Cepta's Conference

Hello once again,

I'm just sitting down after playing some Frisbee and soccer with about half of our zone. It was fun but man am I out of shape -I think I'll take up jogging again after the mish to reminisce about the mish and get to know my music again 8) The work is going well.

We have two baptismal dates right now but they are both kind of on the weak side. One is a girl who can't come to church on Sundays because of work -have to move it already, and the other is young and her parents are against religion in general and she's scared to talk to them. But both either way, they have had a good experience with the church and hopefully at some point will make the steps if not now.

The sisters' conference was great -was just us with the APs and President and sister Harrison . They covered steps on teaching better, controlling situations better, and we contacted for a couple hours switching up companions talking directly about baptism with people. It was cool and we'll really try to perfect our methods with this, and find something that works.

It'll be an interesting transfer this next week because there will be a threesome somewhere with the sisters until a girl from Ukraine will come out next transfer at the end of October and we'll be even again. Then the transfer after that four will go home leaving us still even and if I went home when the original date happens -Jan- three of us would leave leaving it odd again so I'm thinking -me extending is 99% sure thing just to keep things even. Yea for coming home in March! Um....but yea, so we'll have a three-some for a transfer and I'm pretty sure I'm staying in center (only here two transfers) and the apartment is too small for a 3 some. Right now I'm thinking the 3 some will be in either Volgograd or Tagonrog and we're both thinking that sister Fourtina (my comp) will get a transfer cause she's finishing her 3rd transfer here right now and it's only her first area. They normally move you out of your first area before too long. It's sad because we really love working together and we have more unity in teaching etc/on the same page more than any other companionship I've been in. I almost don't want to start at ground 0 again with someone, but o well...a part of the mission life. I'm feeling like more and more I'm gonna die in Volgograd because that's the only place I haven't been in the mission -either that or go back where I started in Krasnodar. O well, it will be cool...I mean FREEZING!

Well, this week did have one thing of note but it's one of those things that I won't be mentioning til after I get home (now I know you're all thinking: What?! Oh come on. what happened?!) Haha, but that's ok, just one of those things that needs to be told in person. But no need to worry all is well and I know that we are constantly being protected by all of your prayers and the Lord for our service -so keep em' coming.

Oh mom! I forgot almost, for the package please send me a good journal doesn't need to be huge in length/width but thick. It's soo hard to find a good journal here (go for unique if you can, all my journals are so different from each other and I like it)

Steve, thanks so much for the email! I'm not sure if I understand the part about Molly....but anywho I'm sure she's a ...molly Mormon- right? Anywho, keep up the good work at school and say hey to Agard for me (if he's still there, I don't even remember anymore with all the changes in that place). Dad, thanks for the updates -glad to hear that we're so far undefeated.

Amanda, sorry to hear about your grandfather -I know you were really close to him. The longer I've been out here the more clearly I've realized the true reality of life after death and it's almost ridiculous how short of time we have here on earth. Which on one side comforts when dealing with the temporary seperation of loved ones, but on the other side it's too much like my mission right now: racing by and the second we start to feel like we're really doing something and progressing, it's over. I guess what I'm saying is that I hope I can always be conscious and aware of every moment and make it count -I'm only 22 and yet I've let sooo many moments/opportunities fly by or at least let them fly by without really giving them the recognition they deserved. I wish I could be there to just listen to you and your feelings etc. -not that I can give that good of advice but I understand how helpful it is to just talk to someone.

I love you all so much. This mission is so hard -it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I'm glad it's that hard cause it means the most to me. I'm learning so much and I hope I can continue to push myself, continue to pick myself back up and keep going despite tears, frustrations, or set backs. I know that God will never ask us to deal with more than He himself had to deal with and that we can deal with anything through His help -all is possible. If I could make a request of you: please don't take the knowledge you have for granted. I know it's hard when you've known it all your life -it's like breathing or sleeping, we just don't' think about it and the amazing restorative power it gives us. Just please try and find time each day to really think about and appreciate the knowledge you have. About God -who He is is/His identity. It's soooo simple and elementary to us but it's ALL important. We have a prophet of God a REAL prophet of God in our day....that's HUGE! Do you really realize how amazing that is and that we know it and can benefit from his counsel?! And yea...we know what man has been wondering about all of his existence. Where we're from and whether there is life after this one -where we go and even more so, that we can control where we go based on what we do here. Please remember to remember how great this is and let that drive you to share this knowledge when that tempting voice speaks in the back of your mind: He will think you're weird don't talk about that with him, or ...they're prolly already members-this is Utah after all.... It's better to ask first rather than regret later and hold someone back from getting to partake of the knowledge we have.

I love you and am so grateful for your prayers and have literally seen them being fulfilled in front of my eyes -please keep praying for us out here in Russia your brothers and sisters out here especially need it right now.

Love,

Cectpa Richards