привет)))
These past few weeks have been a little bit wild for all missionaries. People getting sent home left and right and no one really knowing what will happen next. My mission (lol Rostov-na-Donu, Russia) has been no exception. I feel like I am sometimes living in an "you got pranked" world because so many things are happening and we don't know the next "prank" that will be coming our way.
It has been a little over a month since my last email and lots, lots, lots(!) have happened since then.
The transfer was going really well. Me and my companion, Sister Fender, were meeting with lots of people in our branch and inviting them to read JSH/ the First Vision Account in preparation for General Conference. As well as to be doing Come Follow Me and follow the guidance and invitations the Prophet has given us. We met several new friends who were showing promise. Our investigators are still progressing, and we invited one to be baptized. She said she wants to, but is afraid of water. So we asked her to pray and work through that with the Lord. We have been trying to be a good support as well in that case.
Me and Sister Fender were constantly checking updates on the Coronovirus, hoping that it wouldn't reach Russia.
But then on Friday the 13th (lol spooky days all around!) we got a call saying we are now only allowed to go places on foot. No more transportation. Our game night was canceled. We could only meet with people in the branch. No public places. Thank goodness our branch was 5 minutes walking from our apartment (there are some volunteers who had the branch building 1-2 hours away walking).
So we lived in this 1/2 quarantine limbo phase for a few days.
On Saturday we walked an hour and a half to a members house. When we get there, she comes out and says, "Oh! Actually I don't have time anymore and like I am so sorry..." So we said all was good. Gave her cookies. And walked an hour and a half back to our apartment. (side note-stopped for shamrock shakes on the way home at mcdonalds, turns out they don't have those. only pistachio mcflurries)
Sunday we got picked up by the Assistants to go have Sacrament at President's house with his family. It was so nice. They fed us lunch after. President Ustyuzhaninov and his wife are the best. They have four little girls from ages 2-13 and still have time to run a whole mission. After our time with them, we went over to the branch and spent the rest of the evening creating a map of where all the members in our area live, and located those we could walk to on foot for the upcoming week. Monday we had a normal p-day, and then Monday night we planned our week and made calls to all our friends and members on who we could meet with that week.
10 minutes after we finished our weekly planning, we receive a call saying we have now been put under full quarantine and we are only allowed outside for an hour at most a day (if necessary). So all of our plans went to the trash.
Tuesday morning we get a call from one of the Assistants telling us he was going home along with several other volunteers. We were so shocked. We had heard of other people going home, but didn't think it would reach our mission. But disease stops for no one I guess. So that day was a little crazy, and then later in the day we got emergency transfer calls for the last 2.5 weeks of the transfer. Sister Fender would be leaving to Samara, and I would get Sister Keil to finish the last 2.5 weeks of her training (in quarantine lol).
Our already small mission got smaller. We now only have 6 sister areas in our entire mission, and next week we will only have 5.
AND HIGHLIGHT-WE BOUGHT SMARTPHONES. Our mission was approved like 2ish weeks ago to start having smart phones, and we were planning on getting them in like a few months, but because of quarantine and everything happening, the time line drastically was moved up. It is so weird not texting in Russian on a brick phone with a rubbed off keyboard. But so nice. It is such a blessing that now we can keep in better contact with our members, investigators, friends, family, and other volunteers here to stay updated.
Wednesday Sister Keil came to me, the two new APs showed up, and everyone going home came to Rostov. However we weren't able to see them (due to there being such a time crunch) so the Assistants drove out to say goodbye to us. It was so weird. My trainer went home (rip sister richter, but all is good we got permission to call the next day when she was home!!).
Thursday Sister Fender left with Sister Lindsay, and me and Sister Keil went to a "smart phone setup" thing.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, today, and for the unforeseeable future: quarantine! We have just been trying to find things to do. Calling members, having lessons online, painting, studying the scriptures more, studying Russian, practicing violin and piano, etc. If you have any good ideas for what to do in quarantine, shoot them my way.
Turns out me and Sister Keil will be getting another sister joining our companionship tomorrow probably. She is from Samara, Russia and since the England MTC is closed, she will be doing her online MTC with us over the next few weeks. So that will be fun!
It is actually kind of funny being in quarantine here because everyone keeps sending emails and stories of how everyone is going crazy all across the world. But Russia is actually pretty mild. The stores are all still stocked. People still roaming on the streets. No one is really too concerned for the virus. One newscaster was saying it is because the virus is like normal life for Russians. They're not phased by another bad thing like this happening to them. Thought that was kind of funny.
It may have not been my first choice to be trapped in a soviet-era apartment building in the middle of Russia for who knows how long, but right now I don't know a better place to spend quarantine than in a place trying to get closer with the Lord and His children. It may a little (or a lot) stress-full not knowing what is next, but I know that this is all in the Lord's plan. Already I have learned so much more and gained a closer relationship trying to trust the Lord that He is playing a part in all of this. I love my mission so much and hope that the Lord will give me more time here to learn, develop, and grow.
Also---this extra time almost everyone has in quarantine is now a GREAT time to be doing Come Follow Me, and preparing for general conference by reading Joseph Smith's First Vision. :))) President Russell M Nelson is a prophet of God and has provided these things for us to keep us on the right path even if we can't attend church every week.
hope everyone has a good week and is staying safe :)
сестра каммингз
pics-
district meeting online!
me and sister fender
me and sister keil painted each other... lol
lots of the sisters in my mission a couple weeks ago
rip to the elders and sister fender
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