Aug 3

Hey hey hey, 

So I know you are all just DYING to know where I got transferred right!? haha nah you probably forgot that that was coming up eh? haha no worries, but I did get a transfer. I am going to now be serving in Novosibirsk! and my new companion will be sister Djurich...I am not sure actually how to spell it, but she is just one transfer younger than me. She came into the MTC when I had been there 6 weeks.  She is American but I don't remember from what state.  I am pretty sad to leave Omsk after 4 transfers, I feel like it is my home and all my family is here!  I had to say bye to everyone on Sunday and take pictures etc etc and it was sad. I love all of these people! but I still have 10 months so I think that I will most likely be back in Omsk sometime....at least I hope!   I have heard good and bad things about Novo but I am trying to only think about the good things! One good thing I do know of is that I will get mail that comes right when it comes :) not have to wait! That’s a good thing!  

At the moment I am still in Omsk, tomorrow morning I leave for my visa trip in Finland again, get back here in Omsk on Saturday morning and then leave on a train for Novosibirsk that morning too!  A lot a lot of traveling, which kinda feels like a waste of time but it is necessary...so what can you do.....not much.

So one day I was thinking about the Russian language. I’m not gonna lie, I still don't know it all that great, but I have realized that what I do know so far is a miracle. I was thinking of the day I got my call, actually the day after. Me and mom were so super excited and stoked that I was going that we had to go and do something! So we went to the distribution center to buy temple stuff and also to buy a Russian Book of Mormon.   I remember that we couldn't even tell which one was Russian!  I remember I sat down on the floor when we found it and I was just staring at the pages.  Wondering how in the world I was ever going to read it or understand it. I couldn’t even say the title!  They weren't real letters! And I remember what mom said to me, she said something to the effect of "Sister Trottier (well she probably said Heather) don’t worry, you will learn Russian.  You will come home in a year and a half and we will come back here to this store and we will remember this moment and we will just laugh at the memory, that you thought you couldn't learn Russian."  or something like that...... :)  and even though I still don't know it perfect, I can speak, I can understand and I can read in the Book of Mormon and know what it is talking about.  IT IS A MIRACLE!!  I have seen so many miracles already on my mission but I would just like to point out this one.  In the scriptures it was prophesied that the Lords people would go out into the world and teach His gospel to different people in their own language.  And He has fulfilled that prophecy.  He makes it possible for young women and young men to learn languages that usually take years to learn and he does it in a small amount of time!  It’s incredible!

Well that was possibly one of my longest tangents....sorry about that. 

One of the members gave a talk in sacrament that I really liked this week. It was about our Heavenly Family.  He talked about how we are all children of God; we are all brothers and sisters.  Which is one of our basic doctrines, but do we live by it?  If we really understood this and we acted according to it our world would be an incredible place! Very true. I need to get better at this.  We have had a lot of miracles this week. One for example was our chance to meet with a family who hasn't met with missionaries in a long time. They are members, a mom and two boys; one is 13 and the other 3 I think.  It was a great meeting and they want to continue meeting with the sisters, the little boy wants to get the priesthood!  We have also had random experiences of running into people who have met with missionaries before, who know who we are and ask if they can come to church!! haha yes we would love that!    I lead English class last night and it was way fun! It was with about 10 people who speak really good Russian and we made our own city, figured out government education etc etc. It’s strange but these people who have been coming to English for forever I have come to love!  These old men who want to know English, young girls who want to move to America etc etc. They are incredible. Just love the Russian people!

I am excited to go to Novosibirsk and meet new people to love. I also think it is good to go to a new place and start over fresh and begin again, change what I want to change etc etc.  I am so thankful for my time here.  Some days I get out on the streets and I think to myself "why in the world am I here?! Why would I put myself through this everyday for a whole year more!?" but then the next moment I remember why.  It’s because of the knowledge that I have, it’s because of the joy I receive from this work. It’s the joy I can help bring into others lives and the hope that I see in their lives. It’s for the lives that can be changed and eternities begun and it’s because of my Love for my Heavenly Father and my Savior.  That’s why. (And a whole lot of other reasons that I could mention but then the email would be too long)

I love you all so much!  

Love sister Trottier

I am glad you got my pictures!  and ya all the sisters I have served with here are pretty short haha and I am one of the tallest which is a strange experience for me