April 15, 2013

Hello family!

Thank you for the concern, yes I am feeling better. I have no idea what it was really. I have never been sick like that before. But all is well. I still have a pathetic little cough but I feel a lot better. First things first we received transfer calls on Saturday. Sister Upshaw and I didn't think that we would be staying together. We were right. I will be heading back to Dachney! Down to Saratov where I started my mission. the senior couple here the Chepyrov's are from that branch so it was cool to have served with them for the last cycle. I will be serving with Sister Angelos. She is from West Valley and has served a cycle less than I have. That is about all I know right now. I will be getting on a train to Samara tomorrow night and then another train to Saratov on Wednesday. Should be a good time. I am excited to go back to Dachney because now I can speak Russian:)

This week we have been trying to get members on the lessons we have. The first lesson we had with a member was way sweet. Anton is a dancer here and was invited to come to church by his friend Ivan who is the Elder’s Quorum President. Ivan was able to testify to his friend about the blessings he has seen in his life from going to church. Anton asked some really cool questions about plan of salvation and when I invited him to find out himself whether all the things we were saying are true he said "ya i'll do it". In all of our lessons before that he was just kind of meeting with us because we are from America and speak English. Anyway, it was really cool. Some others were with Evgeny. Aleksey, our investigator, told him about us and he wanted to meet. We had a member on both of our lessons with him this week and he is very interested in the Book of Mormon. When we invited him to be baptized he just said he wanted to read the whole Book of Mormon first. Anyway, it has been a pretty good week. I can talk now so that is good. I still can't sing but...that will come in the next few weeks.

General conference was so good! I loved it. I always feel a little antsy by the end of it just sitting and listening. I just have to get out and talk to people. Every conference I receive another witness that these men are called of god and this one was no difference.

On Saturday we ran into this girl named Marina who we found our first week together. She has been out of town and we haven't been able to reach her for about a month. Last summer she met with the Elders here and has a Book of Mormon. Anyway, we were able to talk with her. We set up a meeting for tomorrow so hopefully it works out. It would be really cool to meet with her before I leave.

The active members in Orenburg have such strong testimonies. The trials they face at times I am sure are practically unbearable, but they just keep coming to church and serving faithfully. In the short 6 weeks I have been here I have fallen in love with all of them. They are just so humble and grateful that they know the church is true. You truly can see a light in them that you don't see in everyone else. I haven't even left yet and I already miss them. Tonight we have a meeting with the Branch President and his two sons. Should be fun.

Well, love you all!!

Love,
Cectpa Pearce