Hailey in Russia: The roads are icy and SO SLIPPERY!

FIRST OF ALL....

Thank you family and friends and neighbors (who are my friends + family too) I LOVE YOU!! Thank you SOOO much for the birthday cards! I got a big envelope with them all in them. Dad, yours was the best because the russian made no sense, but I understood the thought of it :) AHAHAHA second best was moms. "I hope you're REALLY REALLY happy on your birthday.. like the actresses in the tampon commercials." haha love you ma, thanks for making me laugh. I love you all though, and jokes on all of you because CLAIRE'S WAS MY FAVORITE! Her little baby hand print! almost made me cry, but that's beside the point. Thanks Aunt jennifer and heidi lindsay and abbey and Bonay! you guys really are the cutest. Thanks dad mom, grandma lee, jane+papa dale, ben whit claire cami mike spenc, and that scary squirrel.. haha Made my whole week. Love you all! if i forgot anyone, don't be sad! i love you all!

This is going to be a short email... my bad.

I was in samara and saratov this week. Longest week of my life but sooo good.

So Jorg Klebingat who spoke in conference this last session came to our mission. He is soooooo cool! He is German, speaks fluent english AND russian, his wife is russian, and he just finished up his service as mission president in ukraine before he got called to the first presidency of the 70. Funny story i want to share. He told us a story about how he went to BYU Idaho. When he went there, he met his wife. She was on student exchange from russia. 3 days later after they met, she flew to new york before flying home to moscow. she was already on her flight to new york when the spirit said "what are you doing? this is your only chance to ask her to marry you." So then he said "I quickly sold my car so that I had enough money for a plane ticket, and then I flew to new york, met her at the air port, asked her to marry me, and she said yes." Then he called BYU idaho and asked them to enroll her in school. They said no becuase deadlines had passed, and then he told his story and how she had no other option, so then they enrolled her and then they got married and just went to school.Can you believe that? 3 days!!!! Basically he's just so funny.

Anyway, it was a really great conference. He talked a lot about christ like attributes and how we can obtain them. How to set goals, how to bless others, man it was really inspiring. Something he shared with us is Moroni 7:33 and Mormon 9:21 How having faith in christ will give us power. Power to do the things that we need to do. I know it's true because that is why faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. He is so important and I testify that he leads and guides his church. Of COURSE he will never lead us astray, this is his church! Of Course he will always be with us, this is his church. I know this to be true.

We had cool miracles happen while we were out of our area in Samara. This guy who sister Mckell once taught in the past named "D", came to the english gospel discussion group and it was SO great because he told us that he reads the Book of Mormon and that he knows that God answers his prayers. He inSISTED on walking us home after the english group. As we are walking home, he said the most awkward thing to me too. He speaks a little bit of english, and he said "TVID, you're so easy." WHat????? then he reapeated himself. I had NOO idea, so i said the russian translation for easy and he said "no no. You're so easy, like, your kilograms." I was like, "OH, you think I'm skinny?" and he said "yes. Can i pick you up?" and then gestured lifting me up into the air. hahahahahahhahahahahaha it was so awkward. I couldn't help but laugh out loud and then told him no, that was not allowed. Then he was like "okay!" as if he never asked at all. It was hilarious, and a funny reminder that some people still think i'm "easy" even though I know I'm the chubbiest in all the lands. hahah I thought you'd get a good laugh out of that. Anyway, we walk home, and then we invited him to pray to know when he needs to be baptized, and he said that he will. It was a pretty cool miracle. He said he knows he needs to be baptized.

You all looked fab on halloween! I spent my halloween on a train from samara to penza, but cute sister Schwab got us all candy for halloween. She's a gem. You're all gems, I know this church is true. If you lack wisdom, seek, knock, and ask of God. He hears you, and loves you, and WILl answer your prayers.

Love you all so much!!!

Love Sissy T