"Pal-menie" - Yummmm!

OK, so let's hope this email fares better than the last! 8) I'll try to not push any buttons.

So my first full week in Russia is done. I'm already really getting used to the cultural differences and feeling a little more comfortable in my very American skin in this different environment.

So my companion, yes she's from Siberia and soo funny. She's a lil' spit fire that's for sure which is good because it's hard to be bold at this point for me. Just yesterday we were knocking at "ch-a (as in apple)-sties" which is where you're on the street/sidewalk and there's fences either wood or metal-normally metal, with numbers of the houses on the fence. We knock on the door and the person comes out of their house and to the gate and normally says " ka-toe tom" (phonetically spelled of course) and we say missionaries through the fence and normally they open the door to see what we want etc. Anywho, yesterday we were knocking and one man came out and I couldn't tell all that was said obviously but I could tell enough to know that he didn't think much of us and my companion who normally just says, sorry to bother, goodbye actually started arguing right back with him about, well what did Christ do when he was on the earth-I guess he was calling us foolish for walking around and sharing a message about Christ. Anywho, she did it in good taste but it's amazing how fast the Russian language gets when they're mad, haha. Though right after we were walking down the sidewalk and a man came up to us and asked if we talked about God etc. and how his wife and him were interested and to come back later-so the Lord does bless us for defending him. 8)

Actually it has gotten pretty cold here-even my companion is just as cold as I am. She keeps saying, I don't know how I will return to live in Siberia if I'm cold now-she told me stories how sometimes it's so cold that every fifteen minutes you need to move your face around/rub it or your cheeks will turn white and then after the skin will peel off and bleed. I guess it could be worse right?

Well our apartment was pretty humble, but we're working hard to clean it and it really does feel like home now. It's an apartment-just us, it's basically a living room off to the right of the door, a room right in front of the door that's our bedroom and the kitchen to the left, as well as a shower and toilet to the left. The shower has it's lil quirks I suppose. It's a tub and there's a box on the wall. The following is how I take a hot shower: first turn on the water, then turn on the gas in the box and then light a match and then increase the flame depending on how hot you want the water. Also the shower head isn't really mounted so one hand holds the shower head and the other scrubs but it works. 8)

The food isn't bad here, in fact because of all the warm, filling, starchy foods that we eat every day I won't be surprised if I have to watch my weight before long. A lot of soups, potatoes, vegetables, their dairy is really good and fattening-yogurts etc, their juice selection is most excellent-every combination of fruits you can think of. They even have watermelon juice though I haven't tried it. There's this stuff called "pal-menie" which is noodle with meat stuffed in them that you fry or boil which is really good and yesterday we had these things that I can't remember how you say it but it was so good- kind of like a crescent type bread but with mashed potatoes inside or cabbage or whatever you want-really good, espec. on a cold day.

Um...a funny moment from yesterday: we got on the tramvi (streetcar type public transportation-like tracks in salt lake only a few cars and much dirtier/older etc). Anyways it was sooo full of people that we couldn't even hold on to the rail things up above and we didn't need to cause everyone formed this mass organism that moved together. The conductor worked his way through this crowd somehow-I don't know how- and it was just so funny. For some reason me and my comp couldn't stop giggling which was even more funny cause in public it's not a very giggly/smiley place esp. in a streetcar crammed full of grumpy Russians. It was great.

Yesterday we taught two different people the second lesson and I actually participated more though it was kind of rusty but it was good to open my mouth and show that I can speak. One of them is really golden-already read through first Nephi from our last visit on Sunday and is really accepting. Next time we will teach the third lesson and hopefully get a baptismal date. We heard yesterday from our ZLs that President Harrison said that we were the most successful sister companionship in the mission as far as working hard and finding people to teach. I can't take much credit since I can't really communicate effectively but my comp says that I really make her want to work hard and be better which I guess has helped us work hard. Basically we knock a lot-every day, which is hard and cold but you just have to get out there and do it, otherwise what else is there to do?

Thanks for all your emails-I'm really excited to hear about every one's news. As far as packages for Christmas etc-it seems that lots of people get packages. At this last zone conference they had packages and mail for lots of missionaries so it seems doable-obviously don't send super valuable things but I wouldn't mind some warm socks, big scarf, something along those lines. We get mail/packages every zone conference so we'll prolly have another one just before Christmas.

The work is hard but it's good. I've bought my first pair of Russian boots-quite fashionable, not really 8) and I will buy a winter coat today and some odds and ends. I love you all and hope that all is going well in your lives. I've really learned the importance of faith while out here-to have faith that you are here for a purpose and that God is able to do what he says even if you can't see how it will be done. All we can do is work hard and trust that it will happen somehow and it will-all he needs is a willing vessel and he will take care of the rest.

I love you all!
Cectpa Richards