email received Nov. 21, 2012

We officially have our flight plans! We aren't leaving the MTC til 1:30 on monday then our flight leaves slc at 5:30 i think and then we have a 5 hour layover in lax. so as far as calling im not sure when it would be better for everyone. maybe i'll try in slc and then if i need to call back we see. If you have preference I should get dear elder on friday but after that its RUssia here i come!! I cant explain how excited i am! And thanks for all the well wishes everyone! I'll respond to emails in a letter but I don't have much time on here. 

Some quick stories from the week. Because our class schedule is kinda crazy they have let us help prep for the Thanks giving day service project which will be putting together kits for people in Mali or some other African country, Crystal can probably spell it. Its been nice to do something that I feel like I can accomplish so its been super fun and I'm excited for Thanksgiving here, and possibly an apostle:) 

Yesterday morning we got to skype with a member in moscow so we prepared a short little ten minute lesson and it was so fun! Her name was katya and she was a college student who had been a member for 3 years. I love hearing everyone's conversion stories and I'm so excited to meet these people that I love so much. While doing service President McIff told us more of the background story to the church in RUssia. I guess after the Soviet Union broke up there were problems again about getting representation in Russia and not just the former soviet countries like Ukraine. So yearly or something, all of the christian leaders across the world get together to discuss issues and that year everyone wanted to know about Russia. And the Russian that was there basically said, right now there is nothing you can do unless you are like the LDS church and got grandfathered in. Apparently the church had spent lots of time and money trying to figure this out and we didn't even realize we were good to go until this guy said we were just grandfathered in because of how we filled out the original paperwork. Coincidence, i think not. The Lord seriously does know what He doing, even when we don't know why. 

Last thought and then I have to go, on Sunday we watched a talk from the 2009 GC, i forget his name but you all should watch it haha. but he talked about how he served in finland and they prayed for Russian to be opened so they could take the gospel to his mission president's wifes home. and then his son got called to st petersburg and how missionaries today are answering prayers from long ago. I know the Lord works in his own time and that if we give ourselves to him he will use us as an instrument in his hands. I so grateful to be able to serve and love the Russian people and am grateful to all of you for being so supportive. my testimony is strengthened every day by your examples and i love you all so much! Happy thanksgiving! And eat seconds for me! Say hello to everyone else! Love you all!

Sister Allison