Week 6

Hi Family!

I'm writing you on a warm, -8 F afternoon! Really, it's amazing how you adjust. I know it's cold outside right now, but it doesn't feel as cold as it sounds. I swear, the Lord must really be putting a warm bubble around me because I've been able to endure the cold better than I thought. I've been praying for that too, so I know I'm getting His help. Really. There has only been a couple of times where all I can think about is how cold I am. Every day it gets a little colder though, so pray for me! haha

I'm so excited to talk to you in a couple of days! Ahh!! I can't believe it's Christmas back home, it doesn't really feel like it here. Russians don't celebrate Christmas, mostly just new year, so half the time I'm so busy that I forget it's the holidays back home. I think that's for the best : ) I've scheduled time to call you Thursday night, the 24th at 8 PM. So, it should be Thursday, Christmas Eve morning at 8 AM for you. I don't want to make it harder for you, but it would be best I think if you were at Dad's bank where we could use speaker phone, etc. I won't have a ton of time so that would help out. So, you can plan on me calling that number at that time. I'll buy the phone card here and everything so it should all work out just fine! So excited!

This past week was kind of slow. My companion got sick, so we stayed home last Monday (after I emailed you) through Thursday. Ahh I almost died!! It is no fun to feel all the pressure, guilt, that you need to be outside doing the work, but you have no choice but to stay inside. So, I wrote in my Journal a lot, read my scriptures, studied Russian until I thought I would die : ), played hymns on the violin, wrote Christmas cards for the missionaries here, organized our Area Book (which was actually really needing to get done), and any other productive thing I could think of! I didn't like being home because, as you all know, I'm a homebody. I was afraid if I stayed home too long, I wouldn't have a desire to go out and work, especially because it's so cold. So, that was hard. It's amazing how much responsibility I feel as a missionary to get things done and care for the people in my Area. Almost every night I wake up and think "Oh no, I have an appointment, why am I sleeping?!" Or, "My alarm didn't go off!" when it's only like 3 AM. Haha I remember the boys talking about having those kind of dreams on their mission, and it's funny to think I'm doing the same things. Russians are very different about their health though. I'm pretty sure she just had a mild cold, but any form of sickness here is considered serious, and I tried to understand that that is just the culture she comes from. Maybe because the cold can really make things more serious than they are, maybe superstition, I don't know. All I know is that all the Russian missionaries were buying her medicines and calling to making sure she felt ok, and all the American missionaries including Sister Allcott would call and say that we should get to work asap, pray for the strength to work as much as you can, etc. Haha it was funny to me and I kind of felt caught in the middle of it all. My companion had her mind made up though that she needed to stay home. I told her I trusted her though, and that as soon as she felt well enough we would go back to work.

Needless to say, I don't have a lot of very inspirational stories from the work this week. Sorry : ( I can say though that my companionship is closer than before because of all the time we spent together haha. That's actually really good though because we're staying together here in Chelyabinsk this transfer! I feel good about it. I feel a love for the people here and I would be really sad to leave them. I kind of felt I would stay here. Also, I've been so surprised by the success I have already seen -- 4 baptizmal dates and some progressing less-actives. I truly feel so blessed to have seen this already. I really pray that all 4 follow-through to baptizm. We're working hard with each of them and their unique concerns, and I'm glad I get to be here this next transfer to help them in this process. Pray for them! Vera, Yulia, Ksoosha, and Sasha : )

Oh! I almost forgot! I do have a cool story from this week! Saturday at English Club, we had a guy show up named Alexander. I didn't recognize him or anything, but he came to the class I teach -- I teach the beginner English with my comp and another Elder, and the other three missionaries teach the advanced class. Anyways, I later found out that he was an Alecsei that I had called from the Area Book a couple of weeks ago (the night I wrote you about already, when I tried to make calls by myself?). He really enjoyed English Club and even came to Church Sunday and stayed all three hours! He seems like a Golden Investigator, really. In Sunday School he asked really good questions, like "What happens if people don't hear about God in this life, are they sent to hell?" Haha the Elders winked at us when he asked this question becasue they are very excited to have him as a new investigator! My companionship won't teach him because he doesn't live in our area. Anyways, it is really cool to see the fruit of your labors. That night I made calls from the Area Book was really hard for me, because I felt so alone. But because it was hard, I feel my efforts were doubly blessed. We have already had success with two or three less actives from that, and now a former investigator who will be meeting with the missionaries. I really have a testimony of hard work. I think that when it is the hardest to work, but you still do it, the Lord blesses you even more. People talked a lot about that at the MTC, but it is really amazing to actually see that happen to you in your own life. The Lord is so kind, and I feel His strength and help so much. Such a sweet blessing to have the Gospel! It's hard to not see everyone enjoying the rich blessings of the Gospel, and that keeps me motivated to keep preaching!

Sounds like everyone is at home and happy for the Holidays! I can just picture all the grandkids, toys, food, craziness, conversations about "when it all hits the fan", homebuilding, and everything else I love so much about home. Enjoy your time together, and don't feel obligated to read this long letter when you're so rarerly all together haha. Francisca, I hope you get better soon!! Bummer you're in the hospital for the holiday season : ( Best of luck!

I'll talk to you soon (for real!)

Sister Hakes
сестра хэйкс -- я люблю тебя!
(I just found out how to use Russian characters! That's my name in Russian, and I love you!)