3 Weeks left....CRAZY!!!!!!

Mom and Dad, Hey! Can you believe I only have 3 weeks left at the MTC? That's so crazy! It has gone by so fast and I really don't want to leave everyone I've met here but I'm ready to get started...apart from the not being that great at Russian, but at least I can do the basics! :) Ok so it's been a long and crazy week some of which I'll tell you about later in a letter cause it's seriously just been crazy! But one thing I will tell you is...first off, I'm totally fine! But I had to go to the Dr. yesterday. I've had a cold for the last few days and my ribs started to hurt everytime I'd cough so they had been get it checked(since I'm leaving the country in 3 weeks...had to mention it again!). I'm fine but I have some bruised ribs...I wasn't aware that was possible but it is. Not a big deal. I have to take 600mg of Motrin 3 times a day and have an ice pack on for 30 minutes, 4 times a day, but other than that I'm good! The pain is almost completely gone so as long as the elders stop making me laugh hard, I should be back to normal in a few days! :) They've been really good about it though. They said it was impressive I could cough so hard to bruise my ribs...not sure what's impressive about it, it's definitely not lady like, but whatever! :) So that was one fun thing about last week! But of course you know about the coolest part! ELDER SCOTT came! And my district was asked to be ushers! So we were on the ground level helping people, when someone came over the pulpit and reminded us again (2nd week in a row) that if we were to see one of the brethen to stand up! Well I was on the other side so when everyone stood up I couldn't see who it was! All the elders here are pretty tall, at least taller than me! So I was kinda trying to jump(graciously of course) to see who it was and one of the security guards came up to me and said, 'I'll save you the trouble Sister, it's Elder Richard G. Scott.' I was so excited! He's been my favorite for as long as I can remember! Well not favorite, I don't have a favorite, but I really like him! ;) When we were done ushering, they led us to our saved seats which...drum roll....were literally right in front of him! We sat down and he smiled at all of us! I felt like such a dork! I was like, what do I do? An apostle is looking at me?! I smiled back though...I didn't embarrass the family! ;) But yeah, the apostolic blessings he put on us were amazing! When he invoked the gift of tongues that whole room just changed. He said that the work needs to go forth and the Lord wants us to speak what language we need to, to accomplish it! So he gave us the gift of tongues(according to our faith in it). Since then I would love to say Russian just flows out of my mouth but it doesn't. What did happen is we're able to speak more, learn faster, and understand the first time around! We've all noticed an increase in our ability to learn Russian! It's amazing! Anyways...I'll write you about the rest of the week later today! So...Jordan got his mission call! I'm so excited for him! That is going to be amazing! I bet he can't stop smiling! March is a long ways off but there's a lot of stuff to get done between now and then so it'll go by so fast for him! Before he knows it, he'll be in the MTC and then in the field! It's true when people tell you that the mission goes by fast. I don't know how it feels back home, but I feel like I just got here yesterday and I'm leaving in 3 weeks! I haven't even been to Russia, but I don't want to leave it! I love you all and you know that, but this is the best thing I've done in my life, and being able to serve the Lord 24/7 is something I'm not even close to being ready to stop doing. :) Thank you so much for the Halloween package! It was again much appeciated! And the pretsels were adorable! And real quick, we did get some of the jerky so don't worry. Sis. Margolies got some too...not as much as the Elder's but that's our fault not theirs. They gave us every opportunity, I just won't eat any if I don't have floss! :) So I had a few at the end of each day! It was so good! Thank you! The other zone is so jealous! They always pop their head in and ask if Sis. Debbie has sent anything. The elders are good at saying either no, or yes, but she sent it to District 9b, sorry! My elders love you! :) And they brag about you all the time! So about the new missionaries...3 sisters were going to Samara...one of them never showed up to the MTC, and the other two have gone home(story will come in the letter). So I'm back to being the only sister going, and now I'm the only sister going to Samara in the next 12 weeks! Crazy! I haven't really got to know the new missionaries too much, just kinda randomly. My district stays together most of the time, or is with the Ukranian district(they leave with us, we're the two older districts). We get a long really well! I wish I could remember all the funny things that happen each week but I never can when I get to this part! But the elders definitely keep me going! They are so funny! I'll be honest, some of the new ones in the zone are definitely 19...or younger ;) but they hold the priesthood which is all I need to know! Our zone has had a rough week. People went home, some people are still struggling with the idea. My district and the other older district(Ukranian's) are struggling with leaving in 3 weeks and not feeling ready. It's seriously felt like blow after blow. But last night I was laying in bed and the Standard of Truth was on the wall. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from going forth...no matter what has happened this week, or how we feel, we've all realized through helping each other, that the work will go forth. We'll have our bad days and that's when we need to remember that! The work will go forth! Until Christ comes and tells us it's done, we will keep going! I know that no matter what may lay ahead for me in Russia, no matter what people tell us is coming, the Lord has prepared each of us to teach the gospel to His children! And the work will go forth! That's what's important. It's not me as individual, the sooner you get over yourself the sooner you get to what the Lord needs you to do! It's the Lord's work thats important!. That's what is at stake here! I love both of you so much! And I'm doing really good! I'll write more later today! I hope everyone is doing good there! Thank you for everything you've done fore me! Take care! Love,
CECTPA Wilson