ONE WEEK UNTIL RUSSIA!

Hey Everyone!

How is everyone doing? I'm doing great! I have exactly one week until i go to Russia! Can you believe it?! I feel like I just got here...where did the last three months go? But at the same time, I feel like I have been here forever. I'm really sick of the food...so sick of it. But other than that, I'm so happy! I absolutely love my district and it is going to be so hard to say goodbye to them. And Sister Dungan has been such a blessing in my life. We are the only two in our branch going to Yekaterinburg, so we leave a day later than everyone and it is only us two in our travel group. (everyone else is going at least half of the way there, together). But it will be good, because we have so much we want to do, and we won't be distracted by other missionaries.

I have absolutely loved the MTC, there is no other place on earth like it. These past few weeks have been hard because I have been trying to only speak Russian, but I feel like i have grown so much in the language because of that...but I still don't know anything. Sister Dungan and I have been teaching a couple of 'progressing investigators' (they are just RMs who come and play the role of someone...they don't speak English, and they never break character - so it has been like having a real investigator! One of our investigators this week committed to be baptized. We are so happy! I can't wait until it is real people...because the feeling of seeing someone change their life - and they're not even real - is amazing!

What else happened this week? Oh, last tuesday Elder Costa of the 70 came. He is an amazing speaker and I learned so much from him. He was a convert to the church and so he shared the story of how the missionaries taught him...it was so inspiring! I also realized the importance of the members in helping missionary work progress. Why did I not help the missionaries at home? Why didn't I go on splits with them? Missionaries are not normal people and to have a normal person at the lessons to share how it has blessed their life...is Crucial! Please, please, please go with the missionaries. They need you! This is people's salvation we're talking about! Ok...i'm off my soap box...anyway, on Sunday the BYU Men's Chorus came and did a concert for us. I love music! It was soooooo good. We haven't been able to listen to any music, except for the hymns we sing ourselves. There really is so much power in music.

Today, I got the chance to do some sealings in the temple. We did the work for the two Ukranian Sister's families. It was incredible! How blessed we are to have the knowledge of the gospel. I can't imagine life without it. It makes my life so meaningful and happy!

I can't wait to go to Russia and spread this wonderful message! I'm still not sure exactly what time I will get to call, but it will be sometime between 10:00 and 1:30 on December 22. Please be around...I can't wait to talk to you!! I love you all soooooooooo much! Take Care! I'll talk to you soon!!! XOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOX

Love Always,
Sister Hansen