... we taught her the plan of salvation and she was like shocked... so we meet her again on friday and hopefully she is more open... she said she wants the holy ghost so hopefully we can make a baptismal date with her...We had an investigator Lubov... and she has a grandson on a mission but her husband died and she is going through a lot and we taught her last week and thought it went well but then went to meet with her yesterday and she said she didnt want it at all anymore.. it made us really sad... it was hard...But we hope she will change her mind soon... We have 2 girls about our age, leeda and masha... leeda came to church and seems like she wants to progress.. we just have to find a way to help them WANT this church.. they are learned the lessons and progressing but not quite baptism yet... I teach leeda english seperately so hopefully that will help... Well this week... It was HOT!!!! like i was sweating can you believe that i havent worn a jacket for 2 days!! so thats a blessing! we went to family home evening and had a bonfire and i have pictures... we like hiked through this really old cemetary it was sooo cool! but it was like icy and watery and my boots were wet... i fell and hurt my knee but its better now... Other than that we just meet with members and try to strengthen the ward...its hard because its still really small and its easy to get distracted...our goal by the end of the year is to have 100 people at church.. so hopefully we can...<br />
I dont have much more time or else i cant send pictures! i love you!!! thanks for your support!!!<br />
The language is still hard but its coming!!! My companion is great! we are running every morning so hopefully this extra 10 pounds will come off! dont judge me when you see pictures ok!! haha<br />
I love you all!! thanks for everything!!!!!! write me next week and i will share more! i love this gospel and this church! its all true! it is!!! every bit of it! it just makes sense doesnt it!!! I hope easter goes wil i am not<br />
exactly sure when it is!! send picturse ok!!! love you!!!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-50858195359362645492011-04-10T15:52:00.000-07:002011-04-10T15:52:45.110-07:00Zone pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z71UvEiSZIrglBdtCKQ0nt7KrJsM4odKNgSZ8mUJmkFoZRb-zytctRuSSWqPl-_j2S7mVIOkPVm2XO48NxF29PnpRI307N7eUPVcsEXxwfMTi4nTv9C-rv4WXe0GS4q-rh6cLOtcX5Q/s1600/sister+west3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z71UvEiSZIrglBdtCKQ0nt7KrJsM4odKNgSZ8mUJmkFoZRb-zytctRuSSWqPl-_j2S7mVIOkPVm2XO48NxF29PnpRI307N7eUPVcsEXxwfMTi4nTv9C-rv4WXe0GS4q-rh6cLOtcX5Q/s320/sister+west3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFTpQi5OlGenb_avSxz64mDhYBj0Jx-T9WLZnLt44oz5SdJb8ewmEHAuvqiO5VAwFEv7K30k2H9G1rHIzQsmetBhPKR12uTfXd11WJMot75UCJiiXZbK09Yfo3qUEtlphR9ja8FYQ18U/s1600/sister+west+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFTpQi5OlGenb_avSxz64mDhYBj0Jx-T9WLZnLt44oz5SdJb8ewmEHAuvqiO5VAwFEv7K30k2H9G1rHIzQsmetBhPKR12uTfXd11WJMot75UCJiiXZbK09Yfo3qUEtlphR9ja8FYQ18U/s320/sister+west+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-85995300722905420622011-04-10T15:41:00.000-07:002011-04-10T15:47:56.702-07:00TOMCK!Hey guys!!!! i was glad to get your emails! mom... i didnt get one from you but i think its because we are doing email early this morning because i am going to do one of the senior couples hair today! I am way excited! it was great we actually found a store that is kinda like cosmo prof! i was so stoked! i havent used the color though so we will just have to see how it goes hah... i have faith though. it should work out. mom,<br />
Dad! thanks for the email! i am really sad i cant be there to watch you baptize gracie and grandpa! its kinda crazy huh cause the last person you probably baptized was me right? that was like 14 years ago! thats so crazy!haha and dont worry about granpa! we have some pretty old people getting baptized here and they do just fine! (hahahah dont read that to granpda ok!?!) haha... Make sure that rach or someome takes pictures and emails them to me! And about conference.. we havent actually watched it yet, they wait until they translate it into russian and so we are actually watching it this saturday and sunday! i can watch it in english though... i would like to watch it in russian cause it would help buttttt i know that i need it in<br />
english so i can get as much out of it as possible.. im glad you guys watched it and i hope everything is going well! hahaha dad its so funny...you say you guys went swimming and guess what? its been snowing ALL week here.. hahah i just laugh so hard because i did this to myself! hahaha i love you and thanks for writing me... it really helps to have emails..especially from family too... i miss you guys.. but i know i am doing the<br />
right thing. The senior couple here, the Alands.. elder aland loves to hunt and fish and i told him about your trips to mexico and such.. he said that you guys will have to be friends when they get home hahah. He says he wants to go on one of those mexico trips! love you dad! Oh! make sure you tell gracie congratulations on getting baptized too.. and that i love her and i know that this will be a day to remember... tell her too that i am sure that her daddy is right there with her the whole time, and that if he could he would be doing that baptism for her.. but she has you though dad... her papa....i think its only right that you baptize her... i know that thats<br />
what gary would want....Jess! i hope sammys birthday went well! i wish i could see pictures! send me some if you can! I cant believe that sammy and dean are going skiing haha.. thats so crazy! And keep sending pictures of neil! i printed off the ones that grandma sent so i have those with me! i love them but i am sure he<br />
looks so different even know! hahahaha and jess... everyone always things rock is a girl in my pictures too! hhaha i have to tell them he just has long hair and they always ask why!? hahah its ok, i like his long hair,<br />
dont cut it, he wouldnt be a "rockstar" without his long hair! hah but tell the boys and sam i love them! and i miss you guys! time is just flying by isnt it!<br />
RACHEL! WRITE ME YOU FOOL!<br />
Grandma! i always love getting your emails! it makes me so happy because there are so many bawbooshkas here in and they make me miss you! I always tell them about you and your conversion... and moms too...they love to hear those stories cause its kinda different that i am from america and have a part member family. They usually see missionaries from america where all their familes are members. I have been telling them about grandpa and they get really excited. It gives them a little hope that maybe someday their family members will change... Well i cant believe the baptism is so close! please let grandpa know how much i love him and that i am so proud of the decision he is making... Tell him i wish i could be there so bad! baptisms are such an amazing thing.. especially out here on your mission... because people are making that first step to follow in christs ways. He is finallyon the path to his salvation.. truly... there is a lot of work ahead of him,<br />
but he will have the holy ghost to guide him to let him know the best path to take... i know this to be true.. and sometimes.. its not the path you expected (like hiking through siberia in -10 degree weather trying to talk<br />
to people in a language you have no idea how to speak haha) but... the lord always knows the best way for our lives to go and i know that if we listen to the holy ghost he will tell us the right way to go! Let him know how much this gospel has blessed my life and how much i know it has blessed the lives of our whole family.. we wouldnt be where we are without it...And grandma again.. i am so grateful for your example to all of us,... you are so great!<br />
Tell ruth i admire her for her way to just pull parties together! haha she is such a great party planner and organizer.. she can definetly plan my wedding! i am glad that their family is going... it will be sucha good thing<br />
for everyone to see! please send a pic of all the family there!!! PLEASE!everybody would love to see it! Tell ruth great job!!! and tell tami that i we know its hard for her to see the reason why grandpa is doing this.. but also let her know that i wouldnt be here in russia... i wouldnt be away from all you guys, i wouldnt be dedicating a year and half of the hardest days of my life.. literally.. for a reason that wasnt worth it... i know that she doesnt want to be baptized or have anything to do with the church.. but maybe see if she can try to understand why we do this... why we spend our lives dedicated to our savior.... i know that without him... i would be nothing. He has given me everything i have ever had and will give me everything i will have. Its only fair to give him a fraction of my life.. here in siberia to serve him and then, i can do an even greater work in my own family. Tell tami i love her and i am grateful that they have been such an asset to our family too. I wouldnt trade our family for anything, but just as we understand why tami doesnt like our beliefs, she needs to be understanding of why we believe what we believe. I have to see our family not united... I love everyone and i hope that this can be a growing experience rather than something that can tear the family apart.<br />
Because it truly is an amazing thing..> Anyway i love you guys! AMY GILES! haha first of all i love you and i am so happy you wrote me! I am sorry i cant send a personal letter but tell the other girls to write me because i dont get letters from our friends! shows how much they love me right? i am so happy you guys are graduatiing!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! let me know how it goes!!!! i love you amy and i told my mom to send you pictures! its hard for me to send pictures cause i dont have much time but i am going to<br />
send cds home! love you!!!!!<br />
Well... this week was kinda a crazy week! we are just kinda getting to know the members here.. its different not knowing one but its ok, they are all so great! we have a few investigators that we have taught, and they seem like they will be great! we have these two young girls lida and masha, and they came to church on sunday so that was awesome! and this older lady zanaida... and she just has a ton of quiestions... we visit a lot of the innactive because there are a ton here...One of my favorite parts is english club because people get to excited to come and i feel like i can actually do a lot there... we played a fun game with directions this week it was great! we also had a fireside on sunday and we taught the lesson! i actually taught alsmot the whole thing in russian!<br />
haha my russian is still not very good, but i can tell that just being here has helped increase my understanding and actually.. there are 6 (young) missionaries here and only 2 are american... and we see eachother like every day so i dont really get to talk english which is great! but it does get hard not understanding! We went to this families house too.. the Lee family, and they oldest daughter just got baptized but then the whole rest of the family isnt, they have like 5 other kids? and the dad is super intersted in the church but says he doesnt understand the book of mormon, the elders work with them alot but i know we will teach them a few times too.. Oh! mom! they also have this little gym thing in their house because they do like acrobatics? haha and so<br />
we watched them and they arent bad! they have their press handstands from like a straddle and backhandsprings... i told them next time i come i will bring pants and do handstands... it should be intersting,...haha They also own a salon and he wants me to teach some classes sometimes? haha i dont know about that.. the color lines are all russian or eauropean... so i dont know them at all.. and i dont know russian well enough to teach! haha<br />
<br />
So i usually write a paper about my week, and i did but i forgot it! so i dont know what else to write!<br />
THis week was really hard, but i know its the struggles thhat make us grow!i do love my mission.. even though yes, it feels like sometimes time is going way too slow and i think.. ive only been here 5 weeks?? haha it feellike forever! but i know that when i get home i will be grateful that i thought it was slow. I dont pray for it to go by fast even though sometimes i think it because i know that it will fly by once it comes time for me to<br />
go home. I just know i have to do all i can to be the best i can.. this will change my life forever, and sometimes that scares me... because i will come back a completely different person than when i left.. and i liked my old life... i did... but i know that i will love the new me even more...haha its so funny though... you guys would die if you saw me.. i NEVER do my hair because we dont have time.. so it just like hangs off my head its pretty sad.. plus its getting kinda long.. and its just at a weird length where i cant do anything, plus i have like 2 hairs anway.. hahah so i look like sad... and my clothes are a riot.. all the girls here in tomck (because its a college town) have like the cutest clothes and i am like a frumpy missionary! haha its ok... i am way more comfortable than them.. they alll weird like these just spandex pants with their shoobas and this stillettos! haha its crazy! and its still icy! I dont know how they do it!<br />
OH! we started to run the stairs in our apartment every morning. Its great beacause i am getting better excercise and then i dont fall asleep when i am studying after! I am trying to loose a ltitle bit of weight so that it<br />
doesnt get out of control! haha Well i love you guys so much! thanks for your support! Sorry my life is<br />
boring here, (well i just forget things) i will try to have better emails for you guys!!!<br />
I love you so much!!!!<br />
<br />
sister west!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-6456455621364324342011-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:002011-03-25T09:22:42.642-07:00Work Work WorkHello family! i want to start off by answering a few emails, i am sorry i cant respond back to everyone! i can only send the email to mom! Mom... ok yes.. the smells are horrible... hahah honestly, its hysterical but i have gotten used to it... However, you know how i get bus sick?... yes still happens here... cause we are on the bus all the time.. and bus sick plus smells = bad news.. but its ok.. things could be worse! welcome to<br />
russia! haha We actually get transfer calls on friday, this friday yes... so next week i will write you about my new companion cause i will be with her!! My companion this time has been great. she has worked really hard because i cant do much but we have had a lot of fun! she speaks english so we can<br />
communicate just fine! AHHH! my clients!!! to all of you i am sorry i am not there!!!!!!! it is<br />
pretty flattering everybody wants to wait for me! that makes me really happy... hah its only like 13 months now! soooo weird i know... And yes, i have been doing hair here.. not much though cause we have no<br />
time!!! but i love you all sooo much! tell everyone else i love them toO! like ALLLLL THE> FAMILY AND ALLL MY FRIENDS!! I LOVE YOU!<br />
<br />
Ok... my week... On friday we had a new senior couple come, the huffakers and they are so<br />
great! I love them! its great to have senior couples here cause they make the mission... on saturday... we had a relief society birthday party and yes, i was in the choir! hahahahahahaha its so funny cause here, i like HAVE to be cause theres not very many members and we are missionaries! we are like the examples... haha its so funny.. i am truly doing things i never thought i would... hah we all know i cant carry a tune<br />
Sunday we taught one of our investigators the plan of salvation... it was pretty cooll... her name is irina we hope she can progress... Then we met with a family and they fed us dinner... and guess what it was... dad will love htis one... LIVER!!! hahahahah yes... i ate the liver... it was fine except for the fact that it was LIVER and I couldnt get that out of my mind... Then we met with a new family for the first time and it was amazing... one of the first times i actually felt the spirit testify through me... it was a really cool experiece for me cause i know its not me... i know its the lord...<br />
THen on monday... hahah we have been meeting with this family for a little while and just serving them because they are of another faith.. but we felt like as missionaries our job is to teach... so we told them we couldnt meet with them unless we discussed religion.. so this family well, the dad, Sergey, decided that we would discuss one topic a time.. and so we decided on the sabbath day because they think its saturday and we think its sunday..so we planned for a while and had our lesson. and we get to their house and they had a visitor... their Paster... haha and his wips out his computer and we get a 45 minute lecture.. (i say this because he was like yelling at us haha) about how the sabbath is holy and its on saturday... ahah of course its russian.. so i dont understand a thing.. but my companion is getting frustrtated cause he keeps asking her to translate and its really hard words... so just said i understood... anyway.. to make a long story short it<br />
was pointless and he was there to teach us... and he taught completely wrong and the spirit wasnt there.. well.. when time was almost up... i stopped him and just said... "ok.. thanks for your time.... but we didnt come here to only here your side, we thought we came to discuss and thats not what happened...I appreciate to learn more about your beliefs... however, we still know that its on sunday... very interesting though... we must leave we have another appponitment... " haha my companions was shocked at me... because she didnt even think i could say these things and neither did i (because it was russian) but somehow ( by the spirit) i did... and then we left....This taught us a lesson though... it taught us that this gospel.. is true...THat the spirit is real... that we have the truth... Because we truly could feel the difference... i wish i could tell you more... but before we left sister B. Prayed and the mom actually cried.. and i know that they feel the spirit through us.. i know they do.. and i think they know they kinda offended us... so we made a decision we cant meet with them anymore, and we feel that they will soon recognize that they need the true spirit in their<br />
lives...This mission has been such a great experience already... i still cant understand or talk and its hard... studying is hard.. everything is hard. i am tired all the time.. but i know that this is where i need to be. I think<br />
about you guys often and ( not to be rude) but i hope it stops soon, because i feel like once it does, i will be completely immersed in the work like i need to be... I think about the sons of mosiah and how they served for 14 years to "a wild and forercious" people... and sometimes.. i feel like thats russia haha... they people arent nice sometimes and its hard to talk to them when i dont know what they say to me... however, i know that this is where the lord needs me... and i want to be the missionary he knows i can be I had a cool experience.. As we contact... its really hard here because people dont want to meet with you.. so i got discouraged... and i kept praying to father in heaven... "just have someone ask me!!! have someone ask me what i am doing here becaues i cant do this anymore"... (even though i knw that was unfair to him... this is work and i need to talk to people) however, the lord hears our prayers.. i was sitting on a bus... very frustrated cause i knew i needed to tlak to someone but i just couldnt bring myself to do it and it happened... the lady sittnig next to me asked<br />
me about my church... and i wish i could have seen my face.. i was shocked... and it was such a cool experiene to know that he does he our prayers, and he wanted me to know he was there for me... and now i know... i dont know if she will come to church but it was god answering my prayers... I know that as you guys continue to study and prayer and try to become the people god wants you to be that you can recieve answers... i dont remember if i wrote about nephi and the ship last week but read about him in first nephi.. and how we need to build our ships according the The lord and not man.... I promise as we do this we will be happier... Family and friends... Know how much i love my mission... again, i wish you could see me because you would laugh so hard if yuo saw what i have to go through adn the situations i get put into.. but i know that its the lords work and i was called here... hahaha sometimes i just laugh.. like when we were getting taught about sabbath on saturday... i wnated to hard to laugh and i couoldnt... sometimes, when i am walking in snow, and i only hear russian around me... and when people dnt want to talk to me.. i just laugh to myself and think.. god has a sense of humor for sure..hahaha<br />
Well... i love you alll sososososososos much!!! send me dear elder or email<br />
me ok!?!?!?! i love you and i miss you!!!!<br />
remind me to tell you about my companion and the pigeons next week...<br />
hahahaha soooo funnny!!!<br />
FRIENDS! who is engaged anyone??? is eric engaged yet? and ashton!!!! YOU<br />
GET MARRIED SOOOOON! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
>>Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-46321658763974218962011-03-17T09:52:00.000-07:002011-03-17T09:52:24.954-07:002nd week! I survived!ok! so yes.. i survived another week in novosibirsk... haha yes its still cold... and yes... there is still ice on the ground but i think i only fell once this week so that was a success!! I will start off with my week and how it went! Ok so thursday -We met with an inactive lady and she has a son on a mission in moscow and she is great... she just breeds cats and sells them on sunday so she doesnt come to church that often but she came on sunday with her family so that was great!!! but she read my palm at our meeting, and she told me that i was going to have a very strong marriage.. and i said "of course" haha and then she told me that my palm says i should be thrify but im not... hahah i laughed because we all know thats true! talk about a<br />
humbling experience.. someone i dont even know tells me i am not thrifty! and believe me, she didnt see it because of what i looked like that day because i looked like a total wreck.. like everyday here because ask me if i have blow dried or curled or straightened my hair since i have been here..NOPE! haha i havent bought those yet so i just let it air dry and if I REALLY feel like lookin pretty i braid it and then take it out so it has a<br />
wave... hahah its kinda sad i know. Then we went to this other family who are very strong in their faith but we just do service for them and they like coming to english club and having us over... we i have an idea the other day that we could kinda do missionary work... so they know i need help with my language so i asked the grandma to help me read.. .so guess what we read... the lessons! haha so at least we kinda taught the lessons to her and she enjoyed it...<br />
<br />
Friday.. we had meetings but one was at this house with this inactive, and she has the most terrifying dog ever.. its like a lion seriously... and it likes to attack and it was so scary! ok.. and about the dogs here.. there<br />
are like 63675893984 dogs here.. and i hate dogs and they are all nasty and everywhere... they told me that the day before i got here.. she saved a frozen dog... i have yet to see a frozen animal yet but hopefully one day haha... and everybody has cats too.. and its really gross because they live in apartments and they apartments always smell like cat pee.. its really gross... i have smelt smells i never even knew existed... haha its really strange.. and people dont wear deorderant either... its nast... like really.. i cant even talk about it. Then on saturday we have this investigator Irina.. shes great but we have only met with her 2 times.. but she wants us to continue to come so we have a meeting with her tomorrow.. she is progressing but we just never know what will happen. Then we all went ice skating.. well i didnt, because of the knee... so i just stood outside in the -15 degree weather and watched everyone iceskate and took pictures.. haha very very cold but it was fun. It was for our investigators and english club people and lots of people came so it was<br />
fun...Then sunday we went to an active members house for a meeting and they live out in the country.. (we live in the city of novo... and they live like 40 mintues away) and it was beaituful! just snow everywhere and the houses all have gardens and stuff... Way different then the city.. the city is like dirty... but the countryside was way better Then today we went to the Renok... its like a swap meet... or even better.. its like carboard mall in mexico... but russian style... Its like way cool. I needed a bag so we went... and its all the little stands and its seriously JUST like mexico but Frozen... haha snow everywhere! and FUR everywhere!!! hah its so sweet... its funny cause here.. EVERYBODY wears fur... we looked at Shuba's today.. (like the fur coats) and some of them.. the real ones.. are like thousands of dollars.. THOUSANDS... haha i will bring home a fake on...Then the hats here and the gloves and everything! it was so fun to be at therenok today except it was snowing and freezing.. I had my first (i dont know how to write in in english but i will try<br />
bleenee today...forom a stand.. dad should remember from andrew zimmern when> he went to russia.. its like a crepe with meet and stuff.. SOOOOOOO good!<br />
seriously... THe food here is actually really good.. I thought i might lose weight.. i was wrong!!! NOOOOOOO!!! theres just so much bread and yogurt and really yummy stuff... so me and my companion have been trying to eat healthier... Ok.. mom you asked about my companion.. she is amazing seriously. She is russian but from the samara mission... she has been here 7 months and has ONLY served here.. in the city of novosibirsk... You will be interested to know there is only 11 sisters here in our WHOLE<br />
mission.. and we only serve in 3 cities because there isnt enough of us to go around... So i will probably serve with most of the sisters here..anyway... not much more to say about my companion... dad has the pictures right i think she is in a few of them! she is great and helps me out a<br />
ton...THe language is still killer.. its like really hard and people think understand even when i say i dont understand but its ok... i will catch on i> know i will, the lord didnt send me here for no reason. Well... my little spiritual thought i learned during studying this week.. i was reading in first nephi, when nephi was commanded to build a ship and the lord gave him all the tools and Nephi prayed often and the lord showed him the way to build the ship how he should... I Thought about how the lord has commanded us all to build a ship.. i guess we could say the ship of our lives... and he has givin us all the tools.. and as long as we ask.. he will show us the way HE wants us to build it.. i think its in 1 nephi 4.. the<br />
2nd verse maybe when nephi said "it was after the manner of the lord and not after the manner of men"... sometimes.. we build our lives around the world.. and the manner the world and "men" think we should live our lives..and thats not necessarily horrible.. cause you can still build a ship.. and it can float... but if we build it according the the lord... it was be of "exceedingly fine workmanship" and will take us to the promised land... We can be the people the lord wants so we can return to him how he expects... I know that seems crazy... but it kinda hit me because we can live our lives just fine in the world.. but we can live so much better if every decisions is turned towards the lord... ou ship can be WAY better then it would have<br />
been...Ok, i know i am totally a sister missionary but i dont even care anymore.This has already been the time of my life... I know i have changed in ways i never thought i would...has there been hard times already... YES of course! is this easy.. NO! But, i know if i cared about what people thought, or cared about what i just thought.. or gave up... thats not what the Lord wants... We are here to be tested... and to grow from our experiences... i know that i will grow so much more! i just with you all could see what was going through here in russia.. its hysterical! i do things i NEVER thought i would do i see things i NEVER thought i would see... the lord definetly has> a sense of humor i know that! haha<br />
<br />
I LOVE YOU ALL TOO SOOOOO MUCH! be safe and know that the mission is<br />
Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-42265225059112392242011-03-10T08:56:00.000-08:002011-03-10T08:56:09.479-08:00Russia!!ok... so i dont know which email you got... and i am sorry that the pictures didnt work.. when i am done with transfers i will send cds home so you can see at the pictures... ok so to start off my week, it was p day so the sisters decided to go down to the river, it was freezing and i didnt have boots or a jacket yet... and<br />
when i saw river, i mean... ice and snow.. thats all.. the snow was actually up to our thighs so that was pretty funny.. then we went to eat and it was pretty good... potatoes and chicken Then the next day we had my first real day of missionary work.. i had gotten a jacket and new boots so it was a lot warmer! its probably just a little above 0 on warm days and at night it gets below 0.. its ok though because i have enough on so that i am warm...<br />
Ok i will describe siberia a little bit here... hahah you would die if you knew what i was going through here... seriously i cant even tell you how funny it is.. sometimes i just start laughing because its hysterical what i am doing right now. Siberia... its kinda like frozen mexico... like nothing is really that nice... but we are constantly walking on about 2 feet to 4 feet of ice... and you can imagine a girl from arizona... and you can only imagine that i have slipped like 189543076 times.. and one time, on the way to a members house, i fell and my knee was bleeding uncontrolably and she was from armania and had no bandaids.. so she put honey on a piece of paper, and then stuck that on my knee.. it was so strange...its funny though cause women here wear like stilettos, on the ice.. i dont get it... i am in like army boots and can barely walk and these women are walking around in 6 inch heels.. one day i will try it.. maybe in 15 months...There are just little stores and stands everywhere... ice cream stands a lot too.. that one i still cant understand, why ice cream? maybe hot chocolate or something by ice cream? Oh, and the yogurt here is like really good.. i havent tried the milk or<br />
anything cause everything here is like whole milk or like really thick sour cream or the cheese is just whole.. i dont know if that makes sense... the breads are pretty good.. A lady fed us soup and it was really good... we had like pickeled cabbage with onions and carrots or something and that was really good too.. so overall i love the food.. its just different.. its a lot healthier...The sweets here are good too...Oh! i made a cake and cookies.. its different cooking here... its fun though. its good making food.. after being in the mtc for so long.<br />
Hm... what else.. OH! english club! thats so fun!! people come and we get to kinda teach them english! we do that 2 times a week... thats really fun and it helps with my russian too... Well... if you ever think that its bad living in america.. think twice... i have a lot of respect for people who can live here and its great to see a<br />
different country.The people here are different too.. kinda crazy sometimes, we visited this less active woman, she lives in like... not a very nice palace, and she lives with her family so she has all her stuff in one room.. and this room is like.. chuck full of who knows what, and she had like 10 cats living in<br />
there.. and this is kinda how it is in a lot of apartments.. anyways.. she prayed at the end.. and i couldnt really understand a lot of what she said but i know she said amen like 6439604 times in the prayer and my companion said it was a crazy prayer.. it was funny.. i cant explain this life..But, i do love living here and being on a mission. i just know i have to do all i can to be a servant of the lord.. its hard but i can do it hmm.. what else... theres like no really grocery stores here.. there is a huge mall and ikea.. haha its pretty funny its in russian letters... But here, there are cars but the traffic is like crazy.. and nobody really owns cars so they walk and take busses everywhere and let me tell you the buses are another story... everybody crams on these buses and we are like all touching... and sometimes, we have to chase after buses and they will keep the door open for you as you are running and then sometimes they just close the door on you.. which... i had it closed on my bag and arm it was pretty funny...so the buses are just an experience in itself...then the language... hahahah its hysterical cause i try to talk to people, and even when i speak russian, they still dont understand me... so i might as well be speaking english right! haha no... i am trying.. its just a really hard language.. luckily my companion is russian! oh by the way her name is (in english) sister vaselevskia... and she is great, i feel bad that she has to like tug me around and i dont know anything and i dont understand anything.. its quite the adventure here in siberia...The members are great though, the ones that are strong are strong... its just werid to think that i have been a member of the church longer than almost all of the branch... its crazy cause i used to think i didnt know much about the gospel until i came to realize that i know a lot because i have been surrounded by it my whole life.. anyway.. we have a few investigators we are working with... they are kinda<br />
progressing... the work is hard here.. nobody knows about the gospel and nobody really cares to know.. thats why as missionaries we have to speak to everyone.. it sjust hard cause i dont really know the language but its ok.. the lord is blessing me i know... Ive come to realize that no matter where you live or who are you or what language you speak, we are all gods children, and they all need this gospel as much as we do... and i am no better than anyone.. god loves us all equally.. Its funny though cause being an american you get some stares... when i speak> english people just look at me... one guy even when he was leaving the bus said "your a good girl "in english and then another guy gave me flowers... its just funny cause americans dont really visit siberia... Well... i cant really write that long... just know that i love you and i miss you and i hope everything is ok...<br />
OH!! and let people know that my email address is kaitlin.west@myldsmail.net... i think i wrote it wrong last time!!!! so please send that out!!!! tell everyone i love them... tell jess i hope the kids are great... tell<br />
grandpa i am so happy for him! tell dad the food is awesome!!! and tell ach and grandma and all the rest of the family i love them and that siberia isnt> as bad as people make it out to be... i think i will grow to love it a lot!!<br />
<br />
It has made me really grateful for what i have.. there arent really homes here.. just apartments and the nice apartments are the nicest... so its quite a change... i am enjoying it here and i know this will be an adventure<br />
of a lifetime...if you have any questions just ask me! i love you so much!!!! Ok i got to go.. love you love you love you! send this on and email me next week on monday or tuesday ok!!!!!! cause i get them that day!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-8993964950842392182011-03-06T07:03:00.000-08:002011-03-06T07:03:12.171-08:00I made It!!O yes, i am here in Novisibirsk and i made it all the way! i guess i will start off with my trip because its been a LONG 2 days! ok so first of all...i left the MTC 5 monday morning and i didnt arrive in novosibirsk untill 5<br />
this morning.... i got on a flight to new york and then straight to moscow after that... that flight went really well.. it as so funny.. the second I was checking into my flight for moscow... I had these overwhelming feelings<br />
like "ok... you can go now if you want.. you dont have to go to moscow if you are going to leave do it now... you are crazy what are you doing.. you cant even understand anyone... " haha but then again i had the same feelings like "this is the best thing you could be doing right now, you get on that plane and have the best mission of your life... you will do great... this is what the lord wants..." so it was 2 very mixing emotions... well i got on that flight and i sat down and was laughing and crying.. crying at the fact that i wuould be in russia living.. for the next 15 month, and then laughing because i didnt understand a word anyone was saying to be.. this guy was talking to me on the flight and i just kept saying da and sorry... hahah he<br />
was like dying laughing.. finally i said in russian... "i dont understand"haha it was comical... well the 10 hour flight went well and i landed and a missionary elder lady sister Budd and a lady sister stapley who her husnband workds for the church came and picked me up and we got in the car to go to moscow to get a second passport... ok.. let me just tell you that russian drivers are crazy... it doesnt help that i get car sick too and the two ladies i was sitting in between wouldnt stop talking which is fine but at this point, we were in a car for 2 1/2 hours and i was getting car sick and then BAM.. our driver hits someone... haha luckily they just walked away from it but it was then another 2 hours to the embassy cause of traffic and i was about the ralph... but after hours of almost hitting multiple cars and wall.. we made it to the embassy, i got a second passport and then we went to lunch. The women took me to an american restaurant so it was really<br />
good... then back in the crazy car again and this time back to sister stapleys house where i got t call you mom and then i slept woke up and back in the crazy car again... thinking i could possibly die at this point (not<br />
really but it was kinda scary haha) and then off to my flight to novosibirsk... ok so i get to the airport and i got there like 5 hours early so i checked in payed for my baggage and was just sitting in the terminal...<br />
scared and tired and about ready to cry when i heard a man speaking english with hs little girl.. he then turned around and saw my scriptures and was like "that looks like a quad" i then showed him my nametage and he was like " a sister missionary!" i about started crying because i felt like there was a little piece of home there... him and his wife actually work in novosibirsk and are memebers of the church and they were flying with me.. so from then on they helped me and we actually got picked up together... so we landed and 2 missionaries and president trejo were there to pick me up this morning... and he said "sister west... we usually have you come to our home and sleep and get ready but i have a conference so we cant so you are going<br />
to jump right into your companionship.. so here i am, i am in novisibirk on the west bank i believe is waht they say... and i cant say my companions name so i would butcher it but i am pretty sure i will be able to tell you next week... haha and they let me shower and sleep and i guess we are going to a beach today for p day... i am still with another sister, sister clark who was at the MTC with me she just left 6 weeks before me... so she has been here to help me out but with leave to her area today... so ya.... thats about all thats going on! i cant believe i am actually here.. i am in russia... living for a long time.. i still feel like i am dreaming but it<br />
will be great! oh! hahahaha i totally biffed it sooooo hard today and completely banged up my other knee... i know that i will be falling a ton more because i almost fell walking in here too.. its going to be very<br />
interesting...i get to go shopping today for boots and a jacket and i am excited.. its about -10 here ... so kinda cold not that bad though!haha it will start warming up... other than that next weeks email should be better!!! you can all send me emails! that would be great!!!<br />
Anyway... keep me updated on everything thats going on!! love you sooo much.Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-1987693673385730422011-02-22T10:41:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:41:52.348-08:00Going Strong!Hello! so i just send another email... i am not sure if it send last week or not... but this is the one from this week! its february 22nd! so HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!! what is it? 26 now? or is it 27?? you are old!! haha i hope you got the card i sent!!! well a few things to start off with<br />
JESSICA!!! ahhhhh you had him! i dont even know his name yet! i want pictures!! i am sooo happy for you! 4 boys now.. wow... how are the kids doing hows rock doing with the new baby? thats so awesome i am so happy for you! i told everyone when mom send me an email! and he has hair like rock! ahhh i want to see a picture so hurry!<br />
Cause... guess what!!!!! I THINK I GET TO LEAVE SOON!!!!! i had my doctors appointment last wednesday and he cleared me to go but me and the physical therapist decided on another week just to make sure... so i meet with them tomorrow and if everything is a go ahead, i meet with the district president and he gives me the go ahead and i get my flight plans asap!! yay! i am soooo excited!! so seriously... phones are on you guys this week for sure cause i get to call you! and yes... i do travel alone... but thats ok! i will make it i promise..Well.. I heard about the baby and i heard about grandpa asking about his obligations after baptism this week... wow... i was shocked honestly... i am so happy! and grandma and grandpa.. be by the phone too cause i will call you too!!<br />
then i can hear all about it! Thanks grandma for always sending me dear elders too! i love to hear from you and the events that have happened in the week! you would love it out here on a mission too... it really is amazing...and i always tell people about my amazing grandma!! Well... a few things that have happened... so everyone left... like all of my fellow missionaries here that came in with me so its been super crazy...<br />
i have a new companion now and her name is sister little... shes awesome its just been weird because she is used to being in a three some companionship and i felt bad taking her away from her other companions when she will just join them again... but its ok... we have worked it out and its gotten better over these past few days... shes awesome and we have gotten a lot done being companions... I am also in a new district so its kinda funny.... they are just the missionaries who came in 6 week behind me so its fun to review everything we have done and to make new friends. Their district is hilarious so its kept me busy and not so MTC trunky... even though i am going stir crazy being here! but its ok....<br />
Other than that its just been an adjustment being here and changing schedules and teachers and everything, but its been really good... I feel like i have grown a lot and it wasnt that bad staying here... Hmm... other than that i dont know much that has happened.... Oh! i gave a talk in church... we call it the russian roulette because they dont tell you you have to speak, they just call you up and you have to give your talk in russian... (this is just in our branch so like 4 districts) so yes.... because i was the older missionary i gave a talk.. it was awesome though because the last part was my testimony and i didnt have it planned I just bore my testimony in russian... (not like im am good at the language by any means at all... ) but i know that the lord will help you out the second you need it... It made me really excited to go to russia... even though i wont know the language, i know the lord will help me out and bless me when i need to preach to his children. I dont have much to say but i will tell you all this.... This is such an amazing work... We had a fireside on sunday and it was a musical kinda fireside and at the end, one of the MTC Counselors and his wife had us sing Called to serve... but we pretended to be the 2000 stripling warriors (i know sounds really missionary esk..) but seriously... we started off really quiet as if we were marching from far away and it just got louder and louder and i know i am not describing this very well at all... but picture yourself in an room, with 2500 missionaries, all anxious and excited... all ready to be instruments in the hands of the lord... all singing called to serve... each of us in the room was called to serve at a certain time, to a certain place by god... We are all needed somewhere and i know, whether they all admit it or not, every person felt amazing that night... It was amazing to feel so humbled at the very moment.. to realize the greatness of my calling, and realize what i have so readily at my fingertips right now. I am a servant of my heavenly father, and if i am willing, and worthy, i can perfom his work... Its honestly hard for me to fathom... i know this is funny that it has hit me this strong just now... but really... i could be in no better palce right now then i am. I only have 15 months left and its sad to say but i am scared to have it end... This time in my life will only come once... i can only go on this specific mission one time in my life... and its right now. Its when the lord needs me... and i know that better than ever... So i want you to know how much i am grateful for the support you have shown me... every single one of you. I know that its different trials right now for you than it is for me... and i hope its now hard having me gone, because you should know that i couldnt be in better hands than i am right now... The Lord is looking out for me and i know it.. . I feel it every single minute every second that i am out here... and i know he is doing the same for you... I love this church and i love this gospel... I love my savior and the fact that i can call on him anytime, any where... i love every second of what i am doing... the hard times and the good times.. and i know that the hard times always turn out the be the best... so i love you all soooo much! and be ready.. hopefully i will be calling you all sooooo soooon!!! i love you and i will try to send one last letter!!<br />
<br />
I love you alll soooo much! i will see you in 15 months! be good and i want announcements if any come about!!!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-81469983590515137662011-02-19T16:25:00.000-08:002011-02-20T07:04:33.049-08:00I made it to Russia....NOTHello, from the MTC!<br />
Yes, i am still here... everything was fine and dandy and my branch president said i could go but then, i had a doctors appointment last wednesday and he said NO WAY!.. he said at the least 2 more weeks... so here<br />
i am.. just trudging along. Its ok though, to be honest i kinda had a bit of a spiritual moment when I was so frustrated that i couldnt go that I cried and i just felt like I couldnt go on and that there was no reason so keep me here but then, a thought clear as day that said "i need you 100%", not 90, not 80, but100%... and after that its been ok that i have to stay here... i mean, whats 14 weeks in the MTC right? haha and who can say that theyve had an MTC experience like mine... i mean, i got a good little weekend get away i got to see some of my family and friends and go shopping and cafe rio... so i feel the lord is letting me make up that time right now haha... So in other words, i am good...And when i do get to leave they will get my travel plans and have me on a plane 2 days after that so i am not sure if you would find out but ALWAYS have your phones on you for the next 2 weeks! cause i do get to call you all!<br />
<br />
Well.. other than that... EVERYBODY left me today and yesterday. My companion and 3 other girls in my room left on monday morning so they are probably out freezing their little tushes off... and so it was me and sister francom here yesterday... We actually got cafe rio... (shhhhh).... but you know, i have the connections here. And mom, dont worry about the money on my card for cafe rio i got that back from my elders and sister francom... But yesterday was a crazy day as will today be a crazy day. We just have been trying to finish errands for the other sisters and then clean up our rooms... i have to move to another building with the other sisters and my companion for a couple weeks will be sister little... I am excited and also a little sad because i miss my district... we got to be such good friends because we spent like ALL day together everyday for 11 weeks... and i saw these amazing missionaries grow into completely different people. I know<br />
that these will be friends i have forever. We were meant to be together i can feel gods hand in placing us all together. Its amazing the friendships ive made with them and the growth i have seen in each of them. Its been<br />
quite the experience here... So it was really sad this morning to say goodbye to EVERYONE. all of my elders left this morning and I was crying and they were on the verge of tears... they all said "thanks mom for everything" (because basically i told them what to do because i am that rude i know) but i know that they will be good missionaries and it was hard to see them leave... so ya... thats about it... I am still here and just waiting to get to russia... i have another companion today, sister carmack and she leaves tomorrow so we will just be running and doing some more errands today...I havent slept in 2 days because of getting missionaries out and cause i am sick so its going to be an interesting week... changes changes changes, but my teacher told me a good piece of advice.. "no matter how hard things seem, the best is yet to come" and thats will all life! its so true and i am excited to see whats in store for me next.<br />
<br />
Well.. the knee update.. Its still the biggest thing i have every seen and thats what my physical therapist said.,.. that he just wants to swelling to go down and i have to be able to walk and go up tons of stairs. My mission president actually called and said he didnt want me until I could walk 5 miles and walk up 5 flights of stairs so i am working on it. Actually i walk with just a tiny bit of a limp, half the time you cant notice it and i am walking up and down stairs all the time. SO i am surprised how well i am progressing... i actually meet with my surgoen tomorrow and the physical therapist at the same time so they will see whats up. I would be shocked and super excited if i could leave next week cause even my therapist says i am mproving better then he thought i would so pray for me! if not i am guessing just ONE more week.. and i can do that i know i can!! So all in all... i am really grateful for this experience i have had. Its a blessing to have one normal knee now and its a blessing i got this surgery done... My little thought is that i can see the lords hand in this work today. Even when it seems hard he is there every step guiding what we do. And if i can even take a little bit of christs attitude "not my will but thine will be done" (i think thats matt 26:39) than i can become the person i am supposed to become. I have such an amazing calling right now that i get to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord 24/7... is it a terrifying thing... yes... do i feel completely inadaquate.. yes.... but its an amazing feeling<br />
that he trusts me that much with his sons and daughters that he called me to work as his hands... How excited i am to be a missionary right now. Its an amazing calling and i owe him my life for letting me do this. I am so excited to bring his sons and daughters, my brothers and sisters unto christ... Its hard to even put it into words... Just know that i love this church and gospel. I know that its true... all of it. Every single piece of it. So dont ever EVER take it for granted...I love you and I am so grateful for your support. PLEASE send me letters or Dear elders this week,... i am so lonely without my friends! love you!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-3199779664164949772011-02-09T07:56:00.000-08:002011-02-09T07:56:21.767-08:00Im kinda making it.... haha Hello family! kinda weird that i was seding you a message now.. since I basically talked to you yesterday! I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me... and sorry if i was being weird over the weekend... it was just hard being home and knowing that i was going to have to say goodbye all over again.. i promise i am not that weird... its just wasnt the best having to leave again... Other than that thanks to everyone who came and visited me... it was really fun to see everyone and know that I still have friends! haha<br />
Mom, thanks again for coming... sorry if it wasnt the trip you were looking for but i really was appreciative that you came. It helped a lot having you ther. By the way, my package came yesterday! so i was super excited. thanks again for sending it i am happy i feel like i have everything.<br />
Jess, thanks for being there too... it was great to be there with your family.. I know the weekend was crazy but it was great to have your help too. I really couldnt imagine being at the MTC during that... Im glad I got a little break<br />
<br />
Well.. yesterday i had my physical therapy and the doctor is going to try to get me to leave on monday. President Harrison kept my travel plans so as of now i do get to leave monday, but its all up to My surgeon and the other doctor here... Im going to talk to My surgeon tomorrow and see what he says.... And if he gives me the go ahead then i will be ok to go... But im not sure he will... we will see... Honestly, as much as i want to get out of here, i know if my knee isnt feeling better than it is now then i wont let myself leave on monday... THe lord wouldnt want me out there when i am not back to normal. So pray that my knee feels better by monday. A lot of whats hurting is beacuse its still swolen and because its just really sore... My quad hurts a lot so we will see how much better it will get...I think i will be able to keep you guys in the know though... It will be obvious when i dont call on monday that i havent left... So the plan is we leave salt lake at 830... and then we fly to new york... I wont be able to call from new york cause we dont have a long delay... we are literally running from one flight to the other...<br />
Then we fly from new york to moscow and in moscow we have a 12 hour delay... 12 hours! can you believe that!! i dont know if i will be able to call you from moscow either we will see... Then from Moscow we fly to Novosibirsk,...So all in all ... we have 3 days traveling.. and depending on where we are serving in novosibirsk.. we could have another 3 days! kinda crazy i know...<br />
<br />
So if i dont call you then that means that i didnt leave monday and be expecting an email tuesday i guess.....<br />
<br />
Well... the past two days have been pretty hard though.. its a lot of slow walking and i have been really tired.... I think my body gets really exhausted so i hope that stops soon... I had to take a nap yesterday and its pday so i wil probably sleep today too... Hmm.. other than that not much new has happened since you saw or talked to me haha<br />
<br />
Oh! Brooke! i am going to send a box of all my extra stuff to you and i will put jessicas number in the box! if you can call her when you get it thatwould be great!!! then she can come get it oooor... i know sometimes kylie goes up there so she can come get it from you when she goes to do their hair! and ps... thanks for doing my boots for me i really appreciate it!oh! and ps... to all my wonderful friends! thanks so much for coming to see me... Happy birthday again Kristin! i couldnt remember if i had told you but i hope i did! so happy Birthday! i hope your 21st was great!!! and ash.. i realized that i didnt write your name in my last email but i did realize right after and i am soooo sorry!! i love you sooo much! thanks for coming by!<br />
<br />
And all my other friends! i love yousooo much! so great talking to you or seeing you!!!!!! You guys are so great! and if i was boring i am sorry i wasstill a missionary it was weird hahaha<br />
<br />
Family... great to talk to you too..now i will be able to see you in just 15 months! kinda crazy huh! doesnt seem long at all!<br />
\<br />
Ok well to everyone! you can still send me dear elders to Russia i think it is free! and you can all send me emails!! My email address is <a href="mailto:kaitlin.west@myldsmail.net">kaitlin.west@myldsmail.net</a> i might not be able to email you back but i will try the best i can!!! and mail... just know it takes like 21437895438932 days to get to russia and i only get mail every 2 months! but if you send mail just know i would love it!!!!<br />
<br />
Other than that i dont think i have anything else to say! Just know how much i love my mission and how much i know that god has a hand in everything... I trust the lord with all my heart right now and i know that if i do his will, i will be granted success... I love this church and what it stands for...Sometimes things get hard and we get down on ourselves.. i know that today i have been really frustrated cause i cant really walk but honestly, i know that the lord has a plan and i just need to trust him cause he knows what hes doing better than i know what im doing....I know i am supposed to be out here and thats all that matters... if i get to russia a week or two later thats ok... its just all part of the big plan. In the scheme of this, this life is just like a blink of an eye anyway... theres so much more to this life than our mortal lives... so in the big pictures... 2 extra weeks is nothing! i will still go serve an honorable mission and teach the people of russia i need to teach... I lovethis work and i am so grateful that i am a missionary... I have a lot to work on but i know as i strive to do my best that i can be the person i am meant to be. I will still make mistakes but thats what the atonement is for right? Christ suffered for each one of us so that we could make mistakes and so we could correct them... I am so happy to be a part of this church...<br />
<br />
I love you all so much and thanks again for helping me out this weekend! i really needed it and i appreciate it... and again, sorry if i was weird... it was just a different experience for me... I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!!!<br />
<br />
llove- cectpa bectAmy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-84679844928498623252011-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:002011-02-02T10:43:08.201-08:00The Lord is the best teacher there is! FAMILY and FRIENDS!!!<br />
Mom and jess.. it was so great to talk to you yesterday... weird though and not exactly what i wanted to be calling you about but its ok... everything will be ok! i will fill everyone in on this email so they know kinda whats going on..<br />
It was like 2 weeks ago that my knee started to really hurt but i didnt think anything about it right? cause i have retarded knees anyway.... and dumb me, for like the first week i continued to run and play volleyball on<br />
it for like a week, then like i said last email i decided to go to the docter... and he was (i think) thinking i was a baby and just was complaining so he set up am MRI just in case but then was going to send me to phyiscal therapy.... well the results came back and yes.. My meniscus was torn... i was honestly soooo sad... but To make a long story short... i saw the surgeon yesterday and he asked me how my knee felt... and i was like<br />
"well it hurts here" and he was like "really? cause you tore your meniscus on the other side?" so now they are worried about my dumb knee problem and that i cant hack it in russia... so thats why they had me call you mom.. i think they thought you would advise me to not go.. but thats not the case...<br />
I told the doctor that we are doing surgery and i AM going to russia... so thats the plan as of now... Surgery Thursday and then i will go to jessicas... By the way mom are you coming???? I would love if you did, then<br />
poor 9 month pregnant Jess wont have to be taking care of some missionary...And then yes... i am stuck at the MTC for another 4 WEEKS!! ahhh haha i know my life is crazy.. its ok though cause i have come to a few najor conclusions... being a missionary each and every experience you have whether good or bad can be turned into the best thing for you.... When i found out i had to get surgery... i was really dissappointed<br />
actually.. to be honest i am SO ready to leave the MTC... 10 weeks here is enough... But as i was sitting moping over this dumb thing, we were reading in Alma 26,When ammon was saying how great the Lord is and how amazing it is to be instruments in the hands of the Lord (alma 26 vs. 12- i do not boast<br />
of my own strength) And it kinda hit me that god is everything, and i knowthat these sons of mosiah went through wayyyy more than i have ever gone through.. it says in alma (the chapter isnt coming to mind right now) that they were spit on and hit and everything you can imagine... and in 17, they<br />
had to go preach to the lamanites who were as it says a Ferocious people... so honnestly they're missions were crazy and it kinda put mine into perspective to me... but then we read alma 26:27... and it says "Now when our hearts were depressed and we were about to turn back" now... when I found out i had to get surgery and then stay here and then when the doctor tells me to go home... you can imagine how i am feeling.. of course it would be easy to come home... i have an easy out right? but now.. i kept reading<br />
and it said "the Lord comforted us and said ... Bear thine afflictions with patience"... bear thine afflictions with patience... so right then i had this overwhelming feeling that yes.. i can do this.. i am nothing compared<br />
to the sons of mosiah and they made it through.. The the last part of the verse "I will give unto you success"... Even though hard times come and even though i have days where i just want to go.. i know that if i have patience and rely on the lord for EVERYTHING.. he will grant unto me success... i will have a good mission... I know I am supposed to be out here.. even though with everything that has happened.. i feel like there has been sooo many little things that keep coming up either before i came or here in the<br />
MTC that have tried to stop me from going... but i am supposed to be here... I have a calling from God signed by the prophet... i can do this... Its kinda funny though how great of a teacher christ and our heavenly father are.. i mean, how great of a blessing it is to get this surgery for free right?? but the lord is teaching me a very vaulable lesson with that blessing... Thats why he is the best teacher there is...<br />
I hope that made sense... its crazy being on a mission...I make this out to be a big deal but at least i dont have cancer and at least i can still go on a mission.. people have WAY bigger problems then just a dumb knee.. and i will get to russia i just know it!Well family... thank you so much for all your letters! i love getting<br />
letters from my family... grandma and grandpa are getting letters soon and did we get that letter to grandma west?<br />
And mom.. let me know if you can come ASAP! i would love that... and ps... i didnt get that package yet? maybe check to see if it got lost i know its been 2 weeks since you have sent it? i really hope it didnt get lost...<br />
> and i was wondering.. i know we have some of grandpas old ties... i dont know if dad wants to keep them but i thought it would be cool to give someto some of the elders here... they LOVE old ties and how awesome would it be to have his ties on missions? if dad doesnt want to then thats ok but if so<br />
you can just bring them if you come to utah soon! RACHEL! I am so happy you are moving out! that sounds like a good plan and at least its still close. I bet you will still be at the house a ton and<br />
that way you can just drop gainer off with dad! Jess! baby soon? sooo crazy! i will still be in utah when you have it! haha<br />
Well.... Friends... By the way Ali and madison! i got your Dear ELders... you send them to RUSSIA! hah so i got a letter from my mission pres. and he sent them with me so thank you!! and i hope maddy gets emails? amy if she<br />
does can you send them to her? and ali!!! I LOVED THE PACKAGE! you are the best!!! oh! and what building does jordan and greg work in?? what floor and room number i want to see them!!!<br />
Courtney and chan! i got your package i loved it!! the candy is all gone cause i am a fat piece of lard... haha did you get my package court? haha ps i send that before i got the package from you guys!<br />
Amy brooke kristin leyla telicia everyone! thanks so much for writing me! if i havent sent you a letter back you should be getting one!!! I am sorry this is so random... I just want everyone to know that i love you guys so much! and i feel like i want you guys to know how much i love this church and i love this work..<br />
there is no greater thing we can do in this life then do the work our father in heaven wants us to do and to strive to become like christ in every aspect. I promise, as you strive to emulate him in every where, your life<br />
will be exactly where it should be. The Lord knows the way for us and if we are worthy to recieve the revelation from him to do the things he needs and wants us to do... how great will be our lives?? honestly.. being on a mission puts life into perspective in sooo many ways... i love being here<br />
and i love everything i have learned here! THe mission is great!!!!!<br />
\<br />
Know i love you all and i love where i am! i hope this email finds everyone<br />
in good health! if not let me know.... the lord is on my side haha! i love<br />
you and look forward to hearing from you (or seeing you soon in jess and<br />
moms case)> Love you and i will write next week!!Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-3359823350818610382011-01-27T08:40:00.000-08:002011-01-27T08:40:31.330-08:003 More Weeks!HELLO!!!!<br />
Can you believe that time is flying by so fast! i only have 3 more weeks<br />
here at the MTC!! i cant believe i have almost been here for 3 months.. it<br />
kinda freaks me out. I dont have my travel plans yet... i get them probably<br />
next week sometime so right when i get them i will let you know as soon as i<br />
can!<br />
Well... everything is pretty much the same here at the MTC... like i said<br />
last time we got to take the Native russians around when they got here.<br />
There are 2 sisters and 4 elders and they are all sooooo funny! They come to<br />
this MTC cause this is where the russian speakers come i guess? i am not<br />
sure. It was actually really cool today we got to go through with 2 of the<br />
elders to take their endowments out. Its quite an amazing experience to be<br />
there with them. We try to talk to them all the time an its hysterical cause<br />
they just laugh at our horrible russian haha. And sometimes, they just start<br />
speaking russian at us and we just sit there and i am always like "you KNOW<br />
i dont know what you are saying" and they just laugh cause they all know<br />
really good english.<br />
Oh! we start speaking russian 24/7 tomrorow.... yes for 3 weeks we cannot<br />
speak any english here... that... should be interesting... haha Its actually<br />
physically draining trying to speak Russian all day...<br />
Well hmm.. sorry my thoughts arent all gathered yet and nothing much has<br />
happened so i am just going to start answering questions... i am going to<br />
send actually letters to every who wrote me today anyway so maybe this email<br />
shouldnt go out this week..<br />
Mom... i only got your first email i dont know if you sent another one but<br />
this one had questions on it? well to answer them...<br />
And any kind of phone card i guess... i dont know how to use on anyway...<br />
just one i can just on a pay phone probably?<br />
And NO black and white shirt?? are you sure it wasnt there? haha oh well i<br />
guess.. thanks for sending that package i appreciate it alot! did you send<br />
it by the way?? like is it on its way here?<br />
<br />
Grandma! I am soooo happy grandpa went to church again! tell him if he has<br />
any questions to ask me or the missionaries! i am soooo excited about this<br />
you have no idea... oh<br />
and about the family... Remember the question i asked in my other email<br />
about them not wanting to join? i dont know.. maybe they could send me an<br />
email or something... just cause i think if i can understand their concerns<br />
it will help me alot in russia. and grandma.. chelsea i know got the temple<br />
bag for her mom i am not sure if she got the other ones.. but she got the<br />
white one! so thanks soo much! and thanks for the bars and hats that are on<br />
their way!! and i am going to send you and grandpa letters soon too!<br />
<br />
Dad... NO haircut yet? i am sooo sorry! wish i could be there.... 16 more<br />
months and i will be there to cut your hair. oh... and you make me want good<br />
food everytime you tell me you ate chicken wings or something! not fair!<br />
<br />
Rach.... how are ya doing? is gainer reading the BOM? did you get my last<br />
letter? hows ned? maybe not in the picture anymore? haha i dont know<br />
<br />
Jess... Thanks soooo much for the pictures!!!! i loved them soo much!!!<br />
haha especially the one of you and sam that said "we look so hot" hahahah<br />
that was so funny!<br />
OH AND WHAT THE HECK! you guys were actually IN the MTC!!!!! i was freaking<br />
out when i saw those pictures!! i didnt know you went inside!!! i wish i<br />
could have seen you!! and i am so happy the kids are reading too!<br />
<br />
By the way fam... how is EVERYONE doing on Reading the book of mormon and<br />
going to the temple?? Mom dad rachel??? if i have to be doing this 24/7 you<br />
guys can do a little too hahah keep me updated<br />
<br />
Tell the rest of the fam i say hi... like everyone! jamie jackie tami jeff<br />
ruth jerry will eliza brenner grandpa sam and alll the kids! i miss everyone<br />
so much but i know this is where i need to be!<br />
<br />
Well family... just know that i love you so much and i love my mission. Its<br />
super hard but i am so happy i am here...I have learned so much through<br />
prayer and scriptures already that I cant even believe it.... The scriptures<br />
actually make sense now... its kinda crazy.. and they gospel has been<br />
simplified for me so well that i feel i can understand and teach it... Maybe<br />
not in russian... but i am catching on..<br />
Im sorry this is so random but i dont have much to say this week. I love you<br />
guys a lot and am so thankful for your support... Everyone! I love your Dear<br />
Elders so much! So i will try to have a more interesting email next week k?<br />
i am sending a few pictures home and right when i am about to leave i will<br />
send cds again so you can see all of them. and mom you are saving the cds<br />
so i can delete my pictures right?<br />
all of my friends wrote me this week so they will all get letters from me too...<br />
<br />
Oh! and by the way... when i leave i can send boxes to provo for free.. so<br />
when i send things home i might send them to my friends and then jess...<br />
maybe you can pick them up? i dont know we can figure that out for sure next<br />
week...<br />
Oh mom.. one more thing.. I actually i got all the letters<br />
from the young women and stuff so i will send a letter to them. I appreciate<br />
it.. But alsooo...<br />
if you can tell me my balance in my account? and i might need maybe like<br />
$100 more dollars put in there when i actually fly to russia for luggage and<br />
stuff... i just know know exactly how much money i am going to need and i<br />
dont have that much cash on me... plus right when i get there i buy all my<br />
stuff so i might need some cash. Just let me know about my account at wells<br />
fargo... i left you the info so if you could check that. and also... what<br />
happened to my chase bank one?? did we cancel that? OH! and another thing...<br />
talk to wells fargo and let them know i am going to russia.. cause a lot of<br />
times they have to know i am in russia or they will close the account once i<br />
use it there... thats another thing...<br />
Sorry theres sooo much! but ok... i will write you guys better letters...<br />
like real letters... when i have time. Tell grace i am sending her a letter!<br />
oh! did she get her birthday card too? oh! i want pictures of baby savannah<br />
too!!<br />
hah ok sorry I ask for wayyy to much! but ok... i love you guys soooo much!<br />
and send me phone numbers too ok? like jess rach dad grandma cause i can<br />
call everyone when i am at the airport!! that would be great!! LOVE YOU<br />
SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!! i will keep you updated better next time..Amy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084430761448572945.post-42849932353854715912011-01-18T08:43:00.000-08:002011-01-18T08:43:04.455-08:00Love YouHELLO!!!!FROM THE MTC!!<br />
Well, not much has happened this week... just the same old same old... we are starting to do a lot more in russian... we taught for the first time in russian on wednesday and all our meals we now are speaking in just<br />
russian... we realized that you can say a lot with just a few words. hahah I think its going to be so funny when i actually get to russia and i cant say anything except "i know that God lives and we are his children" haha no no i know more than that but they will answer me and i will have NO idea what they are saying... our teachers speak russian to us but they know we are basically incompitent and so they speak super slow...<br />
Funny story though.. they other day i was sitting there in study time and I was reading out of the book of mormon in russian... and i thought "what? never in my life did i ever think i would be reading out of a russian book of mormon..." haha no, i could not understand it all, but it was just soooo funny... its kinda crazy where life takes you i guess... Oh, i guess another thing is that me and my companion, sister trottier were made the coordinating sisters.. nothing too cool we just get to welcome all the new sisters when they come in tomorrow! i cant believe it, we are now what they call "the older districts"... i know sounds weird, but we had two districts that reported 6 weeks before us speaking russian and now, that us... i cant believe ive been here 6 weeks... my 7th week starts tomorrow...mom, you said that its gone slow but also fast.. i hear ya.. honestly, the days here feel like weeks and the weeks days.. its the craziest feeling ever!!! But ya, so being coordinating sisters will be super fun for us because it kinda breaks up our schedules for the next few days and lets us<br />
takes them on tours and stuff...so i am sooo excited.<br />
<br />
Well thanks for the letters!!! seriously they help so much... i know it sounds so cliche that a missionary loves getting letters, but its sooo true... its like the only thing that is a surprise to us!! EXCEPT... we ate at the temple today and it was sooooooooo good! REAL food! and i know ive been complaining about the food here, i would still like some bars but i got it covered... so basically... in the morning i eat hard boiled eggs... ew i know but it gives me protein then for lunch and dinner i will have veggies and friut and maybe some soup or cereal.... ive kinda gone on a vegitarian diet.. which is ok i gues.. then when night comes we all just like binge on candy and junk food which is horrible!! thats probably why im getting huge here! haha thats why i dont want any candy! and im partially surviving cause the girls in the barbershop bought me diet coke... hahahaha yes... ONLY cause it gives me energy... i dont even drink one a day and if i do drink> its just one... which is fun... i can still live without it..<br />
<br />
Well it sounds like everything is going good! tell katie congrats on her baby please! i dont have her address or else i would have sent her something! (well a card at least) and please send pics!! of her baby and of<br />
christmas...it sounds like everything is going great at everyones houses! grandma got a haircut? haha i hope it went well! and GRANDPA WENT TO CHURCH! haha thats soooooo awesome! i would love to hear what he thought about it... also i have another kinda weird request... so being out here in the mission, and having to figure out peoples concerns about the church and what keeps them from believing or even being interested... its really hard.. and i know without a doubt we have an answer to everyones problems or concerns... but i would love to hear from the family.. like grandpa and jeff and jerry and Tami... not why they havent joined cause honestly,im not trying to convert them.. but they reasons for not being interested or the doubts they have....as my family i would love to know where they are coming from.. i know i am going to be confronted with problems daily out in the field and to just hear from the people closest to me why they dont accept the church or what they questions they have concerning the gospel would actually be a really big<br />
help... I know that could be slightly awkward and i feel bad asking that,but i think as a missionary it would help me better understand my purpose and help me once i get to russia... so if its at all possible... maybe they<br />
could send me a letter or an email about the questions and concerns and reasonings for their decisions... its can be as simple as "we have a religion already" but some of me thinks that they might have some<br />
questions... i know again.. super weird but ive been thinking about that a lot lately... Oh! and tell everyone i say hello! i hope jamie is doing well in school jackie isnt back with marcus hahaha... tell her to stick to the<br />
normal boys! tell tami jeff ruth jerry eliza will and brenner hey! i hope they are all doing well....<br />
Dad, make sure you tell grandma west i love her too! and maybe you could get her address? i dont know if she gets mail.. or maybe if i send a letter home for you to give her that would be great.... i would love that.<br />
Mom and jess... tell the boys to keep reading the book of mormon! the part where Nephi cuts of labans head is pretty sweet... theres a part where i think ammon? cuts off the arms of a bunch of people in like alma 17 that would be fun for them to read too haha... they you can always go to 3rd nephi where christ wants all the little children to come forth and he> blesses them... they would probably like to here that part too...<br />
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Ok sorry this is so random! i never have any time to think about things...but i just want to say again i love you guys and they support you give me. i appreciate it more than you know... i know that i am supposed to be hereat this point in my life right now... honestly... i have learned more in 6 weeks than i could have possibly imagined... i have a LONG way to go i know that but i can say without a doubt in my mind that this church is true and i couldnt be doing any better work right now. Yes, its super hard... honestly i cant say this enough, its the hardest thing i have ever done... but i know the blessings that will come along the way are for eternity. This mission will change my life forever and it already has... I love this work and the message we get to share. I love knowing i get to bring people to come to know their christ... they one and only person who could save them. He is everything... If you guys want... 3rd nephi 11 talks about when christ came to the people in the americas and its a pretty powerful chapter. Its kinda crazy that Isaiah prophesied that christ would go to the other sheep.. which were not of the same fold.. and that chapter is that being fulfilled. So<br />
just a side note... ALSO i hope you guys are trying to read and also go to the temple... even if<br />
it is just initiatory... they work we do in the temple is amazing and what better way to prepare us for the millenium.. thats ALL we are going to be doing hahah so i encourage you to do that... let me know how its going! I love you sooo much! WRITE ME SOOOOOOOOOON! i will write a letter in<br />
russian soonAmy Assantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07038099335342199043noreply@blogger.com0