Letter #45

I am SO grateful to be on a mission!  Just because I am in Russia does not mean I have forgotten it is Thanksgiving this week!  I am even attempting a pumpkin pie so..pray for me.  Pray I don't get ripped off at the reenok...because last week, oh man, we got pretty ripped off.  But its okay.  We are just telling ourselves we got some QUALITY tomatoes and cucumbers.  Haha.  On the way to the internet club we were talking about stuff that has happened this week and I was realizing that the same type of thing happens every single week, but for some reason, no matter what, I'm excited to write about it!

Another picture with the packages

We started teaching a new lady named Zoya this week.  She was one we met at the hospital teaching Luba!  Zoya was there visiting her twin, and she came in an hour on transport to meet with us!  And she came to church yesterday.  She is older, religious and really sweet.  She loves to talk.  She already loves the Book of Mormon--she called us to tell us that she started reading on the marshrutka home, and she "smelled a flowery smell" that stayed with her the whole time she read.  We were kind of like, "huh." but hey, the spirit testifies differently to everyone!  I think its great!  She has had so many hard things happen in her life--I am so happy to be able to help her find the peace the gospel brings.

Birthday wishes from Sister Kirkby's mom

Something WONDERFUL this week was that we went on splits so I got to spend a day working with Sister HOUSEMAN!  BEST!  It was like flashback to Volzhsky, but better, because we've both changed so much.  We found so many cool people, and I was amazed at how quickly we were back into the swing of teaching with each other.  It was so much fun.  Plus, our companions are ROCKSTARS because they are both on transfer 2 and braved it all on their own--and not even for the first time.  I love the sisters I'm serving with here!

And more!  Thanks Nana

Krasnaya Street where they do a lot of street contacting

We taught Luba another time this week as well--we went out and saw her new apartment, and later in the week we helped her do some wallpapering.  Her daughter was there!  It was so great.  And it's amazing--we weren't even planning to see her, and right before we walked out the door we were like..let's call Luba.  So we did.  And Luba said they were doing wallpapering, and so we offered to help right then and she said da!  So we went on over, and were able to help and meet her daughter Oksana, who is the coolest.  She thought we were a different church all the way until the end, when I started to get out my family picture to show her and she was like, "no no don't give me any of those pamplets, I've read them all" and we were like, "really?" and then she realized we weren't the church she was thinking haha.  And then she was much more open to hearing about what we believe!  Sadly Luba still hasn't come to church, which is making it pretty hard to help her commit to a baptisimal date.  But its okay! We are NOT giving up.

Dried fruit from the rynok (outdoor market)

One night last week we were street teaching and contacted a member of the church we had actually talked to on the phone, but had never met!  She kept asking, "did you call me?" and we were so confused, because we thought she might just be crazy?  But it turns out she is not crazy!  She is really cool, and was baptized a year ago but has stopped coming.  She agreed to meet the next morning, and we had a really good lesson about what we need to do to feel peace in our lives, and what the gift of the Holy Ghost was all about!  Those after baptism lessons are so important--we are working a lot on getting all our recent converts in our area up to speed, and especially with having members teach those lessons.  It's so hard sometimes, and it takes so much coordination but it is so worth it.
Some time this week also went towards finding a new apartment.  We looked at like 4, and finally found one that is so good!  We're moving in this week, so that the apartment we're in now is all ready for the senior couple that is coming in.  The landlady is so nice!  And its in a new area, so we're excited because there were a ton of people around, even at night.  Right now we're living by the train station, so street teaching at night as we're coming in is a little...sparse.  As in there is almost no one.  But we are VERY happy to be in this new area!
Personal study this week was so good.  I've been thinking a lot about the Plan of Salvation and I read 2 Nephi 9 with the question, "why should this matter to my investigators/people on the street?" and I can say, it matters.  This is the most important thing.  Elder Uchtdorf's talk "Of Regrets and Resolutions" was one I listened to this morning, and was so inspired!  I am really grateful for the words of apostles and prophets in our day.
Not much time left (sorry this is SO short!! LAME!  I'll do better next week) but I want to send pictures. :)

Reunion of Sister Houseman (who returned to her mission after being ill)
and Sister McGhie

In honor of Thanksgiving...
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder
You are some of my greatest "treasures". (okay I know that is SO cheesy but it is TRUE!  Speaking of cheesy Sister K had easy mac this week and it was so foreign!!!  I am forgetting what fake cheese tastes like! Weird.)
Thank you for your examples, letters and love!

Love
Sister McGhie
PS: Enjoy your pie and turkey!  (I'm not bitter)  Haha I'm actually not though.

Family! I'm sending pictures first, hopefully i have time to write more!!!!!! I love you all!

And some random photos sent by Sister Kirkby's mom

The tablecloth map - don't know how to turn this!

Pretty Christmas decorations!