This past week was a little bit interesting because of all the fun things we did. This past week we had our culture night and so we went and saw Swan Lake at the Kremlin. Also, last Friday was free museum day in Moscow, so we took part of our Preparation Day to see some museums with a member of our ward (which is why my email is later today because we had a meeting earlier in the day). As a companionship we are also making goals to see more cultural things on our Preparation Day so last Monday we went to a big park with all sorts of statues.
We met with Yelena again this week. We are trying to move from helping her with English into an investigator. She has a lot of potential and right now she likes us and trusts us. (She even wanted us to babysit her daughter while she and her husband went out. Unfortunately, that is forbidden). Sadly, she did not come to the ward open house. We can't meet with people just to give them English lessons so we explained that to her (we told her that we use our 1 hour of service to help her since she can't come to English club) and explained that we wanted to teach her. Her comment was interesting. She is reading the Book of Mormon and does not see a reason to meet with us at the moment because she will find all she wants to know about us from the Book of Mormon. Thankfully, my companion was quicker than I and asked then if the next time we came if we can talk about the Book of Mormon. She agreed and hopefully that will provide the gateway to helping her feel the Spirit.
On Saturday our ward held an Open House. I'll admit it turned out pretty well. For a while all of the missionaries were worried. Five minutes before it was about to start there was only the missionaries, one member, and one inactive. But thankfully people trickled in and more showed up. For those that came they had a good time. Sadly, not as many members came as we hoped but that shows that we need to work more with the members and get them excited about missionary work. Zhun Zhun almost came! Due to work she couldn't come and arrived just as the Open House ended. But we sat down and talked to her and although we have not meet in a while or read the Book of Mormon she knows that she needs to read and she wants to read. And if not for work she would have come to the 10am church.
Saturday night we went to Vika. For the past few weeks we has not been answering our calls. We were worried and managed to drop by. Russian apartments can be hard to get into if the person you call doesn't answer the apartment phone. The apartments remind me a lot of France. You have to ring the phone and then the person you call has to let you in. Vika didn't answer but we knew she was home because her car was there. Thankfully, a lady exited the building and held the door open for us to enter (sometimes people forcibly close the door if the person you call doesn't let you in). We went up to Vika's door and knocked 3 times. No one answered but we heard loud music inside. Finally we knocked a 4th time and Vika's daughter happened to be walking to the bathroom at that moment and heard the knock. We got inside and thankfully everything was all right with Vika and I am glad that we stopped by to show her that we are not going to allow ourselves to lose contact with her.
Sunday was a good day. I'll admit that I have been praying a lot for the members in our ward and trying to talk to someone new each week. I've also tried to get to greet the less actives that come or sit by them during church. It was also a good Sunday because one member just returned from her mission and it was her first Sunday back. She served in the Washington DC South mission and it was great to talk to her. I love return missionaries because they are so willing to help on lessons and you don't feel like you are contacting members for meetings.
I am going to try to be more optimistic. Lately I feel like my optimism meter has been low. I wouldn't say that I am pesimisstic. I don't immediately think the worst of everything but sometimes I want to get discouraged at how things are moving or going. I suppose it's a little self-centered to say that the work in our area is moving slow but sometimes it is easy to feel that your weaknesses are holding the area back from truly progressing. Some days I just want to beat myself up for how bad I still am at contacting or how it has not gotten easier or feeling that the ward And, to be fair, I was warned in a blessing that there would be times when I would feel weak and it would be to the glory of God. Thank goodness I read about Moses and Enoch this morning, both of whom felt very inadequant to their calling but they still managed to accomplish great things. The quote I have written on my planner comes from Teaching of President George Albert Smith: "If you have something that the Lord asks or expects you to do and you don't know just how to proceed, do your best. Move in the direction that you ought to go; trust the Lord, give him a chance, and he will never fail you." Although I am still weak and full of weaknesses I am still trying to move forward and not let the hard things stop me from trying.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
t was great to talk to you all yesterday. I am always so surprised by normal the call is when I do call. That's always a great feeling. I love you all and it was great to hear about your lives and talk to you. I'm sad Justin couldn't talk long but it was great to be able to see him nonetheless =)
While last week was hot the past few days have been cold. I'm not complaining about the cold and I am perfectly happy to be wearing a jacket.
I would not say that this was a slower week but it was a different week. We ended up with 2 meetings this week but with quite a few last minute cancellations and one of Russia's biggest holidays we did not do too badly. We even gave out a few Books of Mormon.
Tuesday was an interesting day. Because Sister Gish was in the pilot program from the MTC to see if they should shorten the MTC stay time, a man from the MTC has been going and visiting all the missionaries that were in the test group. So on Tuesday this man, Brother Packer, came to visit us and observed us. He watched us as we did companion and language study together and then interviewed us separately. He gave us quite a few compliments and said that I was doing a good job trying to help Sister Gish use the materials we were given in the MTC. Sometimes I wonder about how well I am helping so hearing an affirmation of my work was encouraging.
Training has been interesting and as with everything in life it requires patience. Sister Gish is great although she was different from what I expected. Every missionary is so different and I suppose that when I first found out I was training in my mind I was expecting someone who was exactly like me when I came to Russia. Her strengths are different from mine which is a good thing and it has been fun to see how certain members or the ward need her strengths and abilities. The hardest part is all the Russian but we are working on that and trying to explain and practice. I have taught Russian to most of my companions and helped them improve their grammar. I wonder if this is the Lord's way of giving me experience because He wants me to a be teacher or if He is showing me what it would be like if I became a teacher. Either way the Lord has given me constant reminders that many of the gifts He gives us are for the purpose of blessing His children.
On Saturday we did have a good meeting with Yelena. We met with Yelena about two weeks ago and I have kept in contact with her on the phone and would call her every few days (aren't you all so proud of you?). On Saturday she invited us over and although we did not get into a Gospel discussion we talked with her a lot and took the time to get to know her and see what is important to her. At the end I did find a way to testify about the gospel. We talked about missionary work and I mentioned that we pay to come on missions. She looked at us, a little like we were crazy, and asked, "za chem? (Why?)". Simply and wholeheartedly I replied that the gospel so important to me that I want to help others to know what I know. She still looked at us like I was crazy but I hope that by knowing what we sacrifice to do will impact her. We set up a meeting with her for Tuesday and I am excited to see what will happen.
Sunday (yesterday) was a good day at church. I have been trying really hard to speak to more people in the ward and improve the member-missionary relationship. I have noticed that some people have warmed up to me more which is very encouraging. I am now to the point where I recognize most of the members who typically come so I always do a quick scan to check for any newcomers. Yesterday there was a baby blessing and the family, the father is actually the second counsellor in the stake bishopic, brought some family members who were not members. During Relief Society I went and sat by the member's mother. I just chatted with her and then the mother went to talk to someone. While the mother was away I asked the member about her mother. I was surprised by how much the member told me about her mother and at one point as the member was talking about her mom she started to get teary-eyed. Watching this member almost cry as she talked about her mother's spiritual state impressed upon my soul. I saw how much members want their family to be happy and enjoy the happiness that they have. Then I felt like the member helped create opportunities to help me. At the end of church the member turned to me and said, "We will be leaving in 10 minutes. Ask her if she will meet with you." Then after I talked to the non-member mother, the member came up to ask me how it went. It was a small experience but for that last hour of church I truly felt like I was united with this member to help her mother.
I'll admit that the past few weeks I found myself in a funk of sorts. I know I am not a bad missionary by any means. I try my hardest to be obedient every day. But lately I have been questioning and reflecting on the past few months and evaluating if I have been using my time in the best way and choosing a better part. Sometimes I worry that I am more like Martha than Mary. But I am trying my best and trying to improve areas that I know I can do better. I am not perfect but I am working on my weaknesses. Most importantly I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to know that repentance is possible. Every day I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for sending me His son. Without Him I would not have hope. Thanks to Jesus Christ I always have someone to turn to for comfort. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Redeemer. I know He lives and continues to help me everyday.
While last week was hot the past few days have been cold. I'm not complaining about the cold and I am perfectly happy to be wearing a jacket.
I would not say that this was a slower week but it was a different week. We ended up with 2 meetings this week but with quite a few last minute cancellations and one of Russia's biggest holidays we did not do too badly. We even gave out a few Books of Mormon.
Tuesday was an interesting day. Because Sister Gish was in the pilot program from the MTC to see if they should shorten the MTC stay time, a man from the MTC has been going and visiting all the missionaries that were in the test group. So on Tuesday this man, Brother Packer, came to visit us and observed us. He watched us as we did companion and language study together and then interviewed us separately. He gave us quite a few compliments and said that I was doing a good job trying to help Sister Gish use the materials we were given in the MTC. Sometimes I wonder about how well I am helping so hearing an affirmation of my work was encouraging.
Training has been interesting and as with everything in life it requires patience. Sister Gish is great although she was different from what I expected. Every missionary is so different and I suppose that when I first found out I was training in my mind I was expecting someone who was exactly like me when I came to Russia. Her strengths are different from mine which is a good thing and it has been fun to see how certain members or the ward need her strengths and abilities. The hardest part is all the Russian but we are working on that and trying to explain and practice. I have taught Russian to most of my companions and helped them improve their grammar. I wonder if this is the Lord's way of giving me experience because He wants me to a be teacher or if He is showing me what it would be like if I became a teacher. Either way the Lord has given me constant reminders that many of the gifts He gives us are for the purpose of blessing His children.
On Saturday we did have a good meeting with Yelena. We met with Yelena about two weeks ago and I have kept in contact with her on the phone and would call her every few days (aren't you all so proud of you?). On Saturday she invited us over and although we did not get into a Gospel discussion we talked with her a lot and took the time to get to know her and see what is important to her. At the end I did find a way to testify about the gospel. We talked about missionary work and I mentioned that we pay to come on missions. She looked at us, a little like we were crazy, and asked, "za chem? (Why?)". Simply and wholeheartedly I replied that the gospel so important to me that I want to help others to know what I know. She still looked at us like I was crazy but I hope that by knowing what we sacrifice to do will impact her. We set up a meeting with her for Tuesday and I am excited to see what will happen.
Sunday (yesterday) was a good day at church. I have been trying really hard to speak to more people in the ward and improve the member-missionary relationship. I have noticed that some people have warmed up to me more which is very encouraging. I am now to the point where I recognize most of the members who typically come so I always do a quick scan to check for any newcomers. Yesterday there was a baby blessing and the family, the father is actually the second counsellor in the stake bishopic, brought some family members who were not members. During Relief Society I went and sat by the member's mother. I just chatted with her and then the mother went to talk to someone. While the mother was away I asked the member about her mother. I was surprised by how much the member told me about her mother and at one point as the member was talking about her mom she started to get teary-eyed. Watching this member almost cry as she talked about her mother's spiritual state impressed upon my soul. I saw how much members want their family to be happy and enjoy the happiness that they have. Then I felt like the member helped create opportunities to help me. At the end of church the member turned to me and said, "We will be leaving in 10 minutes. Ask her if she will meet with you." Then after I talked to the non-member mother, the member came up to ask me how it went. It was a small experience but for that last hour of church I truly felt like I was united with this member to help her mother.
I'll admit that the past few weeks I found myself in a funk of sorts. I know I am not a bad missionary by any means. I try my hardest to be obedient every day. But lately I have been questioning and reflecting on the past few months and evaluating if I have been using my time in the best way and choosing a better part. Sometimes I worry that I am more like Martha than Mary. But I am trying my best and trying to improve areas that I know I can do better. I am not perfect but I am working on my weaknesses. Most importantly I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to know that repentance is possible. Every day I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for sending me His son. Without Him I would not have hope. Thanks to Jesus Christ I always have someone to turn to for comfort. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Redeemer. I know He lives and continues to help me everyday.
Monday, May 7, 2012
How I love the restoration!
This week was an interesting week that strengthened my testimony of the Restoration. I am so thankful for the knowledge of the Restoration and to know who God is and that He loves us just as much as people in former ages. This week we met with some people who are not ready to accept the Restoration which caused me to reflect on how thankful I am for modern prophets and for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So I don't think I ever told you about Asmeret. Asmeret is our new investigator from Africa (English speaking this time). She came to an English club in another part of Moscow and was invited to General Conference. She came to all of General Conference on Sunday when we watched it and enjoyed it. I talked to her during the conference and set up a meeting for later that week. She has been an interesting person to teach, partly because she is Pentecostal. Our first meeting we went very simple and talked about the Book of Mormon. We read the introduction with her. Although she had some issues with the Book of Mormon she said she would pray and read it.
This past week we met with her a second time. She started the Book of Mormon and said that she did not feel like she should not read it. Although she is only one or two chapter into the Book of Mormon she did read all of the Liahona that she took last week. I have been developing a love-hate relationship with Liahonas in part because they are so great but people miss the point of the messages (ie. read the scriptures) We watched the Joseph Smith Restoration film with her but we is not ready to hear about the Restoration. With her we walk a fine line. The problem is that she feels that our churches are basically the same although we worship differently, which is why we decided to talk about the Restoration. However, she is just not ready at this point to accept the Restoration. After we watched the film she had a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon. It did require some patience because most of her questions we had gone over the following week when we read the introduction. But we took our time and tried to help her understand the Book of Mormon so she would want to read it more. Because of her questions the lesson went on a lot longer than we planned for but we ended on a good note and with a moment that I am still so thankful for. Towards the end she was asking a lot of questions that I could give her the answer to but she was not ready to accept because I just felt that her questions and concerns she needed to resolve herself through the Book of Mormon. I was trying to think of how to tell her that when at last she asked a question that gave me the chance to express that. She commented again on how she loved the Liahona but she expressed a concern, "I notice that the Book of Mormon is quoted more often than the Bible. Why is that?" I told her, "I can't answer that for you. You will have to read the Book of Mormon and find the answer for youself. I promise you that if you read the Book of Mormon you will find the answer to your question." I wish you all could have been there to feel the peace that entered the room as I said that. The atmosphere changed and her attitude changed. She said she would read.
Asmeret also came to church this Sunday. She came late during Sacrament but stayed for the rest of church. She really liked Relief Society. Although she is still firm in her beliefs that our churches are the same there is a little bit of softening.
The other meeting that caused me to think about the Restoration and what it means to me was with Izolda. I have been visiting Izolda (who is inactive) every other week for the past 6 months. I care about her a lot but sometimes it breaks my heart to meet with her because I want her to be happy but she is not willing to keep commitments fully and I know they will bring her happiness. Last time we gave her a reading assignment but she did not do it so we read with her. We tried to talk about the Book of Mormon with her but she is not willing to read on her own. She used a lot of excuses but I noticed I was a little more bold when she gave us her excuses. At one point she was asking a lot of questions that could be answered by the message of the Restoration. As I was testifying of the Restoration and watching her, an interesting thought popped into my mind, "She does not want to accept the Restoration." We had tried talking about the Restoration before and I wondered why but that day I realized it was because she did not want to accept it. It was interesting thought to realize so as we defrosted her freezer I struck up a conversation and asked her a few questions to see what she most desires. At one point I asked, "Izolga don't you want to live with God and have eternal life?" Her response was telling, "Who would I be with?" Her husband died a few years ago and her son does not like the church. Her brother is actually a Russian Orthodox priest. Her response broke my heart because I was so sad for her. Although it was heartbreaking in some ways I am so happy that I learned a lot about Izolda and what her thoughts are. As we talked with the elders we realized that she needs the very basic and to understand her realtionship with God. At least after a year she is finally starting to pray on her own! Progress!
As I look back on this week I am realizing that all the lessons I had were a little draining or just different concerns that I really had to rely on the Lord for help. I can't count the number of times I prayed, "Heavenly Father, I have no idea what to do or how to answer this concern. But you do. Please help me." The help has not always come immediately but it has come.
Yesterday was a good day at church. I made a real effort to try to speak with more members and to sit with different people. By talking to new people I have learned a lot about her interests and ways I can in the future strike up a conversation. When I left church I was just a lot happier because really I just need to be better at working with members and be more willing to make the awkward first approach. Thankfully, I have been noticing a difference in a few people.
Winter is finally gone! Well, I suppose it has been gone for a few weeks now. It is starting to get a lot warmer and soon I won't need to wear a sweater. Today we are actually going shopping because my companion was not as fortunate as I and no one told her how hot the summers in Moscow get. The wind is a nice relief though. The wind was our enemy in the winter and now it is what will keep me from wanting to die as it continues to get warmer. And with spring the smell of paint fills the air of Moscow. Every spring all the fences are repainted. It is interesting to see the color schemes. Last year it was green and yellow and this year is appears to be blue and orange. I have no idea who gets to choose what color we paint the fences. Also, our cockroach problem is getting better =)
Love, Sister Daniel
So I don't think I ever told you about Asmeret. Asmeret is our new investigator from Africa (English speaking this time). She came to an English club in another part of Moscow and was invited to General Conference. She came to all of General Conference on Sunday when we watched it and enjoyed it. I talked to her during the conference and set up a meeting for later that week. She has been an interesting person to teach, partly because she is Pentecostal. Our first meeting we went very simple and talked about the Book of Mormon. We read the introduction with her. Although she had some issues with the Book of Mormon she said she would pray and read it.
This past week we met with her a second time. She started the Book of Mormon and said that she did not feel like she should not read it. Although she is only one or two chapter into the Book of Mormon she did read all of the Liahona that she took last week. I have been developing a love-hate relationship with Liahonas in part because they are so great but people miss the point of the messages (ie. read the scriptures) We watched the Joseph Smith Restoration film with her but we is not ready to hear about the Restoration. With her we walk a fine line. The problem is that she feels that our churches are basically the same although we worship differently, which is why we decided to talk about the Restoration. However, she is just not ready at this point to accept the Restoration. After we watched the film she had a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon. It did require some patience because most of her questions we had gone over the following week when we read the introduction. But we took our time and tried to help her understand the Book of Mormon so she would want to read it more. Because of her questions the lesson went on a lot longer than we planned for but we ended on a good note and with a moment that I am still so thankful for. Towards the end she was asking a lot of questions that I could give her the answer to but she was not ready to accept because I just felt that her questions and concerns she needed to resolve herself through the Book of Mormon. I was trying to think of how to tell her that when at last she asked a question that gave me the chance to express that. She commented again on how she loved the Liahona but she expressed a concern, "I notice that the Book of Mormon is quoted more often than the Bible. Why is that?" I told her, "I can't answer that for you. You will have to read the Book of Mormon and find the answer for youself. I promise you that if you read the Book of Mormon you will find the answer to your question." I wish you all could have been there to feel the peace that entered the room as I said that. The atmosphere changed and her attitude changed. She said she would read.
Asmeret also came to church this Sunday. She came late during Sacrament but stayed for the rest of church. She really liked Relief Society. Although she is still firm in her beliefs that our churches are the same there is a little bit of softening.
The other meeting that caused me to think about the Restoration and what it means to me was with Izolda. I have been visiting Izolda (who is inactive) every other week for the past 6 months. I care about her a lot but sometimes it breaks my heart to meet with her because I want her to be happy but she is not willing to keep commitments fully and I know they will bring her happiness. Last time we gave her a reading assignment but she did not do it so we read with her. We tried to talk about the Book of Mormon with her but she is not willing to read on her own. She used a lot of excuses but I noticed I was a little more bold when she gave us her excuses. At one point she was asking a lot of questions that could be answered by the message of the Restoration. As I was testifying of the Restoration and watching her, an interesting thought popped into my mind, "She does not want to accept the Restoration." We had tried talking about the Restoration before and I wondered why but that day I realized it was because she did not want to accept it. It was interesting thought to realize so as we defrosted her freezer I struck up a conversation and asked her a few questions to see what she most desires. At one point I asked, "Izolga don't you want to live with God and have eternal life?" Her response was telling, "Who would I be with?" Her husband died a few years ago and her son does not like the church. Her brother is actually a Russian Orthodox priest. Her response broke my heart because I was so sad for her. Although it was heartbreaking in some ways I am so happy that I learned a lot about Izolda and what her thoughts are. As we talked with the elders we realized that she needs the very basic and to understand her realtionship with God. At least after a year she is finally starting to pray on her own! Progress!
As I look back on this week I am realizing that all the lessons I had were a little draining or just different concerns that I really had to rely on the Lord for help. I can't count the number of times I prayed, "Heavenly Father, I have no idea what to do or how to answer this concern. But you do. Please help me." The help has not always come immediately but it has come.
Yesterday was a good day at church. I made a real effort to try to speak with more members and to sit with different people. By talking to new people I have learned a lot about her interests and ways I can in the future strike up a conversation. When I left church I was just a lot happier because really I just need to be better at working with members and be more willing to make the awkward first approach. Thankfully, I have been noticing a difference in a few people.
Winter is finally gone! Well, I suppose it has been gone for a few weeks now. It is starting to get a lot warmer and soon I won't need to wear a sweater. Today we are actually going shopping because my companion was not as fortunate as I and no one told her how hot the summers in Moscow get. The wind is a nice relief though. The wind was our enemy in the winter and now it is what will keep me from wanting to die as it continues to get warmer. And with spring the smell of paint fills the air of Moscow. Every spring all the fences are repainted. It is interesting to see the color schemes. Last year it was green and yellow and this year is appears to be blue and orange. I have no idea who gets to choose what color we paint the fences. Also, our cockroach problem is getting better =)
Love, Sister Daniel
Monday, April 30, 2012
We are still alive
This has been an interesting week in a lot of ways. I feel like every week I am learning something new about myself and who I want to become.
Well, this was the first full week that Sister Gish and I have been together and she's not dead or injured so I assume that I am doing a good job :-) Kidding, of course. In all seriousness we are doing very good. So I suppose I should tell you about Sister Gish. She is from West Jordon, Utah. She is very positive and ready to work which is great. Before her mission she studied elementary education. She was in the MTC for 9 weeks so we are still working on the Russian.
I think that patience has been a constant theme throughout my entire mission. Every transfer I am learning some new aspect about patience. Sometimes it is patience with oneself and other times it is patience with someone's personality or their weaknesses. I'll been in a reflective mood today and ruminating about the lessons I have learned on my mission.
This week we have done quite a bit of contacting. At least once a week we go contacting as a district where we sing hymns out on the street. In addition Sister Gish and I set a goal to contact for at least one hour everyday. Contacting is still to me the hardest. To quote our district leader, "it's not natural or a part of my personality but I promised God that I would do it." At least now I have learned that to me it is the approach with which I struggle. Once we move past the beginning then I can speak just fine. Thankfully, Sister Gish does not have that problem so we are able to balance each other out as we contact.
We did have something great happen to us on Sunday. First, a little backstory: about a week ago another sister in the mission gave me a contact that lived in our area. I called this lady and she said she wanted to come to church. That Sunday morning she called saying she would not be able to but said we could come by. Unfortunately, by the time I received the message we could not go to her and then throughout the week we were not able to meet. On Saturday I called her to ask if she would come to church the next day. She said she couldn't because her daughter had a fever but she invited us over! So after church we ate a quick lunch and went over to meet Yelena. We did not have a lot of time to meet but we became aquainted with her and answered her questions. Because of church and other things we did not have time to plan for her lesson. I surprised myself at how much I managed to explain in a short time and I think she was even more interested to come to church. I'll admit I was just happy to get to meet her so that now I am more than just a voice on the telephone.
After church we went contacting with some of the young single adults (YSA) from our ward. It was great and most of all they had fun and a few of them talked afterwards about coming contacting with us next week. Hopefully, we will get a trend started. One of our goals is to get the ward more involved with missionary work. The ward has come a long ways since I first arrived in October (hard to believe that I have been here already 6 months!).
In other news I received an email from Anna today! She is having a good experience in Israel although the circumstances that brought her there are sad. But what made me the happiest was a brief comment: "I can't wait to tell you about my reading [The Book of Mormon] and my experiences." My heart soared. It appears that she has had some great spiritual experiences.
The weather has getting nicer and warmer. It is time to pull out the summer outfits and the umbrella. Yesterday, it rained in the morning and then it was hot and sunny by the time we went out contacting. Parks are becoming more crowded but people are not yet swimming in the fountains. Last night it started to get dark around 8pm.
I apologize for such a short email this week. I think I spent so much time reflecting that I did not notice how fast the time flew! Rest assured that I am doing well and eating well. Slowly we are improving and getting better. I even started the Bible and it has been interesting to read and full of wonderful insights. I love you and am so grateful for your support and your prayers on my behalf.
Love, Sister Daniel
Well, this was the first full week that Sister Gish and I have been together and she's not dead or injured so I assume that I am doing a good job :-) Kidding, of course. In all seriousness we are doing very good. So I suppose I should tell you about Sister Gish. She is from West Jordon, Utah. She is very positive and ready to work which is great. Before her mission she studied elementary education. She was in the MTC for 9 weeks so we are still working on the Russian.
I think that patience has been a constant theme throughout my entire mission. Every transfer I am learning some new aspect about patience. Sometimes it is patience with oneself and other times it is patience with someone's personality or their weaknesses. I'll been in a reflective mood today and ruminating about the lessons I have learned on my mission.
This week we have done quite a bit of contacting. At least once a week we go contacting as a district where we sing hymns out on the street. In addition Sister Gish and I set a goal to contact for at least one hour everyday. Contacting is still to me the hardest. To quote our district leader, "it's not natural or a part of my personality but I promised God that I would do it." At least now I have learned that to me it is the approach with which I struggle. Once we move past the beginning then I can speak just fine. Thankfully, Sister Gish does not have that problem so we are able to balance each other out as we contact.
We did have something great happen to us on Sunday. First, a little backstory: about a week ago another sister in the mission gave me a contact that lived in our area. I called this lady and she said she wanted to come to church. That Sunday morning she called saying she would not be able to but said we could come by. Unfortunately, by the time I received the message we could not go to her and then throughout the week we were not able to meet. On Saturday I called her to ask if she would come to church the next day. She said she couldn't because her daughter had a fever but she invited us over! So after church we ate a quick lunch and went over to meet Yelena. We did not have a lot of time to meet but we became aquainted with her and answered her questions. Because of church and other things we did not have time to plan for her lesson. I surprised myself at how much I managed to explain in a short time and I think she was even more interested to come to church. I'll admit I was just happy to get to meet her so that now I am more than just a voice on the telephone.
After church we went contacting with some of the young single adults (YSA) from our ward. It was great and most of all they had fun and a few of them talked afterwards about coming contacting with us next week. Hopefully, we will get a trend started. One of our goals is to get the ward more involved with missionary work. The ward has come a long ways since I first arrived in October (hard to believe that I have been here already 6 months!).
In other news I received an email from Anna today! She is having a good experience in Israel although the circumstances that brought her there are sad. But what made me the happiest was a brief comment: "I can't wait to tell you about my reading [The Book of Mormon] and my experiences." My heart soared. It appears that she has had some great spiritual experiences.
The weather has getting nicer and warmer. It is time to pull out the summer outfits and the umbrella. Yesterday, it rained in the morning and then it was hot and sunny by the time we went out contacting. Parks are becoming more crowded but people are not yet swimming in the fountains. Last night it started to get dark around 8pm.
I apologize for such a short email this week. I think I spent so much time reflecting that I did not notice how fast the time flew! Rest assured that I am doing well and eating well. Slowly we are improving and getting better. I even started the Bible and it has been interesting to read and full of wonderful insights. I love you and am so grateful for your support and your prayers on my behalf.
Love, Sister Daniel
Monday, April 23, 2012
Well, first of all I know have a companion! Training so far has been good. It was an interesting week in several ways. There were some disappointments and some happy surprises.
I'll start with the bad news. I suppose it is so bad as it was a little disappointing. This week I was really hoping to have a great lesson with Anna and help her see that she is ready for baptism. After all, we have covered all the commandments that most people have problems with before baptism. Instead of hindering her all of these commandments inspired her and she understood why they are so important for us. Anyways, the night before we usually meet I got a text message from her. Her dad not long ago was diagnosed with cancer. Here in Russia they could not find out what type of cancer he had so she flew with her dad to Israel to a clinic. The unfortunate news for our missionary work is that she will be with him until at least the end of May. Keep her and her father in your prayers.
But that was perhaps the downpoint of my week. But there were other great experiences. Last Monday during Preparation Day I had the opportunity to watch 17 Miracles. I loved it and those who know me well will not be surprised to know that I cried my way through the film.
After the film we finally met with Adella. Adella is from Cuba and I have been trying to meet with her for over 3 months. Unfortunately, she works a lot so it has been hard to meet with her. Thankfully, we got a meeting for Monday at 7pm. We did meet with her but she was an hour late. But we had a good meeting and got to know her. She has had a hard life here in Moscow and is constantly working to try to support her family. Her first language is Spanish, but she knows English, Russian, French, and Italian. Early in our meeting I learned that family is very important to her and she is just tired and overworked. I felt like we should talk about the Book of Mormon and how it provides comfort and by reading we learn that nothing is impossible for the Lord, if we have faith. There was a special moment. Not long ago our mission president asked us to memorize the questions of the soul that the Book of Mormon answers along with the references. We finished talking about faith and there was a long moment of silence. Whenever there is silence there is an urge to fill it but I determined that I would wait until she spoke. Finally she broke the silence with a question, "What does it have about families?" I was thrilled because I had memorize a reference about how to strengthen our families. She was happy and seemed excited to read it. Hopefully, we will continue to meet with her and at least now I have some ideas on how to at least provide some comfort for her.
In other news Zhun Zhun is doing good. We did not get the time to meet this week but we are continuing to read. I can tell that she is actually starting to enjoy reading. There was one night we read two chapters together and I think if it weren't for the time we would have continued to read all night long.
As you know I am training this transfer. So far it has been good. I'll admit that I am really excited to train. A few weeks ago Sister Horspool and I, when we were serving together, talked about what our role is as we come towards the last phase of our missions. One area that we identified is training the next generation and helping them be prepared quicker than we were. I'll admit that I am excited for this chance and so far it has been good. My companion's name is Sister Gish and she is from Utah. She is ready to work and to learn which is very good.
There are also some exciting things happening in our area. Yesterday the young single adults in our area came to us and asked us how they can help with missionary work. One goal our district has this transfer is to really work with the ward and help get them more involved with missionary work. I think that as we work with the ward amazing things are going to happen.
It is finally spring time! No more winter jacket and some days I don't even need my lighter coat. It is also starting to rain a lot more. It was weird this week to walk to church and see grass along the way. Just a few weeks ago there was snow on the ground!
I am sorry for the shorter letter this week. Next week I promise to include more details about spring time in Russia and about my new companion, along with all the wonderful insights that I have been gaining from my personal study.
I love you all! Sister Daniel
I'll start with the bad news. I suppose it is so bad as it was a little disappointing. This week I was really hoping to have a great lesson with Anna and help her see that she is ready for baptism. After all, we have covered all the commandments that most people have problems with before baptism. Instead of hindering her all of these commandments inspired her and she understood why they are so important for us. Anyways, the night before we usually meet I got a text message from her. Her dad not long ago was diagnosed with cancer. Here in Russia they could not find out what type of cancer he had so she flew with her dad to Israel to a clinic. The unfortunate news for our missionary work is that she will be with him until at least the end of May. Keep her and her father in your prayers.
But that was perhaps the downpoint of my week. But there were other great experiences. Last Monday during Preparation Day I had the opportunity to watch 17 Miracles. I loved it and those who know me well will not be surprised to know that I cried my way through the film.
After the film we finally met with Adella. Adella is from Cuba and I have been trying to meet with her for over 3 months. Unfortunately, she works a lot so it has been hard to meet with her. Thankfully, we got a meeting for Monday at 7pm. We did meet with her but she was an hour late. But we had a good meeting and got to know her. She has had a hard life here in Moscow and is constantly working to try to support her family. Her first language is Spanish, but she knows English, Russian, French, and Italian. Early in our meeting I learned that family is very important to her and she is just tired and overworked. I felt like we should talk about the Book of Mormon and how it provides comfort and by reading we learn that nothing is impossible for the Lord, if we have faith. There was a special moment. Not long ago our mission president asked us to memorize the questions of the soul that the Book of Mormon answers along with the references. We finished talking about faith and there was a long moment of silence. Whenever there is silence there is an urge to fill it but I determined that I would wait until she spoke. Finally she broke the silence with a question, "What does it have about families?" I was thrilled because I had memorize a reference about how to strengthen our families. She was happy and seemed excited to read it. Hopefully, we will continue to meet with her and at least now I have some ideas on how to at least provide some comfort for her.
In other news Zhun Zhun is doing good. We did not get the time to meet this week but we are continuing to read. I can tell that she is actually starting to enjoy reading. There was one night we read two chapters together and I think if it weren't for the time we would have continued to read all night long.
As you know I am training this transfer. So far it has been good. I'll admit that I am really excited to train. A few weeks ago Sister Horspool and I, when we were serving together, talked about what our role is as we come towards the last phase of our missions. One area that we identified is training the next generation and helping them be prepared quicker than we were. I'll admit that I am excited for this chance and so far it has been good. My companion's name is Sister Gish and she is from Utah. She is ready to work and to learn which is very good.
There are also some exciting things happening in our area. Yesterday the young single adults in our area came to us and asked us how they can help with missionary work. One goal our district has this transfer is to really work with the ward and help get them more involved with missionary work. I think that as we work with the ward amazing things are going to happen.
It is finally spring time! No more winter jacket and some days I don't even need my lighter coat. It is also starting to rain a lot more. It was weird this week to walk to church and see grass along the way. Just a few weeks ago there was snow on the ground!
I am sorry for the shorter letter this week. Next week I promise to include more details about spring time in Russia and about my new companion, along with all the wonderful insights that I have been gaining from my personal study.
I love you all! Sister Daniel
Monday, April 16, 2012
Nakonyets! (Finally!)
So yesterday and Saturday we finally got to watch General Conference. It was really good and I can't wait for the chance to read all the talks over again, especially since we could not hear at times. I say that we could not hear at times because our central building is right next to a Russian Orthodox church and yesterday was Russian Orthodox Russian. That meant that they had their bells ringing quite a bit.
As I mentioned last week I am back with Masha, the short term missionary that was with me at the beginning of this transfer. It has been fun and good Russian practice, of course. Although it has been fun to have a short term missionary I am excited for transfers on Friday. As I mentioned last week I will be training a new missionary, Sister Gish. President showed me her picture this week and I am very excited. The interesting thing about this group of new missionaries is that they were only in the MTC for 9 weeks. The MTC is experienting on cutting the time spent in the MTC for those serving in Russian speaking areas.
This week we did a lot more contacting since we knew that Easter was coming up. Yesterday we sang hymns on the street. One lady bought my companion and me roses to thank us for our singing. Although we focused a little more on contacting we meet with both Anna and Zhun Zhun. Both are doing great.
With Anna we talked about the Law of Chastity. This might seem strange but I love teaching about the Law of Chastity. Thankfully, Anna also liked it and we had a good discussion about why it is so important for us. She even highlighted some sentences that she liked in the pamphlet we gave her previously to read. Like always I came away for the lesson inspired and so excited. We have now taught all the commandments that most people struggle with before baptism. I have realized the importance of worthy goals. Anna wants to get baptized and that desire has overpowered any desire that would keep her from being baptized. She has enjoyed learning about the commandments so that she knows what she needs to do to "keep her Holy Ghost with [her] always".
With Zhun Zhun I have been persistent in calling her every night. We have not read every night but we continue to pray together. Typically, she likes hearing me pray but sometimes she will pray in Chinese. It is fun trying to pick out words and to try to understand. I can now understand her when she says "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." But we have been reading more. Yesterday was a great day with Zhun Zhun. Sadly, she was not able to come to conference but she met with us afterwards. She says that prayer is helping her and likes that we read together. As we were teaching our lesson she asked us the question, "what do I need to do to be a missionary?" Of course, we told her that first she needed to keep all the commandments, including baptism. We asked her about baptism and discovered a little more what is holding her back. She knows that in two months she is going to China for the summer. But I can see that she is starting to find things she likes from the Book of Mormon. As we read sometimes she will stop and say, "That is true." and then mark it. The steps forward are small but I can see what a difference she is making in her life.
The best part was last night. When I called her she was in the car so she told me to call a little later. Typically when we need together we do not get through an entire chapter. We read a few verses and end with a prayer and then continue the next day. Last night we read an entire chapter. I kept expecting to hear, "That's good for tonight, sister." but instead we read the entire chapter. After we read there was a moment of silence and then she asked, "what you think?" I asked to clarify if she was asking what I thought about the chapter and she said yes. I told her that I liked it a lot and I that I really liked Nephi. She responded by saying, "I like Nephi too." Then she told me that she liked reading the Book of Mormon and liked reading with me. I don't think I can describe how happy I was to hear that. Then she asked what time it was and said, "We don't have time so we will read chapter 4 tomorrow." I felt like I was on cloud nine. One of the sweetest experiences on my mission has been to help people experience the joy of the Book of Mormon in their lives. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that they are enjoying reading. Like Elder L. Tom Perry said yesterday, quoting his friend Scott, "You should read it. It's a great book." I add my testimony that it really is a great book.
A funny little story. After our meeting with Zhun Zhun yesterday she told me that she loved me. I had heard her say 'I love you' once in Chinese so I repeated it back to her. Her eyes widened and she said, "You know Chinese?" I joked that she should give me three years and then I will be able to talk to her in Chinese. She responded, "Three years is long. You can speak Chinese after one year. I will help you."
I am happy to report that it is warming up here. In fact I think this week I will switch back to my regular dress shoes. The snow is melting and revealing all the trash that had been hiding in the snow. I'm excited for the trees to start blooming. Thankfully, it has been warm and no humidity yet. I am also happy to report that our cockroach problem is better. We bought some stuff to kill them last week and it has been satisfying to sweep up already dead cockroaches rather than trying to kill them myself.
Also this week I did do something cultural. Just like in American, Russians paint eggs for Easter. Our Relief Society had an activity this week where we painted and decorated eggs. They make the designs with beeswax which they put in a little container that they hold over a flame. The small container is more like a little funnel so it comes out thin. You design the egg, paint it, and then hold the eggs over your candle to melt the beeswax, which you wipe off with a paper towel.
Those are all the highlights from this week. I am excited to see what this week holds in store for us. I love missionary work and I am so glad for this chance to serve. I love the Lord, Jesus Christ and am so grateful for the chance to serve Him and to share my love of Him with the people here in Russia. Thank you for all of your support and all of your prayers. I know that the work is true. I know that following the commandments and the prophets brings lasting happiness.
With love, Sister Daniel
As I mentioned last week I am back with Masha, the short term missionary that was with me at the beginning of this transfer. It has been fun and good Russian practice, of course. Although it has been fun to have a short term missionary I am excited for transfers on Friday. As I mentioned last week I will be training a new missionary, Sister Gish. President showed me her picture this week and I am very excited. The interesting thing about this group of new missionaries is that they were only in the MTC for 9 weeks. The MTC is experienting on cutting the time spent in the MTC for those serving in Russian speaking areas.
This week we did a lot more contacting since we knew that Easter was coming up. Yesterday we sang hymns on the street. One lady bought my companion and me roses to thank us for our singing. Although we focused a little more on contacting we meet with both Anna and Zhun Zhun. Both are doing great.
With Anna we talked about the Law of Chastity. This might seem strange but I love teaching about the Law of Chastity. Thankfully, Anna also liked it and we had a good discussion about why it is so important for us. She even highlighted some sentences that she liked in the pamphlet we gave her previously to read. Like always I came away for the lesson inspired and so excited. We have now taught all the commandments that most people struggle with before baptism. I have realized the importance of worthy goals. Anna wants to get baptized and that desire has overpowered any desire that would keep her from being baptized. She has enjoyed learning about the commandments so that she knows what she needs to do to "keep her Holy Ghost with [her] always".
With Zhun Zhun I have been persistent in calling her every night. We have not read every night but we continue to pray together. Typically, she likes hearing me pray but sometimes she will pray in Chinese. It is fun trying to pick out words and to try to understand. I can now understand her when she says "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." But we have been reading more. Yesterday was a great day with Zhun Zhun. Sadly, she was not able to come to conference but she met with us afterwards. She says that prayer is helping her and likes that we read together. As we were teaching our lesson she asked us the question, "what do I need to do to be a missionary?" Of course, we told her that first she needed to keep all the commandments, including baptism. We asked her about baptism and discovered a little more what is holding her back. She knows that in two months she is going to China for the summer. But I can see that she is starting to find things she likes from the Book of Mormon. As we read sometimes she will stop and say, "That is true." and then mark it. The steps forward are small but I can see what a difference she is making in her life.
The best part was last night. When I called her she was in the car so she told me to call a little later. Typically when we need together we do not get through an entire chapter. We read a few verses and end with a prayer and then continue the next day. Last night we read an entire chapter. I kept expecting to hear, "That's good for tonight, sister." but instead we read the entire chapter. After we read there was a moment of silence and then she asked, "what you think?" I asked to clarify if she was asking what I thought about the chapter and she said yes. I told her that I liked it a lot and I that I really liked Nephi. She responded by saying, "I like Nephi too." Then she told me that she liked reading the Book of Mormon and liked reading with me. I don't think I can describe how happy I was to hear that. Then she asked what time it was and said, "We don't have time so we will read chapter 4 tomorrow." I felt like I was on cloud nine. One of the sweetest experiences on my mission has been to help people experience the joy of the Book of Mormon in their lives. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that they are enjoying reading. Like Elder L. Tom Perry said yesterday, quoting his friend Scott, "You should read it. It's a great book." I add my testimony that it really is a great book.
A funny little story. After our meeting with Zhun Zhun yesterday she told me that she loved me. I had heard her say 'I love you' once in Chinese so I repeated it back to her. Her eyes widened and she said, "You know Chinese?" I joked that she should give me three years and then I will be able to talk to her in Chinese. She responded, "Three years is long. You can speak Chinese after one year. I will help you."
I am happy to report that it is warming up here. In fact I think this week I will switch back to my regular dress shoes. The snow is melting and revealing all the trash that had been hiding in the snow. I'm excited for the trees to start blooming. Thankfully, it has been warm and no humidity yet. I am also happy to report that our cockroach problem is better. We bought some stuff to kill them last week and it has been satisfying to sweep up already dead cockroaches rather than trying to kill them myself.
Also this week I did do something cultural. Just like in American, Russians paint eggs for Easter. Our Relief Society had an activity this week where we painted and decorated eggs. They make the designs with beeswax which they put in a little container that they hold over a flame. The small container is more like a little funnel so it comes out thin. You design the egg, paint it, and then hold the eggs over your candle to melt the beeswax, which you wipe off with a paper towel.
Those are all the highlights from this week. I am excited to see what this week holds in store for us. I love missionary work and I am so glad for this chance to serve. I love the Lord, Jesus Christ and am so grateful for the chance to serve Him and to share my love of Him with the people here in Russia. Thank you for all of your support and all of your prayers. I know that the work is true. I know that following the commandments and the prophets brings lasting happiness.
With love, Sister Daniel
Monday, April 9, 2012
Back and forth.
Well, I am now back in Sokolniki for at least this week. Masha, my short-term missionary, has returned for another week. Yesterday she returned and so yesterday I moved back to the Sokolniki apartment. I was sad to leave but I know I needed to go. I had fun in the threesome and was able to help but not every missionary adapts well to threesomes.
This week was a crazy week and it taught me the importance of communication and working together. Monday Sister Frovola scheduled a dentist appointment which took away from some of our Preparation Day time. But at least it gave me some time as we waited to try to catch up on some letters. Then we had a good family home evening with a lady in the Perovo branch.
Two times this week we helped out the Storms (a Humanitarian Service couple from the Moscow West mission) with translation. Mainly, Sister Frolova translated while Sister Horspool and I tagged along. On Wednesday we went and visited a hospital. Sister Horspool and I sat in the lobby with the others toured. It gave us the opportunity to get some studies in that day because after we toured the hospital we went to district meeting.
District meeting was good, as always. We talked about the Book of Mormon and how to use it more effectively. The Perovo district had a goal to hand out a Book of Mormon a day so we discussed how to use it better in lessons and as we contact. After district meeting we each had an interview with President. He was funny. As I walked into the room he said, "Well, I don't know what other hard situations we can give you but we are doing our best." He thanked me for the work I have been doing and informed me about next transfer (which is not for almost two weeks). He told me that I will be staying in Sokolniki for 2 more transfers (3 months) because I am going to be training a new sister that is coming from the MTC. I'll admit that I am nervous but very excited.
Thursday was really the only day that I had in my area. We met with both Zhun Zhun and Anna and I am happy to report that they are doing well. I have been trying to help Zhun Zhun read the Book of Mormon. Last week when I talked to her about it she said that she was not a good student and needed a tutor. I asked her then if it would help her if I called her every night and read the Book of Mormon with her. She agreed and so every night this past week I have called her. Over the last week we only read twice but at least we prayed together over the phone every night. When we read I read a verse in English and then she reads the same verse in Mandarin.
To grasp her understanding we decided to start the lessons over from the beginning so we taught her about the Restoration. We watched the film with her in Chinese to make sure that she understands. We also stressed using the Book of Mormon more in our teaching, especially with her. As we finished the lesson Zhun Zhun told us, "I know this story." I was happy to hear that she was remembering. Then Sister Horspool asked if she thought it was true. She responded, "Of course." It was a good meeting and she told us that she knows God loves us. Most important for me, though, was when she told us that she knows she forgets God when things are good in life. She said that she knew it was bad because she knows that she needs to remember God everyday.
After Zhun Zhun we met with Anna. I am always so amazed by her. Last week we gave her the booklet on tithing. She read it all and told us that it inspired her. She said she liked how transparent the church is about tithing. She made a comparison to other churches that don't ask for money but really you are paying them through your taxes. She said she could see why it is so important to pay tithing and agreed to pay tithing after her baptism. Then we discussed keeping the Sabbath Day Holy because although we talked about it with her earlier I did not feel like I covered it fully. One thing I love about Anna is that she is willing to understand the commandments or through her own experiences she has seen how important it is. When she talked about not working on Sunday she shared an experience that taught her that working to support her family on Sundays was not as important as spending time with them. I feel that she is so close!
Thursday night was crazy. We came home and were about to plan for the night when we received a call from some other sisters. Sister Horspool had worked with this one investigator for 6 months in her last area. Well, that night the other sisters met with her and Natasha (the investigator) and Natasha told them that she wanted to be baptized and soon. "Coincedently" President was in the building they were meeting with so Natasha had her baptismal interview and told them she wanted to be baptized that Saturday. We were all in shock and Sister Horspool kept asking if they were kidding. That night ended up turning into calling as many people as we could to bring people to the baptism with only a day and a half notice.
I am so happy to tell you that Natasha was baptized that Saturday and confirmed yesterday. After her baptism she was grinning from ear to ear and said that she could not stop smiling. When I asked her what she thought she said, "I just want the Holy Ghost now. I want to be able to feel him always." It was a very special day for everyone who attended.
That Saturday night we went to a wedding in Sokolniki. A member of my ward got married and specifically asked the missionaries to come and to do a musical number. Thankfully, we managed to throw a musical number together that was not too awkward. Sister Horspool and I did not stay for the whole time. I'm glad that we could help but being at a wedding and being a missionary just felt awkward. Especially, since all the songs are romantic songs.
Oh yeah I forgot to tell about Friday which marked my one year on a mission. We did more service for the Storms. We went out to visit an orphanage outside of Moscow to see what their needs were and to see if the church could help them. The orphanage exceeded all my expectations. The staff loved the children and had worked hard to find sponsers to supply the needs of the children. The government only gives orphanages money for food and clothes. This orphanage had a lot of toys, a bed for everyone, and even computers and an art studio for the older kids. Most of all I was impressed by the staff who really was trying to find homes for the children. The nurse was very religious and asked us to pray for the children and has a firm faith that God is guiding them.
On the train ride back I noticed a woman sitting on the same bench reading a book. We were talking to the Storms but I noticed that the format of the book looked like the Russian Bible. Each page had two columns and I noticed some parts were marked. I couldn't read the front of the book but I decided to try giving her a Book of Mormon anyways. As we got off I gave her the Book of Mormon and found out that she was reading the Bible. She accepted the book and I had just enough time to testify before we left. All in all it was a good day.
Phew. That is not even all that happened but that is all that I have time for. The weather has been crazy. This past week it was sunny, then it snowed, then it was sunny, then it snowed, and then it rained. Right now it is raining. It is warming up and soon it will be time to pull out the fall coat.
Yikes! Three minutes left! Time flies by so fast. Hard to believe that yesterday was Easter and soon it will be spring and then summer. I love you all and I say it every week but I mean it: I appreciate and treasure every prayer on my behalf.
Love, Sister Daniel
This week was a crazy week and it taught me the importance of communication and working together. Monday Sister Frovola scheduled a dentist appointment which took away from some of our Preparation Day time. But at least it gave me some time as we waited to try to catch up on some letters. Then we had a good family home evening with a lady in the Perovo branch.
Two times this week we helped out the Storms (a Humanitarian Service couple from the Moscow West mission) with translation. Mainly, Sister Frolova translated while Sister Horspool and I tagged along. On Wednesday we went and visited a hospital. Sister Horspool and I sat in the lobby with the others toured. It gave us the opportunity to get some studies in that day because after we toured the hospital we went to district meeting.
District meeting was good, as always. We talked about the Book of Mormon and how to use it more effectively. The Perovo district had a goal to hand out a Book of Mormon a day so we discussed how to use it better in lessons and as we contact. After district meeting we each had an interview with President. He was funny. As I walked into the room he said, "Well, I don't know what other hard situations we can give you but we are doing our best." He thanked me for the work I have been doing and informed me about next transfer (which is not for almost two weeks). He told me that I will be staying in Sokolniki for 2 more transfers (3 months) because I am going to be training a new sister that is coming from the MTC. I'll admit that I am nervous but very excited.
Thursday was really the only day that I had in my area. We met with both Zhun Zhun and Anna and I am happy to report that they are doing well. I have been trying to help Zhun Zhun read the Book of Mormon. Last week when I talked to her about it she said that she was not a good student and needed a tutor. I asked her then if it would help her if I called her every night and read the Book of Mormon with her. She agreed and so every night this past week I have called her. Over the last week we only read twice but at least we prayed together over the phone every night. When we read I read a verse in English and then she reads the same verse in Mandarin.
To grasp her understanding we decided to start the lessons over from the beginning so we taught her about the Restoration. We watched the film with her in Chinese to make sure that she understands. We also stressed using the Book of Mormon more in our teaching, especially with her. As we finished the lesson Zhun Zhun told us, "I know this story." I was happy to hear that she was remembering. Then Sister Horspool asked if she thought it was true. She responded, "Of course." It was a good meeting and she told us that she knows God loves us. Most important for me, though, was when she told us that she knows she forgets God when things are good in life. She said that she knew it was bad because she knows that she needs to remember God everyday.
After Zhun Zhun we met with Anna. I am always so amazed by her. Last week we gave her the booklet on tithing. She read it all and told us that it inspired her. She said she liked how transparent the church is about tithing. She made a comparison to other churches that don't ask for money but really you are paying them through your taxes. She said she could see why it is so important to pay tithing and agreed to pay tithing after her baptism. Then we discussed keeping the Sabbath Day Holy because although we talked about it with her earlier I did not feel like I covered it fully. One thing I love about Anna is that she is willing to understand the commandments or through her own experiences she has seen how important it is. When she talked about not working on Sunday she shared an experience that taught her that working to support her family on Sundays was not as important as spending time with them. I feel that she is so close!
Thursday night was crazy. We came home and were about to plan for the night when we received a call from some other sisters. Sister Horspool had worked with this one investigator for 6 months in her last area. Well, that night the other sisters met with her and Natasha (the investigator) and Natasha told them that she wanted to be baptized and soon. "Coincedently" President was in the building they were meeting with so Natasha had her baptismal interview and told them she wanted to be baptized that Saturday. We were all in shock and Sister Horspool kept asking if they were kidding. That night ended up turning into calling as many people as we could to bring people to the baptism with only a day and a half notice.
I am so happy to tell you that Natasha was baptized that Saturday and confirmed yesterday. After her baptism she was grinning from ear to ear and said that she could not stop smiling. When I asked her what she thought she said, "I just want the Holy Ghost now. I want to be able to feel him always." It was a very special day for everyone who attended.
That Saturday night we went to a wedding in Sokolniki. A member of my ward got married and specifically asked the missionaries to come and to do a musical number. Thankfully, we managed to throw a musical number together that was not too awkward. Sister Horspool and I did not stay for the whole time. I'm glad that we could help but being at a wedding and being a missionary just felt awkward. Especially, since all the songs are romantic songs.
Oh yeah I forgot to tell about Friday which marked my one year on a mission. We did more service for the Storms. We went out to visit an orphanage outside of Moscow to see what their needs were and to see if the church could help them. The orphanage exceeded all my expectations. The staff loved the children and had worked hard to find sponsers to supply the needs of the children. The government only gives orphanages money for food and clothes. This orphanage had a lot of toys, a bed for everyone, and even computers and an art studio for the older kids. Most of all I was impressed by the staff who really was trying to find homes for the children. The nurse was very religious and asked us to pray for the children and has a firm faith that God is guiding them.
On the train ride back I noticed a woman sitting on the same bench reading a book. We were talking to the Storms but I noticed that the format of the book looked like the Russian Bible. Each page had two columns and I noticed some parts were marked. I couldn't read the front of the book but I decided to try giving her a Book of Mormon anyways. As we got off I gave her the Book of Mormon and found out that she was reading the Bible. She accepted the book and I had just enough time to testify before we left. All in all it was a good day.
Phew. That is not even all that happened but that is all that I have time for. The weather has been crazy. This past week it was sunny, then it snowed, then it was sunny, then it snowed, and then it rained. Right now it is raining. It is warming up and soon it will be time to pull out the fall coat.
Yikes! Three minutes left! Time flies by so fast. Hard to believe that yesterday was Easter and soon it will be spring and then summer. I love you all and I say it every week but I mean it: I appreciate and treasure every prayer on my behalf.
Love, Sister Daniel
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