Cectpa Toofanaba

Well howdy ya'll!

So my new companion (drum roll please) is Cectpa "Toofanaba". She is from a suburb of Rostov, almost 17 years old. It has been really great working with her. At first I was nervous wondering if she would have the maturity to handle this sort of responsibility etc. but as it turns out she has such a strong desire to share the gospel and energy/happiness/positive attitude that is so common in her age group that it's been great!

I loved my last comp but it was really hard to stay positive and happy around her because she's just so naturally serious which often I mistook to mean she wasn't happy/didn't have desire for the work. It's been amazing the difference my comp's attitude has had on me and further teaches me how important our attitudes play in the lives of those around us. One of my favorite principles I've learned on the mission: The only thing that is more contagious than enthusiasm is the lack of enthusiasm -I think President Monson said that, and it is SOOOO true! Well we have really been showing our overall happiness and positive attitudes more while we contact etc. and the number of people who react in anger has really gone down. Maybe they still say no but they can't help but smile themselves, if for no other reason, because they're thinking: what's with these goofy smiley girls??

We set a baptismal date with one of our investigators yesterday and the only thing I could see getting in the way is the Word of Wisdom but we're praying for her to be able to quit smoking etc. It seems that it's VERY rare to find someone who won't have to overcome smoking or drinking here, but just one of the perks of the area/culture.

So it seems that we won't be needing mini missionaries as much soon but I'm not sure why-maybe the sister who left came back? We'll see....So yesterday we came home for our lunch break and the door wasn't locked. I opened it hearing people inside and there was our landlord with a bunch of workers-they've been doing work on something throughout the whole building and now it was our apartment's turn. So we lost a little time having to be home until they left but it was exciting. I was sitting on the couch reading the general conference edition (love it!) and this dirty worker walks in mumbling/singing to himself walks over and starts doing something to our heater or pipes or something-REALLY LOUD like at a dentist's office-the drill sound or something, and thousands of sparks just burst out everywhere: on our beds, where I was sitting, etc. and he proceeds to work doesn't say a word and I'm trying to move out of the way and head for cover. My comp laughed pretty hard-apparently my face was quite humorous. It was just so funny how calm and nonchalant he was about it. Anywho...everything is fine now and I think they only need to come back one more time or something like that. Never a dull moment in the Rostov mission!

So it seems in the middle of July we will have our next visa trip to Prague and it seems that there's a temple only two hours away in Germany that we can go visit so we'll prolly not need to go to Madrid 8( but I'm not complaining, it will be amazing!!!

What else, what else....thanks for all of your emails, and mom- it worked great (except my pic with my comp, shrug) but it was sooo great to see every one's pictures and how they're all progressing in life. Sara looks so grown up now with her short hair and they look so happy. Carrie and Brett's jumping picture was sooo perfect! I love you all and I just realized that the past little while I must have sounded really down cause now everyone is especially supportive and motivational etc. for which I'm very grateful, but please know that I do love this work. I am learning to really love this people and respect this culture which is so rich in tradition and has such a strong history-they've been through so much and they have much to be proud of.

I'm grateful for every opportunity I have to speak with them and try to share the greatest knowledge that we can obtain in this life and that is of the love that our Heavenly Father has for us, a love so great that He sent us His only son to create a way in which we could return to Him. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ in that grove (I'm so jealous that Chelsea is there right now!) and that he was called of God to restore the ONE and ONLY TRUE church of Jesus Christ on the earth-the ONLY way to return to our Heavenly Father and really obtain the most happiness and joy in this life and the life to come.

I love my family so much and am SOOOO grateful for all they have taught me through the years and the foundation of faith that they have given me. I don't know what I'd do if we couldn't be together forever-prolly cry a lot 8)I know Prophet Thomas S. Monson is called of God to lead not only the church on the earth but help prepare us and the rest of the world for the second coming of the Savior and I have all the confidence in the world in him. I received my personal witness that he truly is a prophet of God when he first spoke in general conference and I'm so grateful for the personal revelation that each of us can receive if we open our hearts to it-the windows of heaven are open and God does talk to His children again.I love you all and am so grateful for your continual prayers and faith in me, I'm trying and am excited to try harder every day.

Cectpa Richards