Preevet

Hello everyone! I would type hello but i have no idea how to spell it-lots of vowels etc...but anywho, thanks for all of your emails!

This week has been a good one. I seem to have caught a "nasty virus" (as the nurse called it) that seems to be running rampant here at the MTC. One thing I have to say is that it is a petri dish of filth here-every devotional is littered with people coughing left and right-a chorus of coughs if you will, but it's not too bad. My voice is a lil' hoarse, and my sinus are a lil' more active then I'd like, with a lil cough but I am loaded up on the de-congestants and gargling salt water and drinking lots of clear liquids so hopefully it will pass soon. They also told me to get plenty of rest to which I kind of chuckled....yea....I'll just pencil that in to my wide-open schedule. But my comp has been great letting me take naps during our MDT (missionary directed time) etc so i'm getting there. I would stay home and rest, but A). I don't feel as bad anymore, and B). that means my comp has to stay in the room twiddling her thumbs-the one thing I'm frustrated with as far as comp rules go, but what the hay.

In other news, our older missionaries in our branch are now gone 8( and on Sunday my companion Cectpa Kelemen, was called as music coordinator (I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't called) and I was called as coordinating sister which basically means I go to branch council on Sunday with the Dl's and Zl's and report on how all the sisters are doing in our branch. Since we're not getting anymore sisters til we leave (only getting 8 elders this wednesday) I think I can keep track of our sisters (all four of us and all roommates 8). It should be interesting though, and I have been asked to go to the meeting that welcomes the new missionaries tomorrow night which may mean we have to miss TRC this week 8(.

Speaking of TRC, last week (our first lesson in Russian) was interesting to say the least. We had two investigators in our room, one RM who was quiet but nice, and an older squatty man who was a native. Apparently he is well-known among the teachers because instead of being the golden investigator that he is told to be, he is known for giving missionaries a hard time. He's not mean or anything, but asks a lot of questions and doesn't really allow the first lesson to take place. Luckily between the two of us we semi-communicated. My comp could understand what he said better than me (man he spoke fast!) and I was able to come up with answers better, or at least coherent things to say that he could understand. It was definitely humbling, and even though we didn't really teach the first lesson, but tried to answer his questions (not knowing how to take control of the situation in Russian) it def was a reality check and reminded me that I'll get to russia and prolly not really understand one thing people were saying. So it was good practice to put myself in that situation and get used to the feeling of "I have no idea what you're saying". It'll be less shocking for me I'm sure.

Now me and Cectpa Kelemen want to get him again just so we can take control of the situation and teach him-apparently he told the elders after us, that we did a lot better than they did (I don't know what convo he was listening to, but the spirit must have helped cause I have no idea what we were saying). It helped us though because we went after and decided to learn how to explain certain things like the Holy Ghost, and what makes us different as a church etc (in Russian that is).

Mom, just curious but I was wondering if the idea of me getting those glasses would pan out at all as far as the new insurance goes etc, if not it's ok-just let me know. I'd just feel better to have a hard copy of my current perscription/sturdy, up-to-date glasses, but if not it's fine. And as far as sweater vests; anything is fine-not white, just color, lots of colors 8).

The weather has been beautiful here and I've really enjoyed it. Today we went to an earlier session just to change things up and see the other version of the movie shown, it was refreshing and the spirit was def there.

Mike and Jess, thanks for the pics! I loved them and will keep them in my folder to look at 8)

Andrea, I'm not sure if I should be writing you emails, but I'm thinking it may be a lot easier than you having to mail something all the way to Russia (shrug) and you're basically my sister right?? Haha, just let me know if you have time, you can just forward me the letter you send to fam etc. that' fine. I'm so excited to hear about your success! I had a dream the other night that I was studying outside the 1M and you walked outside dressed in street clothes dragging your suitcases surrounded by your family and were coming home. I was so sad and tried to figure out why but you wouldn't say, and all I could think of was...now I won't have anyone to be with when I get back cause she'll already be moved on-sad day huh?! But I was happy when I woke up and realized it was a dream and you're doing awesome! Way to reinactive!!

Eric, so you're graduating! So what now? Have you already been assigned, or still waiting? Will it be out in the field so to speak or desk job, or desk job out in the field? Let me know what's going on 8).

I hope everyone will have fun at the football game! Yell the fight song extra loud for me! Benson better paint his face blue-how cute would that pic be?? When we walk and review vocab in the evenings we can sometimes here the band practicing and it makes me so happy to think of the football games awaiting me when I get home, and hopefully a great team will be waiting too 8)

Thanks for the lil package mom! I haven't used the new card yet but I will today and make sure it works.

It's weird to think what I was doing on this day six years ago. I'm so thankful for the country we live in and the opportunity we have to share our beliefs with all that are around us, and the armed services who help us maintain these rights. (Luv ya Eric!)

Well, I better go and get to it, I don't know if I told you but Elder Holland spoke to us on Tuesday and the General YW pres spoke to us sisters on sunday-I love it here! I'm def trying to soak up the spirit as much as I can so it will sustain me when I'm out in the bush 8).

I love you all, keep the letters/lil notes/pics coming-I'll be sending my pictures to you today 8).

Stay strong, and I encourage you all to study dilligence-I studied it this week and was amazed what I learned 8).

Cectpa Richards