Hang on, where did February go?
How's everyone doing? I was glad to hear all the updates. Stuff I gotta write before I forget:
Elder S-H* lives in Melissa's ward? [See the whole story here.] Ha! Awesome. To be honest, I didn't know him all that well, because that transfer was when I had no real idea how to be a Zone Leader or what to do and stuff, and he was in Balakova, where I never went while I was in Saratov. But another cool story: his companion that transfer was Elder Ian Elijah Johnson. [He is Melissa's good friend from her MATC days - where she learned to be a pharmacy technician.] Either way, Elder S-H* was cool. The members in Zavodskoy branch (where he spent a good chunk of his mission) still miss him to death. He's a hilarious guy. One of the ones that it didn't surprise me at all when I found out he is going to MIT.
To clear up confusion: I DID get the package with earmuffs and gloves. [The "confusion" was caused by the fact that we asked him 47 times whether or not he had received that package and he never responded!] I have (as far as I know) gotten every letter and package that has been sent to me on my mission. Although, the card I got from the Relief Society of the 4th ward took a long time to get here because the post office opened it and stuff because it was the same size and shape as a CD. The Russian government isn't a big fan of people sending "information" type things by mail in or out of the country. Probably 1/3 of the stuff we get into the office (especially larger packages) are opened and re-sealed by the government before we get it.
Elder Morris and I split down with the Tol'yatti ZLs for exchanges with the Elders in Kazan (there are two areas; north and south). It was sweet. Kazan feels about 4 times more like a "big city" than Samara, even though they're about the same size. Just a lot more tall buildings and space and wide multi-lane roads and stuff. Plus there's a metro that is currently being expanded because the 2013 Soccer World Cup will be in Kazan. They're building a huge stadium for it as well, which is sweet. About 60% of the people there are Muslim, and they are SO nice. It is a sweet city to contact in, because just about anyone will stop and talk to you. Elder Ellis and I actually went tracting for about an hour, and found a cool family that wanted us to come back and teach them more! Cool!
Anyways, I ended up in North with Elders Hughes, Ellis, and JOHNSON! I've only waited a whole stinking year to work with Elder Johnson for more than an hour. He's doing well. It was awesome to see him work. He teaches out of the scriptures so well and sincerely and he understands literally every word of Russian that is spoken in his vicinity. Also he makes a mean spaghetti sauce.
O* is still doing well, and we found some other really cool investigators this week as well. There's one, A*, that we found yesterday who was super awesome. He's REALLY interested in learning stuff about our church and he really likes us and says that "he can tell we're good people." So we had a quick lesson with him on the street, and had a prayer, and we'll be seeing him again on Wednesday.
Tomorrow and Wednesday are Zone Leader Council all day until evening, so that should be fun. I've always really enjoyed ZLC. Then Thursday and Friday, Elder Morris and I will be on exchanges with the Tol'yatti ZLs in Old City. It's going to be sweet, even though Old City doesn't quite count as my hometown ;)
Garrett, I'm really happy you had a good birthday! Sweet cake. And you're welcome for the Basilisk Games mousepad and hat. I thought long and hard about that one. [Yeah, like from the time he read the email Jerome sent him, telling him what he (Andrew) "got" Garrett until the time he wrote this email…] :-)
I have this vague plan that involves getting some smallish, lightweight gifts for everyone at home for Christmas and birthdays and stuff and sending it all at once. We'll see if I ever find time for that. It's possible if we end up with a Monday without much of a huge workload.
Okay. Well I love you all! Thanks for your letters! Someone tell Amy Buhler I said congrats, and also someone get me Kaitlyn Brunsdale's address. I want to write her a letter. Also I want someone to forward me Brian Carey and Jessica Frazier's wedding announcement. [Pretty sure he's just kidding there - we don't want to start any rumors!] And someone make me a sandwich.
Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Elder Broekhuijsen
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