How is everyone doing? Hope all is going well back in Salt Lake. Things here in Kurgan are going great. Got some news from the Kurgan branch... We have a baptism date for our investigator Evan on the 28th and then we have a investigator that wants to be baptized in a couple of weeks, we just have to teach him some more. The work in Kurgan is starting to explode. Egor is the one that wants to be baptized. We are way pumped about our two investigators who want to be baptized. Our other two investigators Victor and Alicia we are still working witht them and doing our best to help them progress. Victor is doing a great job, it will just take more time than the others. Also do you remember that stroy about the grandma that we saved from the ice a couple of weeks ago. She wants to be baptized. So we need to contact her and start teaching her. Heavenly Father is definately working in Kurgan and I love it. Well that is about all the info for our investigators.
We had some funny incidents this last week. I got my first up close experience with a drunk man the other day ago. We were walking to one of our appointments and this guy was covering his friend who was peeing on the wall... there is Kurgan for you ha. But the man yelled "hey you americans" he ran over to us and started talking non sense to us. He started hugging me and telling me that he was an angel and a prophet. Strange I know but I just listened to him and went along with it. I played the drunk game with him where they look at you and you slowly start to lean and they follow you and they eventually fall over. I started to do it and he started to lean but then I thought to myself if he did fall he probably wouldn't be able to get back up haha, so I didn't. This guy was speaking non sense and he kept grabbing my coat and wanting me to follow him somewhere. I told him that I had a meeting but he didn't care ha so I eventually pushed him off of me and walked away, he started yelling at us but I had no idea what he was saying. It was definately an experience that I will never forget.
We had a potential investigator this last week who wanted to meet with us. He wanted everything that we taught him to be backed up by the new testament. We did that and we stumped him, he would ask the strangest questions that had no revelance to what we were talking about. We simply told him that in order to know if what we were saying was true he had to read the book of mormon and pray. He said that he wouldn't read it so we simple and very nicely told him that we couldn't meet anymore.
That is about all that went on last week, I was able to go to Yekaterinburg on tuesday and have training with my mission president. I love my miision presdient. He is awesome.
I am so thankful for this oppurtunity to serve a mission here in Russia. I love it and am so thankful for my Heavenly Father and all the guidance that I get from him every day. I know that this message we share with everyone is true. I know it with all of my heart. I love Russia and the people here they are great. Thank you for all the support that I get from back home.
From Russia With Love
Elder Flitton
In an email to Jeff:
I haven't heard from my neighbor since that incident so that is good." (The drunk one asking for vodka on New Years)
"The branch is great. I love the members, they are so strong and do all that they can. Life here in Russia tough for people, it is sad to see. We don't live next to our building, it is about a 45 min bus ride so we are kind of out in the bonnies. I enjoy teaching english class. It is funny to see people try and speak english."
Packages have been sent to Russia and letters have been sent to Salt Lake/Logan.
These emails are the best.
Noticing the change and growth in Keaton is the best part of this whole experience.
We are so blessed to have an incredible missionary like Keaton in our lives!
"This work of the lord is indeed great and marvelous, but it moves forward essentially unnoticed by many of mankind's political, cultural, and academic leaders. it progresses one heart and one family at a time, silently and unobtrusively, its sacred message blessing people everywhere."
- L. Whitney Clayton. "The time shall come", Gen. Con. Oct 2011
