Hailey in Russia: Blessin's, lessons and... we went to a morgue.

First of all..... 2 years ago today I met Hayden and it was the best day ever! Love that человек! This week was one filled with miracles. We surpassed most of the goals which we set as a companionship and really came to see that Heavenly Father is just waiting to shower down his miracles upon us and our area.

Also.... it was horrifying. Why? I"ll tell you why!

SO. Remember hearing about "L" and "M"? Our investigators who we found who really wanted to be baptized? Well, everytime we were at their house, two of their alcoholic friends were always there. One's name is "S" who used to call us 20 times in the middle of the night, and then the other is named Misha. I swear every time I saw Misha he looked so beat. Like, his spirit looked tatterred because his body was tattered from years of alcohol and drugs. Well, one lesson we had a couple weeks ago, the tattered Misha sat in on the lesson. He didn't say much because honestly I don't think he was all the way there. BUT both sister Coleman and I felt like we needed to give him a book of mormon and we did. It just so happened that the lesson that we wanted to teach "L" and her husband fell through because they didn't keep their committment of reading mosiah 18 together, so we had to read that together and drop our lesson plan. Well, I know that they all felt the spirit, and they asked us to sing two songs at the end because it really brings the spirit and it sounds SO beautiful (thanks to sister Coleman's amazing voice.)

ANYWAY, we got a phonecall from "L" telling us that MISHA, the one that sat in on the lesson who we gave the book of mormon to passed away. Turns out he drank himself to death. Really tragic. It's so tragic because these russian people don't have a knowledge that this stuff is bad because it's the traditions of their fathers. YOU GUYS. Heavenly Father gives us commandments to keep us safe! I know that the word of wisdom is a commandment from him because he knows just as I know that harmful things really do tatter your body and your spirit. He gives us commandments to help us grow! Anway, and then "L" asked us to go to the funeral. We said yes once we asked our mission president for permission. We figured it would be the perfect opportunity to testify about how when we die, our spirits leave our bodies and that death really isn't the end and that people are very much alive after they die, their bodies are just unoccupied for a time and that we will see those we love after a time. Well, we went to the funeral.. and guess where the funeral was held? At a morgue.It was one of the most horrific moments of my whole life.

I will leave out the details because I really don't want to remember what I experienced. BUT i will tell you the whole story when I get back home in a few lots of months. Anway, it was crazy because the spirit was not there at all. These Russian people praise and worship icons. They believe that Christ is our Savior, but really they just praise icons instead of Jesus Christ. But it's all twisted. It's a blessing to me because I get to help introduce them to jesus christ! I get to help them realize that icons aren't necessary and that Jesus Christ still lives! I think they forget that a lot that he lives. Anyway, crazy because the spirit wasn't there. So It's russian tradition to go to a cafe after a funeral and so we went to that. We didn't eat, because neither of us had an appetite. PLUS we wanted to get outside and get back to work and find people! But yeah we sang abide with me tis' eventide in russian and it was the only time I felt the spirit all day. We brought some people to tears but it wasn't us it was the spirit. It was worth all the crazy stuff I experienced that day to help people feel something they have never ever felt before: the spirit.

Sorry I feel really bad I really want to give you all the details and I know it's eating you up but just imagine a scary movie and then you know what it was like!

OH AND JARED LANCASTER, thank you so much for the email you sent last week. It really uplifted me a lot. I really look up to you a ton. Thanks for your love and support and tell Bonnie i miss her and please give her a squeeze from me!

Sorry for that interruption, i didn't want to forget to tell him.

Okay okay we reeeeeeeealu really are seeing tremendous blessings in our area.

One of those tremendous blessings/miracles that we saw this week was with a boy named "A" and his mom "T". "A" is a 14 year old boy who has been coming to activites at our branch for a very very long time. He was found by Sister Coleman and her last companion and they decided to pass him over to the Elders because they thought that they could get through to him.. because "A" has a crush on sissy C hahahaha but who doesn't? she's a babe!

Well, they passed him over to the Elders and they would say that whenever they tried to teach him, he would just change the subject. Sister Coleman and I got an impression to take "A" back because we really felt like we could begin teaching him and that he would listen to both of us. Well, that is exactly what we did. We talked about the restoration one day. The next day we talked about the plan of salvation. We invited him to be baptized and he was weirded out by the question. He told us he knew the book of mormon is true! So then we told him "A", if the book of mormon is true then baptism is true and then you can know that you should be baptized." His committment that night was to pray to ask if he should be baptized. On sunday, he came to church! He intently listened to the speakers it was so great to see. His mom came to church later TOO! It was such a miracle! We had a lesson with he and his mom after church. We asked "A" about baptism and he said "I know for myself that I need to be baptized." It was such a miracle to see that God answered his prayers! His mom gave permission easily. She has been coming to activities too, and all the branch members know her. We invited her to start meeting with us and eventually be baptized too. She agreed after we taught our lesson which was on the doctrine of baptism. IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE!!!! I know that the Lord sees mine and sister colemans hard work and increase in being consecrated all day long and is showering his blessings upon us to help us discern who needs to be taught. "T" and "A" have been around for a while, like I mentioned earlier, and nobody has invited them to be baptized!!! It was a testimony to me to what President Bennett of the 70 told us last zone conference "When you don't talk to people or invite them to baptism, they will feel bad because in their minds they won't think that they're qualified." Well, I see the truth to this statement and I know that as we fulfill our purpose as missionaries to help people come unto christ through repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end, THEN the Lord will give us the blessings in store for us!

Things are really smooth right now. I have been working harder than I have ever worked in my life. I am soaking wet with sweat all throughout the day, my feet are sore at the end of the night, and I pass out immediately when I lie my head down at night. I know that my hard work and dedication to losing myself in it all, as well as sister Coleman's dedication to doing these things also, we really are seeing amazing things happen. We have been working every night with members and we are seeing the benefits of that! Now, I just wanna talk about sister Coleman for a sec. You guys, I love her. She's my best pal out here in russia. I know that Sister Coleman is exactly who I needed to train me. From having her as my trainer, I have come to learn what it means to be obedient, and why it's important. I have come to know what working hard really means. I have come to know christ's character because she reflects it every single day. I love her so much and I am so grateful to have her as my trainer/companion.She's a gem.

My favorite lesson that I learned this week comes from Mosiah 24. You should go and read it tonight! I think it's one of my favorite chapters from the книга мормона. It just talks about how the lord delivered Limhi's people out of bondage. I came to know from reading this that the Lord is the ONLY one that can deliver us from bondage. Bondage can be anything. Bondage to addictions, bondage to bad habits, bondage to debt, sin, anything. BUT we have the Lord to deliver us out of bondage. I know this is true because the times on my mission that I have had a really rough time, and where the thought of being home was just so tempting, I prayed to Heavenly Father, and threw all my sorrows and stresses and worries on the Lord and I felt/feel him deliver me from my personal bondages. Verse 16 is the Lord speaking to Limhi's people " Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." We have to remember that the Lord will deliver us ACCORDING to his own timing. He chastens us to help us submit to him and to help us grow. BUT he will always deliever us out of bondage. I am so grateful for this principle and I can't WAIT for you to read that chapter tonight!!! haha DO IT! It'll take not even ten minutes!

You're all gems! Thank you for all writing me all the time. You have no idea how much it means to me. YOu have no idea how much I miss you all and please don't ever forget how much I LOVE YOU AHHHH I LOVE YOU!!!!

xoxoxo sissy hayster