Get a Haircut you Bumb!

Hello Family! And most importantly… HAPPY BIRHTDAY dad!!! YEAH!
Well another week has gone by in missionary world. All is well. It is getting a little colder here in Russia but overall it has been a VERY MILD winter. Huzzah. I think it’s all of the prayers going out;) thanks! We have had a little snow but not bad and so I am glad. My first comment for the email is Taylor, you are looking good in your pictures Maybe next time you should comb your hair though,or cut it? and yes I am very impressed with Missy’s picture taking. It’s too bad to hear about the football game but I’m sure next year…
Well big news first. My companion went to a conference this weekend in Samara and so I came to Dachney, a area in Saratov to serve with the Sisters here. We have been in a threesome since Thursday and no one knows when I will return to my area (I think I’ll be getting a new companion although I’m not sure). Although I miss my home and my area it is fun serving with the sisters here and seeing how different missionaries do things etc. It is also fun to live out of my plastic bag I brought, ha ha. The sisters here are Sister Tedrow, my MTC companion and Sister Averyanova, who was also in the MTC with us. She is from Rostov Russia and is an AMAZING sister! Holy Cow! She is good at this. Like I said it has been fun serving with them and getting to see a new area, new branch yesterday and meet all of their investigators here. I have to say the best thing so far was that at church there were treats. Why haven’t we thought of that before! One little Grandma brings treats and sets them out so as you come into church you grab a treat and then sit down. Genius! I was so glad to have that little refreshment right after sacrament to help me make it through Sunday school in a different language I also have loved the people in this area. They are so nice! We haven’t gotten yelled at once! Woohoo! One night we were out contacting and it was a little cold and really really wet, there was this strange mist in the air like snow and rain all mixed together, and we were talking to some ladies. They reached into their bag and gave us each these delicious pastry things because they saw we were missionaries and just said thanks and good job. It was so nice! Heavenly Father truly does look after his missionaries.
So I know everyone is probably awaiting the exciting news… yes I got my haircut. It was pretty shaggy and mullet and very big and so it was definitely time. Luckily, my companion was there to tell them what to do and what I wanted and I actually really really like it. It is different than anything I’ve ever done but it is good. And it is really easy to do curly which is good because I don’t have a straightener. I did get in trouble from Valentina, though I think that is inevitable. She looked at and asked where, how much etc. When I told her how much she just said, “kashmar” (nightmare). She said there was a place CLOSER and CHEAPER I should have gone to. But all in all she liked it. She is SO funny! She kills me with her comments.
This week we have been able to work with members a lot of nights and it has been so fun. I was also able to have a member be my companion yesterday which was a lot of fun. I have to say though that one of the members gets about 10 gold stars in my book for her courage and willingness to contact. She is in her 60’s I’m pretty sure and went out with us on a colder night. She was so brave and it was so fun to see how the Russians reacted to her. They actually reacted extremely well, a lot better than if it had been missionaries talking to them. She would just loudly say to people, woman, woman, we have a message for you. She would get their attention, introduce us as missionaries, and then say they have a message for you. After that is was all smooth sailing. We would just start into our message. How cool is that! She was awesome and I loved being able to work with her.
We met some interesting people this week and for the first time in my life, I rescued a cat? WHAT? Me? I don’t even like cats?! I guess I can truly say the mission makes me do a lot of things I wouldn’t normally do. The cat was on the sidewalk and had been in a big fight. It’s eye was all swollen and read and the tail was all mangled up. I just kept walking but my companion and the member we were with that night (Lena) stopped and were trying to find someone to take the cat in. We knocked on a couple doors of the houses around us to see if anyone would take the cat in but no one would. Finally we just took the cat into a warm proezd gave it some milk and the next day it was gone. Who knows what happened to it but you can’t say we didn’t try. We also met a very funny babushka on the street who wanted to be baptized. She said she was going to be baptized in the Russian Pravoslavny church but it was too expensive. They were charging 400 rubles and she didn’t have that money. She asked us at least 10 times how much baptism costed and each time we responded with It doesn’t cost. It’s free etc. She was just insistent that it had to cost something. We told her to come to church and see what it was like and then we could start teaching her and she could be baptized. She said she didn’t need to be taught she just needed the baptism. Oh good times. She unfortunately was not at church on Sunday so hopefully we will run into her again and be able to talk to her.
Well I love you all! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! This truly is a wonderful time when you get to think about your blessings and what our Heavenly Father has given us. Everything we have is from Him. Be grateful and go serve someone today. There are so many people in this word who need our help. As members of the church we should do more to help them see the light of Christ, recognize the love of God in their lives and feel of it! The spirit is so strong when we are serving and helping Heavenly Father’s children. HE loves each of us! The Church is true! Remember to help the missionaries in your area, even if you simply bring treats to church I love you all! Have a wonderful week and dad eat some delicious banana cream pie for me. You are the best, thanks for your love, support and prayers!
Sister Morris