Sunday, December 19, 2010

Hope you all watch The Office Christmas episode this Thursday!

Heeeeere's Johnny!....
Name that.

Hey fam!  Thanks Mom and Dad and Shon and Blayre :) for the e-mails!!
Cool that you got the Christmas card!  that was fun taking those pics for it!

This week has been a growing week.  Lots of testing and growing.  I'm trying to love Novosibirsk- haha- it's been a struggle.  I know that I said that about Barnaul, too, so I hope that it becomes home for me.  It is just SO BIG!  But we've really been blessed with new investigators almost every week.

This week we were at a member's house, and they invited their son to be on the meeting with us.  He's about 25ish I'd guess, and he's kinda the... I'm too cool for this kind of stuff... kinda guy.  Kinda like... why should this matter to me?...     But from his questions and stuff, we ended up teaching him about the plan of salvation.  He was still kinda 50/50 about the whole thing, but we came back again a second time, and he was on the meeting again.  We talked about Jesus Christ and what kind of role He plays in our lives.  This guy's name is Andrei, and he's really pretty closed.  But we hope that more and more he will open up to us.  He comes into the room and stays when we have meetings, so that's a good sign!

We also met with Masha again and taught her about the plan of salvation.  She was really interested and it was a cool meeting.  :)
Sasha is doing pretty good- still excited to get baptized!

So life is pretty good!  Glad to hear that all os okay for the most part at home!    

To answer Dad's questions-
Yes, my comp does a really great job on the meetings.  She's great.  I haven't really been offered anything super weird to eat on my mission ever.... just maybe liver, but it was fried, so it wasn't too bad!  And fish, but that's not weird; I just don't like it.  :) yes, I teach 1st group in english and it's pretty fun.  The people are way cool there.  The groups are a ton bigger, too!  So it's cool. :)
 And yes, dad, I'll try to take more pics.  :)  I trust in your advice.  :)  crazy about your crazy rain!  Hope it doesn't flood there!  :)

Mom- You look way good!  (thanks Dad for the pic! :) )  Excited to see ya all different-like!  :)

I love you all very much and I hope you have a marvelous week!  Sorry this is a lame e-mail.  I'll try to do better next time!

The church is true!  :)

Love,
Sister Reed :)

Sunday, December 12, 2010

A very merry merry merry Christmas to you!

(Parents Note:  This email is here out of order, it came before the one below it.  Sorry!)


Привет, всем!!!

Thanks for the e-mails!  Glad to hear from those that sent em!  :)

Well I am now here in this HUGE city-- Novosibirsk.  I really miss Barnaul.  I don't know anyone or where to go, but hopefully I'll get used to it soon.  There are tons of youth here and that's cool!  In fact, last Sunday was the primary program!  It was so cute!  They sang lots of songs that I know- but in Russian!  So cool :)  They have the cutest little kids here.

We have some cool investigators here.  It's pretty exciting.  I'm excited to get to know them.  We have a goal as missionaries here to have 4 more baptisms by the end of the year.  There's an 8 year old girl who will be baptized on Christmas, and we hope that one of our other investogators, Katya, will get a baptizimal date soon.  :)

Besides that, I'm not sure what to tell about.  We're trying to work hard and do what we can here.  My comp is not a greenie, but I am her 2nd companion, so she's still pretty new and trying to master planning and stuff.  I'm trying to help,  but it's stinkin hard b/c I don't know anyone, and they actually have several areas here- meaning- people live far away from eachother and we have to plan in what area of town to be in for the day.  WAY different than what I'm used to- this small-town girl!  So it's definitely a new experience!

Our Thanksgiving in Barney turned out good!  We actually ate a goose!  Haha!  And we watched both Narnias.  :) Good times.  Then that evening I left for Novo.  Lilia came to the bus station to say good-bye.  Sad.

Dad- I didn't actually eat the fishy sandwiches.  I refuse to eat fish, haha!  I'm a wuss. Ideas for gifts could be anything like: a russian hat, warm gloves, socks, clothes, tie, uhhhh..... any kind of Russian cooley sounvenier thing.. haha.  Basically, if you want anything at all, let me know, and I'll think of what would be cool for ya.  :)  Hope you're not freezing your pants off!  Good luck with all that snow!  I understand- it hasn't stopped snowing since I got here!  Crazy!  I love you!  Keep being amazing!

Mom- WIPE-OUT!  Haha---
Good job with trying to be closer to Heavenly Father!!  When you turn to Him, He turns to you and shows you His love abundantly.  I know this for a fact that when we pray to Him, He really does hear us and answer us.  When we put Him first in our lives before all other things, He makes it so that everything else in our lives works out for our good.  He blesses us so much.  You are awesome!  I love you!!!  :)

Krystine- Good luck with your travels and new adventures!!!  That is so cool!!!  I'll be sad to not see you in Spokane, but I hope that we can visit each other soon after I get back and catch up!!!  Keep me updated on everything!  You are AMAZING!!  Love you!!

I hope you all have a most wonderful week!  Keep smiling!!  I love you all!!

с любовью,
Сестра Рид :)

I'm dreamin of a white Christmas.....

Howdy!  Thanks Mom and Dad for the e-mails.  :)  You're the best.  :)

It is SO snowy here!  Out of control!!

Things have been good this week.  We've been able to meet with Katya again a couple times, and she's so awesome.  We popped her the question (asked her if she would get baptized) last night, and she said that she wants to receive a concrete answer about the truthfullness of the church first.  She's been praying, but she doesn't feel like she's receieved an answer yet.  Please pray for her that she will receieve an answer.  She is amazing, and I know that Heavenly Father has prepared her for this time in her life.  Also, we've still been meeting with Sasha, the 8-year old who will be getting baptized Dec 26th.  She's pretty excited.  Yesterday, we actually get a new investigator!  her name is Masha and she's 11 years old.  She doesn't know much about God or anything, so we're pretty excited to teach her!  She wants to know more, and that's awesome.
ALSO, we met with this inactive woman for the first time (did I already tell you about this?) and her daughter was there as well.  She's about 20-ish.  The whole time we were talking, I thought she was a member, but turns out that she's still not baptized!  The mom and her daughter who lives in America are members.  We asked her daughter, Katya, why she didn't get converted and baptized with her Mom and sister, and she just said that she doesn't really know... maybe it wasn't just her time.  Well we asked her if she would like to meet with us and know more about what we believe, and she said yes she would like to!  When we ended the lesson with them, they kept saying that there was a wonderful spirit in the room, warm and pleasant.  They recognized what it was.  It was neat.

So things have been moving on!  It's super cool!  It makes being here in this huge city better.  I still have no idea where I'm going... haha!

AND!!!! I got a way cool package!!  It came really fast!!!  I opened everything except for two things.... for Christmas.  THANKS SO MUCH!!!  I loved everything!  But I don't understand... are you wanting me to get fat right before I go home?!?  there was tons of candy!!  Haha!  I'm gonna have to pace myself and share a lot with people.  But thanks so much for everything!!  You guys are awesome!!  I also enjoyed the necklace and earrings.  From what they mean, I'll be well protected and I won't be having any stomach problems!  :) :)
You made my day!  It was very nice of you!!  :)

 Dad- the goose tasted like chicken really... but a bit different.  It was good, actually!  Better than a jack-rabbit!  (get it?  hah)
No, I will never serve in the office- yahoo!  Sisters usually never to that.  interesting, huh?
The branch here is pretty big it seems.  There are actually 3 branches in Novo, but I only have to go to one, which is good.

I'm excited to talk to you guys on Christmas!  When would you like to do it?  I'll send you the info about it, and you can tell me when is most convenient for you, ok?
I love you!!!  

Mom- That's hilarious about the man singing "santa baby"!!  WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?!?!?!?  Hahahaha.  I heard the "last christmas I gave you my heart..." song, but it wasn't the creepy version, and I was happy.  :)

My companion is good- we try our best to understand each other, haha.  I am her second companion, so I still have to train a bit, and also let her show what she knows.  She knows the city, so she's pretty much in charge of that.  So things are going alright.
Thanks for everything!  I love you!!!

Everyone have a great week!  Stay warm!!  Don't forget about me!  :)

Love,
Sister Reed :)


                        1) The elders carving the Thanksgiving goose

                                      2) happy Thanksgiving!

                        3) At the bus station leaving Barney

4) We took pics as a Zone one p-day.  This is one of just us Sisters.  Me, my comp Sis. Vasilevskaya, Sis. McCauley, Sis. Gneiting, Sis. Schwab