Another week. Just flying by! It's time for another weekly letter from
your favorite Sister Missionary in Russia. (or perhaps your favorite
Sister Missionary?)
This week was wonderful. Lots of good things happening in Siberia!
First of all. Today is a beautiful day! It snowed last night and the
temperature is perfect. This morning Sister Barlow and I made hot
chocolate and started listening to Christmas Music. Yeah it's probably
a little too early. Especially since Russians don't celebrate
Christmas until Jan 7th. Don't ask me why it's in January though. I
guess they just have a different calendar. Apparently today is a
holiday too. Like Apple Day or something. It just means the Russians
who work in the office have today off. haha
We're going to start on Wednesday- because Monday and Tuesday were
just normal and busy. haha
Wednesday:
Sister Barlow and I had a babooshka party.(Pictures to come) We had a
meeting scheduled with recent convert Looba. She's so sweet. She calls
us her beautiful, sisters of charity or mercy. haha. Anywhoo. Lesson
learned don't plan lessons in advance with her because she invites all
the other babooshkas of the ward and makes chai and pirogie and we
just had eaten lunch! but it was fun. The two other bobs are crazy and
basically taught the lesson for us. But they are sweet. next time
looba is going to teach us how to make pirogie. This one was really
good. Cause it didn't have fish!
After leaving looba's, our plan was to go contacting before english
club. We had about an hour or 2 so we were going to go to the park. We
got on the bus and headed back home. We were on opposite sides of the
bus talking to people and then it got really full! I couldn't really
see Sister Barlow and so I just got off at our regular stop. We
usually just always get off there and then figure out where to go
after that. However, Sister Barlow knew that this bus went directly to
the park we wanted to go to and figured I knew that too. She kept
trying to look for me and give me the sign but she saw my head moving
and assumed I was talking to someone and so she didn't get off at the
usual. So basically I was left alone! On the streets of Russia! haha.
It was hilarious. I looked at the bus and she just was talking to this
lady and seemed so normal like nothing was wrong. I had the cell phone
and so I had no idea what to do. I remember her telling me a plan
about going to the next stop if we get separated. I thought about just
going to the office cause it was across the street. But I said a
little prayer and just kept walking following the bus! A couple
minutes later she called me from someone's phone and we met up a bi
later. Luckily I know the streets of novo now. it was actually pretty
hilarious. She felt sooooo bad. but I'm alive. When we were separated
I put my hood up and took my name tag off so nobody knew I was
american. haha. So all is well. It actually was really funny.
Especially when we both thought we were thinking the same thing!
Thursday:
I wake up and start doing my excercises. Then I hear the phone ring.
it's 6:50 in the morning! It's the AP's. Apparently there was a
protest scheduled in all 6 major russian cities by this youth action
group tied to President Putin and they were going to be protesting
outside of our office and branch buildings. President was told to make
sure we all stayed inside that day- just for safe measures. So we had
to cancel all our appointments and just sit inside. So we studied. We
made lots of food. We watched How Rare a Possession. We did area book
work. And basically went crazy! It's no fun being cooped up in a house
all day. Sad part was- President had to cancel the sisters conference
that we were going to have on Friday and Saturday. He realized it
probably wasn't the best thing to fly in all 19 sisters to Novo when
there was a protest going on..... We were really sad. We were all
going to sleep at Presidents house Thursday and Friday night! And the
worst part. There were only like 2 people that showed up to this
protest and it wasn't as big of a deal as they thought. Apparently in
Moscow it was worse. But don't worry friends and family. Novosibirsk
is way better and the people are too nice! I'm totally safe!
Friday:
A little sad cause we had no sisters conference. But the tickets
President bought to the ballet were already purchased for the sisters
so we got to go! And some of the great people of our branch! So Sister
Barlow and I got to sit with president and sister gibbons in the most
biggest opera and ballet theatre in russia and see SWAN LAKE! It's a
russian ballet. And it was so beautiful! I just couldn't believe I was
listening and watching to a Russian Orchestra play Tschaikovsky and
Russian Ballerinas do a russian ballet! It was very nice. And very
cool to hang out with President! The senior coupls went too and the
sisters on the left bank of novo but they had seats far from us.
President told me my transfer there too. I'm with Sister Biggs
(again....) still in Novosibirsk and on the Right Bank. I'm senior
companion. It's definitely not what I was expecting and I''m not going
to lie I was a little disappointed but apparently the Lord knows
better than me! Sister Barlow is going to Khazakstan- that is as long
as she gets her visa! We've known that forever and so we had all these
theories about my transfer-well really only one. But Sister Biggs was
not in the picture but it's all good! I love it here! And sister biggs
is great. I'm determined to find all the positives and to get a lot of
great work done!
Sunday:
I realized how much I love Novo. Fast and testimony meeting is the
best. The members here are so sweet. I feel like they are all my
family and friends, And I love my investigators. And I love this
gospel. Some of the sweet ladies just walk in the church door and give
me a huge hug! They apologize for not being able to attend a meeting.
They ask when the next one is. They ask about my family. They are just
the best! The spirit was just so strong that day. And i'm grateful to
be here and in this area. This couple from American Fork came to our
meeting. it was quite the suprise! They are here adopting a baby girl.
They have to go to court and it's their second russian adoption! They
were very sweet. The husband bore his testimony and had one of the
elders translate for him. He just said that he's from Utah and comes
from a huge ward and he felt the spirit stronger in our tiny branch
than he does back home and how he knows the gospel is true and it's
not just an american church. Its for the whole world and I just want
to add to his testimony. This church is true. And it's for all of
God's children. In every country, every nationality, and ever
language. I'm so grateful for it and the comfort and blessing it's
been in my life and it's an even bigger blessing to be sharing it with
this humble, sweet, Russian people!
i love you all! Don't worry I'm safe and all is well. And the work is
really progressing!
love,
Sister Carling
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