Hello all! This week I hit my 100th day mark. Crazy! But this week has been really good!
Last week after I emailed we took a trip to the city рынок which is basically a big market where you can buy anything. It's crazy there. I bought a pair of nice leather gloves and we're going back again today to look around some more. Its kinda fun. Then on Monday night, we contacted into a drunk guy (about every 3rd person we talk to is drunk to some degree) and he talked to us foreverrr. Finally we watched him away and went and walked around a store to hide from him, but as we were getting our bags out of the handy little storage lockers they have at the front of the store that you can use for free to hold all your stuff while your shopping, he showed up right behind us! We said hi and then walked away quickly and looked back occasionally to see where he was and he was still following us! We crossed the street and then he did too. He kept following us so we turned down some little road and started walking between different appartment buildings and finally lost him. That made for an exciting night. Then we went on splits on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning. We went up to Peterhof (it the place that has the palace with all the fountains when you type in St Petersburg into google images). A small but very pretty town. The Palace was all closed for the winter so that was kinda boring, but still cool to see. There was also a cool cathedral there that I took a picture of and will try to send.
Also this week, we were asked to start carrying the Book of Mormon a certain way (which looks kinda ridiculous, but we do it anyway) and the day after we started, we were standing on a bus to go back to Gatchina and 3 people on the bus asked us about it. That never happens, so that was kinda fun.
During our little hour for dinner on Saturday, I fell asleep reading a general conference talk and when I woke up I was thinking about contacting and things that I could say to be more effective because in PMG it talks about how even if the people walk away and don't listen, they may still think about what we said a long time after we talk with them and I realized that when I talk to them, I don't really tell them anything really new, anything that would stand out to much. So, when I woke up, I had this sentence come to my head, so I decided "hmm thats bold, I'll try that." As we were leaving, I was jokingly telling Elder Eady about my new phrase and that I had recieved inspiration. I stopped to first person that we walked by and just went right into my statement. Then he asked me to repeat it again in English (which was strange). So I did and expounded a little more. Then he took the BOM from my hand and started reading the introduction and the 3 witnesses testimonies and so on. We he asked if he could keep it so we gave it to him and invited him to church and he said he could come. We got his phone number too. So awesome. I was convinced it was inspiration then haha. He didn't come to church but we are going to call him today and try to get an appointment with him.
Then saturday night I put in a load of whites cause I didn't have any for Sunday, and about 5 minutes into the cycle the washer turned off and it won't turn back on. The door is locked too so I can't get my clothes out. Luckily I had the pair of ill fitting whites that I hadn't been wearing, but I have to now. Only 2 pair that aren't trapped by the washer. And I have the short sleeved white shirts I can wear. So I have to wash a pair of underwear by hand at night so I can have some for the next day. Kinda funny, but less than fun.
On a happier note, our investigator came to church yesterday! That was cool. He's so awesome! Solid guy. He had to leave early cause he got called into work so we didn't get to talk about it, but we will this week when we meet with him. Then after church we had an interesting appointment. We met in Subway with a Jehova's Witness that we had given a BOM to on the street like my second night. He basically spent the whole time trying to use the Bible to prove why the BOM was wrong. He had really ridiculous example, a lot of it had to do with like writing style and random unimportant things that are said in some verses. It was super interesting to talk with him though. We were able to testify about it and talk a little bit about faith then we asked him to pray about it since he hadn't yet. He only because JW because he could prove things with fact in the Bible. None of it was based on faith at all. We mangaged to get him to agree to another lesson (where we will then teach the Restoration) and to pray about the BOM before we meet again. Super nice guy, not sure what will happen, but it was an interesting and entertaining experience none the less.
Then last night we went out to one of the member's houses. The Ilin's. They are super cool! (one of the 3 families in the branch). They made us some food and they made me do the "greenie" tradition that only happens in the Gatchina branch. They made me put on this ridiculous green jacket and take a picture wearing it and holding a Russian flag. I also have a picture of this that I will try to send. A good way to end the week.
Overall it was a really good week! I'm continuing to learn more everyday. This week I have been really impressed by prophets and how important they are and what a blessing it is to have one on the earth today - Thomas S. Monson. I cannot wait for General conference again! I've been reading lots of talks from past conferences this week and I know that they are inspired men of God. I'm so greatful for that and I've really grown more appreciation for them as I've been studying the words of modern prophets this week. Such a blessing!
I hope everyone else had a good week too and has a good week this coming week! I love you and miss you all!
Старейшина Робисон
Last week after I emailed we took a trip to the city рынок which is basically a big market where you can buy anything. It's crazy there. I bought a pair of nice leather gloves and we're going back again today to look around some more. Its kinda fun. Then on Monday night, we contacted into a drunk guy (about every 3rd person we talk to is drunk to some degree) and he talked to us foreverrr. Finally we watched him away and went and walked around a store to hide from him, but as we were getting our bags out of the handy little storage lockers they have at the front of the store that you can use for free to hold all your stuff while your shopping, he showed up right behind us! We said hi and then walked away quickly and looked back occasionally to see where he was and he was still following us! We crossed the street and then he did too. He kept following us so we turned down some little road and started walking between different appartment buildings and finally lost him. That made for an exciting night. Then we went on splits on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning. We went up to Peterhof (it the place that has the palace with all the fountains when you type in St Petersburg into google images). A small but very pretty town. The Palace was all closed for the winter so that was kinda boring, but still cool to see. There was also a cool cathedral there that I took a picture of and will try to send.
Also this week, we were asked to start carrying the Book of Mormon a certain way (which looks kinda ridiculous, but we do it anyway) and the day after we started, we were standing on a bus to go back to Gatchina and 3 people on the bus asked us about it. That never happens, so that was kinda fun.
During our little hour for dinner on Saturday, I fell asleep reading a general conference talk and when I woke up I was thinking about contacting and things that I could say to be more effective because in PMG it talks about how even if the people walk away and don't listen, they may still think about what we said a long time after we talk with them and I realized that when I talk to them, I don't really tell them anything really new, anything that would stand out to much. So, when I woke up, I had this sentence come to my head, so I decided "hmm thats bold, I'll try that." As we were leaving, I was jokingly telling Elder Eady about my new phrase and that I had recieved inspiration. I stopped to first person that we walked by and just went right into my statement. Then he asked me to repeat it again in English (which was strange). So I did and expounded a little more. Then he took the BOM from my hand and started reading the introduction and the 3 witnesses testimonies and so on. We he asked if he could keep it so we gave it to him and invited him to church and he said he could come. We got his phone number too. So awesome. I was convinced it was inspiration then haha. He didn't come to church but we are going to call him today and try to get an appointment with him.
Then saturday night I put in a load of whites cause I didn't have any for Sunday, and about 5 minutes into the cycle the washer turned off and it won't turn back on. The door is locked too so I can't get my clothes out. Luckily I had the pair of ill fitting whites that I hadn't been wearing, but I have to now. Only 2 pair that aren't trapped by the washer. And I have the short sleeved white shirts I can wear. So I have to wash a pair of underwear by hand at night so I can have some for the next day. Kinda funny, but less than fun.
On a happier note, our investigator came to church yesterday! That was cool. He's so awesome! Solid guy. He had to leave early cause he got called into work so we didn't get to talk about it, but we will this week when we meet with him. Then after church we had an interesting appointment. We met in Subway with a Jehova's Witness that we had given a BOM to on the street like my second night. He basically spent the whole time trying to use the Bible to prove why the BOM was wrong. He had really ridiculous example, a lot of it had to do with like writing style and random unimportant things that are said in some verses. It was super interesting to talk with him though. We were able to testify about it and talk a little bit about faith then we asked him to pray about it since he hadn't yet. He only because JW because he could prove things with fact in the Bible. None of it was based on faith at all. We mangaged to get him to agree to another lesson (where we will then teach the Restoration) and to pray about the BOM before we meet again. Super nice guy, not sure what will happen, but it was an interesting and entertaining experience none the less.
Then last night we went out to one of the member's houses. The Ilin's. They are super cool! (one of the 3 families in the branch). They made us some food and they made me do the "greenie" tradition that only happens in the Gatchina branch. They made me put on this ridiculous green jacket and take a picture wearing it and holding a Russian flag. I also have a picture of this that I will try to send. A good way to end the week.
Overall it was a really good week! I'm continuing to learn more everyday. This week I have been really impressed by prophets and how important they are and what a blessing it is to have one on the earth today - Thomas S. Monson. I cannot wait for General conference again! I've been reading lots of talks from past conferences this week and I know that they are inspired men of God. I'm so greatful for that and I've really grown more appreciation for them as I've been studying the words of modern prophets this week. Such a blessing!
I hope everyone else had a good week too and has a good week this coming week! I love you and miss you all!
Старейшина Робисон
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| The Ilin Family in Russia |
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| Austin wearing the "Greenie Jacket" and holding the Russian Flag. Brother Ilan in the picture also. |
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