Hailey in Russia: Go Home

Hey ya'll! I finally watched conference this week. And it was magical, and I loved it. We also went back to Kazan earlier last week, and me and sister wilson had a date with each other at mcdonalds. I love that gal so much she's the dang friend! We just talked about the mission and the future all while we drank hot chocolate and ate cheese cake and cookies. It was a magical time. We saw a lot of cool miracles there too. People are just SOOOOO nice in Kazan, it's crazy. I even met an old lady named Maria feeding the stray dogs CHICKEN NECKS and CHICKEN FEET! The crunch sound..... it was great. Crunchatize me captain. Dang. I actually really miss captain crunch.

Had a cool experience the other night. I had to go to the bathroom, and so we went and by the time we went back outside, we only have ten more minutes before having to come back into the house for the night (it was late). We set a goal for the last ten minutes of the night to find someone and invite them to church. Well, we were outside and I felt really weird, and I was praying in my head and just asked for faith in Christ to be able to find this person when a sick feeling came to my stomach and the Spirit clearly and loudly said to me "GO HOME. NOW." So I grabbed my ginger companion and we returned home. I don't know what would have happened had I not listened to that prompting from the Spirit, but that's the goal! To not find out. So never ever delay promptings, okay?

I can't believe that soon I come home. Last week is my last P-day. EVER as a missionary and I am filled with a lot of emotion and a lot of joy and regrets and satisfaction and everything in between. To be completely honest, it still doesn't feel real that I'm going home so soon, but I feel ready and I just can't wait to see all of you, and to hug you all (especially you Hayd) And you too mom. Don't worry, you (reading this) your'e on the list too!

I am unfortunately out of time due to having to get things done before my journey home in a couple weeks! so, before I go, I just wanted to share a few of my insights which I loved from President Monson and the Apostles.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf- "Are we making our discipleship as members of the church too complicated? It's so simple, that even a child can undesrtand, yet so deep that we are constantly learning during our lifetime." Great reminder of the simplicity of this Gospel.

M. Russell Ballard- "We cannot separate Christ from His servants." Isn't that so simple and profound? That's the secret to happiness. Our goal is to always live worthy to have Christ's spirit fo be with us, and we can have this as we serve Him and others. We have the promise from this apostle of the Lord, that Christ WON'T separate from us, IF we will just serve.

Quentin L Cook- "Rewards for righteousness are available NOW!" We often think, I know that I do, that blessings according to our behaviors will come later. But no! We can receive rewards from Heaven right now. All we need to do is behave, and then ask.

Robert D. Hales- "After prayer, spend some time alone. Think ahead." Prayer really isn't a 'dump everything onto Heavenly Father' really quick so that I can hurry and get to sleep, but rather, a literal two way conversation WITH Him. You guys.... we ahve connection with God of the most high. Make time for Him, because he ALWAYS makes time for you. Spend time alone before, during, and after your prayers to spiritually digest the feast of knowledge which He will and does give to you and to each of us. It works for me, and it'll work for you.

Jeffery R. Holland- "No love in this mortal life comes closer to Christ's love, than a mother's love for her child(ren). When times of temptation come, think of the Savior and your mother." Isn't this just the dang truth. I invite you all to tell all your mums of the love and gratitude you have for them. Whether they're alive, or not, I promise that they'll hear you.

Dallin H. Oaks- "The atonement of Jesus Christ belongs to those who ask." How often do we ask for patience THROUGH the atonement? Or strength? Or deliverance from afflictions? Or even the patience and capacity to endure our afflictions? I really know that just as edler Oaks said "those who seek Christ's help, get it." ASK! And rely on the enabling atonement.

Neil L. Andersen- "Our faith comes by choice, not my chance." Are we making this choice? I also love when he said "Live worthy of the Lord's saying 'great is your faith'."

Henry B. Eyring- "Keep your testimony fresh!" How do we do this? Well, how do you keep food from spoiling? You don't just leave it stashed away in a zip lock bag and shove it in one of the dark drawers in the fridge, and then shut the fridge and forget about it. NO! Take taht food out! Share it! Keep your tesimonies fresh! We all benefit from each others tesimonies. I also loved when he said "Do little things for the Lord." Small and simple things bring to pass great things.

Ronald A. Rasband- "Become a living witness of Christ." It's not enough to just quietly believe. SPEAK UP! LIVE! Be a living witness of Him.

Gary E. Stevenson- "The gospel offsets the alamaties of life." So why aren't we LIVING the gospel to it's fullest? Don't you want protection from the calamaties of the world and of life itself?

Dale G. Renlund- "See others through a parents eyes: through Heavenly Father's eyes." Think about it.... if we truly do this, there will be NO hate, No contention. NO jealous, none of that. Look at each other for what we REALLY are. Annoying habits and isms aside, we are Heavenly Father's children. All of us.

Russell M. Nelson- When telling the story of when 3 people died in one family of heart failure, Russell M Nelson explained how he went home, threw himself on the floor, and cried all night long. His wife, by his side heard him cry "I'll never do another surgery again." And his dear wife said "If you quit now, others will painfully go through what you've just now experienced. Don't quit now. Get up and get dressed, it's time for you ro work." DON'T QUIT NOW!

D. Todd Christofferson- "Be converted to CHRIST, not to the church." I know that this is His only true church. I also know like elder Christofferson said "we are the hands, eyes, head, and feet of Christ's church. We are all members of the body (or church) of Christ. We all need to work together. Just as we read in 1 corinthians 12: 18-26.

David A Bednar- "We are here to grow specifically from trials and challenges." Whatever these tirlas and challenges are in your life right now, ACTIVELY come unto Christ. Only He can help us overcome EVERY trial.

President Monson- He spoke of a vast, wide variety of things. I am grateful when he reminded all of us that "Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same sphere." He then spoke about what we need to do to strengthen our faith. Things including reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures and NEVER neglecting those things, Having charity toward others, being an example in word and conversation and by striving to follow the Savior."

I love these men. I know that they are God's prophets and apostles here on the earth right now, TODAY. Thomas S. Monson truly has, and is wearing out his life in the service of God. I add my testimony that not only is he the prophet of God, but each apostle really is the Lord's apostles. He calls them. I feel it time after time as I hear and read their words. I know that this church is true, and that it LITERALLY is God's kingdom here on the earth. The Savior gave His life for His churhc. Do we REALLY remember that? I really truly do pray that we do, and if we don't then we can remember that! This IS the way. I love this gospel. I know that coming to kno it's true is a process, but in order to really truly know, we need to ask, and act. LIVE the gospel! That's my testimony to you all.

Love to you from Russia. See you SOON.

С любовью, Сестра Твид

me and uncle Lenin just chillin

We look like twinzzzz

On the way to kazan we stopped at a place for the bathroom, and this lady Ludmila was wearing the same sweater as me! Good times.

feasting on chicken feet

I've got the hailey in my hands

great lesson with a blind less active in kazan. Okay, she's not completely blind but she's getting there. she's just the cute friend lil VL!

THE BEST FRIEND I EVER MET ON A BUS! her name is ND from Ukraine. She was in kazan visiting her sister. I honestly feel like I knew her before this life, and when I told her that, she agreed. We gave her the Book of mormon and it was just a magical time. She even gave me her address so that we could write each other. I love her so much. Best spirit you'd ever meet.

chubby face in the cold kazan with my shishter crooklyn

haha it was the coldest. Snow fell the next day. Don't we look so prepared for that? NO.

Kazan

snick sonalds

if you look close you'll notice that sister wilson spilled her hot chocolate all over the plate hahaha.

Us with Dasha. She's the dang friend I LOOOOOVEEEEEE her!

I got new teeth.

Gimme a piece of that man meat

Had a lesson with our cute "MR". I love her, she's just the most solid and the dang best. Mom do you want dolls like these? I sure do.

OL and IR the dang pals. OL collects bottle caps on the ground for me because she knows that I collect them. ahahhahh she's a pal.

Us with OY and VT her husband. They're just the solid members too. He's a convert and he also had cancer 3 years ago and they got married 2 years ago. They're the best humans