1 year in Country!!

I noticed that this week was my one year mark in country! Pretty cool:)  That is kinda weird to think that I have been here for a year so far and I still don't know what really is going on. Hahah Of course I know how to contact people and teach lessons and do work, but I still feel really young. I can remember my first days here in Russia like it was just yesterday:) I miss Elder Sayers! It's nice to know people say I speak Russian well.   I really don't think my Russian is that good haha. Like I know it probably sounds like I am pretending to be humble but I feel like a rookie speaker haha.  Elder Protopopov and I only speak Russian and I am trying to improve but it is rough. 

Anyways, I remember Dad last week mentioned that Putin was speaking at the United Nations and I hadn't heard anything about it here. Then while we were at the Dentists office waiting for Elder Protopopov to get an X-ray I looked up at the TV and there was putin speaking at the UN. I couldn't hear anything though. He seems like a really strong leader, I see why his people like him a lot haha.

We will be watching General Conference next Saturday and Sunday but I could not wait so I looked to see who the next apostles were and its pretty crazy:) I am super excited to watch! This transfer was 8 weeks long because the last one was only 4 weeks. Transfers are at the end of this week. Hopefully I get to stay with Elder Protopopov and send him home from his Mission. 

Made a Puppy friend at a member's house. 

This week we went to help one of our members do some reconstruction on his house. He is a little bit special but he is a very highly functioning invalid and he doesn't come to church a lot so we wanted to help. We met him at the bus stop outside his house and walked with him up to the door. He put his key into the lock but it didn't unlock it for some reason so he had to knock. A lady opened up and our member said "Hey look I brought some friends lets do some work". She looked shocked and then started yelling at him in front of us. Apparently that isn't his house, he doesn't live there. He just wanted us to help some lady with her remodel project haha. I felt so bad for him, but it was fun getting to spend a little bit of time with him.

Oh yeah, craziest thing this week. We got snow! It snowed all night, and all day, and all into the night. Pretty crazy:) The next day the snow started to melt and the day after that you could never even tell that it had snowed. It was all melted. Weird weather. People are calling it an Indian Summer. I am not too sure what it means but its warming up again and I am not complaining haha.

Snow Today

Gone Tomorrow

 

Along with the snow comes a lot of mist/fog near the river. We were out the other morning and I got some cool pictures. Cameron would probably love to come out here and take pictures its really pretty.

We have noticed a pattern/ ratio that emerges the more we talk to people. We have been writing down how many people we talk to and how many will talk to us. The results are so far as follows:

For every 50 people we try to talk to, 10 will stop and have a quick conversation.

For every 10 that stop to talk to us, 1 will be interested in learning more about the Gospel.
So there is some data for the science/math people out there:) Enjoy!

I hope you all find some way to serve your neighbors this week. Whether it be a smile or quick compliment or even just a "hey thanks for all you do, I realize it would be easy to not work as hard as you do. I really appreciate it". By small and simple means are great things brought to pass:)

Elder Gardner

I hope you all have a wonderful week!