Hailey in Russia: Iodine

HEY PALS!

I honestly am sorry that my letters keep getting worse and worse. This gal is all sorts of trunky over here hahahaha ahhhh it's just the truth. The only things keeping me going are my tuna fish sandwiches with apple and grapes in there and knowing that I only have 3 weeks to be a missionary so I'm trying my best to work hard. The time just flies. It's just SO FUN HERE and I love Tolyatti and my comp and everything about the mission... except getting up at 6:30. That's always been rough.

Something FUNNY: Sister hullinger while on splits with another sister met a young man named "DM" who is from uzbekistan. Well, we decided to meet with him the other night. We meet up, and he brought his friend which is never a good sign. That's just screaming "They want to date you" So we sat down with them, and then "DM" asks me "Can I talk to Hullinger alone?" um.... no. I told him that we always need to stay together and then he said "But we'll stand literally right over there!" NO "DM" you can't steal my ginger! Anyway, long story short, we told him why we are here, and he was disappointed and as he got up and walked away, he kicked the bench. HAHAHAHA it was just the funniest thing I ever saw. SORRY "DM"!

We got a phonecall from "KT" onfriday afternoon, which was unusual because she's usually busy with her classes at the university during the afternoon. So she called, and long story short, she decided BY HERSELF to come to church with us on Sunday! It was the best surprise! Especially because she's been weird about coming to church lately. The Lord has definitely been softening her heart. We went and met her yesterday morning, and traveled to church with her. She could only stay for sacrament meeting, because in her words "I have prior engagements?" Everything she says sounds like a question haha it's great. A cute british question. She's great. Also, she turned to Sister Hullinger at the end of sacrament meeting and said "Now I understand the importance of coming to church every week and taking the sacrament." SHE'S A GEM! Anyway, we love her and we are looking forward to watching general conference with her this coming Sunday.

We also had a meeting with "LS". He's just making sweet progress. We had a meeting last monday evening with him. He had a fever and a sore throat so NATURALLY "ND" the member rubbed Iodine on the outside of his throat. haha i was like "OH NO SHE'S PREPPIN FOR SURGERY!" Nah, but they just use that iodine as a strange remedy for sore throats. Well anyway, we taught him the restoration and watched the film and shoot... the Spirit was so strong. After watching the part in the film where God and Christ appear to Joseph, he exclaimed "So thanks to Joseph Smith, Christ's church has been restored?" YES "LS"! It was so awesome. We then invited him to be baptized and he cut us off when we said "will you follow Christ's example and.." and he said "OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!" Then we finally got to finish our sentence, and we talked about baptism and how we can start over because of Jesus Christ. We are really excited to continue working with him and he really has true intentions to come closer to Christ and to change his life for the better.

This week has been so cool. We have a mission goal to read 8 pages of the Book of Mormon every day in order to finish reading in 65 days, which is how long it took Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon and then to ask "could any man write this book?" NO, nobody could and my testimony is getting stronger of that every single day. Anyway, I found a verse that really touched my heart. 1 Nephi 7:21. Where Nephi was tied up by his brothers, and then they wanted to KILL him! But in his humility he wrote "and I did frankly forgive them." I just can't imagine how hard that would've been to just forgive his brothers frankly for what they did. It made me realize that we need to really just fully forgive those that wrong us and look toward Christ to know how to act in every situation. Nephi is one of the most Christ-like people i've read about, and he really was so quick to forgive just as the Savior is for us. I feel my testimony of the Savior strenghten every 8 pages I read a day. I invite you to all read those 8 pages a day too! It's just such a small amount for something so great.

I really can't believe that i only have 2 p-days left and then i'll be home. That's enough to just make me cringe! Out of excitement and disgust, because I can't believe that I'll have to just not be a missionary anymore. I will really miss it. I am grateful to be here at this time, in this area, with my companion. I can't wait to see you all so dang BAD! It's just coming so fast, and I am so excited. I love you all and I'll see you SOON!

Love Sissy Twede

“LB” fed us again. I LOVE HER

motorcycles

after the lesson last night

Bye bye "TY"! I love this member.

She's headed to america to visit her daughter

kittens

cute lil home

temple and marshrutkas

With member "VL". She has diabetes and is amazing. She doesn't take insulin, and she just listens to the Spirit because he tells her what she needs to eat. She's amazing.