December 17, 2012

This week has been kind of crazy. On Wednesday we took a bus to Samara and then I worked in the Avrora area on Friday with Sister Upshaw, Sister Wynn and Sister Koestler. It was fun to get out of Tolyatti for a while. We headed back on Friday and then on Saturday received transfer calls. I am still in Tolyatti and my companion is Sister Polyanskaya. She is from Ukraine! Sister Sine is in Saratov so yesterday we got on another bus to Samara and then switched and came back. We left at 8:00 in the morning and then got back home at 6:00 so...there went p-day. I didn't even have time to study. So that is why we are writing today and not yesterday.  Really that is all that happened this week. Lots of buses. It was kind of sad when sister sine and I knew we wouldn't be working together again but Sister Polyanskaya is real cool. And I will speak real good Russian by the end of it I hope. Sister Scoville will be training the new sister that is coming in. COOL!  Anywhoo...........Sister Polyanskaya has been a member for 4 years, she is from Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine and we I don't know what else to say. She likes to cook so I am excited to know how to cook like an eastern European. This cycle should be cool. 

This week, on Tuesday I think, we were like 50 feet outside of our apartment. when a man that was smoking asked who we were. At first I wasn't going to respond but did anyway. After we answered some of his questions we gave him the Book of Mormon and kept talking. He said he wanted to know how to change his life and he basically taught us the plan of salvation from what he had learned from the bible. We read with him from the Book of Mormon some of the same doctrines and he was way excited to meet with us. Small miracle from the week.

Well, next week I will try to know as much as I can about calling home and fill you in. things are just a bit crazy right now. I think I have told you everything I know. We will figure it out though. Anyway, good luck unpacking!! I love you both!

Love, 

Cectpa Pearce 

December 10, 2012

Hello!
My birthday was cool I guess. Sister Sine made me a chocolate cake and sang me happy birthday at breakfast. And then at district meeting, Sister Peterson made taco soup and then Elder Hangen made lemon bars. I had some cake, blew out some candles...had a birthday, and now I am 22. That was a real fast year. The weather here is cold but there isn't any snow on the ground. I thought for sure I was in for a white Christmas but...maybe not! I don't know a lot about the hot water. I know that the buildings are heated with pipes and hot water. When I was in Saratov we didn't have hot water for the first 2 weeks or so. And then a couple weeks later they turned the cold water off. The hot water here is HOT too, so not having cold water was worse. But here in Tolyatti I haven't had a problem. So ya, I think the water is all controlled by the government.

I liked the picture of you and dad in the new house! We have a fireplace to hang stockings! Also it looks nice and spacious. And Hayzlee looks HUGE! When did that happen? I am sure it is fun moving into the new house and set things up how you want. I am glad dad bought you a gps. I was going to suggest it but I forgot so I’m glad it happened anyway.

Because of Christmas this cycle is only 5 weeks long so this Saturday we will find out where we will be next cycle. Originally President said we were going to be in our areas for a while, but now he just told us that this transfer a lot is changing. Also this week, Sister Sine has a visa trip so; we will be in samara from Wednesday to Friday. I am grateful I just get to work this time. I was so tired after my visa trip last cycle. I felt tired for weeks after it. Well, more tired than normal anyway. Ha-ha.

On Saturday an 8 year old in the branch got baptized. She turns 9 in January. When I first got here we met with here to help her decide to get baptized. Her mom isn't active but her older sister and grandma are members. She has been meeting with the Elders for the past little and, now she is baptized! She is really great. Elder Malloy was able to baptize her so that was cool. He and I will go home at the same time, and he has served his whole mission here in Tolyatti. Anyway, they had the missionaries sing the "I like to look at rainbows" primary song. I don't know what the title is...other than that, this week was like usual.

Well, good luck unpacking! And finding your way around a new city!
I love you!

Cectpa Pearce

December 3, 2012

Hello!!
Hong Kong!! Finland! Cool!! This week the assistants were at our district meeting and they have heard an estimation that in the next year the missionary force could get up to 100,000 missionaries!! Crazy right? There are 2 more! I will have to write Bronson today.

Well this week, was crazy. Basically the Lord blessed us a lot and we were just the little children following the trail of cheerios. We found 2 great investigators through member referrals. We also found a family. A mom and a dad with an 8 year old son. We had some great meetings with our progressing investigators and then 3 of them came to church on Sunday. It was nuts! So cool though. I don't know if I have told you about Tonya, but she is the daughter of a less active. We were stopping by all the less actives to update the records and no one had stopped by them in a couple years. Well, her mom was baptized 10 years ago, but had a husband who drank and wouldn't allow her to come to church. He died a year and a half ago and now they are reading the Book of Mormon together and coming to church and...I don't know. It is just way cool. We have some really great investigators right now, and I love them all.

Also yesterday, was my halfway through Russia mark? I don't know how many times I have counted on my fingers to make sure that is right, but it is. Even now typing it I don't believe it. Yep just counted again, it's true. HOW.

I realize that I haven't written that much but...there was so much that happened that I don't know how to go into detail about it.

The family that bought our house sounds really nice! Well, let me know how unpacking goes, exploring a new city, also, maybe your new address. Ya, that would be good. I still can't believe you’re moving. Or moved but I am really excited for you! It will be exciting to start a new life with just the 2 of you no kids at home to occupy your time.

Well, I love you a lot!! Fill me in next week! I am sure there will be a lot of new things.

Love,
Sister Pearce

November 26, 2012

Hello!

Happy Thanksgiving!! I forgot last week so I thought I would tell you this week. For Thanksgiving we all ate together after district meeting on Friday at the Peterson’s. We all brought different parts of the meal and it was delicious. I made the pies; apple and banana cream. They turned out really well but I had to wrestle with the crust and it just stressed me out a little. The apple pie was way good though. And HUGE. We don't have any pans that would have worked. We have 1 5'8 pan. But the zone leaders had some fluted edged pans that worked out pretty well. We ended up using 7-8 very large apples.  It was a cool Thanksgiving with all of us being away from our families but working together here in Russia we are like a weird family. I love it.

We have had some really cool lessons this week. One with Madam Nina. She is a 75 year old mostly blind woman who was an English interpreter and teacher who we found on the street. She told us when we started meeting with her that she was just interested in listening but didn't want to change her beliefs. We taught her the restoration and then this last time the plan of salvation. The spirit there was so strong. She for sure felt the spirit and even said if she knew how to take part in god's plan for her she would do it. I think her heart is being softened; we will just have to see if we can find a way for her to listen to the Book of Mormon. She is also very Russian Orthodox.

It has started to get pretty cold. Not terrible but every week it gets a little colder than the week before. Last night and this morning when we went running it was -2 Celsius. Soon I will be taking bets on: how many layers of thermals will Sister Pearce be wearing this week! I think it will be a fun game. Who knows! Also, how is Christmas already a month away?  That is crazy. Since Christmas here isn't a very big deal it doesn't feel like Christmas time. Although, our apartment is decorated for it. It has been since July when I got here though. Now it is current. We have a nativity on the window, a stocking on the wall and some Santa’s and ho ho ho on another window. Santa got a little melted though during the summer so he is a little saggy. Nevertheless, festive!

Well, I don't really have any other news. Good luck with moving! Take pictures of the views out the windows if you could. The kitchen the sewing room, my room...ya that would be cool. Also! I got your package this week! Thank you so much!!! I put on the socks instantly and they are perfect!

Love you lots!!!
Cectpa Pearce

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