November 19, 2012

Hello family!!

Hello again! What a week. There are some weeks where you see the work moving forward. And some weeks where everything falls apart so the Lord can put it back together how he wants to. This week was one of those weeks. But we found some really great investigators. One of them is a daughter of a less active member who was baptized about a year ago. We have been stopping my all the less actives to update the ward lists here and stopped by their place. they let us in and told us how for a long time they couldn't go to church because her husband told her she couldn't go but he died a year ago. Her daughter is 17 years old. We don't really know where things are going to go but it felt like a miracle. It just feels like the right time for them. They came with us to district conference on Sunday and had a really great experience. The other is a mother daughter pair as well. The mother talked with missionaries a long time ago in English club but remembers how she felt when she watched the restoration video. They are very sincere so it should be fun to work with them.

District conference was really cool. The Sartori's were there and spoke so it was great to hear from them. As a part of conference they had a fireside on Friday and President Gushin, an area 70 from Novosibirsk came and spoke. He spoke about the importance of family history. It was pretty cool. Also, it was great to be amongst the members in Tolyatti. Usually we just see the members in our branch.

Well, I will try to answer some of your questions. I don't know how much money but they have really cute pea coats here so that is what I will be buying. It should be around 2000-4000 rubles. I can't do the math right now but I’ll figure it out.

It’s been kind of fun to hear about your lives being half way across the world. I thought about it and just in the last year all of you have moved, got married or gotten new jobs. That is a lot of blessings in only the span of a year. It’s weird not being there for all of it and just hearing about it but it is cool. I guess I know the lord is aware of our family. Our family is one of the biggest blessings we have. All being together in the celestial room last year before Todd and Marylyn’s wedding was kind of the frosting on the cake. (Except that I don't really like frosting. maybe the cherry on top. don't really like that too much either...you know what I mean) members here love the temple. They can only go about once a year but they always talk about how peaceful it feels. Anyway, I love you all so much!! You are the best.

Love, 

Cectpa Pearce

November 12, 2012

WHOA!! you bought a truck! Geez. Also, you have more snow than I do! It did snow here this week but just a little bit. It is starting to get cold though. So transfers! I am still here in Tolyatti! With Sister Sine. None of the sisters moved this transfer so that was interesting. But I am excited to be here for a little while longer. Currently we have 6 investigators that we feel like could be ready for baptism soon. They just have to decide that they want to make the commitment. They know everything else.  God has to love us to let us have agency. Sometimes that is the hardest part of your mission is watching others make wrong choices. The only transfer in our district was our district leader will be going to Penza and his companions will be our district leader. He has been out 2 cycles less than I have but he will be so great. I love watching these elders step into responsibility and watch them learn how to receive revelation for themselves and others. It is so cool!

Did I talk about Vladimir last week? If I did sorry but we had a lesson with him this week and talked about priorities and just had him list the things he does in order of time and then in order of importance. It was cool to watch him come to his own conclusion that something needed to change. He should be set for baptism in January we've got some commandments to work through.

On Thursday of this week was our culture activity. It was the coolest thing ever. I think I had a cheesy grin just plastered on my face the whole time but I LOVED it. It was native Russian dancing. They had real metal swords that they would hit together to and they would spark, I don't have time to rave about the whole thing but if you get bored I am sure YouTube has some you could watch. I will for sure be obsessed with it when I get home.

Well, that is about all of the news for this week. I love you all!!

Love,
Cectpa Pearce

November 5, 2012

Seriously where did October go?? Time is going so fast! The pictures you sent were fun! It looks like you had a good fall! Fall in Russia is beautiful. I saw snow yesterday for the first time. Right before church started there were big flakes falling. Usually it hangs around 4 degrees Celsius right now. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit. Good news! Our washer is fixed! We don't have to wash our clothes by hand anymore. This week seems crazy long but I also feel like I was just here. This week we were able to meet with a lot of our investigators that we haven't been able to meet with for a while. A lot of them are progressing well right now so hopefully something will happen with them. Also, this is week 6 of the transfer so next week I will know where I am going to be. At the start of this cycle I wanted to leave but now I want to stay here for a couple more cycles. I feel like a lot of cool things are about to happen here. Sigh. We’ll see.

Yesterday we met with Vladimir. He investigated the church a year ago and really likes the Book of Mormon. He still reads it and prays every day and says he knows it's true. I asked him "If you know these things are true what do you need to do?” he said baptism and then he asked "what do I need to do to be baptized?" so I explained the commandments briefly and then explained that he would need to quit smoking. He said I will quit smoking in December and then get baptized in January. We’ll see what happens but it was a cool experience. He has a lot of things to work through so hopefully he will have enough faith to make it happen. Also, this week was sister's interviews. So we met with the elders and then worked with them a little. They always build my faith that the priesthood is god's power on earth. Mostly because these wonderful goobery Elders exercise their priesthood well and are still 19 year old boys. It is cool to watch them seek to do god's will.

This week we will have culture night and we will be going to this Siberian dance group. I am so excited! It should be a lot of fun. Also, while we were on the street this week we found a lady named Nina. She is around 75 and used to teach English and worked as a translator in America for a while. She is way cool. We met with her and she said that she doesn't want to change her religious beliefs but she wants to know what we believe. She has a friend that met with missionaries a long time ago and she wants to talk to us as well. Who knows what'll happen!

For the past little while I have been trying to become a better teacher in Russian. It’s hard! Anyway, I have really been studying the doctrines of the lessons so that I can explain them clearly in English and then learn how to say it in Russian. It has helped me really focus during all 3 hours of study. Anyway, wish me luck!

I love you all! I hope everything with moving goes well this week. Good luck dad! If I can learn Russian you can learn a new way to do things :)

Love, 

Cectpa Pearce