A Watermelon Night!

HEY YALL

Today during personal study, i learned a very valuable lesson from Alma 32. When Alma is talking to the Zoramites who were cast out because they were poor, his testimony to them really taught me something important. We must plant the seed of faith within ourselves, and even when we have a hard time having faith, just believe and hoping that faith will come and once it does, the seed will grow. However, that's not enough, just to simply have faith. We need to "exercise" our faith and nurture it and help it to grow. I know that this time in "L" and "M"'s progression in the gospel, is one where all four of us need to exercise our faith; we need to keep the seeds that the spirit has planted in them, and help nurture and care for them. We do this by prayer, and we do this by casting out the doubts and the fears. I will be reading this chapter everytime that the doubts and the fears creep into my mind. 

We had a funny miracle last night. While we were out contacting, we walked passed this 20 year old girl, and said "hello!" she stopped in her place and said, "Oh my! Hi! I know this is probably weird but I have been dreaming about meeting you girls for a really long time. I see you walking on the streets all the time but I haven't had the opportunity to talk with you." Can you say, miracle!? She was short for time because she was on her way to work, but we got her number and we are SO excited to contact her during the week. I know that these elect people are out here in Penza, and this week we will be focusing on finding these elect people. 

This week we are in charge of district training.  Sister Mckell and I are doing ours on finding, and we are going to have a scavenger hunt and hide chocolate in the branch building and tell them to find it. But we'll hide the big candy bars really good and give them instructions how to find them and then once they find them, relate the instructions to the holy ghost and host important it is to have instruction from the holy ghost so that we can find the big russians.. haha it sounds lame but I hope it's good because every training i've been to is reading out of the book and soooooo boring so look. Look at us spicing things up! i hope.

This week we had an activity at the branch and guess what it was called.... "a watermelon night!" and we went, and they had these skits about the history of the watermelon and they had this reeeeeeally terrible song about watermelons. The crowning event was when everyone started dancing... even the babyshik.. it was quite the sight to behold. Our branch president is hilarious and in his prayer he said " please bless that we won't have to pee too much after we eat so much watermelon." Russians, having no shame even when they talk to God! It was fun and it was a great turn out. 

So I told you how we gave up chocolate while "L" and "M" quit smoking... well... something terrible happened. They didn't come to church for a third time before their baptism.. so now we have to reschedule their baptism. It's really sad beacuse they really were looking forward to it... but it's also really sad because now sister mckell and I can't eat chocolate this saturday. haha but that's not even the worst part. The worst part is that they can't get baptized this week... and it's also bad because they haven't been answering our phone calls and last time this happened, we couldn't get in contact with them fro 2 weeks. So I'm just praying for a miracle over here. I know that with God they can do all things. I know that it's impossible for them to quit smoking without the help of the Lord. I have been being taught by the lord lately that we really can't do anything without his help. I can't learn this language without his help: I can't find his elect children without his help. I am so grateful to have the knowledge that he is ALWAYS here and there for us. Never forget to rely on him... because you literally can't do anything without him. HE IS THERE! I know this is true. 

I pray for you all and miss you and love you all the most!!!

love sissy hayster :) 

 Fancy train ride food

Life is like a box... without chocolate - because I gave it up!

So... i'm not eating chocolate and it's the HARDEST THING EVER because russian chocolate is outta this world delicious. More of that story later. 

Hayd's aunt Shauna passed away this week.  I really felt sad when I heard that she passed away. However: if there's one thing I learned from coping with Harry's passing and from recovering from going to a russian morgue it's this: GOD LIVES. He has a plan for EACH one of us, and this life is not the end. Like Harry, Shauna can now get the help that she needs to mend her broken spirit without having the distractions of addictions and the pain that come from living on earth. I know that she is in loving arms in the spirit world, and that she is getting retaught the gospel right now and that all will be well with her. I don't know if anyone knows this, but I really had a hard time with the plan of salvation before coming on my mission. I felt like it was such an abstract idea and I really didn't know if it was true. I believed that it was, and hoped that it was, but I really didn't know that it was. I know that Heavenly Father gives us trials to stregthen us, or in my case, specifically to strengthen my testimony. I now know, that the plan of salvation is REAL. It is TRUE. the Sprit confirmed the truth of it to me as I testified of it to our investigators whose friend died. I know that all is well with shauna and that she is now free from her sick frail body and can focus of all things spiritual. I love D&C 112:13 which just talks about after temptations and the trial of our faith, we can be healed through jesus christ. It's so true. I know we can overcome all things, but only when the savior is involved!

This week we met with the lady who thinks that her mom is a white cat. She owns a cafe and she insisted on us coming so that she could feed us for free. We went, and it was such a cute little dainty place... but the food was so bad. AHAHA  Russian food is so gross... like the food at restaurants. Russian cuisine really isn't special, but it's really good when you can prepare it yourself. She brought out this beet salad that was just straight up beets, SMOTHERED in sour cream. I ate all the sour cream because it's DELICIOUS here, but the rest was just too beety. Then, she brought out the unthinkable: A RAW FISH! hahaha I wanted to gag. It looked like it just got done swimming! The scales were on it and everything. It's a blessing that one of the rules in our mission is that we can't eat the fish in russia (because germs) so we just told her we are allergic. What a blessing!

The other day we were on a bus coming home, and this man just started arguing with us. He was like "YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN ICONS, (they pray to icons and the icons deliver their prayers to Jesus who they also think is heavenly father aka one being.) and I said, you're right. We don't believe in icons because it's a commandment from God." and he was like "AND WHAT COMMANDMENT IS THAT?!" and we told him thou shalt have no other god's before me. We stumped him pretty good. I love those "gotcha" moments though, they really are the best. All the people on the bus were listening, so we got to give out some pamphlets which was pretty dang cool.

Our investigators "L" and "M" are doing SO well. It's CRAZY to see their progress. They stopped drinking about four weeks ago, and haven't drunk since. We committed them to stop smoking too. It's just crazy because the DAY that we met them the first time, is the day they bought electronic cigarettes to quit smoking. They already had the desire. Well, we committed them to stop smoking and sister Mckell and I wanted to do something to show the Lord that we want to help them quit.. so what did we decide to sacrifice? CHOCOLATE. haha it sounds ridiculous, but it's the best in russia! like I mentioned earlier. I swear. All the chocolate tastes just like it would in Willie Wonka. It's soooo delicious, Haha it was funny though. We said to "M" "we are going to give up chocolate while you give up smoking." and then he said "wait..... so chocolate is against the word of wisdom too?" hahaha no way. If it was, I'd be the biggest sinner in the world. It was way funny. We explained to him that no, it's not against the word of wisdom, it's just something that we are doing to help them quit too. It's been good so far, They went from one day, smoking 2 packs, to the next day, smoking half of 1 pack, and then they went to smoking 8, and then they're still at 8 so far. They went out of town though, so I hope that they didn't fall back into old habits. They get baptized on the 27th so I hope that they can be ready by that point. 

Yesterday I woke up with 100 degree fever.. but all was well because sissy Mckell took good care of me! (love that lady.)  But I am feeling better now. I didn't get to go to church or anything which really was a  bummer. We just watched all the church movies in our apartment and then I slept and then read my scriptures. Good time I tell you what. It's the worst being sick on the mission, butt it's also the best because I caught up on sleep that I will be losing when we take another train to Samara tomorrow night. We have another zone conference there... which I'm so stoked because I LOVE my mission president and we get interviews with him! I can't wait for you to meet him someday. We will most definitely take them out to dinner when they get home! 

Well i gotta jet but I love you all the most and I am so blessed to have you all in my life. I miss you all more than I can explain but I know that the Lord is looking after you all. PLEASE don't forget him, he never forgets you. He loves you, and you can always rely on him for help. I know this is true. I love you all! bye!

love sissy T

the nasty beet salad

love sissy mckell

A Trip to Latvia

Soooo let me just take a second to thank...

RY GUY AND KATH! (Ryan Relyea and Kath Pendleton) Thanks for your letter you sent me! I miss you angels soooo much! I love you both and Ry, i read the concecrated missionary talk and, it's pretty much the best so THANKS! I pray for you both everyday. 

Thanks Charlene duncan for the card, it means a lot to me to know that you and all my lovely people from the ward didn't forget about me when I left! ALSO Thank you my singles ward for sending me the card. hhaha too funny.

I HAVE A NEW COMPANION! Sister Mckell who lives in spanish fork. well.... her family does. Whenever people on the streets here ask us where she's from she says washington since she grew up there.. GOT SOMETHIN AGAINST UTAH I GUESS! haha i love her. She's such a little humble sweet gal and she's a lot like you WHITNEY (ps whit you should WRITE ME. and you too, cami. I miss my sisters!) Anway she's the best and I'm the luckiest to have her as my companion.

So I was in lativa the other day. We had to renew our visas, and NOBODY told me I had a visa trip so I had no clothes, nothing. I was preeeetyyy smelly at the end of the week. Anyway, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL IN LATVIA! Their airport s something straight out of Portlandia. Hahaha seriously. BUt it was the cutest thing I ever saw. It's way nice. 

We had the scariest thing happen. We were at the Moscow airport after having been in Latvia and there wasn't a stamp on our passports proving that we had been in Latvia apparently?? Super confusing and I really am the worst at explaining things haha. Well, the people at the airport took our passports and had a bunch of questions. We waited almost an hour to find out if everything was okay. I was scared to death. I prayed so hard the whole time that everything would be okay and that we wouldn't get kicked out of Russia. It was really scary because just the thought of having to leave really made me so sad and sick. Here's the cool part- it really was an answer to my prayers though because lately I have been praying to love this work; to love being a missionary; to love being here in Russia. Well, after all the stress of not knowing whether or not we would make it back to samara, heavenly father answered my prayers once I found out everything was clear with our passports. I felt the spirit tell me, "you don't need to be told you love your mission, because you know you already do." And I realized it: I love being here. It is just sooooo difficult sometimes to do what we do day after day but I came to realize from this experience, that heavenly father hears our prayers, he knows our hearts, and he knew that that crazy experience would really strengthen my love and desire to be here. 

Moral of the story. YOU GUYS. HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS YOU. YOU, SPECIFICALLY. He knows your doubts and concerns and the best part is, is that you don't need to feel those because christ already did. He has felt it all so just rely on him and his atonement and turn to him when like gets hard. Even when it doesn't get hard and when it's easy. PRAY, because he hears you and he loves you.

Anway, It was super scary to be detained at the airport.. BUT hey now I have a cool story to tell my grandkids "GRANDKIDS, GATHER AROUND. BABA HAILEY HAS A STORY TO TELL." But really. I'm going to be full of stories by the time I'm done herer. 

 Now, something to make you all laugh. Last night we talked to this lady on the streets and she was telling us about how her mom who had passed away visited her in a dream and told her to buy milk. So she buys milk and goes to her moms grave to visit that next day, and she had a feeling to bring the milk with her, so she did. THEN, at her moms grave this FAT ALLLLL white cat comes out of NOWHERE and so the woman gave it the milk and it ate it. Then she said, "I know that cat was my mom." hahahahahahahaha Russians, for you. SO hilarious I almost died laughing BUT instead I was like "WOW! Do you feel that was god talking to you?" and she said yes, then I said, "Well God still speaks to his children today, and he speaks to his prophet on the earth!" then talked about the restoration. I guess you could say I'm pretty smooth at transitioning disscussions about cats into the gospel.... haha but it's cool because she wants to meet with us to know more later this week.

I love you all, my beautiful friends and neighbors. I even love you too, people who read my blog who don't really know me... this shout out is for you. YOU'RE THE BEST! haha but really. fam, friends, i love you and miss you most. I can't believe erin berg gets home from her mission so soon! and madi bernson! DANG where does the time go! I can't wait to see those gals again, i sure miss them. Just like I miss you all. You're the best! LOVE YOU LOVE YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTTY! HAVE THE BEST DAY BROTHER! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONNIE AND BRENNA! My two B gals! Love/miss you like CRAZY and I hope you have the happiest birthday! 

love sissy hayster 

latvia from the sky

 me and sister mckell

she's the cutes!

sister g. sister mckell just finished training her and.. she's so different now. IN THE BEST WAY! she's way happier. it's cool because we got along great during the visa trip. she even wrote me the sweetest note about how i have charity! she's doing great

Crazy, Scary Week!

Oh my heck this is the craziest week. Nobody told me that my visa trip is this week so i didn't pack any clothes, thinking that I would only be in samara for one day but.... no. I will be here til friday. my visa trip is to latvia on wednesday and I have no underwear, hahaha but the sister training leaders gave me some of their extras. (they were new)! angels i tell ya

The scariest/ funniest thing happened the other day. Sister C and I were out contacting, and we were having a really meaningful conversation with a lady about the book of mormon when all of the sudden.... this russian guy comes out of nowhere and interrupts the conversation by saying "you're mormons!" so of course we turn our attention to him, because not very many people in russia know about mormons. We asked him how he knew, and he said "south park." GREAT, just what I wanted to hear. NOT! But we turn around and the lady left into the building we were infront of. Anyway, we start talking with this guy whose name is "J" who is 26 years old. He was so annoying and thought he was hot stuff and made us follow him home. So, we were walking with this guy because he kept asking really thought provoking questions about our church. Then, we got to his flat and he said "come in!" and we said we're not allowed unless there was another woman with us. He started asking about other rules we have in our church, and sissy C told him "oh we don't smoke, we don't drink etc etc and we don't have sex until we're married." and then he said... "let's get married then." K BYE! creepiest. Sister Coleman and I had a glimpse of hope though because he had so many good questions, so we told him we would return in the hour with our member friend, "I".

We return to his house, and he starts making tea. We open with a prayer, and just start talking about the restoration and he was being so rude and kept saying "Da da da da da da da da" (yeah yeah yeah) over and over as if he was listening. He would change the subject and it was getting really late at this point. I got so filled with the spirit and said VERY sternly, "DO YOU EVEN WANT TO FIND TRUTH IN YOUR LIFE?!" ANd he said, well da of course I do. So then we continued talking. We got up to prophets and how they have authority from God to do ordinances correctly like baptism. Then, his dimeanor changed. I saw this evil darkness fill his eyes as he started talking about the provoslovni religion here in russia and how we are a "Sect" etc.. It was really scary, especially because it was 9:15 and we have to be home between 9:20 and 9:30. Well, we closed with a prayer and hurried to get out of the but the front door was locked. And he wouldn't let us out. SO SCARY! and then he started pelvic thrusting the air and it was getting so creepy in there. He finally opened up the door and we RAN down then stairs.

And then the unthinkable happens. HE STARTS CHASING AFTER US! It was funny at first because he started jogging alongside us, but then he started saying things like "I need to know where you live." Sorry, you really don't you creepidy creep! Anyway... long story short... this guy followed us ALL the way by where our house is. We decided we were going to be late getting in rather than having him know where we live. So, we were with that member "I" and we were out until almost 9:50 because this guy wouldn't leave us alone. He was saying things about how our church is a lie and how it's evil and I got soooo welled up with the spirit and I prayed the most sincere prayer and said, "heavenly father. This man NEEDS to leave, and I pray that with your priesthood to demand him to leave." and when I closed my prayer, "J" just started walking away, without saying another word.

It was a testimony to me that Heavenly Father hears our prayers, and he will send us help INSTANTLY as we ask for it and as we have faith. I know that I am protected here from evil and from danger, and I am so grateful to heavenly Father for keeping me safe!

Now, the miracle for the week: "A" GOT BAPTIZED YESTERDAY!! I never thought that I would feel so much joy seeing others come back to the fold of christ. He is 14 years old so it's way awesome. As he was getting the gift of the holy ghost, in his blessing he was told "Heavenly Father wants you to know that he sent you here to earth to preach his gospel. To serve a mission.." and then other things I didn't understand (russian, it's crazy I tell you what.) It was just such a blessing. We asked him how he felt, and he said "my knees feel weird. They're tingling" There you have it brothers and sisters.... the holy ghost can make your knees have tingles! haha. It was a great day, and it strengthened my testimony that this gospel is true. I just want everyone to know this message of truth! ahhhhhh

love you all i am so sorry this email is kinda short but I have a lot to do today i love you all so much. Thanks for writing me always and showing me love!!

love hayster