Russia!

Well, I think I spoke too soon 2 weeks ago when I said it was really hot here. It has been SO cold the last week. SO COLD. Wow. It's been raining and crazy, and I'm freezing. haha. Fortunately, mom and I bought cashmere lined leather gloves (Nordstrom rack, $10), and those have been a life-saver. Who knew that I'd be wearing them in August though? haha. 

Well, I left my planner at my apartment by accident and that's where I plan my letters throughout the week, but I will do my best to remember my life! This last week was spent doing our usual bus contacting, etc. and preparing for ZONE CONFERENCE. (cue dramatic music)

It was awesome! Elder Malm, an area authority, came and he spoke to us a lot. He's from Sweden, so it was cool to hear his sweet accent and also hear his inspired words. They were 100% inspired. We went over all the numbers for our mission and discussed how they could be improved in specific areas (in the key indicators column). I did a musical number on the flute (How Great Thou Art) while Elder Schneider played the piano and Elder Coppinger and Sister Whitney sang. We arranged it really cool, and it sounded awesome. Everyone complimented us after. Lunch was catered by "Lido" the bakery/restaurant next to the church. Sister Galli and I frequently stop by there as much as possible, and lunch was amazing. They have really good home-cooked Russian food, and it's awesome. I had my first "blini" (Russian pancake/crepe thing) this last week, and it was REALLY good. I bet with Nutella, it would taste exactly like a crepe-- they're just gigantic sized. The diameter is probably 12 inches and then they fold it like a....I don't know anything about Mexican food, but it's how you fold...a chimichanga maybe? each side folds into the center, and it becomes square-shaped. Anyway....haha.

Zone conference really motivated to try REALLY hard on my language. I try so hard already, but I'm really timid in speaking in front of Russian speakers on the street. I've gotten more comfortable with members, but I am so embarrassed to talk to strangers. But, I've changed my ways. On the marshutka (it's basically a "Mormon bus", painted yellow, and they cram like 20 people inside) home from zone conference, I talked to some people and handed out English cards and church invitations with information on them to people. It made me feel happy inside, and I know I need to do it more. It's hard enough to talk to random strangers in ENGLISH about the Gospel (which I feel like would be OK....) but then to talk to RUSSIAN people in RUSSIAN about the Gospel? I would say that ups the hardness by about 5,000%. Wouldn't you? Anyway, I've made a bunch of goals that I just need to be motivated enough to keep in regards to street-contacting. 

Friday, Sister Christensen (Mission President's Wife) went out with me and Sister Galli, and we had a great time. We went to some active members houses and had some lessons and discussions with them (Sister Galli was translating for Sister Christensen). It was awesome hearing both the English and the Russian because I could immediately figure out what I missed in the conversation (no duh), but I also realized how much I actually could understand. It was awesome! We talked to one lady about how involving her non-member daughter in family history work could bring her to the Gospel and how you should never give up on non-members in your family, no matter how long you've been trying to work on them. Which brings me to my next point, Uncle Patrick has exactly 18 months to get baptized and get endowed so that he can see his daughter get married when she gets back from her mission. If he loves Aunt Cathy, he'll want to be with her and their family for time and all eternity. The problems in their family stem from the fact that there is not a priesthood holder leading their family. One of our speakers (I wish I had the notes) in the MTC talked to us about this and how he actually said all of this to the non-member father. Within 2 weeks, the guy was baptized. Uncle Patrick needs to get baptized to set an example for EVERYONE in that family. Make it happen, please. 

Back to my life, Sister Christensen kept complimenting my Russian (not that she knows any more than me! haha) but said she's really impressed with my progress and how everything's going. We had a really good day on Friday in regards to contacting, so yeah, it sure looked that way to her! I really need to be "on" all the time. I taught a street lesson on the Book of Mormon all by myself (if I didn't know a word, I would elbow Sister Galli, and she'd say it). We've been trying to contact in this way for a while because I REALLY need to practice speaking with natives, so she just lets me talk and talk and talk until I can't talk, then she'll talk. It's awesome. I definitely think my Russian is improving every day. So many members have talked to me about how great my language is, and they all asked if I studied before my mission. I say yes, and tell them that it was basically a semester in a month (Spring Term...haha) and how I left 2 weeks early for the MTC. Taking Russian before I came was the best idea that I've ever had. I definitely feel that it was a blessing to take it, and it's a blessing to have that basic foundation here. I learned a lot in the MTC, and that's probably where most of my vocabulary came from. I'm blessed with an incredible memory too (thank you Dad!) so that's helped a lot as well. 

One of the Assistants is a native Russian, and he's awesome! His name is Elder Gladkov, and he's basically the most humble and kind person I've ever met. And he speaks Russian fluently! I was speaking to him Sunday after church (the presidency was still in town from Zone Conference), and he said "Sister Brown, how are you liking Russia? It's, what, your 2 or 3 transfer?" and I said, " I really like Russia! It's not America, but it's great. And no, it's my first transfer." then he remembered that I've only been here 3 weeks, and he sat there for a little bit (mind-blown), and then he started talking to me in super fast Russian basically saying how amazing my Russian is for only being here 3 weeks. Sometimes, I wonder if people are lying to me.... but I trust him. I don't let those compliments get to my head though because I am well-aware that in NO WAY am I good enough by my standards. I still need to learn as much as I can.

We've been doing a lot of area-book work either, whether it's visiting less-actives, in-actives, or potential investigators. It's kind of complicated because the area book isn't updated and hasn't been updated for a long time. The things that have been updated (on people's information sheets, for example) are vague, inaccurate, or illegible. We've gone to apartment buildings, attempting to find somebody only to discover (by asking) that the apartment building was blown up 5 years ago. Or that the people moved 3 years ago. This happens again and again and again. It's a little frustrating, but Sister Galli and I know that this work needs to be done, so every day we go on many adventures. It's nice to clean out the area book and set up other missionaries for success. 

The saddest thing this week was finding out that one of our investigators with a baptismal date, Y., actually has no intention of being baptized. We heart attacked her apartment door (we've been doing that to quite a few people actually) and left a note saying that we're sad we haven't been able to meet with her since we came (she never shows up to appointments and never answers her phone anymore), and she texted us that night and said "I think the other sisters must have misunderstood (the ones here before us). I don't have any intention on getting baptized anytime soon." which means, for a LONG time. So, that was an awkward text to get, especially because her baptism is supposed to be next week.... so we're going to leave her alone for a while and see how it goes.

One of our other investigators with a baptismal date, K., never can meet either. She works a TON (at Lido, actually), but whenever we're there, she never is. It's complicated. But she LOVES the Book of Mormon, and is so anxious to get baptized, but she has to go to church first and has never been able to make it because she gets called in to work last minute. It's really sad to see how much (actually, we've still never met with her but our Zone leader knows her really well and tells us these things) she really wants to get baptized. But she's gotta pay the rent. It's a tough situation!

Life is great, and today Sister Galli and I are going coat shopping. She knows a really good "swap-meet" type thing in Ufa (she was trained here last October!) and her coat was about $84, but she said it's really ugly and for just a little more money you can get a cute one. Boots (fur lined and super heavy duty) are about $60. Looks like I'm in luck! yay! Mom, I'd like to remind you that any sister missionary that I could inherit their coat (who would be going home soon or now) would have gotten rid of it the second the snow melted so they didn't have to lug it around anymore. But I feel good about those prices, so I'll be withdrawing cash from my debit account. Everything is cash only here.

Anyway, I can't really think of anything else to say.... life is great! Oh, I decided to try my hair straightener out yesterday. I used Sister Galli's plug adapter (I left mine at home because dad said I would need a power adapter too), but it worked fine! I only turned it up part of the possible power level, but it worked! My hair would have looked better if it had been hotter, but it worked out great! I was happy to look like "myself" again (although now, "myself" is a frizzy braid. hahahaha). 

The church is true, the book is blue!

Mosiah 24:11-15
1 Nephi 17:50-51
The Lord knows exactly what trials we need to learn, and he could turn our "water into earth" but he knows what's best for us to help us grow. He doesn't promise to take our burdens away but to give us so much strength that our burdens become light. Trust in the Lord. Don't just say you'll trust in Him. He can see so much more than we can, and something that we may view as a problem actually may help someone else later on down the road. Eternal perspective. With God, all things are possible.

I love you!
cecmpa Brown