PICTURES

In traditional clothes with Galina who made them

Add captionme and sister margolies in from of a tram  this is the outfit i wore most of my 3rd transfer..... :) but normally with a black shirt under

Kolya and Natasha

me and sister Galina

all of the sisters and dasha

me and dasha on a boat

Me and Natalia and her daughter Milla

me and sister schwab- "we love omsk"

Road block with a person door....so you can still walk through

hey hey hey! Another week has gone by.  It’s crazy how they go by and it seems like I just wrote but at the same time I feel like it has been weeks and weeks. And life keeps changing at home too which makes it strange also. But I hope all is well and everyone is alive.  from the one email a week I get from my immediate family I assume no disaster has occurred, but I mean I guess I don't really know if Jake or Audrey or mom or dad are all ok because I haven't heard from them in 2 weeks....mom has a good excuse cause she is in a different country and maybe doesn't have internet but the rest of you.....hmmmm.....:)  But its ok I love you all anyways so don’t worry!

So as for my studies, which for some reason have become a must for me to write about every week...hope that’s ok :)  my favorite was all about Reconciliation.  Yes.  It is 2 Nephi 10:24 which is all about reconciling yourself to God. and I thought....what does that exactly mean?  and so I decided to study it! and I looked in the TG and the BD and it mentioned other words like: love help good restore forgive submission and God’s will.  When I think of the word reconcile I guess I would say that you fix a relationship with someone right?  So talking to them, serving them, coming to love them and fix whatever was separating you.  So the same is with our Heavenly Father.  We need to do all the things above.  and more, we also need to change our will to match His. This is harder than it sounds, we have to be humble, realize we don't have all knowledge; we can't do it by ourselves and recognize we are nothing without Him. (Ephesians 5:21) this is hard and not fun sometimes, but it is necessary (Romans 10:1)/ but the great thing is that it is possible through the atonement!  (Jacob 4:11). 
As I was thinking about that I also was reading from conference elder Perry’s talk about the Sabbath day.  It is a great talk and it and other experiences brought to light something that I had not thought of in this way before. But it says that we need to come to the sacrament table for self inspection.  and President Rolfe talked about this too. And whatever we find inside ourselves that is separating us from God or from having the Holy Ghost we need to put it on the table.  It’s just the simple things. As we talked to our young investigator about repentance she asked with disbelief what I would have to repent of. But I realized that we are all on different plains, maybe I don't do huge things that I need to repent of but, because of where I am the calling and knowledge I have, the sins and mistakes I make take me a step away from God just as everyone else’s.  For example, maybe she feels bad and needs to repent because she drank at her last party when we challenged her not to, and I feel bad because I didn't follow a prompting of the spirit and I gave myself 10 minutes instead of giving every minute to the Lord. Both are things we can bring to the sacrament table, receive forgiveness for and become better and strengthened by the Lord. It’s all about the keep progressing every day tithing. so great right?

Oh man, I ramble too much! 
There were two baptisms this week!!! Remember Natalia?  My old investigator with the two daughters and son in law and grandchild?  Ya she got baptized! It was incredible and I was so happy!  We got there and she was so worried that I wouldn't show up and she was freaking out a little and ran to me and hugged me and hugged me haha she was so nervous but so so happy!  She wouldn't let go of my hand and had me come down to the font with her etc etc and she said she asked the elders specifically to make it warm because the baptism she came to watch it was cold and she said "I won't do it if it’s cold!" haha so especially for her they made it warm! and her son in law baptized her and it was so happy! Another Family heading off into eternity together!  The other baptism was Elena, I only taught her one lesson before I got transferred but she is great great great! Her family didn't come to the baptism unfortunately but they are not against the church so all is well! She is great

you know Dasha?  She is the new member who is like 20?  Well she left on a mini mission this week! Just for one transfer but she is so excited and it is such a great opportunity for her!  To grow her testimony and to help others find the joy she found.  I don't know if you know but when we have an uneven amount of missionaries for a time they call mini missionaries from one city to serve indifferent cites in the mission. It’s great! But hard kinda...

Remember Dennis? Our star investigator? ya well he passed the sacrament on Sunday! and he said he was so nervous! The week before he talked in very serious tones about how he knows now of his great responsibility. It reminded me of a talk in conference priesthood session that I read that was great. And I don't remember who it was by it talked about a little deacon’s quorum president. I hope every little boy can read this story and knows of the power and great privilege they have. Dennis felt this and he says he will strive to do all he can to live worthy of it!  Wow!

We have an Ensign story in the making it’s called "Chocolate Pastries for Salvation”.....well it could use a little work but still....there is this bakery we go to with a nice girl there who we talk to. A little more each time and last time we gave her a book of Mormon! Who knows! Maybe it will be a miracle!
Well....we had culture night and we went to see a Russian fairy tale! It was funny! I didn't know Russians could be so silly!    And one of the young kid members likes Supernatural!! Ya I know! He has seen every episode! and one of his favorites is the Ghost sickness one too!  He tried to explain to me what happened in the last season but it was completely not understandable in Russian, I don't know the words for it! haha but I kinda got the picture!
Anyways transfer calls this week so I will let you know. I gotta get off because we are trying to save time so I can send pictures from the senior couple’s apartment! Sorry I didn't write back to Grandma and grandma and McKell and Sami but I love you! and I am happy that the Huish kids haven't forgotten me! Thanks Michelle and Tyler for not letting your kids forget about me! I love you so much! 
Church is true

Sister Trottier

July 14

Hey thanks for all the emails! you guys are the best!  SOunds like everyone is having all sorts of fun and having their own adventures too!! thats pretty cool!

 

I had a lot of cool experiences this week! SOme of which involve missionary work and some of which do not. really...but kinda....

 

So there was a wedding this last weekend! so we and a bunch of ladies went to the branch to decorate and cook food!  and It was so great! we got to talk to some less actives and even some non members about religion and their views on marriage etc etc.  The reception was alot of fun and they have a bunch of cool traditions that we don't have but they also have alot of things that are the same!   I have found that Russians Onions are SUPER STRONG! i have never had this problem before, i have cut o nions before but never cried. THese onions are the worst ever seriously i was leaking out of my eyes for like 30 min afterward! it was a waterful!  haha but the food was good so it was alright! The bride and groom were very russian which means alot of eye makeup! huge puffy dress and a tiara etc etc haha its funny! but beautiful in their very Russian way! 

 

I also went to help at my first Datcha which like a second plot of land people have outside of the city where they go on weekends.  They are seriously a huge problem for church attendance but it is fun to be there and do yard work and they are very beautiful! 

 

This SUnday i translated a talk given by Our senior Couple on Sunday!   I have realized how much i DO NOT know russian by how terrible my translating skills are!  I was starting to get really frustrated when he got to his testimony.  He has been practicing and practicing his testimony in Russian and it was incredible when he gave it.   He gave it all he could and he bore pure testimony. I felt the spirit at a million miles an hour.  It helped remind me that no matter my language skills i can't teach with out the spirit. But with the Power of the Holy Ghost I can teach. That is what matters.  My experiences never sound as cool as they actually were when they happened when i try to write them...but maybe they will be better wheni  can talk about them in person....

 

It has been my goal to not have to count how many people i have talked to on the street to be able to get our desired amount, but to just talk to everyone so that i always know i have talked to enough! and i have been getting pretty good at it! whichi s the first step...but thge problem is that we still don't have this much success....so it means that i am doing it wrong kinda...only like 3 out of the 40 people we talk to each day actually stops to listen at all!! and President wrote me and i think  he gave me the answer, he said i have to open my mouth and "visit with people" not just chuch information at them, but get to know them, talk to them and show them that i love them. Because its strange, buti really do love them!  And so i need to do this better. But the russians don't really just talk....but this is my goal for the next week!  i will report back next week!

 

we finally got 3 of our investigators to meet with us!!  interesting enough all three of them are young girls about 20 years old. They are all incredible and really sweet, but i think that it is hard for them to want to or to think it is possibleto change. But I think that if we get all of them to church the same day we can help them to become friends and they can become a support system for each other.  Their names are Sveta, Kristina, and Olya. and you can all pray for them! :) that would be great! 

 

As i said i started the Book of Mormon over and i am loving it even though i have read 1 nephi maybe 30 times! :) i always find something new and great every day!  I have also been reading the talks from Priesthood session and although i do n't have the priesthood, the principles found there can be related to me and they have helped strengthen me and helped me realize how powerful and how incredible the power of the Priesthood really is in our lives.

 

I was thinking today and actually alot this whole week on whether or not i have made a difference here. It is hard to see and to measure the success i have had out here and i have been trying to do so.  and sister schwab read me a quote "When you go home be able to say "im glad that i did...." instead of "i wish that i had..." " So that is another of my new goals. to work each day so thati  can be glad that i did what i did in that day. It is a hard task buta very good one!  Now i can think of a few people whom i think i have helped and have made a difference but i realized that if nothing i have changed. i wouldn't change the last 7 months for anything. I have changed so much and i hope to conti nue to do so. I am so thankful for the hope that our gospel gives us.  the hope to change adn to BE better, the hope to be worthy to live with our Heavenly Father.  With Sveta yesterday we read  Alma 36 and we talked about changing through christ. She has had alot of trials lately and she has been blaming them on the fact that she has been coming to church.  So we read this chapter and in verst 27 it talks about the trials that he goes through, but he has been supported. Now this is AFTER he has changed and gone on to preach and teach and live righteously but HE STILL HAS TRIALS, It helped me to see that even when we do all that we can life is still going to be hard BUT it will be easier if we turn to the Lord.

 

Anyways....

 

Love you all!!!

 

Sister Trottier

Well----- it was another week!  this has been a long week it feels like.  I have been to the airport almost as many times as i have had meetings!  First sister erickson was in finland and now sister shwab and it has been crazy cause we are in a triad right now which is pretty crazy and i get the couch...haha but no worries. it means i get to see my old people still too!  Today it is super HOT we are gong to the park today and i just have basketball shorts on and a tshirt and i must tell you that that is strange in Russia.  You don't just see people in t-shirts and you nNEVER see people in basketball shorts.  When Russians go out on the streets it is in order to strut their stuff and look good.  Most women and girls are in dresses and if not they are in nice clothes...so we look strange....but oh well.

 

I have started to get to know my new area but it is HUGE. we live in the middle of our two areas and it takes an hour on a bus to get to our branch building and then an hour and 20 to get to the other! and yes we do that every sunday!  its crazy...and buses are hot and awkward...but it gives us more time to study and talk to people so this is good :) 

 

random thoughts:

 

you know how i make flowers out of plastic cups by tearing them? i am sure a few of you have recieved one of these from me :)  well anyways here my talents are appreciated haha people make these and decorate their yard with them! haha they have funny yard decorations! i have started taking pictures of them!  the strangest is this garden with stuffed animals...

 

I had a thought that alot of times they send siblings to similar missions!  maybe jake will go russian speaking! how cool would that be!? 

 

So sister shwab is an awesome contact-er!  and so i have learned alot and have gotten alot better!  but there is room for progress obviously because i still don't have alot of success.....but i have a funny story.  So we were on a bus and this old babyshka asked what the writng was on our tags so sis erickson went to show her and talk to her and the conductor man on the bus said "they are preachers" and "seeostrimi deyabola"  which translates as "Sisters of the Devil"  and he said it with all the hate he could muster!  Oi!  i was so shocked i kinda did a "OHHH HAHAH"    like a shocked "burn" "OH!" and then i laughed!  haha i couldn't even help it! but he didn't think that was funny....but anyways everyone else was looking around back and forth from us to him kinda confused as to how 3 young nicely dressed girls could have so much hatred thrown at them. I guess i don't understand how someone could hate people so badley and be so rude to people they didn't know. I would never say that to some one no matter what religion or race or whatever.  But no worries, i didn't feel bad, i just thought it was kinda funny but my companions were kinda down trodden by it.

 

I got your package! and i LOVED IT! the skirtsare so so cute and the sweaters are awesome!  and the foot was delicsious!  you spent alot of money though!  i brought the computer cord to send you pictures and iw as so excited! but it didn't fit in my camera....soooo oops! wrong one! 

 

i read elder scotts talk today on Desire. I love it.  but i also felt chastened....need to change my desires i guess!  beecause "it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something" 

 

So here is something- i feel as though a mission is full of "uh huh" moments or light bulb moments. I get to study the basic doctrines of the gospel all day every day and it isso simplebut so profound i learn something everyday. I love it!  I got  zach jensens letter about miracles and it has inspired me! i think he is doing way more than i am and growing way more.  My prayers have become more specific and i am trying to grow my faith to recieve miracles.

 

Monday was the best day ever!  that morning i decided that the key to missionary work (well one of them, because i find out new ones every couple days) is being happy.  Today we met with Olga, one of our investigators and zinaida an in active.  In the morning we planned really awesome lessons!  but when we got there we didn't use either of them! but instead we were able to find out some of both of their concerns and get them to understand what they needed to know! i felt like i helped more of them drasticly that day!  and it was all because of our great planning!  which doesn't necessarily mean you have to do what you planned! it just means that since we put in the work the Lord will help us and lead us to know what we really need to say and how to help the people! BUt back to the happy part, as i was contactig and on the street i was happy andconfident the people would want to talk to me! i had some good converstaions with some people and i felt like each and everyone of them felt Christs love and felt a little better!  (except the ones that got mad---but maybe they felt something too). I even chatted it up with the lady we bought ice cream from!  haha she laughed at my russian so i laughed and we had a good conversation.  :)  

 

well....we are meeting with new peoplei don't know but i have already come to love them and want to do all i can for them.  Sister Shwab and i can teach TOGETHER! its great! i love her so mucH! but i have already started speaking strangely like she does..like german/russian/english..ite pretty confusing., but it works1

 

OUt of time but i love you! and i love the Lord and the time He has given me here. I hope i can use every minute as He would.  Church is true!  read Moroni 10!  its good! and ether 12.....they are my favorites this week.

 

Love sister Trottier

Hey hey hey another week has gone by...which is strange....

 

President called on Friday and I am getting transferred, but only within Omsk. I am moving from one branch to another and changing apartments just two bus stops away and my new companion in Sister Swab!  She is so great! She is from Germany!  I don't know if you remember but she is the same sister that I came with on the train to Omsk my first week!  We have been serving in the same city this whole time so I know her well. She is an awesome missionary. I am sad a little bit to not be able to work with the people that I love so much but I will still see them and I just get more people to love!  Sister Margolies will just stay where we were. It was strange all the sisters stayed the same in Omsk we just switched companions! 

 

Dad- um....I’m not very sure what to pass along for your talk this Sunday! haha But good luck with that! That’s pretty exciting! um..... You can tell them all that I love them and pray for them often! haha I don't know.....you can just include some stuff from some of my emails I guess. I could try to write a really awesome testimony in this one but now I feel like the pressure is on haha..... 

 

I’m not really sure what to write this week....I am struggling to think of anything interesting to say or anything inspiring really! haha I think that is a bad thing!  It rains a lot though. Almost every day now. But it makes it better than not because it’s cooler and since the sky is cloudy it’s not as bright at night when we are trying to sleep. Because the sun doesn’t' have the same bed time here as it does at home.

 

Today I read a sweet verse (or two) in 1 Peter 4:12-13- I really liked it!  It says something to the effect of Why are you surprised that there are trials?  Why are you surprised that life is hard?!  Of course it’s going to be hard! But it will be worth it!  No one said it was going to be easy!  And it’s not supposed to be easy. If it was easy we wouldn't learn anything.  Peter is just great because he just puts everything how it is.  I have become more and more that way as I have been here because that’s how the Russians are...don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing but.....that’s how it is.

 

One of the Elders told us that when a member of the 70 came to the mission he had an interview with him and they talked about receiving revelation and following the spirit. He told elder player to carry around a notebook and write down every time he received revelation, where he was, what he was doing and what it was about. I have started doing that and it has been great! That way I don't forget what He told me, even if it is a small thing like, "bring your English scriptures"  and I think "why? They are HUGE and they make my bag really heavy!" and I got the prompting "bring your English scriptures". So I did and then we got to our meeting and she had all sorts of questions from the bible about specific verses and words that she didn't understand! And I was able to help because I had just read there and I had my English ones! And there is no way that I would have understood little nitpicky things like that in Russian.  And this way Heavenly Father Knows I value His guidance and He will send more!

 

So we have this little new member Violetta who is like 10 and we went and taught her about the Armour of God. Sister Erickson made all of the armor out of cereal boxes and painted it all cute and it was so adorable! I will send pictures soon!  I was going to tell you, one member we work with sometimes speaks quite a bit of English and it is just so strange because randomly she will speak English in the middle of our conversation and then switch back and forth and back and forth and it just messes with my head!  It’s strange. 

 

Sounds like the family is doing well! I got emails from both Grandmas letting me know the news and updates! Thank you so much for doing that! I appreciate it a lot a lot! I just love to know what is going on and that everyone is still happy and safe. I love you so much!   

 

I have a disc of pictures and I have been trying to figure out how to send them over email but everything is RUSSIAN! Imagine that! And its all strange computer words...so I don't think you get them....sorry. 

 

Whoever is reading this if you see Whitney give her a HUGE hug for me!  Maybe even a leg hug, because those are better!  Whit I love you so much. Thanks for writing me and praying for me.  Keep doing what you are doing, keep keepin on!  Life was not meant to be easy, but it was meant for us to enjoy it.  Remember that we are supposed to be happy!  If you aren't having fun and loving life you are doing something wrong! Love life!  Love the situation you are in, a single young woman going to college and working!  People all over the world would kill to be your age, to be as beautiful as you are and to have the opportunities that you have!  Take advantage of them and love them. I love you so much don't ever forget it! 

 

Well....I want you all to know that I am so thankful to be here in Russian. I know that mission calls are inspired of our Heavenly Father who knows exactly when and where we need to be in order to help us the most and help us help other people.  I have already met people that have changed me and the way that I look at life.   I can't believe my whole life I never wanted to go on a mission because now it feels like the most important thing that I have ever done and the best thing that I could do to help prepare me for the rest of my life.  I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. And He can lead us to know what that plan is and how best to do it.  We are here on earth to become better, to become perfect which is a long and daunting process but it is possible with the help of our Savior and His gospel. I am thankful for Jesus Christ, for His life and His sacrifice so that I know how to live and that it is possible for me to change and to become better and to be happy and to return to my Heavenly Father. I know the power of prayer and the Book of Mormon. They are so important in our daily lives in order for us to focus on what matters most.  I have learned so much from the members here about how to live the gospel. They go about their quiet lives diligently serving and BEING HAPPY! That is the key is to be happy and to love all those around us just as the Savior did.

 

I love you all so much! 

 

Love Sister Trottier

 

 Hey family and friends!

 

As I was thinking about my emails the past little while I realized that I had not been talking about the people I have been working with! how awful! because that is why I am here! I think it is because I write president Trejo all about them and then I feel like I have written about them already!   We have quite a few investigators we are working with and I love each of them so so much. Which I honestly didn't think I could love people so much as I have found that I do.  We are working with a lady name Natalia who will be getting baptized July 9th.  Her daughter son in law and grandson and other daughter are members. She has become my new mom! haha well I have a lot of substitute moms here but after my talk this Sunday I went and sat by her and she gave me a big hug and kiss and got lipstick all over my cheek! haha she is so great and is excited to start her journey toward eternity with her family to the temple!  we are working with a man named Andre who is so great! haha he is just this shy old guy who has been investigating for ever but I think starting to realize how the gospel helps us.  He wants to go to the temple! but he is scared to get baptized....haha kind of backwards I think but he is awesome. He loves hiking and the mountains.   And we have a new lady named Galina and she is great! she asks all sorts of questions and has faith like I have never seen!  She just wants to do what’s best for her family. And Elena, we haven't been able to meet with her for months but she has been reading the book of Mormon and she has a testimony that it helps us find answers to our questions and she loves to pray every night and day. she will be getting baptized in July too!  we have Olga who is kind of shy and isn't quite sure if she wants to join our church but she loves to talk about God and she is very curious and just awesome also! I wish that you could all know these people like I do because I don't really do it justice when I just kind of talk about them randomly you know?

 

I also love working with the members and encouraging them in their new but strong faith!  They are such an example to me of how to live faithfully and patiently even when life is hard.

 

This week we met with the first member of the church in Omsk., She is like a legend here but she is really old and a little crazy, but it was fun to talk to her and to make her smile.  She loves talking about the gospel and has a strong testimony of prayer and the truthfulness of this gospel.

 

let’s see.....it has been a little bit cooler this week but that has been ok. But still warm enough to now wear jackets although the Russians have gotten out their coats again haha, they are so silly.

 

 Anyways. I Know this church is true. I am so glad to be doing the Lords work. It is hard and it is scary sometimes but I love it. And I am so thankful to see how the gospel changes other people’s lives. It makes me realize how blessed I am and how my life can be if I use my knowledge and my blessings to the fullest

 

This week the patriarch will be here so I will get your package I hope :) and this Friday are transfer calls. I hope I stay here! I don't want to leave Omsk. I love it here. I love you all so much!

 

Sister Trottier