С новым годом
Dear Family and Friends,
I hope that all is well and that everybody had an awesome Christmas! It seems really crazy that we are already heading into 2010 but I am excited for the New Year and to see what it brings. The New Year here is a HUGE holiday and so everyone is getting ready for it. It is fun to see Christmas lights getting put up, Christmas trees being bought everywhere and everyone preparing for the New Year. I have to say the best Christmas present I got was being able to talk to my FAMILY! I don't know how I got so blessed with my family but I did! They are truly amazing and I am so grateful that I got to talk to them. It was so great to just hear everone's voices and know that all is well at home. My Christmast was pretty uneventful. We just had a full day of missionary work and then I was able to call home around 10pm. Luckily it has gotten REALLY warm (-2) in Russia and so the weather has been really nice! We weren't freezing and so that was definitely a Christmas present to me:)
Well I haven't written for awhile so I'll just try to give the highlights of what has been going on recently in Oktabrasky. We had another transfer and mission conference and fortunately I am still in my area with my companion Sister Stolyarova. We are excited to be able to serve together for a whole cycle here and to really see the work move forward.
For all of the «fall story» fans out there I have a new fun one. We have a very large bridge in our area that anyone who is familiar with the area will defintiely know. We were crossing it one really cold night and we were at the top about to start our way down the stairs. My companion was a few stairs ahead of me and I was at the top about to start my way down. I had been so careful because I know my history and how bad my balance is, unfortunately I did not inherit my dad's «surefootedness», and about 2 stairs in I totally fell. I slid down a few stairs on my behind and needless to say it was a little painful. There were quite a few people on the bridge that just stopped and looked atme, I of course was laughing and my companion turned around and just totally lost it laughing. I looked up and realized my Book of Mormon was still at the top of the stairs and that I needed to walk back up and collect it and then come down the stairs one more time. Needless to say I learned my lesson and everytime we cross the bridge now I use the hand railing. It is especially dangerous now with the warm weather because it has completely iced over but we will make it! It is definitley an adventure to live in Russia in the winter:)
in other news we are still teaching Natalya and she is doing fantastic!We had a great lesson with her the other day and a fantastic member here, Irina, and we were able to talk about the Restoration and the blessings of going on a mission. Valentina is also doing well and still taking care of us which is a blessing! We need a mom here and she has definitely taken that role for us. It was so cute because we were awaiting the call to see if we were going to be transferred. We told her it was a possibility and she immediately got a little worried. She asked how it would all work etc. Etc. She told us that the minute we heard we needed to come and tell her, ANY TIME of night. We agreed that we would. Luckily neither of us was transferred and so we didn't have to go and knock on her door with the bad news. We had mission conference and had explained to her about how that works etc and so she was excited to hear about it when we got back. When we got back late Wednesday night we found a loaf of bread, amazing jam and some cream on our table from her. She is so awesome! She knew we were getting back that night and hadn't been shopping for about a week and a half.
The mission conference was good. I had a visa trip which was pretty tiring but overall good. We started it at 4 in the morning and didn't get back until 3 the next morning. We went to Lithuania and all worked out well, no delayed flights, no weather problems etc. The only problem was when the bus on the way to the airport blew a tire. Luckily another bus came and we made it to the airport on time and without any other delays. I think my favorite part was the airline crew's faces when we got off the plane in Lithuania, went through Customs (twice), checked in for our flight back to Russia and boarded the same exact plane, with the same crew we had just been on about an hour earlier. I;m sure they were a little confused why a large group of English speaking youth with name tags were just riding on airplanes all day but it all worked out. We then had mission conference the next day and that was fun. It was good to be with all of the other misionaries. Wednesday was also mission conference and we had a big ham dinner for Christmas and then watched some Mormon tabernacle Choir. We then got on the bus and headed back to Saratov. The bus drive was long because the roads were pretty bad but we made it back to Saratov with only one stop by the police to look at our documents:) Again the joys of living in Russia.
Well all is well! I only had one incident this week when the wind was so bad that it completely broke my umbrella but other than that everything is good! We are looking forward to the New Year and what it will bring to the Russia Samara Mission. I hope evryone had a wonderful Christmas and were able to be with family and friends. We are so blessed to have this life, to have the church and to have family. Count your blessings everyday and go and do some missoinary work. We have something that not everyone has! I love you all and am so grateful for the love and support and most importantly prayers! Thankyou!!!
Sister Morris
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
It's Cold and Snowy here too!
Hello Friends and Family!
Well another week has gone by! I love P-day because I get to hear from you and see how everyone is doing. It sounds like everyone is doing well and Christmas is going well!YEA! I can't believe Christmas is only in a week and a half. We are getting pretty excited for the Visa trip to... I don't know... and then to have an all mission conference! I think it will be pretty cool. Well first things first... we had an AWESOME baptism Satruday night and it was so fun! Sasha was baptized and it was a really cool experience for everyone there. He was baptized by Renat, a young man who just joined the church this summer and it was really cool to see him baptize someone for the first time. He did a great job and although he was really nervous it was really neat. The baptism service was really nice and a lot of members showed up which is always great and shows a lot of support for the new member. The confirmation was also a really cool experience and the spirit was so strong there. Elder Reshetnakov gave the blessing and it was so powerful! I also have to say there were cookies at the baptism which just made it all worth it:) Missionaries love cookies and sweets...hint...hint;) Also in good news Valentina came to church!!! Can you believe it!!! It was really neat to see her there and I thought it was really cool she got to see the confirmation of Sasha. The spirit was definitetly there so I hope she will come back soon. They forgot I was playing a musical number so after Sacrament meeting we went into a room and I played a few songs for her. My companion also can play the piano really well so we played her a duet. She really liked that!
It has finally snowed here which makes it a little warmer on the street. Yesterday on the way to church I only fell 2 times. The count has began because we all know how awesome I am at walking on slick surfaces:) Hopefully it won't be too bad!
Our diet has been going well, minus the cookies at the baptism and the treats Valentina brings us, AND the candy that Natalya bought us;) WE found a really awesome mountain in our area with a lot of houses on it that we like to hike so we'll see how that goes in the snow. I had a “missionary tender mercy” the other day. I was feeling a little down because one of our lessons fell through. We were walking down the street and a car drove by with the song “Jai-ho”. Needless to say I started skipping down the street. My companion thought I was a little crazy but I was just so happy to hear an American song! I know, probably not very missionarylike to want to hear music but it was fun nonetheless.
Well all is well here. As I said we are excited for Mission Conference next week and maybe a transfer? I don't know where I'll be calling from on Christmas but we will see! The church is true! Do some missionary work and have FUN! Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for the love and support, missionaries NEED it!
Love,
Whitney
Well another week has gone by! I love P-day because I get to hear from you and see how everyone is doing. It sounds like everyone is doing well and Christmas is going well!YEA! I can't believe Christmas is only in a week and a half. We are getting pretty excited for the Visa trip to... I don't know... and then to have an all mission conference! I think it will be pretty cool. Well first things first... we had an AWESOME baptism Satruday night and it was so fun! Sasha was baptized and it was a really cool experience for everyone there. He was baptized by Renat, a young man who just joined the church this summer and it was really cool to see him baptize someone for the first time. He did a great job and although he was really nervous it was really neat. The baptism service was really nice and a lot of members showed up which is always great and shows a lot of support for the new member. The confirmation was also a really cool experience and the spirit was so strong there. Elder Reshetnakov gave the blessing and it was so powerful! I also have to say there were cookies at the baptism which just made it all worth it:) Missionaries love cookies and sweets...hint...hint;) Also in good news Valentina came to church!!! Can you believe it!!! It was really neat to see her there and I thought it was really cool she got to see the confirmation of Sasha. The spirit was definitetly there so I hope she will come back soon. They forgot I was playing a musical number so after Sacrament meeting we went into a room and I played a few songs for her. My companion also can play the piano really well so we played her a duet. She really liked that!
It has finally snowed here which makes it a little warmer on the street. Yesterday on the way to church I only fell 2 times. The count has began because we all know how awesome I am at walking on slick surfaces:) Hopefully it won't be too bad!
Our diet has been going well, minus the cookies at the baptism and the treats Valentina brings us, AND the candy that Natalya bought us;) WE found a really awesome mountain in our area with a lot of houses on it that we like to hike so we'll see how that goes in the snow. I had a “missionary tender mercy” the other day. I was feeling a little down because one of our lessons fell through. We were walking down the street and a car drove by with the song “Jai-ho”. Needless to say I started skipping down the street. My companion thought I was a little crazy but I was just so happy to hear an American song! I know, probably not very missionarylike to want to hear music but it was fun nonetheless.
Well all is well here. As I said we are excited for Mission Conference next week and maybe a transfer? I don't know where I'll be calling from on Christmas but we will see! The church is true! Do some missionary work and have FUN! Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for the love and support, missionaries NEED it!
Love,
Whitney
Monday, December 7, 2009
BRRRRR, it's cold in here... there must be a ...bear!?
Dear Friends and Family-
Well another week down and we are into DECEMBER!!! YEAH!!! I seems crazy that we are already into December and Christmas is just in a couple weeks. Also that I will be on my first visa trip in two weeks! Huzzah! Sounds like fun;) Well I hope everyone is well. As always, thanks so much for the emails and support. MISSIONARIES NEED IT! Especially this time of year.
Well it is winer in Russia. It is COLD! Like dad said, good thing we have borscht to keep us warm. This week has been good, HARD, but good. I have never been so TIRED in my life but I'm alive, warm and happy. We had some good lessons this week and we both just can't wait for the baptism this weekend. We planned the program with Sasha this week and he is so excited! He got to pick the songs, who would say the prayers and give the talks and who would baptize him. Renat, who I love, is baptizing him. Renat just joined the church this summer and is our ward missionary. He is so good to come out with us on lessons, contact with the Elders, and do this work. He is only 20 years old but he is dedicated tothe church and to his calling. When we first asked him if he would baptize Sasha he was a little weary but in the end decided yes and we are so excited!!! We are so excited and he is AMAZING. Just yesterday he amazed me again with his desire to be a member of this church. He came to church yesterday, completely by himself (his mom was sick)!!! He lives about a 30 minute martshutka ride from the church but he was there, in a suit, ready for Sacrament meeting. He came into the sacrament meeting, grabbed a hymn book and sat down ready for the meeting to start. He then stayed for all three hours and went back home again, AT LEAST a 30 minute ride, and he's only 13! It was so cool!
Well first things first, Sis. Pike we were losers and didn' realize there is a bear here! Yes, a real bear. It lives in the park. How did we not figure this out before, I will never know but luckily someone mentioned it and we found it in the park yesterday. In case you were nervous, it is in a cage but all in all there is a real bear in my area. Yeah. I can tell my grandkids that one day. I lived in Russia, with a real bear. How cool will that be! (I'm guessing dad's a little jealous right now:) Also my companion LOVES squirrels. Well actually all Russians do, come to find out. Everytime we're in the park and she sees a squirrel she squeals with delight. Oh the little things that bring you joy on a mission.
It looks like we will be having a conference in Samara right after our visa trip and then heading into our areas to work on Christmas. I am excited to go to the conference and get to see all of the missionaries and feel of the strength from that.
We had tea with Valentina this week which was so fun! I love her! She is so fun to be with and to talk to and she loves to have tea with us. We are hoping she will come to church next Sunday because I am playing a musical number in the ward. If anything can lure her there it is music so everyone pray that Valentina will go to church on Sunday! Also awesome yesterday was that Natalya went to church! Hurray! She is doing awesome and again I can't even express how much I love her!!!
Well I love you all! Thankyou so much for the emails. Ami- congrats on the baby girl! That is so awesome! I cannot wait for the next cousin camp with the new baby. Oh it will be so good, and I can't help but think that the beach sounds really nice right now:) Help the missionaries. The church is true!
Well another week down and we are into DECEMBER!!! YEAH!!! I seems crazy that we are already into December and Christmas is just in a couple weeks. Also that I will be on my first visa trip in two weeks! Huzzah! Sounds like fun;) Well I hope everyone is well. As always, thanks so much for the emails and support. MISSIONARIES NEED IT! Especially this time of year.
Well it is winer in Russia. It is COLD! Like dad said, good thing we have borscht to keep us warm. This week has been good, HARD, but good. I have never been so TIRED in my life but I'm alive, warm and happy. We had some good lessons this week and we both just can't wait for the baptism this weekend. We planned the program with Sasha this week and he is so excited! He got to pick the songs, who would say the prayers and give the talks and who would baptize him. Renat, who I love, is baptizing him. Renat just joined the church this summer and is our ward missionary. He is so good to come out with us on lessons, contact with the Elders, and do this work. He is only 20 years old but he is dedicated tothe church and to his calling. When we first asked him if he would baptize Sasha he was a little weary but in the end decided yes and we are so excited!!! We are so excited and he is AMAZING. Just yesterday he amazed me again with his desire to be a member of this church. He came to church yesterday, completely by himself (his mom was sick)!!! He lives about a 30 minute martshutka ride from the church but he was there, in a suit, ready for Sacrament meeting. He came into the sacrament meeting, grabbed a hymn book and sat down ready for the meeting to start. He then stayed for all three hours and went back home again, AT LEAST a 30 minute ride, and he's only 13! It was so cool!
Well first things first, Sis. Pike we were losers and didn' realize there is a bear here! Yes, a real bear. It lives in the park. How did we not figure this out before, I will never know but luckily someone mentioned it and we found it in the park yesterday. In case you were nervous, it is in a cage but all in all there is a real bear in my area. Yeah. I can tell my grandkids that one day. I lived in Russia, with a real bear. How cool will that be! (I'm guessing dad's a little jealous right now:) Also my companion LOVES squirrels. Well actually all Russians do, come to find out. Everytime we're in the park and she sees a squirrel she squeals with delight. Oh the little things that bring you joy on a mission.
It looks like we will be having a conference in Samara right after our visa trip and then heading into our areas to work on Christmas. I am excited to go to the conference and get to see all of the missionaries and feel of the strength from that.
We had tea with Valentina this week which was so fun! I love her! She is so fun to be with and to talk to and she loves to have tea with us. We are hoping she will come to church next Sunday because I am playing a musical number in the ward. If anything can lure her there it is music so everyone pray that Valentina will go to church on Sunday! Also awesome yesterday was that Natalya went to church! Hurray! She is doing awesome and again I can't even express how much I love her!!!
Well I love you all! Thankyou so much for the emails. Ami- congrats on the baby girl! That is so awesome! I cannot wait for the next cousin camp with the new baby. Oh it will be so good, and I can't help but think that the beach sounds really nice right now:) Help the missionaries. The church is true!
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