Hi everyone,
This week we got to watch General Conference! It was so amazing. I hope everyone had the chance to see it. While the members watched the Russian translation on a TV in the sacrament room, the six missionaries in Nakhodka gathered around the computer in the office to watch it in English. We had a nice lunch provided by the senior couple and treats made by the missionaries. I love seeing the faith of the members who took eight hours out of their Saturday and Sunday to sit and listen to the inspiring words of General Conference. I thought Elder Holland's talk was very powerful, and I learned so much and felt te Spirit so strongly.
Sunday also was Easter for the people in Russia. On the street, we heard lots of people sharing the greeting of "Иисус воскрес" (Ee-soos voskres = Jesus is resurrected). People crack hard-boiled eggs together and eat bread that's baked and frosted so it looks like a cupcake. It's a time when lots of people gather together with their familes and celebrate Jesus Christ. Sister Isaac and I have been handing out copies of "The Living Christ" and the Family Proclamation to celebrate and invite people to learn more about Christ.
On Monday, the 6th, the senior couple invited all the missionaries to their home to eat dinner and remember the day when the church was organized. They fed us a Russian meal of salad (which are different from American salad, not made with lettuce, but so many random ingredients, and if you look at the picture I sent, it's the pink stuff on the plates), bread and butter, soup (also not like American soup, just lots of different, random ingredients), rice, and jell-o that wasn't quite solid. It was a really yummy meal, and we're grateful to them for their willingness to put it together for us.
Red and her familiy are back from Thailand, so we are excited to start meeting with them again and helping the two girls get ready for their baptism on the 25th. We've also been meeting with Owl and helping her progress toward baptism on the same day. She still doesn't understand why the sabbath day is important and why we need to attend church. Like Elder Nelson said in conference, the sabbath is a delight, and we really want to help her see and understand that.
Sister Isaac introduced me to сгущёнка (sgooshonka, which is sweetend and condensed milk). It is super good on tortillas and bread with nutella, and it's my new treat. That's the last thing I need, is more desserts and sweets!
One of the most difficult things we've been dealing with is the lack of progressing investigators. In order to progress, they need to make and keep commitments such as promising to pray about the message, read the Book of Mormon, and come to church. We meet with atheists who won't pray to God because they don't believe in Him and with other people who won't read or come to church because they're sick or just lazy. The only way to get an answer is to read and pray to find out if it's true. If we can help our investigators see that, they will progress in leaps and bounds, but it's all up to them to choose to act. (That's where free agency comes in.) We keep praying that we will be led to those who are ready to keep commitments and get baptized and that we will be instruments in the Lord's hands, for this is His work.
Also, I officially have been on my mission for more than six months. 1/3 of the way through, less than a year left. But don't think about that, I've still got lots of time left. Have a great week! (I was about to say post-conference week, but then I remembered that conference wasn't really yesterday.)
Сестра Спрингер
This week we got to watch General Conference! It was so amazing. I hope everyone had the chance to see it. While the members watched the Russian translation on a TV in the sacrament room, the six missionaries in Nakhodka gathered around the computer in the office to watch it in English. We had a nice lunch provided by the senior couple and treats made by the missionaries. I love seeing the faith of the members who took eight hours out of their Saturday and Sunday to sit and listen to the inspiring words of General Conference. I thought Elder Holland's talk was very powerful, and I learned so much and felt te Spirit so strongly.
Sunday also was Easter for the people in Russia. On the street, we heard lots of people sharing the greeting of "Иисус воскрес" (Ee-soos voskres = Jesus is resurrected). People crack hard-boiled eggs together and eat bread that's baked and frosted so it looks like a cupcake. It's a time when lots of people gather together with their familes and celebrate Jesus Christ. Sister Isaac and I have been handing out copies of "The Living Christ" and the Family Proclamation to celebrate and invite people to learn more about Christ.
On Monday, the 6th, the senior couple invited all the missionaries to their home to eat dinner and remember the day when the church was organized. They fed us a Russian meal of salad (which are different from American salad, not made with lettuce, but so many random ingredients, and if you look at the picture I sent, it's the pink stuff on the plates), bread and butter, soup (also not like American soup, just lots of different, random ingredients), rice, and jell-o that wasn't quite solid. It was a really yummy meal, and we're grateful to them for their willingness to put it together for us.
Red and her familiy are back from Thailand, so we are excited to start meeting with them again and helping the two girls get ready for their baptism on the 25th. We've also been meeting with Owl and helping her progress toward baptism on the same day. She still doesn't understand why the sabbath day is important and why we need to attend church. Like Elder Nelson said in conference, the sabbath is a delight, and we really want to help her see and understand that.
Sister Isaac introduced me to сгущёнка (sgooshonka, which is sweetend and condensed milk). It is super good on tortillas and bread with nutella, and it's my new treat. That's the last thing I need, is more desserts and sweets!
One of the most difficult things we've been dealing with is the lack of progressing investigators. In order to progress, they need to make and keep commitments such as promising to pray about the message, read the Book of Mormon, and come to church. We meet with atheists who won't pray to God because they don't believe in Him and with other people who won't read or come to church because they're sick or just lazy. The only way to get an answer is to read and pray to find out if it's true. If we can help our investigators see that, they will progress in leaps and bounds, but it's all up to them to choose to act. (That's where free agency comes in.) We keep praying that we will be led to those who are ready to keep commitments and get baptized and that we will be instruments in the Lord's hands, for this is His work.
Also, I officially have been on my mission for more than six months. 1/3 of the way through, less than a year left. But don't think about that, I've still got lots of time left. Have a great week! (I was about to say post-conference week, but then I remembered that conference wasn't really yesterday.)
Сестра Спрингер