Hi from Russia!!!:)

Ok, so where to start...first off I'm rather annoyed that every word I type they tell me is spelt wrong(it's a Russian keyboard). Anyways...yeah seriously where tp begin. First off, email me all you want! They can be long!!! :) I can print off the emails and read them at home so it won't take up my email time, so anyone can email me and I just print them off! It's fun! So don't worry about making the emails short. It is the best way to get ahold of me, and the addresses on the sheet at home work to, just takes longer. The one that goes to SLC is pouch mail only. So...Russia...I love it! I'm not trying to make things better than they are so don't worry! :) Yes, it's dirty, actually dirty is the understatement of the century, yes it stinks, another one of those understatements, but I love it! The people I've met, I love working with! No on ever smiles on the street, but I do! Ha ha! I'm suppose to, I'm a missionary! They all definitely know I'm American by looking at me! Some people find it entertaining while other people, well I'm pretty sure I've heard swear words (my comp won't tell me). But mostly I'm entertaining people! I bought some boots, and today I need to buy the rest of the stuff! Big coat with fur and the accessories! :) It's cold but not any colder than Idaho had been. It's getting colder but not unbearble yet. I've been promised it will come! One big thing here is snow! like the actual snowflakes are huge! I was studying and looked out the window and there were these huge white things the size of golf balls! I thought someone shredded a pillow! I asked Sis. Tedrow what that was....she politely replied, "That's snow Sis. Wilson. Welcome to Russia." Yeah, she's told every member we talk to that story! Oh well, it's funny, if it didn't happen to me, I'd tell it too! My companion, Sis. Tedrow is a lot of fun! She's a little sick right now, so that's not good, but we have so much fun together and she's very patient with my lack of Russian! Speaking of which...my Russian stinks! When you told me on the phone I sounded like a Russian person, I'll be honest, I thought maybe I speak better than I think I do! Well...you lied! I stink at Russian! I hve no idea what people are saying to me! And I love when I don't understand, they say it slower and louder...cause that's going to help! :) They're just trying to help and the members all think it's funny, but they said they very much appreciate when and American comes over and is trying to learn the language! So they don't hate me! They just think I'm fun to listen to! And I got sniffed by one of them! They said I smell too clean so I must be an American! :) The food is amazing! I'm seriously going to get fat cause I realized this week I have no self control! Well I do, but not when it comes to breads and cheeses! And candy and chocolate! So yep, no self control! I have a strict exercise schedule every morning that no one thinks I'll keep after the first few weeks, but little do they know, how vain I actually am! :) j/k! They only thing I have hated is something Bro. Wood warned us about in the MTC. Meat jello! except its not like the good raspberry jello. No Russian jello is fat that they freeze for a long time till it turns gelatin and then they put left over meats in it. So picture floating meat chunks in clearish fat! Yeah, I had it last night! I'm not sure how I did that, but I did. The lady last time gave us so much food, I didn't think I would be able to walk home! But we walk everywhere which is good! Cause we eat all the time! So, what else is there? My apartment is good! A lot better than I was expecting! The elevator very much scares me. The other day we were going down and it stopped working for a few seconds, it was pitch dark in there too! Sis. Tedrow was like, "Oh my gosh. This is isn't good!" So yeah you can guess I handled that well! ;) j/k! It started in like a minute! But yeah they aren't nice elevators with music. They are about 4 feet wide so it's pretty stuffed with two of us in there, with local artists pictures all over(grafitti) with your selections of gum! And other things I don;t want to know what they are! But oh well! So in emails we aren't allowed to mention names of people, or specifics about our lessons, for obvious reasons, so when I get a chance to write a letter I'll talk more about the work. I don't want you to think I'm being lazy! I just can't write about it...it's pretty specific what we can't do! So I don't think I've had any really bad moments...well except when I first heard a little like 4 year old kid talk in the Moscow airport. Yeah, he talked better than me. I think the elders around me thought I was going to cry! It was funny, but I was so tired, I just stared at the kid. Like seriously, you're 4! I don't even have the vocab of a 4 year old! Like I said, I entertain people! It was so hard to say goodbye to everyone at the different airports! But it had to be done, to get to this point! It's weird, in the MTC you imagine the field, but I never imagined this! It's not bad, it's just so different! But it's amazing how the Lord helps me! I can honesly say, He hasn't left my side the whole time! I don't know how I've been able to do all that we've done, with little to no sleep the first few days, major jet lag, and still be standing and happy! It's only cause of Him that it's possible! So I think the hardest part of the week was yesterday and Saturday. We were always around members so I met a lot of people,and I would bet half of them would try and speak english to me. I kept telling them I wanted to speak Russian but they ignored me! Sis. Tedrow said that I should just keep speaking russian as much as I can, cause what they want is for me to teach them English! Are you kidding me? I can barely say, I need to go to the bathroom, and they want me to teach them an entire language?! Yeah, I had a headache yesterday for sure! Cause I really wanted to speak English, but couldn't so I spoke Russian, which i also can't really do! Oh well, it'll get better! I think I've talked about everything that I can remember! I'll try to write more next time but my fingers can only go so fast when they are cold! And I also have to write my mission president...that's why I now have a hour for email! Again, write as much and as often as you want! it's the only mail, I know i'll get on a regular basis! And if you have a quesion you want me to answer, put it at the top of the email so I know to answer it that week! :) I hope that made sense! Well I better get going. Only a few minutes left! I love you all so much! Don't worry about me! I know we were all thinking...Russia...that's scary and I don't know if I want her going there! But it's not scary! I'm fine! Take care and I'll write next Monday!
Love, Sister Wilson

Thanksgiving was shared with all the Missionaries in Brittanys

Zone by two very special Senior Companions!!!

Thank you for making them feel like home:-)

Thanksgiving in Russia!!!:)

Dear Brother and Sister Wilson,

Thank you for your kind words. Russia (as well as the rest of the world) does not celebrate Thanksgiving. This is my very most favorite holiday. Gratitude and thanks could be celebrated each day and I try to do this without lessening the importance. I love Thanksgiving Day!

We asked our couples to provide a special lunch or dinner with all the missionaries in their area. Unfortunately we don't have couples serving where everyone of our missionary companionships are. Sis. Wilson was blessed to be in Tolyatti (Toliatti) and the Russian Senior Couple along with the Zone Leaders planned a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner to be together and celebrate their blessings.

Please enjoy this picture.

Our Love,
President and Sister Sartori
Russia Samara Mission

Sister Wilson with Pres & Sis. Sartori

She is now in Russia!!!

Sis. Wilson in the Russia Samara Mission

Dear Bro. & Sis. Wilson,

We are contacting you to let you know that your daughter, Sis. Wilson, arrived in our Samara Mission late last night/early this a.m. She is excited to be here. She shared that the language culture was still a little shock in the Moscow Airport, even though she has studied the language. We totally understand this feeling. It is now 4:00 p.m. our time and she should be with her new companion in our Komsomolski Area in our Toliatti Zone. Our Mission Driver helps us transport our new and transferring missionaries because our mission is so widespread. Toliatti is 1 1/2 hours from Samara. The Mission Office and Mission Home are in Samara.

Our Mission has outlying branches some 3 hours drive by car up to 8 hour drive.

THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR WONDERFUL DAUGHTER TO SERVE IN OUR MISSION. It took one hour to travel home from the airport and we were able to meet and visit with her. She is a delight. We felt the wonderful spirit that she carries. We are so happy to serve with her here.

We love Sis. Wilson.

President & Sister Sartori
Russia Samara Mission

Me and Sis. Whitney!!

Sis. Margolies, Kekauoha, Me, Sis. Whitney and Elder Wallace!

Me and Sis. Kekauoha

Me, Elder Windham, E. Peterson and Sis. Margolies!!

Ukraine District and our District!!

The sisters with Elder Windham!!

Me and my favorite comp.

More Snow Day!!!

Play day outside!! SNOW DAY!!!:)

Giving a chart as to why girls should write these two:)

Elder Noren was the leader and Elder Bangerter was Embarrassed!!! lol

Less than a week!

Mom and Dad,
Ok, so before I go on about my week, I don't know if you got my travel plans that I sent out...I would think you'd get it today if you haven't already, but I leave Monday at 5:00am...so that will be the time I'll be allowed to call probably is around 6-7am Utah time...Sorry it's so early, Brandi might want to spend the night that night! :) Just in case the plans don't come, I'm travelling with Elders Bahr, Morris, Windham, and Ortner, and Sis. Margolies. It'll be so much fun being with all of them! At least til Moscow then it's just me and my two travel buddies! :) Ok and before I go on...yep we had another apostle last Tues. Elder Bednar came! Four in a row...never happened at the MTC before! It was so exciting! He talked about the doctrine and how we can always find answers there! It was really good! Ok, so yep, I'm done to a week! Well less than a week...so this pday is crazy busy trying to get everything done! I've been really good with not crying, when I think about leaving everyone but I have a feeling the floodgates are going to open soon! ;) Everyday gets harder and harder to say goodbye! I know I keep saying this, but the people I've met here, especially my district, are a part of my family! I really don't want to leave all of them, but I also really want to go to Russia, and since that's what the Lord wants, that's what I'll do! Dad, thank you so much for writing that letter! It was really encouraging to all of us! :) And thank you for the package! The food was amazing as always! They downed it again, and we sent out a card on Saturday! Thank you thank you for the jewelry! Both necklaces are perfect! Ok so for this week, just so you know, they've told us to let family and friends know about letters. Dear elders only come mon-fri, so if you want to write one, it has to be in by Fri at noon (Utah time) or I won't ever get it. Letters/packages still come on Sat but with those also, if it comes on Monday, they won't forward to me. It's really too much of a hassle for them, so I'm just passing it on! :) Thank you for all your letters! I love hearing from you and I'm not looking forward to not getting mail on a regular basis! Oh well! :) And starting next week, you can e-mail me! I can only write back to family as far as I'm aware but that's the best way for us to keep in contact! So, we are hosting new missionaries again tomorrow! Last week was a lot of fun! It's amazing to see how far we've come since that first day! Crazy that it's been 11 weeks! (tomorrow) Went by way too fast! I teach my last lesson tomorrow night! Well last one in the MTC...of course! :) It was also my last time at the temple for awhile, this morning. It was a good experience though. My district and the Ukranian district(the other older ones leaving with us) decided to go to the same session and eat together afterwards. But after the session, Elder Ortner came up to us and asked if we would quickly help him seal his mom to her parents, so we got to do that before eating. It was really amazing to do a session, than sealings! I'll miss the temple! I might get to go on VISA trips but there are no guarantees! I am so excited for Alex! I got a letter from him and Jordan and they both seem just so ready to go! They're going to both make great missionaries! I wish I had like funny stories for this week but it's really been more of an emotional week...with of course fun in there! After the travel plans came it was like, reality sunk in! Its great but also scary and sad at the same time! When I saw Moscow and Samara on my travel plans I just felt this weight! Not in a bad way, just like, "wow, I'm actually going to be there." But at the same time, our district all talked together and we all feel as ready as we're going to get. E. Bangerter said it perfectly..."We've become missionaries." I know it sounds wierd, but I got set apart as a missionary, but that doesn't make someone a missionary...not in the way I see it now. Over the last three months, the Lord has been molding us into what we need to be, to be His representative. That's what makes someone a missionary! And I'm scared to death thinking that I may not be ready, but I have to rely on the Lord that He'll take care of what I lack! You know better than anyone, that a mission was never an option for me. I never wanted to do it, so when the prompting came it was weird and hard to understand. But looking back now, this was the best decision I've made in my life. I am so proud of Alex and Jordan for making the same one! And honestly, tell anyone that is even thinking about it...do it! Yeah there are hard days, and frustrating days, sad days and some even a little depressing! But those end up being the best days! That's when you come to rely on the Lord! That's when you realize what you're Savior had done for you! Those are the days that make you a missionary! So when the days come that are awesome and fun and great, life just couldn't get better! There's no such thing as a bad day in the mission, just a bad outlook! There are too many blessings all around us to not be able to find something to make us cheer up! :) Thank you again for everything you've done for me! You are both such great examples to me and to my district! They love you so much! :) I can't wait to talk with you on Monday! It'll be so fun! I love you both! Take care and I'll talk to you soon!

Love, CECTPA Wilson