Hello Family!

its time to write again! i can't believe it!  it has been ten hundred days and one!  haha and i have alot of things to say again, but this time i sorta made an outline so hopefully that helps:)  it feels  like i don't have just one emotional roller coaster ride a day but about 14 of them! but i think that is a good and bad thing i guess.   How is everyone?  moms calling going ok? how was your first funeral?  Sami's surgery?  Audrey said she loves her job! (thought she had died by the way) and Jake?  padre?  Whit said that you all went dress shopping...that was kinda a punch in the gut but so exciting! you better have taken pictures! and also send a picture of her hand too da?  You asked who was going to Novosibirsk and that is me, sister west, holmes, clark and an elder that im not sure about his name...i will find out! and everyone i have talked about is learning russian. There are two whole zones learning Russian so that is cool!

random facts of the day: I found out yesterday that you know the book war and peace?  it was supposed to be called War and the world but was translated incorrectly.  It is supposed to be record breaking cold in Russia this year and i get there in the coldest time! haha YAY!  (said like Jessa)   BTW how is kate? haven't heard from her

 

everyday i wrote down something i wanted to tell you...here it goes

 

Wed- Personal study is my favorite part of the MTC, when i get stressed or overwhelmed i just pull out whatever i am working on and it makes me happy :) so that is positive.  We had our first TRC appointment that night, we had to meet someone, testify of Christ and set up and set up and appointment with three people all in RUSSIAN. and then teach a lesson in English.  This wed.  we are doing it again and have to talk to them about their families and ours and pray with them and do all of the other stuff like last time in Russian.  can i do it? haha not very well but it is coming.  I think the hardest part about everything is that i know what i k now is true and i know that i want to be able to share it with people but i do not know how to convey it very well....make sense?

today 9 native Russians came to the MTC. it is alot of fun having them here. we always corner them and blurt out every bit of Russian we know, ask them all sorts of questions and ask them how to say things.  They are very patient and nice and always laugh at us.  They know lady gagas songs way more than i do haha.

 

Thursday- we started out with service in the morning and they assign you to a building to clean.  oddly enough it is the best part of the day! that day was the shortest ever it felt like and it was so awesome to be able to do mindless work that helped people out.  that day we played basketball with the natives and it was so funny! they are good sports. Sister West and i at about seven at night every day we get alittle slap happy haha! we are so tired, overwhelmed and sick of being in the same room that all we can do is laugh and joke haha it depends on the day whether the elders like us or not....

 

I thought i would tell you about the cafeteria.  Our first day we got bombarded by Russian missionaries and told where to sit. I guess we are stuck up or something cause we all sit in this one corner off to the left by the pillars.  They call it the IRON CURTAIN. haha very clever.  we only eat salad, wraps, soup, fries, and all the bad stuff.  like cookies and ice cream etc....opps.  

Friday-  we have alot of teaching experiences in class, our teachers go into character and we have progressive investigators through them. its pretty hard to tell you the truth, i guess you never realized how hard it is to relate to people what we believe with out going into too much detail but also helping them to understand.  The thing that i have heard THE MOST since coming here is TEACH TO THE INVESTIGATORS NEEDS. that's what it is all about. don't just teach lessons and check it off.  I thin that is an incredible way to teach and way more effective. we show the Saviors love for them through us by listening and helping them see how we can help them with the gospel of christ.its  harder because you must always go by the spirit but also incredible when you achieve it ( so i have heard)

 

We go every morning (besides tues and sun) and work out early.  we do the aerobic classes, or run and evern run stairs sometimes. Yesterday sister West and i ran outside around the campus and it was so incredibly beautiful to be outside! i loved it!  i think we are going to continue to do that.  

 

sat-  all the russian speakers have a tradition that we sing a hymn in russian before we go to bed out side. it is beautiful and echoes through out the whole mtc campus. right now we are singing christmas hymns which makes it even better.   and i can almost sing the songs with out mistakes...almost :)  

 

sun- we went to music and the spoken word which was awesome and for relief society we meet with all of the sisters in the MTC.  Elder Christofferesens wife came and talked to us about Mary and Jesus.   That night the Mens Chorus from BYU came for the devotional.  it was beautiful and i got all excited cause i thought isaac would be there and then i remembered that is the wrong choir...oh well.

last week sacrament meeting was very overwhelming because they do everything in Russian. it wasn't as bad this time because we could sing the songs and pick out a few things that they were saying.  what is nerve racking is that we all have to prepare 4 min talks and they randomly choose who has to give them right on the spot. our first four are in English but then we have to do it in Russian!

 

Mon.-  Bro Mccleary (teacher) always has lots of fun games for us to play in class that get us excited and moving. we played the name game with Russian phrases and trashketball and baseball etc.

 

Tues-  we went to the temple again this morning, one of the native elders went through for the first time and it was amazing being able to be there.  All the natives get to go to SLC on Friday and see the lights and go to a session. They are all very excited.  what a wonderful experience for them!.

 

PHEW!  that was alot of typing! hope you got all that and it was ok :)  I forgot to tell you, sister west is from mesa Arizona I think you asked :)  

 

I am so happy to be here although it is hard everyday i am working on being the best missionary i can be, or there would be no reason for me to be here.  I am so thankful for this gospel.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and it has become even more apparent as i have NEEDED His help every moment of ever day.  I have met so many great people here and i hope to be able to learn from all of them.  My new scripture theme is Alma 26:12. i have been trying to learn it in Russian haha we shall see how that works out.  Thank you for all the letters! they make me happy and i love to hear about what you all are doing at home!  I know i am doing what i am supposed to be and i am so happy to be doing it! 

 

Love Sister Trottier

 

sorry its all jumbled and crazy!