hI mon - it's me rel.
Thanks for your letters and stories and thanks dad for those scriptures. I've been looking for a way to make my scrpiture study more concise and simple...perfect! I think one of the blessing of having a missionary is being forced to write uplifting letters once a week...seriously! It helps me and I hope you too!
This week was SO great...all the brethern were here training the Mission Presidents! Most of them came to our devotional that Elder Holland spoke at and we saw random ones in the halls and what not...ya know...just walking out of sacrament and gave a little holla to President Monson. Just walking past the front desk and gave a little wireless bones to Elder Bednar... just ya know...normal like that. It was amazing to feel the spirit of them just being there. We were blocked off like lepers for the most part because of the swine flu, but we could sneak little glances. Elder Holland's talk was incredible...he talked about the importance of having the spirit with us...that we go down the streets 3 by 3 with a member of the godhead or we don't teach...straight up. I love his bluntness. He said "This is the work of ANGELS!" It reminds me of the song "ohhh i believe there are, angels among us" and as cheesy as that is, i love it.
Yesterday we were singing our closing song as a district (praise to the man) and the russian was really fast so we all just dropped our books and started doing sign language like the ASL missionaries. oh man...another day in the life of district 10-D...and more tears streaming down my face...more of ct. Ku's elmo laugh...more instances of having to leave the room. Special we are. Speaking of Yoda talk, thats how Russians talk... "At me there is heat and thirsty am I" ...oh russian grammar is the death of me....
Language is coming...slowly slowly coming. I'm hard on myself and I've got to be more patient... I'm a lot different than most of the Russian speaking missionaries...especially the sisters. Every sister is extremely intellectual, I'd say 80% are fluent in at least one other language, high high high achievers, sure of themselves...just very smart and put together and aren't afraid to tell you about it. I get strange looks when I talk about my life and the things that I have and haven't done. So consequentially I've become more of a listner instead of my outgoing talkative self...at least with the russian sisters. I love talking to the hermanas...especially because I can talk back to them! And I met a sister who is serving in fiji...FIJI! I could not even believe my ears...but yes there is a mission there. After I talked to her I got really... confused and sad I guess... I have been blessed to love those people already so much, but I'm serving somewhere where I'm not comfortable with the people or the language. I hear the hermanas in the hall and sometimes find myself longing to speak spanish... and on top of that I'm not around people that are like me...and a lot of people that I have talked to had some kind of experience with loving the russian people or learning russian or seeing a russian flag on their toast...NEVERTHELESS! I'm a missionary. I've been called to serve in Ukraine. I will be speaking Russian. My calling is from the Lord...and right now I'm not sure exactly why, but I have FULL faith and hope that I will. I went in the linen closet to pray to my heavenly father to know that i'm going where i need to...to be as excited for myself as i was for the sister going to fiji...and to love the people with the same love as i do the islanders... and i wish i could say it just came....what did come was a knowledge that it WILL come. Work hard, be optimistic, have faith and hope, and I'll understand once I get there. There is a scripture in Romans 3:3-5 that says something like trial brings about experiences and experiences bring hope. This is so comforting to me right now...understanding hope and it's significance in the 3 legged stool of faith hope and charity. I think that faith is your light, and optimistic path towards the savior and towards happiness...charity is how you act and what people see in you and outward expression of Christ through you...and hope is more personal...it's inside of yourself, the drive and motivation that keeps you going. In 2 Nephi 31 it says that "ye must always press forward in faith with a perfect brightness of hope". Without hope in the savior, and in ourselves, we have no motivation to keep pressing forward. So I'm praying for hope. I've got it, I'm just seeking more. Don't you even dare think that I'm down or depressed or whatever...I'm happier than I have ever been in my life. The Savior is pouring blessing on me by the bucket... but realizing this and acting on it will make me a better vessel and representative of the Savior. Theres an amazing article on Hope in the Ensign this month...read it!
So I'm growing...it's been a month and i'm a different person...and i love it! I'm so stoked to start serving...we see people come and go...come and go...but every minute here is a minute better prepared. I'm doing great. And all the muddies are gone...everyone loved them...send more when you can! and some bran muffins! I need fiber so i don't get constipated...hahaha you laugh but it's true... mom you make really good ones...
I'm SO happy you liked you're birthday present...i only wish i could go with you...and don't ask richie about sky-diving...we went in heber or something...i went in HAWAII. my stories are better....you'll LOVE it...have lizzie record the video and bring it on her camera or something
and ROY! i need NEW pictures! and oh...i bought these weird sandals at the bookstore but every time i walk the blow out air and cectpa schaefer gets bugged by them...can you send lizzie with some of my flip flops? I might have some black old navy ones in my room if sadie hasn't eaten them.
umm.... i love you all ocheen ocheen bolshoy! thats not russian, but it sounds like it! stay strong and happy! let me know if i can do anything...
love cectpa rel
ps happy fourth! have fun in richfield...save me some chicken and pavlova...just put it in a to go box in the fridge with my name on it...and don't eat it.
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