tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37566212072474082612024-02-20T15:30:44.427-08:00From Russia with Lovealsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-63161348458673941722014-09-09T09:01:00.002-07:002014-09-09T09:01:38.512-07:00Meeting People<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey, hey, hey, Everyone!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">MOM! I'm so glad you got the package! I was really worries for a while there. I'm glad you liked the candy. That stuff's my favorite food in the world. And good work on the Carp fishing, Dad! haha. Eek! I'm so glad you got it!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, this week was all about meeting people. All sorts of people. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First, there's Sergei. We knocked on his door in the middle of the day and he invited us right in. This has never happened to me on my mission before. Ever. We walked in and talked to him about the church, and he told us he was a Baptist pastor. He was an all around cool guy- he cracked a lot of jokes that he thought I didn't understand, but my Russian skills are deceiving :). We walked around his apartment and saw his collection of Bibles (he has 9! all different translations) and a million other books. When we asked him if we could read the Book of Mormon, he said he'd rather not, but we convinced him otherwise. After we read it, we could tell he was trying to look for evidence that it wasn't true, but he had nothing. Then he started bringing up verses about how no man could see God, blah blah blah. But thanks to A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, I was (sort of) able to combat them all, in my broken Russian. Thanks, LeGrand Richards! I owe you one!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Next was Andre. We were walking down the street and he flagged us down. He was handing out newspapers (drunk) and asked us to talk to him. When he found out we were American he got real excited. We told him we were missionaries and he started saying he was really glad he met us (which is pretty common from drunk people) and how he wanted to change his life. SO, we gave him a Book of Mormon after about 25 minutes of talking to him and told him to read it. We tried to walk away from him but he started following us. He finally left us alone after I told him we had an appointment, but now before he KISSED MY HAND. I felt so violated! haha. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">That night he called us and told us that he'd started the book of Mormon and wanted to meet the next day. I didn't belive him, to tell the truth, but I wasn't gonna pass up a meeting. We met him the next day and he started pointing out verses in Alma and 3rd Nephi! I couldn't believe it. We talked a lot about his desire to change his life. He's 42, he's been married twice, he has a daughter he never sees, he lives with his mother, he drinks and smokes all the time, it's a mess. We told him he could change but he didn't believe us. I don't know what will happen with him in the next few days, but I think he's got potential. It all starts with the desire to change, right?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ALSO, during our meeting with Andre, he kept on inviting his drunk friends over and introducing them to his "new American friends." One of them bear hugged me from the side and KISSED me on my cheek/nose. My face smelled like vodka for the rest of the day. It was the worst. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And now, Dima! We were a little worried about him last week since he didn't answer our calls about coming to the baptism. We waited a few days to start calling him again, just to give him a break. When we finally called him again I was so nervous! I really didn't want to lose Dima-he's so ready for the gospel! When we called, he picked up and we started talking like usual, then he asked when we could meet again. Sister Moffatt and I were jumping up and down the entire call. Haha. We planned to meet at the branch building, but we ended up going for a walk in the forest instead while his wife went running with their running club. (Running club in the forest at night-I love Russia). We walked and talked for a while until Anna, another member from the club, caught up to us and asked to walk with us since she was afraid of the forest at night. So, Sister Moffatt taught Dima while I walked with Anna. Dima told Sister Moffatt that he believes the Book of Mormon is true and that he doesn't see why the church wouldn't be true. BUT he's still hung up on reincarnation. We'll explain that one later.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">During our meeting with him, we also talked about missionary life. We told him about knocking on peoples' doors and he was shocked. He couldn't believe it. haha. We told him to come with us one time and he told us he'd be our bodyguard. He's the best. We're also going to have a yoga lesson with his wife next week. It's gonna be saweeet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In other news, transfers are this week, but I'm about 18733% sure I'm staying here. I've found a bootleg movie store with Stardust, Inception, and Taken. I'm be making a stop there before I come home (awink!), Elder Holland gave a talk at the MTC about missionary work a week or two ago, saying that this is the height of missionary work in the history of the world. He said that all we were extremely blessed to be serving right now. Pretty cool stuff. I was told 3 times this week that I look like a Russian! Score! Also, we met a man named Zorro that works at a food stand this past week. ZORRO! He lives!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I think that's about all I got this week. It's been a great week for missionary work. I LOVE RUSSIA. I love this place with all of my heart. I can't wait to come home and see everyone, but I dread leaving. Please keep praying for missionaries. Everyne in Saratov says that this is the most potential they've seen here in a long time, and we're trying to keep that up :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I love you all! Thanks for everything you do!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-23118364504854760192014-09-09T08:58:00.003-07:002014-09-09T08:58:37.205-07:00Another Dima<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hey, hey, hey, everyone!</div>
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GUESS WHAT?! 6 MONTHS! I've been on a mission for 6 months! Crazy!</div>
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It's been a long, long, long week. I'm exhausted. Last night, I just crashed. I was whipped. I had nothing left to give. So, we took a night and recouped, talked about the MTC a little bit, cracked some jokes, watched Legacy. It helped a lot, actually.</div>
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It all started last Monday. We met with Dima again; it went really well. We had a mini testimony meeting, talked about families, told him to read the Book of Mormon. He asked when we could meet again, we invited him to a baptism on Saturday, he said he'd go. It was all peachey! He even gave a Book of Mormon to his other friend, also named Dima. haha. A couple days later we invited him to our culture night and he agreed to go to that too. Needless to say, we were pretty excited.</div>
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The next few days were spent dropping by less actives, including a family in our branch called the Aydarovs. They've been members for years and years, but they've got a bit of a problem with alcohol. We dropped by and had a pretty good meeting with them. Every time we visit, they promise to quite drinking, they promise to come to church, they promise they know it's all true. It's exhausting, actually. haha. Lots of crying, lots of interrupting. We ended up stopping by the next day to see how they were doing and they were completely sober. It was great! Both the wife and husband were up and about, cracking jokes, laughing, reading the Book of Mormon. I thought it would be a good idea to invite them to the same baptism we invited Dima to. They jumped at the opportunity and promised that they wouldn't drink. When we left, I actually thought it might happen.</div>
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The next day was district meeting/sisters interviews/CULTURE NIGHT! We spent the whole day in Central Saratov with the zone leaders and the rest of our district. A few hours before the show we got a call from Dima asking if his friend (Dima) could go instead of him. Apparently he really wanted to meet with the missionaries. So, we agreed. We headed over to the theater to see MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! My favorite play in the whole entire world! Dima got there a bit late, but it all worked out. The play was interesting...I think they tried to be a little too edgy. Also, it was in Russian. Shakespeare...in Russian. I was exhausted. We rode the bus home with Dima and invited HIM to the baptism too. He said he'd try to come, but he couldn't promise anything.</div>
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The next day we were out contacting and got a call from a man named Viktor, asking if we could meet him. When I asked when, thinking it would be in 2 or 3 days, he said, "Well, now?" We met with him at a cafe by our house and he proceeded to tell us that he met with missionaries starting at age 16 at his father's request. Since then, he's always been interested. He said he had no interest in becoming a member of the church, but he wanted to understand our doctrine more. He's a doctor with a wife and baby boy; he really wants to move to Canada since doctors aren't paid very well here. He asked to meet with us once a week-we agreed. We asked him to read the Book of Mormon-he agreed. We asked him if he'd be baptized if he found out if was true-he said anything was possible!</div>
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After that we headed over to the Aydarovs to pick them up for the baptism. When we got there I couldn't tell if they were drunk or not, but the insisted on going to the baptism. While we were walking outside, I asked Sasha, the husband, if they'd been drinking and he said they had. SO, I conviced the wife to come back inside after she started throwing a fit in the middle of the sidewalk, and met with them back at their apartment. Sister Moffatt and I were both pretty disappointed. We both love this family a lot, but they just keep messing up. In the middle of our lesson with them, Dima #2 called and asked where we were. He told us he was at the church already, waiting for the baptism! We jumped on a bus and got there as fast as we could, but when we got there, he was gone. At that point, I just didn't have the energy to deal with him, so I told him we'd deal with him later (in nicer language than that). After the call, I went to the bathroom to breathe for a minute, and Natasha, the girl who had just been baptized, came out and asked me to brush her freshly baptized hair. Honestly, it was just what I needed. She was so clean and innocent. You could just FEEL how pure she was. I almost cried. Haha. I hope she remembers that moment.</div>
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So, while the Dima we wanted at the baptism wasn't there, and the other Dima bailed as well, and the Aydarovs were drunk, we still got to be a part of it. :)</div>
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After the baptism, Elder Long hit me in the face with a snowball. That has nothing to do with the story. I just had to throw it in there.</div>
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The next day was church as usual. I made a fool of myself when the sunday school teacher asked me what happened to Lucifer after the council in heaven and I couldn't explain what I was trying to say. In English OR in Russian. Whatever. Haha.</div>
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Anywho, it's just been a long, long week. I just feel like things were pulling at us from every direction-investigatos, members, less actives, people on the street. All I wanted to do last night was curl up in bed and watch a movie. BUT, the night is always darkest before the dawn. I can only expect that we're about to see something cool. We just have to hold out a little longer.</div>
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I feel like I just rambled this whole letter. I'm sorry! It's been a scattered week, but we're better today. This week should be an interesting one. People are popping up all over the place, we're having cool meetings every day, we're talking to crazy people on the street. I love it all. I really do love this place. I feel like I was born here, left for a few years, and now I'm back again.</div>
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alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-28476253900046215372014-09-09T08:55:00.001-07:002014-09-09T08:55:30.329-07:00Dima!<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey, hey, hey, Everyone!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This week has been the best. I love Dachney so much. I never want to leave this place. I thought I'd never love anywhere as much as I loved Dachney, but it just goes to show you, there are always other (better) fish in the sea. Starting over is always rough, but it's always, always worth it. If I get transferred from this place, so help me, I'll do something mildly disobedient!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm just kidding.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The week started with a phone call to a man named Dima. I didn't expect anything to happen. I was just doing calls from a potentials sheet (people who have met with the missionaries only once or just on the street) and he answered. He started talking in English and said he wanted to meet. I thought he was only interested in English, but I figured we'd give it a shot. We set up the meeting for Friday (another bad sign, Russians NEVER plan that far in advance. It's rare for a Russian to plan for anything more than 24 hours ahead. It's a missionary's nightmare, by the way). We hung up, and I figured that was that. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The next 2 days were filled with lots and lots of walking. We spent about 6 hours on the streets total each day, jsut contacting up and down the main road in Dachney. We talked with lots of people, with very little success. We knocked on doors on top of that, also with very little success. There were some pretty funny experiences, though. One man bowed to us when he opened the door like we were holy men then explained that he wasn't interested and that he was drunk. Haha. Another woman answered her door, said she didn't want anything, then closed the door. Sister Moffatt and I said a prayer before we knocked her neighbors door, only to realize that the same woman was waiting on the other side of the apartment door, just waiting for us to knock. I saw her through the keyhole and silently told Sister Moffatt that we should leave. She opened the door with her neighbor in toe and started yelling at us. Haha. Sometimes I'm so glad I don't understand what they're saying.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We also had a lesson with a less active with the help of our district RS president names Sister Lyoobov ("Love" in Russian). After the lesson we talked about how we both loved movies, and she told me that she'd just seen Pan's Labyrinth a few days ago. I was so happy! We talked about it for a good ten minutes. Then she mentioned that she'd seen Melancholia and we went on for another ten minutes. I was so happy to talk about movies with someone. I was a little surprised that she'd seen them-they're pretty 'out there' movies. I also saw a poster for Django Unchained! I almost died! I was SO EXCITED! You can ask Sister Moffatt, I was going nuts. It was all in cyrillic and everything. It looks so good! Only one more year! haha.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Which leads us to Friday, the day we're supposed to meet with Dima. The day before we found his teaching record in the area book and found out that his first contact with missionaries was in 2006, and he's met with a few pairs since then. That made me a bit more nervous. Every note on the record said that he sincerely wanted to follow Christ, that he was very spiritual, a very caring person, open to new information, etc. We met him on the street and headed to our senior couple's house. I was completely taken aback by him. He's the coolest person in all of Russia. I have no idea why he lets us tag along with him. Haha. We talked about why in the world young people would leave America to go to Russia; he said he believed that it was no small thing, that "it has to be faith." During the lesson, we talked about our pre-Earth life, Heavenly Father's plan for us, life after this life, etc. At the end of the lesson, he said that he felt different after talking with us, that we had a light around us. (This was the first time I'd ever heard a person say this to my face). He then asked if he could meet with us again on Tuesday. Woohoo!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then, yesterday, at church, I officially fell in love with Dachney. Since we got here, I've felt a little bit like our branch president didn't like us very much. His name is President Shakirov. He's maybe 32-33 years old, and he's a BOSS. I don't know how he does it. He's just very serious and has a lot on his shoulders. I don't think he was too excited about two 3-monthers taking over the area. But yesterday our relationship seemed totally different.We're best friends now! I think it had something to do with the cookies we gave him last week. But it was more than that, he was telling us about his life, he told us what we could do to help the branch, he asked us our opinion on things, it was awesome. He's the best. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After our lesson, I just kept asking myself, "Why me?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I have no idea why Heavenly Father has trusted this area (and this people) to Sister Moffatt and I. I feel like it would be better off in some other missionary's hands. It just goes to show that Heavenly Father has a plan for everything. He knows the beginning from the end, and it will all go according to His plan is we remain worthy of that plan.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well, that's all I got for this week. I love you all so much. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE, CHANTILLY WARD! I just got it last week. I felt so very loved. I loved all the letters! You're all awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you all!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, Mom, did you get your b-day package yet?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">LOVE YOU!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-84178676848995813262014-09-09T08:53:00.003-07:002014-09-09T08:53:38.542-07:00First Letter of 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hey, hey, hey family!</div>
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HAPPY 2013! I know that's old news by now, but new years is still alive and kicking here. Russians love their January 1st. Today is actually Russian Orthodox Christmas. No one really cares about it, though, which is kind of sad. </div>
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Last week was an interesting one. We were locked down on Monday and Tuesday because of New Years. I thought it would be fun to be locked in an relax for a day or two, but I was going stir-crazy. Our dvd player broke the DAY BEFORE lockdown, so we were stuck doing other stuff all day. I say that like it was torture; it really wasn't. I just read, studied Russian, wrote letters, cleaned, listend to music, ran on the stairs, cooked, lots of stuff. It was kind of fun, kind of maddening. I missed contacting, actually.</div>
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The next day we had something kind of cool happen while out contacting. Sister Moffatt and I decided to do "crazy-person" contacting where, well, we act like crazy people. We don't let ANYONE get past us without talking to us. We walked down the main street in Dachney, which has a long walkiong park going down the right side, perfect for contacting. We talked to EVERYONE. Well, every woman. We wished them a happy new year, talked about their families, blah, blah, blah. Some women loved it. Some women didn't like it at all. WELL, we were walking up behing an older woman, but I didn't know if we'd talked to her already. All the older women dress really similarly here, and I didn't want to bother someone who'd already told us to get lost. So, we passed her. Not two seconds after we passed, I heard her yell, "Girls! Girls! Help me, help me please!"</div>
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Thanks, Heavenly Father. I get it.</div>
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So we turned around and helped her over some patches of ice. Afterwards, when any other woman would've just said, "thank you, girls" and walked away, she just stood there, waiting for us to talk to her. Haha. So we did just that. We explained who we were, what we were doing Russia, etc. She looked at our Book of Mormon and said, "What's that?! I love to read?"</div>
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Seriously, I get it, Heavenly Father. </div>
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So we gave her a Book of Mormon, which she loved. Then she asked us if we could meet her again and talk with her more about it and asked to exchange phone numbers.</div>
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Show off...</div>
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Needless to say, I learned my lesson. I will never think that I know better than Heavenly Father ever again. Never pass up an opportunity to talk to people, people. There are people EVERYWHERE who are ready for the gospel. And they deserve to hear about it.</div>
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That night we hopped on another overnight train to Samara for SISTERS CONFERENCE! WOOHOOOO! We got there around 3 am and I spent the rest of the night on a foam pad with a roll of blankets for a pillow and my big coat as a blanket. The next day we headed to the mission home and spent the rest of the day girl-talking :). Just kidding. WE talked about concerns that are unique to the sisters, among other things. That night we went out with the Avrora sisters and contacted/tracted our little hearts out. We received 5 numbers in 2 1/2 hours. Boom shaka-laka. The next day we spent more time at the sisters' conference, which included dinner with Sister Sartori. Afterwards, we made thank you cards for the zone leaders who conducted training and talked about how to look like a sister. haha. That was pretty interesting. The girls here aren't incredible girly, so we pretty much just laughed at all the church websites fashion suggestions that are very clearly directed at girls serving in places other than 500 miles south of Siberia.</div>
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After conference, I slept on my foam pad, had some CRAZY dreams, then headed back to Saratov. Two hours after we got back, we had a church activity with the entire Saratov district, which was great. They rest of the weeked was pretty norm. Sister Moffatt received yet another sweater and a pair of shoes yesterday. Women are constantly giving her clothes since she doesn't dress warm enough. It's hilarious. Then, last night we had a lesson with a member and sang Elvis Presley for a good chunk of it. It was probably a little against the rules, but it was fun. And she said it was just what she needed. I miss me some Elvis. And other music. Oh, my goodness. I heard Beatles and Weezer today and I just about died of excitement. Haha.</div>
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That's all I got this week, folks. I love this work a whole lot. I feel like I'm growing and learning and letting people down and helping all at the same time. It's an exhausting process, but I'm really grateful that Heavenly Father thinks I'm important enough to force lessons on me instead of let me coast. That sound really Molly-Mormon, but it's how I feel. Haha. I have no idea what I can do for these people, but that's not the point. He's got a plan for this place. I just need to stay worthy/faithful enough to carry it out. President Sartori said he prayed over and over about our transfer to make sure he wasn't doing something crazy, and this is where we were meant to be!</div>
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Also, I got your package! THANK YOU SO MUCH! MANGOES! CRYSTAL LIGHT! HOW DID YOU KNOW?!</div>
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Also, I found out that Tanya, my old investigator in Tolyatti went to church without her mother for the first time last week. A Christmas miracle! And turns out Marina had been feeding us black tea the entire time we were teaching her. Haha. Oops...</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-39522527699313557552014-09-09T08:52:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:52:11.717-07:00Happy New Year<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
HAPPY NEW YEARS!</div>
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2012 is done in less than 12 hours! I can't believe it. Last New Years Eve feels like it was last week-Caitie and I were just running around DC, dancing in some weird club downtown. This year I'll be holed up in our little Dachney apartment, reading Jesus the Christ underneath my giant Orthodox, carpet icon. Life, man.</div>
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Anywho, this past week was X-cellent. I loved getting to talk to you guys. Sorry it was at 1 am. Haha. I wish I could've gotten to see Isaac and Caitie and James. Oh, well. There's always Mothers Day, right? I'm glad everything's going well in Virginia. You all look happy and healthy :)</div>
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All the Christmas activities kind of threw off missionary work for a bit. We didn't have as many lessons as I would've like, but we had some interesting experiences. We dropped by a less active family last week, which turned out to be a trip. We knocked on their door and this man that I looked like he should've been carving wooden puppets opened the door and invited us in. We asked if his wife was there (since we're not allowed to meet with men by themselves) and he pointed to the bed where she was sleeping. We started whispering so as not to wake her up, but it was too late. She woke up, came over to us and just burried her face in my jacket and started crying. She kept saying, "You came to me! You came to me!" We calmed her down and brought her into the other room, which was filled with cats and clothes and littler boxes. We started talking and trying to figure out what was making her so hysterical, but she kept interrupting us with giant fits of crying. At a couple points she came up to Sister Moffatt and I, grabbed out hands and just stared us down. It was pretty strange. As she talked, her husband would pop in with tiny blurbs like "I used to be active!" "I love talking to missionaries! "Is Elder so-and-so still there?" "When is family home evening?!" Whenever he did, his wife would turn to threaten him then turn back to us. I ended up saying, "Tee-huh!" (silence!) to quiet them down. Sister Moffatt and I felt like the grown ups in the room. She bounced back and forth between saying she'd come back to church and saying that she "just couldn't" and crying. When we walked out of their building I just stopped and stood there in the snow wondering what the heck just happened. Haha.</div>
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THEN there's Vladimir. We stopped by his house a couple nights ago. He invited us right in, so we went inside. He showed us to his living room, which was lit by a lamp that switched back and forth between red and blue lights. I felt like I was in a 60s movie the entire time. Then he proceeded to turn on the TV. OH EM GEE, FAMILY. I saw TV for the first time in 5 months! Granted, the entire time we were trying to tell him it was forbidden and to turn it off. He just kept saying, "Hold on, we'll see, we'll see." I ended up seeing So You Think You Can Dance, Sarah Chalke's (from Scrubs) new show, Discovery channel, and 10 seconds of Lord of Dogtown! Anywho, after all that we talked about the Book of Mormon and church. He's a smart cookie, but not all the way there sometimes, like and absent-minded professor. We invited him to church and told him to read the intro to the Book of Mormon; he said he would. Then he gave us his nephew's number and told us to call him, which we were not opposed to. Then, on our way out he stopped his neighbors and told them, "I've got Mormons here if you want to talk to them!" They pretty much slammed the door in his face, but it was a nice effort. We'll see how the next meeting goes...</div>
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We also had zone conference this week, which meant I got to see all my favorite people in the world (minus you guys). Sister Moffatt, Elder McClure, Elder Astle, and I all got together and caught up on our missions, then I spent a good 10 minutes doing my old impressions of the MTC district, then Elder Astle tried to poke my sides and I started wigging out just like old times. haha. I was doing SO GOOD for 3 months! Now I'm paranoid all over again. That's all beside the point, though. Zone conference was pretty great this time around. President Sartori gave us a letter to read called "Covenanting with the Lord," which outlines how to 'harvest' with the Lord and how to include him in the missionary work process. Essentially you make a deal with God at the beginning of every month and tell him what you're willing to do to make that deal go through, then you work your tail off until it happens. It's exhausting, but it's awesome. I think it'll be a big game changer. President Sartori wants our area to become a stake by this June, so a game changer is pretty necessary at this point...</div>
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Well, family. I think that's all I got for this week. It's time to go lock ourselves down until 2013. I love you all! I hope you've all made your New Year's resolutions (GOOD ones)! Remember to include Heavenly Father in them. He knows what you need better than anyone else, and he'll put everything you need in your path if you let Him.</div>
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LOVE YOU! BE GREAT!</div>
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-Sister Sine</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-13092323520968952052014-09-09T08:46:00.001-07:002014-09-09T08:46:54.699-07:00Christmas in Saratov<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE! Holy jeez, I can NOT believe it's Christmas Eve. This year's gone by so fast. </div>
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This is the best week in the history of weeks. This past Saturday we had our first lesson with an investigator here in Dachney. Her name is Nadia. She's a character. She told us to meet her at her store a couple blocks away. We walked over and asked for her then waited for a bit...then waited some more...then she walks up behind us wearing a white fur coat and a bright white shopka (hat) with sunglasses and gives us both a big hug and calls us "her girls." Then we went into her office and she started ordering her employees around to bring us cookies and candy. I felt kinda bead, but not really, since those same employees had been yelling at us not 20 minutes before that. Haha. She talked a LOT, and I don't know how interested she is, but I asked her to read the introduction and the testimonies in the beginning of the Book of Mormon for next time, so we'll see what happens!</div>
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Then there's church. THE DACHNEY BRANCH IS THE BEST BRANCH IN RUSSIA! It was amazing. Everyone was so nice! They walked up to us, introduced themselves, told us to dress warmer, asked where we were from, told us to come by and visit. It was great! We also got to meet with Pres. Shakirov, the branch president. He's a boss. I was kind of intimidated, actually. Haha. But this branch has so much going for it. They have four full time missionaries serving from their branch alone. That's UNHEARD OF in Russia. And they're practically self-sustaining. Usually missionaries have a lot of responsibilities in the branches here, but they're running like a well-oiled machine here. It's so cool to see. And they're SO CLOSE to a stake! President Sartori wants a stake here by June of next year. They only need a few more priesthood holders, plus a few other particulars. BUT, Satan's got it in for Saratov. They work's been really slow here lately. BUT, there are a lot of miracles bout to happen up in hurr.</div>
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And then there's CHRISTMAS! Christmas on the mission is the best. Actually, I've barely thought about Christmas this month. Haha. But tomorrow we have a lunch for all the missionaries in Saratov, which means I get to see E. Astle for the first time in 3 months! I've been jumping up and down all weekend. Haha. I can't wait! It's been so long since I've seen his little California smile. Haha. We're also performing the nativity. Sister Moffatt and I are angels (o'course). Then after that we have zone conference, which means we get to chill with President Sartori for the day and see all our friends from the zone. Then we have a ward Christmas party right after that that the members made us promise to attend. They're the best. I love them already.</div>
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Also, funny story. A couple nights ago a guy stopped us for directions. We had no idea where WE were, so we weren't much help, but we started talking to him for a bit. If I'm being completely honest, he was pretty attractive. Haha. So when it came time to say goodbye, I completely spaced on giving him something. We just told him our names, he told us his name was Andre, then we left. When we got home, Sister Moffatt kept saying he had the 'googly eyes' for me. (First of all, who says that? Haha. I love her. Second of all, WHATEVER). Well, this morning we got a call from the zone leaders saying they got a call from a guy who wanted to talk to us. Guess what his name was. ANDRE! We don't know if it's the same Andre, but we're gonna be teaching him! So, there you go. Flirt to convert, I guess...</div>
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I think I'm starting to get the hang of this whole 'missionary work' thing. This past week was kind of overwhelming, being shoved into a new city, just Sister Moffatt and I, living in a new apartment, starting out with no investigators, knowing where nothing is, speaking little Russian. It's been a trip. But I've had my soul stretched quite a bit here. I've ordered water over the phone, I've asked people for directions and carried on conversations in Russian, I've figured out the tramvay (metro) system, I've organized appointments, I've paid rent, and a whole bunch of stuff that I didn't think I could really do in Russian. They other day I started reading from the Book of Mormon in Russian (which is my biggest weakness, I wasn't very good at reading Russian), and I started reading faster than I ever have in my life! Then at church I could understand about 75% of what people were saying, wheras before I could understand maybe 30-40%. I can feel Heavenly Father's influence here in everything in do here. It's really, really cool. I'm so glad I'm here. I love this place, I love these people, I love this work. When I first submitted my papers, I just did it because it was something I felt I needed to do. I didn't actually think I would LIKE it. But, there you go. :)</div>
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I'm sorry I couldn't spend Christmas with you guys. I miss you a whole lot. Honestly, though, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. In my first interview with President Sartori he told me that this work would bring me closer to God than anything else I would ever do. It really, really has. I've seen miracles here, straight up MIRACLES. I've had so many prayers answered, my faith's been strengthened, my heart's broken in all the best ways. I love it. This work is the best. I know it's the best thing I could be doing with my time right now. I hope you're all remembering the point of this little holiday season of ours, and I hope you're 'remembering' in general. Remember your testimonies, remember what you have to do to make them stronger, remember what was done for you to be able to be here on this Earth, remember that there are people here who need that knowledge. Just REMEMBER.</div>
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I love you all! Merry Christmas!</div>
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-Looooove, </div>
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Sister Sine</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-27384718862169077882014-09-09T08:44:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:44:23.721-07:00Transferred.<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well, everyone. It happened. I was transferred.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">But I wasn't just transferred anywhere...I'll be serving in a part of Saratov called Dachney...with SISTER. MOFFATT. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">THAT'S RIGHT. For whatever reason, the heavens have seen fit to put Sister Moffatt and I together during our third cycle in Dochnee. I'll be a senior companion my third cycle. No one knows how that happened. All I could do was laugh when I found out. Oh my goodness. Right now we're in Samara hanging our for the day, hence the late email, then late tonight we'll get on an overnight train to Saratov then start workin tomorrow morning! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared. I had life pretty easy in Tolyatti. We always had investigators, we always tauht lessons, people talked to us on the street. From what I hear about Saratov, though, Satan is just very aware that is almost has a stake, so the work is HARD. The sister before us had a completely clean slate when they left, meaning no investigators or anything. It's gonna be interesting, especially with our Russian the way it is. I mean, I can speak pretty well, but understanding is a completely different ball game. BUT, miracles happen every day on this mission, and Sister Moffatt and I are gonna work as hard as we can to make those happen. We're also in the same zone as Elders Astle and McClure, so it's just one big reunion! I'm so excited to see them again!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">That excitement came at a price, though. Sayin goodbye to Tolyatti was real hard. I fell in love with Tolyatti. It was my first Russian home. The ward was my first Russian family. Our investiators were all found and taught by Sister Pearce and I, and saying goodbye to all of that was heartbreaking. There are two investigators in particular that I didn't want to leave: Tanya and Marina. I told Tanya on Saturday that that was our last lesson with her and her face just went blank. She asked where I was going and how we could talk to each other and I had to fight so hard to hold back tears. Sister Pearce asked her if she's be there for my last day and church and she looked and her Mom and said, "Po-yedem" (We're going.) After I left there apartment building I just started crying. I might even be crying a little bit right now. I loved Tanya with all my heart. She was a complete miracle, she and her mom. We were just doing drop bys on an old inactives list and found them, thought they'd blow us off, then ended up meeting with them twice/three times a week for about 5 weeks. She became like my little sister. I received revelation for her, we bonded over drawing, we bonded over her father-problems, I studied for her, I lived differently so that I'd be worthy to teach her. I changed as a missionary because of her. I gave her a letter and my English name tag so that she'd have something to remember me by, but it doesn't feel like enough. It's like training a prize-winning horse for years and then having someone take them away a month before the big race. She'd started reading the Book of Mormon on her own, she said she'd been thinking a lot about baptism and wanted to see one before the end of the month. She's the best. I'm so excited to see where she goes, but I'm sad that I won't be there to see it all happen. I know Heavenly Father will take care of her, though. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then there's Marina. We'd been meeting with her about twice a week for about the same time as Tanya. She fed us, we laughed, we taught lessons, it was a blast. She'd call us in the middle of the week to see how we were doing. She's great. We also met her daughter, Maria, who's fluent in English, so talking with her was always fun. We had one last meeting with her last night and she gave me a picture book, a CD, a hat, and a picture of her and Marie that was taken maybe 13 years ago. haha. Then she called around 10:15 last night to wish me safe travels and to tell me we'd see each other again when I get transferred BACK to Tolyatti in 3 months. haha. I would LOVE that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho...that's the mission for ya. It's all goodbyes and hellos. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In other news, I had my first visa trip this past week...with Sister Moffatt! haha. We were in a group of elders AND we got to see Sister Platt again. It was just 48 hours of flights and layovers and food and more flights and layovers and food. I think I gained 8 pounds. We had a lot of fun, though. During our layover in Moscow, there were maybe three hours where we did NOTHING but laugh. AND, now I can say I've been to Ukraine! Woohoo!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Things at home sound good. I'm still praying for you guys every day. I hope everything's well. I hope things work out for Christmas calls. I don't know exactly what will happen this Christmas, to be honest. We might be at our senior couple's apartment, maybe not? I don't have anyone's skype address or anything, so....maybe I'll just call? I don't know! President wants us to call between 6 and 8 pm our time on Christmas, so I'll sign on my Skype account AT that time-just call me on Skype and I'll answer! My name's the same- Annalee Sine. Woohoo!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And now for the spiritual thought. I think if there's one thing I've learned this week, or this CYCLE, it's that Heavenly Father is in EVERYTHING we do. He knows the end from the beginning. He's always got something up his sleeve. I have no idea why I couldn't stay and teach Tanya, or WHAT will happen in Saratov with Sister Moffatt, but I know it's for the best. I've also learned that we will only ever see that 'best' if we're worthy of it. Strive to be worthy of the things Heavenly Father has in store for you. If you have things holding you back, repent of them and let them go. Your life will be so much better because of it. I promise. Mosiah 4 (or 5?) talks about having Christ's name written on your heart and being able to reconize His voice when He calls. I thought about that a lot and shared that with Tanya, actually. What name is written on your heart? Can you reconize his voice? (I know that sounds cheesy, but think about it, okay?).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oh, and Mom- </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY!</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-54713531937316947982014-09-09T08:42:00.005-07:002014-09-09T08:42:51.077-07:00Texting<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey all! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First of all, big news: the Russia Samara Mission is officially a TEXTING mission! Ahhhhh! OMGeeeeee! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Haha. It's really not THAT big of a deal. It's pretty restricted texting. But still! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Second of all: we had a baptism this week! It wasn't an investigator, but al little girl in our ward was baptized this past Saturday and it was the cooolest experience. Elder Malloy, one of the New City elders, baptized her and bore a really sweet testimony afterwards. She was crying and smiling and would NOT let go of him afterward. It was adorable.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">OH! And tell Sis. Spencer "hello!" Lucenia told me that she said "Privet" while we were at the baptism. I guess she saw some pictures on facebook. Small world!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, Mom, you asked how missionary work is changing with the big influx of missionaries. WELL, I heard from one of the assistants that there will be about 100,000 missionaries in the field next year. 100,000! That's DOUBLE what it is right now. I don't know how accurate that is, but it sounds about right. As far as Samara, our missionary compliment will be raised from 69 missionaries to 76, which means that more companionships will be serving in already existing areas. They might have to open a few more areas for the sisters, but some of the areas aren't large enough to do that as of right now, so we'll see what happens. President also said that missionary work will begin focusing more on branch work-family history, less actives, that kind of thing, which is really exciting.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, also, I'll be in Samara this week for my first visa trip, which means I'll be able to pick up mail from the office (hopefully). I'd really, REALLY like to hear from you guys (Lark, Macs, Dad, Ben, Taylor), so if you want to sign onto Dearelder and write something, I'll be able to pick it up this Friday. SO, DO IT! It's been forever! If I don't hear from you before the end of the year, I can't make any promises about coming home after my mission, mmkay?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I think that's about it. I'm sorry this is so formal/boring this week, but my time is running out. We saw a bunch of blood in our elevator and syringes in the staircase on Wednesday morning if that counts for anything! haha. That's not funny. I'm sorry. I'll write more in my big letter home this week. And Mom, I PROMISE I will record every detail of Christmas is Russia.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I love you all. Be good! Keep reading and praying and diong the small things. I promise you they count in the long (and short) run. Thank you for all your prayers :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Until next week,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sister Sine.</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-19627705203874183032014-09-09T08:41:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:41:01.343-07:00Three Investigators<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When did December happen? Hollly cow. As of yesterday, Isaac's birthday, I've been in Russia a full 2 months. And as of December 17th, Mom's birthday, I only have a year left here. Crazy, huh?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This week was jam packed with blessings. I don't even know where to start. We just have the best are in the world. I love all our investigators so much. And our branch. And Sister Pearce. It's all just fantastic. We had THREE investigators at church this week. THREE! We've had a hard enough time getting one to come, but we had THREE on Sunday. We rode there with Marina, who we were worried wouldn't come at first because she tends to shy awayfrom new things. Then Katya showed up, a 25 year old with a baby boy that we just met with this past week. Then Tanya and her mother, Elena, showed up. I was on cloud nine. Then I spent the rest of church feeling super nervous about everything the branch said and did. It was exhausting. But, the branch pulled through. (Sis. Pearce and I think they put on a little bit of a show for our investigators). In testimony meeting, Elder Bollough (who goes home in 2 weeks) bore a fantastic testimony, which brought both Marina and I to tears. Then other members shared their baptismal stories, which was great. In Sunday School things got a little crazy-we had a case of overzealous teacher, which kind of urked Marina. Then in Relief Society our new president, Vera, taught the lesson and ended with yet another testimony meeting in which Suzanna, the Elders' investigator, bore HER testimony. It was all awesome. We rode home with Elena and Tanya and Tanya started asking about branch activites and when they were, etc., etc. I'm really excited to see what happens with her.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And on Thursday, we experienced something that very few missionaries ever get to experience- EVERYTHING WE PLANNED ON, HAPPENED! We didn't use any of our back up plans! Everything worked out! It was a miracle. We were literally jumping up and down on the way home. Haha. It's the little things, y'know?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And then, we found a family to teach yesterday. It's sort of an inside joke with Sister Pearce and I, actually. There's a sister missionary on the District named Sister Myers and during one planning session she says, "Let's find a family." It's just such a missionary thing. I always make fun of it every time we set goals about how many people we want to find. And what do you know, we found a family! Their son is 8 years old (perfect, huh?) but he's a bit of a devil. He kept stealing my pure and rummaging through it. Then he stole my picture of the family and wouldn't give it back. I tried to be as patient as possible. I would've killed him if he ruined that picture, though. Our lessons with the family should be interesting. We'll definitely have to brainstorm how to keep him occupied.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Something we've been focusing on a lot this week is how we can get our investigators to 'flip the switch' to become converted to the gospel and want it for themselves. It's rough business, lemme tell you. I was reading in Mosiah 27 this morning and came across verses 26 and 27. It talks about us becoming new creatures through the gospel. Not only does it mention becoming new creatures, but it says that becoming new creatures is a necessity to inheriting the kingdom of God. So, I thought about how we extend commitments and WHY we extend commitments, and essentially we're asking our investigators to become new creatures. They're not just homework assigments or opportunities to increase their faith, they're the means but which they will be born again into new people. I began to think about that in conjunction with my own life and I realized that I do a lot of things oer and over again hoping that I'll change or that my life will somehow change, but it won't. In order for things to change, in order for us to change, we have to change how we do things. And not look back. So, if there are things in your own life that you know aren't consistent with the things that you want, change them. Change them unapologetically and don't look back. And make Heavenly Father a part of that process. If there's one thing I've learned from this past week (and these past two months), it's that Heavenly Father always has something in the works. If you ask him to, He'll usually let you in on it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And Grandma, we had a FANTASITC thanksgiving as a district this past week. Everyone brought food and we all went around and said what we were grateful for. I loved it. We've also seen snow pretty consistently here. It snows pretty much every day now, if only a little bit. Last night, though, it POURED rain for a good 3 hours. We were soaked all night long. And when it rains here, puddles form everywhere. Not just little puddles, either. They're massive! And deep! It's kind of like a game trying to manuever around them. I love it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, I think that's about it for this week. Things are going great in Russia, and both Sister Pearce and I really think we could have two baptism this month with Marina and Tanya. I really hope so. I really want them to have a relationship with their Heavenly Father. I know He loves them a lot.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I love you all! I hope December is treating you all well. I miss you! And I can't wait to talk to you guys on Christmas! I think we might just be able to work out a skype schedule so that we can talk to each other (ALL of us). We'll see!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Be great!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-71086117143030226562014-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:39:09.078-07:00Tolyatti, Tolyatti<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As of next Monday, I will have been in Russia for 2 months. I know I say it every week (and I say it to Sister Pearce every day) but time moves SO quickly here. I feel like Caitie just dropped me off at the MTC a month ago. Missions, man...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, this week had its ups and downs. We've been trying to figure out how to use our time more effectively in the winter since it gets dark around 4:30 or 5:00 and contacting at night is pretty useless. We're trying to come up with projects we can do to keep us busy, but we're running into a lot of obstacles. Hopefully something comes up. We've got 3 long months ahead of us if it doesn't. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We had some really great meeting this week, though. A while back we met a woman named Madame Nina, a 75-80 year old woman who's almost blind from diabetes and speaks perfect English. I love her with all my heart. I started talking to her on the street after a long day of people just saying "Ne Nada" (I don't need it). I said "hello," asked her how she was, and she asked, in perfect English, "Oh, are you from America?" I was shocked. Anywho, we've met with her a few times. She lives alone in an apartment on the other side of New City. At first, she said that she wasn't too interested in joining the church but wanted to know the history behind it, etc. So, we figured we'd use her visits to practice teaching the lessons and keep her company. I LOVE visiting with her. She has the best stories from living in America and working as an interpreter in the 1970s, and she's always trying to feed us and give us things. Two weeks ago she told me to practice speaking with rocks in my mouth to improve my English enunciation (sp?). Haha. She's like another grandma. Well, this last visit we taught her the Plan of Salvation (in English!) and it was probably the best lesson I've had since I've been here. The spirit was SO strong. We taught her about pre-Earth life, our life on Earth, the Atonement, and the fact that our families can be together after we die, which was especially key for her since her husband passed away a while ago. I can remember looking her in the eyes and telling her that she would see her husband again and knowing from the bottom of my heart that she would. It was the best feeling. She just kept saying that she felt very peaceful and that she knew what we were saying was true. I don't know quite what will happen with Madame Nina (she makes us call her Madame Nina since that's what her pupils called her), but I know she's a very, very special daughter of Heavenly Father, and I'm honored to be a part of her life. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">THEN, thirty minutes after Madame Nina's visit, we met with Vitali. Vitali is impossible to meet with beause of his work schedule, but every time we meet withhim, his lessons go SO WELL, so we keep trying. This time we taught the Restoration and it went really, really well. We asked him at one point if he'd ever felt the Holy Ghost in his life and he told us a story about how he was driving one night and everyone in the car with him told him to go into the next lane but he didn't. He didn't know why he didn't, but a few seconds later there was a crash in the next lane over. He said he believed it was the influence of God. THEN he told us that he thought our meetings might be the same thing. He told us, "I don't know why I'm here with you in the park right now. I'm tired, I want to go watch t.v, I want to be at home with my family, but I'm here talking to two American girls about God. Why?" THEN he asked about church (it's out favorite thing when investigators ask about church), and said he really wanted to attend once his work let up. We'll see!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oh, and Happy belated Thanksgiving! Our thanksgiving was a little weird, but I loved it. We had thanksgiving dinner after zone training this past Friday. Everyone brought something to eat, which made for quite the feast. Sister Pearce and I made two pies and a cake, which was a pain to lug with us to zone training. I was stuck on the world's bumpiest bus trying to hold a cake and a pie (which hadn't set yet, so it was basically soup), trying to keep them as level as possible. Haha. It was hilarious. My arms were KILLING me, but we couldn't stop laughing. I'm so glad I could be here this thanksgiving. Our district's just one big happy family; we really are like brothers and sisters. I love them all, and I've learned so much from all of their examples. I'm so thankful to be on a mission and to be able to share what I know about the gospel. When nothing else makes sense here in Russia, I know that the things that are coming out of my mouth are all true. We have the best message on the face of the Earth and I get to share it with people every day. God loves his children, we lived with him before this life and we can live with Him AND our families eternally. I know we have a prophet today, that we have ordinances on the Earth that can bring us closer to God that we could ever imagine possible. I know all of this is true. I love all of you. Thank you for all your support and love. Thank you for your examples and your love. It means the world to me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I LOVE YOU ALL!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Love, Sister Sine</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-27365511624269540452014-09-09T08:37:00.004-07:002014-09-09T08:37:48.864-07:00A Short Letter<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey Mama Bear,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I don't have much time this week, but I wanted to write about something that happened this week that's really meant a lot to me. I repented for the first time this week! Well, I've repented before, but I went to President Sartori and talked to him about a few things that have been weighing down on me. I've made my goal for the mission to have a 'pavillion-less' relationship with God, and I felt like the first step needed to be repentance. So, I did. It's completely changed everything. I FEEL different. I never knew I wanted to feel this way, but now that I do, I look at things differently-missionary work, my thoughts, my relationship with God, my testimony, the scriptures. It's all different. I love it. So, for those of you out there who feel like something is off or something's bugging you, repent. Do whatever it takes, because coming out clean on the other side is SO worth it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Other than that, this week has been a pretty boring one, all things considered. Haha. I lost 4 pounds this week, that was kind of cool? Our investigators are going through a bit of an overhaul right now-we're switching our teaching focuses and trying to become a biggere part of their lives. Right now, our investigators see us as something they can do when they have free time. We're working on changing that. Right now we have 3 solid progressing investigators (last week we had SEVEN), Natasha, Vladimir, and Shenya. We met a less active member with a 17 year olf this week, though, and we're hoping to teach her. She's the best. That reminds me- Mom, could you go on my facebook and send me the files of my sketches? They're all in one album. Just copy them and attach them to the email if you can. The girl's name is Tanya and she's an artist- I promised her I'd bring her some of my stuff to show her.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, I love you all, especially you, Mama and Papa Bear. I'll be sending pictures this week with the big letter. Be excited! I love you! I miss you all every day! Be great! BE STRONG! Be patient. God loves you. Do svedanya! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-12107596925608671592014-09-09T08:36:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:36:12.816-07:00Second Transfer<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well, I'm officially done with my first cycle in Russia! It went by so fast. I can't believe it. I'm now a second-cycle sister in the Samara mission.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, so everyone says that transfers are rough business, but you never really understand until you've gone through one. The closer transfers got, the more I kept thinking about how much I didn't want to leave Tolyatti. I LOVE this place. I love the investigators here, I love the city, I love the babooskas, I love Sister Pearce, I love the branch. So, when Saturday came, I was really on edge. We got a call from our district leader, Elder Long (who is the best, by the way), saying that Sister Pearce had gotten transferred but that I was staying in Tolyatti. Sister Pearce and I started freaking out. She was hyperventilating pretty bad. Then 30 seconds later, he told us he was kidding. Sister Pearce almost got on a bus to go punch him in the face. It was HI-larious. Way to go, Elder Long.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">That's a long way of saying that I'm staying in Tolyatti with Sister Pearce! Woohoo! At least five more weeks here! I'm so, so grateful. We have 7 progressing investigators right now, one with a baptismal date, and 4 more that we feel are really ready for baptism, and I can't imagine leaving them. So, I'm here in Tolyatti until at least the 17th of December, I believe. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I heard Obama won the election. I have to admit, I didn't like Romney all that much but I kinda wanted him to win. It would've been so cool to be out in the mission field with a Mormon president in office. But, hey. Thanks a lot, America.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, we had our culture night this past week. We got to go see Siberian dancers at the Philharmoni in Old City. It was absolutely breathtaking. It was all traditional Russian dancing and I was spellbound the entire time. I mean, I've watched Russian dancing before, but something about watching it IN Russia makes it so much cooler. Their legs! I don't know how they do the things they do! They're incredible. It made me fall in love with Russia even more. Sister Pearce and I were walking around doing drop bys the other night and we were just talking about how lucky we were to be in Russia, speaking in Russian, wearing Russian coats, walking about in the Russian snow, eating Russian food, helping the church in Russia. I couldn't ask for a cooler experience. I would love to come back and live here one day. Except it's super cold. There's a girl in our brach named Nadia who served in Novasibersk and she said that the winters in Samara are even COLDER than Novasibersk because of the wind. So everyone who says that Novasibersk is the coldest mission on Earth is wrong! Haha. Just kidding.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, that's all I got this week, I think. I'll try and send some pictures soon, but getting them developed takes up some precious P-day time, so we have to plan it out really well.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Annnd the timer is telling me that I only have 3 minutes left, which means I don't have time to type out my spiritual thought! BUT, that means you can think about it for next time. We've been studying why there's only one true church on the Earth this week since a lot of our investigators have been having issues with that. And it's been a pretty cool experience. SO, ask yourselves: Why is there only one true church on the Earth?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU ALL! BE GREAT! MUAH!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-33975586780587703942014-09-09T08:33:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:33:55.700-07:00One Month in Russia<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">One month in Russia. It's official. This week's been a great one. We have seven progressing investigators. SEVEN. I don't know how it happened. Haha. I love them all. They're all doing some really great things. And we got a baptismal date last night! Woohoo! We're not celebrating quite yet; baptismal dates are pretty fragile. But he wants to be baptized, he knows he has to be baptized, and he's working towards baptism, so we're happy. His name is Vladimir, he's 23, and he's the coolest Russian man you'll ever meet. Seriously, I don't know why he lets us hang out with him.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We've been watching a lot of The District for training this week, which has spurred a lot of District-envy. Haha. It's getting bad. We watch all these segments about missionary work in America and how missionaries work with the ward mission leader and have members on every lesson, etc., etc., and then we go out and do missionary work...not...that...way. Haha. We've decided we're going to make our own version of The District for Russian missionaries. We're real excited about it. That's a lie. I'M really excited about it. It'll have segments on things like what to do when your investigator shows up drunk to a lesson or calls you in the middle of the night to tell you he loves you, and how to reactivate your ward mission leader before working with him (true story). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Joking aside, I love it here. I love everything about this place. I wouldn't trade it with any other mission experience in the world. I've never felt more genuine love from people in my entire life. I'm learning every day. I've learned SO MUCH from so many people. It's crazy. The other day we met a woman named "Madame Nina" or at least that's what she wants us to call her. We stopped her on the street and she started speking to us in perfect English. She was sooo happy to find English speakers. She invited us over two days ago for pancakes (which were delicious) and had a great discussion about the gospel in her living room. She's had a really, really, really hard life, but she has all the faith in the world. I'm so happy that I get to be a part of her life, even if only for right now. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also, interesting news. We've been getting calls from church members and our investigators all week telling us to be careful on the street. Both Sis. Pearce and I had no idea why. It was kind of worrying both of us. Well, turns our President Putin visited Samara this past week and talked about sects in Russia and how they're affecting Russian society. He wasn't talking about Mormons, but the people who think Mormonism is a set think he was. So, there's been some talk about having to take our tags off for a few weeks, which would be crazy. Things are alright for now, nothing to worry about, but keep praying for the work in Russia.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ALSO, we studied Lehi's dream as a district this week. It was the coolest experience with the scriptures that I've ever had. I'd never gone that in depth with the scriptures before. My challenge to all of you is to read Lehi's dream and think about each individual verse as you read it. Cross-reference it, pray about what you can learn from it. I promise you you'll come away with something great. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Random notes: I saw a Russian Zach Galifianakis on the street yesterday. It was great. It was seriously like Zach Galifianakis as if he were playing Einstein in a movie or something. That's a terrible explanation-just know that it was funny. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I love you all! Remember who you are. Keep praying, keep reading. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-34163294202143407372014-09-09T08:32:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:32:14.978-07:003 Months!<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey, hey, hey! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Not a lot to write about? I feel like everything's changing back home! It's crazy. Time's going by so quickly. The 18th of October is my official 3 month mark. I can't believe it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, lots has happened this week, but I have no idea where to start or what order it's going to come out in, so bear with me.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First of all, our teaching pool has gone through a complete overhaul this week. We've been dumped by a lot of people or "friend-zoned" but we've also found a lot of amazing people who want to know about the church. And last Monday we met a woman who's completely changed my entire outlook on missionary work. Haha. It sounds stupid, but it's true. We met a woman named Xania while out walking. I asked her for (fake) directions home, she pointed us in the right direction, then walked with us down the street, her little dog folling behind her. We asked her what she liked to do and she just started crying on the spot. She explained that her husband and family had all either died or moved away and that she lived all alone with her dog. She just kept saying how little hope she had, and how little she had to look forward to. It </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">broke</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> my heart. We talked with her about her life and introduced her to the Book of Mormon and asked if we could meet with her or help her with anything. She gave us her address but said she didn't have a phone, which makes things complicated. We stopped by her house the other day, but the babooska outside wouldn't let us up. They're a tough crowd, babooskas are. Anywho, the entire time I was talking with her, I just kept thinking about how little I could do for her. I mean, I could share the gospel with her and hug her and try to make her feel better, but the only help that would really mean anything would come from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I felt very small. In a good way. I am nothing in this work without Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Spirit. It feels great. haha.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Other than that, we've had a few good times this week. I went to Samar this week while Sister Pierce had her visa trip. I got to work with Sisters Young and Scoville, whom I'd met over Facebook and at the MTC. It made me appreciate Tolyatti a lot. Samara is really big, and really loud, and very busy. Contacting was a completely different ballgame there. I did get "prolongly-touched" by a drunk man, though. My first! I ended up giving him a Book of Mormon then fleeing as fast as my little feet could carry me. I also had an incident with a public restroom, or lack thereof, two nights ago. I'll save that story for when I return so that I maintain some dignity amongst those who read this. AND, this morning our washing machine almost set Sister Pierce's clothes on fire. There were actualy flames, FLAMES, in our washing machine. Haha. We could NOT stop laughing. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We're also gearing up for the long Russian winter. We bough bona fide Russian coats this past week at an outdoor market. We brought a member with us who haggled with the coat-dealer. It was pretty crazy. I just remember people throwing coats on me and shoving fur in my face and patting my hips a lot. But, mission accomplished. We got coats! Today we're buying boots, gloves, and hats. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tell everyone at home that I say "hi" and I love them. Tell Larky that I'm trying to work on a birthday present, but I make no guarantees. And tell dad to write me! I miss all his fatherly wisdom! Also, if you could have Caitie mail me my memory card after she send the pictures to you guys, I've appreciate it. I'm running out of room here! And tell her that I love her more than Forrest Gump loves Dr. Pepper. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Thanks for everything you've all done (and keep doing) for me. I think about you all every day. I love you and I know I'm very blessed to have you all in my life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love you! Miss you!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-86578098427502985262014-09-09T08:30:00.001-07:002014-09-09T08:30:17.898-07:00Conference Weekend<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey everyone!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Week two in Russia! I feel like I've been on my mission forever (in a good way). This past week has been crazy. We started the week with a prettybig teaching pool, then we saw it slowly get whittled down to a few so-so investigators. Last Monday we had a lesson with a young mother named Shenya (one day I'll find the cyrillic button on this keyboard). Anywho, she was absolutely golden. The spirit was so strong and she started talking about how she felt so impatient as a mother and how she felt that meeting with us was a small light into how she could be a better mother and create a better family. At one point she was pretty near tears. We both felt that she was ready to hear more about the church, then when we met with her two days later, she told us that she wasn't interested, that we "had our church and that was great," but that she couldn't go against family tradition, etc., etc. It was hard to hear, but we're not giving up on her. She's just a piece of gold that doesn't know how great she is yet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We've also found a few new investigators this week, all in random ways. First of all, I am a babooskha machine! For some reason, these women love me. They yell at me for not dressing warm enough, look at me funny when they see "Sine" on my nametag, and then they love me for no reason at all! Haha. I don't get it. Anywho, I placed about 5 Book of Mormons this past week, all with babooshkas. One of then, Tatyana, we saw the day after we gave it to her (and read Moroni's promise with her) and she couldn't stop thanking me for it. She cluched it against her chest and keep saying, "spaciba-vam!" (thank you). It turns out she'd erad all the way to 2nd Nephi the night before and her daughter was interested in reading it too. It was nuts! Then there's Eura, who called us during general conference yesterday (Yes! we got to watch it. More on that later) and told us that he found our number on an invite that he'd been given months and months ago and that he wanted to meet with us and learn about the Book of Mormon. We thought, "Well, sure. We can do that." So we met with him later last night and introduced the Book of Mormon to him. He's the greatest. He's 60/70 years old and lives all by himself. He told us he's been searching for 'something' for a long time; my companion promised he'd find it in the Book of Mormon and there was just this moment where the spirit sort of shocked us. It was really, really powerful. I can't wait to meet with him again. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Other than that, everything's peachy. I love this place. I love that life moves slower here, I love the food, I love the clothes that people pile on even when it's 60 degrees outside, I love the language, I love the weather. It's exactly where I'm meant to be. OH! we also made borsche this past week. Sister Pierce almost lost a few eyebrows in the process due to a few huge flames. It was hilarious. We laugh non-stop. She reminds me a lot of Elizabeth Brady. A lot! It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Now, conference. Who noticed the theme of becoming converted? Because I DID. Holy cow. The announcement about missionary work was incredible, then everything after that just expanded on it. Testimonies aren't enough anymore. It reminded me a lot of a lesson we had with Brat. Burdis and Brat Hofman in the MTC. (Hi, Brat Hofman!) He directed us to Matthew 5:48, which says that we are to be perfected like our Heavenly Father. THEN we went to 3 Nephi 13:48 (I hope that's the right chapter), where it says that we are to be perfect, "like Heavenly Father AND Jesus Christ." Christ was perfect while he was on the Earth, but he wasn't complete until he completed the resurrection and the atonement. WE might have testimonies, but we are not complete until we've been converted to the point where our will and the Lord's will are indentical. I love it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, I'm running out of time. I love you all! I miss you all everyday. I heard Bon Jovi on the bus the other day and REALLY missed singing in the car with Mary Alice. And LARK is thinking about a mission!!! That's the best news in the world! She's going to be the best missionary. Tell her I'm so, so, so proud of her. She'll never regret it. Anywho, thanks for all you guys do for me. Keep praying for the missionaries and their investigators. And work on that conversion, everyone :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love, Sister Sine</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last note: I've been having the craziest dreams since coming to Russia. The other night I dreamt that I was dating Bigfoot against Dad's wishes and last night I dreamt that I was Cinderella and my prince was Alec Baldwin. I have no idea what they mean, but I think it's something good...?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-14041112239559123092014-09-09T08:28:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:28:27.429-07:00Tolyatti!<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hello from Russia!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I still can't believe I'm here. It's nuts. A week ago I was in Utah. Crazy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm in a city called Tolyatti in an area called New City. I already love it here. Apparently it's one of the more peaceful cities in Russia. Our apartment is one of the only apartments int he mission with beds AND a toaster, so we got that going for us. It's the coolest place. I've met so many crazy, cool people already. My trainer's name is Sister (Elizabeth) Pierce from Utah. She's only been out 6 months, but there are only about 12 sisters in our mission, so trainers start training real early. I love her already. We work really well together and we're both just ready to work. I have high hopes :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Traveling was insane. I'm sorry both calls were so short, but our layovers were impossible and we were all SO tired. By the time we got to moscow we were all dead. My flight ot Moscow was an interestng one. I sat next to a man named Joe who was texting another man named "Bald Eagle" on his phone. They were talking about how Bald Eagle was flirting up a bisexual Phillipino woman and how Joe was meeting a man named Sergei who was going to hook up him with two Russian woman on Wendesday night. I couldn't believe my eyes. Haha. Sister Moffatt and Elder McClure were already handing their neighbor a Book of Mormon and I was stuck with the foul-mouthed adulterer. Haha. SO I asked him why he was going to Moscow and talked about his family, etc., etc. Eventually we started talking about the church a little bit and I LAID into him about families. At one point he started talking about how he'd seen so many of his coworkers cheat on their wives during business trips and how disappointing he was. I kind of wanted to smack him. Haha. But we talked about families for a loooonnnng time. It was so hard not to just blurt out, "Don't cheat on your wife this Wednesday!" Oh, well. Joe and I became real good buds. I hope I gave him something to think about.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, mission stuff.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We got to Samara on Tuesday night aroun midnight and got picked up by the Sartoris and the APs. We went back to the mission home and slept until the next morning where we had breakfast and said our goodbyes after some interviews. It was really sad. I love the district. I hope they're doing well. THEN I went backt to Tolyatti with Sister Pierce and got to work. That night we found a family that we have an appointment with tonight. Exciting! We also had a couple other interesting meetings. We talked with a man named Sergei who asked us to meet him the next night at his church. We didn't think he would show but he did! We talked to him for a while until his pastor came out and started going OFF on the Book of Mormon. Of course, I could only understand about 20% of what he was saying, but I knew he wasn't interested. Haha. I think Sergei was my first heartbreak. He had the best, most honest, sincere face! I still have hope for him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then there's Nikolai. We met with him yesterday and talked a lot about faith. (Oh! Brat Sorenson! You have to tell Brat Hofman that I used "Koe-shto! I thought about it as I said it and you're RIGHT! He was impressed! Thanks, Brat Hofman!) We also had some lessons with less active members this past week, which turned out to be pretty interesting. I wish I had more tme to write about them. BUT I don't. Lessons still feel weird out in the real world. The second you realize that your investigator isn't actually a reaturned missionary, the whole game changes. There are people here who have no idea who God is or how He feels about them. Sometimes it's hard to wrap your head around. I love these people, though. I just want to hug them and help them and love them and teach them all. Haha. Also, I just heard Selena Gomez for the first time since July about 5 seconds ago. It was the ringtone on a 50-year old man's phone. Haha. Not judging...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The rest of this letter's gonna be one big "thank you." I really am blessed to be here and to have all the support I've had from all of you. Brat Sorenson and Brat Hofman (and Brat Duffy), THANK YOU. I couldn't have asked for better teachers. Tell all your students to listen to you because you guys are the best. And tell them to learn their verbs of motion! All of them! Tell them not to waste any time because the second you get our here all you want to do is help people, and you won't be able to if you're not prepared. And thank you, family, for everything you've done. Thanks for teaching me the gospel and for being my examples. I love you guys a whole lot.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Alright, that's all I got this week. I promise next week will be more spiritual/uplifting/better in general. My brain's just so frazzled right now. Until then, know that I know I'm here for a reason and I wouldn't be here if I didn't know ALL of this gospel was true. I love Russia. I love the people. I love the mission. I love you all!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">LOVE YOU!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Sister Sine</span>alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-38708431900631841582014-09-09T08:26:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:26:51.900-07:00MTC week 10<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hey, hey, hey!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This week is the biggest blur. It feels like all the other weeks, except more stressful. The "this is our last...." sentences have started. Only 5 more days. It's absolutely crazy. I don't think it'll hit me until we're IN Moscow. I can't wait to see it and feel it and smell it and touch it. I have no idea how I'm going to adjust to it, though. I know I've lived on my own before, but living with a companion in Samara, Russia's a beast of a different color. Is that even a phrase? I don't know anything anymore. Russian's really starting to mess me up. The other day I said, "At me there is a question." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ANYWHO! I saw James Pacheco this week! I was walking out of our building and heard, "Sister SIIIIIIiiiiiiiiine!" I didn't even recognize him for a few seconds. I was SO shocked. I knew he was at the MTC, but I never thought I'd see him since there are over 300 Spanish teachers here. We talked about the fam, about Isaac, about Nate (who is going to be a FATHER? WHAT?). It was so nice to see him. It felt like my mission was real after that. Haha. I don't know why. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">There ARE a few highlights from the week. Last night we had a devotional from a member of the Seventy. I don't remember his name. Christofell something... Anyway, we sang Lead, Kindly Light as a choir for the opening number and the whole time I just kept picturing Russia. I almost started tearing up a little bit. I just got this overwhelming feeling of helplessness, but in a good way. Does that make sense? I know I'll be needing a lot of help in the months to come, a lot of which will only be able to come from Heavenly Father. This week's been filled with a lot of awesome lessons on focusing and obedience and how exactly to do missionary work. I'm starting to feel a little nervous, but I know it'll be aight. The other night, my roommates were talking about how exactly they'd be freaking out this upcoming week. Apparently I can expect a massive panic attack from Sister Moffatt this week. All I could say was, "I mean, I might, maybe cry? A little bit? To myself?" Sometimes I feel like the anti-girl.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our district has started a prank war during meals. The other day I sat down and took a drink of my water and almost gagged it all up because SOMEone had put a bunch of salt in it. Since then, we've become merciless. Bagels, cereal, milk, water, salads, ice cream...nothing's safe anymore. Elder Bickley continues to scare me every chance he gets, which drives me nuts. I've become so paranoid, to the point where I can NOT stand with someone behind me. I'm ridiculous. BUT, I have a plan to get him back. I hope he likes salt as much as our district does.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also! Good news! There are now TWO STAKES IN RUSSIA. Elder Nelson spoke on Sunday about how much work he's been doing in Russia lately, and he just set up the second of the two. All the teachers in the Russian missions think that Samara's next. They're sooo close. And that means a temple's super close too. I can't wait. I want that country to have a temple so badly. I've learned so much from the temple these past 10 weeks; I want everyone to have that. This morning we had our last session as a district in the Provo temple. It was pretty sad. I mean, it would've been if I didn't keep falling asleep. We all sat in the Celestial room together and all I could think about was how much Russia needs a temple.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Now for the cool stuff-we got our travel plans this week! I'll be leaving Monday morning. We leave from Salt Lake around 8:30 am, I think, then fly to JFK, then to Moscow, then to a place called Smarack. I don't know when I'll have time to call. Our layover at JFK is only 50 minutes long, and I don't know if we'll have time to call before we board in Salt Lake. I'll take a look at the travel plans and get back to you. If you don't hear anything, just expect me to call you in the morning. Also, do you want me to call the home phone or your cell phone? You might have to dearelder me the details. Quick!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Anywho, I love you all! I miss you all so much. I can't wait to talk to you on Monday. The next letter will be from Russia! Woohoo!</span><br />
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alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-15781216136300931042014-09-09T08:22:00.001-07:002014-09-09T08:22:42.138-07:00MTC Week 8<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I'm 23!</div>
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As of yesterday at 6:00 pm, I'm officially 23. It feels real weird. Actually, it feels the same as 22, but it's weird having to tell people I'm 23 now. I loved 22.</div>
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Anyway, yesterday was probably one of the best days of my life, definitely the best birthday I've ever had. MTC birthdays are the BEST. Thanks so much to everyone that wrote and sent stuff. I've got enough food to feed my district until we leave for Russia. But seriously, I felt sooo incredibly loved yesterday. It was great. We woke up, went for our morning run, then ate breakfast. After we finished, Sister Moffatt said she had to go back to the room to get something. It turns out she was stalling for our district, because when I we entered our classroom, it was decked out in all things 'birthday.' There were signs everywhere, stickers, the chalkboard was covered in birthday messages, and they got me a real big birthday hat and glittery sunglasses, which they made me wear almost all day. I think Elder Astle got some pictures with them; I'm sure he'll post them sometime in the future. They're probably super embarassing. After all that, we had personal study and then class, where we talked about commitments with our investigators. I had to sit and role play with two elders asking me how I was doing with the word of wisdom looking like I just came back from Mardi Gras with all my birthday stuff hanging off me. I couldn't keep a straight face.</div>
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THEN, at lunch. Oh, gosh. Alright, so I may have already told you that the elders in my district found out that I'm super ticklish and jump anytime someone pokes me in the sides. They do it ALLL the time. ALL THE TIME. To the point where I've actually started developing anxiety. Well, there's this new elder named Elder Bickley that thinks this is the funniest thing ever. Kind of like Dad, actually. He'll sneak up behind me and blurt something into my ear and poke my sides and watch me flip out. He's done it at least once a day since he's been here. So yesterday, I sat down to lunch and said my prayer, and right as I opened my eyes he poked my sides and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in my ear. I didn't see my face, but Elder Astle and Elder Martineau said it was the most terrified look they've ever seen. I started laughing/hyperventilating uncontrollably. I couldn't breathe or eat or do anyting but laugh and cover my face for a good 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Elder Bickley was having the time of his life. Since then, he's offered to let me punch him in the stomach to make up for it, which has been trained by the Marine Corps, so it probably wouldn't even hurt him. I'm real tempted.</div>
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After all that, we had an awesome lesson with Aleksander about his daughter, Oksana, who he's been trying to get to meet with the missionaries for a long time now; we also set up his baptismal date. That night after dinner, I got TONS of mail. (Thanks again!), then we went to devotional. Elder Bruce Carlson of the Seventy spoke, which was absolutely perfect. He lived in the Dulles area for a while, he's a four star (I think) General, and he was actually in the Pentagon when the planes hit, so I felt right at home. haha. His talk was fantastic. He definitely sounded like a military man. He talked about commiting ourselves to our missions like a war and serving to be "the missionaries our mothers think we are." I loved it. Afterwards, Sister Moffatt and I went up and talked to him and President Brown (the MTC president). I also got to hug Sister Brown. Twice. Happy birthday, me :) And THEN, when we went back to the classroom for district review, I found out that the district had planned a party for me. Elder Martineau's mother sent in cupcakes for me. CUPCAKES. Banana and peanut butter cupcakes! It was the best. The whole zone wished me happy birthday, gave me presents, made me a huge card, (this, on top of the 1,000 birthday wishes I got walking around the MTC), and sang "happy birthday" to me. I loved every minute of it. I don't usually like celebrating my birthday, but having everyone else want to celebrate it for me was awesome. Haha. I love these people.</div>
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Now for the rest of the week. Not a lot happened, actually. More classes, more lessons. Our lessons all went really well this week. One of our investigators, Anton, asked us a really great question in our last lesson. He asked why we needed a Savior if God is God and has the power to bring us back to Him anyway. It was really hard trying to come up with the Russian vocabulary to answer him, so we said we'd study it and answer him next time. Since then, it's been all I've studied. I've read and re-read 2nd Nephi 2 about 20 times in the past 2 days. If you have time, you should read it. It explains everything so clearly. The purpose of the creation was for us to receive bodies and have agency, thereby leading us back to Heavenly Father. BECAUSE we have agency, a Savior/sacrifice is required. Were there no agency, the plan would be pointless. (Verses 12-16 explain this better than I can.) I've also been working on translating Elder Anderson's talk called, "You Know Enough." It's been one of my favorites for a long time now, but let me tell you, the Russian translation is so much cooler. Haha. Russian makes everything so speific. Through cases and declinations, it's literally impossible to be misunderstood (if you can understand Russian). He quotes a scripture from Nephi in the talk that says, basically, "I might not understand the meaning of all things, but I know that God loveth his children." That's sort of a motto at the MTC. You might not know why the language is so hard, or why you're tired all the time, or why you want to cry every time you have to go to another workshop, but know that God loves you. For all you back home, you might not know why you're not making enough money, or why your friends seem like jerks, or why your children misbehave, or why life is so HARD, but know that God loves you, and that it's all for your benefit. (*Steps off soapbox*).</div>
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We've heard a lot of cool things about Russia from the older district that just left. Apparently there are a ton of gypsies in Samara, and they love playing sports with the missionaries. A group of elders that just left has started teaching four or five of them. This past week I've started realizing that I'll be talking with actual Russians in less than 3 weeks. It's coming up so quickly. I don't feel prepared at all, at least as far as my Russian goes. I mean, I don't mean to brag, but my Russian is pretty solid. But when I think about teaching it to an actualy Russian human being, with actual Russian bluntness, I get really nervous. BUT, I know it'll be fine. Better than fine. It's gonna be great. This past week we've focused on talking to people and getting to know them. It was my favorite lesson so far. We just roamed around the MTC, talking to random people for an hour. We met an Elder Greer during our last couple of minutes, and let me tell you, Elder Greer is the man. He's a TERRIBLE missionary, but he's the man. He's hacked the MTC security so that he can translate on Google, he takes naps underneath the stairs on almost a daily basis, and so much more. He's like what John Cusack would be if he became a missionary. Anyway, it was great, and it made me really excited to meet people in Russia.</div>
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Welp. That's all I got for today. Thanks again to everyone that sent me things or wished me a happy birthday. Twenty-three's gonna be a great year- my Russian year. Woohoo! I love you all so much. I miss you all the time. I can't wait to talk to you guys on October 1st (2nd?)! Be good. I love you!</div>
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-Sister Sine</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-42833814355043136202014-09-09T08:21:00.000-07:002014-09-09T08:21:11.547-07:00MTC Week 7<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hiya everybody!</div>
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First of all, I'm glad everything's working out in Kansas. I've been praying a whole lot for you guys, and it looks like everything is working out. I'm glad Lark and Mary Alice and Kate are doing well. They're just growing up s'dern fast. Tell them I love them a whole lot, and I pray for them to get boyfriends all the time. And I hope, hope, hope you can bring doTERRA to Kansas. I have a few doTERRA stories. More on that later. And tell Dad to be careful! He needs to stay alive so that you can come visit Russia in 2014!</div>
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Okay, so this week's letter is called, "My Body Hates My Mission."</div>
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This past week has been ridiculous. Last, last Monday, I went to the doctors and got diagnosed with a virus; you all know that part. WELL, not 30 minutes after I finished the email home last Wednesday, I started feeling a lot of pressure/pain in my ear. I couldn't believe it. You all know how much I HATE ear infections. I could feel it getting worse and I actually started to get really angry. Haha. The last thing in the WORLD that I wanted was an ear infection. I went to the doctor to get it taken care of the next day, and she decided to clean out my ears (same thing that happened back in high school). I knew I was doomed. The pain went away for a bit, then that night I woke up at about 1:30 am with a really bad pounding in my ear. I stayed up for the next 4 hours, sitting in the hall, reading Preach My Gospel, and crying. It finally happened. I broke. My MTC no-crying streak is gone. I think only an ear infection could've done it, too. haha. I called the doctor once everyone woke up, but he wasn't in until 8:00 am (it's 5:45 at this point), so I got a blessing from Elder Astle (his first ever!), which helped. I went back to bed for another 3 hours, then went to the doctor (again), who gave my medicine. The ear's better now. I still can't hear out of it, but there's no pain. THEN, two days ago, the first time I went outside for gym in over a week because of all the sicknesses, I got stung by a bee. I didn't think anything of it. I pulled the stinger out and that was about it. Then the area started getting really red and swollen (seriously, swo-llen), and really hot, and I got a tiny bit of a fever last night. I took some Benadryl, but it hasn't helped a whole lot. I might have to go back to the doctor again this week. I also counted this morning, and I take about 12 pills every morning now. My body hates my mission.</div>
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Anywho, I learned a lot from being sick. It was a cool experience overall. I got to go off-campus and watch the news in the doctor's waiting room (WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT NEIL ARMSTRONG?!) Haha. And it was really humbling. I've been the person to look out for everyone else for the past couple of weeks, and being sick definitely changed that. I'm really grateful for everyone here, though. Everyone from my teachers to my roommates to my district to my branch presidency took super good care of me.</div>
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AND I used some of the oils, Mom! Thanks for packing them :)</div>
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Speaking of packing, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the package. It was like Christmas. Thanks so much for the watch and the shoes. And the cookies and the mango. And the patriarchal blessing and the letters. Special thanks for Larky's letter. I read part of her letter to my roommates, now they want to meet her really badly.</div>
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Things are pretty much the same on the class front. All of our classes sort of meld together over the course of the week. The Russians still coming. It feels a lot more fluid than it did a month ago. The teaching's getting better too. Sister Moffatt and I have decided to skim down our "notes" to just a few bullet points per lesson and let the Spirit do the rest, and it's worked out SO well. We actually committed one of our "investigators" to baptism last week. This was a particularly great moment since this investigator is a pretty surly old man. No one's been able to get through to him. I'm convinced it's because of Sister Moffatt. She can melt old men's hearts like it's her job. We also got a new teacher/investigator named Anton/Brother Hofman. He's a really great guy, except he looks exactly like Rod Stewart/Barry Manillow! It's uncanny! Every time he walks into the room I want to sing a Rod Stewart song that missionaries should not sing. 10 points to whoever can guess which one I'm thinking about.</div>
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We also got new missionaries last week, which was a trip. We were SO excited to see them. A few of us actually got a "talking to" for not having "quiet dignity" while greeting them. They're all so cool. We've got a few military men in there too, which is awesome, especially in the cafeteria. There have been a lot of juice-drinking competitions since their arrival. </div>
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I saved the best for last. I've been dying to tell you ever since Sunday. I don't know if you know this, but there's a picture of Christ in the main building of the MTC. That's not the cool part. I was walking by it this past Sunday and I noticed it was the same one we used to have in our living room. I glanced at it for a split second and I saw the word "Cannon" on the frame. I looked at the plaque on the bottom of the frame and it said, "In Memory of Layne W. Cannon" and then it said something about his devotion to missionary service. I don't quite remember. I took a picture of it. I was so excited! And if you DO deliver something to the MTC, you can walk into 1M, go past the front desk towards your right, and right across from the big row of telephones (actually it might only be 3 or 4) is the picture. It's so cool! I never knew about it before now. Go Cannons!</div>
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Anywho, I'll close this with a quick spiritual thought. We had a devotional about repentance last night from Elder Kapischke of the Seventy. I wasn't too excited about it, to be honest. I was pretty tired, and an hour-long talk about repentance didn't sound all that fun. BUT, it was great. Afterwards, I thought a lot about repentance, and it really is the biggest testament of how much Heavenly Father wants us to come back to him. I mean, he's given us the Plan of Salvation , which brings us back to him in the end, and if we mess that up, we have repentance (which, by it's very natures, brings us closer to God through our relience on him); then, after repentance, we're closer to God than when we started. Even our "punishment" for sinning brings us closer to Him. It's nuts. Alma 26 is a pretty great chapter too, if you have time to look at it. Verse 22 in particular, is awesome. The whole thing talks about the circle of faith/repentance/missionary work. I read it in my personal study yesterday morning, which is another reason the repentance devotional was so cool. We also talked about teaching the Law of Chastity in our afternoon class yesterday, which is apparently a pretty big "thing" in Russia. About 99% of people there lose their virginity by about age 12 or 13, and it's all downhill from there. My teacher said that he didn't conduct one baptismal interview where the interviewee (either male or female) hadn't either had an abortion or participated in one. It's pretty crazy. We've got our work cut out for us. And it's coming up so quickly! Less than a month! Less than a month before I get to call you guys! Less than a month til we're all in Russia. Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, ACK! (That one's for Caitie).</div>
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I love you all so much. You're all in my prayers. Be good. Love everyone. Keep praying. Write me. I love you!</div>
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-Sister Sine</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-35614694034370184822014-09-09T08:18:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:18:47.129-07:00MTC Week 6<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
This week has been the best, most bittersweet week ever. So much has happened. I'll start with this past weekend.</div>
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SO, on Friday night, our teacher, Brother Kofoed, announced at the end of class that he was leaving us. He'd been getting the feeling like he should quit the MTC for a while now (but didn't know why) and that Friday night was his last night. It was a huge blow to the whole district. He's the best teacher in the world. He's SO intense, to the point where you kind of just have to laugh at some of the things he does, but he's SO sincere about everything. He doesn't just bear his testimony, he embodies his testimony. It's great. Anywho, the next day, we taught his "character" their last lesson (and "committed" them to baptism) and then we had a goodbye pow-wow with Brother Kofoed. He almost broke my no-crying streak. Almost. Now, whenever anyone says anything about Brother Kofoed, we all start fake crying. BUT, the good news is that our regular teacher, Brother Sorenson, is back from his eternal vacation. It's great having him back. He's like the father of the district. Brother Kofoed is like Nephi, Brother Sorenson is like Jesus. It would make total sense if you met them. Just trust me.</div>
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Next highlight: I SAW CAITIE AT THE TEMPLE! I was sitting with my district on the edge of the temple grounds and I hear, "Sister Sine....SISTER SINE!" whispered from the bushes. I looked over and saw heads peeking through some leaves, and it was CAITIE AND SCOTT METTS! I couldn't believe it. We ended up talking for about 20 minutes about everything, which is much longer than I should have, but whatever. It kind of felt like a prison visit, since we were meeting through the bars. It was amazing, though. It made my heart 98340292349723984 times happier and lighter. I made her send some teaxt to Lark and Mary Alice. I loved how Mary Alice sent paragraphs back, and all I heard form Lark was, "Wait. What?" Haha. I was so happy. And I can't wait to maybe see her on a completely random day that I have no clue about sometime before I leave the MTC, maybe.</div>
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Also on Sunday, I was the first person from the younger zone to give a talk in Russian in sacrament meeting. The first! Woohoo! Everyone prepares a talk every week, and the presidency announces who will speak about 10 minuts into sacrament. It's such a rush. I met with President Harrison that morning and we talked about how the mission was going, yada yada, then he asked what the district was working on back in the room. I told him we were all translating our talks for sacrament. Then he said, "Well, I guess that means one of you will be speking, doesn't it!" From that moment on, I knew. The talk went really well. I had to read the scriptures in Russian, though, which I'm terrible at, so that slowed things down. But everyone said I sounded like I was a native Russian, though, so good things, good things all around.</div>
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And now to today. Wednesdays are the best days of the week in general because of P-day. BUT today we get to have P-day, we got to go to the temple, AND we get new Russian missonaries today. We've been SO excited for them to get here ever since the older district left.They should be getting here right about now, actually. We have 12 new sisters moving into our zone, all living next-door to us on our floor. It's so crazy to think that I've been here long enough to be part of the "older district." We only have about a month left here before we ship out, which is nuts. I think we're all pretty ready, though.</div>
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This morning, as we were getting breakfast at the temple, a member of the temple presidency stopped us and asked if we'd like to eat breakfast with him in a seperate room. I don't know how often that happens, but the room was decorated REALLY nicely, so I'm guessing not a lot of missionaries get to eat in there. Anywho, we ate breakfast and he told us we could ask him any question about the temple, ANY question. I asked him about a few of the symbols and he gave us the coolest explanation of temple ordinances I've ever heard. He made things sooo clear. The spirit was probably the strongest I'd ever felt it; I even started tearing up a little bit. At one point, I asked him about a temple in Russia, and all he said was, "It'll come. Very soon. It'll come." It was so special. SO special. I'll never go to the temple the same way ever again. One of these days, I'll tell you guys more about it. Gah! It was just the best. It's been the best day ever.</div>
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Now to the low part of the week. I got super sick on Monday. I woke up and my throat felt like it was closing in on itself. It kept getting worse throughout the day, to the point where I just slept during every free moment we had. My body was freezing, my throat hurt like it used to when I would get strep all the time, and my head was in a lot of pain. I felt like the biggest baby; I just couldn't do anything. BUT. I did take some oils, Mom, and they did help (I'm assuming) because the nurse I met with said I'd probably be sick for the next 5-6 days, but I woke up the next morning feeling fine. There it is, your DoTerra testimony for the day.</div>
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And now for the actual testimony. This week's been the greatest. I've learned so, so, so much.We've been focusing on teaching through the Holy Ghost in class this week, which, if you didn't alread know, is on the most crucial thing ever to missionary work. haha. I used to get so hung up on having to know whether or not "promptings" I got were from me or from the spirit, and this week I learned that it doesn't matter. You would think I would've that figured out sometime before my last month of being 22, but whatever. The point is, if you're doing the things you're supposed to- keeping the commandments (that includes the the big one, "love one another"), remembering your covenants, and trying to be a good boy/girl (according to Elder Bednar in his story about the "20 Mark Note," which you shoudl all look up on YouTube or something), then it won't matter who it's "from," because you'll have the Holy Ghost as your constant companion. It seems like such a simple concept, but it's SO important. That's why exact obedience is stressed so much. The rules we have in the church aren't to put us in a cage, they're there to enable us to make better choices in the future, to be worthy to make more covenants and <em>more</em> good choices. So remember (this goes double for Lark, Mary Alice, and Kate, since you have more time to practice this) to love each other. If you're not loving everyone, and I mean <em>everyone,</em> then you're missing<em>something</em>. And it's up to you to find out what that something is. There's a story we heard last night about an Elder in Japan who, almost single-handedly, baptized enough members to form 3 whole wards in his area. The only thing that set him apart from everyone else, according to his mission president, was his ability to love. And the last thing you have to remember is that part of that commandment to love is "love your neighbor as thyself." That means that you have to love yourself. It's a commandment. Straight from the man himself. He loves you, He created you, and there's no reason any of his creations would be unworthy of love.</div>
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So, there you go. This thing is super long. I love you all! I miss you every day. I'm still waiting to hear from you, Mary Alice. If I don't get someting from you in the next 7 days, you're not my sister anymore! I mean it! AND you, Sister Morgan. (Just kidding. But seriously.)</div>
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You're all in my prayers. Every night. I hope you can feel them. Keep reading, keep praying, keep doing the little things. I wasted so much time not doing them and I regret is so much now that I'm here.</div>
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Ya lyooblyoo vac mnohguh!</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-80196900575866904832014-09-09T08:15:00.002-07:002014-09-09T08:15:55.510-07:00MTC Week 5<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PACKAGE! It was perfect. My companion says "thank you" for the bread, as does the rest of my district. They all loved it. Thanks, Mama Bear. You're the best!</div>
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I have so many random stories, but no time to organize them, so this letter will be completely random. Try and keep up.</div>
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I did sealings for the first time today! Woohoo. Missionaries aren't allowed to do couple sealings, so my companion and I acted as daughters. It was so cool. It really made me see her, and our whole goal as missionaries, in a different light. The temple's becoming one of my favorite parts of the week. ALSO one of my favorite parts of the week is Saturday nights. The Russian missionaries all get together and sing hymns in Russian after classes on Saturdays. This past Saturday, we sang "Nearer, My God To Thee." It was soooo powerful. Singing it in Russian with all the people who've been called to serve there and bring people "nearer to God" was an awesome experience. I was pretty close to crying the entire time. There were actually a few Polynesian sisters next to us who were balling even though they couldn't understand it. Oh, and Elder Astle cried. </div>
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On sunday night, we watched Legacy as a district in the gym with a bunch of other missioanries. It was the most pathetic thing. It's not even that great of a movie, but since we've been so starved for entertainment, it was like the greatest thing since sliced bread. I've never been more excited to see a kissing scene in my life. haha. It was bad...</div>
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Oh, and more on Elder Astle, he's taken to trying to make me laugh during the prayer. Every time we pray, he makes these faces the whole time that crack me up. Even when I don't open my eyes, I KNOW he's making faces, and I start laughing. The other night it took me like 2 minutes to compose myself before I had to pray in Russian. the whole district started laughing, then our teacher. It was great. I love my district. I know I say that all the time, but I do. I hate knowing that we all have to say goodbye in 2 months. Holy jeez, 2 months. It's gone by so fast. I'll be 23 in 1 month! What the what!</div>
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The biggest development, though, is that we now have a FRIDGE in our room. We've had it since our first day here, but we never plugged it in. We finally did this past week, and its' changed our lives. It's the most beautiful thing. We store soda and milk and...milk...in it. It's perfect.</div>
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We had a really great lesson this past week on teaching people how to pray. It was a really powerful lesson, partially because it came 2 minutes after we taught one of our investigators how to pray (or tried to). I'd never thought about having to teach someone how to talk to their Heavenly Father. It's crazy. He's trusted us to teach his children how to have a relationship with him. Anyways, it was a really great lesson. And it completely changed my outlook on prayer as a whole. So, my challenge to you this week (all of the Sines/readers who are reading this) is to think about how you would teach someone how to pray. How would you tell them to do it. I promise it'll make you think about prayer differently.</div>
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Anyways, I'm out of time. I love you all. I pray for you all the time, especially about the move. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. I'm glad everything's working out, though. I'll keep praying and keep you guys in my thoughts. I love you all!</div>
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Also, Russian lesson for the week: the word for "focus" is "sos-red-uh-TAH-chee-vie-uh-<wbr></wbr>tee-yec" Say it ten time fast :)</div>
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-Sister Sine.</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-59862217529932469812014-04-10T12:39:00.000-07:002014-04-10T12:39:09.977-07:00MTC Week 4<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Heyyy everyone!</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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<br />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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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I have a little favor to ask...</div>
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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 :)</div>
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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.</div>
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Love you all!</div>
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-Annalee</div>
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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...</div>
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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 :)</div>
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alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-57577378733989511042014-04-10T12:32:00.003-07:002014-04-10T12:32:52.146-07:00MTC Week 3<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
*The family had moved out of our home in Virginia the week before</div>
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Goodbye, Jasper Ct! I'll miss you terribly.</div>
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Anyways, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PACKAGE! It was perfect. My companion says "thank you" for the bread, as does the rest of my district. They all loved it. Thanks, Mama Bear. You're the best!</div>
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I have so many random stories, but no time to organize them, so this letter will be completely random. Try and keep up.</div>
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I did sealings for the first time today! Woohoo. Missionaries aren't allowed to do couple sealings, so my companion and I acted as daughters. It was so cool. It really made me see her, and our whole goal as missionaries, in a different light. The temple's becoming one of my favorite parts of the week. ALSO one of my favorite parts of the week is Saturday nights. The Russian missionaries all get together and sing hymns in Russian after classes on Saturdays. This past Saturday, we sang "Nearer, My God To Thee." It was soooo powerful. Singing it in Russian with all the people who've been called to serve there and bring people "nearer to God" was an awesome experience. I was pretty close to crying the entire time. There were actually a few Polynesian sisters next to us who were balling even though they couldn't understand it. Oh, and Elder Astle cried. Haha.</div>
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On sunday night, we watched Legacy as a district in the gym with a bunch of other missioanries. It was the most pathetic thing. It's not even that great of a movie, but since we've been so starved for entertainment, it was like the greatest thing since sliced bread. I've never been more excited to see a kissing scene in my life. haha. It was bad...</div>
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Oh, and more on Elder Astle, he's taken to trying to make me laugh during the prayer. Every time we pray, he makes these faces the whole time that crack me up. Even when I don't open my eyes, I KNOW he's making faces, and I start laughing. The other night it took me like 2 minutes to compose myself before I had to pray in Russian. the whole district started laughing, then our teacher. It was great. I love my district. I know I say that all the time, but I do. I hate knowing that we all have to say goodbye in 2 months. Holy jeez, 2 months. It's gone by so fast. I'll be 23 in 1 month! What the what!</div>
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The biggest development, though, is that we now have a FRIDGE in our room. We've had it since our first day here, but we never plugged it in. We finally did this past week, and its' changed our lives. It's the most beautiful thing. We store soda and milk and...milk...in it. It's perfect.</div>
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We had a really great lesson this past week on teaching people how to pray. It was a really powerful lesson, partially because it came 2 minutes after we taught one of our investigators how to pray (or tried to). I'd never thought about having to teach someone how to talk to their Heavenly Father. It's crazy. He's trusted us to teach his children how to have a relationship with him. Anyways, it was a really great lesson. And it completely changed my outlook on prayer as a whole. So, my challenge to you this week (all of the Sines/readers who are reading this) is to think about how you would teach someone how to pray. How would you tell them to do it. I promise it'll make you think about prayer differently.</div>
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Enough missionary talk. WHERE ARE LARK AND MARY ALICE!? WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD FROM THEM?! Tell them to write me on Dearelder. Annalee Sine, box 238, Russia Samara Mission, Provo MTC. DO IT! AND WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THE BACHERLORETTE?!</div>
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Anyways, I'm out of time. I love you all. I pray for you all the time, especially about the move. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. I'm glad everything's working out, though. I'll keep praying and keep you guys in my thoughts. I love you all!</div>
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Also, Russian lesson for the week: the word for "focus" is "sos-red-uh-TAH-chee-vie-uh-<wbr></wbr>tee-yec" Say it ten time fast :)</div>
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-Sister Sine.</div>
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alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-18145109929906410072014-04-10T12:30:00.001-07:002014-04-10T12:30:11.873-07:00MTC Week 2<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Ma cemya!</div>
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(My family!)</div>
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I friggin love this place. I feel like such a nerd when I say that, like I'm not supposed to, but I love it here. It's like the place I always wanted to be, but didn't know it until I was here. It's pretty great.</div>
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Anywho, week two is done! It's been a crazy week. We've been doing a lot more Russian study. My companion and I now teach all of our lessons in Russian. There's a lot of guesswork and improper translation, but it's so much fun. I'm always suprised at what we're able to say by the end of it. We also talk to each other in Russian alllllllll the time. And whenever we see new missionaries, we yell at them in Russian, which gets a lot of great/scared looks.</div>
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We've had a lot of great lessons this week. Our teachers are serious the best. One of them, Brat Sorenson, is a spiritual giant. He can teach you how to teach through the spirit faster than anyone I know. He just exudes the spirit. The other one, Brat Kofoed (who played our former investigator), is an amzing language teacher. I don't know what we weould do without them. The other day, while Brat Sorenson was showing us something on his phone, a text message from his girlfriend popped up. It said, "I'm crazy about you too! :))" We called him on it the next day when he wasn't expecting it. You had to be there.</div>
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Elder Astle and I have started a war with a banana. We keep putting the same rotten banana in each other's stuff. It went on for about 2 days before I had one of the elders put it in his laundry bag for him to find today. We'll see what happens. Elder Astle and I have also started playing a game where you name all the musical artist you can beginning with a certain letter of the alphabet. The rounds go on for-ever. We also have to ask each other about the music in Russian. Antoher elder, Elder Stoneking, and I also talk a LOT about music. Radiohead and Animal Collective, especially. It feels SO good to be connected to the outside world sometimes.</div>
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I LOVE my district. I know I said that last time, but they're the greatest kids I know. Leaving them is going to suck. We're already planning on going to everyone else's homecomings when they get home. haha. I can't wait to get letters from them and hear about their missions. They're all going to be incredible. Our teachers and presidents have told us over and over that there's a BIG work about to go down in Russia, and we're going to be a big part of it. It's so cool to think about. And looking around, I can totally see why these people were called there. The Russian elders/sisters are all so close, and they're so SHARP. I love them all.</div>
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Funny story. All the sisters in my district think I'm famous because I dated THE Elder Tyler Christenson's (from The District) brother (Russell). I saw him walking and flagged him down in the hallway to tell him to say hi to Russell for him, and a bunch of girls behing he started squealing and asking me how I knew THE Elder Christenson. Haha. So, thanks, Russell! And Elder Christenson.</div>
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Last night we had a really great devotional about our calls here. I'll have to mail you some notes. I'll mail them to Dad later. There were a lot of great stories. The jist, though, was that we're going to be able to find people that we knew in pre-Earth life. It was really powerful, actually.</div>
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Also, about sending stuff, if you could send some cookies, I would love it. It's sort of a district tradition that we share our baked goods.</div>
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I love you! I love it here! I'll write you a crazy long letter this week. Look for it in the mail!</div>
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-Cectra CauH</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3756621207247408261.post-89258759655845797402014-04-10T12:26:00.003-07:002014-04-10T12:26:46.568-07:00First Letter from the MTC<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Anywho, the past week has been a rollercoaster. Monday and Tuesday were great. Rexburg was just what I needed. Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I miss you all already.</div>
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Wednesday was an interesting day. Caitie and I stayed up on Tuesday night to talk and eat cookie dough ice cream, which only lasted about 30 minutes until we both fell asleep. The next morning, Grandma Cannon took us out to the Original Pancake House, but I couldn't eat anything. It was so great to see them, though. THEN Caitie and I started driving down to Provo, me making last minute calls to everyone the whole time. I ended up leaving about 20 voicemails. Once we got to Provo, we did some alst minute shopping with Ryan Bartlett, and I got to spend my last 15 minutes in a Forever 21. I almost cried. Just kidding. But seriously.</div>
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After all the shopping, Caitie and I drove to the temple parking lot and repacked all my stuff. I started feeling really shakey and nervous, especially seeing all the other elders saying goodbye to their families. So, Caitie an dI sat down and said our last goodbyes, then she dropped me off at the curb. Once I was on the curb, I felt great. I don't want to sound cliche, but being on the MTC grounds just felt right. My host for the afternoon was Sister McNelly, who I knew from my freshman year at Idaho. Crazy, right?!</div>
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I got my badge, which is in full Russian, then headed to our classroom for our first class. And SURPRISE! Elder Astle and Sister Moffatt, the two people I met beforehand who are also going to Samara, are in my district. Sister Moffatt's actually my companion. So, I can say that my companion and I are already Facebook friends. And Elder Astle is sooo great. It's like having a little piece of Southern California here with me. He told me that Lars said "hi," AND that he read him the super personal message that I wrote him before I left. So, thanks, Lars. Stupid Lars. Stupid, great Lars.</div>
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Anywho, our district is perfect. I love them all so much. We're SO close already, and I can't imagine leaving them all in October. We have three missionaries going to Kiev, but the rest are going to Samara, which is awesome. Brother Lamoreaux, part of our stake presidency, said that we were the most united district he's ever seen. No one knows how much he's said that before, though. We do everything together. Actually, ALL the Russian-speaking misionaries do everything together. We eat together in our own section of the cafeteria called the "iron curtain," we do gym together, study together, we ALWAYS speak in Russian to each other on campus, we pray together, we sing together every Saturday night. Everyone knows everyone. It's crazy. Everyone knows who the Eatern European missionaries are.</div>
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Speaking of Russian. Holy crap. Remember that letter President Sartori wrote, asking me to help my district with speaking the language? Well, that's definitely the case. I got to teach my district to pray in Russian a couple days ago, and all Russian questions are directed to me and Sister Moffatt, who also took Russian at BYU-Idaho. Sister Moffatt also thinks I've become the mother of the district. Who would've guessed THAT would every happen? (Cough CAITIE Cough). I love it, though. It keeps me sane. If I weren't able to help anyone, I would feel so useless.</div>
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So, all the advice everyone gave was true. You really have to embrace this place. It's SO weird, but it's weird in all the right ways. Everyone here is SO happy. All the time. And they're so nice. To EVERYONE. ALL the time. And they love helping people, and learning about the gospel, and being obedient, and teaching others. It's great. Weird, but great. And the whole "make it to Sunday" thing? 100% true. The first few days were full of "holy crap, a year and a half?" type of thoughts. I thought a lot about what I really wanted to accomplish here, and whether or not I was up to the task. We actually had an Elder go home after the first day, which kind of knocked everyone into their place, I think. It was really, really sad. But, we have great teachers and great leaders who say the right things at all the right times. The other day, I was having a hard time feeling motivated to teach our (fake) investigator, or fiding the motivation to teach ANY Russian for that matter, and he told me to picture someone back home who I would want to tell all this too. I immediately thought of about 10 different people and ever since then, the teaching's come a lot easier. we're teaching whole lessons in Russian, by the way. Crazy.</div>
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Then on Sunday we had a fireside that focused on the hymn, "Come, Come, Ye Saints." I was a mess the whole time. He made us sing it 3 different times, and each time I just kept picturing Isaac at his farewell, singing it at the pulpit, and I would lose it. It completely changed how I viewed being here, though. The Russian missions have been told time and time again that we really are doing pioneer work. A couple of authorities have said that Russian missions will soon be like Brazil missiona are now-just baptism everywhere. And we all get to be a part of that. It's pretty cool.</div>
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Also, I hear that JEF WON THE BACHELORETTE! Sister Moffatt read it in one of her letters, and we started going NUTS. We were hugging each other and jumping up and down. It was perfect. Also, THANKS TO ALL YOU WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO TELL ME WHO WON!</div>
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NOT!</div>
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And, I've heard that Dark Knight Rises is very good. We're not really allowed to talke about it all that much, but I hear good things. Feel free to give me details :)<br /><br /><br />Anyway, I'm running out of time, but I love you all. And I miss you all terribly.</div>
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LOVE YOU, EVERYONE!</div>
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AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY ALICE! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, AND I HOPE TODAY IS PERFECT! Write me!</div>
alsine89http://www.blogger.com/profile/00609432305213108017noreply@blogger.com0