russian is really hard!

Cemya!!!

So our "first" investigator Andre is now our teacher. Super helpful actually to teach him first as an investigator and then to find out he is another teacher. We all suspected so it was good to finally know. We taught 5 lessons all in Russian in our first 7 days here. Pretty crazy stuff. This week flew by I do not even know where it went! So much happened but so fast. The days are long, but the weeks are fast. On Sunday my district of 6 sang "I am a Child of God" in Russian in sacrament. We have to prepare a talk in Russian every Sunday because the branch President just randomly picks you to speak in Sacrament. they are all on certain topics. And thank goodness I have not been called up yet. :)

I am also in the MTC choir here and I totally love it. We sang at the Tuesday night devotional a song called "Behold the wounds in Jesus Hands" and it is absolutely breathtaking about our Savior and His atonement!

OK some WEIRDNESS of the week:

-I think a spider bit my leg in my sleep in MY BED earlier this week. I am going to die.

-In class this week elder Nelson went to grab a paper from the area book and found another giant spider on it. So what does he do? He puts it on the ground. 

...

I was on top of my desk in seconds. So then Elder Gerritsen (his comp) got all mad at him like "you know she hates spiders. She told us yesterday. Why would you do that?" So the I tell Elder Nelson to kill it and then Elder Gerritsen is all mad again, but at me this time, saying, "It is a creature of God. How dare you kill it." Well, I told him that if the devil had just one pet it would definitely be a spider. So, Elder Nelson killed it. I sat back down and went on reading my scriptures and felt just fine about it. 

ALRIGHT, the good stuff:

This is a real experience. Very real. I want you all to understand that, but also understand that it is worth it. Why? Because this gospel is true. This gospel is my life. And with the Savior we are capable of doing all things. God answers our prayers. He answers us with thoughts and feelings in our hearts- that words just cannot explain. Is it not amazing that somebody hears you? Pray and ask Him anything! When you do, I know He will answer. He continually answers me, helps me, loves me. Is there anything better than the opportunity we have to have a relationship with our Father in Heaven and with the Savior? There is somebody out there who cares about you. He hears you. And that to me, means that everything will be okay. It is okay, because we are being taken care of. I want everyone to know and to feel that they can have this. Prayer is essential to our conversion. And why is it essential? 

-True conversion is completely turning/converting to the Lord and His will. We can only be truly converted to God if we know Him, and we can only know Him if we talk to Him. 

When life gets hard- DO NOTHING else before you get down on your knees and pray. Turn to the Lord first. Always pray. 

Learn of God by communicating with Him. It shows him how much we love Him. We need to more earnestly speak with the Lord. Think about this. He is a God who created all- who is mighty in all things and He just wants to talk to us. SO PRAY.

"If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE MOST HIGH DAY AND NIGHT ALWAYS- not only at times when all other assistance has failed and we desperately need help." -Howard W. Hunter 1997.

LOOK up:

D&C 50: 13-22

2 Nephi 4:20-21, 23-24

Mark 4: 37-41

"Be not afraid only believe."

Thank you so much for the pictures mama. Can you send me some more like printed from Costco? I need more pictures I miss pictures so much. And thank you family for all the Dear Elders. I so love being a part of your week even if it is from afar. It is wonderful. Thank you boys for being such wonderful humans and making mama feel special. Keep having fun. AND thank the IRVING LADIES for taking my mama on a date. I am so happy. I love you all! I am loving this journey so much. Pray for me and my companion that we will be able to communicate with our investigators. Russian is really hard. I will talk to you all soon. 

Love Always,

Cectpa Karren

PS: "Never look down because you can't see God. Look up because you can see God better that way." 

Temple and Blossoms