Fairy tales and the Holy Ghost

Okay, big thing this week... TRANSFERS!!! AH! It was one of the most torturous things I've ever gone through. I think it's really mean for us to know when transfers are. They should just spring them on us randomly from time to time, because for 3 days it's all everyone could think about. Let me just tell you that Sosyak and I SHOCKINGLY were left together in Pskov and we were THRILLED. Everyone, including me, was sure I was going to be transferred. But I wasn't so it's all good in the hood.

Guess who WAS transferred though.... J and.... D! So freaking sad! I was devastated. Everyone went to the bus station to see them off yesterday and it was a sad farewell.

Even bigger than transfers... Sosyak and I have 4 baptisms!!!! YAY! MIRACLE! I'm so excited! They're not FINALIZED, and I know that's a death statement, but I just had to tell you that we committed four people. :)

Yesterday was sosyak's birthday. I didn't know what to do, so i plastered our apartment with hearts before she woke up with messages on all of them. Then I made her hard boiled eggs, tea and toast (cuz it's all i know how to make) and made it into a smiley face with mayo because she's obsessed with smiley faces. and with mayo... :) Oh, and she likes twix, so i got her some HUGE ones and put them out for breakfast too. Last night we had a weird photo sesh and so i have some fun pics to send you, if ever i can! ERGH!

I told sosyak about the Little Mermaid yesterday and she told me the Russian version.... not so happy-go-lucky, believe me. She's like "yea the mermaid gets legs from the sea witch, but every step she takes it's like knives stabbing her feet." Then she goes on to tell me how a bad princess says that SHE saved the prince, Eric, and he believes her but then Eric got in a duel and was dying and so Ariel went back to the sea witch and traded her life for Eric's.... so she DIES at the end! WHAT THE CRAP!?!?!?! THIS isn't a happy fairytale! Sosyak said she loved this story and movie when she was little. She said most of the fairy tales end sad... No WONDER all these kids grow up to be alcoholics!

Oh, ps, after we emailed last week, us six missionaries went and had a bbq/picnic in an old war ruin on a provaslovic church grounds in the rain.

Kind of random, I see that Sawyer from LOST is modeling now. haha I walked into the store and saw a HUGE sawyer and I was like, THAT'S SAWYER!!!!! I get overly excited about anything familiar.

The other day, we were riding on the bus enjoying an old drunk man making a scene and fighting with everyone when suddenly we stopped at a bus stop and on walks Christian Bale's twin. Hello Russian batman! HELLOOO new boyfriend!... ;) I know I know, I'm a total missionary, it can wait.

I have discovered something, though, and you're going to think i'm ridiculous for JUST figuring this out, but for some reason yesterday it occurred to me that every time I'm on the bus I notice someONE. Like, you get on, and zone out, but usually one person stands out to me for one reason or another. For something stupid like a ladies nails are weird, or I like a guy's shoes, or for some reason I'm just aware of someone for no reason at all. I haven't noticed it before, but it's true. And if I don't contact THAT person, usually Sister Sosyak will. So yesterday we walked up to a bus stop with about 25 people waiting and I happened to notice, and looked a few times at a boy sitting on a bench off to the side. I don't know why, but I did keep on looking. Finally sosyak said let's go sit down and we did, right by him. I still kept on looking at him and finally sosyak started talking to him, first about English practice and then about the church. It's so cool to see people process the information and somehow RECOGNIZE it and like it in their hearts. That's what he did. It got him thinking, our bus came, we gave him an English slip and we left. That's when all of this occurred to me. The Lord truly is putting people RIGHT in my path and telling me who to contact by bringing my attention to them. If I don't act on the spirits promptings, he tells sosyak to do it. It's amazing how it works! I love it!

Sosyak gets to go to the temple tomorrow and I'm so jealous. I didn't realize just how much I missed it until I was testifying about it yesterday to one of our girls in the branch. I miss KNOWING we have the temple close by and can go at any time. The temple is just a dream to these people. A VERY distant and far away dream. I'm so thankful to live in America. (written Sep 6, 2007)