Trains, trains, and more trains!!!

Family and Friends!!!
Thanks again for the great emails! I love seeing the kids and how grown up they are! Sounds like they really are a handful and I can't wait to see them! Oh how fun that you got to see all of them in the span of a week. I am jealous! This week was really good. The training in Samara was absolutely wonderful and I really enjoyed being able to see a few of the other sisters and to be able to learn so much from President and Sister Sartori and the assistants. Well as I said, Monday night we headed off on a train to Samara... mmmm.... trains.... I can say that one good thing happened. I learned how to braid!!!!!! Da, it's true, I learned how to braid hair and even learned to...french braid. I know, I'm awesome. Somehow, little girls learn to braid when they're about 6 and can then braid their hair for the rest of their lives, but i missed that crucial stage in my development so I'm glad that I have finally caught up. Might come in handy when I get to babysit my nieces... yea! Tuesday we got into Samara and headed to the sisters in Avrora to shower and get ready for conference. We then went to conference which was absolutely fantastic! i feel like we learned so much and I can just say that I am jealous of all of the other missionareis who will
be able to use this program from the beginnning of their mission-- it is amazing. It is so inspired and will make missionaries thousands of times better. It really is the right way to teach and it focues 100% on the Spirit and being sure that you are involving the investigator, teaching so that they understand and using their interests and backgrounds. We really focused on asking "heaven sent questions" to get them to find the answers, understand the doctrine and understand why it is important to them. I really liked being able to learn and just have a HUGE spiritual boost right now. It was also great to be able to practice these skills with the other sisters and some of the older couples. We also ate delicious food all week prepared by... the elders... what?Who knew that they could cook. I have to say I was completely and totally impressed. They cooked food for about 30 people all three days and to my knowledge no got sick.... and it was good. They made ragu, potato salad, plov and pasta with TWO different kinds of sauces. So taylor, better start working on your cooking skills beacsue who knows who you will have to feed on your mission.... Wed, Thurs and Friday were also training and then we got onto a train
to come back to Penza. It was really funny becasue as we were sitting in the train station, waiting, our registrator here in Penza came up to us and asked why we weren't boarding the train. we were totally shocked to see her in Penza but turns out they had a conference with all of the registrators in Samara to know how to deal with police and all of that fun stuff. So.... we talked to her for awhile and we were actually on the same wagon coming home which was a lot of fun. She is amazing and I love talking to her. It was so great to just be able to "boltat" (chat) with her that night and hear about her cute family. You can imagine the shock of the elders when they saw her get on the train with us. It was pretty funny! So we made it back to Penza and just had a normal working day Saturday. We were able to meet with a couple members here and talk with them about inviting their friends and family to hear the Gospel. Sunday was also good. Church and then visits with some of the members
and a couple investigators. o like I said, this week has been great. We have been giving members materials to give their friends and it seems like it is wokring really really well! Yesterday as we were on the marshutka, some guys decided that they
wanted to talk to us. It was pretty funny because they immediately started asking the "fighting" questions like "are you Christian", "why don't you have crosses", "are you some kind of sect". etc. We politely answered all of their questions and just invited them to come to church. I think they sensed that we weren't going to fight for them
and we definitlye weren't going to condemn them to Hell or anything, so they said maybe they will come. When we got off, we both looked at each other and said, "men." How easy it is to talk to them. They always want to talk! We have realized that sometimes, woman are a little more shy to talk and ask questions and so it is the men that are really intersted. But oh well. So we are, another P-day. We already bought groceries and I have to say I'm pretty excited for this week. We have decided to do a theme week every week this cycle. We already did russian week whcih included
piroshki, Shi (I already said), cirniki, plov, blini. And this week.... MEXICAN. We actually found salsa in a grocery store here and so are planning on doing nachos, Mexcian rice casserole, and taco soup...mmm.... We're pretty stoked. Tahnks to Sister Jackson's mom we willl also be able to do chipotle seasoned stuff... mmmmm....
So I tihnk that's about it. Everything is going great and we are loving the amazing weather and being in Penza. It is a fantastic city! I hope everything is going well for everyone. Have a great week and remember to do some missionary work. I love you all!
Sister Morris