С днём рождения моя дорогая Сэйдж!
I want to start with a BIG shoutout to Sage this week since it's her birthdaaaay! Her birthday happens to be on the same day as Ludmila, who invited us over for some tea and cake and more likely than not, some singing since she loves to sing these awesome Russian folk songs. And Sergei Lubavin. But that's next week so stay tuned!
This week was ПРОСТО СУПЕР! Volzhsky in the fall is SO much more pleasant than Volzhsky in the summer! I'm really enjoying that I am now on my fourth season here. I must say I never expected to be in one place this long, but I'm lovin it! It's to the point where pretty much every time we contact on our street or by our ostanovka we get these smiles even before we talk. Well okay it's not always smiles, sometimes its like an eye roll and they turn away. BUT sometimes it's a smile so thats always fun! Except I pretty much never remember when we talked to them, so that's also fun to try and guess without letting them know I don't remember them.
Some of the happiest moments this week were...
Olya came to church again!! She said she liked it even more than last week, and get this--she was headed out of her house to come, she got on a marshrutka, and realized she forgot her wallet! She was like, dang, I guess I can't go today, because it would have taken way too long to go get it, and she figured it wasn't worth it. But--MIRACLE! The driver was like, why are you getting off so early? And she told him and he said, ride for freeee!!! Let the record show that one marshrutka driver in the world is friendly! Haha just kidding there are plenty of friendly ones. But not usually THAT friendly! She even participated in Sunday school and the branch basically adores her. Because she's so cute and nice!! She picked a date, so pray for her!
As for other investigators, we met with another set of friends on Saturday who were really nice, and SO smiley. One, Masha, just smiled literally the whole time. The other set of friends couldn't make it to church which was a huge bummer, but hopefully this week we can meet! Another lady we had met with once before, Nadezhda, agreed to meet again tonight so that's exciting! She has read some of the Book of Mormon and was like, "it is so amazing that these people lived 600 years before Christ, and they knew all this stuff would be happening in our day!" I was like, "I agree! Keep reading!" Haha. She's really cute, and she got all dressed up for our meeting in this fancy shirt and belt combo and the poor huge black shiny belt kept popping off the whole time. It was an issue.
We got to go out and help Nadezhda (a different one) on her dacha this week, which is always so much fun!! We carried some pumpkins and washed them, did a ton of weeding and picked some berries. Not a bad way to spend some time. Plus she came to church on Sunday and gave a talk that was so good! It's so cool to see people coming back continuously, and the branch growing closer together.
Honestly this week went by SO quickly! It was full of extremes in a way--one day was pure contacting, one day pure service, one day pure lessons--it was a little insane. We're going to try and balance it out a little better this week, because both Sister L and I get so stressed sometimes! It's good we have each other, because it totally seems like when one of us is super overwhelmed, the other has it all together, and vice versa. We are both learning so much! There's a talk in the September liahona, its called "HIs Grace is Sufficient". Ashlyn actually told me to read it before my mission, which I did, and I was SO happy to see it was in the Liahona this month! So please read it, everyone! It's Brad Wilcox, and it's better if you watch him instead of just reading it. :)
Speaking of Ashlyn...send me your address okay!? :)
We had a couple good first lessons this week, with people who actually weren't really interested, and a couple good lessons with members that were kind of unexpected. It's cool how the schedule is the same every day, but every day and every week is so different. I'm learning that every day, every week can be a good one--its pretty much up to me to decide.
Today's quote is long but so worth it (thanks Dad!) Elder Orson F. Whitney said, “The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.” We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.” (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, “Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.”
I am so grateful for all of you and for how much good you have brought into my life! We all have so much to be grateful for.
Love
Sister McGhie
PS: Writing a dearelder to a missionary in Volzhsky is a super, wait probably the BEST way to start the week. HAHA! Seriously. Love you all!
PPS: I made a goal to NOT write about food just in case all you think I do is EAT AND COOK but let me just say we had the MOST delicious potato soup this week, all thanks to an onion soup packet all the way from the US of A. THANKS MOM! <3 And Sister Lundberg for peeling and cooking all the potatoes. Haha she's great!
I want to start with a BIG shoutout to Sage this week since it's her birthdaaaay! Her birthday happens to be on the same day as Ludmila, who invited us over for some tea and cake and more likely than not, some singing since she loves to sing these awesome Russian folk songs. And Sergei Lubavin. But that's next week so stay tuned!
This week was ПРОСТО СУПЕР! Volzhsky in the fall is SO much more pleasant than Volzhsky in the summer! I'm really enjoying that I am now on my fourth season here. I must say I never expected to be in one place this long, but I'm lovin it! It's to the point where pretty much every time we contact on our street or by our ostanovka we get these smiles even before we talk. Well okay it's not always smiles, sometimes its like an eye roll and they turn away. BUT sometimes it's a smile so thats always fun! Except I pretty much never remember when we talked to them, so that's also fun to try and guess without letting them know I don't remember them.
Some of the happiest moments this week were...
Olya came to church again!! She said she liked it even more than last week, and get this--she was headed out of her house to come, she got on a marshrutka, and realized she forgot her wallet! She was like, dang, I guess I can't go today, because it would have taken way too long to go get it, and she figured it wasn't worth it. But--MIRACLE! The driver was like, why are you getting off so early? And she told him and he said, ride for freeee!!! Let the record show that one marshrutka driver in the world is friendly! Haha just kidding there are plenty of friendly ones. But not usually THAT friendly! She even participated in Sunday school and the branch basically adores her. Because she's so cute and nice!! She picked a date, so pray for her!
As for other investigators, we met with another set of friends on Saturday who were really nice, and SO smiley. One, Masha, just smiled literally the whole time. The other set of friends couldn't make it to church which was a huge bummer, but hopefully this week we can meet! Another lady we had met with once before, Nadezhda, agreed to meet again tonight so that's exciting! She has read some of the Book of Mormon and was like, "it is so amazing that these people lived 600 years before Christ, and they knew all this stuff would be happening in our day!" I was like, "I agree! Keep reading!" Haha. She's really cute, and she got all dressed up for our meeting in this fancy shirt and belt combo and the poor huge black shiny belt kept popping off the whole time. It was an issue.
We got to go out and help Nadezhda (a different one) on her dacha this week, which is always so much fun!! We carried some pumpkins and washed them, did a ton of weeding and picked some berries. Not a bad way to spend some time. Plus she came to church on Sunday and gave a talk that was so good! It's so cool to see people coming back continuously, and the branch growing closer together.
Honestly this week went by SO quickly! It was full of extremes in a way--one day was pure contacting, one day pure service, one day pure lessons--it was a little insane. We're going to try and balance it out a little better this week, because both Sister L and I get so stressed sometimes! It's good we have each other, because it totally seems like when one of us is super overwhelmed, the other has it all together, and vice versa. We are both learning so much! There's a talk in the September liahona, its called "HIs Grace is Sufficient". Ashlyn actually told me to read it before my mission, which I did, and I was SO happy to see it was in the Liahona this month! So please read it, everyone! It's Brad Wilcox, and it's better if you watch him instead of just reading it. :)
Speaking of Ashlyn...send me your address okay!? :)
We had a couple good first lessons this week, with people who actually weren't really interested, and a couple good lessons with members that were kind of unexpected. It's cool how the schedule is the same every day, but every day and every week is so different. I'm learning that every day, every week can be a good one--its pretty much up to me to decide.
Today's quote is long but so worth it (thanks Dad!) Elder Orson F. Whitney said, “The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.” We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.” (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, “Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.”
I am so grateful for all of you and for how much good you have brought into my life! We all have so much to be grateful for.
Love
Sister McGhie
PS: Writing a dearelder to a missionary in Volzhsky is a super, wait probably the BEST way to start the week. HAHA! Seriously. Love you all!
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| The salad that burned her hand last week! Maybe better to not eat it??? |
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