Preparing

15 August - 2005
"Well I am going to make it a quick one tonight as I don't have a ton of time and I am getting ready for the Council for Zone Leaders tomorrow. We have been in the office for awhile today and so that means that I have and a ton to do. Well this morning we can and I got some stuff ready for MEC today as we had to do today instead of tomorrow because of Council. Well this morning I and to do a ton with that and I had to get a ton ready to go. We had District meeting and that went really well and I enjoyed that although I got pulled out for silly things today. The sisters are awesome here and they had a ton of lessons and worked really hard. They are way awesome. Well we had MEC and that was awesome. I found out a ton of things that I had to do. I have to call everyone and get information from them and things ready for him to go to Moscow. Well we are working hard on that right now, and so I have to call a bunch of people. After MEC we ran to the FHE and that was good actually. I had a good time there and I enjoyed it a lot. I was really glad to be there and to be able to translate. There was quite a few people there and so that was good. We then came back here and now I am busily working on calling people and getting things done here in the office and getting ready for Council tomorrow. Well I am excited and I think that things will go good tomorrow. We have good things planned for them and they should have plenty to do and I know that I sure do. I guess we will see how things will be going tomorrow."

Russian - Balakovo Rumor

14 August 2005
"Я буду писать на русском сегодня потому что я хочу. Сегодня мы отдыхали много и мало работали - даже мы не работали короче. Мы были на собрании сегодня утром и это было хорошо видеть людей. Вячеслав там был и он будет проводить урок на следующей неделе - это отлично что он будет там и что у него обязнность теперь.

После собрания мы пошли к сестрам с асистиентами и кушали. Вообще было так вкусно! Они готовили нам щи (щей) и тогда плов! Также готовили нам очень вкусный салать и тогда торт. Было вообще отлично. Они такие хорошие. Будет грустно когда сестра Горлова уедет. Я надеюсь что будет еще такая отличная сестра здесь тогда. Короче они молодцы! Я их люблю! Мы были там очень долго (3 часа) а тогда мы приехали домой. На пути домой все сплетни начались. Кажется что Ст Андерсон с офиса, приедет за дочкой президента Колцова. Мы говорили много о членах в нашем приходе, и скажем что были многие проблемы здесь. Ну, мы добрались до дома и ложились и заспали. Ну мы проснулись и было почти восемь поэтому мы решили планировать потому что надо было поставить цели на шесть недель. Мы говорили много о Tom и мы думаем и имеем веру что он будет креститься. Нам надо сильно работать с ним и помогать ему понимать что есть одна истинная церковь. У нас будет хороршая неделя и занятая поэтому это хорошо. Также мы будем работать сильнее на этой неделе. Мы надеемся что все получится у нас.

Я хотел писать здесь о Балоково. Сегодня мы читали книжку и там было предложение написать один слух миссии. Есть такой слух что если ты будешь служить в Балково тогда у тебя будут проблемы. Именно там есть очень большой завод как Чернобль. Говорят что у людей всякий проблемы и что они не растут как обычно. Даже однажды у миссионера был опухоль маленький и он не знал. Он поехал туда и из-за радиации опухоль очень быстро вырос. Ему пришлось уехать домой но это спасло его жизнь потому что он узнал что у него был опухоль в горле. Слышал что там есть таблетки на всякий случай. Люди часто спрашивают меня служил ли я там потому что у меня мало волос и лысею. Ну, конечно это слух - на самом деле есть такой завод там - и может быть не совсем так, ну на самом деле этот завод занимает половину города и почти все, что видно когда ты приезжаешь в город. Вот одни слух нашей миссии."

Shopping

13 August 2005
"Another quick day over with. We had to do a log today, and overall it was pretty fun. This morning as always, we left early and went to the office to be able to type home. Things seem to be going well, and the fam is doing well. My brother is working hard and they are trying to find new people as is always the case. Well, I finished writing home and then we just sat in the office and waited for the APs to come. We waited for awhile and when they came they wrote home. We ate some chili while they did that, and then we left to a big shopping center - Московский торговый центр. We looked around for awhile, and it was way nice and cool. I didn't buy anything although I wanted to buy a tie. We looked around for a couple hours there, and it was really fun. We came back to the office and slept for a bit on the couch before we decided to do some contacting.

We talked with some good guys, and it felt good to get out again and to talk with people. We got a call about 8 and it was the APs - they had locked themselves out of the apartment so they needed us to open the office so they could find out the phone number of their land dude. Well, we did that and then we bought a watermelon on the way home - it only cost 2 dollars so that was sweet. Well, now we are home as usual and getting ready for tomorrow. We have had a good day, and I love to work. Life is awesome here."

Trainer

12 August 2005
"This is becoming into a habit, but I guess that it is all good as it means that we are keeping ourselves busy. We had 9 new missionaries that came in today and it was crazy. We were here bright and early this morning and we brought in breakfast for these new guys. They are really good guys and they know the language really well. I ran around doing everything that I needed and I worked on it for awhile to get things ready for orientation and everything else that was going on. It was sure a lot of fun and I had to print everything off and get it all set up. Well, I then also put everything together for the branch presidents and still have several things to do with that. Well we had orientation about 12 as we had planned and that went really well. Elder Ehlert talked a bunch and I enjoyed talking also about the mission. It is always a lot of fun to be there at the orientation and it was funny how tired the missionaries were. They wanted to die they were so tired. Well they lived through the orientation and we did it up well for them and they enjoyed it. Well, we then went up and ate again with Sister Davidik and as always that was good. We actually had some hamburgers from McDonalds because she didn't want to make anything. We had the Big n' Tasty and it was really really good. She also had salads and some other things and I ate right up again. Well we finished and I came back here and I worked on a few things that I had to get done for the day. Well that went well, and I was glad to finish the pictures for the missionaries and all. Well I then took one of the new elders with me - Elder Brimley - and we went and visited Stepan who gave us a bunch of excuses again. We then contacted a bit and it was a lot of fun. I really want to be a trainer I decided and to get out with a new missionary. I will tell President so that he knows when I get out of here. Well we came back and now I am tired but we are waiting for Elder Hunsaker and then we will be going home for the night. I am excited to be here and love the service. It was such an awesome feeling to be here with a new elder and I really miss working. I love the work and know that this is where I should be. I love it here."

Borsch and Service

11 August 2005
"Well, another day to end here in the office. We have been doing a ton and we have been in the office for most of the day. Let's just say that I am ready to go home and to stop. I am sure tired. We got here at about 8 this morning, and then we just sat and worked. Well, we did have service this morning at 11 at the hospital again. We there moved some stuff an cleaned up. It was sure crazy. My parents wouldn't believe what it is like there. It is definitely not a place that I would want to lay down and to wit. Well that was actually a lot of fun, and it was good to be able to be there with some other people. We were there for a couple of hours and then we took off back here to the office. Here in the office I just did everything that sent me going crazy. Well I got stuff ready for these elders that will be leaving tomorrow and they are still here with us right now. it was a lot of fun. Well then we took off to go up to eat with President and that was really good. I ate a ton as always and that was nice. I love to eat with president of course so that is good to eat with them. Sister Davidik is a really good cook and she actually made some borsch today too, so that was good. Well since that time I have been getting things ready for tomorrow, and I have also been getting the list of phone numbers and things ready for president that he wanted for all the leaders here in our mission. Well, we are getting ready to leave here in a few minutes and we have been here all day. Tomorrow will be another long one, and it should be a lot of fun. I am excited to have the new ones coming in tomorrow and it will be a blast. Off to home we go and to get ready for tomorrow!"

Long Day

10 August 2005
"It was a decent day other then the bad headache that I had today. I think the main reason is because of the deprivation of sleep that I have been getting. Right now it is already 10:30 and I am still writing in my journal because I want to write everyday. Anyways, tomorrow I will be busy again, and hopefully tomorrow we can get out early to work. We today actually got out a ton. We started by going to the office early, after which I left with Elder Lunt. We went and fixed his internet stuff as they will be moving. Well, is happy and he told me that I am able to multitask very well, and that I have old wisdom - that's a compliment. Well, we went back to the office and I couldn't get anything done, but we ate fairly well - the chicken again. We then went to a meeting with Tom. He is such a great guy and I love to meet with him. His wisdom and understanding are insane. I can't believe he's not a member. Well, I then was able to get a little bit done, and I was able to calm the head down. Well, Elder Kirk and I went to Анна's house and wow it was nice. She had real carpet and it was way cool. Витя was with us and he's cool. We had a good time with her. Well, we ran back to the office as we had a ton to do, and we had to get the missionaries figured out. Tonight Витья is with us and soon Nance and Bennett will be coming home. I had better get to bed or I'll never live through the day tomorrow."

New Elders

9 August 2005
"Well, it was a long day, but it was a sweet day. We were with President almost all day. I love to have MEC as always. We talked about the mission and all the things that I need to do this week - I keep busy from all the stuff I get from the meeting. Well, there are problems as always, but the work is going fairly well. We also talked a bit about a ward and how it is built. Well, after the meeting, I got started on some of the things that I have to do this coming week. Well, we ate chicken cordon blu again and that was really really good. I am way glad we bought that as it tasted way awesome. We left to get the new elder from Ukraine and we waited in the airport for a bit. Elder Kirk and I both slept on the way there. We are both really tired. We had some time back at the office and then we did new missionary orientation. That went well, and I was happy to do that. I love when new missionaries come in. It is always a booster. Well around 8:30 we ate dinner with all the Davidiks. It was a ton of fun. It is a lot funner when there is less people there. I ate way too much and shouldn't have. I don't feel too bad right now, but all right. Well, we talked for a bit and had a good time before coming home. What a joy to feel the spirit of new missionaries. I can't wait for friday - 9 new missionaries will be coming in."