Nun-sense!

Привет!

So, we knocked into the apartment of some Catholic Nuns this week! It was awesome and totally unexpected. They were so cute! We made them some cookies and sang "I Need Thee Every Hour," and they gave us bracelets! They were from Slovakia, and they really were so nice. They didn't want us to teach them the lessons, but it's all good, we're friends now. The only Cathedral in Volgograd happens to be not too far away from where we live, so we see them every now and then.

This week was a contacting kind of week. Which is always a week filled with fun stories! Because we meet the coolest people!

Like...

Vadim! Our newest investigator! He's an older man, electric engineer, and the most honest person I have ever met in my life. It was so fun to teach him because he was just completely honest about his feelings the whole time we taught the first lesson. We found him on the street and had a lesson with him the next day after Zone Conference (a once every 2 month gathering of the missionaries in our zone which happens to be the cities of Volgograd, Volzhki, and Astrakhan). It was one of the best 1st lessons I've ever had. 

And...

Lena and Alksei! 

At Zone Conference we talked about finding people to teach through our own efforts, so, right after our lesson with Vadim, we went out on the streets determined to find someone! After about 2 hours, it was time to head home, but we were talking to everyone we could as we walked back to our apartment. At 8:58, two minutes before we had to head in for the night, we stopped this family and started talking to them. It was the coolest thing ever! Sister Lindquist asked them if they believe the Gospel blesses families, and they were like well duh! Turns out they are friends with our investigator Nina! And we met their son when we helped Nina out at her school. Isn't that awesome? God really is preparing these people to meet us. We're hoping that we can meet with them again sometime this week and teach them more. So, say a prayer for them, too, if you can!

Today, I wanted to just thank my father. And fathers everywhere, but my father in particular. My dad told me before going on a mission that if I was going to do this, I needed to be sure that this was a call from God because there were going to be days where I would wake up and wish that I was anywhere else but there, and there were going to be days where I would be yelled at, turned down, and crying, and if I wasn't sure I was about God's work, I wouldn't be able to do it. Well, my dad was right, and I'm so grateful I followed his council to turn to my Heavenly Father and ask Him if this was what I should do. I'm so grateful that prayer was answered, and that I am now here serving in Russia. I'm so grateful that although there are days where I feel like giving up, I never do because I know I'm about my Father's work. I'm so grateful I have a father on Earth who loves me and is such a wonderful example to me, and a Father in Heaven who loves me and has given me so much joy through my mission here.

Here's to fathers! Aren't they wonderful?

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you'll be able to see all the blessings your Father in Heaven has given you. :)

с Любовью

Сестра Джарвис

P.S. Sorry about the lack of photos; the computers at the internet cafe don't like us very much.