Hello!!

Hi! Thank you so much for the birthday package! Oh my gosh it was amazing! Thank you thank you! Well I hate to tell you this but I wrote all these things down that I wanted to tell you about, and I left the postit at home! I know! Fun! But I'll try to remember! Well we had our culture night, it was fun! The Elders are all really great, but two of them are getting transferred Wednesday...Elder Smith(ZL) and Elder Andersen(DL)...we're not happy about it! We both really love those two!! But oh well, things happen! I am not getting transferred, you already knew that...so by the end of this cycle I will have served in Комсомольскии for six months. The language is still coming along, slowly, but I did understand pretty much all the time, I just can't talk correctly...there are so many little grammar rules that are all "so" important! :) But I'm understandable...now it's a lot of polishing! A LOT! Thank you for the pics of Washington! I love them so much! Looks like you had fun together in the pictures Brandi sent! When you get a chance, do you mind sending some in the mail? I can't print pics here so I ony get to look at them once! :( Dad, my allergies are actually starting to get bad, not unbearable, but I'm taking a Zyrtec a day...but I have a lot of them, so you don't have to send them. Thank you though! Yesterday was Daylight Savings time, and next week is Fast Sunday...we watch General Conference a week late cause it has to be translated...I'm really hoping I'm able to listen to it in English though! Translations are always so fast and hard to understand! The work is ok...very slow still...we contact and tract a lot...little success with that. We give out a lot of Books of Mormon but so far no callbacks! We still have the same two investigators...but they aren't progressing so we don't know how much longer we'll be teaching them. Makes for long days, but I know as long as we;re doing out part, success will come on the Lord's time. We went tracting the other night and when I knocked on the door, a kid about 18-19 answered and I told him who we were, and all that fun stuff(in RUssian of course) and he smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Englsih." Sister Braginets then said in a perfect Russian accent, "What about Russian?" His eyes got all big and just shut the door. It's amazing how people know I'm American after one word and then some people after talkng for 15 minutes are like, "Do you know you have an accent?" I don't know...it's fun thoug....the majority of people, when I tell them I'm American, thinks it's the best thing in the world, and then there are the ones that don't. But that's when we walk away! :) Well I need to get going! I hope you are all doing great and I love you so much! Take Care! Love Sister Wilson

11 months to go!!

Hi! Well everything is still going good here! To clear up some questions...I moved like 2 minutes away from my old apartment, so I'm still in the same area and everything, just a new apartment! :) And the food is better here, not because I moved but I think because my stomach is getting used to it! And I stopped asking, "What is this?" I just eat it...it's better that way! Tell Tiah and Kyle congratualtions for me on their calls! That's very cool! Tiah will get a tan while I freeze to death it's all good ;) No the weather is better. Not cold at all, just really wet. I had to buy new boots last week cause my other ones finally died. They soaked right through with all the water on the streets! Well we had Zone conference last week and District Conference(same as Stake Conference). That was fun. We all had interviews with President Sartori! I always look forward to those! Well...tomorrow is Zone training and after the Zl's are making us lunch and after that we have culture night! We're going to a war museum! I'm so excited! I'll take tons of pics Brandi! Not a lot happened this week with all the conferences...just a lot of good talks! :) Sorry it's a short one..and no funny stories but I have to get going! I'll try to write more next week! I love you all so much...you have to idea! Take care!
Love,
Sister Wilson

And I thought you would like to now...I'm 95% sure my mission because of Visa laws is cut short by almost a month....I'll know for sure later, but I'm not too happy about it....I don't get a full 18 months, but I figured Brandi would be happy to know instead of me coming home in March, right now I'm set for February! ;) I'll keep you updated!

PS.I forgot...thank you so much for the package! I loved it! Brownies are the best and they don't have chocolate chips her so thank yo! And the Elders say thank you for the jerky! :) I share :) And i remembered a funny story...just to end on a happy note! There is a lot of water on the streets and well Russian women they just step right into it without worry, but well I'm not Russian and dirty water is gross...So one day I was walking and didn't see the big puddle, and stepped in it...after realizing i stepped into a lot of water, I did what any other american girl would do and I tiptoed quickly thorugh it...ok I might have done it while saying, " ew ew ew ew gross gross gross" at the same time, maybe a little louder than I should've...and when I got out Sister Braginets was laughing so hard, but the man behind her, that I didn't know was there, was laughing herder...which for a Russian man to laugh on the street, I must;ve looked completely stupid...so once again I've reached my goal of trying to get Russian to smile...I'd like it next time not to be because I embarrassed myself, but what can I do?! :) Have a good week! Love you all! :)

6 months down!!

Hi!!So I realizd last week, was my 6 month mark on my mission! Crazy huh! Time goes by so fast! Anyways, thought that was cool! So...the big move...it wasn't that bad actually! The Elders (Smith and Zuber) made it a lot of fun! So the one bad thing...I fell...and not like, oops I tripped...no it was hard! In Russia you aren't suppose to wear your shoes inside, well I did, and I ran into the bedroom to grab a sweater for my comp and I slipped(cause my shoes were wet from being outside) and well...Brandi, you know when people fall hard in America's Funniest Videos, and you laugh...well it was worse than that...I completely landed on my back and wrists...and it was so loud that E. Smith who was outside the apartment, down the hall, and in the elevator, heard it and came back to see if everything was ok. Besides maybe my pride, everything was fine. I have a very large bruise, but other than that I'm good to go. Which I wanted to tell you Mom, means that when I was told in my blessing, that I would be protected..well it's true...I'm not kidding, everyone thought I would've broke my wrist or back it was hard, but I'm totally fine! So no worries...as long as I don't do anything completely stupid, I'm good! ;) So the new apartment is good...3 rooms, so a lot of place to put things! But we got a rule enforced this week...you are to be with your comp at all times...even in the home, except for of course shower and the bathroom. So it's been fun. When I need to leave the living room to grab my scriptures in our study room, I need to ask Sis. Braginets to come with me, and vice versa! Fun stuff! :) Oh and last week, Sis. Braginets had a visa trip so I was able to work with Sis. Lednova again for the day! It was last Wednesday! I really hope we get to serve together at some point! We have so much fun and we get the work done! I love her! It was then, when we worked together, that I realized how far I've come in the language. I'm no where near perfect, but Sis. Lednova is Russian, and I was able to talk the entire day in Russian with her, and I didn't even realize it. Grammar wasn't correct, but she understood me...now I need the grammar down! Well we have Zone Conference this week. President Sartori will be there and we have interiews with him. I always look forward to those! I really love both President and Sister Sartori! They're amazing! We did a lot a lot of contacting this week and made some contacts with people. We have lessons with them this week hopefully! Yesterday however, we talked with this older lady, and I have to be completely honest, I was ticked! When we found out she wasn't interested we tried to leave, but she kept yelling at us about how we're a sect, and blah bla blah...over and over again. She said she knew I was American and that my comp wasn't Russian, and that we shouldn't come into her country and try to force our sect on people. She was being very specific about things and very well almost scary. We get a lot of people who think we're a sect and just walk off. Oh well. The weather is doing so much better! Last week, with the exception of maybe one day, it was really nice. I am now wearing my black wool coat during the day and the big Russian one at night! A lot of water during th eday cause everything is melting, and then really slippery at night! Fun times! Ok, so the food here is amazing!@ I'm scared I'm going to get really used to it and come home and not want Taco Bell!....not possible, I know! Well I need to get going! A lette ris on the way about the work here. I'm sorry I wsih I would talk more about it in the email! And please tell Bro. Bingham I will write him about the Stake thing he emailed me about. But I can't email him. I love you all so mcuh and hope you all have a great week! Take care! You're always in my prayers!
Love,
Sister Wilson

Moving Day!!!

Hi!,
Ok, so chances are this will be the only email I send out today because....its moving day! I have like no time, after writing President. I'm sorry! So...yeah, we spent 5 hours cleaning/packing this morning...not fun! I would very much like to talk to the missionaries who have lived their the last 3 years and decided it was going to be their dumping grounds! Disgusting! Anyways...Elder Smith and Zuber (ZL's) will be waiting with a Taxi in about 20 minutes to take us back and start moving everything over. It's been such a mess! So many things have to be done and so many things weren't done awhile ago, so it's been interesting! Well, even with moving, it's been a busy week. We did a lot of contacting again! We have a new investigator! She's an older woman, who thinks her daughter should listen to us also! So maybe we'll get a referral from her! She's really sweet! We're meeting with her again tomorrow! We contacted her on the street and she asked us if we had time right now to come over and talk about the gospel...yeah...we had time!!!! And we also did some tracting...ok, so funniest story ever! At least so far...it was my door, and when I knocked I heard a man say in a really girly voice, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" He swung open the door, was a bigger guy, middle aged, and was very happy! And was only wearing a speedo...we think he was waiting for a girl! He looked at me and screamed like a little girl, just quieter and tried to hide behind the door, and popped his head out. "What can I do for you?" I was laughing so hard...I couldn't even get out..."We're missionaries from..." He was like, "Missionaries? Oh not right now girls, I'm sorry." And shut the door. In htat momoent, I was a bad missionary cause I was almost on the ground laughing so hard! So was Sister Braginets though! We had to take some time to get ready for the next door. Oh and he wasn't drunk...thats what everyone asked after we would tell the story. When funny or amazing things happen our district calls each other...so I called E. Zuber and I was barely breathing, I was laughing so hard...He went on to say, they just had a meeting with a guy who believes in Aliens..a.gain not drunk! :) Fun times! Oh and we have a family we are teacing...well the daughetr is intersted in the gosple...the brother...not so much...just interested in getting to America and thinks I'm the way there. He kissed my hand and kept telling me I was beautiful...yeah we left...and I'm not going back without a man! Member of the church! :) Awkward! I pulled out family photes so fast with a bunch of picures of the ward...every guy he asked about...it was ridiculous! So another story...we had just got done with our morning study time and my personal study was so good that day! I was just so ready to go...we walk out of our apartemnt complex and there is loud dreary music, a bunch of people, an old woman crying loudly and a buncho f cars...I was like oh thats wierd...then a big black cross was being carried right in fornt of me...I was standing on the steps trying to figure out where to go, and I turned away from the cross only to find myself staring at a dead body. Yeah.....they have funerals in the street! And the coffin is open the whole time as they carry it to the cemetary! He was dead! And like 5 feet from my face! This probably sounds disrespectful but I don't mean for it too...its just a culture shock. Funerals are where there is a casket, and a car that holds the casket and the family follows with their cars...and then go back for a nice dinner...ok so yeah, spoiled American is what a lot of people are probaly thinking.....yeah that is so not what happens here...lets just say, the Lord knew i needed a good spiritual high is the morning cause that was the only thing that kept me from freaking out...I just stood there with my mouth open and Sis. Braginets is like, "Sis Wilson stop staring, we need to go." Fun times in Russia! :) Well, Saturday was our Zone Leader day. We had lunch with the Zone Leaders and Elder Andersen and Yates. After lunch we had interwiews. E. Smtih and Anderson(DL) interviewed me...I thought it would be wierd, but it was so helpful. It was good to talk with the elders. They are so fun! I need to get going! I hope you are all going great! Sorry for typos...I've never typed this fast before! I love you all so much and thank you for all your prayers and support...right now they are so needed! :) Take care!
Love
Sister Wilson

PS. Last funny story...in one contacting session...about 3 hours long...one lady told me I looked like I was 17. Another one told me I had a nice body...yep a lady, and another one said we look like nuns....fun times contacting!

Hello Everyone!!

Hello,
Another week is gone...and it was ok. Long and hard to be completely honest. But good! We tracted and contacted a lot! Gave out a lot of invitations to church, 4 Book of Mormons, and had a few lessons with hopefully new investigators. We'll see this week. It has been so cold! Oh my gosh cold! Evenings are not fun to be on the street that's for sure! But oh well, everyone keeps saying that Spring should be coming soon and the weather will warm up but I don't see that happening tomorrow so I don't care right now! :) Well I again had a fun converstation about America...It's not very fun in those cases to be able to understand what they're saying but not say what you want to back. Oh well! So how is Alex doing? Have you heard from him? Has Tiah got her call yet? I'm so excited to hear where she is going! Well I did find out we are moving apartments soon. I don't know when, but soon. Eler Smith(ZL) kept calling and asking about the household stuff in the apartment and I finally was curious and asked why and he's like, "For when you move." I asked where I was moving to and I got a "....aaaaa....you didn't know did you?" So at some point in the future, someone will hopefully call and say we're moving :) It was fun! Moving will not be though...the apatment has so much junk form pasty missionaries it's disgusting! I made browies last week and didn't burn them completely. I think I am just figuring out this oven and I'm moving. But it's not fair that we got browies from oiur DL and Zl's and they both bake better than I do. I hate this oven! :) E. Smith said it's "operator error"...I'm starting to agree with ihim! ;) So my companion is good. It's hard not being able to talk a lot. but it'll get better. We both say sorry a lot which kinda sounds like Frosty so I now really want one of those! :) I didn't fall this week! I think it was just a one time thing! ;) Well I hope you are all doing great! Sorry it was boring and short...again, it's been a long week! I'll write more next week! I love you all! Take Care!
Love,
Sister Wilson

It happened!!!!!;-)

It finally happened! I fell! Not just slipped, but fell hard...right on my butt! (lovely missionary talk, I know, sorrry) It hurt! But not anymore, so don't worry! but I can't believe it! I went three months without falling! Oh well, we all knew it would happen soon enough! So the effects of the black tea are gone! The embarrassment is not but oh well! Well, I am with my new companion, Sister Braginets! She is great, and speaks no English, so you can imagine...I have a headache everyday! :) But it's good, it's hard, but good! We teach each other languages during the day! I taught her swing, slide, and teeter toter the other day right before Zone Conference. The Elders were like, "What are you teaching her?" Important words! :) It's been good! I love my new district...well not really new, just some new people. E. Anderson is now my DL (he's amazing) and Elders Smith and Zuber are my new zone leaders! They brought us flowers on Friday for a late Valetines day present! It was so sweet! I love both of them! We were able to meet the new sisters on Wedensday when we had a mini Sisters Conf. All the sisters were being transferred so since we were all there, they had a conf with us and the ZL's. It was good! I love being around missionaries! they are entertaining! :) We let one of our investigators go this week. Well not let go, but turned her over to the Elders. Her son just got the priesthood and has no interest in it at all. So we talked and Pres said with all things considered, the Elders should teach the son since he's a new member, and if the mom shows interest, teach her, but she hasn't been progressing for months, so who knows. So we have one investigator now, so we spend a lot of time with inactives or on the streets which is so cold! It's -31 today! Yep...cold! But oh well, it's Russia, it's to be expected! Well I'm sorry this is a short one, but I have to go...I love you all so much and hope everything is going good! I love you! Take Care!
Love,
Sister Wilson

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Hello! Happy Valentine's Day! (even though I forgot about it :))So good grief, it's been a long week, and I have no idea where to start. First off, please tell Nate, he has a letter on the way. When I sent out the one you just got, I hadn't heard from him, but then i got an email and sent out his letter, so it's on it's way! I would never forget about him! :) Oh and tell him I loved his email so much a couple weeks ago, I used it in a talk for District Mtg That guy is going to be a great missionary! ok, so...last week...Wednesday we had a zone conference, so we went to samara in the morning(about 30 minutes away from HovoK-where I've been the last week). Then had to go back to samara that night to get ready for my visa trip. We stayed in the apartment next to Pres and Sis sartori and had banana splits with them before going to bed! They are both so amazing! Anyways...it was that night that i had an interview with president and found out...I"M NOT TRAINING! Biggest answer to a prayer ever! ;) I'm going to be with sister Брагинец(brag-anets). she's been here for six weeks and is from Ukraine! she;s my age and Pres. said she is ready to work! I'm so excited! she knows Russian so that's good....she knows very little english, which i'm so excited about. This last week, with Sisters Torst and Lednova, I realized I know a lot more Russian than i thought I did. I've made so much progress language wise this week. I look back to last Sunday and now, and think, wow...I didn't know it was possible to talk like this...I'm no where near good at it, but I'm so much better than i thought! So that was Wednesday night...got to bed late, woke up at 2:30, left at 3:50 and was on my way to Latvia! 24hrs later, I was back in the apartment next to the Sartori's. We came in about 1:30am. Long trip, but fun. I got to know more of the Elders, cause I was the only Sister on the trip. It was fun! Wejust saw the insides of airports so no excited pictures or anything. sorry! It was tired! It's better now, but still a little slow! :) i will go on my next one somewhere around May 4th...that is when my next visa expires. Fun stuff! So...transfers...all I know so far is sometime soon, probably Wednesday morning, we go back to samara and me and Sis. braganets will go from there back to our area. It;s been a crazy week, but fun! there is an Elder here, elder Ellis that was in the MTC with me for about 6 weeks. It was realy fun to be serving around him again! and E. Morris is still going to be in my district, but his comp is leaving! :( but I'm so glad E. Morris is staying! And one of the Elders on my visa trip that really helped me with some language study plans, will be one of my new zone leaders! so that was fun to hear! I'm so excited to get back and start working...a lot of little things happened this week, that I can't remember, but one big thing...I broke the word of wisdom...accidentally...again...I think i have a problem! a recent convert (who is definitely going to be getting the discussions again!) gave us black tea and I drank it before Sis. Torst found out what it was....yeah...black tea made with Russian water...there's a reason we aren't suppose to drink it! i'm totally fine, don't worry! BUt yeah, that was fun to tell Pres...i told him in an email so I didn't have to hear him laugh! first drugs, now tea...the three of us were talking last night, and decided there are worse things i could do, so I repented and will do better ;) Interesting serving in russia, that's for sure...always have to be on your toes! i've really enjoyed my last week! I've also realized that russia has a lot of weird smells! I think i got used to the wierd ones in my area, but this area has a whole bunch of new ones that make my stomach turn! Oh well...just a fun little side note on the world here! :) I hope i get to serve here again! I love the area and the people! They were a lot of fun! Cool experience for me...We were at a lesson and i gave a spiritual thought from the Book of mormon and then we talked for awhile afterwards. The lady was talking and I looked down at the Book of Mormon and saw Книга Мормона(Book of mormon in russian) and started thinking about how many sacrifices it took for this book to be in Russia! It just really hit me there! Mormon abridged the recored and hid them. Joseph smith came and translated them, and dealt with much persecution. It was a miracle that these gold plates were translated and printed and sold as an actual book for us to read. Back in the pioneer times, they treasured that book. They knew the power of it and they kept it close to their hearts! Russia is in that pioneer stage now! I looked at the Book of Mormon and just thought, wow! the same miracle happened! THe book of mormon is in the former soviet union! Russian people are treasuring that book and holding it close to their hearts! Everything rides on whether the Book of mormon is true, and when people know it is, things change! if the book of mormon is true, then joseph smith was a prophet, and the ture church of Jesus christ is on the earth again! everything is on this book! And i realized how much i took it for granted before! It was just a really good expeirence to see how far the church has come, and how much my testimony of the church and of the Book of mormon has grown! I looked at my watch and realized it was February 12th, and i kept thinking to myself, that day was important to me for some reason. I came back and read my journal...that was the day last year, that i was waiting in the baptismal font before the Valentines dance, and those girls were there! That was the night I got my answer to go on a mission...I can't believe I almost forgot! That was such a special time! I love being a missionary! Well i think that's all for the highlights! Wednesday will start work back in my area...I've already set up appointments so people can get to know my new companion. I'm so excited!! Thank you for all your emails and I love you all so much! Take care! Love,
Sister Wilson