FAMILY!!!! helloooo!!! thanks for your emails!! i am going to start writing
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
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,
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!!!
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
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
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
right back to work!so all in all.. finland was amazing! seriously.. we will HAVE TO go if you
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
ward is in tomsk now! haha small world! he graduated 2009 so we went to high school together!
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..
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...
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!!!!
tell telicia i love her and to send me pictures to me email! i dont know my address in novo!
tell court to have a great time in tailand! so random! hahahahaha> tell leyla i love her and am praying about her!!!
dad and mom i love you guys so much! keep up the work you are doing at home!
you guys are amazing i love you!!!!
and i didnt get to send the package so hopefully soon!
ok i love you guys! all of you! talk to you all next weekkkkk!!!! LOVE YOU
ALLLLL!!!!!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Temple 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
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
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...
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
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
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...
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...
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...
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!
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
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...
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
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
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...
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...
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...
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!
I get to talk to you soon!!!
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
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
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
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
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
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
degrees outside... she is great oh! and on thurdsday i played all of we thank thee o god for a prophet on
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
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
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!
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
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
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
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
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
degrees outside... she is great oh! and on thurdsday i played all of we thank thee o god for a prophet on
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
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
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!
Friday, April 29, 2011
another week..wow and Happy Easter
Hello family!!!! i am going to start off with my week before i answer
> emails!
> First off, it was a great week i would say.. we had a lot of activities and
> we kept busy!
> After i wrote you last week we went to subway and it was good.. except it
> literally took an hour to get all of our sandwiches! haha not like the
> subways in america.. it tasted pretty much the same though.. then thursday
> we went to our investigators house... Ina, she is doing really well and we
> were hoping she would come to church but she didnt make it.. that makes it
> hard when they dont keep our commitments.. we are working with her and
> smoking and just trying to get her to gain a testimony about the book of
> mormom.. she said he husband was kinda interested too but we have yet to
> meet him. She ha a family so hopefully she can have enough faith to trust us
> and trust her father in heaven...
> then that night we went to the branch building and this bum came in.. he
> usually comes in and asks for food but this time he had some really really
> bad sores on his legs.. sister vasilevskay helped him and we have to get him
> a doctor.. they were things i have never seen before.. its hard because
> there are bums everywhere here and they do it to themselves because they
> drink, but then i just keep thinking that its their addiction and its so
> hard for them to stop.. i wish there were something we could do to help them
> but we cant until they help themselves.. its just so eye opening when you
> see things like that... i feel like im not mature enough to see that... i
> just get really sad.. but its ok, thats why we have this gospel...
> Then on friday, the alands (the older couple here) made us sloppy joes!!! i
> was so happy cause i loves sloppy joes!! it made my day... until the zone
> leaders told me that i had to speak in church on sunday... hahahahaha that
> ruined it! haha no it was ok.. just the fact that i had to plan a 20 minute
> talk, in russian.. in 1 day... so it was interesting..
> then that night, we have this group of mongolian youth here and they taught
> us how to make mongolian food! it was so good dad would have loved it! i
> know how to make it now so we ca do it when i get home... we will have to
> set up 2 weeks when i get home so we can make and eat all the food i learn
> how to make! it was incredible how fast and how easy they made these things
> look.. .they took this dough and filled it with meat and some with mashed
> potatoes and then they closed it with their fingers ( i wish i could
> explain) i will send pictures soon, but they just made it look easy and its
> not! then we deep fried it hahaha... very healthy i know.. but it was
> awesome.. then of course cabbage and carrots and onions.. it was yummy!
> then saturday we had the flower activity again! let me tell you mom, its a
> huge hit here, the women are loving it and they want you to send pictures of
> other flowers you are making... i only did the ones you burn and the ones
> jess taught us how to make and i forget how you do they rest.. but they want
> you to send more pictures of all of the kinds you make and different ideas!
> THen sunday! EASTER! and yes i gave my talk.. sister helped me write it but
> then i got up there and didnt really use it.. it was great though cause i
> could speak russian when i needed too! my russian is coming along and i am
> super happy about it.. but i still have to work hard... its a really really
> hard language...
> then after church the whole branch brought food and we had a huge easter
> meal! all sorts of russian food! it was so yummy... except you should see
> the way they eat in big groups.. they just hover around the table.. like
> nobody sits down and you have to like cram your way through people to get
> food.. and you know how much i HATE like tons a people... (ask my friends..
> they knew i wouldnt stay at parties more than 30 minutes) so its like the
> hardest thing to get food around russians.. then! you would except that a
> meal should take what... an hour to eat then to clean up.. so about 2 hours
> right.. for 70 people to eat? NO! it was over and cleaned up in 45 minutes!
> haha its like unreal here.. haha the culture is soooo differentt! oh! and
> instead of hunting for easter eggs.. the little kids have like a halloween
> type thing on easter.. .but they wake up really early and go to peoples
> houses and knock on the door and when you answer they say "he was
> ressurrected!" and you say something like "yes its true!" and then you give
> them eggs (real eggs) and maybe candy! the earlier they get up the more eggs
> they get... so they start at like 6.. .haha we didnt have anyone come but
> sister was telling me about it.. its kinda different here!
> then monday we have the univerisity come to the branch and they put on this
> little concert.. it was very interesting but cool... a lot of opera
> singers...
> then yesterday... we did service for this lady in the ward who believes in
> reincarnation... haha she thinks she was a french man in her previous life
> who sold wine.. hahaha thats a little taste of russian people.. haha oh man
> i love them.. but anyway we cleaned her windows and then english club! and
> then i learned how to play "we thank thee o god for a prophet" on teh piano
> by sister aland.. it was great!!
> and today we are doing service for this family who are interseted in the
> church.. their daughter sasha got baptized in january.. and they are great..
> i am doing their hair so hopefully it goes well! then its onto another week!
> hopefully we can do well!
> I was reading in mosiah yesterday... mosiah 2 when king benjamin speaks to
> his people and he speaks about service and about how we are eternally
> indebted to our god.. and thats a good chapter if you guys want to do some
> reading this week... it really puts things into perspective.. we constantly
> will owe something to our father in heaven... because we already owe him so
> much for the life he has given us... then everytime we do something good he
> blesses us right? so theres no way to repay him...
> thats how i feel on my mission... there are times when its really hard here,
> when i see things like the bum, or just the way people live, and what they
> have gone through,... and especially members of the church and how they have
> gone through so much to stay strong... and how i feel so weak here.. and how
> my life has been so easy.. and a lot of times i start feeling selfish and
> its hard to stay on a mission being selfish.. but then i read this.. and
> realized how much i truly owe to my heavenly father and how that this year
> and a half of my life is nothing compared to what i owe him.. and then to
> see the blessings that have come into our family already... its just amazing
> to me... its all because of our father in heaven and jesus christ... so i
> think i can bare siberia another year what do you think? haha
> well know that i love you guys so much! more than you know... i miss you so
> much! but guess what! i sent you that email about mothers day calls and i
> will send my number next week and how we can call! i love you so much! I am
> so excited to talk to you!!!!
>
> ASHTON ADAIR!!!!!! HAPPY WEDDING!! I AM THINKING ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME AND
> I HOPE THAT ALL GOES WELL! YOU BETTER SEND MY PICTURES SOON!!
> my dearest friends.. kristin i got your dear elder! and i loved it.. you are
> so great and i am sending a letter when i go to finland! love you!
> and all my other friends! write me you fools! i thought you loved me hello!
> i will try to send a package with trinkets soon ok? love you all!
>
> emails!
> First off, it was a great week i would say.. we had a lot of activities and
> we kept busy!
> After i wrote you last week we went to subway and it was good.. except it
> literally took an hour to get all of our sandwiches! haha not like the
> subways in america.. it tasted pretty much the same though.. then thursday
> we went to our investigators house... Ina, she is doing really well and we
> were hoping she would come to church but she didnt make it.. that makes it
> hard when they dont keep our commitments.. we are working with her and
> smoking and just trying to get her to gain a testimony about the book of
> mormom.. she said he husband was kinda interested too but we have yet to
> meet him. She ha a family so hopefully she can have enough faith to trust us
> and trust her father in heaven...
> then that night we went to the branch building and this bum came in.. he
> usually comes in and asks for food but this time he had some really really
> bad sores on his legs.. sister vasilevskay helped him and we have to get him
> a doctor.. they were things i have never seen before.. its hard because
> there are bums everywhere here and they do it to themselves because they
> drink, but then i just keep thinking that its their addiction and its so
> hard for them to stop.. i wish there were something we could do to help them
> but we cant until they help themselves.. its just so eye opening when you
> see things like that... i feel like im not mature enough to see that... i
> just get really sad.. but its ok, thats why we have this gospel...
> Then on friday, the alands (the older couple here) made us sloppy joes!!! i
> was so happy cause i loves sloppy joes!! it made my day... until the zone
> leaders told me that i had to speak in church on sunday... hahahahaha that
> ruined it! haha no it was ok.. just the fact that i had to plan a 20 minute
> talk, in russian.. in 1 day... so it was interesting..
> then that night, we have this group of mongolian youth here and they taught
> us how to make mongolian food! it was so good dad would have loved it! i
> know how to make it now so we ca do it when i get home... we will have to
> set up 2 weeks when i get home so we can make and eat all the food i learn
> how to make! it was incredible how fast and how easy they made these things
> look.. .they took this dough and filled it with meat and some with mashed
> potatoes and then they closed it with their fingers ( i wish i could
> explain) i will send pictures soon, but they just made it look easy and its
> not! then we deep fried it hahaha... very healthy i know.. but it was
> awesome.. then of course cabbage and carrots and onions.. it was yummy!
> then saturday we had the flower activity again! let me tell you mom, its a
> huge hit here, the women are loving it and they want you to send pictures of
> other flowers you are making... i only did the ones you burn and the ones
> jess taught us how to make and i forget how you do they rest.. but they want
> you to send more pictures of all of the kinds you make and different ideas!
> THen sunday! EASTER! and yes i gave my talk.. sister helped me write it but
> then i got up there and didnt really use it.. it was great though cause i
> could speak russian when i needed too! my russian is coming along and i am
> super happy about it.. but i still have to work hard... its a really really
> hard language...
> then after church the whole branch brought food and we had a huge easter
> meal! all sorts of russian food! it was so yummy... except you should see
> the way they eat in big groups.. they just hover around the table.. like
> nobody sits down and you have to like cram your way through people to get
> food.. and you know how much i HATE like tons a people... (ask my friends..
> they knew i wouldnt stay at parties more than 30 minutes) so its like the
> hardest thing to get food around russians.. then! you would except that a
> meal should take what... an hour to eat then to clean up.. so about 2 hours
> right.. for 70 people to eat? NO! it was over and cleaned up in 45 minutes!
> haha its like unreal here.. haha the culture is soooo differentt! oh! and
> instead of hunting for easter eggs.. the little kids have like a halloween
> type thing on easter.. .but they wake up really early and go to peoples
> houses and knock on the door and when you answer they say "he was
> ressurrected!" and you say something like "yes its true!" and then you give
> them eggs (real eggs) and maybe candy! the earlier they get up the more eggs
> they get... so they start at like 6.. .haha we didnt have anyone come but
> sister was telling me about it.. its kinda different here!
> then monday we have the univerisity come to the branch and they put on this
> little concert.. it was very interesting but cool... a lot of opera
> singers...
> then yesterday... we did service for this lady in the ward who believes in
> reincarnation... haha she thinks she was a french man in her previous life
> who sold wine.. hahaha thats a little taste of russian people.. haha oh man
> i love them.. but anyway we cleaned her windows and then english club! and
> then i learned how to play "we thank thee o god for a prophet" on teh piano
> by sister aland.. it was great!!
> and today we are doing service for this family who are interseted in the
> church.. their daughter sasha got baptized in january.. and they are great..
> i am doing their hair so hopefully it goes well! then its onto another week!
> hopefully we can do well!
> I was reading in mosiah yesterday... mosiah 2 when king benjamin speaks to
> his people and he speaks about service and about how we are eternally
> indebted to our god.. and thats a good chapter if you guys want to do some
> reading this week... it really puts things into perspective.. we constantly
> will owe something to our father in heaven... because we already owe him so
> much for the life he has given us... then everytime we do something good he
> blesses us right? so theres no way to repay him...
> thats how i feel on my mission... there are times when its really hard here,
> when i see things like the bum, or just the way people live, and what they
> have gone through,... and especially members of the church and how they have
> gone through so much to stay strong... and how i feel so weak here.. and how
> my life has been so easy.. and a lot of times i start feeling selfish and
> its hard to stay on a mission being selfish.. but then i read this.. and
> realized how much i truly owe to my heavenly father and how that this year
> and a half of my life is nothing compared to what i owe him.. and then to
> see the blessings that have come into our family already... its just amazing
> to me... its all because of our father in heaven and jesus christ... so i
> think i can bare siberia another year what do you think? haha
> well know that i love you guys so much! more than you know... i miss you so
> much! but guess what! i sent you that email about mothers day calls and i
> will send my number next week and how we can call! i love you so much! I am
> so excited to talk to you!!!!
>
> ASHTON ADAIR!!!!!! HAPPY WEDDING!! I AM THINKING ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME AND
> I HOPE THAT ALL GOES WELL! YOU BETTER SEND MY PICTURES SOON!!
> my dearest friends.. kristin i got your dear elder! and i loved it.. you are
> so great and i am sending a letter when i go to finland! love you!
> and all my other friends! write me you fools! i thought you loved me hello!
> i will try to send a package with trinkets soon ok? love you all!
>
Half a transfer gone!
FAMILY! HELLO!!!!!!!!
> Ok to start off thanks for everyone for writing me! it was good to hear from
> everyone and see how they are doing! i miss you guys so much... you have no
> idea! but i am glad to hear that all is going well!
> But other than that thanks for your email! its good to hear things are going
> well.. i am sorry about the black eye, i never got one of those haha except
> in diving. Well the weather is really good here, all the snow is gone! yay!
> and its actually really really hot most days except today, its kinda cloudy.
> Most days i dont even wear a coat except today its a bit cold so i have a
> coat on... You asked about tracting mom... we kinda tract i guess you could
> say that? but mostly its just contacting on buses and on the streets... we
> just talk to everyone wherever we go... except its a lot harder than i
> thought it would be to just talk to people randomly.. so thats one thing we
> are working on as a companionship... most of the time when i start talking
> to people they just laugh because they either dont understand me, i have
> said something not right.. or just cause i am american... there arent many
> americans around here... haha i think the missionaries and thats all! haha
> you asked about the missionaries around here... we live about 20 minute walk> from the senior couple the alands and i love them! we basically see them
everyday and then we just have 4 elders here.. so all in all... 8
> missionaries in tomck right now. we actually cover the whole city so its
pretty cool being sisters here.. it is hard though because its really just
me and my companion.. no other sisters... and sometimes i just feel alone
because shes russian.. and shes great dont get me wrong i love her.. but we
dont agree on some things and the cultural differences are hard sometimes...
so i like talking with sister aland because i just feel like she understands
me... I never thought that would be a problem but being raised in different
>countries really makes a difference... anyway.. mom keep up the good work!
>im glad you are having people help make hairbows! that should be great! and
>good job on the missionary work too... our work as missionaries should never
>stop, we should always be looking for ways to serve and share the gospel..
>what did they say in conference? something along the lines of "you should
>always be teaching and sharing the gospel, and if needs be, use words" so
>basically we need to be doing missionary work through our deeds.. and you> are a great example of that by the way you always are willing to give what
you have.. you always got mad at me for not charging that much for hair but
you do the same for everyone and its because its a way we can serve... and
ya its kinda crazy to think that there is only one branch here in tomsk
right now... just ont and only like 50 memmbers come... its gunna be crazy
in 20 years,... if we baptize people or help in their conversion to see the
> church grow here in novosibirsk! i know that not that long ago places like
brazil and mexico were just like russia... no that many members... i am
> hoping in no time at all.. russia will grow like that too!!! i can only do
all i can as a missionary and let the lord soften their hearts! i love you
> mom! thanks for everything!
Oh! by the way... i think i have like 8 dollars in my account... haha i need
> like 30 i think so i dont get charged... so hopefully you can put more in
there.. and if possible.. just put extra when you can so if i need anything
during the week i dont have to worry about how much is in there and wait
till p day to ask you? i am sorry... life is crazy being a missionary!
dad! it sounds like fishing was fun! we actually went again to the forrest
and made a bonfire for family home evening too! The senior couple here, the
alands are great. Elder aland is a fisherman and hunter too and he tells me
about his stories so i tell him about yours and he says he wants to trade
you a trip up in the utah mountains to this place where you can catch 80
trout an hour for one of your mexico trips! haha i told him you guys could
be friends when they got home... and that sam would have to go too.. haha so
maybe you guys can go when they get back!
THe weather is great dad, you will be happy to know i am not freexzing but
really hot!! And the food here... i havent really tried anything i dont
like... they have this salads that they eat, and its like BRIGHT pink.. and
its either cabbage and beats or something.. i dont know.. but i stay away
from the pink salad.. other than that i think you would love the food here
dad.. its seriously sooooo good! i cant explain what we have but most of the
time its like meat or mashes potatoes wrapped in some sort of dough... then
we have salad but not salad.. its like a bunch of stuff tossed in
mayonaise.. Russians LOVE mayonaise.. its gross actually how much they love> it.. haha and theres a whole bunch of rice stuff thats not rice and they put
meat and veggies in it... its all really good.. we get fed by members
sometimes so its pretty cool... the only thing that i dont really like are
the sweets here... their cakes and stuff arent the best.. just not sweet
enough. its almost just like bread.. which isnt bad because the bread here
is of course amazing! And then they have thje bleenees you get on the
streets.. they are like flat pancakes and they put all sorts of stuff in
them! haha and then the dairy is all like whole milk.. like some yogurt you
can buy.. usually the yogurt i would say is like 2% in america right? here..
you can get 17% hahaha its like 300 calories in a little tiny thing.. its
like pure fat! hahah we did have hot dogs at our fire and we cooked sausage
there too and thats good.. but we just eat them with bread because theres no
buns here! haha Anyways.. thats the food.. i wish i could send some to you..
OH! the juice is amazing too... thats another thing thats way better!!
Anyway.. gainer seems like hes still so funny! haha he is just a little
manipulator! its because hes so spoiled! haha grandma and grandpa give him
what he wants! haha he will be so old when i get home! so weird! well dad, it seems like you are doing good too! i hope work is well and that you can
get enough fishing in... i love you and i appreciate your letters and
everything. Everyone told me you did an awesome job at the baptism and
stuff... i am proud of you i wish i could have been there! i love you dad
and look forward to your email next week!
Jess! thanks for the email!!!! its good to hear from you and how your trip
was. i am glad you got to be there for grandpa and gracie! its weird to
think if you werent there it would have only been mom dad and rach.. usually
i am there ... we know gary was there in spirit too.. i think he wouldnt
have missed that moment! i am glad you got to take neil! hows he doing? hows
your family too? are the boys so big?? i cant believe they are so old.. dean
will be 5 soon right? so weird! i hope sam is doing well and all is good
with the family and the job!! i love you jess and i am thankful for you and
your example to me... its crazy because we only have like 2 families in our
ward.. that or the rest arent active.. so its good to tell people i have a
sister with 4 boys and she goes to church every week! haha its possible!! we
know it! so thanks again! i love you and thanks for the email! keep on being
a great mom! you will soon be getting emails from your boys when they serve
missions!
Grandma!! thanks soooo much for the pictures!!!! i started crying! its so
great to see that... i am so happy that that day happened.. i just cant
believe it..its such a great feeling to see all these changes! grandma you
are so great! I am so excited to come home and see our family and be able to
go through the temple and see the results.. by the way did you find out how
that works? you guys will be sealed but will mom be sealed to you too? I
love you grandpa and i love getting your letters and pictures! thanks for
everything!!
OK! i hope i answered everyones questions! thanks for writing me.. its good> to hear from you guys and see the changes in you too... i hope you guys are> reading and going to the temple and doing all you can! i will keep asking
you so i hope you are! mom dad family..... if you want i can read the book
of mormon with you? like every week we can read 5 chapters and discuss them?
that could be cool and we could grow from that too? tell me what you think?
Ok this week was pretty busy!!!
We met with zanieeda and we taught her about baptism but then.. at the end..
she said she was leaving and we couldnt meet with her till june? russian
people are so weird.. seriously... haha but hopefully she thinks about what
we said cause she says she wants the holy ghost so hopefully her heart can
be softened soon...
Then we have a new investigator... ina..and she is like the golden
investigator.. we found her on the street and she just wanted to know more
right away and we went to her house the very next day and have taught her 2
times already adn she says she will come to church! hah sister and i want to
know what the catch is? cause this never happens! hahaha but we can just
pray and maybe she is just ready! she has a family... a husband and 2 sons..
so we will see!! Then on saturday we made flowers mom! you would be so proud to see! we had
about 15 people there which was a really good turn out and they loved them
so much we are doing them this saturday too! hopefully we will have more
people there!! we actually got an investigator out of it kinda too.. so it
was a huge success! alll because of you mom.. so you are actually doing
missionary work in russia too!!!!
then monday we went to fhe and had a bonfire out in the forrest too.. we
crossed that way old cemetary too! i have pics i need to send its just so
hard on the computer i will figure it out sometime though i am sending a
disc soon! anyway we went and then we ended up leaving way later then we
thought we would and sister and i left our clothes at the branch so we had
to borrow elder alands keys and he actually gave us the wrong key so they
had to come get it cause it was the key to their apartment then we had to
call a taxi cause it was already 1030 which is an hour later than we have to
be home.. and when we got in the taxi it was BLASTING beyonce! haha i just
felt like the worst most disobedient missionary ever.... but we repented..
haha it will never hapen again! but man it was funny... me sister aland and
elder aland we all thee squished in the back of this itsy bitsy taxi and we
were all dying laughig at how the situation turned out... man its crazy
being a missionary..> Then i did more hair... i did it for this ladies sister in our ward.. she
actually hates missionaries so it was amazing she actually let me do it..
and we prayed with her too.. so it was a good service to do because now she
knows that missioanries arent that bad.. that we are slightly normal hahaha
Anyway.. today we are actually getting subway and going to a park with all
the missionaries! i am excited! but i have to write my mission president!
THanks for the emails!!!! i love you guys!
know i love my mission, and even though its soooo hard! i wouldnt trade it
for anything! the church is true! it really is! i was reading in jacob 5
today about the olive tree and at the end in like 70 when it says there were
few servants but in the end when they were dilligent and kept the
> commandments, the fruit they produced would bring them joy! read it cause i
know thats how missionaries can be! if we are dilligent the fruit we produce
will bring us joy! i love my mission!!
Oh! ps! HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PICTURES FOR ME! and i know you guys get to call on mothers day so like 2 1/2 weeksss! yay!!
and then i have my visa trip to finland may 12th! yay!!!
> ok i love you guys!
ps! happy birthday brooke and court! sorry its late!!!! i love you guys i
hope that you love being 22!!!! ahhh!
ASHTON! HAPPY WEDDING SOOOOON!!!!!! i wish i could be there,... i better be
there in spirit! i love you sooo much!!!!
love... sister west!!!
> Ok to start off thanks for everyone for writing me! it was good to hear from
> everyone and see how they are doing! i miss you guys so much... you have no
> idea! but i am glad to hear that all is going well!
> But other than that thanks for your email! its good to hear things are going
> well.. i am sorry about the black eye, i never got one of those haha except
> in diving. Well the weather is really good here, all the snow is gone! yay!
> and its actually really really hot most days except today, its kinda cloudy.
> Most days i dont even wear a coat except today its a bit cold so i have a
> coat on... You asked about tracting mom... we kinda tract i guess you could
> say that? but mostly its just contacting on buses and on the streets... we
> just talk to everyone wherever we go... except its a lot harder than i
> thought it would be to just talk to people randomly.. so thats one thing we
> are working on as a companionship... most of the time when i start talking
> to people they just laugh because they either dont understand me, i have
> said something not right.. or just cause i am american... there arent many
> americans around here... haha i think the missionaries and thats all! haha
> you asked about the missionaries around here... we live about 20 minute walk> from the senior couple the alands and i love them! we basically see them
everyday and then we just have 4 elders here.. so all in all... 8
> missionaries in tomck right now. we actually cover the whole city so its
pretty cool being sisters here.. it is hard though because its really just
me and my companion.. no other sisters... and sometimes i just feel alone
because shes russian.. and shes great dont get me wrong i love her.. but we
dont agree on some things and the cultural differences are hard sometimes...
so i like talking with sister aland because i just feel like she understands
me... I never thought that would be a problem but being raised in different
>countries really makes a difference... anyway.. mom keep up the good work!
>im glad you are having people help make hairbows! that should be great! and
>good job on the missionary work too... our work as missionaries should never
>stop, we should always be looking for ways to serve and share the gospel..
>what did they say in conference? something along the lines of "you should
>always be teaching and sharing the gospel, and if needs be, use words" so
>basically we need to be doing missionary work through our deeds.. and you> are a great example of that by the way you always are willing to give what
you have.. you always got mad at me for not charging that much for hair but
you do the same for everyone and its because its a way we can serve... and
ya its kinda crazy to think that there is only one branch here in tomsk
right now... just ont and only like 50 memmbers come... its gunna be crazy
in 20 years,... if we baptize people or help in their conversion to see the
> church grow here in novosibirsk! i know that not that long ago places like
brazil and mexico were just like russia... no that many members... i am
> hoping in no time at all.. russia will grow like that too!!! i can only do
all i can as a missionary and let the lord soften their hearts! i love you
> mom! thanks for everything!
Oh! by the way... i think i have like 8 dollars in my account... haha i need
> like 30 i think so i dont get charged... so hopefully you can put more in
there.. and if possible.. just put extra when you can so if i need anything
during the week i dont have to worry about how much is in there and wait
till p day to ask you? i am sorry... life is crazy being a missionary!
dad! it sounds like fishing was fun! we actually went again to the forrest
and made a bonfire for family home evening too! The senior couple here, the
alands are great. Elder aland is a fisherman and hunter too and he tells me
about his stories so i tell him about yours and he says he wants to trade
you a trip up in the utah mountains to this place where you can catch 80
trout an hour for one of your mexico trips! haha i told him you guys could
be friends when they got home... and that sam would have to go too.. haha so
maybe you guys can go when they get back!
THe weather is great dad, you will be happy to know i am not freexzing but
really hot!! And the food here... i havent really tried anything i dont
like... they have this salads that they eat, and its like BRIGHT pink.. and
its either cabbage and beats or something.. i dont know.. but i stay away
from the pink salad.. other than that i think you would love the food here
dad.. its seriously sooooo good! i cant explain what we have but most of the
time its like meat or mashes potatoes wrapped in some sort of dough... then
we have salad but not salad.. its like a bunch of stuff tossed in
mayonaise.. Russians LOVE mayonaise.. its gross actually how much they love> it.. haha and theres a whole bunch of rice stuff thats not rice and they put
meat and veggies in it... its all really good.. we get fed by members
sometimes so its pretty cool... the only thing that i dont really like are
the sweets here... their cakes and stuff arent the best.. just not sweet
enough. its almost just like bread.. which isnt bad because the bread here
is of course amazing! And then they have thje bleenees you get on the
streets.. they are like flat pancakes and they put all sorts of stuff in
them! haha and then the dairy is all like whole milk.. like some yogurt you
can buy.. usually the yogurt i would say is like 2% in america right? here..
you can get 17% hahaha its like 300 calories in a little tiny thing.. its
like pure fat! hahah we did have hot dogs at our fire and we cooked sausage
there too and thats good.. but we just eat them with bread because theres no
buns here! haha Anyways.. thats the food.. i wish i could send some to you..
OH! the juice is amazing too... thats another thing thats way better!!
Anyway.. gainer seems like hes still so funny! haha he is just a little
manipulator! its because hes so spoiled! haha grandma and grandpa give him
what he wants! haha he will be so old when i get home! so weird! well dad, it seems like you are doing good too! i hope work is well and that you can
get enough fishing in... i love you and i appreciate your letters and
everything. Everyone told me you did an awesome job at the baptism and
stuff... i am proud of you i wish i could have been there! i love you dad
and look forward to your email next week!
Jess! thanks for the email!!!! its good to hear from you and how your trip
was. i am glad you got to be there for grandpa and gracie! its weird to
think if you werent there it would have only been mom dad and rach.. usually
i am there ... we know gary was there in spirit too.. i think he wouldnt
have missed that moment! i am glad you got to take neil! hows he doing? hows
your family too? are the boys so big?? i cant believe they are so old.. dean
will be 5 soon right? so weird! i hope sam is doing well and all is good
with the family and the job!! i love you jess and i am thankful for you and
your example to me... its crazy because we only have like 2 families in our
ward.. that or the rest arent active.. so its good to tell people i have a
sister with 4 boys and she goes to church every week! haha its possible!! we
know it! so thanks again! i love you and thanks for the email! keep on being
a great mom! you will soon be getting emails from your boys when they serve
missions!
Grandma!! thanks soooo much for the pictures!!!! i started crying! its so
great to see that... i am so happy that that day happened.. i just cant
believe it..its such a great feeling to see all these changes! grandma you
are so great! I am so excited to come home and see our family and be able to
go through the temple and see the results.. by the way did you find out how
that works? you guys will be sealed but will mom be sealed to you too? I
love you grandpa and i love getting your letters and pictures! thanks for
everything!!
OK! i hope i answered everyones questions! thanks for writing me.. its good> to hear from you guys and see the changes in you too... i hope you guys are> reading and going to the temple and doing all you can! i will keep asking
you so i hope you are! mom dad family..... if you want i can read the book
of mormon with you? like every week we can read 5 chapters and discuss them?
that could be cool and we could grow from that too? tell me what you think?
Ok this week was pretty busy!!!
We met with zanieeda and we taught her about baptism but then.. at the end..
she said she was leaving and we couldnt meet with her till june? russian
people are so weird.. seriously... haha but hopefully she thinks about what
we said cause she says she wants the holy ghost so hopefully her heart can
be softened soon...
Then we have a new investigator... ina..and she is like the golden
investigator.. we found her on the street and she just wanted to know more
right away and we went to her house the very next day and have taught her 2
times already adn she says she will come to church! hah sister and i want to
know what the catch is? cause this never happens! hahaha but we can just
pray and maybe she is just ready! she has a family... a husband and 2 sons..
so we will see!! Then on saturday we made flowers mom! you would be so proud to see! we had
about 15 people there which was a really good turn out and they loved them
so much we are doing them this saturday too! hopefully we will have more
people there!! we actually got an investigator out of it kinda too.. so it
was a huge success! alll because of you mom.. so you are actually doing
missionary work in russia too!!!!
then monday we went to fhe and had a bonfire out in the forrest too.. we
crossed that way old cemetary too! i have pics i need to send its just so
hard on the computer i will figure it out sometime though i am sending a
disc soon! anyway we went and then we ended up leaving way later then we
thought we would and sister and i left our clothes at the branch so we had
to borrow elder alands keys and he actually gave us the wrong key so they
had to come get it cause it was the key to their apartment then we had to
call a taxi cause it was already 1030 which is an hour later than we have to
be home.. and when we got in the taxi it was BLASTING beyonce! haha i just
felt like the worst most disobedient missionary ever.... but we repented..
haha it will never hapen again! but man it was funny... me sister aland and
elder aland we all thee squished in the back of this itsy bitsy taxi and we
were all dying laughig at how the situation turned out... man its crazy
being a missionary..> Then i did more hair... i did it for this ladies sister in our ward.. she
actually hates missionaries so it was amazing she actually let me do it..
and we prayed with her too.. so it was a good service to do because now she
knows that missioanries arent that bad.. that we are slightly normal hahaha
Anyway.. today we are actually getting subway and going to a park with all
the missionaries! i am excited! but i have to write my mission president!
THanks for the emails!!!! i love you guys!
know i love my mission, and even though its soooo hard! i wouldnt trade it
for anything! the church is true! it really is! i was reading in jacob 5
today about the olive tree and at the end in like 70 when it says there were
few servants but in the end when they were dilligent and kept the
> commandments, the fruit they produced would bring them joy! read it cause i
know thats how missionaries can be! if we are dilligent the fruit we produce
will bring us joy! i love my mission!!
Oh! ps! HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PICTURES FOR ME! and i know you guys get to call on mothers day so like 2 1/2 weeksss! yay!!
and then i have my visa trip to finland may 12th! yay!!!
> ok i love you guys!
ps! happy birthday brooke and court! sorry its late!!!! i love you guys i
hope that you love being 22!!!! ahhh!
ASHTON! HAPPY WEDDING SOOOOON!!!!!! i wish i could be there,... i better be
there in spirit! i love you sooo much!!!!
love... sister west!!!
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