"Chloe, we've got a "spitter" at 12 o'clock

Hey everyone!

Wow, this week was great -pretty newsy emails, thanks! All the pics were great and the impossible happened: I got a letter.....ok well, email.....from Eric!!!! (haha, jk) But it was really great! It's funny how you can totally feel the different personalities in an email and it was totally him -I've missed ya!

Let's see where to start, where to start.....I guess with the news that you guys gave me: GO BYU! Way to go Gavin! (Not that he reads this anymore, too busy with the autographs and interviews on cougar cable. 8) Just remember your loyal fans who started your soon to be NBA nickname: Gavin Pants!!!!)

Um, Steve: way to go!!!!! You totally rocked it baby! Well, at least that's how good I did on the ACT ...or was I a little worse? I don't even remember....but don't worry if you get A's and B's in high school you can totally get in at Provo and how scary would that thought be! Yikes....seeing you in such a free and grown up environment would kill me sheesh.....Stephen...no limits.....scary. But yea, congrats! Russia congratulates you! Lenin gives you a thumbs up (it's true, I saw it).

Anyways, Eric, it's crazy to think you're already back in the states now-good times, good luck with your online classes and all your future plans. It'll be cool to see where you land (that is if we can know about where you land!). That's not a bad idea....If I got in the CIA that would definitely make our family the coolest. We're practically the makings of 24-even better! Haha, we'll see... There was a guy in the MTC in the next district who attended military schools all his life and wanted to go into the CIA etc. and in order to go to Russia on a mission they needed to totally wipe all his records clean so there was no record of him every being in those schools, etc. After the mish he will def. be an asset I guess.

Anywho, it was fun to see all of the pictures from Steve's marching band career. Wow....great memories that seems sooooo long ago! If you told me that in a few years I'd be in Russia-understanding and speaking Russian I would have laughed at you. Looking at my picture I was shocked at how much hair I had....I swear...I'm going to come back sporting the Gollum hair do.......sigh, water here is not kind. O well, I have a sweet spirit right?! (Hahaha)

What else, what else, Mom -I found one of the prettiest martroshka dolls ever and bought it (I'm even gonna go back and see if there's another one for me) and a few other odds and ends so if you could put 30ish in the account I'd be soooo grateful -or whatever. We can figure everything out when I get home I guess -no biggie.

Nastia is coming along great we have a meeting with her tonight and then Saturday and then Sunday is her interview for baptism. She's accepting everything and I'm just hoping that everything is sinking deep with her.

We had a cool experience this week. We had contacted a girl on the street -nothing special, the usual. Then on Monday all our investigators fell through and couldn't come to FHE which is always way fun. They have it at the senior couples apartment and we play games etc. I think I've been able to go maybe 6 times the whole mish. So anyway we were resigned to the fact we couldn't go (even though yes, we realize it's for the investigators and not for us, but knocking at night is the pits). So anyway, we head back to the building where we were knocking, get right in with the dome-a-phone, and the fifth door that opens is this girl that we had contacted. It was so crazy and we were like oh hey -we remember you, how's it goin' etc. She was just hanging out at home listening to music -no plans and we asked if we could come in but her landlady didn't like her having guests so I thought: FHE! So we totally invited her and made it sound amazing and she agreed. We waited while she got ready and went over there just in time as it started and she had a fun time. We might meet with her tonight if we can (she lives 5 seconds from the church, and 10 seconds from us) and she is way cool!

It was just another testimony to me that God is merciful and everything we do -every person we talk to is not a waste. God is able to use it all and make it all work together. He's definitely in control of this work and it's so cool to see all the coincidences that happen that aren't actually coincidences.

On a slightly different note....yesterday while we were knocking (half way done with a podyezd....forget what it's called in English -but where all the apartments are.) My comp jumps and moves away from the railing and said: "Someone just spit on me!" We looked up to the top floor where one guy had told us "No!" when we asked if we could talk to him. He didn't even open the door, and sure enough he had totally landed a loogie on my comp's head! Needless to say she was very angry and he continued to yell at us until we left etc but it was pretty crazy! It's not every day you get spit on. That one hasn't happened to me yet, though the attempt was made ...but the Lord and the wind were on my side that day 8) Anyways, it reminds me of that verse that talks about how I will suffer anything for the Lord, etc. (I think it's Paul...) but yea.

At first we were just so shocked at why someone would do that to two young girls. I mean he was a full grown adult! But then I'm grateful for these moments because I have that much more insight to Joseph Smith when he talked about how everyone was against him almost from his infancy and he too asked these questions: Why do they think I'm so important to persecute, I'm just a kid! etc. But we are official annoyers of the adversaries kingdom so I guess it makes sense.

On a lighter note, this Friday for our culture night we're going to see Rigoletto -the opera!!! Needless to say we are VERY excited about this because it's cultural and well if you know me you know why I'd be so excited! Anywho...what else what else....I can't believe that Andrea (er....sister Wiser) is coming home in a few weeks! O my gosh!!!! That is scary cause that means that I don't have much time left. Our transfers are in two weeks and there will be an odd amount of sisters so there might be a floating sister. She would just travel around and work with all the other sisters. There's one new sister coming in so it will be interesting to see where I end up.

I love the Lord and I love my mission and I suddenly feel the great urgency to just take tons of pictures of everything cause I don't know when I'll be back and I want you to be able to see what I've seen ....well, almost all of what I've seen 8) I love you all and echo the words of Grandpa when I say I am so thankful for my righteous and loving family who is always supporting me. It'll be sooo weird when we're all together again! When was the last time we were all together?!?

Anyway, I love you
Cectpa Richards

P.S. Eric, don't worry I'm soooo looking forward to it!