MTC Week 4

Heyyy everyone!

 

This week has melted together. I can't tell where one day ends and another begins. All the classes feel the same, the days feel the same, the weeks feel the same. This isn't a complaint. It's just hard to think of what's happened every day since every day feels the same as the one before.

 

Today was "Sister Sine" day in my district. Every week we have a day to make some feel extra special, and today was my day. Everyone went around and said what they liked about me and wrote me letters telling me how much they loved it. It was great. I'm on cloud nine right now. I've been deemed the "big sister/mother" of the district. I love it. ALSO today, I got to go off MTC campus to the health clinic! It sounds really stupid, but it felt so good. I got to see the cover of a TIME magazine today. There was something on it about buying the White House or something...I dunno...I kept looking for an Entertainment magazine, but they had nothing.

There were a lot of great lessons this week. My companion and I taught one of our "investigators" the Plan of Salvation and it went soooo well. Our teacher came back into the classroom afterwards and complimented us on it. I won't say what made it so great since that would require naming names, but let's just say I got to use my past to apply some principals of the gospel. It felt so good.

 

The hijinks continue in my district. They found out about my weakness-the super ticklish spot by my ribcage. It was a nightmare. I almost had a flat out panic attack. Now they threaten me all the time. I've been on edge for about 3 days now. It's mostly Elder Astle's fault...good ol' Elder Astle. He's become the other little brother I never had. And Elder Martineau and I have the best talks. About everything from the Krebs cycle to cooking to all the girls he's kissed in his lifetime. His "number" has become a big joke in our district.

 

This week marks the month-aversary! I've been on a mission for almost exactly a month. It's nuts. It feels like I got here forever ago, but at the same time it's gone by so fast. I can't believe how much has happened. I've met so many great people. I've taught 15+ lessons in Russian. I KNOW Russian. I've memorized 4 scriptures in Russian (they sound so cool). I've laughed to the point of tears like 10 times. I still haven't cried since I got here, except for one fireside when they sang "Come, Come Ye Saints" a million times." I've cut my mile time by a minute. I haven't slept passed 6:30 in 30 days. I've said about 150 prayers. I've eaten approximately 60 salads. I haven't sent a text or talked on the phone in a month. I haven't heard a single piece of pop culture news. I'm still waiting on the Bachelorette, by the way. Come on, guys.

 

Anyway, we had a devotional about how we should use our letters to help people back home, so I feel like I should start with this one. I LOVE it here. This is the best thing I've ever done with my life. I've learned so much about so much. And I couldn't have done it without the examples from back home. Mom and Dad, thanks for supporting my decision to come here and for teaching me about the church. Anybody I help in Russia has you to thank for it. Lark, Mary Alice, Ben, Taylor, Isaac, I love you all SO much. Being here's made me realize how important family is important, and I'm really proud of the way we've always looked out for each other. I've learned something from each of you. Caitie, I love you like my sister. You've taught me so much about love and patience, and I love, love, love you for it. And again with you, mom, you're a SAINT. Literally. I was listening to Characters of Christ by David A Bednar (which is boss, by the way) and you fit every one of his qualifications for being a saint. You're my example, mama bear. I know the gospel's true. And I'm SO excited to go to Russia. Our teachers keep telling us stories about their missions in the Ukraine, and it makes me want to get out of here real bad. There's nowhere I'd rather be right now.

 

I have a little favor to ask...

I'm teaching a lesson on faith on Sunday, and I was wondering if I could get some insights from Daddyo. I'd ask him myself, but I forgot what his email was. It doesn't have to be a lot, but Dad's insights are always the best :)

 

Anyway, I'm out of time. Hopefully I'll hear from you next week. PLEASE tell me how everything is going. I hate being out of the loop.

 

 

Love you all!

 

 

-Annalee

 

 

Also, we translated "that's what she said" into Russian this week. It's pronounced, "Eta  voht  on-ah  skah-ZAH-la." Just GUESS how many times we've said it this week...

 

Also, also, could you mail me my patriarchal blessing? I forgot it at home and it would be real nice to have. And anything else you feel like sending :)