Last e-mail from Russia

Well Hello :)  

Well i guess this is the last email from Russia that you will all get from me.  Everyone keeps asking me how i feel and i just say "I don't know, Good".  Because to be honest, it doesn't really feel yet like i am going home.  Today is just another pday....but i guess its not haha. So i guess i will start by saying all the stuff i am supposed to say although they don't seem real :)

Thanks everyone for writing me all of the time. and for the love and support that you have given me. Your letters, emails, and packages mean alot and helped me remember why i am out here.  For all of you!  Well, first of all for the Lord, but also for my family and friends.  I couldn't have done it with out the help of the Lord that came because of all of your faith and prayers.  Thanks so much. 

This week was pretty much a normal week except for the packing and saying goodbye. It was actually a really productive one.  We had some great great meetings and contacts and studies.  It was a miracle actually.  I decided to ask our investigator Nina again to be baptized.  She ALWAYS  gets a little frustrated when i ask. but I just felt that i had to. I was hesitant but as my companion says "Don't argue with the Spirit"  so i asked her.  and you know what?! she said yes! haha we were shocked into silence!  after how many times meeting with her and asking her EVERYTIME to be baptized! i almost decided to not ask her this one time because i didn't want to get her mad and then have to say good bye but the Holy Ghost told me. Heavenly Father knew she was ready.  Think about it!? what if i hadn't asked!?  that is why President tells us to ask every time. you just never know when they will be ready.  

We met with our new member Larissa. She is incredible. I love her so so much.  We just had a great discussion about our Heavenly Father. Who He is and our Potential to become like Him.  The spirit was so strong. The branch council is already started on getting her a calling and assignments and teachers and stuff.  She is so great! She even got up the guts to ask someone to switch work with her this Sunday so she could come to church.  She told us all about her experiences that she has already had with the Holy Ghost since she has received that gift.  If we all used and appreciated the Gift of the Holy Ghost that we have been given as she does the world would be a much better place. We could get a lot alot done.  She also said that she has the desire to serve. She knows that is what she covenanted to do and she has been trying to consciously keep that covenant!  I told her that i wanted to be her friend for ever and ever. haha she said she does too.  

I have been trying hard to keep working this week and i think it has been pretty successful.  I just knew that the last week is what i would remember. I wanted to be able to remember that I worked till the end, not just a trunky missionary. So we have been just talking to everyone. its been great. I love the people here in Russia.  

There is a girl that we teach English to. her name is Alexcandra. have i told you about her? she has become my best friend haha! i love her so so much. She asked if she could take us in her car to the bus station. So nice!  so her and her husband came. They helped us with our bags and just chatted the whole time. She even gave me a cute little Russian present.  Just a great couple. The sisters are going to start teaching them and i hope that they can come to know its true.  She is so great. 

Church was so good. Its weird to think that its the last Russian meeting i will be on. it will be weird for everything to be in English. it was sad to say goodbye to everyone.  They have become my family.  I definitely want to come back and visit.  I could just stay in tomsk for a whole week and just hang out with everyone haha!  

We are now in Novo and having pday with the sisters.  Set up a meeting tonight with my "mom" in Novo. Vera. I am so happy and excited to see her before i leave. I called her last night and she knew me by my voice!  haha it was nice.  Also called my "sister" her in Novo Marina, we are going to meet her tomorrow i think. cool that i get to do some work here in Novo before i leave.  Did some contacting today in Novo.  I miss the people in tomsk haha but maybe i just have to find the happy ones haha. 

Welp......Mom- if there is any problems with me flying home alone i will call you. no worries. haha i don't think they are that strict. I will ask president, but i am sure there won't be any problems. 

one of the elders wrote to me in our year book type thing and said some like "The Lord sends us on missions to prepare us for a greater work in our lives. I believe that He has prepared a greater work for you to fulfill, keep on working and serving and you will fulfill it."  Another elder said "You have been improving and perfecting yourself for the last 18 months, don't stop or go back. Keep going and you will continue to be a servant in the Lords hands". and Mom sent me a quote from elder Packer - "The release is just as inspired as the calling". I believe that.  I feel pretty peaceful.  I am sure i will cry a bunch haha but that's because it is sad to leave all the people i love behind. But i know that just as the Lord had a purpose and reason for sending me on a mission, He also has a purpose and plan for me after the mission. Just the next calling and time of life. I am nervous because i don't know what will come, but that is life. I am excited to start the next part of my adventure.  I know that as the Lord led and guided me here, He will lead and guide me after my mission.

This time has changed me for the better.  and i will try to continue to keep changing and improving

  I love my mission.  I love the Gospel. I love my Savior.  and i love you all. See you soon!

Sister Trottier

What did you wear in the wintertime to stay warm?  - i wore thermal garments but only the bottoms.  think leggings and running pants and more thick tights.  scarves thick wool sweater haha and wool socks. 

Do you have an iron? yes

The packet from the church says that if you wear a size 10, you should buy your boots here- is that accurate? yes accurate!!! its possible but hard.  but the best and warmest have fur and i don't know where to find those there

Do you eat a lot of meat? if you want to.  don't have to.

Have you liked the shoes you took or would you have chosen differently? differently. i dislike greatly those "comfy" ones that are not cute. i wear my flats more than those.  bring fall boots

What things are unavailable there that she should take with her?  not much.  floss is expensive.


Wow! that was alot of emails! haha took about 45 minutes! haha thanks so much!   Its like I'm coming home soon and everyone remembered that they love me! :) haha just kidding! but it was really nice

I have alot alot to write and not alot of time to write it! 

we went to Novosibirsk for a conference with the WHOLE MISSION! it was incredible! it was so so great. to have all those missionaries all together. it was like having my family. don't worry, but second family, but stil. i love them so much.  We had testimony meeting and i of course cried haha.  All I got out was "i know the gospel is true"  and then that was about it for a while and then i got through a little bit more haha.  and at the end we always sing "God be with you till we meet again" and i told myself i wouldn't cry hahga but that lasted about five seconds.  and then i just had to shake all my "brothers" hands good bye and give hugs to all my "sisters".  its crazy how much i love everyone here.  Missionaries, members, non members etc.  I have already started saying bye to people here in Tomsk and its hard every time. 

so i know you are all just DYING to know.... LARISSA GOT BAPTIZED!!!! Yepers!  On Sunday she was baptized!  I knew Tomsk was going to be a miracle city.  I love Larissa so much. we have become close friends already. I wish i could tell you the whole story but its long. i will tell you in person ok? it was incredible. her husband baptized her and the spirit was so strong. They are one step closer to having an eternal family.  It was a beautiful service.  The days before her baptism she kept asking how she would feel when and after she was baptized  and so after it all i asked her and she said "I feel reverence." what a great answer.  It impacted me alot that answer and today i studied reverence. I think that we could all probably be a little more reverent in our lives.  we are actually told to be reverent in all things. Satan uses irreverence in the world to distract us from that which is spiritual (True to the Faith).  Heavenly Father heard my prayers, her prayers and the prayers of her husband. what a miracle.

sick of hearing from me yet?

Hey family!

So i talked to you just a few hours ago, but my companion needed to
send an email to her family so I'm hear :) writing you again :)

Funny that when we talk over skype and stuff we really don't have much
to say huh? i think its because we already know whats going on with
each other and then we just stare at each other haha we strange kinda.
haha but that's ok. sorry i always freeze and don't know what to say.
But i was just floating on a cloud the whole time we went shopping and
stuff. Don't worry i will work really really super hard these last two
weeks cause i know its how i finish is what i will remember, but i am
also so excited to give you all big huge hugs and not have to wait 6
months to talk to you. and you know what? i forgot for the second time
on my mission to say HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! haha what a horrible daughter.
That was the point of the whole call and i didn't even say it. I'm
sorry mom :) i love you! i said that! that's what matters most right?
if you want small martroshka dolls they are like 15 dollars or so
which isn't bad. we went to look at prices today and i found one for
mom that was so so funny and i had to buy it :)

as with Larissa, we are praying hard and alot for her. I think that
everything will work out, and she will be baptized. Just maybe not
while i am here. But i am trying to keep in mind that its not about me
:) its about her and the Lords timing haha. but its hard to remember
that. But she is so great. I love having meetings with her because its
like we just get to take the topic and dissect and discuss it and
really get deep down into what it means in our lives.  its incredible.
   and Tamara that also wants to get baptized just is so close. She is
so great and close to the spirit and has a HUGE DESIRE but the smoking
thing is just holding her back. But it will be ok.

i will tell you about another day that we had this week that was
great. I'm just going to rewrite what i wrote in my journal so you can
get the emotion of it or whatever.

Today was one of those days that just makes you know that Heavenly
Father is watching out for us. That he sees the work that we do and
wants us to know that he appreciates us and will eventually reward us
in His own time and his own way..... we had district meeting which was
always great and we didn't have any meetings set up until 6 so we had
a few hours to do some finding.  We had earlier decided to go drop by
some old old investigators that we found in the area book that had no
numbers and only addresses. I was praying really hard and trying to
have faith and a good attitude about contacting and dropping by
randomly to people (not usually effective. we only had 3 addresses and
the first two no one was home. I was frustrated. We had prayed really
hard and we had felt that this was what Heavenly Father had wanted us
to do today and i was starting to ask "why?".....gotta admit i was
murmuring.  we got to the third address and rang the domophone and
they just opened the door for us....strange. so we went up and knocked
on the door. a nice young girl said that her parents weren't home. She
remembered us "missionaries" and said that we could come in and she
would call her parents. They had been walking the dog, but they came
back to meet with us. Their names are Georgi and oksana. She used to
come to church alot alot and knows alot about our doctrine. he is
really great, never came to our church but is taking bible school
online or something- just for fun. So we just began talking and
teaching. I don't know how but i knew all the bible verses he was going
to use before he even said them. I knew where they were, who the
apostle was talking to and the background info.  it was crazy.  I
guess my study of the bible last year paid off- the holy ghost really
can reach back into our memory and pull out old info.  it was a great
conversation and lesson. They both just want to know truth.  We asked
if they wanted to pray with us at the end and they were both just so
excited! they jumped on their knees and we asked him to give the
prayer. he gave a great sincere prayer.

Now- I'm guessing that you are thinking how great and normal that
lesson was right?  well don't worry- theres more. we are in Russia of
course. So in the middle of our discussion she said that she wanted to
give us something to drink. we said no tea or coffee and she said she
knew that- she wanted to give us Birch tree juice.  huh
uh....ya....straight from a birch tree and then they add some stuff
and also raisins and its turns into this thick slime...haha and then
she wanted to feed us a spoonful of something "very healthy" and she
gave me some and she asked how it was "i told her i felt like i was
eating a tree" haha she laughed and said it was crushed pine cones or
something like that.  haha just so funny because we are having a great
spiritual discussion on which i am trying to concentrate while eating
a tree.

and it doesn't end after that. we also went by a lady who told the
elders she wanted to meet us. This old lady is a saint. her name is
Hadeshjda (Hope).  she is so great and just held the Book of Mormon
like it was her most precious possession.  it was great. I have been
praying really hard to leave my companion with some great new
investigators and we have been blessed.

well- that's the story.  i will try to find some more sleds for jake-
and i thought of a funny gift for the boys that is even more modern
Russian than old boxes. haha i will buy a few and you all can pick
what you want and then we can gift them to other people.

The church is true.  the Holy Ghost is our guide and needs to be our
greatest desire, just as it was for the nephites. If He is with us we
won't go astray.  So ask for His companionship and live worthy of it!

I love you

Sister Trottier

Your package came this week for Easter!  I shared alot of the candy with people here and they thought it was so funny. especially the peeps. The Mongolians were freaking out haha. but then me and my comp ate all the cadbury eggs in one sitting...which is way bad haha but we had fasted the whole day and couldn't stop eating them after! haha don't worry we ate real food first :) 

few random questions-  do we we have greenfield tea in America?  Don't worry, the herbal kind :)  and do you have gingerbread Twix bars?  

Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting.  Fasting Works.  Me and my companion fasted for our 3 main investigators, Tamara, Larissa and Olga in order to help them receive answers to their prayers and for us to know how to help them prepare to be baptized and for our new idea of how to help members do missionary work. (i also prayed separately that i could be nice and happy while fasting because you know i am bad at that, i need my food)  and guess what?!  Heavenly Father helped us out with all of it! Larissa's husband told us (she was at work) that she got an answer and said "I have decided i want to pay tithing and i am ready to be baptized"!!! Woooohooooooooo!!! i am so excited. This woman is incredible. She is so sweet and so sincere and just wants to do whats right. She loves the scriptures and the Lord. I think we could just be friends for ever and always. Maybe we were friends before.  Who knows?  and Tamara said to me "I'm going to get baptized before you leave.  I know i can do it! and i want to while you are here because you have done so much to help me".  She is so sweet and great! and Olga said that she had an answer that she knows our church is inspired of God. She says she isn't ready to be baptized yet, but she will be baptized she says.  And as with the members a whole bunch came up and asked us to meet with them this week!.  :)  Now as with my personal thing, fasting was a lot easier.  It probably helps that i learned how to pray correctly, thanks to the article in the ensign by Elder Bednar.  We need to pray for the enabling power and the capacity and strength to do what we need to do, not just to pray that it will go away or be easy, but that we can grow stronger.  Who knew i was praying wrong my whole life?  

we went to Larissa house and met with her and her husband and when we knocked he asked "who is it?" and i said "si-yos-tri"  (the sisters)  and he said

"zv-yoz-di"  (stars) ? haha he thought that i said that the stars were here! haha he thinks that is really funny and now he calls us his stars, "Larissa, we are so lucky that our little stars came today". He even bore his testimony and called us stars.  

Little Kiril bore his testimony. he is 9 and was recently baptized. His family and cousins all live together and we have been working with them to get them active. last FHE we talked about service and doing good works and made them a poster to write on the good works that they did this week.  he got up and told everyone that and said "So the next morning we all woke up and specifically (?) or "on purpose"? ( i don't know in English) - started doing good works and i thought "what can i do"". haha it was so cute.  

It rained alot this week.  but it was nice. i of course love the rain.  We also stated running every morning. its great great great!  There is a small track near our house next to a school and we go there. There are a few babushki who run too its great fun.

you know what is good here?  is Meat pie. I know, sound gross and before my mission when i heard about that kinda stuff i was grossed out. but it just means some kind of dough and meat cooked on it or in it. its really good.  i like Russian food. Maybe i will open up a Russian bakery or something. 

Don't worry, i have a list of all the things that i want to do and accomplish and try when i get home. I don't want to waste a minute!  you know i realized here how much you can accomplish in one day. and I'm not saying that its bad to relax and watch a few good films, just saying that if we plan we could do alot more. and if your plan is to watch a movie, color in a coloring book and lay on your bed listening to country music, fine haha that's a great plan!   just plan and try new things. 

what else do i have to say? i don't know....not much.  except our new thing is to talk to all the conductors on the trolley buses. we are pretty much friends with all of them.  Except the ones that don't like us.  now they ignore us....but the majority we are great friends!  we have started taking trolley buses because they are less expensive, cleaner and quieter so we can talk better to people. 

didn't hear anything about where i am going to live this fall this week? haha does that mean the stress is over and we bought an apartment and everything?  that would be nice. :)

Well- i think that's about all that i have.  I love you all so much.  I'm thankful for all that i have and the opportunity to serve the Lord everyday. I hope I am living up to what the Lord expects of me and that I am the type of missionary you all think i am haha.  Everyday i try to live up to that, you all write that you know that i am the best missionary ever. haha that's a lot to live up to but i am trying to do my best just to serve and to love. 

Hope all is going well there.  Say Hi to Jake and Audrey for me.  

Love Sister Trottier

See you on Monday over the Internet!

PS- Sami- whats a tablet?