Dead Fishes

I am loving Balakova more and more and more and more every day and the members here are little ANGELS! I LOVE THEM! Last night we worked with a member named "VL". He's just sooooo rad and so cute and silly. He reminds me of you, dad, a ton. He's 58 years old, is missing a few teeth, has some gold teeth, and is deaf in his right ear, so whenever people pray, his "amen" is delayed after everyones. Haha he's so great. We were contacting with him last night, and when he was walking us home, he was like "ah man. I just love sweets I always have and i always will. I could eat cake all day!" HaHa I busted up and I was like ""VL" ME TOOO!!!! there is a phrase in english called sweet tooth." he got a pretty good laugh out of that. 

This week we started teaching this recent convert named "CV", (she's the best character. i love her a lot.) her nephew. His name is "MX" and he is 36 and just doesn't have a lot of social skills. We went to teach him the restoration, and we had the lesson in his bedroom (with the member of course!) and it was so funny because he had dolls allll over his room, and these little things called winx, which are these fairy dolls based of this cartoon. They're skantily dressed but they're pretty cute. He had about.... 45 of them, they're just little, and then he had these dolls called monster high and they're soooooo cute I actually bought one with my mom before the mission and it's a skelton barbie, they're like barbies but with cat ears. He told us all their names it was a treat and I loved it. There are so many characters in the world. The lesson was okay, but he's not really too interested right now. He will be in the future though, I just know it. He studies the bible and knows it very very well. On Sunday we are all going to Saratov for an area conference. The area presidency for Russia will be there, and if there are enough people, THEN SARATOV WILL GET A STAKE!!!! and if they get a stake... that will be the third stake in Russia which means they can build a temple here soon!!! SO GREAT! So he said that he wants to come with us all, so let's pray he comes.

It. Is. SO. COLD here! I love it. I get icecicles in my nose and I am always a shivering, but it's just the best and I can't believe I get to experience this type of cold. It's way fun, I really love it. I slip on ice all the time and it always just brings a good laugh. This week was unbelieveably insane. SO much running around and so many miracles left and right!  I experienced something really great while sitting on a bus the other day. I was sitting next to this woman, I said hello, she said hello back, but it was very clear to me that she did NOT want to talk to me. I sat there for several minutes, and my mind was just racing through my memories. My mind went back to the moment that I was surrounded by family and friends and as I opened my mission call. It was an incredible moment, those few 10 seconds when I was the only one that knew where I was going. So I was just thinking back to that moment just made me laugh and made me feel the exact same excitement that we feel just before I opened my mission call to find out where I was assigned to serve. On the bus,I felt SOOOO much excitement that I just almost burst, and I again just started talking to the lady I was next to. It actually turned out to be a great conversation and she took the Book of Mormon. It just goes to show that even when we think that people don't want to talk to us, we just have to endure it and push just a little bit because the outcome really can change their lives forever. It was just a great little reminder that I wanted to share with you all.

 I think a lot of times we as missionaries lose excitement for this work. I know I often do, but really it's such a priveledge to be a missionary for the Lord at this time. There are sooo many miracles. I know that as we rely on the Lord he will just shower his blessings upon us. Today I read a talk in the conference Liahona from October. I love what President Uchtdorf said during the women's session at conference time in his talk "Living the Gospel Joyful." You should ALL go and read it! He said "Often times we think that Heavenly Father only has a limited supply of blessings which He will give to us, when in reality He is CONSTANTLY pouring out His blessings upon us, but it is our doubts, our fears, our unbelief, and our sins which repel those blessings just as an umbrella repels the rain." This has really helped me change my insight about blessings, and miracles at that. We witnessed so many this week. Thanks Pres. Uchtdorf for the thought! HE'S JUST SUCH A DIAMOND, don'tcha think? I love his talks. So let us all cast out doubts and fears so we call all fully enjoy the huuuge rain storm of blessings and miracles the Lord is just itching to give us.

So there was a day last week when we had a meeting set up with a referral during a really weird time of the day. He turned out to be a really big creep but that's a different story. So sister Martinez and I weren't even planning on going to see this referral, but we just thought we should. What we witnessed was the Lord really guide us to SOOOOO many people. Because we were in the right place at the right time, we were able to meet so many people. In the space of an hour, we gave out 3 Books of Mormon, 4 return appointments and three numbers. It was NOTHING that we did, it was all the Lord. He definitely guided our steps, and it's really fun to just see how the Lord guides us each day. We met with this old lady that we met on the streets last week named “T”. She is 76 and fabulous. She invited us over, we taught her the Restoration, and she agreed to being baptized on the 14th of February! It was such a miracle. We invited her to be baptized as she receives a witness that our church is true, and that the Book of Mormon is true. She responded "I already knew it was true when we talked on the streets just yesterday." SO great. The Lord leads this work. This is HIS work and all thing will go according to his will. Quick funny story. At the end of the lesson with "T", I had to pee sooooooo bad I almost burst, so I went to the bathroom. After I flushed the toilet I realized that I kept smelling the creeeeeepiest smell and i was like... "what iiiiiiiis that??" so I wash my hands, and as I turn to walk back out... I see... in the shower......ABOUT 35 FISHES JUST DEAD AND HANGING TO DRY IN THE SHOWER!!!! hahaha oh my gosh It was so terrifying at first, but then I just roflcoptered all over the place and took some photos. It was the silliest. Then "T" fed us bread with chocolate butter on top. Yes, that's a thing here in russia and it's pretty tasty but I am all about that butter life AND chocolate so I just was in heaven haha.

We went back to teach her the plan of salvation a few days later, but to our surprise... she talked to somebody who told her bad things about us. Such a bummer.. We think it was her daughter. Our last meeting when we taught the restoration, she agreed to coming to church and riding the bus with us, and then she said to us "I'm just too old to ride buses and go anywhere. I will only stay here." Which was just TOO FUNNY because we met her on a bus. Haha It was really a shame, and it's been a temptation to get discouraged about it, but we just keep our heads up and continue to help her remember the Holy Ghost who witnessed to her the truth of our church. 

We had our English Gospel Discussions group on Saturday. Everyone that came are young english teachers. They're all soooo rad and they really have become some of my favorite friends here in Balakova. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was really stressful at first, because I find that sometimes I get intimidated by Russian teenagers. They're all so fun and cool and so pretty! But I just prayed and asked to see them as my brothers and sisters and to help them remember the things that they once knew before they came to earth. Well, we taught the lesson and when we got to baptism, the Spirit was really strong. We invited everyone to be baptized as they come to know that this message is true. “I”, one of the english teachers who is 22 say the closing prayer. It was such an AMAZING prayer! He said "God, thank you for teaching us about YOUR church and that we need to be baptized. Help us to do the right thing and come unto thy Son." It was incredible. The Elders spoke with him at the end of our english group, and he told them how he realized during our discussion group, that he has forgotten what is most important: God. Isn't that incredible? Also a young woman that was there named “M” and she whispered to us "Oh no. I haven't been baptized yet." We told her she can be! We then exchanged numbers so we will keep in close contact. The thing that is great is that all the people that came are all really good friends with each other, so once one get baptized, they will all be baptized. It was so rad and it was amazing to see the Spirit testify to each and every one of them. 

I am all out of time, but I hope you all have the happiest week. Cast out your doubts fears and unbelief and just let the Lord work miracles for you. I know he will because he constantly does for all these people in Russia and for me as well. I love him he's the best pllllleeeeeease don't forget about Him this week!

Love you all, have fun being toasty as I am a white popsicle on the street. 

haha Yum. White popsicles. 

Love, sissy T

Me with “CV” the new convert. She's the spunkiest and sooooo sassy I love her much

and another..... (look at my scarf my hayd!) I love it the most.

View out of our branch building

Just as the sun was setting. I don't live in this dome, but this is balakova in a nutshell.

dead FISHES

"CV" gave me a back rub. It was heaven on earth to say the least

and a baby cat in a tree. He was so high up there

WHAT A WEEK.

There is a new convert in our branch and his name is "V". He's 24 and he's SOOOOO sick. He just got baptized like 3 weeks ago, and he said to us "It's so weird that two months ago i was athiest." Isn't that insane? Anyway, so he just got baptized, and he has a little 11 year old sister and a mom. His mom, "O"is an alcoholic, and apparently she was on date for baptism in December, but she just is so addicted to drinking. Well, we found out through the Elders, that after "V" got baptized, "O" stopped drinking cold turkey,because I guess that he has just had such an impact on his mom. It's so great. Anyway, we had a meeting with "O"and "VK" tuesday night. We had the best lesson! So me and sister mckell last cycle came up with the most brilliant plan. To teach the steps of prayer as you make a pizza and every step of prayer is a different ingredient. Example, the dough is "start your prayer and adress your heavenly father." the tomato sauce is "Thank him for your blessings" then the cheese is the next step, and then all the personal toppings is all the questions you can ask God, all the things you can ask in your own words, and then the last step is putting the pizza in the oven and closing the over door, just like closing prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Well, we were SO stoked to use this with "O"and "VK" but to our horrendous surprise when we got to their apartment..........

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........... THEY HAD NO GAS! hahahahaa oh my gosh it was such a nightmare! They live in a waaay new nice apartment and it's so new that nobody in the apartment has gas yet (good thing I have enough gas to provide for the whole complex, amiright?) Not that kind of gas, but propane. hahaha anyway, it was just so funny and we just took the situation and made it work. We all sat together on the floor and had our lesson. We showed each step of prayer, and just showed the dough, the sauce, the pizza, and explained all of the steps without cooking it. It was so sweet because it was sooo spiritual. So spiritual. We just all bore our testimonies about prayer and just explained that it is literally a conversation with God. We asked "O"and "VK" if they even believed in God. "VK" said yes, and "O"said she didn't really know. It was way cool because we asked them if they had ever prayed to God using their own words (Russians are usually proveslovni and they only read prayers, and never say their own prayers from their hearts.) in their life, and they said no. We then just promised them that they WOULD feel God listening, and that they would come to know that he is their Father and that he loves them. We then invited little 11 year old "VK" to pray, for the VERY first time. She said she was shy, and we said "Don't be! We'll just close our eyes and you won't even know we're here." So then, she started praying. It was the most pure, innocent, beautiful prayer i have EVER heard in my life. It was interesting because during the middle of her prayer, she paused, so I opened my eyes to see if she needed help remembering how to close the prayer, and as I opened my eyes, I looked at her, and she just started bawling. Tears just running down her face and I felt the Spirit SO strong, as we all felt along with her, and then she closed her prayer. I was almost in tears beacuse it was her very first prayer and I got to experience it and the Spirit.... oh man. I think that was one of the top three times I've felt the spirit so strong in my life. After her prayer I asked her "Do you feel that?! Did you feel God listen to you?" and she said "yeah, I feel so good.!" we explained that it was the Spirit and that God know her and loves her. She knew it, and it was such a beautiful moment. 

We also made her a little prayer calendar to put sticker on each day that she prays and if she prays every day, then we'll get her a prize at the end of the month. Well guess what? GUESS WHAT?!?!?!! "V" came to church yesterday and guess what? "VK" came with him!!!! It was so cool! And then she told us that she has been praying every day. It was so touching, and one of the members named "VY" who is just the best, she teaches primary, and she told us ""VK" just GETS the gospel. She is so in tune with the spirit and she answered all the questions I asked with the most spiritual answers." It was sooooo great and we are soooo excited to invite her to be baptized! And "V" her brother can baptize her! AHHH so great I just want to pee my pants thinking about it. Next on the wagon is “O”, but she will be ready, I have no doubts. 

This week was a little bit crazy too because I was really sick most of the week with a fever and an ear infection, but that's just life. I think it's because the weather just keeps changing from coldish to extremelly warm. But yeah, I was really sick and we had district meeting and I asked the Elders to give me a blessing. I was feeling way better but I was just feeling really down and trunky and I wanted a blessing. Well, they said they would but they didn't because district meeting went over and they had to leave for a meeting which was fine, so I just asked the member that lives at the branch, his name is “B” and I asked him to give me a blessing. He did, and it was so cool. Such a cool experience because it was a testimony to me that the priesthood is the same in english, russian, hmong, spanish, chinese, and all the languages in the world. It's all the same, and it was way cool because Heavenly Father opened up my spiritual ears and I was able to understand everything he told me. It was so cool, I loved it. It was a funny blessing  because he was like "Sister Twede, you're sick. You have a fever and Heavenly Father is telling me that you need to go home. You can't be on the streets tonight, you need to go home, drink tea, and sleep." hahaha it was sweet, but I didn't feel sick enough to go home so we hit the streets. I really felt bad because “B” called when we were on the streets and got mad at me "You mean to say that you didn't listen to the blessing that God gave you? I didn't tell you to go home, the Lord did." I felt really bad, and the next morning I woke up so exhausted but I repented and Heavenly Father forgave me but now I know to always always listen to the council i receive in blessings. 

Friday was really a rough day though. I felt really exhausted with this work and I'm still trying to love this new area and just adjust to the pace here. There are a lot of times when I just want to quit the mission in general. It is just so easy to just get on a plane out of Russia and head home. However, when I get those thoughts I just think about what would have happened if Christ just gave up as he was atoning for all of us. I imagine what that would be like, if Christ, being perfect, having all power, just gave up and never completed all the Heavenly Father sent him to do. Of COURSE he didn't quit, he's our Savior!  And because he didn't quit, I won't either. The times we feel sick, the times we are so exhausted beyond belief, the times we have no desire to do this work, the times we miss our family and friends and all the comforts of life, or whtever challenge it is that we are facing in life, we should think of Him. I think of the fact that he never quit and that thought alone keeps me here! I know that Christ is perfect and he has perfect love and perfect motivation to help our imperfect motivations. Any obstacle we face in life, any questions we ever have in life, have one answer:The atonement of Jesus Christ! I am so grateful for Christ and His atonement. He has helped me so much in life, on the mission, and I know he will continue to help me. I am grateful because I feel I am starting to understand Christ and His sacrifice to us all more and more every day! He's just the best! He will help you all too. I know it because he has helped me. We just have to allow him to help us sometimes. The choice really is ours.

I love you all, you're all the best. I miss you all and pray for you always. Thanks for your prayers on my behalf and on behalf of these dear silly friends and siblings we have in Russia! They feel your love and prayers.

LOVE YOU

Love Sissy Hayster

 FRIEND BEAST! he lives at our branch building

 This is my home for now. Isn't is quaint? haha so beasty. 

But really it's so quiet and little here

New companion Cectpa Martinez

I love Balakova

It's true. It's just a quaint little place, and SOOOO many miracles are happening over here!

This week has been kind of rough though, not going to lie about that one. It is soooo weird being in a new area, but I love the change. It really is exactly what I needed and I am so stoked to see what the Lord has in store for me to learn as I serve him here in Balakova with Sister Martinez. She's Mexican and is so spicy i love it. She is a latin dancer so she's definitely got some sass, but she's LITERALLY the kindest little mouse I ever did see. She's just a petite little spice queen and I love her! She's really just so nice and it makes me feel so mean because she’s just so sweet and sensitive.  I feel so incredibly fortunate to serve with her at this time. 

The Branch. Oh my. I LOVE our branch. It's really little, made up of about 28ish people. The members that come are so solid and I have just been in awe at how amazing our war mission leader is. his name is "J" and EVERYNIGHT he coordinates a member to be with us. Every SINGLE night! It's incredible. Even the really old grandmas in the branch come out with us. They're just so funny. This branch really understands how important missionary work is, and how important it is that we work together! Last night we met with a member and worked with a member, both Babyshki. We talked about charity and it was so great, and one of them was in tears. I felt right at home though, and I already feel really close to those two members. They're just so friendly! There was a DIane Naylor in Penza named “V”, and guess what? There's ANOTHER “V” in Balakova who is Diane Naylor too! Diane, You're ALLLLLL over Russia. :) It's been so great though, and all their testimonies have strengthened mine. I am trying to stay positive and know that this is where the Lord needs me at this time. It's just hard because I really miss Penza. Yesterday our mission president was here and I had an interview with him and told him that i cried and cried when I left Penza and he said "Good! You should!" haha it was way funny it caught me off guard, but then he just said how that's what should happen because it just is evidence that you really love the people with whom you serve. I think he said it to make me feel better, though. Because we alllll know I cry the most! Lately I have been praying to be filled with Christ's love and I have been doing it so much that I just want to cry all the time! I really feel his love. I studied the atonement this morning, and it's just incredible to me to see how everything is so finely crafted. Heavenly Father really truly is the master craftsman. I am so grateful for the atonement! I know that EVERYthing goes back to the atonement and every single question we have in life can be answered by the atonement of Jesus Christ.

SO many miracles. I feel like the people here are really prepared to hear the Gospel. 

Yesterday we had to take a taxi home because we had so many Books of Mormon (happy day!) and the man who drove us asked about us, so we told him we are missionaries here. Then he said I don't get it, if there's one God then why are there so many churches? and he also asked "Where do Proveslovni batyshki get their authority anyway?" News flash, they don't have any authority. We said “A” EVERY question you have can be answered as you read this book." Then gave him the Book of Mormon. He then told us he is interested in meeting so we have that soon! Just sooo many miracles like that have been happening, and we have just been giving out Books of mormon like crazy it's just incredible.

We had a meeting the other night with a potential. There is a recent convert in our area named “AY” and she moved here from Ukraine to escape all of the troubles going on over there. She lives in this community home for all the Ukranian refugees. Well, “AY” has SO many friends who have also moved here from Ukraine. “A” just got baptized last week, and some of her friends came to her baptism. We had a meeting the other night with one of those friends, named “AN”. We taught the Restoration. It was such a testimony strengthener to me, because our lesson was REALLY rough, as far as teaching went. Sister Martinez both really relied on the Spirit, and because we did that, the Lord took our efforts and made something amazing happen. After we taught the first vision, we just testified really powerfully, and the Spirit was so incredibly strong. We said "AN” as you come to know that this is true, you will desire to follow Christ's example and be baptized. We will be having a baptism on January 31st. Will you prepare for this date? and she said "Yeah, if i'm not working..." AND THEN she said "I've been thinking about baptism a lot lately ever since “AY’s” baptism." We then explained that if she is working on that day, the Lord WILL give her a way for her to be baptized. She agreed. It was such an incredibly experience and I really gained a testimony that night that it is NOT about how well we speak this language, it's not about how terribly we speak the language, it's not about anybody except Jesus Christ, and only Christ can touch the hearts of these people. Once it starts becoming about us, how well/or poor we speak, which talents we have/lack, then it ceases to be the Lord's work. 

I love you all so much my family and friends. I pray for you all. I invite you ALL tongiht to just read one chapter from the book of mormon. You will find answers in there. Don't take it from me, try it! Just give it a go, and see how the Lord can answer your prayers today.

I love you all, you're all the BEST of the RESTus!!!

Love, Hayster sissy

P.S. Pretend I am hugging you right now!

I also forgot to mention I worked in saratov the other day. It was freezing there. ALSO WE ALMOST HAVE A STAKE HERE IN SARATOV!!!! IT'S COMING and it'll be the 3rd stake in russia. It's going to be incredible, and I know that it WILL happen because the Lord is just pouring his blessings out all over this land. SO rad. Well, that's all for now.

LOVE YOU!!

P.S. Tell Gill at Smiths “Hi” and also Daniel at Royal India! Tell them to travel safely. I hope you all travel safely too. LOVE TO YOU ALL!

 The creepiest door on the block

We ate Carls Junior and it was THE TASTIEST!

 Me and sister Mckell's last day working together. We cried.

Cute little doll temple in saratov

Pretty temple in Samara

Going to SPACE!

 I was in the best district ever! Our last photo together at the train station at 5am.

THE TARHOON TRUCK!! Best drinks ever. I'm obsessed.

Last time in center city Penza

New years with "L"

BYE PENZA, see you soon Sissy McKell! HELLOOOO BALAKOVA and heeeyyy Sissy Martinez :)

BIG CHANGES around here. 

I GOT TRANSFERRED!!!! My first transfer! Well, my sixth, but I finally left Penza. I was so sad I just cried and cried and cried saying see ya later to my friends and family there. I am in Samara right now, but I have been assigned to serve in a tiny city called Balakova, which is 3.5 hours away from Saratov. It's right on the Volga river and apparently all the grandmas live there, so I'm STOKED. There is nothing I love more than Russian Grandmas. jk i love you family and friends. It was so difficult to say bye to my friends in Penza, but I know that this is were the Lord needs me at this time. I'm so scared though, I think my stomach is going to fall out of my butt. hahahaha but really it might. My companion is SOOOO sweet too. Her name is Sister Martinez and you better believe she's mexican! We knew each other in the MTC, and she's one cycle older than me in the mission. She is the sweetest, and I remember having a conversation with her in the MTC about how I am stressed about holding my farts in around my companions and she said she is too. Then I made her promise me at the MTC if we ever served together that we would just let em' rip. She agreed, so thank HEAVENS that's outta the way! hahaha

My last week in Penza was a great one, and I was so nervous when we received transfer calls. When I heard that I will be serving in Balakova with Sister Martinez, I instantly felt the Spirit tell me that it is exactly what needs to happen at this time. I am really excited/nervous to be in a new area, but I know that with the Lord all things are possible and that we don't need to have doubts and fears. We had an interesting discussion in relief society yesterday. The topic was, "How can we love ourselves?" There were a lot of answers shared, but I came to the conclusion/realization that we can truly love ourselves and love others once we realize that we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and that he has a personal plan for each and every one of us. REally! it's just so cool. Once we realize that he is our Father, we realize that without the atonement of Jesus Christ, we would always have a guilty conscience. I really feel guilty for the lack of things that I didn't do while I was in Penza, but I repented and had a way cool experience. I just prayed the night that I found out that I will be in Balakova, and I just gave the Lord all the efforts that I had given, apologized for the efforts I didn't fully give, and then the Spirit was so strong. I really felt the Lord accepts my efforts and I really am SO grateful that Christ atoned for our sins, so that we can always, ALWAYS be forgiven. I am SO grateful that I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father.  You're his children! It is such a great knowledge to have once we realize the significance of that. This year, that is going to be my focus. to NEVVVVAH 4GET! 

I have been reflecting this passed week about the miracles that I have seen my whole 7 months spent in Penza. I really saw a lot of miracles that have really strengthened my testimony. One of the biggest miracles that I've seen, is the miracle that Heavenly Father is always teaching us lessons. Especially when times are so difficult, and we are being stretched beyond belief,  there is always a lesson to be learned, just like I mentioned  last week when I said we are always being taught from on high. I have come to know that trials themselves really are miracles, because I have been able to gain a testimony of the gospel, and the knowledge that God really is our Father. It's really been a miracle to me, and then sharing that knowledge with others really is a miracle.  It's just the best even when it's the worst and you just want to give up and cry, it's just worth it. All of it, and life itself really is a miracle. There was a really big miracle at church yesterday. it was soooo cool! A young man and woman about the age of 24 came into sacrament meeting, sat there, and then left shortly after. The elders chased behind them, and found out that those people were just a couple of people who we missionaries gave an invitation to come to church, and they decided to check it out. There are soooo many elect people here in Russia, it's nuts. And  it was just a testimony to me, that the Lord will always work things out, and that contacting really is such a crucial part of the work here even though sometimes it's the worst haha.

I feel really nervous to serve in Balakova, but I know that it's where the Lord needs me at this time, and that knowledge is comforting to me. I am so sad to leave sister Mckell, but I know that she has big things to do in Penza! Also shes now a sister training leader and guess where she gets to go on exchanges to? BALAKOVA!! She is also training a new sister coming in named sister thomas. It'll be so fun to work with her again soon:) I am so grateful for her influence on me. She has taught me so much, and I will forever be grateful for her. She has really more than anything taught me to love mission life and to love this work. Sometimes it is really difficult to love this work. BUT, this work isn't about me, it's about these people, and it's about serving the Lord. And I am really excited to serve with Sister Martinez. She's such a light, and has such a strong testimony. 

Your new years sounds so fun. HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL!!!!  We spent new years inside! We had to be inside after 6 and we made sweet rolls which was just a fail. Well it was funny because we left them on the counter and then guess what they were infested with? ANNNTSSSS!! I hate ants, and I will not miss them at all when I come home. Lietrerally.... so many dang ants. I am hoping its just a penza thing. We even saw the queen ant and you bet that we killed her first. Literally hundreds of ants. Adult ants, teenager ants, even tiny baby ants that look like tiny dots. One time I even found them crawling on my retainer! SOOOO FREAKY. 

I love you all, thanks for all you do for me. You're the bestand I pray for you all always.

LOVE YOU!

Love sissy T

ps we went to the rinok in bezzi today and I bought new boots.... they're dang sweet. Suede with a gold zipper with a tassle. Super Cheap too!

ALRIGHT SEE YA!

Until next time... when I'm in BALAKOVA.

First Christmas away from home

I was SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU MY CUTE FAMILY ON SKYPE! Shortest hour of my life. I love you all so much and I am so stoked to hear you had a magical Christmas. All the festivities are just about to begin here in russia with their big holiday new years coming up. So we're pretty excited to go and teach all the drunk people on the streets. Just kidding. We have to be inside on new years so that we'll be safe. Russians drink and drink and drink and just keep drinking so you can best believe me and sister mckell have a hot date planned to write in our journals! hahaha ringing in the new years right. 

I hope you, fam, know that the “C” the family whose house i skyped at  just loooooved you all, and especially “M”. He LOVES us missionaries. He is from penza and got called to the samara mission... so he served in penza hahahaha in his home town, and baptized his wife. Way funny. Anyway, he learned really funny english slang on his mission that he never forgot, so that's where he learned that HILARIOUS phrase he told you over skype. hahaha we love him he's great. Don't be sad because I only cried for two minutes after and those were all the tears I cried. So you can just award me with the gold medal for least tears! Just kidding, because I've been crying all week when I think about when I got to see you all. ESPECIALLY MY LITTLE CLAIRANCE!!

At the branch activity we danced around the Christmas tree! it was great. I forgot to tell you that in Samara we had a Christmas dinner fed to us by Sister Schwab and the senior missionaries. It was so tasty! Ham and potatoes and carrots and jello and brownies! SUCH A DREAM!!! It was a really Christ centered Christmas. Well, we actually had our mission Christmas conference in Tolyatti, which is a 2 hour bus ride away from Samara, so it was way fun because on the way back to samara from Tolyatti we all sang hymns in russian on the whole bus ride home. Normally I hate the kids that sang on busses, but this was the best because it helped us all to feel the Christmas spirit! We even had some sweet beat boxing in the Christmas hymns. It was a great time. I really loved my Christmas experience in Russia, and They always say that the most memorable Christmas is the first one you spend away from home. It's the truth. I really loved it and I just love Russia and all these silly people. AND I love the Savior. He's the real reason for Christmas and I am forever grateful for all he did for us and continues to do for us. He's the best gift God gave us! I LOVE HIM!

Our week...We had a lesson with “I” and her sons on Saturday night. It was really interesting, because we talked about prayer and it was exactly what "I" needed to hear. Her sons were in and out of the room, and her husband (the less active member/hilarious kook ‘E’) left with the youngest son after listening to us for about 30 minutes or so. We asked them to come to church with us, and "I" said she was taking her sons to the little proveslovni temple by their house. It was really sad, but then "E" the dad piped in and said "I'll be at church tomorrow!" and then after that Irinia said, "we'll come too after the temple, I promise." It's great because "I" always keeps her promises like last week when she promised that she would come, and she ended up coming alone. Well, sunday came and they weren't there. I really felt sad about it because she promised, but instead of feeling discouraged and down, I chose to be positive and just pray my hardest and hope that they would still come. Well, "E", the dad ended up coming to church right before the sacrament was administered. It was really great! And sad, because "I" wasn't there. During the sacrament I just prayed and asked the Lord to help "I" come to church, even if she came late. Well, about 45 minutes into church, "I" came with her 5 year old son! It really was a miracle. She kept her promise! And we practiced our faith in Christ and got to see a way sweet miracle.

 Another half to the story about “I” which is a miracle. So while we were at church with "I", she came to church really sad. She told us she was sad because she tried to get her older sons, ages 12 and 10 to come but they didn't want to. In relief society, it was really great because she voiced her feelings to all the women, and just explained how she felt that it's too late to be their mom and direct them toward good because they're old enough to choose for themselves. It was a miracle because all the women in the relief society all supported her and lifted her spirits and gave her some really great advice. It was really spiritual and I loved every minute of it, and I know that “I” did too, because we could see very clearly that she was feeling God's love. It was cool too because she invited us to go over to their house on monday (tonight) to do a family home evening before they leave the city for a couple of weeks for the new year. She is feeling the spirit and she really has a sincere desire to follow Christ. It's great, and it really is a miracle. OH, ANDDDDD i neglected to mention that "I" read the whole kids Book of Mormon by herself, and is continuing to read the blue big kid's Book of Mormon too. SO COOL! I have no doubt that she is on her way to finding the truth which can only be found in our Church. What better way to follow Christ than to follow his example and be baptized into HIS church! I have no doubt that she's well on her way. Just keep her in your prayers, that'd be sweet.

I read an article this passed week by the President Monson in an old Liahona, and he said "In those moments when you feel really distanced from our Creator, I urge you to pray." So this is my counsel to you all this week. Just PRAY. Heavenly Father is aware of you, he loves you, and Christ loves you, even when you feel the farthest away from them. Just turn to them in prayer and you will feel their love for you!  It just goes to show that even the prophet in these latter days sometimes feels distanced from Christ. But we can always feel close to Him when we pray. I know this is true.

I love you all so much .I pray for you all and I just can't wait to squeeze you all again in nine months! miss you and love you all!!!

love Hayster :)

cute little nativity at our christmas branch party

so much snow

me n sissy Coleman on christmas eve

me n sissy M on christmas eve

Mom show this picture to Janette. It's Elder Wixom! Ag's friend

Christmas dinner! Sister Schwab is the best

singing carols on the bus

skyping with y'all

Eating oreos on Christmas. Some things never change

and last night with "KO" and "KC"