May 4th

Dad asked about what I do day to day.....um.....well we study and since I am
still a greenie we study until from 8 to 12 and then we grab something quick to
eat and head out!  We try to plan our meetings close together because have a
huge area but the perfect goal is to have 5 lessons a day!  But I don't think
anyone does that....we end up having 1-3 a day and maybe four if we are really,
really lucky. It takes at least 20 minutes to get to our appointments but
usually longer, 20 minutes is our absolute closest!  we do a lot of walking but
not a ton we are mostly on buses, or trolley busses or the tramvai....I don't
know how to spell that in English.... so we spend a lot of time on transport. 
We split our time up by strengthening the members, visiting inactives, and
teaching new members and investigators.  We don't set up eating appointments but
we are usually fed 3ish times a week by members or inactives and they like to
give you tea...everyone loves tea.  What else?  It’s getting pretty hot here my
thin white jacket is too warm in the day time.

Random-I was showing pictures to a babushka and she pointed to matt and said
that he looked like the guy on Titanic! haha so congrats matt! You are the new
Leo!!!!! :) hahah! I laughed...

This weekend there were 3 baptisms, a cute little kid named Daniel whose sister
is a member and a members wife and my favorite investigator Dennis!!!  Since I
have gotten here everyone has been talking about how to get Daniel baptized, I
think every set of missionaries has tried to teach him, but his sister was weird
about it and his mom was a litte against it but he just went up to one of the
elders and said "I want you to baptize me" and he is so cute! He is like 10 I
think and I just love him. He always comes up to talk to me. He is just shy and
quiet and after he was baptized he was just grinning from ear to ear!  After he
changed I came up to me and grabbed both my hands between his little ones and I
asked him how he felt and he just put his little hands over his heart and said
very very good. peace. happy.  Well it sound better in Russian but it was
incredible!  Dennis was baptized on Sunday and I guess the water was really
really COLD and as he came out of the water he gasped!  But then he laughed! 
and Nastia had to be baptized like 6 times because they couldn't get her under
all of the way! But we joked that she was cleaner than everyone.

On Monday we had fhe with some members and our investigators Dasha and Baleri
(couple-want to get married) and for the game we played Uno! It was so funny! 
And I was thinking...here we are stressing family night so so much!  We try to
meet with as many families as possible and all the branch presidents are
stressing family home evening and I was thinking that if it is so important here
than it must be important for everyone and for all of you! So my challenge is
for you to do family home evening every week.  We do FHE with just couples and
they encourage families to invite young people or single people to their family
home evening so everyone has a place to go. It is so important. Families are the
most important part of this gospel, and spending time together and talking and
playing and sharing our thoughts about the gospel will strengthen yours. :)

From the mutual theme "we believe" they have three things for you to do every
day that will change you and make you happy.

1. Pray morning and night-
2 read the book of Mormon 5 minutes a day (at least) and
3 smile!  You should all try it!  Works miracles!

Right now I am reading in Acts and Paul is just the greatest isn't he?!  He has
been traveling in Rome and Athens and Corinth and the whole time I am reading I
think "I was there!"  "I saw that!"  It is so legit! The scriptures just come to
life!  He is so incredible! I love how Paul says that he is willing to not only
be taken in bonds but to give up his life for Jesus Christ. He is willing to
give up everything.  He is an awesome missionary and disciple.

Today I also read 4th Nephi. That is a sweet chapter, it starts out that
EVERYONE is righteous!  How great is that? And it outlines all of the blessings
they get because of that- those are the blessings we can receive.  And it ends
with EVERYONE being wicked and how did they fall? And why? It was PRIDE!! 
wheeew! pride is bad....I also read Pres. Bensons talk "Beware of Pride" this
week...maybe I need to work on that.....

Anyways...I love you!  I’m so happy to be here and I Love serving my Heavenly
Father.  And I love helping others some unto Him and to feel of His love. I hope
all is well!  Talk to you soon!  Don't forget to call!!!

Sister Trottier