email received April 21, 2013

Hello family!

Its spring time here and i love it!! I'm offically down to wearing one pair of tights and one hat ( i used to layer and wear two) and occasionally gloves - sometimes just for a pop of color, thanks for the bright gloves mom:) It does still snow but then melts really quick so there is mud. 

Funny story of the day: we put our window screens back in today. I have to explain windows in russia. large enough for my body to fall out of. There were some tense moments involved and i think the 2 men taking a smoke break outside were taking longer than necessary to make sure we didn't die or that the screen didnt fall and hit their car. I like to think the former. Either way, window 1=success. There was too much anxiety to do the other two, maybe next week. 

An update on Margarita, she is still coming to church every week but is still not really feeling the idea of listening to 2 20-yr-olds so we just make sure we have other members help us on the lesson. But she does say that she feels a difference in the atmosphere and loves how accepting and friendly everyone is so we are still working on it. 

Also, I can introduce you to Ira. I met her on the bus a few weeks ago, she came to english club that night and really is just one of the coolest nicest people ever. She does believe in God and that he hears and answers prayers which is awesome! I just love when people know that God is our loving Heavenly Father! When people don't agree with that truth, its hard for them to want to pray about anything. She came to game night on Saturday and loved it and really just seems open to new ideas and wanting to learn. She is your typical busy college student which makes me love her even more and just want her to see how this gospel can help her in her everyday life!! How else do people survive finals or wedding craziness? 

Side note: Apparently for easter they do some game here with their boiled eggs, like where two people hit their eggs together and whoevers cracks loses, kinda like the wishbone concept i think. I havent tried it yet, but if you have any leftover eggs from easter let me know how it goes...

As far as my random musings for the day, our RS lesson yesterday was about trials, (ch 7 in the lorenzo snow book?) and some awesome points:
-The Lord tries us until He knows what He can do with us.
- We are always nearer to God at the end of trials and more confident to call on Him for blessings.
-We can always bear more after trials than we could before. Like we are stronger now, than we were a year ago, or two years ago, or five years ago, etc.
Basically trials really are how we grow and learn more. And I love the idea of being more confident to call upon the Lord. Which makes me wonder how many blessings I've missed out on but not asking?!?! In the Young Womens meeting before conference, which yes we watch here in Khabarovsk ( i'm trying to start an ice cream tradition here hehe) but seriously - Sister Dalton said our most significant opportunities will come in times of greatest difficulty. And I know our Heaven Father just wants us to grow and become amazing poeple!  Which you all already are! I'm not going to lie, I like the idea of having a new companion occasionally so that I can talk about how cool our family is without her getting too annoyed yet:) But I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Sister Allison