Hailey in Russia: A Week of Meals!

Hey all my people.

I still LOOOOVE russia and I am just loving penza more and more everyday. Russian people are hilarious, especially when they squat. If you don't know what I'm referring to, google it right now. EVERYONE does it! Guess who'se back broke out? MINE. Booooo.Like... my back looks like a painting.... OF ZITS! hahahaha it's true. All this humidity+more humidity= the recipe of zits. Also something hilarious that happened this week. We were teaching our investigator "N". She is friends with one of our members named "S". Anyway that is how we met her. During our lesson with her the other night, "S" said to me "Your face has filled out nicely!" SCUUUUUSE ME!?!??!?! haha i was like "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" but then he went on to tell me how i look healthy. Super funny. That missionary life though! back zits and chubby face. gotta love it. Not my fault the food is UNREAL here! I can't resist it.

SUPER COOL because "N" is getting baptized on august 2nd! We have a lot of work to do with her before she can be baptized though. We gave her the Book of mormon before she left for a vacation tha twas SUPER LONG and...she hasn't been reading it. She told us that she doesn't feel ready for baptism and i grabbed her hand and i looked her in her tear filled eyes, and i started to cry when I told her "N", I KNOW you are ready. You know that this is the step that you need to take in order to follow christ and heavenly father." it was so spiritual and amazing and it was so amazing to see the spirit work through me. I really was an instrument for the things which god needed her to hear. Anyway, OORAH! (thats what russians say when they are excited.) it's gonna be a beautiful baptism!

Russian. Have. NO. SHAME!!!! For example: today i saw this couple at the bus stop popping each others zits in public. hahaha and then i ALWAYS see people getting their makeout on. It's so funny.

This week was.... the week of meals. Yesterday our Branch president had us over for dinner. It was super awesome because apparently he never has people over and it was so fun to just be there and build a relationship with him and his wife. His cute wife made us an american (russian) meal! We had hotdogs (sooo good) and then we had bleen! which are these yummy thin pancakes. I can't wait fr you to try them! Then we had chili and icecream and oh my heck i'm still full. I have never eaten so much in my life! You'll love them when you meet them one day. Some of the nicest people I have EVER met. They told me that they're my russian parents and I believe it! They're so cute and hilarious.They're about 5 feet tall and they look like koalas. their kids live in Utah so I KNOW that I will see them again there someday. They want to move to utah in a few years so hopefully that happens!

Today I fell in LOVE with the book of mormon!. This is now my second time reading it all the way through. I started re-reading it when I got to Penza.Today I was reading Lehi's prophecies and his last words to his family before he bit the dust. (2nd nephi chapters 3 and 4) I still can't believe that WE have his words written in the Book of Mormon! It's such a miracle to me. Anyway, prior to reading today, I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to guide me; to fill me with knowledge of things that I need to know at this very moment in time. Then i started to read about how there is opposition in all things (super evident in missionary work.. peoples agency). I read of the evidence of God's existance. If you have a hard time believing that God exhists, READ THOSE CHAPTERS. I PROMISE you that you will gain a testimony that he lives and if you don't then you rely on my testimony. I KNOW HE LIVES. Anyway, Lehi's testimony really struck me. From his prophecies/testimony I was able to come to the understanding that we absolutely have NO need to doubt or fear. My soul caught on fire as I read Lehi's prophecies, and as I went on to read about Jospeh of Egypt. It is really hard to explain this experience over email so I will have to tell you in real life when I get home! All I can say is that from reading those chapters, my soul literally caught on fire and I am SO pumped to go and testify and work hard this week- with all doubts and fears out the window. All of God's children NEED the Book Of Mormon and I am so happy that I finally have an appreciation for the truth that is within its pages. I challenge you all to read chapters 3 and 4 of 2nd nephi tonight. I KNOW that you will feel the spirit because those writings are ancient and written specifically for us. Please don't take the scriptures for granted. They are especially for us!

Another story. One of our potentials named "KC" had us over for lunch last week. IT WAS THE MOST DELICIOUS FOOD I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFEEEEEEE. Not kidding. I wanted to just pause time and eat it forever. My letter last week I told you about a woman and her drunk daughter and how they fed us soup and we gave them the BOM? Well "KC" is the drunk daughter and she had us over at HER house for lunch. She's such a character. She is a designer and travels the world and she's so rich and her apartment is sooo luxurious! I was in heaven. Anyway, we sang for her and she felt the spirit but she thinks it's weird that we have a prophet on the earth today so.. we will have to keep meeting with her and explain that having a prophet is NOT weird, it's a blessing!

Anyway I have to go. I feel bad this letter is all over the place. I will just leave you with this thought: the churhc is true. The book of mormon is filled with light! I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and wants each of us SOOOO badly to come unto him. I know that when we do we receive blessings! I love you all. I am soooo happy to be here. You're all so great and I'm so happy that you all still write me. I love you my family!!! i love you my pals.

I love you all.

xoxo cectpa TWEDE

"KC" cooking for us

the best food i have ever tasted

us with "KC" she's the COOOOLEST!n look at her divine apartment!! she's an artist too. She painted all those paintings behind us.

Selfies with "KC"

lunch at a babushkas home

scary picture hahaha

Tracting

rap zone on the 4th of july

love my sissy

pretty sky

ice cream! to answer you dad all they have is vanilla and chocolate and you would LOVEEEEE THE CHOCOLATE!!!

THAT LOGO THOUGH!! THE CUTES! when I went to the dentist. Russian dentists have the nicest equipment but it still freaks me out. My tooth is healthy and well though but I need to go back for another look because my other tooh hurts now. eeeek