Saturday, November 21, 2009

Weakness

21 November 2005
"We had a sweet day today. We were out contacting this morning and that was really good. I had a way good time there. We used some golden questions, and it went over really well. We got a lot of people's attention, and people listened to us. We came home for собрание округа, and had a good time with that. We talked about how we can talk with people better and how we can help them understand our message better. We all ate together and that was sweet. We planned our Thanksgiving day, and that should be cool.

Our first meeting was then with Раиса. That was sweet, and we had a way good time. She is great, and she is reading, and she is trying to understand the Book of Mormon better. She loves to sing and to chat with Маша и Аня. She told us that we can't come w/o them - we are going to just send them soon. We talked a lot about our weaknesses and about why we have them. We hope that she will be able to throw her smoking problem.

We all then went to see Афина and find out how she is and why she didn't come on Sunday. She just doesn't get enough sleep - she says that she is too tired (sounds like excuse for not wanting to go). We hope that she can get over that and that she will start coming. She really wanted to watch the 10 commandments but there was no time at all. Steiner and I then went out to get Theurer as we were on exchanges. Now I am with him, and we will be back together tomorrow. It is awesome to be able to be working and I love it!!"

Friday, November 20, 2009

Strong

20 November 2005
"We sure had an interesting day today. We went to the meeting this morning as always and that was alright. Of course it was good, but it was lacking. I think the main thing that didn't go very well was the talks were just lacking. I really wish that people would get rid of their books and stop reading in front of us. That is a major problem here. I am sure that it is not only a problem here, but everywhere. I have just noticed it so much on my mission and I wish that it would change. I guess that is one thing that we will be working on here. After that we tried to stop by to Раиса, but that didn't work out for us. We came home, and made a great big casserole with chicken, noodles, white sauce, cheese and broccoli. We ate well, and then we headed to work.

We had one meeting that worked out, and it was with Андре and his family. That was sure interesting. His Mom has fallen way from the church, and she is asking so many questions. She also has read anti-Mormon literature and has had some wrong ideas put in her head. She is not reading the Book of Mormon right now, but we hope that she will. I told her that I have had to strong of a testimony to get shaken. The Holy Ghost has borne witness so many times, and still bares witness that this church is true. That is something that I can't deny. I know that the Lord has restored his church. It is truly here on the earth and Satan is working hard to keep people blind. That's why we're here - to kick Satan's butt. The Lord's work will go forth without question. We must be faithful in this work."

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Question

19 November 2005
"Today was certainly an interesting day. We went out this morning to do some contacting and people didn't want to talk really at all. We walked around for about an hour with very little success. We did decide that there is a lot better way than to tell people that we are representatives - we have to give them a good question about what we want to talk with them about.

We came home, grabbed a bit to eat and then we ran off to play a little b-ball. That was a lot of fun, and we had a lot of missionaries. We got pretty dirty, but it was all worth it in the end. A couple of guys stopped to talk with us, and so that was good that it turned into a good missionary opportunity. Then came the собрание миссионеров. That was way fun too - everything was fun today - and we had a lot done there.

We then went with Маша и Ирина to a meeting with Афина. The meeting was way awesome, and we had a good time with her. She is such a great young lady. We want her to get baptized soon, but she has to start coming to the meeting is the main problem. She is way happy, and has a lot of energy. We came home, ate bread, cheese, and salami. We are going to have a good day tomorrow, and we hope that all works out. I love this work!"

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Good advice and food

18 November 2005
"Today was a pretty sweet day. We had a nice long time in the gazelle. We were in Engels for a Zone Conference and that was cool. It has been a long time since I was there, and I had a lot of memories come back. It was a good 2 months there, and I love to serve there. Victor - a guy that we contacted there - got baptized last Saturday, and that was way cool.

Conference today was a good one, and we talked a lot about крещение (baptism). That was way good and we learned a lot about how we can work a lot more effectively to prepare people for this important step in life. We have several investigators, but we don't know who is ready for baptism. We need to work with them and to help them a ton. I am excited to be able to have so much work.

We had Papa John's for lunch and that was way good. On the way home from Engels we stopped into Saratov and got ourselves some Шарума. It was way good, and it has been a long time since I have had such tasty food. On the way home, we talked forever and told a lot of jokes. It was a lot of fun, and we were all super tired. It was a nice long ride home, but we made it.

President gave me some good advice. He said that I should set a goal that I am striving for while I am here. I need to make a difference during my service here. It is something that I will be attempting to do, and I will have to think of what goal I want to set."

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Good day

17 November 2005
"Today was a sweet day. We were all over the place. We started out the day running to 3 meetings and stopping by home to get a bite to eat. We were ate a members house this morning and that was good. He is an interesting guy - Анатолий Смолькин - and he got baptized about 2 years ago. He is a good guy, and he wants to do home teaching.

We then met with an investigator - Гарик - who wants to read the Book of Mormon and know of its truthfulness. We are way happy, and he is a great guy. We had Максим there, and that was cool. We grabbed a bite of chili before we went to a meeting with another investigator Диама. He knows a lot about the church, but is kind of lost in the learning and not looking to the spirit. I felt the spirit guiding me a ton while we taught him, and that was way nice.

We then had to pay for the phone and later, send off a film for a referral that we had received. That was interesting to be in the Почта and we stood there for an hour. It was sure insane. We contacted for a bit after that, but it was way too dark. We came home and I got ready for my lesson and got all my things gathered before I taught the lesson about Mark 4. That was cool, and that was very helpful. We finished the night with молодежный вечер and playing. It was cool. We grabbed a Subway for our dining pleasure and then came home."

Monday, November 16, 2009

P-Day

16 November 2005
"It was sure an interesting day. I am not going to be a big fan of preparation day here. We don't have any time for meetings as we have English and then studying of hymns. Well, we don't really have much time, and it is kind of depressing to not be able to get out and work, but that is life I guess.

This morning we sat home forever, and did little. We did get the place cleaned up a ton and we go things in order here. It looks a lot better here and we can actually live. We ran to the store and bought a bunch of crap that we are going to live on somehow this next week. We then talked with the Хозяйка of the apartment of the other elders. We set up a договор and chatted for an hour. I was ready to kill myself, and we finally got out to the рынок. I didn't do much there, but I always love to look at things there. That is so sweet to walk around. Steiner bought his beanie and then we went and ate at a Russian place where they make pancake sandwiches and things. It was decent. And it was really really Russian. I meant that because the music, the style, and the cheap food for cheap prices. We wrote home before we went to English lesson. We sat there way too long, and I got really bored. I was ready to go, but the comp was still busy. We finally left, and went to English... We chatted with people forever - after the lesson and introduced them to the church. Hopefully something will come of it. I am ready for a good day tomorrow, and hopefully it will go well."

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Real Missionary

15 November 2005
"I am a missionary again!! That is right - I walked a ton, had meetings fall through, and talked with a ton of people on the streets. I was so happy to be out working, and to be doing the Lord's work. I was with Elder Brimley and this morning we went out contacting and had a good time chatting with people and getting to know them. We didn't have a lot of success, but at least we were working and it was cool.

We stopped home for like 40 minutes and grabbed a quick bite to eat before we went to a meeting with a bunch of grandmas. That was really what it was, but it went way good so that was sweet. We then had a meeting with some members - Червыковы - and talked with Костя about his drinking problem and what he has to get rid of it. It was very useful. We headed to a guy in the hospital and had a good meeting. The guy talked about the verse in John and how it should be в начале был звук у Бога, и звук был бук (boot). He said it was mistranslated. We laughed, and tried to keep things serious. He is a good guy.

We did a few more things before we ended the night with some less actives. The guy got offended on someone in the branch here and he doesn't want to do anything in the branch now. The problem is all over Russia, and it is so hard to deal with. People just need to humble themselves and need to work!"