March 24, 2014 ~ Power of prayer!

So this week was really great!  We met with a lot of members and had some really cool experiences with investigators.  So our favorite (the one who will be going to dixie state in the fall), we will call him A, came with us to stake conference (the saturday night session) and it was really awesome.  He's super cool.  He really likes everything wants to be a part of it, but his dad is not the most suportive of it.  We have really been praying hard for him and his dad this week.  We were planning to go to pushkin today (a nearby city) with him to see katherine's palace, and I called to change it to next week and he told me over the phone that his dad gave him permission!!!!!  I know it's weird cause he's 25, but he lives with his parents (that's not weird in Russia, it actually seems to be pretty common since housing is so expensive) and he really really respects his dad and has already told us that he's seen a pattern in his life, when he does what his dad suggests, everything turns out great and when he doesn't then everything turns out bad.  Anyways when he told me this I was just a little bit in shock and didn't even know what to say.. but I know that was a answer not only to our prayers, but to his!  Prayer works!

The next thing, we were meeting with A this week (at the church) and half way through, our 2 other investigators (the 2 from sacrament meeting that I talked about last week) just walk in.  Apparently they tried to call, but we didn't answer.  They wanted to meet.  So they joined our meeting with A and we also had one of the members there and it was a really great but strange meeting.  A helped us teach and explain things to the others and it was super cool.  Really awesome. 

Then we met with a former investigator this week and she came with us the next day to stake conference - but we had to give her to the sisters cause she lives in their area...

And stake conference!!!!! It was awesome!!! Super strong spirit there and it was awesome for multiple reasons.  First, we had investigators at both sessions:)  next,  I was even more convinced than ever that the people we should be trying to find and teach are families!!! Although you probably couldn't ask me to do a more terrifying thing that walk up and contact a family on the street (I've had not so good experiences).  But of all the people that were there at conference (and the whole hall was filled btw, not going to lie I was a little surprised) it was all couples and families!!!  It made me so happy! And I know that there are wayyy more members here than that, but those who are active and actually came to conference are those who came with their husbands and wives and families!!!  Families are the key!!  So, I have been trying more to talk with mostly families.  It's way harder cause usually one will stop and the other will pull them away, but we will find one some time.  And the 3rd reason that I loved conference so much:  I GOT TO SEE ALL OF THE MEMBERS FROM PETERGOF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was so excited I was almost jumping up and down when I saw them!  I love those people so much!  After conference I went up to talk to them and they all gave me big hugs and it was the best ever.  Ever if I never get to serve there again (although president promised me he would try and get me back there) I think that will always be my favorite branch because they were my family in that branch.  It was so awewsome to see them all , and people from other wards that I've been in.  It was really just a great end to a great week!  Living the dream here!!

Elder Robison