Another Good Week!

Hey Fam!
So, how is everyone doing? I feel like the time has gone by soooooo fast here in Russia, but I also feel like I haven't seen any of you in so long. Weird. Anyway, it sounds like you all are keeping busy.

Mom, what pictures did the President send? I've gotten really fat, try not to be too alarmed. Oh and yes, the banner Chony made was hanging up in the President's house for the Christmas party we had there. I'll try to figure out how to send pictures home soon. I don't know where to print them off, or how to put them on the computers here - I'll talk to my companion about that today. And I'll try to take more pictures.

Also, no, I don't know what happened in Haiti. The radio is usually on while we are on the buses, but I'm usually talking to people, and it's all in Russian, so I don't understand the news stories anyway. But, Weston, you are such a good example to everyone, keep it up little man! Oh, I sure do miss you all!

This week was FREEZING, but good. I've come down with a little cold, but it should be about done tomorrow. I got sick because the other day we had our district meeting and we had an hour before our next meeting, so Sister Mezinets and I decided to go pay her dentist bill. (Sister Mezinets chipped a tooth - and we spent three hours at the dentist the other day). Anyway, we needed to pay her bill, but it was pretty far away. Traffic was bad, so we were hesitant to get on a bus - we decided to just run there. We had all of our winter stuff on, and even though it was freezing outside, we were sweating and hot. I ran the whole way there and the whole way back without a hat or gloves on. After we got back, we were supposed to meet someone at the bus stop - but they never showed up (so then we were sooooo cold, because we had been sweating before). Anyway, that's why I have a cold. But it's not a bad one.

I haven't been in a threesome since thursday, and I'm not sure if Sister Maynard will be with us again. A threesome is so hard, but you do what you have to do. This past week, we have contacted a lot on the street and we tried to contact all of the inactives in our branch.

We got inside a few doors of the inactives only because we went there with cookies. :)

We are still working with Valyerie, and he is progressing, but very slowly. We got a couple new investigators this past week. One girl - Palina, is great - she comes from a Jewish family, but her mother is a member. She is here in Ekaterinburg for school, and she is incredibly smart - she is a chemistry major. We talk a lot with her about Christ. And she is working on recognizing answers to her prayers. We are also continuing to work with a lot of the members and the part-member families. Missionary work is a lot different than I thought it would be, but I LOVE IT! This really is the best decision I have ever made. I love sharing the gospel with people and seeing them make changes in their lives! And I AM IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING ABOUT RUSSIA! I love the people, the food, the language, the mannerisms, everything. This is where the Lord wants me to be, and I am working so hard to find the people that He has prepared for me.

There are so many people here who don't believe in God, or think that they know all that they need to know about God. It breaks my heart, because I know that God is my Heavenly Father and that He loves me. I can't imagine life without that knowledge. I can't imagine life without the Savior. I am eternally grateful for the knowledge I have of Him, for the testimony I have obtained, for the answers to prayers I have recieved. I know that what I have to share with people is the best message they will ever hear and I know that everyone wants what I have...they just might not know it yet. And that is why I am here.

That is why I am freezing in the middle of Russia. That is why I am so far away from my family. I am telling people truth and I am trying to help them find purpose, find reason, find love, and find the way to eternal salvation. The Lord has called me here - He will help me with the language, He will help me find those that are ready, and He will watch over my family.

I love you all so much! Keep praying for me and for the people here. Thank you so much for all you do. I really have been blessed with the best family in the world. You are all so amazing and so strong in the Gospel. Thank you for the great examples you are to me. Keep praying, reading the scriptures, and please please please give referrals to the missionaries! They need your help! I love you all so much and pray for you daily! Stay safe and happy! xoxoxo
love always,
Sister Hansen