The dream of the 90's is alive in PORTLAND

My trainee got here!

My trainee is named sister Reed! She is from portland oregon and she is reeeeeal granola just like all the folks back there. haha just kidding but we always make jokes about it. We also talk about protlandia so that's just the best time. I have a crazy funny story to tell you about. So basically the MTC told president schwab that she got reassigned to arizona because of visa issues. So, nobody thought she was coming and I was going to be in a trio until she got to russia. Well, tuesday night I am saying my nightly prayers with sister mckell when the scary ring tone goes off (which means the AP's are calling) and it's passed 10:30 at this point so i think, "well this must be serious!" so I answer, and elder greenberg says "So sisters................ lay out an extra bed because sister reed is here and she has been here in samara for the past 4 hours and nobody knew about it." hahahahahaha what? I was so stoked. Me and sister mckell just jumped up and danced in a circle and sang "NO TRIO NO TRIO NO TRIO NO TRIO!" We were stoked, then we laid out her bed.

 At 2am president schwab called telling us that he was at our house, so we went down to get her. Usually the trainees don't find out their companions until after the new missionaries go to the training at the office, but since nobody knew she was coming, he just introduced me as her trainer when she got out of the car. haha super informal, and I'm just standing bra-less and in pajamas in front of Dezzident Skwab and sister schwab. Too funny. Anyway, the story is that Sister Reed never got reassigned, and that her visa came, and that she knew she was coming to russia the whole time but nobody else did. She got to the samara airport and then borrowed a man's phone after 3 hours and called a random number on a piece of paper she found in her documents about our mission which was a senior couples number. Then, the senior couple called president and then boom 2am and she's at our house and it's crazy. She is really cool though and this is the best part: she is from portland haha. So it's just like watching portlandia everyday. She really likes to talk and talk and talk and so there is always something kooky coming out of her mouth. She's a character. I do love her though, I am excited to train. But she already came pretrained so that's nice too. She's a sharp gal. The Lord really has been helping me a ton though, and I am so grateful for his help. He is just the pal! I love Him.

FUN fact. Lately, Russians will come up to me and say "do you sit inside all day? You haven't gotten tan at all." I say yes. haha no I just tell them I am just a milky ghost and then they get a good laugh about that. PASTY FOR LIIIIFE.

Before being separated, sister mckell and I saw some really crazy miracles. (I cried for 2 hours when she left in the bathroom because she's my best friend. Worst separation ever.) So one day, sister mckell tripped and fell. Everything was okay, she didn't hurt her foot, but the fear of her broken bone came back to her. IT WAS SO SAD THOUGH I WANTED TO CRY! Especially because the old lady we tried to talk to started yelling really mean things at us... like "YOU IDIOT GIRLS WATCH WHERE YOU'RE WALKING!" So, we took a break on a bench in front of our apartment when this girl came out. She is 20, and she sat with us. We had met her a couple nights prior, just really casually. This day, she “YH” came and sat with us on the bench after sister Mckell fell and just instantly started sobbing and sobbing. We just tried our best to console her. Then, it was awesome because the Spirit took over and we were able to testify about the plan of salvation. Now, hysterical, with her tears all over our shirts and her snot running down my skirt, we decided to sing for her. We sang about 10 hymns we know and at the end she was just about asleep on our laps. We were so grateful to the Lord for allowing that tender mercy to happen. We were able to help one of His daughters know about His plan for all of us. Then, after saying goodbye, she wanted our number and wanted to meet. Isn't that so awesome?! So sister Reed and I met with her, and attempted to teach the restoration but “YH” just kept interrupting us and saying "I already know this, I know this uh-huh I know this" but wouldn't really listen to what we said. This went on for 30 minutes so we just testified to her about the truth of this message, and that as she knows these things truly in her heart she will have the desire to follow Christ and be baptized. She took the Book of Mormon and said she would read, so hopefully she has started. We were also able to meet SOOOOOO many great potentials this week. My favorites were this couple name “OL” and “AI” who are protestant. They stopped to talk to us and said "What do you have that is interesting for us?" So we talked about the Book of Mormon and testified about it and they said "We would love to meet some time to talk about this. Maybe we'll change our religion." It was SOOOO awesome! There are so many prepared people that we are meeting. We are currently doing a lot of finding right now due to investigators not progressing, so we are looking forward to finding the people who the Lord has prepared for us.Contacting is the best I LOVE IT.

GUESS WHAT? “DM” IS NOW MEETING WITH THE ELDERS!! IT'S JUST THE BEST THING EVER! He came to church all by himself yesterday. Also this man from india named “AB” came to church too and he was soooo into it. “KR” is just being sassy silly old “KR”. We are really going to push her hard for baptism this week and it's going to be really really really exciting. THere are so many miracles happening it's crazy. I'm just too stoked about “DM” though. He really is prepared but it was just weird when he started poking me. One time he poked my arm and then sister dunn the senior couple saw and then she said "Well that was creepy." ahahahahaha I just can't wait for you to meet the dunn's. They are just the best pals! so it's just the best that he meets with the elders now. 

I love you all. I have been studying charity this week and I have learned so much. I invite ya'll to study it this week. You will learn so much about the Savior! I promise. You are just the best pals. I love you all. Have the happiest week and never forget this gal loves you!!!

Well, that's all for now. Guess what? See you 3 months yuh punks. MISS YOU LOVE YOU!

<3 Sissy T

The Rowleys they go home soon so sad.

Elder rowley is just the dang SICKEST! 

And sister Rowley is the sweetest. I LOVE THEM

We were on splits! Sister sotnikova me and sister reed

Me and sister mckell after a crazy miracle that happened. This lady told us that she wanted to be baptized but then we called her the next day and she read something bad about us but she did say that she will read the Book of Mormon. It'll be okay because she's too prepared to say no to the Lord. She will be baptized

Look at this garage it's fab

The puppy named "TSEE-POO!" so dang cute

From sister quinn when she visited us

The Lord's Way

We got transfer calls...... and guess what?? I am staying in Samara................................................................................AND I'M TRAINING!! My trainee is named Sister Reed. She is the only one coming in and so that is how I know who she is. The sucky part though is that she got reassigned to Tempe Arizona and nobody knows why and my mission president hasn't told me anything, so if she doesn't come then I will have to be in a trio with the sisters that live in the ghetto part of Samara called Bezi. I like it there though, I have served over there a couple times on my mission. It's just kinda sad because I wouldn't be able to go to my own branch on sunday I would have to go to the Bezi branch. It's just kinda up in the air and I'm walking in the dark so I just pray that she will get here because I saw photos of her and she's way cute and cool and I am way stoked that I get to train her! I just feel like I know nothing still haha, like I just got to the mission yesterday! I am dreading the awkward first week new companion blues though..... holding farts in just really isn't my thing. hahahaha you know that already. 

I had a dang sweet study today! I want to share it with you. I read a talk called The Lord's Way by Elder Stanley G. Elis of the Seventy from general conference April 2012. I'll tell you some of the highlights from that talk. He talks about 6 steps to the Lord's way. The Lord's way is: 1) to work. 2) to work smart. 3) the importance of timing. 4) to do what is needed or ought to be done regardless of what is enjoyable, preferable, or convenient. 5) to be direct. 6) to stick to the basics. 

He then says "We are NOT spiritual orphans! We have a Heavenly Father. He is our parent, and like a parent, He helps us avoid dangerous pitfalls by warning through the Spirit. And like parents, He understands better, because of His perspective. With Heavenly Father, we don't have to be lost, confused, deceived or less effective. Heavenly Father hasn't shown us A way, but THE way."

We can learn a lot from the scriptures about this. In proverbs 3:5-7 we are told "lean not unto thine own understanding." Why? Because we are weak and don't have all the answers and don't always know the way, but Heavenly Father, and I'll also add Christ, they do know the way. Also in D&C 82:10 we learn that if we do things in the Lord's way, He is bound to bless us and we have claim to his amazing promises if we choose to follow our own tiny pea brain perspective, then we don't have the promise. 

That's really helped me, especially with just trusting the Lord more, and inclining my mind toward Him to help strengthen my faith in Him. They know the way, and that's amazing. I really shouldn't stress so much and just trust that my Heavenly Father knows why everything is playing out as it is at this time. Anyway, back to Elder Elis' talk. He then stated "The Lord's way is that we hearken to our leaders' teachings, understand correct principles, and govern ourselves according to those teachings and impression." Just really profound, and is just evident that all those around us, all the leaders we have on the mission, other missionaries even, we are to learn from their teachings. Anyway,I really loved his closing testimony though at the end of his talk. He testifies 'Our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us, and wants to help. He knows best how to help. We are NOT spiritual orphans!" That in and of itself, realizing that we have Heavenly parents, and a Lord and Savior who knows us perfectly, really touched my heart today. I just want to focus on that this week to strengthen my faith in the Savior. 

The real miracles that happened this week..... there were so many I can't even count. Anyway, Saturday was the best day of all. We had nothing but hours of contacting ahead of us, due to two lessons not working out. So we decided to get excited about it, and when we did that we saw some crazy miracles! We met a man who had received the book of mormon several years ago who is really interested in our message and wants to come to church, we met a woman on a bench named "AL" who just listened intently as we testified about the Book of Mormon, and then she interrupted us and said "Wait.... can I have your number? I would really want to meet some time and talk about this!" SO great. Then, we met the most dreamiest 30 year old gal named "YH"  and it was right before our dinner hour. We could have walked past her thinking "well, it's dinner hour so let's just not talk to her." It was crazy because it was almost as if the Spirit just took over our minds and our mouths and we just yelled out to her and she stopped and talked with us. We told her we are here as representatives from our church, and she asked us for our number as well! We ended up meeting that night and walking at the park and eating ice cream and watching the sunset and talking about our purpose and sharing with her what we know to be true and giving her the Book of Mormon. She is really open and we are really looking forward to meeting with her in the future. My testimony of setting mini goals really was strengthened this past week also. We surpassed all the goals that we set and with the Lord's help were able to give out 15 Books of mormon in 3 days. It really strengthened my testimony and I just learned that mini goals are very important, and it just shows the Lord that we really want His help. It really helped me to see His hand more in the work also. 

"DM" "DM" "DM"....Long story short, we ended up dropping "DM". We had a meeting with him on monday night last week, where we established our purpose here as missionaries, and that we aren't here to just be friends with people. Sure we are friends with him, but we are trying to help him come unto Christ. It was just really needed and he ended up telling us "you probably just shouldn't meet with me then because I have no desire to get baptized right now." So we respected his agency. We then didn't talk to him for several days, and then he called us on friday evening. He said "I have been reading the book of mormon a lot lately. I also was talking on an internet site with people who aren't members of your church but who live with mormons or have mormon friends. I was talking to them and we all agreed that mormons are the nicest people that you can ever meet. Then, I realized something after reading and speaking with those people that know mormons: I realized that when I was russian orthodox, I realized something was missing. Then I met the baptists and was baptized into that church. And then I met the Mormons here in Russia and I realize that there is something missing in my church, and if there really is one true church of Jesus Christ, then it's your church." Isn't that crazy? It was way cool. Then he told us that he would be coming to church on sunday! And, he did come. But... we too have noticed that things are sometimes weird with "DM", in the sense of him meeting with us sisters. He's hugged me twice against my will and he pokes me sometimes and it's just a little strange. But we love him, he's a good soul. We are passing him to the elders so it's going to be good. Anyway, long story short his heart is really softening and it's awesome for him and the Lord.

I am so sorry this is short because sister mckell has to pack today. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH you all mean so much to me. PS HAPPY WEDDING DAY DYL AND ERIN!! YOU LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL! Love you. 

Have a grand one. LOVE YOU ALL!

Love, Sissy T

that sunset though

"RY" this muslim cute gal

the sunset with "YH"

little "AM" and her sister "MV". they are just the nicest.

our district pals

I call this photo the labyrinth 

"SARA YOU LOVE YOUR PANDA BEAR SLIPPERS NOW DON'T YOU?"

me creeping on this man

sweaty with laundry hanging to dry

FATHERS DAY!

HEY YALL.

DANG Happy birthday sissypants. You look soooo good I am so happy you had a happy birthday! I can't wait to go to gourmandise with all you friends in a few months. SOOOO SICK! Happy Birthday sissy!

So sorry about uncle Terry. I just bet he and grandpa Lyn are having the best time talking about grandma Lee and visiting her in her sleeps! I am so grateful for the plan of salvation, it really brings me a lot of peace. Grandma, you're a champ. I'm praying for you!

OH DANG. ERIN AND DYL. YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW! I wish you kindess happniess, health, a handsome husband/pretty wife and lots and lots of children. (that's what all the babyshki wish to us on the streets.) Don't forget to send me lots of photos!

As you all know, FATHERS DAY IS COMING UP! YEAHHHHH! Shout out to all you dads. But especially you, dad. This email is for you.

BRIAN L. TWEDE. You are seriously the best friend and I am so obsessed with you and I love you soooo dang much! Here are some of my favorite memories with you/of you.

1)CAR SHOWS and arctic circle. That was always just so dang fun. I loved dad's night out!

2) Motorcycle rides. Especially when whit sat on the back and I sat on the front. That was just the best. No matter how late it was, no matter how tired you were after work, you would ALWAYS take us on a motorcycle ride. You're just the best!

3) When you would/will still drop EVERYTHING to help me fix my car... and by that I mean you do it for me because cars aren't really my thing. You are so selfless!

4) That story about susie pickles that ate too many pickles and she blew up hahahahaha. You would tell us that at bed time and it was just the best story. 

5) YOUR ADVICE. You are just so smart and you always know exactly what to say. You really comforted me a ton especially when it came to college and also with the mission. You are just the best pal.

5)Watching you work at the studio in your element. LOVE it. You are just so talented

6)I love that you are so creative coming up with new ideas always! Like swip that fruit dip, hands off!, marshmallow munchies, the food storage. You are the most creative person that I know!

7)You would always go to trade shows and then I would always wait SOOOOOO long for you to 

8)YOUR SANDWICHES! It was always a good day at school when I opened my sack lunch only to find out you made my lunch for me. (Sorry mom, dad's lunches were always better. hehehe)

9)FRESH HOMEMADE BREAD!

10)late night hot tubbing

11)I remember being on vacation in florida that time we almost got scammed, and I really wanted to go swimming on a gray windy day, and nobody would go with me, but you did and you brought evil bendy with us hahahaha oh man. The memories. You are just the best pal! 

12)When you came to my high school to help me drop biology... HAHAHAHA do i need to say more? YOu are just so funny and sassy and you said, "then give us the biology equipment that we paid $120 for! We'll play with it at home!" haha you always fight my battles with me and that makes the best dad ever.

13)SKIING! I just can't keep up with you. You are just too fast and too good and I hope that some day I can skii as well as you do. You're a champ.

14) When you wrote me a card while I was at girlscamp, telling me that I have you as my father and that I also have a Heavenly Father as well. You told me you had a lot of people because you couldn't always watch over me, but you knew/know that Heavenly Father will always watch over me. That really touched me and really had  a huge impact on my decision to come onto a mission. Thanks for that dad!  

These are just some of the few memories that I have time to write about today. There are many more, but i just hope that you never forget that you really are the best dad (Sorry to all you dads out there) and I just feel SOOOO blessed to be your daughter. YOU ARE JUST THE CUTES, CAT DAD! I love you:)

Well now that we all know that Brian Twede is the best dad ever, let's talk about THE BESTTTTT DAD THAT WE ALL HAVE! Heavenly Father! He is just the best father. (sorry dad, he is the dang best. But you already know that!)  since fathers day is coming up soon, I will write some things that I found in the scriptures about our HEAVENLY father.

Ephesians 4:6 "One God and Father of all; who is above all, and through all, and in you all." WE all have traits from our earthly fathers, and we also have traits from our Heavenly Father. We really are his children.

Hebrews 12:9 "Furthermore we have ad fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we ave them reverence.' Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?"

James 4:5 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." Just as we draw close to our fathers on earth when we need help, comfort, and love, and as we try to strengthen our relationships with them, so it is with Heavenly Father! Serve God, and He'll serve you. Draw near to Him, and He'll draw near to you. Open ourselves unto Him, and He'll open himself unto us. Isn't that just really special? I really love that verse.

I am so grateful for Heavenly Father. He is just the best. I feel really comforted by this knowledge that God loves me, and that He is more than just the "God of the universe" as "DM" calls Him, He really is our Father! I just love that so much. It's really blessed my life and I can't wait to hug Him again and just squeeze Him. He's just the best isn't He? We are just so lucky to have our Heavenly Father. He is just the best. I know I say it a lot, but PLLLLEASE... just please try to strengthen your relationship with your Heavenly Father. If you feel you don't have a relationship at all with Him, then you can really find that relationship. God doesn't separate Himself from us, we separate ourselves from Him. So I just urge you to allow Heavenly Father mend your broken hearts and just really heal your relationship with Him. He LOVES you! I just know it. 

Yesterday we went back to that members house who is old and halfway paralyzed. Anyway, guess what? She hadn't eaten all day again. So dang sad. We made her potatoes and cucumbers and onions, all boiled. With salt and pepper. IT sounds sooo creepy but it was actually really tasty! She is just the dang cutes so that was great.

This week "IR" was supposed to be baptized on Saturday, which unfortunately didn't happen. We went to her house for a lesson, and we went up the stairs in the apartment building because the door was opened, and knocked on the door. We heard her tell her daughters not to open the door, and then she turned up the volume on the TV so that she couldn't hear us. We left a note telling her that we love her and that we would go back the next day. Anyway, we went back the next day with flowers that were gifted to us by strangers on the street (sweet right?) and rang her doma phone, and she said "Leave me alone and never come back." All i could think about was gollum from Lord of the Rings "Leave now and NEVER come back!" But it's okay because we will go back, when the Lord lets us know when. 

We had a really sweet miracle this week. "DM" wasn't meeting with us for about two weeks because he is addicted to trading money. Well, apparently last year he lost a great sum of money from trading, and it happened to him again this year. He slipped into a huge depression, blaming God for all of this happening. We have been helping him to realize that our trials come from God, and he chastens us because he loves us. He does it so that we draw closer to Him. Anyway, it was great because the day after he lost a lot of money, he called us and said "I just realize that I can't do this anymore. I can't trade money. It's destroying my health, and my peace of mind. I know now that I need to spend my time with important things like reading the bible and the Book of Mormon every day." It was so awesome and it's been great to be able to help him come closer to Christ. It was a big miracle and he is starting to humble himself a lot. 

Well, that is all for today. I love you all so much! Especially you dad, happy fathers day to you! YOU ARE JUST THE DANG FRIEND! I love you all so much. Thanks for your help and for your prayers. I pray for you all always. 

Love you,

Love Sissy T (zekonke.... that's for you dad)

Milk and cookies on the street with sister Manley on splits. She's just the dang pal.

look how creative russians are in their yards. EEEEEK so cute!

THE DANG VOLGA I love it

tanning on the beach

the horse

It's just suh green!

We bought PEONIES!

cooking and gutting fishes

Sister Schwab the friend!!!

subway is the dang best

We got matching pants at the market suh cute

Mashed potatoes & tea

HEY FAM AND FRIENDS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

It was a really long week. I am just looking forward to next pday already. haha.

CAMI MY SISSY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!! I hope that you have the most magical of days and that you eat some marzipan cake. SISSY I love you more than you know. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! PS when I come home, we should push each other down the stairs in storage tubebberware bins just like old times haha. LOVE YOU SEASTAR! Missyou.

 MIRACLES. On Tuesday we FINALLY met with “TY” again! It was so awesome. She is the 29 year old who plans weddings as her job. She is just so great. We taught her the plan of salvation and at the end she said "This would truly be amazing if it was all true." We testified of the truth of it, and invited her to pray about it. She is making great progress. We got terrible news though... she has a boyfriend. Every missionaries worst nightmare hahaha ugggh am I right? We just pray that no funny business goes on and we will be sure to teach her about the law of chastity soon as well as the other laws and ordinances and commandments. She is just a light though. It's just been hard because she hasn't been able to meet with us for four weeks, and then after finally meeting, she just kind of forgot all the things we have spoken about and the great strong Spirit that was present on all of those meetings as well. We are praying for her though, and praying to cast Satan out of her presence so that she too can be baptized.

"IR" the 50 year old mom of the two young kids is still on date for baptism which is great. She will be getting baptized on Saturday! So we are trying our hardest to exercise our faith as well as helping her to really accept every part of the gospel. We taught her about tithing on Monday, and it was just really hard for her to accept. Our member help shared some incredible stories about being blessed from paying tithing, and when we asked her to pay tithing after baptism, she told us to get out of her house. Anyway, instead of being discouraged about that, we chose to keep our heads high and have faith in Christ and know that He could touch her heart. She even came to a baptism last Saturday for "EL" this way sick 36 year old woman. She's just a dang dream and her baptism was awesome too. But anyway, "IR" came but...she came late. So late that she missed the whole baptism, but she made it in time at the end. It is just hard for her to get around because she has a 7 year old and a 3 year old that are a little crazy. Just kidding I lied they're INSANE. Especially the little 3 year old named “LZ”. She's a little monster.  Anyway, "IR" promised that we could go over to her house that evening. So we went, and she just expressed to us "I don't want to do anything..........................................except read the book of Mormon and go to church on sundays, and then read the book of Mormon all day, and then go to church on sundays. I don't even want to eat or sleep!" Isn't that so cool? We then read 2 Nephi 31 and asked her what God expects of her, and she answered "He wants me to be baptized." So awesome. The Spirit was so strong and we invited her to pray about her baptismal date, since she was feeling weary about tithing. We will be going over tithing again soon too.

Another miracle was Sunday having the new district created!!!!  Basically a tiny stake. You probably know what I'm talking about. It is such an amazing miracle that the Lord has blessed upon the members here in Russia. There was a huge conference, and the speaker was the area president president porter. He is such an inspired man. He speaks Russian too just because when he was young, he was prompted to learn Russian and now look! Pretty dang cool huh? Anyway, it was awesome and the members from 5 branches were there and we had the conference at the renaissance hotel. "IR" came too! along with her 2 little girls..... The older one  is under control, but the little tiny "LZ" terror was just a little crazy. She kept taking sister mckells chapstick and licking it and when I took it away from her because it was nasty (especially because the baby has a cold) then she just said "FIIIIIIIIIIINE I AM GOING TO WALK HOME THEN!" And her house is about 45 minutes away on foot. Anyway, we ended up babysitting her and trying to calm her down but she was just too crazy so we went back into the room to sit down, and the "IR" had to leave after her. It's just sad because "IR" is 50 and she has a 3 year old and no energy to just discipline her because she herself isn't the youngest mom in the world. It's just sad. But it's okay because all babies are crazy and it was just funny in the end. "IR" really liked the conference though, but then just stormed off right after because she was just really tired from her 3 year old. I was tired too, so I don't  blame the lady haha.

"DM" is having a really hard time right now so if you could please keep him in your prayers I know that he would appreciate it as would I too. He's just the best friend!

Something cool. That member that I told you about once named "EM" whose legs don't work, we had a feeling to visit her on sunday so we called her to make sure that she was home, and she answered and told us "My family went to their dacha (like a cabin) for the weekend and I haven't eaten all day long." WHAAAAT?! So we went over to her house and made her dinner. She really loved it. We made her some really yummy mashed potatoes and corn. Her teeth are really brittle and really few and so she can't chew too much. And some tasty dang tea too. It was just so pleasant though. I really enjoyed it, and she was so grateful for our service. We were able to clean the kitchen too which was WAY too fun. I am seriously obsessed with cleaning ever since I've come on the mission. Anyway, for our spiritual thought, sister mckell and I sang several hymns to her and she just started to cry. It was really so cool. She is just such a dime and I love her so much. I am so grateful for the Spirit and that He really can inspire us as we listen to him so that we know which people we need to go to and when. I think that's one of the best parts of being a missionary. I just love it so dang much. I am just stoked that it won't stop after the mission because we will always have callings in the church which means that we will hold spiritual keys to be able to discern the needs of people. It's just such a gift and I am just so grateful that we will ALWAYS get to serve others!!

That is my invite to all of you this week. Listen to the Spirit more than you did last week, and really act on your promptings and just GO AND SEE those who the Lord inspires you to go and see. They really need your help just as "EM" needed ours. I promise your testimonies really will be strengthened if you do. So go and test it out and see if I'm wrong! But I know I'm right because I know that this church is right and it's true and that as we read in Mosiah, when we serve our fellowbeings, we serve God. I love Him, and He loves you. More than you know!

HAVE A HAPPY SNAPPY WEEK!

paper temples in the art studio window. I want to make some

"DM" never lets us take photos of him. So this is me being sneaky on the metro.

Me and cute "EM". Look at her she is just the cutest squishiest!

I call this one "I'll take the yogurt"

the metro

1 YEAR IN RUSSIA

TIME JUST FLIES! And I just can't believe that I get to still be here in Russia. In one week I will have spent a year of my life in this beautiful country. Dang it's just the best. It's the best place in all the earth my friends. I love it here and I love all these silly dang people more and more every day.

You know who else I love? WHITNEY!!! Happy birthday to you! 25!!!! I LOVE IT. Your hair is lookin real good too and I'm a big fan of your white chucks. JEWWEY you are looking fab too happy brithday to you! You don't even look 27! Love you two.

ERIN BERG... that won't be your name for long. Happy birthday my miriam. I hope you have a magical day and that you get all stoked for your precious wedding! Loved the invite by the way!

Mike and Spenc I think you'll appreciate this: Today when I was on a tramvai, it was sooo hot (a good 90 degrees) and so I was fanning myself with the fans that we got at the opera house when I went and saw that play a few weeks ago, and then guess what I heard in my head? That slapping sound from super smash bro's that the white fan makes. HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA I got so dang trunky to play smash.

This week was a lot lot lot lot lot better than weeks previous. I really feel grateful for the Lord. I have found myself really inclining my mind towards Christ a lot more lately. On lessons I sometimes feel that I have nothing really to say, but then I get outside myself and incline my mind to Christ, recognizing that I really can't do anything without Him. It's just so true. I love thinking of myself as dust of the earth, because it's true! I am no better than the dust of the earth. I love it that way because I know that just as God moves the dust wherever He needs it to be, He will do the same with me and with all of us. I have really profoundly felt the Lord and Heavenly Father work through me, and it was so nice to have some super spiritual experiences this past week.

Lots of miracles this week it's just been amazing. To start off, we had a live broadcast conference with Elder Nelson from Moscow. He talked about the history of the church in Russia. Did you know that he is 90? He looks like he's 72 haha. Anyway, it was so awesome. He shared with all of us 10 things that he has learned in his life and I'll tell you those ten things:

1)God is our Father, we are His children, and we take this knowledge for granted.

2) Jesus Christ is our Savior. This is HIS church, and we get to celebrate His atonement when we take the sacrament each week. The atonement brings eternal life.

3)God and Christ DID appear to Joseph Smith. And they sent Heavenly messengers to him.

4)Because of those visits to Joseph Smith, the Church has been restored. 3 reasons for the restoration were one, Israel is scattered and needs to be gathered. Two, because Israel is scattered they need to be brought together. Three, The book of mormon is the instrument to gather Israel. 

5)The Holy Priesthood has been restored. By Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, to John the Baptist, to Peter, James and John, then to Joseph.

6)This IS the last dispensation.

7)Satan is allowed to function. He is the author of war and contention. This ability for him to funcrion allows us to make choices. We are free to choose livery and eternal life or endless torment and death. God never gives us commandments that aren't possible to live. and... Don't worry about things! The perfection we can receive with Christ is out of this world.

8) Joy comes from keeping the commandments. Disobedience to God's commandments brings misery EVERY TIME. And obedience to God's commandments brings blessings and joy, EVERY TIME.

9) All blessings come from obedience to the law. Not even for the Son of God could the law be broken. THAT is why we have the atonement. Then he said "Do what you need to do to make your blessings that you've been promised a reality." isn't that profound?

10)The youth of Zion are a choiced people. The Lord reserved us and we are choiced! 

Then he gave us all an apostalic blessing. He said "I bless you to feast upon the word of Christ, for they will tell you all the things which you should do. I bless you to apply the teachings of Christ in your lives. I bless you to be good examples with kindness, love, and patience that will lead people to you. I bless you to become good missionaries. I bless you with a blessing of healing and health consistent with the will of the Lord.

It was really such an awesome conference, and I was so stoked to share with you all those points that he shared. I think that the coolest part was that "DM" came to it and ALL of his concerns were addressed. It was just incredible. "DM" has had problems with remembering what he once believed, that being that he is a son of God. Then, Elder Halstrom spoke about our true identity as being sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Me and sister mckell looked at each other as we heard this talk and in our eyes we both said "THIS IS JUST WHAT "DM" NEEDS TO HEAR!" It was just a great conference and I feel really blessed that I had the opportunity to be there. Then, the next day we met with "DM". And what he told us made me smile from ear to ear and never want to stop smiling. He said "You know, I really remember now what my true identity is after that conference. I know that I am a son of God." THIS WAS HUGE!!! He has spent so much time worrying that he isn't a son of God and that he really isn't worthy to be His son. Then, "DM" shared a really neat experience with us. He said "I had this really weird feeling that I needed to go into my grandpa's bedroom which was weird because I never ever go in there. (his grandpa passed away while he was at sea during the fall.) But I went anyway. While I was in there, I found the first bible that I ever bought. I opened up the front cover and look what I found" Then, he showed us what he found. There on a tiny sticky note was written a quote which said "The main evidence found that comes from reading the Bible is that God is our Father." BUT it gets better. Then he said "I really just couldn't believe it, and then I opened up that Bible to a random page and I opened straight up the the story of the Prodigal Son." He went on to tell us all about how the father of the prodigal son spent his days watching for his son, and upon seeing his son coming home from a distance, even though his son really was in the wrong, the father lifted up the skirt of his dress, and ran to his son." "DM" then explained to us that this was really significant because in those times of history, it was a big sin for one to have their ankles showing, especially one of high rank. But the fact that the father was willing to risk his standing in the city at that time, he threw down his pride and ran to his son because he was so filled with love for his son. Then "DM" just told us "That is the same with God. He is our Father, and even though we are terrible sometimes and don't remember Him and really are in the wrong, all the same He loves us and is just waiting to run to us just as this father ran to his prodigal son." ISN'T THAT SOMETHING?!?!??!?!?!?! It was just amazing. He is making huge progress. He also has told us "If I join this church then I have to quit coffee and give a tenth of my money to the church." We told him that we will talk about why the word of wisdom is important and why tithing is so significant. 

Next miracle. This former investigator named "IR" who has been investigating for 2 years FINALLY MET WITH US! She actually called us and told us that she gave away her book of mormon and that she really wanted another one. She struggles with being bipolar and so usually when we go to see her even when she sounds excited on the phone for us to go over, she won't answer the door when we get there. Well, her heart has really been softening and it is amazing to see. We went to her house to take her the book of mormon, and she was just sooooooo peaceful and the Spirit was so strong and prompted us to inivte her to be baptized. We did so, and she agreed instantly and is now on date for the 13th of June!!! She came to church with us yesterday and stayed for all three hours, and after church had ended, she really thanked us for going to pick her up for church. Something really cool though, was that sister mckell overheard "IR" talking to "EL", the elder's investigator about "EL"'s upcoming baptism this saturday. She heard them talking about their baptisms and how excited they both were, and how they promise to be at each other's baptisms. How cute is that? The Lord is amazing, softening the hearts of all these people! Also we went to "IR"'s and guess what? Subway is by her house so we ate there.... and it was the best. I didn't know that i really did like subway so much until I came here to Russia! Also... we went to her house to have a lesson and her house was just a MESS. We helped her clean it and we rearranged the furniture too so it was just a blast! Then we had a lesson and she told us on that lesson "Sisters... i am sooooo ready to be baptized!" It just made my heart melt like the tuna melt that sister mckell ate at subway.

I am sorry that's all for now. I love you all so much and I invite you to review those 10 points I shared. I know that all those things are true too. The church really has been restored and I know it because I feel the Spirit bare witness to me that it's true everyday that I get to share this joyful message with my cute bro's and sissy's here in Russia. I love this place and I love the Gospel.

Love, ya'll!

Love Hayster SISSY

baby kitten friends and their mama

Us with "IR" 's baby "LA". She's just so dang cute and sassy

They are "IR" 's young daughters. SOO dang cute.

creeping on baby klavdia as she sleeps. Mom you best believe i told this baby's mom that you two have the same name hahaha

Babyshka friends sitting on a PINKYEH

At the health clinic.

me before the massage spying on the patient before us.

Sissy M getting her massages.

This is the best photo ever. CANE FRIENDS!

also last night we made the yummiest sweet and sour pineapple sauce for our rice...... with the help of sister dunn over the phone.. we had no chicken but it was still good.

After the lesson with "KR". She's leaving town for a while so we said goodbye:) love that gal.