Week 7

привет!
(hello! sounds like Preevyet)

мая семья! как дела?
(My family! How are you?)

Well, can I just say that talking to everyon last week was AMAZING! I just loved hearing your voices! I could have talked to everyone individually for two hours I think. I felt really good after I talked to everyone, and it didn't set me back at all, so no worries. I think it actually helped me. It made you feel less far away, and more real. I sometimes worry about my family, like I worry everything is ok with everyone, so it's reassuring to talk to you and hear that everything is same old same old, and life is good as usual for you all. So, I'm ready to get back to work!

I told one of you, I think Mom, about how our investigator Ksoosha is for sure getting baptized January 16th -- woohoo! That was a good Christmas present. It is the first time someone I've taught is getting baptized, so I was curious before (like in the MTC) if I would really feel that much joy when someone I taught decided to be baptized. Well, it's true! You really feel pure happiness, joy I guess. It makes everything else worth it. I wish I felt that joy or Spirit the whole time, but it's hard right now-- mainly because of the language. It's hard to not be able to communicate with people, and it diminishes my ability to preach the gospel as efficiently as I'd like. I think missionaries need to go through this a little (at least I do) to really appreciate the good things. So, this is good for me, I know!

Christmas was SO GOOD! We got up really early to go to Yekaterinburg (екатеринбург) for a day at the Mission Home and it was so nice. I got to see some of the sisters in my mission, and meet some new elders, and just relax and talk. I guess I was kind of starved for some American people to talk to, becasue the people in my zone that I am usually with are all native Russian. So, it was nice to have some familiariy, but I know it's not essential. Anyways, we had a big Christmas Dinner at 3, had a fun White Elephant game, and watched Mr. Krueger's Christmas with Jimmy Stewart. I hadn't watched that since I was little! I forgot how much I loved it. And, it made me think of It's a Wonderful Life, which I'm so glad you all watched together. Joe, if you read this, I thought of you quoting "Mary" and "Joo Joo's petals!" in my head. Haha!

Anyways, after that we went to Miass which is a little town near Chelyabinsk on Saturday, and visited kids in an orphanage. Such a sweet experience. I loved it. Really, I've felt so ungrateful already a lot of times on my mission, but I felt most ungrateful that day. My life now and before mission was/is so blessed. There are a lot of people here that have so much less than me, yet they are happy. I could learn a lot from them.

Everything is good here. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your support and love. Thanks for your great examples. Joe and Katie, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I'm sad I didn't get to talk to you by the phone, but it sounds like you had a fun time with the fam in Cruces and Dallas too I'm sure. Say hi to Nathan and Julia for me! Francisca, hope you're feeling better! I hear you gave a great talk on Sunday despite your surgery. What a trooper! Marcus and Melissa, sorry I didn't get to talk to you by phone, but your spouses kept me up to date : )

Take care and much love for all of you! Talk to you next week!

Sister Hakes