Letter #2

THEN WE RECEIVED THIS LETTER ON JAN. 21

Thank you for all your letters, emails and advice!! Keep them coming!

WOAH... It feels like I've been here for a year!!

Oh and I'm not allowed to get on onedrive here, so if you could send me pictures though email that would be great!  And I misplaced my camera... so pictures next week!

I saw elder justesen! He is so mature and serious! I couldnt believe it! But he still likes to have fun! I know all the russian sisters and I haven't met a sister king... 

I havent had any trouble with going to bed and getting up! The church is true!

Jeff: I saw Elder Lord!! We havent got a picture yet, but he is doing great!

Megan: Thank you for your package!! SO cute!! I love it!! I NEEDED it! Haha!

This week has been so great!! The first few days were hard. It was overwhelming and stressful, I got here, got my tag (best thing ever!! The sister handing them out showed me mine and asked if that was me, I said, "that's my last name, I don't know what the rest says though..." haha!) put my bags away and then went straight to Russian class! Two days later we taught a lesson in Russian!! Sto?! (what in Russian) It went okay... we coudln't understand at all what he was  saying but the 2nd lesson we taught went awesome!!!!! We taught the first vision, and he prayed about it and the Spirit was so strong!!! I thought I was going to burst from happiness! We were in tears at the end! We taught him again and some of it was great and other parts weren't but the parts that weren't we figured out that was because we weren't listening to the Spirit and were just focusing on what WE had planned not the Lord, and were so worried about our Russian. I have learned that it doesn't matter what I can't say because of my handicaps with the language the Spirit will bridge that gap if we let it. "The spirit can speak paragraphs for the few words we speak"  We teach him again tonight and I hope that it goes well! We are going to invite him to be baptized! We love him! I love the Russian people, and I don't even know them yet!!

My companion is super cute and sweet and normal and I love her! She is from NC and has a sourthrn accent that is rubbing off on me! Haha! She is a ginger and sassy! She is 21 and has a boy friend that wasnt able to be married in the temple so she said, I'm going on mission if you arent worthy by this date, and so here she is! That takes a lot of courage, I admire her! Mission is really the best marriage prep! having to always go everywhere with someone really teaches you selflessness. 

I am learning what it really means to be a representative of Christ! I love wearing His name over my heart each day!! 

Elder Ballard gave the devotional last night and it was wonderful! And I had the deepest witness that prophets are called of God!!! 

I love you all! Russian is coming. I really do have the gift of toungues! Its amazing!! I sometimes get discouraged of how much I dont know but then I remember that I've only been here a few days and are amazed that I know as much as I do! My district is great! They all want to be here and are really focused and dedicated. They get it. My zone, even more so! The adjustment from my previous live, is a little rough, but i'm getting the hang of it!

Good luck on the play and skiing and everything!! I wish i had more time! I love and miss you all but I'm not homesick! Be happy and share the gospel it will bring you the most happines!!

Love Cectpa Tolley!