o your wondering how I'm probably feeling right now?!! To be honest I can't really tell you haha my emotions are literally all over the place.. so I'm just not going to talk about it:) Spring is coming! I know because you can smell the wet paint that the Russians just throw on over a rusty fence with dirt all over it haha they just paint everything and do the worst job.. but when you smell that paint. You know it's spring:) So as you know from last week we have a baptism this next Saturday!! I'm happy to inform you that he pasted his baptismal interview, came to church (which was stressful) and has a time and a place:) It will be on Saturday at 1 in the river haha He wants to get baptized in a river so badly.. even though it's still pretty cold.. So hopefully it will get a little warmer this next week haha But ahhh I can't believe this is happening to me. I'm going to have a baptism on my last Saturday??? What?? Remember when I talked a while ago about the will of god and having faith in Jesus Christ.. Well it works!! I know with all my heart it works!!! This past week I was really humbled with some of the situations that we had. One night I just got down on my knees just thanking God for everything he was giving me right now because in a way I don't feel like I deserve it. I thought though about my whole mission and how HARD it's been haha but I think about what's about to happen and I think about Hazam and Hazar and how blessed I am to be apart of this experience and I've decided that I would do it all again for this experience that I've had with them. My mission has been led up to this point. I've worked so hard and given everything I had to the lord. A couple weeks ago I thought I was going to go home with not much success.. But Luke 1:37.. With God nothing is impossible. Now I have a little story for you..
23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of Russia, we go up to the land of Russia, to preach unto our brethren, the Russians, and they laughed us to scorn?
24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Russians to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Russians of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the drinking of alcohol; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language.
25 And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them, that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest they overrun us and destroy us.
26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the land of Russia not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.
27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Russians, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from Dom to Dom, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their Doms and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their metros; and we have also entered into their dachas and their Bonyas and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
Basically these scriptures explain my mission. Everything we go through builds us into who we need to be. I can't tell you how grateful I am for everything I've suffered on my mission. I may not have had as much as success that I wanted, but it makes moments like these even more incredible. Please keep Hazam in your prayers this next week:) And lets Have a BAPTISM!!!!!!!
I loved your letter:) thanks so much:) haha you make me worried a little bit with coming home. I don't want to be like everyone else but I know it will just happen because that's how life is? But I think me and meg will be able to help each other out so that is good. This past week was really good. Just trying to stay focused haha so nuts that I have one more full week!! Basically next week I'm going to be in Moscow. So do you want anything specific from russia:) Also what things do you want me to bring home. I know I'll bring my coat, but do you want my shoes? Galina is in the hospital and will be for 2 weeks so I won't get to really meet with her before I leave. Hopefully will get to go see her tomorrow though. Hazam and Hazar are great!! i can't wait to tell you all about them because literally they are incredible and words can't describe how great they are. I feel so blessed to be apart of this:) So glad things are going good at home. Hope the building will work out. That makes me sad about the cousins. I feel like I just want to come home and tell them up haha and tell them to get over themselves. You might come to notice Russia has made me really blunt so will see haha Ah I don't know what to say. I just can't wait to see you guys. It's going to be an unreal moment. But anyways I loved your spiritual thought:) It was great and it's so true!!! Life is nuts isn't it?? Every day I'm blown away haha but hope you have a great week!! Keep everyone in your prayers here and I can't wait to tell you all about it next week:) Love you!!
