email received February 10, 2013

Hello!

Pic of me wearing a hat one of our kind of investigators made for me. Sister Huber says I look like one of the babushkas who works at the market, maybe not appropriate for tracting...
And mom, as far as sisters I'm confused too. My friend Terrance in Englad wrote me saying they are getting 17 new missionaries next transfer and 70 by summer. I was told we were getting 4 new sisters next transfer March 20 when Sister Huber goes home but Elder Cruise just arrived in Xab. ( i met him right before i left for russia in the mtc) and he said there is only one more elder coming in the next group...So maybe there are 4 russian sisters? No idea. And I don't think we will increase as much as others because Sister Brinton talked about how we can "over run"our branches. Like if we have 15 active members and 6 missionaries, our area can't really handle more missionaries. But we are opening 2 cities in the summer that used to be open so that is exciting news and I'm excited to see how the Church literally is growing. Crazy to think there are still big cities here in Russia without any missionaries, members, priesthood, etc. Anyway..

This week has been a week of miracles. We have been trying hard to increase the number of lessons we teach each week to get the mission standard of 15. And each week plans fall through etc. But this week we taught 17 lessons!!! And we have met a few times with a friend of a 14 yr old in the ward who we are working with and were meeting with them before English Club when a new lady walked in early. We said she could join us if she wanted so she sat in on the lesson and understood everything! We watched the Restoration movie and after she was like "Oh so its like a fullness." How I wish everyone could understand it this plainly. At the end of the lesson, we were setting up a next meeting with the girl and asked her to read 2 Nephi 2 and the lady double checked to make sure she got the right chapter. Awesome! Then after English Club I got the chance to talk to her again and asked if she would be able to meet sometime to talk more and she said "Well you're meeting tomorrow, right? I can just come then and we can talk about the chapter". She already understands commitments. Its beautiful. The next day didnt work out but we met Saturday and are meeting again on Wednesday. So far, she seems to think its interesting without grasping the personal significance it can have for her so we are trying to figure out how to help her understand this and feel the Spirit and know how awesome this is! 

We also stopped by a former investigator this week and she let us come back and we talked with her and her daughter. Her daughter is 11 and soaks everything up and remembers what missionaries before talked about. I know we are going to have to help the mom get just as excited about it but it was definitely a testimony builder of how we all need to become as little children.  Anyway, this week definitely turned out differently than planned, as we lost contact with the new investigator from last week, but I know that if we keep trying our hardest, the Lord will always make up the rest and help us to accomplish our goals in helping His work move forth. Everyday brings a different challange but I love it!  Missions are the best. I miss you all but I'm trying to make you proud! Love you all!!

Sister Allison