Hailey in Russia: 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