So last Monday right after I got done writing President Sorenson called with transfers. As I sort of expected, Elder Steele will be leaving the area and I will be receiving a new companion that I know very well from past experience. On Thursday I will be receiving Elder Stegeby, my old MTC companion! I am super excited since we are good friends and most importantly since we have both been on our missions for a long time so we both have similar outlooks and abilities in concern with missionary work. I'm excited to tear it up in Sokolniki with Elder Stegeby. Really though, it is quite interesting that I am nearing the end of my mission with the very same companion that I started with.
In regards to our investigators things are going well. We once again had a really good lesson with U-tau. We watched a video about Jesus Christ and talked about it. As we were talking (well as Mike was translating what we were saying) I suddenly had the idea that U-tau really didn't understand what the word "atonement" meant, which we were just liberally using with little explanation. So we asked U-tau if he understood what to word meant and in English he emphatically responded: "No!" which lead to a wonderful discussion with him. U-tau is one of my favorite investigators that I have had on my mission. He is so nice and humble. We can barely communicate with each other because of the language barrier, but I've really grown to love this guy. Many people think that it is easy to just love all the investigators that you teach. I mean you teach them right? But sometimes you really have to work on having Christlike love for investigators who either don't progress or don't seem interested. Maybe I'm just a bad missionary, but some investigators really force me to develop charity, which is a great experience. With U-tau however, I felt like we were friends from when we first met, and I think I am more aware with him than with investigators feelings of charity and care for his salvation. I love when you are teaching an investigator and you get to the point where it is just like talking to a friend and it is easy to feel genuine concern for their welfare and you truly realize that they are children of God in a deep and spiritual sense. Sometimes you have to work on that, but sometimes you don't, and I feel really blessed to be teaching U-tau. Ok so I just rambled a while, but that is something I have really been thinking about and understanding more and more over the last few weeks. That is one thing I love about my mission, is that it is such a trial ground for the developing of Christlike attributes that could never be developed in such short a time. Right now I am learning a lot about charity and love, and building on what I have learned before.
Russia is getting pretty warm right now. Some of the snow is melting, but I don't trust any signs of early spring. I already lived through one winter so I know how Russia plays these nasty tricks! As it gets warmer though, the people are getting warmer as well, and it is getting easier to contact and find people. Other than that, business is pretty usual here in Russia. We've been hearing a lot about the Olympics lately as that starts to wind up. It is pretty funny, a lot of people don't have a real positive outlook on the Sochi games. Most people point out that Russia hasn't really developed good customer service and a few other negative aspects that they think will ruin the games. That may just be general pessimism, but it has been fun to hear peoples opinions about the games.
Right now we are all praying that the stake will get its own meeting house like in America. Right now we use a big former office building, but the stake leaders are trying to get permits to build an actual church building with a spire and everything. I think it is so cool that we are getting close to this important step and in nearly every prayer at the church meeting this is mentioned. I love the faith of the members. There is no doubt in their minds that God will answer their prayers and make this miracle happen.
Well that is all for today. Feel free to ask any Russia related questions, I like answering them. Have a great week!
As always,
Elder Zachery E. Brasier
P.S. A few days ago I saw a house pretty much explode while on splits in the suburbs of Moscow. It was on fire and then this huge fireball erupted and took down a bunch of the building. We were at the rail station and just as that happened our commuter train came, so we didn't see how that worked out! It was insane though.
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Zach's District
Moscow Time
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