Some Pictures!!!

Ok, maybe this is lame, but I haven't sent pictures in a while, so I thought I'd go ahead and send new pictures this week instead of a really long email. Not too much happened this past week I feel like. Of course things happened that I could write about, but it's just an extension of the previous weeks. Lev is potentially getting baptized this Saturday, he still needs to be interviewed this week : ) The Chinese guy has a baptizmal date for the next Saturday, and I hope he'll be ready. He is just really hard to meet with becasue of his work schedule, which makes me think he doesn't understand the big committment he is about to make. Work still seems to be the priority in his life. Our other investigators are some progressing, some... I don't know how to describe. Some just seem unwilling to let go of their concerns and pray, have more faith, and just accept the Gospel. That is the most frustrating part!

We hada good lesson with a less-active. She was a very strong member for almost 10 years, and then something happened. We had planned to teach her the Restoration, but before we started the lesson, she mentioned her son died two years ago, and her sister died this year. Obviously, we then taught her the Plan of Salvation, and she cried a lot. It was SO spiritual, and she actually came to Church on Sunday. We told her that her grief has already been atoned for by our Savior, and that she is rejecting the one part of her life that can actually help her, the Gospel. So, we told her she needs to get active, go to the temple, and do the work for her family. I hope she can! She came to Church and it was a big reunion for her with all of her former friends in the Branch. Enduring to the End is everything.........

Sister Hansen and I made a list of some Former Investigators from our Area Book that we wanted to drop by-- we'll feel again that it's time to start finding some new people to teach. Anyways, we dropped by a house that we thought was young lady named Tanya, but it turned out to be her parent's house. I actually know this family. I met with the Mom at the Branch like my second day in Chili, her name is Galina. Her husband is named Nikolai. About last December, he called sister Z and I very drunk and said he didn'twant the missionaries messing with his family anymore. So, for safety's sake, President Allcott said we couldn't meet with the family w/o the husband's approval. So, we were sad b/c both the parents had been baptized (obviously not active) and the daughter was investigating. Anyways, a lady at Church two weeks ago told me that Nikolai want the missionaries to come by again. The lady told me I should try and get permission again. We hadn't really come to an agreement yet if we should meet with them or not yet, but anyways, we went to drop by Tanya, and it turned out that her parents are the Nikolai and Galina we weren't allowed to meet with. Nikolai answered and let us in, he was so happy to see us. He said his wife is really addicted to alcohol, and he can't stop smoking, and he wants the missionaries back in his house. The family is really messed up in all honesty, but Sister Hansen and I have already met with them twice, and for some strange reason, we love them! Haha. They kind of feel like our Russian family already and they text us all the time. They have tons of problems, but they are wanting to change.... so we'll see. The Dad plays the guitar and he loves the Beatles and CCR. He loves that I know all the lyrics in English too, so I guess I wasn't wasting all my time listening to the Beatles in high school. Everything has a purpose haha : )

Sister Hakes : )

this is in Finland. All the sister made tacos becasue they actually have tortillas in finland, it was so fun! I'm sending this becasue I forgot to tell you that I am getting a new companion-- another one! As in, I will be in a three-some this transfer with Sister Hansen and Sister Spjute. Sister Spjute was also in the MTC and came into Russia the same time as me, so I already know her pretty well and love her. They are both awesome girls and great missionaries. We all get along great. Well, sister spjute isn't here yet, but I know we will get along really well : ) She is the one in the gray and white shirt withthe diamonds on it. She's tall and skinny and really athletic.

And this is just another cold picture. I like it becasue the wall around the door to the outisde was just frozen over with snow. Cool huh? This was probably January too, it's not that cold now.

We got heart-attacked by some ward members. That is Sister Z and I with a former Sister missionary who served in Chili that came back to visit, and two other members of the Branch here. It was very sweet of them becasue I was really exhausted that night... really : )

ok, i know this isn't the most flattering, but just so you could see how cold I really was. This is me all bundled. I usually have my hair down (this day it was pulled back obviously) and all of it turns white from my breath, which then freezes around my face and turns my hair white. You can only see that a little here. I think this was actually New Years Eve

This is the шумиление family at Leza'a baptizm! I love them. They are a lot nicer than they look, most Russians don't smile in their pictures. Russians just don't smile in general really, but I think it's funny.

"я люблю тебя" is what is written on a well by our house, it means "I love you". There is graffitti (sp?) everywhere here and a lot of it makes me laugh, especially when it says like Jay-Z for life and 50 Cent Forever, or other American things. This one I thought was just pretty.