Well, what a week it has been in Ufa! It's been raining like crazy. Because it's a city, there's nowhere for the rain to go but flooding down the roads. The puddles in some places are a foot deep! We get splashed by cars frequently as we walk. :) But it's an adventure!
So, I got some new running shoes last week (let's be honest mom, we both know my last ones were on their last leg-- no pun intended), and so it's been great to run every single morning this week! I've convinced Sister Galli that waking up at 6:15 is a good idea. We're always right and ready to go out the door at 6:28, so I get a full half-hour in. Then, at the end, I run up the stairs to the 11th floor where we live. It's pretty hot and I get breathless. But the pain is worth the gain! Pain is just weakness leaving the body!!! (also, I now have an excuse to eat more delicious food ;))
Also, as I just emailed mom and dad, I bought a lovely trench coat and a lovely wool/cashmere coat. They're awesome, and I got them ridiculous on sale. Like ridiculous. It's great. They're so classy, so now I fit in just swell. :)
Sister Galli and I have been trying to be more obedient at being home at 9 pm (or 9:30 if we have a lesson) and this last week we have been! Every day we've been home right on time (or even earlier to make phone calls). It's great.
We had an investigator who was an internet referral from the office and he had no idea who we were when we showed up. Remember him? Well a couple weeks ago he told us he wouldn't read and hung up the phone. Well, rather than be devastated (which we were -- he was our only investigator....), we consciously decided to not let it bother us. Better things were in store, and we knew it. And we've gotten so many blessings now! We now have a BAJILLION investigators-- or at least it feels like it sometimes.
The lady we contacted on the street is progressing wonderfully and still intending on baptism. Apparently she was REALLY involved with Scientology for a long time. She even moved to Moscow for it. It seems kind of painful/weird for her to talk about, so we're pretty certain that something happened that pushed her away from it.
We have another investigator that the other sisters taught. She's about 22 years old. We finally were able to meet her when we stopped by her apartment randomly (apparently her phone has been broken-- which explains a lot), but we set up a meeting with her. She seems really nice!
We also have two investigators who are both doctors (they're bffs) and in their 60s. they also were taught by the other sisters. They both KNOW the Book of Mormon is true (woah!!!) and because of that "if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith must be a prophet" (DOUBLE WOAH), but they're hesitant to be baptized because they might move to India or Turkey. We told them the church is there too. :) We're not sure they realize that the church isn't just the one congregation here in Ufa, it's global.
Two girls that came to the open house at the branch are SUPER interested in the church and do the reading assignments we give them and everything. We met with one of them after work yesterday (the other has been sick), and the first one told us that all her friends/classmates in college told her that we're a sect-- but she stood up for the "Mormon Religion" and said we're not a sect. (Apparently "sect" in Russia means that people participate in human sacrifice. That's what she told us.) She said "I used to think there were only three main religions in the world, but now I know there's a fourth. The Mormon religion." How sweet is that? She's awesome. She's now decided to write a report on the Mormon Religion for one of her classes. She has really good questions for us in general. We had her read Alma 7, and one of her questions was "who is the lamb of God?". She's really doing her reading. Awesome, huh? We're meeting with her and Ana later this week.
So, basically, we're really busy!!! Between those investigators (and planning lessons!) and visiting less active members and active members, we're super busy! There's not ever enough time in a day to think. I wish I could sleep more :) I wish I could study Russian more :) I wish I could study the Gospel more :) But there's not enough time.
I started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning about three weeks ago, and I finished it this morning! It's my first time finishing it on my mission. I can't wait to finish reading it in Russian :) I've now started (for the second time!) Jesus the Christ. I LOVE that book. Man. It's so good. If you haven't read it (or haven't read it in a while), I would definitely recommend reading it. I'm also simultaneously reading Teachings of Lorenzo Snow and Teachings of Joseph Smith. Those books are also really good. I've always been somewhat of a book worm. :) Which is why I'm SO EXCITED for the Russian Roots book that mom is sending me. Yay! haha.
I mean, I don't have a whole lot else to say. Life is great. I'm really not that homesick at all. I do miss home, and I do miss you guys.... but if I came home right now none of us would be happy. :) Just another....15 months? Wow. Fifteen months left. Sometimes that feels like forever, and sometimes that feels like nothing. Right now it feels like nothing. So much work to do and so little time to do it! I hope everything's great with everyone. I know that there have been some birthdays and some birthdays are coming up, so happy birthday!
I love Russia. I can't remember not living here. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true.
Love you!
love,
Cecmpa Brown
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