I got to read Andrew's email at around 4:30 this morning on Jerome's iPad (so I didn't even have to get out of bed!) Of course, I then went back to sleep like a sane person. It sure is great to hear such happy reports!
I've had the best week ever! I seriously am having a hard time remembering a happier, better week of my entire mission. I hate to crush Melissa's record, but we had NINE investigators at church yesterday :P. I didn't know that it was possible for that to happen, but I guess it is.
We had a Visa Trip on the 13th! We got SO lucky, because we had two direct flights - straight to Kiev from Samara, and straight back, with no layovers in Moscow to steal our temple time. Therefore we had mucho time at the temple!
After the temple, we headed back to the Kiev Airport and played a game in the gate called "everyone is so tired we're all delirious, and anything anyone says is funny" for about 3 hours. It was highly enjoyable. I also played my own single-player game called "resist the temptation to go pull out a bunch of Hrivnya and buy a ridiculously overpriced Mont-Blanc fountain pen." I won, thankfully.
On our way back into Samara, we played a game called "have lots of problems with our passports and visas." The guys waiting for us at passport control had just had another group of missionaries 24 hours before, and they were prepared with all the fun questions. So Elder Morris got our head registrator on the phone and he explained everything to them, and they were still giving us garbage. Sister Wilson got through with the "flirt maneuver." I got through with the "hick accent and terrible grammar and speaking lots of English" maneuver. It was hilarious. I literally said "zdrazvoocher" to the guy and he just stopped trying to speak Russian to me within 20 seconds, and grumpily stamped my passport. I also told him "Ya nravitza your chocolate. You know, chocolate?" Threw in a thumbs-up for good measure. (People who speak Russian will think this joke is funny.Sorry.) [Editor's note: I left this in there in case some readers happen to speak Russian - as for me - I didn't get it!] Elder Morris could barely contain himself after that. Elder Hughes didn't get so lucky. He had them go through his phone for about 30 minutes. Elder Langston also got pulled into a booth and questioned pretty hardcore about having two passports on his person for a good while. But it all worked out, like it always has, and it always will. That's a perk of doing everything legally and also having the Lord on your side. Pretty much it was the funnest Visa Trip ever.
Other than that, there was a lot of regular old missionary work. I had a blast. We're having LOTS of success. Galya is getting baptized on Saturday. I can't remember if I told you or not, but she already finished reading the Book of Mormon and is on her second time through. And the first time she prayed about it, she had a dream about it and got a testimony that it was true. She also said she's noticed her studies have gotten easier since she started meeting with us. Man, she is such a boss. I can't get over it.
I'm SO thankful to be in this awesome companionship in this awesome area in this awesome zone is this awesomest of all awesome missions.
My Birthday was also AWESOME! I had like three different companionships call me at 11:30 or so, shortly after I finished sleeping in from the Visa Trip. (8 mandatory hours of sleeping after a Visa Trip is definitely inspired) So I heard lots of Happy Birthday in English and Russian that day. Also got some letters and DearElders, although it's looking like your package won't show up until Thursday. So thanks so much for sending it! I'm excited to see what's inside.
Glad to hear you had some sweet Russian Rye bread. I had some in Orenburg, it was really really good. [I think his might have been a little more authentic than the loaf we got at Kohler's - what do you think?] :-)
Okay. Well I am about out of time, so I'm gonna finish her up and get off. I love you all! Thanks everyone for being so good at writing good emails!
Let Bryce know I respect him a ton and I hope he had an awesome mission!
Have a fantastic week!
Love, Elder Broekhuijsen
No comments:
Post a Comment