YAYAY!!

Hello friends!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILEY RAE AND ZACHY POO!!!!

This week was great! I feel like we didn't get a lot of meeting this week, so we spent some lovely time on the streets! 

Monday was great! We had to spend the evening inside and we got a lot of good work done.. but then we also went a little stir crazy!!! haha so I have some funny pictures hahaha. We think we are so funny!!! 

Tuesday I was on splits with Sister Moore! it was an interesting day!! It was hard because it was a holiday so we couldn't street contact, but it was a holiday so everyone was busy for the holiday. Did I say holiday enough? hahaha. So we tried to do a lot of stop-bys with members. we went and tried to meet with Axxxxx, but we were met instead by a half naked man! haha we got out of there pretty fast. Then we went to another member Ixxxxx, and we had a really good spiritual thought with her! Then we went to the Rxxxxk to try and find Dxxxx but she wasn't there so we went to the branch and helped set up for the dance for a bit which was fun! Then we just went home and had studies and I heard about Sister Moore's trip to Europe which was super fun! ( and SSSOOO LONG hahaha)

Wednesday we had an awesome lesson with Axxxxx with a member Vxxxxx who just returned from his mission! It was a good lesson:) I think Axxxx is so ready and accepting of the gospel and he has a little desire, but not the burning desire that we often hear about:) slowly but surely! 

Thursday we met with less active Alxxx who is really struggling with her testimony. The elders told us that they wanted to help us reteach her the lessons which was fine, but after our  meeting with her we think she may need a little bit more loving.. she knows the material but pretty much told us that she thinks that everyone at church is a hypocrite and that she thinks that God has not answered her prayers for 10 years... also her son just barely moved back in with her and honestly he seems like a  goober. He is 30 years old and when we were there he came into the  kitchen with his shirt off and asked him mom to make him lunch. so yeah I think she needs a little loving:)  she is such a sweetheart! 

Thursday we also met with a member Ixxx Yxxxxx and she is so amazing!!! Oh my I absolutely love her guts:) I need to get a picture with her! she told us all about her family though and her parents and how she found the church... and maybe she has already told us this story.. but now I understand more hahaha;) but man It just made me think of families and how  dysfunctional families are here in Russia. And like I don't mean to say anything bad about Russia, but I have just seen how the family unit has been torn apart here. First off there is hardly any families here and if there is a family, 90% of the time there is not father present (OK maybe I made that up but that is how it feels hahahaha) so I have been thinking a lot about families this week and how I want my future family to be! also I may have been a little homesick this week hahahaha;) 

Friday we had Zone conference! It was so great! I will try and send some pictures:) but we pretty much just got taught some really great things and well it was just awesome. President Miner gave us some really great pointers on teaching the first lesson and we also talked a lot about repentance which was phenomenal. I think that that is what I have learned  about so far is the power of repentance and the sanctifying power of the holy ghost. :) I love the gospel! 

Saturday we served at Bxxxxx! A member in the ward, Sxxxx is trying to fix up a house for another member in the branch so we went over and helped. There was a fire in this house so pretty much the house is a wreck haha. The elders helped clear out the room and clean up in there while we cleaned the tub and then some of the kitchen. IT WAS SO MESSY hahahahaha oh man yeah... hahahahahaha I don't even know what to say hahahaha. I didn't take pictures of the bathroom but I have some of the other room that I will send:)

then we went and served good ol Rxxxxxn! he is my favorite! We shared with him a spiritual thought and then mopped his floors. 

Then we had interviews with President Miner and then we helped Sister Miner train the  Primary workers which was fun and frustrating:) the church works the same here, but  at the same time it is   so different. Sister Miner wants the Primary's here to work like the ones in America and it is just going to take a  lot of work:)  but it was a good training none the less!

Sunday was a good day! we helped sister Miner in Primary which was good! and stressful haha. but good :) 

I talked with President Miner in my interview about transfers. We will get the call this Friday and then on Tuesday we will change. he pretty much told me that Sister Beach is going to be transferred haha. We  don't know for sure but we are pretty sure that Sister Beach is going to be transferred and I will stay here. I am excited but nervous hahaha. I am happy to stay but I am just a little worried about my next companion... I think i will probably be put with Sister Moore which will be great! I am just a little nervous:) Sister Beach and Sister Moore are very different:) But I think it  will be good whatever happens:)  There is also a slight chance I will be transferred... but I am pretty darn sure I am staying here hahaha. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILEY AND ZACH!!!! I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!!!!! 

 

love you! 

HAMBAG

A week of miracles:)

Hello friends!!! 

This week was awesome!!!! I am so pumped!!!! 

Today and tomorrow are actually Russian holidays so we have to go in at 6. It is Man's day! So happy birthday, men! 

This week was awesome! We had a great FHE with recent converts Oxxxxx and Kxxxx and members Exxx and Axxxxx. It was a great meeting! we didn't say much, but we created a great friendly environment for some bonding!!! :) 

Tuesday we went and met with a member Dxxxx at the reinok. Dxxxxx LOVES missionaries:) she also really really wants to have all the missionaries phone numbers and so we talked for a long time about how many phone numbers she has in her phone. I love her! she is so sweet:) 

Wednesday we served at Axxxx's again and it was really great! He is working so hard on that house and just wants to get his family in there:) Such a good hubby! 

Wednesday night we went to English club and it was so cool! We thought our potential Axxxx, might come who we met the same night we met with Mxxxxxxx so we were super excited! When we got to the branch there was a lady there that no one knew! so I jumped on that opportunity and started talking to her and then sister beach and I did emergency splits because we had two people there at English club in different classes!!!! That has never happened!!! And yes, Axxxxx ended up coming at the very end:) so I had a good talk with Vxxxxxx and got her number and she seems really interested in... English... but we hope soon also in the gospel!!! Man it was such a cool night:)

Thursday we went and served member Alvera again! She is such a sweetheart and gave us jam:) 

 Sister beach and I are going to be so buff from all this service! 

On Friday we were on splits so I hung out with Sister Summers! We met with a member Nxxxxxx at the branch and talked for a while and then tried to find less active Lxxxxxx Bxxxxx who Sister McMurray and I served a lot. We got to her door and could hear her in there, but she wasn't answering. We stayed around for a bit and tried to call her. Then we went down the stairs to like the half platform place and just stood there and tried to decide what to do while we could still see her door. So after we had been down there talking for a little while we hear the door start to open so we just freeze and don't know what to do... then it stops and we both take a deep breath and then it starts to open again and so we are standing there and then WE HEAR HER DOG IN ATTACK MODE. MAN we booked it down those stairs SO FAST!!! and then Sister Summers was still a little spooked so after we made it out of the building we were still booking it hahahahahahahahahah. BUT HERE IS THE BEST PART. so we are waiting at the bus stop just saying that we can't believe that she would do that WHEN HERE COME LXXXXXX BXXXXX hahah so we talked to her at the bus stop and she said that she was just taking her dog on a walk and was super sweet but idk.. she had to have known it was us hahahaha. weird! So I told her we wanted to do service for her... just without her dog hahahaha! :) 

Saturday was awesome!!! Lvvv wanted to meet on Saturday and we called her Friday but she didn't answer so we were a little worried, but then on Saturdaymorning, SHE CALLED US BACK. yeah crazy right?! haha so she wanted to meet so we ran out there to meet! We got to the bus stop right around her house and called her and long story short, we were in the wrong place again haha. so I was freaking out and was thinking NOT AGAIN. but we prayed and then started walking to the bus stop we thought she was at and we ran into her! I told her we were happy to find her and she said she was too! She wasn't even annoyed! hahaha. But she invited us into her apartment and it was such a pretty apartment. She was super nice and we ended up having the first lesson! Boy oh boy. It went well:) We invited her to baptism and she has a lot of concerns, but she says she "isn't against Joseph Smith" and wants to meet again! So pretty much I am so incredibly PUMPED hahahah:) it was a good week can you tell? :) I think she is having surgery or something soon so she can't meet again until march 10. I am praying my guts out I am not transferred this transfer because I feel like the work is just picking up. But we will see! 

We also had Mvvvvv's baptism on Saturday! we invited Vxxxxx (who we met on Wednesday..) she said she would come... AND THEN SHE CAME!!!! she missed the whole baptism vabshay, but we met her in the door way as we were leaving and we had a nice little talk with her. I think she is starting to like us more:) She is a cutie! Oh and yes the baptism went well:) 

Sunday was interesting.... We went to church and then went contacting and as we were contacting we met with the recent convert Kvvvvv! we walked with her, went to a sketchy skate park and then walked through the woods... and then we sat down at a table and she told us she wanted to smoke. So we sat with her while she had a smoke. Trying to be normal hahaha. Then she wanted us to teach her bad words so we decided that was when we needed to leave hahaha. she is a sweetheart and is just going through a really rough time right now. poor thing. 

Well I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! 

My favorite study this week was in reading the book of Jonah. God prepared a life saving fish for Jonah and then later on in the chapter also prepared a Castor bean plant to give him shade from his grief. I feel like as a missionary and as people in general we always want to be the life saving fish but some days its ok to be a Castor bean plant:) and that is exactly what the lord prepared us for!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL

С большой любовью,сестра Price

Sister Beach

YAYA!!

Hello friends! 

Ok I am sending this in the mass email because Zach's email must not work ;) Will someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send me a picture of Zach and Lainey's wedding invitation? that would be just wonderful. 

This week was a great week! We did a lot of service this week and it was so awesome!! I LOVE serving! 

We served Axxxxx (who is the husband of the less active Bxxxxx). he is such a sweetheart! They have bought a new house out in the country side so me and Sister Beach helped clean up the yard- picking up trash :) while the elders destroyed a wall of a shed, took out some flooring, and took out bricks out of one of the rooms. I think Axxxxx really appreciated our help! their new house is so cute and it might actually fit them all in there so we are hoping to serve some more this week to get them into that house fast! 

Thursday we went to a member Axxxxx to serve. (she was the one that I served with Sister Mcmurray.. we took a picture and we were holding flowers and she had her dog). She is such a cutie! Her dad recently passed away so keep her in your prayers:) We hedged some bushes in the front of her yard! Me and Sister Beach are super buff now ;) But the whole time I was just thinking about dad cutting all the trees too short every time we did yard work at grandma and grandpas hahahahahaha. I told sister beach about that and we laughed about it and reminisced about our families:) (hey hey I'll see you soon) I love sister beach! She has helped me a lot this week:) 

On Friday we were waiting during studies for the water people to bring our water so we hear the doorbell ring and get all ready and I go and look through the peep hole aaannnnndddd.......

The police! So yeah that was really scary hahahahahahaha. They were pretty nice but yeah it kind of shook me up hahahaha. Just a good reminder of where I am! hahah But everything is fine and they just wanted to see our documents and stuff. We have had such a time with water! We have literally tried for a week to order water and something happens every time. hahaha Yeah I am a little done with that hahaa. But luckily the Sisters have a water filter so we just go and fill up at their apartment nearly every night hahahahahaha. oh man :)

We served Rxxxxx again on Saturday! Man I really like Rxxxxx. he is solid. And every time we go he just lays down some pure knowledge hahaha. He told us we didn't need to serve this time so we went in regular clothes to give him a spiritual thought and after we gave him the thought he asked if we could still serve (so yeah must not have understood that hahaha) so we mopped and then he asked if we could help him make borscht! We had plans that had fallen through and we saw it as service so we said that yeah of course we could! Well he starts making borscht and he wants me to write down everything that he is saying. We keep asking if we can help but he says, "no I just want to teach you how to do it." so hahah we sat there for 3 hours and watched Rxxxxx make borscht! the best part was that I started to try and tell him a story and he goes, "shhhh shhhh shhhh Price. this is a time for making food. It is very complicated and one needs to concentrate. talking is not needed." hahahahahahahaha man it was so funny! So yeah luckily after a little while he started to talk a little bit more which was good hahaha but yeah that was awkward. after 2.5 hours we just had to let it cook and so then well I don't even know how I figured it out but I figured out that he didn't want us to eat it with him hahaha. He said that we could only eat it the day after so we just awkwardly took out his garbage and then left hahaha so awkward!!! Luckily on Sunday he invited us over to eat, but we already had plans so unfortunately we had to decline that lovely dinner appointment hahahaha eeehhhhh :) 

We also had an activity on Saturday! the Elders put together an activity for the youth where we watched Meet the Mormons. lots of people came it was cool! We had like maybe 10 people there it was awesome! Also I love that movie. Also Axxxxx came. Also we tried to play ping pong after with Axxxxx but he wouldn't play without his personal paddle. Also I keep saying also. Also I love the song at the end of Meet the Mormons. Also I love when the dad is dancing like a goofball. Also I need to end this paragraph now hahahahha. 

Sunday we went and visited Exxxxx and Kxxxxx again!! It was so fun:) I love them so much! We were able to be there when they partook of the sacrament. Kxxxxxx told us how much she liked our spiritual thought and how much she loved it when we sang during our last lesson so she asked us to sing again:) She gave us cute little slippers and was just crying as we were leaving telling us how much she loves us:) I love them so much!!!!! They are some of my favorites:) I am going to try and get a picture the next time we go because I just love them so much and I want every one of you to meet these wonderful people! truly phenomenal. 

I have had dreams with a little bit of Russian in them before, but this week I had a dream where I was on the tramby and I kept trying to talk to these people in English but they didn't understand so I talked in Russian. Yeah Russian dreams! hahah 

Sunday we had a miracle:) Lxxx came to church! We were able to talk to her and told her that we just went to the wrong place and she was really forgiving and we just had a jolly old chat. I also got her RIGHT PHONE NUMBER and then she said we can meet on Saturday. SUCH A TENDER MERCY. I just kept thinking of the word GRACE. It is all in the Lord's timing and the way things happen is exactly how things are supposed to happen. But anyway Keep us in your prayers on Saturday. I really hope that will can be made into sufficient instruments in order to help Lxxx accept the gospel:) 

I am excited for this week! I love  you all and I miss you all! 

III LLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRBVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEE YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEE

hambag

Week (insert number here)

Hello Friends! This week was a great week!

First off, happy birthday week papa!!!!!! HAPPY AHAHAPDHFPAHFOAEHFAHF BIIRTHDHDAHFADYFADHADFDIFA!!!!! :) 

ok now I will share some highlights from the week :)

Last Sunday we went to try and find a less active but she lived pretty far away and so we took a taxi out to her to find her. Well we had a great taxi ride and the driver was a super cute old man who was super talkative! and we actually ended up having a great conversation about the gospel! I was able to have the first discussion with him which was super cool. I think it was the first time someone has sat down and listened to me give the whole first discussion solo! see I just need to pay them to drive me places and then they will listen!!! ;) No but really is was a really cool discussion and he kept on calling me Hannah and then also said that he felt something in his heart. He was so nice and we have his number and we tried to set up a couple of times with him this week but his car broke down and then he has been sick. hopefully this week! 

Tuesday we went with the Johnstons to our less active Axxxxx who we have been working with. Sister Johnston said she would like to look at some of her Tupperware so we went to her house and we had a whole presentation! it was fine when just Alvera was talking to us but about 45 minutes into our visit someone comes and IT IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMPANY so yeah that was really interesting! Boy he was a charmer hahahahaha. But he told us how if we change one word that we use we can change the way that we think and eventually our judgement before God. The words are spaseeba and blagadaroo (hahahah they look so funny in English hahaha) pretty much the difference is like saying "thanks" and "I am thankful to you" so yeah it was a pretty cool thought! But yeah translating is hard and I tried to say Tupperware with a russian accent and I said "two-perware" and everyone just had a hoot! hahahah it was pretty funny. But yeah Russians just say it like sounds tupperware hahahaha. 

We went back to Lxxxx..... had the scariest night of my life there hahahahhahah. I think that is a story for after the mission! 

We met with Gxxxxx again and had a bittersweet meeting. We talked all about our families and testified and did everything that we could and then at the end we asked if she would like to take the lessons and she said no. So that was a little hard... but she still wants us to visit and come and she has some service for us so maybe someday. Sister Beach still feels strongly that we need to visit with her and I think that she is right in the fact that she just needs a friend. her daughters all live far away- one in California. But yeah I think that she is kind of lonely. And hey she has become one of my really good friends:) 

Ok let's see what else... 

We went and visited with a less active Bxxxxxx again this week! she is so cute. Literally about 3 feet tall and has these two cute little kids. They have a tiny house and her older daughter who is 6 will be starting school soon and we asked "Are you going to miss Cxxxxxx when she goes to school?" and she said "honestly no!" hahahahahahahahaha It was so funny and I just loved it. She reminds me a lot of you mom haha. She also kept telling Cxxxxxx to sit like a lady haha. But yeah she is awesome! We are trying to teach her husband but she doesn't think he is ready yet. But hopefully we will be doing service for him this week to open up that opportunity to teach! But he is awesome. I think I already talked about him and how he brings them to church as of late even though he is hairy krishna (hahahahhaa hairy.. how do you spell that?!?!) 

Sister Beech's Birthday at the Mall!

Sister Beach's birthday was on Friday! SHE IS 20!!!! YEAH!!! we had a pretty normal day:) but we did go to the mall for lunch and then served a member named Rxxxxx. We dusted and mopped underneath his cabinet because it is hard for him to reach. WE WORE PANTS. IT WAS SO WEIRD. I felt so weird. I am going to be a weirdy when I get home hahaha. But we got some funny pictures with Rxxxxx and he also shared some history with us! he loves history about Russia and America so I think he was talking about in the 50's in America and how all the men were gone and how the women were like in charge and how he believes the judgement bar changed during that time to always be in favor of women. so yeah it was really interesting and a lot went over our heads! he said the first time he met with missionaries he thought they were going to beat him up but they just said they wanted to invite him to church hahaha. It was so fun to serve!

Serving Rxxxx?

We also had a lesson with Axxxx that night. Man our lessons with him just haven't been that great as of late. Last lesson he took a long time trying to convince us that he wasn't an FBI agent and then this last lesson he talked all about how he wanted to get married but not to someone his age. he also mentioned the he doesn't consider himself a religious man and were are like "what." but he is still progressing and doing great I just don't feel like he feels any kind of urgency and I also think that he sees baptism as the end step when really it is like just the beginning! 

Then Sunday we had a great fast and testimony meeting. Nxxxx and Sxxxx also blessed their baby (yeah I know like 1-2 weeks old!??!) and it was very sweet :) We also went to break the fast at the Johnston's which was fun! we went with all the young single adults. it was fun! That day we also kind of got lost on the bus but one of the YSA's also got on the bus and helped us find the less actives house! it was a tender mercy:) he also gave us gummy bears! It was such a tender mercy and I felt like Ammon in the book of Mormon when he felt really discouraged and an angel came and told him to go back and preach and when he went back he was met with open arms by.... hmmmm Ammulek? dang i forgot his name hahahaha. But it was a tender mercy:) Well I love you all! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!! 

С большой любовью,сестра Price

Star Wars in Russia!

Graceful missionary moments;)

Well hello hello!!

This week was a great week! This week we really focused on working with members and strengthening our relationships with them and I think it was a really great week! 

Thanks for the Gloves and Super Hot Cheetos - Send more Cheetos!

 

Yes Nxxxxxx had her baby and everything is just great!! the baby boy is healthy and happy (and as is the momma!) so thank you for your prayers! 

Curly Hair and Glasses!

This week we went to try and find our potential Lxxxx two different times because her phone isn't working. So we went to the other 1st Maya street and we think we found her apartment! But yeah that was really scary haha. We go into the apartment right after we pass all these kids probably just eating candy that they set on fire (right? haha). So we find her apartment and get to her door but there is a door before her door so we ring the doorbell and right after we ring the doorbell we hear some man just screaming. Like mad screaming. yelling. mad raging.  pretty scary screaming. We couldn't tell if it was coming from where we were going or if he was coming up the elevator or in the stairwell or in a different apartment. We went into this little doorway (man this is really hard to explain haha I should have taken a picture of the hallway) and we say a little prayer together. Right after we finish saying the pray this teenage kid comes and opens the door and we go into this different hallway and we get to the door that we think is hers. There is still scary screaming but we think it is from a different apartment. So we get to the door that we think is hers and all in all she didn't answer or it wasn't her apartment. So we left the cookies at her doorstep with a little note and pretty much ran the heck out of there haha. We went again to her house on Sunday in the day time and it was better- not as scary. Still didn't answer but WE WILL GET IN CONTACT AND TEACH HER THE LESSONS haha if it is the will of the Lord of course. But we are doing all we can! :) 

On Tuesday we tried to go and teach Gxxxxxx the first lesson (she is the one that speaks English and wants to help us with Russian) and we flat out asked if we could practice teaching the lessons on her but she wanted to do something else. So we told about our hometowns in Russian, ate some cookies, testified like crazy while talking about home and then also read and left her with a Liahona. I pray her heart will be opened! She is so prepared! 

Wednesday we dropped by a member Lxxxxxxx who is such a sweetheart but she is also really intimidating and incredibly confident. She is also gorgeous and has 6 kids. But we had a really nice spiritual thought with her about faith. The members here in Russia are just so awesome. They are so incredibly strong. BUT they have this cute yellow house and a turtle and a giant dog! and at the beginning of our meeting too she was talking to her daughter Mxxxxx and Mxxxxx was asking if 4 plus 4 equaled 9 and Lxxxxxxx was like "what are you talking about 4 plus 4 equals nine?! you learned that in the first class!" haha it was so funny to me but I think i just liked it so much because I actually knew what was going on haha. her daughters are so cute:) 

Thursday we met with a member Ixxxxx! She is such a sweet heart! She has this bright red hair that she wears in pigtails all the time. We got to her house and it is just tiny and very cramped!  Her son is on a mission and is coming home in about 2 weeks! she is so excited:) We sang a lot with her and looked through family pictures:) so cute! 

Friday we met with our less active who really wants us to buy Tupperware! She kept trying to get us to come to this meeting and I told her that we couldn't but I don't think Sister Beach knew what was going on because I kept declining and then Sister Beach was looking at the magazine and kept saying "oh man I want all of this!" haha man it was funny. we are like the good cop and bad cop sometimes hahahaha 

Saturday we met with sweet member Mxxxx and Branch President Pxxxxxxx (pres of branch) and so we went with the Elders because no one has ever met with him and well we were just a little nervous haha so we went to this stop and then he came and picked us up in his car (yeah I know?!?! no one here has cars) and then took us to his house. Yeah ok he is a millionaire. Literally. His house is the nicest house I have ever been in. He is also such a great guy. He showed us all his pictures of his trip to the church historical sites which was fun and then we also had a cool lesson on the sacrament. He is pretty sick. They still don't know what is wrong and he doesn't want a lot of people to know but he is going through a hard time. he then just bore his testimony and told us about how the missionaries found him and how he knows that god is mindful of him and I cried a bit in that lesson. He is awesome !

Sunday I also felt the spirit so immensely when one of the less active young men who has been trying to come back to church blessed the sacrament for the first time:) it was so awesome. I feel like so much of our work here is to help people return back to the fold and when they come back it is just so awesome. I feel like I get to get a glimpse of how our heavenly father feels for us:)

I love you all!! 

my favorite scriptures this week were Alma 8:14-15 (I read this after last weeks incident with Lxxx) 

and then this week
Alma 17 especially v 16.

I have a testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel and that God loves us! 

--

С большой любовью,сестра Price

Little Orange

Sister Derek - Casserole of Death

Yes, I biffed it.

My Black and Blue Knee