Penza is for lovers

Friends and Family,
Well first things first... Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!! YEA! I am so
excited to celebrate with you when I get home and I already have the
perfect birthday present...all the way from Russia. Thanks for your
great example and all you do for your grandkids. i hope you have a
wonderful day!!!
I'm in PENZA! Seems really weird to me that I'm here in Penza but
things are going well. I've already fallen in love with the city. It
is beautiful and has lots of nice homes and gardens. We found a park
and although it isn't as cool as the park in Oktyabraski and there
aren;'t squirells to feed it is great. Well like I said last Monday I
went to Samara. Tuesday was our first zone conference with the new
presdient and at the end of conference they announced where everyoen
was going and what everyone was doing. As you all already know I am in
Penza with Sister Jackson. She is also from America and has been on
her mission a cycle longer than me. Tuesday night, much to my
delighted surprise, we got on my first Russian train to come to Penza.
It is about a 8 hour ride from Samara. We got on the train about 8 in
the evening and got here about 4 in the mormning. We were lucky enough
to have a little coupe to ourselves. it was so thrilling to FINALLY be
on a train! I've heard so much about them and it was finally my turn.
It really was fun and I loved looking at the Russia countryside. We
tried to sleep a few hours but unfortunately we couldn't figure out
how to close the window and so we were FREEZING (any hints....) But
overall it was a fun trip. We also really liked the conductor and had
a good discussion with him about the Gospel. There are also 2 sets of
elders serving here which is a good thing becuase they helped us with
all of our luggage on the train and to our new apartment. Elder
Swainston is our district leader and he has been here already for 7
months. (I would like to make a note, I have the record for longest in
an area). We got here as I said Wednesday morning and just went home
to sleep for about 2 hours and then hit the streets at 7 to see what
our area was like. It was definitley interesting. We then bought a few
groceries and worked the rest of the day like normal. The rest of the
week was pretty much just walking and figuring out the area. There
were sisters in penza a couple years ago but we didn't hjave an area
book and they were in different part of the city so we're basically
strating from scratch. We just immediately started calling members and
trying to get a feel for what the ward and area was like. We couldn't
wait for Sunday to finally meet all the people we had talked to and
meet the ward and it was no let-down. The Penza ward is AMAZING! It is
HUGE! I was so surprised. You know its a good ward when you have a 1st
and 2nd counselor and an Elder's Quorum President. They have a LOT of
Prisethood holders-- more than in any other ward. It was also a lot fo
fun becasue they have a primary-- my first one in Russia. Overall I
loved meeting the ward on Sunday and geting to meet the beatiful ward
members.
Our first day here we met Elena Makarova, one fo the ward members and
she has been fantastic. She has helped us get all registered with the
governemtn and apartment and everything. SHe has an amazing family and
her husband is the ward mission leader here so I'm sure we will be
working with them often.
We also had a great lesson yesterday with Baba Jena. She is 86 and so
hasn't been able to go to church for some time and the first Sunday
there they pulled aside and said we had to go visit Baba Jena. We read
with her from the Book of Mormon and were just able to pray with her.
It is so great to see the faith of these saints. I hope that I am as
strong as she is when i"m 86.
Like I said on Tuesday we had Conference and they announced a new
program where missionaries can teach members in their homes. Before,
it wasn't allowed to go to members' houses without an investigator and
so we are all excited to try the new program and work with the members
to get referrals. We will be giving them the lessons and asking them
for referrlas and really trying to help them invite their friends to
hear the Gospel. We met with the Branch President and his wife this
week and they were amazing! I think it should be a great week.
Well I hope everyone is doing well and all is well with your
missionary work. The church is true.
Sister Morris