A Lot of Firsts
Date
November 6, 2017
Area
Saratov
Companion
Elder Nelson
A Lot of Firsts
**Know that I can't share with you many things -including pics of any Russians and sometimes their names.
Hello Family and Friends,
Office quote: I know exactly what I am doing but, in a much more real sense, I don't know what I am doing."
-Michael Scott
Very good week! Still don't speak or understand the language! That probably wasn't news to anyone. But I think I am understanding more and more each day.
I dont know why it was such a good week. The Book of Mormon is great as always. The comp is good as always. Everything is just great.
The actual World Cup trophy is in the Mall in my mission boundary. How crazy is that? I am so excited.
Last week I gave my first blessing to some sister missionaries which was a really cool experience. It was in English which was a relief haha. I also annointed some oil in Russian which was cool. The hardest part about the blessing was saying their name at the beginning. Russian names are so long and hard to pronounce.
Funny story about Arthur(forest guy): He is a very passionate guy about the Gospel and whenever he is talking about it his eyes get super big, he starts talking with his hands and I dont think his middle fingers can close into a fist. So, when he makes a fist, his middle fingers stay up and he is just flipping us off while he is preaching the Gospel. It's so funny. I cant keep it in. I don't really understand what he is saying anyways.
Something else that's funny. Just a question: Does Jesus Christ have a belly button? I had no clue what this guy was saying. I don't know the Russian word for belly button and so I asked my comp if that was what he was really saying. He said calmly yes, he is asking if Jesus Christ has a belly button. I was like ya right. My comp told me why he thought that. My comp said it's because he didn't know that Jesus was born of Mary. Haha that was a funny time.
Saratov is so cool! There is a university here and people from all across the world come to it. All different kind of races. Everytime I see a black person I just go to them and say do you speak English? and they always say yes. They are awesome. They ask if I am going to school and I say no I am a volunteer and we talk for like 15 minutes. They just think it's cool to meet Americans haha.
The other day the sisters met 3 guys from Egypt and invited me and my comp to visit with them. We were just talking about life and what they like to do and one of them said "I play soccer and I played for a professional team in Egypt." His name is Mohammad. CLASSIC. His friend is also Mohammad- haha that's pretty funny. We went on a walk and we were just talking and the topic of religion came up. He said he is Muslim but he said everyone has to believe in a God. He said "who made the world? How? There has to be a God that made us. There has to be a God that did all of this." I was amazed when I heard this. I thought if only all people were like Mohammad. He also said that he was trying to find the right religion for himself. I was like wow! I think that in the Muslim culture if you join a different religion they might try and kill you and your family. Anyway, he said he looked at Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths. He is so open about religion. I feel like the Lord has been preparing him. We gave him a Book of Mormon in Arabic and he said oh thank you so much, I can't wait to read this. He gave us a hug. We are going to invite him to take the lessons and I hope he accepts.
Dima, the ward mission leader: You want a guy that magnifies his calling? it's Dima. He is honestly one of the most amazing people I have ever met. But he knows not to speak to me because he knows I won't understand as well so he usually speaks to my comp. My first lesson in Dauchney, Dima came with us. After we finished Dima offered to give us a ride home. We said yes. We get in his car and he just starts calling a lot of people and then my comp tells me (after listening to Dima) that we are going to another lesson. He is an amazing guy. He comes with us to half of our lessons each week. He sets up lessons for us all the time. Another time we got done with a lesson he was running to his car and he said "hurry, I have a lesson with the sisters in 5 minutes." He wants to help and wants to magnify his calling. He is a great person. (he is also the guy with the needle at church)
3rd Nephi 9:14
Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
His arm is always extended towards us and it's up to us if we want to grab onto it and receive him.
Love you all hope you have a good week,
Pic of Mohammed
Hello Family and Friends,
Office quote: I know exactly what I am doing but, in a much more real sense, I don't know what I am doing."
-Michael Scott
Very good week! Still don't speak or understand the language! That probably wasn't news to anyone. But I think I am understanding more and more each day.
I dont know why it was such a good week. The Book of Mormon is great as always. The comp is good as always. Everything is just great.
The actual World Cup trophy is in the Mall in my mission boundary. How crazy is that? I am so excited.
Last week I gave my first blessing to some sister missionaries which was a really cool experience. It was in English which was a relief haha. I also annointed some oil in Russian which was cool. The hardest part about the blessing was saying their name at the beginning. Russian names are so long and hard to pronounce.
Funny story about Arthur(forest guy): He is a very passionate guy about the Gospel and whenever he is talking about it his eyes get super big, he starts talking with his hands and I dont think his middle fingers can close into a fist. So, when he makes a fist, his middle fingers stay up and he is just flipping us off while he is preaching the Gospel. It's so funny. I cant keep it in. I don't really understand what he is saying anyways.
Something else that's funny. Just a question: Does Jesus Christ have a belly button? I had no clue what this guy was saying. I don't know the Russian word for belly button and so I asked my comp if that was what he was really saying. He said calmly yes, he is asking if Jesus Christ has a belly button. I was like ya right. My comp told me why he thought that. My comp said it's because he didn't know that Jesus was born of Mary. Haha that was a funny time.
Saratov is so cool! There is a university here and people from all across the world come to it. All different kind of races. Everytime I see a black person I just go to them and say do you speak English? and they always say yes. They are awesome. They ask if I am going to school and I say no I am a volunteer and we talk for like 15 minutes. They just think it's cool to meet Americans haha.
The other day the sisters met 3 guys from Egypt and invited me and my comp to visit with them. We were just talking about life and what they like to do and one of them said "I play soccer and I played for a professional team in Egypt." His name is Mohammad. CLASSIC. His friend is also Mohammad- haha that's pretty funny. We went on a walk and we were just talking and the topic of religion came up. He said he is Muslim but he said everyone has to believe in a God. He said "who made the world? How? There has to be a God that made us. There has to be a God that did all of this." I was amazed when I heard this. I thought if only all people were like Mohammad. He also said that he was trying to find the right religion for himself. I was like wow! I think that in the Muslim culture if you join a different religion they might try and kill you and your family. Anyway, he said he looked at Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths. He is so open about religion. I feel like the Lord has been preparing him. We gave him a Book of Mormon in Arabic and he said oh thank you so much, I can't wait to read this. He gave us a hug. We are going to invite him to take the lessons and I hope he accepts.
Dima, the ward mission leader: You want a guy that magnifies his calling? it's Dima. He is honestly one of the most amazing people I have ever met. But he knows not to speak to me because he knows I won't understand as well so he usually speaks to my comp. My first lesson in Dauchney, Dima came with us. After we finished Dima offered to give us a ride home. We said yes. We get in his car and he just starts calling a lot of people and then my comp tells me (after listening to Dima) that we are going to another lesson. He is an amazing guy. He comes with us to half of our lessons each week. He sets up lessons for us all the time. Another time we got done with a lesson he was running to his car and he said "hurry, I have a lesson with the sisters in 5 minutes." He wants to help and wants to magnify his calling. He is a great person. (he is also the guy with the needle at church)
3rd Nephi 9:14
Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
His arm is always extended towards us and it's up to us if we want to grab onto it and receive him.
Love you all hope you have a good week,
Pic of Mohammed
0 comments
« Back
Local
Russia