This next week marks 50% done with my mission. 9.5 months. So fun. So great.
Sorry for the longgg email but legit it's a good one. Promise. This means you MIKAELA. Better read this all ;). This transfer has been so busy. Lots has happened. I got my new companion, Sister Fender, from Moscow Idaho. She is awesome! We get along really well and are learning so much together. I am six weeks older than her in the mission, but she is 100x better than me. She works really hard and we have a great time doing the work together.
We got in a car crash this past week (lol mom I am fine, still able to write this email to you).
WINTER HAS COME! Up until this week in Russia, the only snow I have seen is a slight frost. For one day. But this week, it was snowing the entire week! So crazy. Especially now that it is February, and it is the first real snow. I will send pictures!! But lol at me because I have already slipped and fallen on the ice... several times... and it has only been here for like 3 or 4 days.... :)
Decided to go off chocolate with my companion. Lasted three days. But didn't even last because we ate chocolate cereal. And chocolate at members houses lol. And then I broke and had to face the penalty of sleeping in elder roggow's bed (lol long story. we moved apartments, and it is the bed one of the elders used to sleep in).
Broke the glass kitchen table at our apartment 4 weeks ago (when we moved in). And we have been eating out of our laps for months. Maybe one day we will get a new kitchen table.
I was also able to go to Sochi (the California of Russia) again!!! So fun. And this time I got to see the BLACK SEA! Took a lit night train. Got so muchhhh food. It was like airplane meals, but on the train. Not good. Would not recommend.
We have found several new people to teach this transfer as well! One of the 9 year old girls named маша (masha) in our branch has not been baptized yet, so we recently started teaching her the lessons (In the past we have been just visiting with her less-active mom). It is difficult to get her to concentrate for longer than 2 seconds at a time, so we have to make our lessons very interactive and fun so she will want to participate. This last lesson we talked about the restoration of the gospel. We used an orange, had her peel the orange and take apart each of the pieces. Compared each piece to various truths of the gospel, and how they weren't connected anymore. Then we put the orange back together and explained the fullness and sweetness of the restoration. That lessons really kept her on her toes. She paid attention the whole time it was awesome! At the end she was telling us of all the stuff that she had learned in primary and about the prophets. It was awesome because she usually never mentions anything about that when we go over. So fun.
We also invited one of our friends to hear about the gospel. Her name is Аня (Anya). So cute!! I love her so so so so so much. I never want to leave Rostov. And I want to teach Anya forever!!! <3 She has so many questions which is awesome. We had a plan to teach her today, but she ended up getting sick and so our meeting got cancelled (which is actually why I now have the time to send this email lol) She is so curious with everything we teach. She even texts us to set up times to meet together and have lessons. She takes the gospel very seriously. Everything we say she ponders it and thinks about it. We are trying to get her to come to church, and that is a bit difficult. She works as an English teacher and teaches lessons during the time of church. But either way, I think she is trying her best to come next week. As we have been teaching her, I am reminded more and more of the simple truths of the gospel. Because me and my companion are not the most immaculate Russian speakers, we teach a lot of simple truths. And the times we fall short with words, the Spirit is always there to help in words and in feelings.
We also invited our other friend наташа (natasha) to listen. She said she's for it, so hopefully we can have a first lesson with her this next week.
Two weeks ago at church, we had a girl from Congo (Sana) come to church with one of her friends. She is a member and has been looking for the church (she doesn't speak very good Russian) since she got her in the fall for school. So she recruited one of her Congo friends who has lived here for seven years and speaks Russian to come help her. He wasn't a member, so me and Sister Fender had a little introduction of our church with him (first investigator lesson on the mission!!). AND GET THIS. We don't really keep tons of Books of Mormon or various religious materials in the branch (the Russian laws and what-not), but we just by chance happened to have a French Book of Mormon. How that happened... I don't know. That was truly a testament to me that God knows all his children. That French Book of Mormon has been sitting in our branch building for who knows how long, but God knew that eventually his son would need it. (Also here in Rostov it is VERY strange to meet foreigners. So having a French Book of Mormon is really really abnormal). But then it was kind of sad because the next week Sana came back and told us her friend had read some weird stuff on the internet and didn't think our church was very fun so he probably wasn't going to come back. Kind of a let-down, but we texted him and also let her know that we still have game night every Friday and would love to see them there. :)
That same day lots of crazy stuff happened. Some random lady in an authentic Russian hat (love them so much) came into our branch building with one of her friends who apparently works around there and walks by our church all the time. The proceeded to do a tour of the church, and made sure to stop by where we stack the hymn books and did a photo shoot with them. SO fun. Great lady. Then they left. And that was it.
Then (still the same Sunday) we had another big thing happen. We got some food from the relief society sisters to bring to a sister in the hospital (they don't give you food in the hospital here). The elders are usually the ones who bring it to her, but they weren't there that week. So now it was up to me and Sister Fender. The food was in glass jars. We put the food in the library/secretary's office, close the door, then go to choir practice. After choir practice we go to get the bag and realized that while we were gone, something had happened to the bag and all the glass jars had broken. It looked like someone must have knocked it on the floor, then put it back on the shelf... where it leaked ALL over the books :/ So in our rush, we had to clean all the books and throw away most of the food with broken glass mixed in with it. By then it was like 4:30ish, and we didn't have much time until visiting hours closed, and the hospital is an hour away. So we decide to just run home and cook her what we were going to have for dinner. Hoped she didn't have any allergies. Cooked it all up. Put it in our own jars (lol hoping these ones wouldn't break). Have to go to the store and buy mask things and footie things you apparently need for the hospital. Then at that time, we have to call a taxi because no way we are making it on time with the bus. Taxi there. Get there. We walk through this creeeepy forest in the middle of nowhere. Get to the hospital. We are the ONLY ones there. Only one security guard watching a horror soap opera in Russian (so funny). Then we make our way to the eleventh floor. And when we get there, this lady starts yelling at us. Telling us there are only TWO people allowed in her room and there are already TWO people in there and WE NEED to go DOWNSTAIRS immeDIATELY . So we were like ahhh okokokokokok. Go downstairs. Chill in this dark room for like thirty minutes.
Finally the security guard comes up to us and tells us visiting hours ended like 5 minutes ago and we were like ?? All we want to do is give her this food ! (and say hi to her lol). So we go ask the lady upstairs again. She is not having it. She is like "GIRLS. I TOLD you to go DOWNstairs." And we just want to give diana in the hospital food. So we just ask the main lady if we can just give her the food to pass it along to diana. Nope. And we were getting so frustrated. So we went back downstairs. Called the rs president. And she's like "oh it's no big deal! was just a good service thing to do on a Sunday, but looks like it just won't work" and we are like ............. ok. So ya. Fought (as in we said two words lol) with the lady and didn't even get in. The food was not eaten. And we didn't even get to see and meet Diana. We were so sad.
BUT yesterday, all was good!!!! WE MADE it to see her!!!!! She is such an amazing person. She was baptized about a year ago. Sweetest heart ever. She has tuberculosis and has been in the hospital for months. She has a 6 year old and 4 year old she barely gets to see. She bore her testimony to us, and it was so strong. She knows the Lord is mindful of her and knows He is watching over her and her family. It truly strengthened my testimony so much seeing how strong she is. She believes so much and is just continuing in her faith even when things are hard for her. I can't wait until the next time I see her.
This past month or two I have seen so many incredible people dedicated to the gospel. Their dedication to the gospel is awe-inspiring to me. The distances they travel to church. The money they give when they have none. The care for each of the members, and the ministering being done here. Sometimes I get disappointed because I feel like no one here is working and the members just don't get it. But then I take a step back and see all the great things they are doing. There are such great members and people here. Strong testimonies. Great sacrifices. It isn't easy to live the gospel when you are the only one in cities with hundreds of thousands of millions of people. And the laws of the country are against you.
Overall. Great times. Honestly. This past transfer has increased my love for Russia so much. I love the mission. I love being a representative of Jesus Christ and bearing His truth. I have been praying a lot this past week. I wouldn't have made it this far in my mission without prayer. The Lord hears our prayers. He knows our burdens and trials. He is watching over all of us and cares about us. Life isn't always how we imagined, it but if we take our concerns to the Lord, He will answer.
ALSO DO COME FOLLOW ME THIS WEEK!!! 2 Nephi 6-10 :) so good!
сестра каммингз
pics:
We got in a car crash this past week (lol mom I am fine, still able to write this email to you).
WINTER HAS COME! Up until this week in Russia, the only snow I have seen is a slight frost. For one day. But this week, it was snowing the entire week! So crazy. Especially now that it is February, and it is the first real snow. I will send pictures!! But lol at me because I have already slipped and fallen on the ice... several times... and it has only been here for like 3 or 4 days.... :)
Decided to go off chocolate with my companion. Lasted three days. But didn't even last because we ate chocolate cereal. And chocolate at members houses lol. And then I broke and had to face the penalty of sleeping in elder roggow's bed (lol long story. we moved apartments, and it is the bed one of the elders used to sleep in).
Broke the glass kitchen table at our apartment 4 weeks ago (when we moved in). And we have been eating out of our laps for months. Maybe one day we will get a new kitchen table.
I was also able to go to Sochi (the California of Russia) again!!! So fun. And this time I got to see the BLACK SEA! Took a lit night train. Got so muchhhh food. It was like airplane meals, but on the train. Not good. Would not recommend.
We have found several new people to teach this transfer as well! One of the 9 year old girls named маша (masha) in our branch has not been baptized yet, so we recently started teaching her the lessons (In the past we have been just visiting with her less-active mom). It is difficult to get her to concentrate for longer than 2 seconds at a time, so we have to make our lessons very interactive and fun so she will want to participate. This last lesson we talked about the restoration of the gospel. We used an orange, had her peel the orange and take apart each of the pieces. Compared each piece to various truths of the gospel, and how they weren't connected anymore. Then we put the orange back together and explained the fullness and sweetness of the restoration. That lessons really kept her on her toes. She paid attention the whole time it was awesome! At the end she was telling us of all the stuff that she had learned in primary and about the prophets. It was awesome because she usually never mentions anything about that when we go over. So fun.
We also invited one of our friends to hear about the gospel. Her name is Аня (Anya). So cute!! I love her so so so so so much. I never want to leave Rostov. And I want to teach Anya forever!!! <3 She has so many questions which is awesome. We had a plan to teach her today, but she ended up getting sick and so our meeting got cancelled (which is actually why I now have the time to send this email lol) She is so curious with everything we teach. She even texts us to set up times to meet together and have lessons. She takes the gospel very seriously. Everything we say she ponders it and thinks about it. We are trying to get her to come to church, and that is a bit difficult. She works as an English teacher and teaches lessons during the time of church. But either way, I think she is trying her best to come next week. As we have been teaching her, I am reminded more and more of the simple truths of the gospel. Because me and my companion are not the most immaculate Russian speakers, we teach a lot of simple truths. And the times we fall short with words, the Spirit is always there to help in words and in feelings.
We also invited our other friend наташа (natasha) to listen. She said she's for it, so hopefully we can have a first lesson with her this next week.
Two weeks ago at church, we had a girl from Congo (Sana) come to church with one of her friends. She is a member and has been looking for the church (she doesn't speak very good Russian) since she got her in the fall for school. So she recruited one of her Congo friends who has lived here for seven years and speaks Russian to come help her. He wasn't a member, so me and Sister Fender had a little introduction of our church with him (first investigator lesson on the mission!!). AND GET THIS. We don't really keep tons of Books of Mormon or various religious materials in the branch (the Russian laws and what-not), but we just by chance happened to have a French Book of Mormon. How that happened... I don't know. That was truly a testament to me that God knows all his children. That French Book of Mormon has been sitting in our branch building for who knows how long, but God knew that eventually his son would need it. (Also here in Rostov it is VERY strange to meet foreigners. So having a French Book of Mormon is really really abnormal). But then it was kind of sad because the next week Sana came back and told us her friend had read some weird stuff on the internet and didn't think our church was very fun so he probably wasn't going to come back. Kind of a let-down, but we texted him and also let her know that we still have game night every Friday and would love to see them there. :)
That same day lots of crazy stuff happened. Some random lady in an authentic Russian hat (love them so much) came into our branch building with one of her friends who apparently works around there and walks by our church all the time. The proceeded to do a tour of the church, and made sure to stop by where we stack the hymn books and did a photo shoot with them. SO fun. Great lady. Then they left. And that was it.
Then (still the same Sunday) we had another big thing happen. We got some food from the relief society sisters to bring to a sister in the hospital (they don't give you food in the hospital here). The elders are usually the ones who bring it to her, but they weren't there that week. So now it was up to me and Sister Fender. The food was in glass jars. We put the food in the library/secretary's office, close the door, then go to choir practice. After choir practice we go to get the bag and realized that while we were gone, something had happened to the bag and all the glass jars had broken. It looked like someone must have knocked it on the floor, then put it back on the shelf... where it leaked ALL over the books :/ So in our rush, we had to clean all the books and throw away most of the food with broken glass mixed in with it. By then it was like 4:30ish, and we didn't have much time until visiting hours closed, and the hospital is an hour away. So we decide to just run home and cook her what we were going to have for dinner. Hoped she didn't have any allergies. Cooked it all up. Put it in our own jars (lol hoping these ones wouldn't break). Have to go to the store and buy mask things and footie things you apparently need for the hospital. Then at that time, we have to call a taxi because no way we are making it on time with the bus. Taxi there. Get there. We walk through this creeeepy forest in the middle of nowhere. Get to the hospital. We are the ONLY ones there. Only one security guard watching a horror soap opera in Russian (so funny). Then we make our way to the eleventh floor. And when we get there, this lady starts yelling at us. Telling us there are only TWO people allowed in her room and there are already TWO people in there and WE NEED to go DOWNSTAIRS immeDIATELY . So we were like ahhh okokokokokok. Go downstairs. Chill in this dark room for like thirty minutes.
Finally the security guard comes up to us and tells us visiting hours ended like 5 minutes ago and we were like ?? All we want to do is give her this food ! (and say hi to her lol). So we go ask the lady upstairs again. She is not having it. She is like "GIRLS. I TOLD you to go DOWNstairs." And we just want to give diana in the hospital food. So we just ask the main lady if we can just give her the food to pass it along to diana. Nope. And we were getting so frustrated. So we went back downstairs. Called the rs president. And she's like "oh it's no big deal! was just a good service thing to do on a Sunday, but looks like it just won't work" and we are like ............. ok. So ya. Fought (as in we said two words lol) with the lady and didn't even get in. The food was not eaten. And we didn't even get to see and meet Diana. We were so sad.
BUT yesterday, all was good!!!! WE MADE it to see her!!!!! She is such an amazing person. She was baptized about a year ago. Sweetest heart ever. She has tuberculosis and has been in the hospital for months. She has a 6 year old and 4 year old she barely gets to see. She bore her testimony to us, and it was so strong. She knows the Lord is mindful of her and knows He is watching over her and her family. It truly strengthened my testimony so much seeing how strong she is. She believes so much and is just continuing in her faith even when things are hard for her. I can't wait until the next time I see her.
This past month or two I have seen so many incredible people dedicated to the gospel. Their dedication to the gospel is awe-inspiring to me. The distances they travel to church. The money they give when they have none. The care for each of the members, and the ministering being done here. Sometimes I get disappointed because I feel like no one here is working and the members just don't get it. But then I take a step back and see all the great things they are doing. There are such great members and people here. Strong testimonies. Great sacrifices. It isn't easy to live the gospel when you are the only one in cities with hundreds of thousands of millions of people. And the laws of the country are against you.
Overall. Great times. Honestly. This past transfer has increased my love for Russia so much. I love the mission. I love being a representative of Jesus Christ and bearing His truth. I have been praying a lot this past week. I wouldn't have made it this far in my mission without prayer. The Lord hears our prayers. He knows our burdens and trials. He is watching over all of us and cares about us. Life isn't always how we imagined, it but if we take our concerns to the Lord, He will answer.
ALSO DO COME FOLLOW ME THIS WEEK!!! 2 Nephi 6-10 :) so good!
сестра каммингз
pics:
snow !!! (x2)
the black sea & the classic nametag pic ;) love splits
also just the regular black sea with a seagull and cool crashing waves
sochi!! palm trees!
hospital masks!
russian buildings in the snow!
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