Hey there!!

Hey,
So another week has gone by which is crazy to think about! Time really is going by way too fast in some ways! Sis. Quinn was sick last week with a cold, which wasn't surprising...new life, new country, new weather, no sleep, always going after three months of the MTC, but she still worked so hard! I am way impressed and proud of her like everyday! She's amazing! We work well together and we both try our best with the language, and the majority of people are ok with it! :) Majority! But anyways, yeah, I love working with her! This is what missionary work should be like. Pres agrees with me and that I learned a lot from the last 2 companions, and it's made the missionary I am today so I'm good with that! :) So we have a new investigator that I am so excited about! We had four meetings on Wed and we were sitting at the branch building with a member and two meeting didn't show up, and we were getting a little down, but we started our next thing, helping our member with RS, and then this guy walks in and said he had a friend that is in America but is a member of this church and he saw the sign and wanted to know more. We took him on a tour and it was so great! After he said he wanted to come to church! We gave him a BOM and said we would meet with him on Sunday! Then Sunday, he came! And he stayed for all three hours, and said that he felt empty inside when he first came, but then something started building and it was a good feeling and he said he wants to keep coming! It was so great! We tried to have a meeting with him but that bombed...my fault for not explaining everything. We told him we wanted to meet with him and we had a member with us, a girl cause we cant meet with men by oursleves, and we walked into a room and he said, "I'm going to go look at the building some more." We were like, what is he doing? So the Elders called us like 5 minutes later and long story short, our investigator thought we were going into the girls restroom. Yeah, don't ask how he thought that, but anyways, we went out to talk with him and he wants to come to Sports night on Wed and meet with us then. He is a really nice guy! We also did service with the branch on Sat and it really helped our relationships with them. We left after three hours and about a hour later, a member called and asked us to come back and eat dinner with the branch so we did and they were all so excited that we came back! Which hasn't ever happened, at least now like this! It was great! They are asking us gospel/leadership questions and actually following our advice! The ward is finally growing again! Hey, there is amember here who is going to be in Seattle visiting her sister in July or August! She's the 2nd Counselor in RS and the one I've been working with! Sh'es great! So if you want to meet her or takl with her, let me know, she said she can meet you at the temple...she speaks English so dn't worry! :) Well I think that is all for now! i love you all so much! Take care this week!
Love Sister Wilson

Ok side note...I'm dying in the heat and it's only like 80 degrees! Yeah add like 30 more and thats summer in Russia! :)

HELLO!!!:)

Oh my gosh...so I know what it feels to be a hard working missionary...hard working as in doing the work, Sis Quinn is amazing! I love her so much! We have worked hard every single day including her first one! She isn't even unpacked yet...don't worry, we have time today! It's so great! i feel great! It's been a great week! She's adorable too and I'm learning so much from her! :) I know I'm the trainer, but I think it's a good thing when the trainer learns more than the trainee. She just came from the MTC where they are teaching the newest things so why not? :) I'm so happy to be serving with her! It's great! Here is an example...usually we would place like 5 Book of Mormons a week...since last Wednesday we have placed 25! :) AH!! It's great! We have found two new investigators and people onthe street are giving us contacts! It's not perfect but it's great! the biggest blessing I've seen is that I understand! Before I didn't understand everything and I still don't...but I have such a testimony that the Lord calls and qualifes...with Sis. Tedrow and Sis. Braginets I didn't NEED to understand...I tried but I didn't need to. Now I need to and I do. It's amazing! We've talked to so many people and I bet there were only two I didn't understand. The members all said that I speak better too. Our District President said that it's cause the Lord needs me to speak and understand so I can! The gift of tongues is so real its unbelievable! And it's so amazing to know that the Lord is 100% in control and it's all on His time! I love it! Sorry this is kinda confusing...the ZL's are here and they keep talking...which is great but distracting! Ok...they left...so the work is going forth and we're helping RS each week! Sis. Quinn has so much faith and desire it's hard not to be excited all the time! I'll try to send a pic soon! I'm so looking forward to the next three months. Pres said that he wants me to train the whole three training months so 95% sure I'll be in Komcomolcke til the end of July...but by then we will have our next visa trip...KIEV TEMPLE! YAY! so excited! I miss the temple so much but it's such a great feeling knowing that I'll be going in less than three months! We have our ZL day again this Friday. I'm excited...I learned so much last time! And it's alot of fun! I spoke yesterday in sacrament...a lot of people were like, "Sis Wilson! When did you learn Russian!?" Back sided compliment, but I'll take it :) So it's bee a good week! We had training last week for the trainers before bringing in the new missionaries and that was really helpful! We won't have new sisters now for the next 6 months so after 3 months, I know I won't be training! It'll be completely normal...I hope! Well I think I've rambled enough...my grammar and English are getting so bad...sorry for typos or anything. I'm to the point wher I think in Russian a lot so I'm trying to think in Englsih and Russian keeps popping up. That's a good sign I'm told! :) When I get home people will think there is something wrond with me! :) Ok...I love you all so much! Thank you for all your support! Take care!
Love,
Sis. Wilson

Companions!!!

Hello again!!!

Hi, It seems weird to write to you since we just talked last night but I'm glad! That was so fun to hear from you! It's weird to go that long without hearing your voices and then be like, "Hey I remember." And again sorry if I wasn't understandable at times. Sis. Lednova was laughing so hard when I would be speaking English and Russian words would randomly come up. She would yell, "Sis. Wilson, your family doesn't understand when you're speaking Russian and English at the same time." I hear its a good sign when you start mixing languages or when you start forgetting words in your native language, so I'm half way there! :) Anyways, last night was fun thank you so much! Sorry I talked so much! I wanted to hear from you all too but I'll read your letters when I get back! :) Well today is a holiday, a big one, like the 4th of July in America, so we have to be in by 6 tonight,but President decided last night that he wants to do a film/training today for all missionaries in Samara. It keeps us off the street and keeps us from being bored. So tonight we have training for a little bit with President, then a testimony meeting, and then we get to watch the Joseph Smith movie. That should be fun! On Wednesday morning is the big day! I'm so excited! I really hope that this cycle with be normal. Everything i know and Presdident knows about Sis. Quinn points to her being a hard worker so we're both really excited! It's a weird feeling knowing that today in America is her last in the MTC. I remember that time and it was a lot of mixed emotions, and I just want to help her adjust the best I can. So anyways. I'm also looking forward to going back and being with my ZL's and DL, and the missionaries in my zone. kinda :) It's been fun here, E. Smith who wasmy ZL is a ZL in Samara right now so I've been able to work with him this last week which was good, but my ZL's called the other day and asked how my day was, and I told then that the assistants and ZL's asked us to dinner to talk and my ZL's were like, "Sister Wilson don't let them woo you to the Samara Zone. You're in our zone...don't talk to them!" THen the ZL's in Samara found out and they were like whatever, you're in our zone until you get in the van on Wednesday. tonight all ZL's will be there, so that should be fun! :) I love the Elders in our mission! They are fun and respomsible, it's great! I forgot to tell you....E. Morris from the MTC, he is a new ZL in the Saratov zone! And his companion is E. Barton(his trainier,my first DL) So cool! And I also forgot to tell you. We all went to a museum last week for culture nith. That was fun! I'll send some pictures soon if I can! THe missionaries going home were there too so it was good ot say goodbye to tehm. Sorry that my typing is so bad...this computer isn't the best so I hope it's understandable! That's cool that you had some contact in a way with E. Humes! I really did always respect him! Tel him hi for me! Well i think that's it for now! I don't have much else to say that I didn't say last night! I love you all so much! I can't wait til December...well I can in a way but you understand :) Take care and I'll write next Monday...no holiday! :) Love you!
Love,
Sister Wilson

One week till I can call ya:)

Hi!
So I finally got the call yesterday...you know, one day I'll get a transfer call that involves me moving to a new area, but not this time! Sis. Braginets is going to Samara, and I am....TRAINING...an American! I'm so excited, and so unbelievable nervous at the same time! To be honest, I know I've gotten better at Russian, but I've always had a companion to lean on if I got stuck...so now we'll really see how well I can speak...I can see the contacting situation...the new sister starts, then gets stuck and turns to me, who turns around and realizes...oh...mmm....! Just kidding...it'll be great, I'm sure! So...here is the schedule for the next week or so. I hope it isn't confusing! If it is well I guess I could call you about it!...6 days! Wednesday morning we are going to Samara and will be with the sisters there for the day, like when Sis. Braginets had her VISA trip. Then Thursday, early early, Sis. Taylor(a sister in Samara) and I have our Visa trip. Friday after we wake up from 8 hours of sleep(when we have visa trips, no matter what time we come back, Pres wants all missionaries to get 8 hours of sleep! I love that man!) me and Sis. Lednova (yep I get to work with her again, I'm so excited!) will leave to a new area in Samara, where she will be serviing. Sis. Braginets and SIs. Taylor will be companions from then on out and me and Sis. Lednova will be together from the 6th-11th, when our trainees come in. Then on the 11th, we'll go to the office, pick up our companions and head to our areas! Yeah..a lot is happening in the next week and a half so I hope that was all understandable! Again, I don't know if I will be able to email next Monday...we were lucky today, the library was open, but next Monday is a really big holiday for them, so who knows. Elder Yates(DL right now) is also staying, which I'm so grateful for, and he will also be training a new American, so our District will be the four of us, the ZL's and thats it. The senior couple got a transfer...so all the misssionaries will be American in our district...should be fun! I'm grateful I got to serve with Sis. Braginets but it is time she moves on. She's grown a lot and she even said she knows she can do this without me, so I'm excited for her! This last week, was good, slow in the work. But I talked with Sis. Sartori last week, and she asked about RS and how it was being run. I told her, and she told me to do, this this this this...yeah. Sunday I trained the RS Presidency...it was ok. Kinda awkward, but good. They didn't know a lot of things that should happen, and I hope it wasn't like a dump everything on them at once, but they know that I now have permission to help them so that was good! The first counsleor, she speaks Englsih, said, "I bet you didn't think that you would be serving two missions...your own, and Relief Society." At first, I didn't want to. I didn't want to take time away from the work, but as I was talking to Sis. Sartori, I realized that if I have permission to train presidencies, and I don't, and I leave an area and the RS is weaker than when I got there, I really do think that might be the biggest regret of my mission. So I'm doing what I can and I just know i need to always remember, Missionary work comes first. I don't think that will be a problem, considering I need to train someone to do the work! :) I really am excited! So what else...oh how could I have almost forgot? Bugs! Mosquitos to be more specific! They hated me in Washington...they love me here! I have so many bites it's ridiculous...and the thing that annoys me...I'm the only one! No one else in the district has a bite...I have like 12! They better stay away from my face thats all I have to say! I know that is vain, but...well...yeah I have no rebuttle to that! ;) So last week it got warmer...almost to 70 degrees so I was without my coat, just a normal shirt, shortsleeve. Yeah...if they didn't know i was American before, they do now! Apparently, it is not short sleeve shirt weather yet...whatever! I was dying it was so hot in my jacket...S. Braginets thought it was funny that everytime we would contact, if people stopped it was to ask where my coat was. It's almost 70 and people are wearing coats! That's just not right :) I got a little bit of a sunburn but not bad...another reason to not wear a coat...if it's hot enough to get a sunburn, it's hot enough to go without a coat! Ok I'm done...I think that is all for now...I will of course talk to you in 6 days! I'm so excited! Thank you for everything! I love you all so much! Take Care!
Love,
Sister Wilson

Hey there!

Hey This will be a quick one, and I won't have time to write any individual emails. We started with the internet in our own area...it was so slow and kept freezing so we had to come to our normal spot in the Elders area, and it took so much time up! Anyways...I still have a hour but my letter to President took longer than I thought. So...next week, I'm not sure if I will be able to email. We think maybe we can on Tuesday but we don't know. It's a holiday (like our Labor Day) and most places will be closed, and the following monday is a big holiday (like 4th of July....Victory day) and again places will be closed. So I'm not sure ...just know that if I don't write, I will call on the 8th! :) And it will be around 9-9:30pm my time, Sunday Evening...I don't know when it is your time, I haven't figured that out. sorry! Anyways...this week was ok...I was sick...I'm better now don't worry! It was a not so fun head cold, so the work was slow, but I feel better now. So all is good! It was a lot of time sleeping. I told them I didn't need to sleep, but there are times, where I don't get a choice in the matter, I found out ! :) It was good though, I needed to sleep! I just don't ever want to become a missionary that anytime they have a headache...oh I have to sleep for a week...but Sis. Sartori told me to sleep, so I slept. And it wasn't hard...cold medicine...well I'm sure you all remember...I was done within 30 minutes! :) So no fun stories this week, sorry! Next week is my Visa trip on the 6th of May. Anyways...I have to get going! I love all of you so much and I'm sorry I didn't write a lot! I'm hoping I can next week, if not...I will talk to you on the 8th! :) I can't believe that time is already here! Take care!
Love,
Sister Wilson
PS. It's 64 outside right now, and I think this week, I will lose the coat altogether...it's hot on the street! :)

Hi!!

Ok, so last week was so busy and crazy that I'm hoping I have time to write about it all...first off...McDonalds in Russia...not the same...yuck! Fries were ok, but the hamburger was sick...needless to say, I don't want McDonald's anymore! :) And thank you so much for the Easter package! It was great! I'm embarrassed to say I ate all the candy already, but the Elders helped with the Jelly beans...if that makes it better! Thank you thank you! Ok, so Tuesday President came and had interviews with me and Sister Braginets in the morning Wednesday was our Zone Leader day again like we did last tansfer, except this time it was really different. The Zone Leaders were on splits already with the assistants so we had E. Zuber(ZL) and E. Eyers(AP) do the training day. It was all fun and really helpful then...ok Bryce I know you'll lvoe this part...we did splits while contacting! Yep Elders and Sisters on splits...one elder, one sister contacted together, while the other sister and elder hund back a little without their tags on and observed. It sounds wierd and awkward but its wasn't. It was so helpful and a lot of fun! Althoguth at first, I wasn't exactly on board with it! :) I learned a lot of new contacting methods and this week we foudn 3 new investigators and tomorrow we have ameeting with one who said, two of her firends want to learn more too, so we'll see! Thursady was Zone Conference. That was fun too! I love being around all the other missionary! It's been a good week! :) I teach the RS lesson this Sunday! Tithing... :) So how is Brad'sshoulder? eerythign go ok? And I sent out a bday card for Grandpa, but in case it isn't there in time, tell him happy birthday for me! :) I did find out that my next visa trip is the 6th of May. So that'll be a busy week. Visa trips usually take up the night before and they morning after. So Thurs night-Sat morning. then Sunday I get to talk with all of you, and find out if I'm being transferred, then two days later, transfers...should be fun, but that's still awhile away. Well I better get going! I love you all so much! Thank you for everything you do! Take Care! Love, Sis. Wilson