May 11th

Hey!  So i just talked to you.....so i don't have much to say!  haha but i am sure i will be able to fill up all of my time rambling and still say nothing at all and a whole lot all at the same time! it was so great talking to you all. I love you so much!  It probably would have been easier after if we just went to go work, but it was lock down day for the Russian Victory Day so we went to the Senior Couples and watched movies and ate a lot of really good food! they made mexican food and strawberry shortcake and chocolate cake for someones birthday!  whew! it was a lot of really good food. and we watch Invictus and Tangled and How to train your dragon! :) it was fun but a really trunky day...and i felt like we just wasted ALOT of time....but it was fun. Today for pday we went to TGI Fridays and at a big cheeseburger and an oreo shake!!!! it was delicious!

 

I am happy that you got my package!  i was worried that it would never get here! people were telling me horror stories that their packages never got there! and keep eating the peanut butter stuff...it grows on you! or give it to my friends to try....hehe

 

i love you!  the church is true! sorry that my time is up! but.....tomorrow i will go to finland! so i will have cool stories to tell!  I started reading "Our Search for Happiness"  before i go to bed and when i eat breakfast.  its really good!  I will have to tell youa bout it later.  :)  ps. i have been typing so fast today that ihave a blister on my thumb from pushing the space bar...weird.....

 

I love you!

 

Sister Trottier

 

Mothers Day Talked

We got to talk to Heather on mothers day!

I was so great to hear her voice and she sounded so happy and wonderful it was great.

We talked for about an hour and updated her on our lives and asked her a billion questions.

Her Russion sounded great and to our professional ears she was pretty much perfect! She even told us a very excited story about one of her investigators in Russion without alot of pauses or hesitations. (then she translated it into english so we knew what she was so excited about)

At the end she bore her testimony in Russion and made everyone cry and then we had issues hanging up but we did it eventually.

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

April 27th Happy Easter!

It was a good Easter week!  The Russians LOVE holidays!   I felt like I had to
keep up our Easter traditions so last P-day we went to the Senior Couples
apartment to dye Easter eggs and I made everyone egg salad sandwiches! It was
really good! :)  It felt just like home...except not... On sunday everyone was
so happy, all of the members and people were happy to talk to us!  They all say
"Jesus Christ was resurrected" to you and then you have to respond "yes its
true, he was resurrected"  but it sounds better in Russian...just sayin.  It was
so happy and great!  All week our spiritual thoughts have been on Easter, and my
new favorite church picture is in the back of the Ensign. It’s of the Tomb, but
it is not like other pictures of the tomb.  Normally they are looking into the
tomb, but this one is looking out!  I LOVE it! It’s incredible, it is our hope
to live again, it is our hope to have new life through Christ.  Just look at the
picture and you will know what I am talking about...I think.


So the remodeling of our bathroom has been a pain this week. Instead of having a
bunch of meetings we have to stay home while the workers destroy our bathroom.
But I took this opportunity to talk to them about their beliefs and families and
about ours :)  They think we are just a little crazy, but i think they like us.
We have also gotten to know our landlady pretty well- she speaks english kinda
and It’s fun to talk to her in runglish. She loves us and is interested in a not
investigator type way of what we believe...but maybe later :)

Yesterday was pretty crazy because our investigator freaked us out when she
started talking about reincarnation!  This is Galina who is getting baptized
next week. But once we explained what we believe, she was a little disappointed
but very very humble and said she would believe this too. She is so amazing and
so excited and ready to be baptized! she said, "can i invite my friends and
family when i get baptized? "  um....YES!  haha  whenever we go to her house she
makes us really good food which is good but they always make us eat EVERYTHING!
if i come home really big, you will know why.....its all the women and
grandmas.... 


Yesterday we were contacted by the Jehovah witnesses :)  it was pretty funny,
actually they were really nice and just said they wanted to say hello and talk
to people who were also teaching of Christ.  They were really nice and wished us
luck with our work. 

Anyway, today isn't a very long email because i had to figure out mothers day
stuff and my brain isn't working today very well :) 

Love you!

Sister Trottier

April 20th

Hello family!  Email is working now!  HOOORA!!


 So now I have to write for two weeks worth of stuff! First of all thank you to
Michelle and Tyler(Aunt and Uncle)!  You are great writers! You both write me more than two of
my siblings (Ahem...)  speaking of - Jake and Audrey it’s about time you write
to me this week ok?  At least 4 sentences each!  Anyways, Michele and Tyler i
love receiving your letters and hearing about what you are doing. I am flattered
that you share my crazy scatter brained letters with your priests i don't know
how much they help but i will do my best to make them worthwhile :) as for
advice?! haha i don't know! study on your own! know the gospel first! love the
gospel and apply it so that you can share with them how much you love it.  
Tyler asked a few questions and it will probably be interesting to everyone
so.... He asked if a lot of the men have drinking problems and that is a YES!
not just men, it is everyone.  They love Vodka.  I now know what it smells
like-it’s like this sweet moldy strange smell but yes it is a HUGE PROBLEM!  At
the stores they have rows and rows of alcohol!  The food is pretty good- i have
tasted a few things that i don't like, for example fat and liver and beet salad
but other than that it is pretty normal. They like mayo.   At every party we
have bread with an inch of mayo and sausage and cucumbers on top. It’s like the
party/fireside/ everything food for Russia!  There is a whole section in grocery
stores for sausage - like ten million different kinds!  I haven't eaten any
cabbage but my comp says that they use it for soup in the winter but it’s warm
now so no soup.  I loved Tyler’s letter! I would like to share with everyone
something that he said,


"May you always remember that you have the privilege, honor and power associated
with representing Christ. He will be with you in all things. Despite the fact
that you have a missionary companion, it is Christ that should be your constant
companion. With Him all things are possible. Draw inseparably close to Him
during this amazing time of life."


I LOVED this and it has given me hope and made me happy these past two weeks!
thanks Ty!

It is now warm! we don't wear coats any more and people get mad at us but it’s
warm!  We don't even wear jackets and the buses are soooo HOT!  They have this
fear of drafts so they won't let us keep the windows open if it’s even a little
windy or cold so it’s like a green house in the buses-----gross. 

Words of Melanie (she said in p.s. that all their snow is gone now)

One day last week we met this man on the street and he just started talking to
us about the church! It was sweet!  He knew all sorts of things and I pretty
much taught him the first lesson on the street and then he asked about hymns and
asked if we would sing one with him.....right on the street-so we did and he
loved it! We have had really good contacts this week and one even turned into
our new investigator. Her name is Dasha and she brought along her boyfriend who
has been searching for religion!  pretty sweet! When you work-Heavenly Father
puts people in your path, it’s amazing.


On Sunday last week this man stopped me- he thought I was Russian)- and gave me
his sons number and told me to call him and he wanted our numbers so his sons
could call us (he has two) and he told us that they would be good husbands and
then he tried to hug me and I was pulling away and he kissed the back of my
head! haha and my companion said i squealed! (how do you spell that?)  so I have
been kissed my Russian grandpa :)  oops!

I seem to pick themes for my work and right now it is from EFY 2007 the song
called "as I am".  It reminds me that Christ accepts us for who we are- we have
a place with Him and he loves us no matter what,  BUT his plan for us is to
continue to get better every day!  If you have the time and means listen to this
song, it is incredible!

Our baptism for Masha was on Saturday!  Yay! Of course I was stressing out but
it ended up going beautifully!  PS no one told me that Maria was getting
baptized! that is something that i should be informed of! I could have written
her or something! But anyways mom- on the same Saturday we both gave talks on
Baptisim!  sweet huh?  and my talk talked about her being a princess of God and
I made her a tiara and everything and we gave her flowers and talked  about how
she is promising to be a princess of God and act like one :)  the adults thought
it was silly but she loved it!


I have to tell you all my feelings about my mission at the moment- I am so
thankful that I am here. I cannot believe that my whole life I did not want to
come. I can’t imagine how my life would have been had I not come.  I have
changed so much and I have only been here for like 5 months. What I thought was
important before is still important- but I now realize what is the most
important! I don't even know how to describe to you what I am feeling but I feel
as though I will be able to say like Elder Holland " my mission meant everything
to me".  I feel like I need to send out a mass apology letter to all those that
I knew in the past! But also in the future because I know I won't be perfect!
haha! But I know because of my mission I will be better!

I have come to have a LOVE for the scriptures. I sit down at my desk- I turn on
my lamp and get my black pen and pink colored pencil out and open my scriptures
- the whole time I feel this....warmth..this hunger..and...this something from
way deep down inside of my soul (it sounds better in Russian) and I just know
that I will learn more today and realize more and come closer to my Savior
today!  I just love it! Ii think "yes it’s time! It’s my time to read!"  and I
feel this power surge into me, it starts way, way deep down inside of me and
fills my whole self!  - now that sounds really silly I know-but I want you know
how I feel :)

As I have read the New Testament,  I have found a great love for Peter!  I love
him! He is so incredible!  His nature is to immediately do whatever he can to
help the Savior, to love Him and to serve him.  A lot of times the Savior had to
say, no Peter, not like that - but Peter was only doing what we thought was
right and immediately when Christ says to change, he does!  He immediately goes
to the Savior.  Right when he knew it was the Savior walking on water he asked
to come to Him.  When he knew it was the Savior on the shore at the end of John
he JUMPED out of the boat and swam to Him!  When Christ was washing their feet
he said he would not let him, but when Christ explained, Peter said "not just my
feet..", Peter cut off that mans ear but Christ healed it. I think you know what
I am talking about! Peter is incredible! I think we can all learn a lot from
him!

I am also reading in Ether and love it!  Today I read about their journey in the
boats! What faith they had!  They got into boats, they couldn't see anything and
just said, alright we trust you. They gave themselves fully to the Lord!  wow!


This week we have an interesting situation, we are getting our bathroom
remodeled or something- not really sure I could understand it all, but there are
Russians running in and out of our house and yelling at each other in Russian
and taking a hammer to our bathroom...and there is a toilet in our living
room..it is all very interesting. We don't have water for who knows how long! 
not sure!  no toilet, no showers, no water to drink-nothing----so  ya.......it
will be an adventure! haha!


Random thought- they have clothes for their dogs-at the store they have a
section for it! There are shoes and raincoats and running outfits and sweaters
and stuff! It’s pretty funny!


Pretty sure this was the most rambly of all my letters and they are all pretty
random...so good luck with that :) and I love you all!  Audrey and Jake -write
me this week ok?  I love you and read the scriptures especially the BOM.  They
are here to bless our lives and to help us. Use them to their full potential! 


I’m out of time of course :)

Love Sister Trottier

April 13th

Hey Mom,

We only have a few minutes to write today. It has been a good hard week of missionary work which is
always great of course! We have a baptism that we are preparing for on Saturday!
woo hoo!!  i can't even believe it! a baptism! who woulda thunk!?  right?  well
anyways i love you and i hope you will hear from me again later this week but
maybe not....but we will try.  I gave a talk in church this week and it is alot
easier here because there are like 40 people and they all know and love me and
say how great i speak russian, but its not really true! haha but they were
listening to the spirit and everyone speaks that language!  I would send you a
copy but its in Russian :)  isn't that so cool?! i think it is.  anywho i love
you! and tell Tyler thanks for the letter and i will respond next time!  Tyler
and michelle are great writers! better than even some of my siblings....ahem
:)  I found out the key to contacting is smiling and bearing testimony- the
smile intrigues them and they wonder why you are so happy and even here everyone
wants to be happy and to smile and then BAM you throw your testimony out there
and they don't know what hit them! its great! 
The church is true. 

Love Sister Trottier

Oh Hey

Hey Family :)

 

I just read sami's email about her wedding so i am now totally distracted and don't even remember what i was going to write!  It sounds like it was incredible! and I am sad......but not too sad. don't worry!  and i am happy to know that you found time to watch monsters inc on your wedding day! haha random! you are so great! But i am also worried that my Avery Baby (Huish) won't remember me when i get home!  I love that she called you a princess! And mom, i need you to find out who she is engaged to- Alyssa that is!  I need to know his name! that is so crazy! Is it Preston Rutter? haha I will just die if it is! haha!  anyways- i took too much time reading your emails so i have to be really fast now!   first here is a question- is chelsea dead? will you call her and make she is still alive and tell her i love her? 

 

Speaking of conference i am really embarrassed that that got on there! haha i was so nervous and shaking and sounded ultra silly! haha but i am glad that you got to see my face! and hear my voice!  haha funny funny!  we get to see conference next week and it will all be in Russian haha so that will be interesting! but i am excited to listen to it! its the best!

 

thank you for all of the emails- you are all the best!  and I will look forward to your package. the ZLs are in NOvo right now so maybe i will get it but i will try to not get my hopes up!

 

Now as for me and my new companion- we are getting along great!  She is awesome! and she is a twin so we are being each others "twins" kinda although i am a triplet, but it works!  My companion is pretty quiet and she doesn't like to talk on the phone so she delegated that responsibilty to me haha!  Which means that alot of the times i have no idea what is going on!  i thought russian was hard to understand but it is even harder over the phone!  I also need to work on her confidence!  YOu see i just talk and pretend i know how to speak russian and just laugh because more than half of it is wrong and she is embarrassed to be wrong or something i guess but i mean might as well just go for it right? haha the russians think im crazy i think cause i laugh so much but they like it.

 

Here is our best story of the week!    So we have an investigator named Galina.  SHe is really nice and legit!  she is how i want to be when i grow up. she has short spiky hair and it really spunky.  So we were supposed to meet her at her work so she gave us directions over text message and we gave them to the elders to translate for us.  we got to where we thoguth we were supposed to be and called her. but we weren't at the right place and she was trying to explain to us and she was getting frustrated and talking loudly and if i didn't know how russians talked i would have thought she was yelling at us but really that is just how they are.  Anyways for like 20 minutes we talked gibberish to each other until she finally realized where we were and she found us! but she wasn't mad she just felt bad for us and was hugging and kissing us and told us that next time we should just give the phone to a russian and they will help us! haha! anyways this is was the most interesting place i have taught a lesson, it was in a rinok which is an open air market.  she sells wood pieces like doors and molding etc so it smelled really good, but we were outside just sitting on little stools.  anyways she is super knowledgable and she practically taught us the third lesson!  she reads the BOM and highlights and reads all sorts of church books and she knows all of the answers! and so i said now Galina you know what i am goint to say next? and she just sat there and said "nada krestitsa"  i need to be baptized. and i said yes haha and she went off for about 10 minutes about how she won't have time in the summer cause she will have to work and all sorts of excuses and after all that this is how the conversation went :

 

me-  as missionaries we make goals, they help us to reach what we want to achieve and we want to make a goal with you to be baptized on may 7th

G-  whats specail about that day? (thRussians have this thing about being baptized on specail days)

Me- it is a very very speical day

G- why?

ME- it will be the most important day in your life because you will be baptized on that day

and then there was this long long pause and she said

G-  "moshna"  which means -  ok its possible. I can!!!

 

haha! i freaked out and siad the russian excited word that sounds like this "WHOOORAAAAAHHH"!!!!! and i even stood up and did it out into the Rinok! into the street thing!  haha it was funny but she smiled and thought it was funny! now we just have to work on the word of wisom!

 

Oh man! i never have enough time!  This week i was singing the song "I feel my Saviors love" and i was thinking about the words and it says "He knows i will follow HIm, give all my life to HIm"  and i was thinking to myself, how does He know that?  Does my Savior know that i will do that for HIm?  The only way that He can know that is if we do it!  we need to give him all that we have and follow HIm And then He WILL know that about us!  .....just one of my thoughts

 

for english club i gave the spiritual thought and i read the words I am a child of God for them and explained our beliefs from those and then the missionaries sang it to them.  ANd i was thinking that the primary songs really are our beliefs! how wonderful that the gospel is so simple children can understand it! and yet so complex and complete that it can fill all those that partake of it.  There is always more to learn!

 

sorry gotta go! i love you! 

 

Sister Trottier