How many people are in
Walla Walla? and in Washington? People ask and generally know population
sizes around here and I'm tired of telling them I don't know.
Russians don't have answering machines. period. at all. I've never been asked to leave a message at the beep.
They
are very open about money. It's not considered rude for a complete
stranger to ask you how much you get paid or how much you pay for your
apartment.
I've been told there's a movie that's come out in America called
"The Saratov Approach" which is about the missionaries who got kidnapped
like 10 or so years back in Saratov here in our mission. It actually
happened in Ingles, the same area that the two missionaries got kicked
out of for accidentally walking onto a military base a couple months
ago. Anyway, you might want to check that movie out...or maybe not mom
if she would get scared.... just to be clear, I am perfectly safe here.
:)
So guess what? Tolia is getting baptized!! :) Okay,
you don't know who that is so let me explain. He's not our investigator
but he's basically my best Russian friend. I met him like my third week
in. He's this 24 year old gentle giant. Well, he's normal sized, but
he's like a little kid, so sweet and innocent, and he talks nice and
slow. When he was born the doctor did something to his head and he has
like a hand print there. Apparently this made is so that he can't talk
very well... which is alright by me! This is probably why we are such
good friends, for a while he was the only one I could understand! :) and
he's patient with me when I take forever to respond or don't know a
word. His greatest desire is to have a huge, happy family. When I showed
him my pictures he stopped at the one of Michael and Emma's wedding,
pointed and grandpa and said "someday I'm going to be him and these will
be all my kids." I thought that was pretty sweet, and quite out of the
ordinary for a 24 year old Russian man. He'll be a great dad too.. the
other day we were waiting for the bus with a member and her daughter.
The daughter started crying and fussing because she wanted something.
Tolia just looks at her then I see a light bulb go off in his brain. He
then goes and buys a big bottle of water, almost a big as the little
girl and hands it to her. He's also bought me and my companion flowers a
couple times and gave me a Stephanie Myers book when I left Bezi. That
will be nice to keep my Russian after the mission! After family his
second love is the garden at his dochi/nature in general. One time he
made sister Clyde and I walk for ten minutes out of the branch building
to show us a tree. There many other occasions like that like showing me
caterpillars and flowers and pictures of the mountains and the river.
I'm glad he's finally getting baptized. They were starting to get
worried that he would be an eternal investigator because he had heard
all the lessons and was always hanging out with the missionaries. He
loves the missionaries. And they wanted to make sure he was getting
baptized for the right reasons. I think he's good though. He and I have
had a lot of good talks, all centered around why baptism is important
and how it will bless his life. Pray for him and that everything will
follow through for this Saturday when he's planning to be baptized!
There was supposed to be two baptisms this Saturday,
Tolia and one of the assistant's investigators but she just randomly
called them and said that she couldn't withstand temptation and she
couldn't meet with them anymore. The Elders explained to her that things
get really hard right before the baptism and that it would get better
as she received the Holy Ghost but I'm not sure if she will be coming
back. Hopefully she does! Satan has been having a hay-day with our
mission. Baptisms in the past months have really slowed down. I think
it's worrying president because we had a big mission-wide fast last week.
We all fasted for 24 hours (probably my first full 24) and President
had us all on the phone line and broke the fast for us with a prayer. It
was really cool and we hope to see the blessings follow.
This week has also been kind of a tough week for me and Sister
Moffatt. We both haven't been feeling well. I have a head ache and
stomach bug but it's not bad enough to stay in so we are both exhausted.
Saturday
was Sister Moffatt's birthday though so that was fun! Sort of... haha I
made crepes in the morning and we had McDonald's for lunch as a special
treat and she opened up a package from her parents and one from the YW
in her ward with tons of candy in it. By the way. I tried an American
snickers again from that package... it. was. gross. SOO gross. In Russia
they have what is called Super Snickers and at first when I got here I
was like hey, it tastes like a snickers... but in comparison, it's like
night and day. At some point I will send you some super snickers and you
will know for yourself. Anyway, that day was just a little crazy
because Sis. Moffatt lost here bank card and we had to get money to pay
rent. eekk but everything worked out. We had a lesson that night with
our investigator Dima. He's interested in the Book of Mormon but I think
he's more interested in Sis. Moffatt to be honest. He brought her a
cake, juice and a gift for her birthday haha then a lonnnngggg goodbye
handshake. He's a good guy, just likes to talk a lot and doesn't want to
hear the lessons, just ask a bunch of questions that don't matter like
how old Adam was and stuff.
We had a little miracle yesterday. We got sooo lost trying to get
to a member's house. We accidentally took the tram all the way to Bezi
and we didn't have money to get back! At this point, Sis. Moffatt had
basically lost it and is crying so we go sit on a stair well and think
things over. It would take about 2 hours to walk back through the elders
area. Not obedient and not effective but it would save poor Sis.
Moffatt's pride so we set out. We get like 5 minutes past the tram stop
when a drunk man starts getting a little weird and a little to close. I
reach in one of the side pockets of my purse for my pepper spray (I
never usually think to go for that) but instead I find in my pocket 1100
rubles!! More than enough money to get back home! :)
I'm out of time. Thanks family for telling me all about the family
reunion!! and thanks Chantal for the pictures! :) Love you guys!!
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