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