June 4, 2012
Hello everyone!
Well I am not writing to you in the city of Kurgan but now in the city of Perm. Wow this city is so much different that Kurgan. I am going to say it. I feel like I am back in the world ha. There are so many people here. There are so many American restaraunts here and everyone is driving a really expesnsive car. This is no Kurgan. I love it here though. This is a really big change for me. It will take me a little of getting used to being here in this huge city. I am so excited to be able to serve here.
Well last week I sarted my travels on a bus to Tumen from Kurgan. I stayed the night at the zone leaders and then in the morning at 5 took a taxi to the airport. Elder Holbrook and I then flew to moscow where we met up with the other Elders. After we all met up we decided that we wanted to go to Red Square in Moscow. Probably one of the coolest experiences on my mission. I actually made it to Red Square. I was able to see the gigantic city of Moscow. Honestly with all of those people there I felt that I was in New York. We took the Subway and holy cow there were so many people. It was about a hour and a half from the Airport to Red Square. We were there for about an hour and then we had to go back so we wouldn't miss our flight. Red Square is so awesome. There is so much history there. You know in the movie Get Smart where Steve Carell is on the bridge... Well I was on that bridge. It was so awesome. I was also able to see the big memorial for Lennin and where his body rests. It was just a great experience. I took a lot of pictures but the only problem is right now is that I have no cord to put into the computer. So you are going to have to wait for next weeks email. Sorry.
After Moscow we flew to Finland. Finland is probably the most beautiful country in the world. It is so green and everything there is just so fresh. It was so great to go in the spring/summer time. The temple grounds were so beautiful. Grandma you would have loved all of the beautiful flowers there. We really do live on a beautiful planet. I was able to do baptisms at the temple and it was very spiritual. I love the Finland temple. After the temple we got on a flight back to moscow and we ate at TJI Fridays. I have fallen in love with the strawberry milkshake. They are so good, I got two of them.... At about 1 am I got on my flight all alone to Perm. It was really weird traveling alone. After the trip I was so tired. Visa trips kill you. Once we got home I was out for a couple of hours.
When I got to Perm I was able to meet my new companion Elder Oneill. It was really good to see him. He is a great Elder. He and I have a lot of great work to do here in Perm. We are way excited to be companions. He is from Pleasonton California and loves to play basketball so we have a lot in common. And there is a little basketball court next to our apartment. Booya.
Yesterday I was able to meet the branch. There is about 100 people in the branch. My mind was blown when I saw all those people. The members here in Perm are great. I am so excited to work with them and get to know them. This next transfer is just going to be great. I cant wait.
Question time:
Grandpa. How is your apartment?
Oh my goodness where do I begin with my new apartment. Lets just say that I was in the worse apartment in the mission and now I am in the nicest apartment in the mission. It is so great.
Well thanks all for your emails. I love you all and just want to say thanks again for all that you do for me.
Elder Flitton
"PERM"
June 11, 2012
Hello Everyone,
How is everyone? Hope that summer is treating you well. Perm is great. It is definately summer here. The weather here has been so great. This last week Elder Oneill and I have been out on the streets a lot. I have quite the Missionary tan ha. This week is a huge festival in the city. It is called White Night. They have a huge fair kind of thing and it is a big thing. I guess on the 24th or something of June the sun doesn't go down. It stays light the whole entire day. Really interesting I know. I am excited to witness this.
This last week we have been working really hard. We are so exhausted at nights when we come home. I have never loved my bed so much than I do now. Sleep is so great. We have about 4 investigators. The one closest to baptism, his name is Slava. He is about 24 and he is really funny. He has been taught for about a couple of months and his baptism is at the end of this month. We are way excited for him. Our next investigator, her name is Alexandera. She is 84 and she is the sweetest lady that I have ever met in Russia. She is so funny. We went over to her house with the Pocoks last night and had a little lesson with her. She loves the Pocoks. I love the Pocoks ha they are so great. We use them a lot and we live close to them. They are so awesome. I am so blessed to have a Senior couple in my area. They gave me a hair cut last week and it was so great. It was the first time in the field where someone else gave me a haircut and not myself. It looked a lot better than what I do ha. Well got on a tangent about senior couples sorry but back to investigators. Our other investigator, her name is Natalia. She is great. She left this week to visit her daughter though so we don't know when she is going to be back. We made sure that she took her Book Of Mormon. Our other investigator is a nigerean. His name is Clinton. We have only had one meeting with him. He is really hard to meet with becuase he is so busy. He is so great though. Please pray for Clinton everyone, he needs it right now.
This last week was a very tiring week. On saturday we helped one of the members here do some service. We had to carry some huge cabinets/closets out of his apartment and load them on the truck. I was so tired ha. After we went to the Sport activity that the ward holds every Saturday. We played soccer and I about died. I am so terrible at soccer but whatever the members got a laugh from watching me play it.
So lately I have been thinking a lot about the people that we are teaching,especially Clinton. He voiced the concern that he is tired of doing the religion thing. He feels that God doesn't anwser his prayers and that he is living in this world alone. He said he wants to give up the religion thing. When I heard that my heart was torn in half. I felt so bad for him. I wanted to do all that I could for him. The only thing that I can get someone to do is to read the Book of Mormon and have them pray for themselves and to ask God if the Book is true and that Joseph Smith did actually restore God's kingdom on earth. I can't force anyone to do anything. It takes them to show a little faith and do the things that we ask them to do. We are kind of like a guide for people. We can give them encouragement and help but we cant recieve there anwser for them. I can tell someone all day that the Book of Mormon is true but that is not going to do anything for them unless they pray and ask God if it is true. So when people don't do what we ask them to do it is really sad, it hurts. God loves all of us and he made the gosple simple for all of his children so that they could know of Him and return to Him. All that he asks us to do is to show some faith and ask Him wether or not the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith really did restore this church. Then he will give us an anwser. These anwsers come in so many different ways. I have recieved an anwser in a way that I wasn't expecting but I recieved an anwser. Clinton is a son of our Heavenly Father and he needs a lot of help. I have only met him once and he is so important to me. I want to see him recieve his anwser and I want to see him Baptized.
Well I just want to say thanks for all of your emails. Dad happy fathers this week. You are my hero and I look up to you so much. Thank you for everything that you do for me. You have such a strong spirit and it helps my spirit. Thank you Dad. Hope that this Fathers Day is a great one for you. Also Katie happy birthday! Don' party too hard haha. I love you.
Question time:
Chan:
Have you gotten used to permyet? No but slowly I am.
Birthday Package? I would love the book "10000 most used Russian Words" and some pictures:)
P.S Tell your Mom and Dad that I say hello and that I miss them. Tell them not to have to much fun this summer without me. Thanks
Grandma:
When I went to the temple we were able to do baptisms. We do it in Russian
I did get your package last week. Thank you so much. I love starbursts. They are already gone. I always snack on them during studies ha. Thank you.
Grandpa
Any american rest. We are going to Mc Donalds right now ha I am way excited.
I am running out of time for email but just want to say thanks for everything.l I love you all. Oh mom Btw could you send my retainers:) haha I have been noticing my teeth are starting to move. So ASAP would be great. Love you mom.
Elder Flitton
This last week we have been working really hard. We are so exhausted at nights when we come home. I have never loved my bed so much than I do now. Sleep is so great. We have about 4 investigators. The one closest to baptism, his name is Slava. He is about 24 and he is really funny. He has been taught for about a couple of months and his baptism is at the end of this month. We are way excited for him. Our next investigator, her name is Alexandera. She is 84 and she is the sweetest lady that I have ever met in Russia. She is so funny. We went over to her house with the Pocoks last night and had a little lesson with her. She loves the Pocoks. I love the Pocoks ha they are so great. We use them a lot and we live close to them. They are so awesome. I am so blessed to have a Senior couple in my area. They gave me a hair cut last week and it was so great. It was the first time in the field where someone else gave me a haircut and not myself. It looked a lot better than what I do ha. Well got on a tangent about senior couples sorry but back to investigators. Our other investigator, her name is Natalia. She is great. She left this week to visit her daughter though so we don't know when she is going to be back. We made sure that she took her Book Of Mormon. Our other investigator is a nigerean. His name is Clinton. We have only had one meeting with him. He is really hard to meet with becuase he is so busy. He is so great though. Please pray for Clinton everyone, he needs it right now.
This last week was a very tiring week. On saturday we helped one of the members here do some service. We had to carry some huge cabinets/closets out of his apartment and load them on the truck. I was so tired ha. After we went to the Sport activity that the ward holds every Saturday. We played soccer and I about died. I am so terrible at soccer but whatever the members got a laugh from watching me play it.
So lately I have been thinking a lot about the people that we are teaching,especially Clinton. He voiced the concern that he is tired of doing the religion thing. He feels that God doesn't anwser his prayers and that he is living in this world alone. He said he wants to give up the religion thing. When I heard that my heart was torn in half. I felt so bad for him. I wanted to do all that I could for him. The only thing that I can get someone to do is to read the Book of Mormon and have them pray for themselves and to ask God if the Book is true and that Joseph Smith did actually restore God's kingdom on earth. I can't force anyone to do anything. It takes them to show a little faith and do the things that we ask them to do. We are kind of like a guide for people. We can give them encouragement and help but we cant recieve there anwser for them. I can tell someone all day that the Book of Mormon is true but that is not going to do anything for them unless they pray and ask God if it is true. So when people don't do what we ask them to do it is really sad, it hurts. God loves all of us and he made the gosple simple for all of his children so that they could know of Him and return to Him. All that he asks us to do is to show some faith and ask Him wether or not the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith really did restore this church. Then he will give us an anwser. These anwsers come in so many different ways. I have recieved an anwser in a way that I wasn't expecting but I recieved an anwser. Clinton is a son of our Heavenly Father and he needs a lot of help. I have only met him once and he is so important to me. I want to see him recieve his anwser and I want to see him Baptized.
Well I just want to say thanks for all of your emails. Dad happy fathers this week. You are my hero and I look up to you so much. Thank you for everything that you do for me. You have such a strong spirit and it helps my spirit. Thank you Dad. Hope that this Fathers Day is a great one for you. Also Katie happy birthday! Don' party too hard haha. I love you.
Question time:
Chan:
Have you gotten used to permyet? No but slowly I am.
Birthday Package? I would love the book "10000 most used Russian Words" and some pictures:)
P.S Tell your Mom and Dad that I say hello and that I miss them. Tell them not to have to much fun this summer without me. Thanks
Grandma:
When I went to the temple we were able to do baptisms. We do it in Russian
I did get your package last week. Thank you so much. I love starbursts. They are already gone. I always snack on them during studies ha. Thank you.
Grandpa
Any american rest. We are going to Mc Donalds right now ha I am way excited.
I am running out of time for email but just want to say thanks for everything.l I love you all. Oh mom Btw could you send my retainers:) haha I have been noticing my teeth are starting to move. So ASAP would be great. Love you mom.
Elder Flitton
"Week Three in Perm"
June 18, 2012
June 18, 2012
Hello Everyone,
How is everyone? Sounds like in your emails like summer is treating you all well. That is so cool that Cam and Gar are on a soccer team together and Uncle dave is there coach. That sounds so fun. Also good job Mitch with soccer. That is always a good sign when the coach comes up and asks for your name. Keep up the good work. Also I love the picture of Coleman with the plate of goodies. Thats my boy haha. Katie happy 17 birthday!!! с днём рёждение Happy birthday. I cant believe that you are 17 and that you went on a date the other day ago. How did dad feel? ha. Also fam have fun at girls camp. Be safe and don't get involved with the bears ha. Did you know that the bear is the country animal. They love their bear's. Grandpa I am going to tell you the truth when we get home at night and we are done planning I grab the broom and practice my swing...so no need to worry. Jen sounds like quite the vacation. I am so jelaous of these little trips that you go on. Especially when you went to wrigley field. Oh that is my dream to go see a baseball game in Chicago. Also that is pretty funny about the missionaries in the airport. That will definately be a joyous day when I come down the escalator. Im expecting a big celebration at the airport haha. Sorry this is a big rambling paragraph but I just want to let you all know that I do get your emails and I love them. Grandma thanks for the quote. I loved it. That is exactly what i needed to hear. I do have a bottom retainer.. please find it but if you cant that is ok just send the top one. Love you. Chan I love the pictures. Your dad is so great I love the picture. Tell your parents that I say hello and also Kace and Jordan. I love the picture of the ultra sound. Kace is going to be a mommy!!! Love ya kace.
Cindy thanks for your last email. It means a lot to get one from you. Tell the family that I say hello and that I love them. Thanks Grandma cindy... :) Well I think that is everyone. I love you all.
Well a little bit about my last week. We worked our stinkin butts off last week. We were outside all the time talking to people and sharing with them the good word. We met a lot of great people. Last night we met this nigerean named Benny. He said that meeting us was no accident. He was way excited to see us and he wants to meet with us. It was so awesome. I felt last night that Heavenly Father guided Elder Oneill and I to where we needed to go. We were able to give away a lot of Books of Mormon. Last night was a great night for Elder Oneill and I.
Investigators-
1. Slava- Has a baptism date for this saturday. Has a interview with zone leaders. We feel like he isn't ready and that he needs to be taught more so he can be prepared for Baptism.
2.Alexandera- We were over at her house and her daughter came by. Her daughter is a minister in the Russian Orthodox church. She wasn't happy to see us and she kicked us out of the house and threatend to call the police. None the less Alexandera is 84 and can make her own decisions and still wants to meet with us. We are very grateful for her and she has a baptism date for next month. She is a peach.
3.Clinton- We weren't able to meet with him last week but we were able to get a hold of him and he says that he wants to meet this week. We are way excited for that. Thank you everyone for your prayers and faith. It means a lot.
Those are our main investigators. We met a lot of great people last week so we should be able to get some new people to begin teaching. All this hard work is starting to pay off. Like you said grandma only in the dictionary does success come before work. It is so true. Not just as a missionary but life in general.
This last week I have been trying really hard to be able to build my testimony of the Savior. It says in PMG that when we have a strong testimony in the Savior and the Atonement we will have more desire to share the Gospel. It is so true. On Friday my companion was so sick so we stayed inside that day. While he was sleeping I watched the movie Finding Faith in Christ, in Russian. I felt the spirit so strong and I knew that my Savior really did die for me and everyone else. He experienced everything that we experience. Watching it in Russian and feeling the spirit so strong was exactly what I needed. I know that the Gift of Tongues really does exist. I have seen it in my mission and I know that it exists. Christ really is there for us. He love us and he wants to bless us so bad. We just have to show our faith to him. I love my Savior and I know that He lives.
Q and A
Grandpa- Gone to the River yet? Yes I have. It is huge!
Freeways in Perm? Nope... Traffic can get really bad sometimes.
Can a missionary drive in Russia? Nope to dangerous
How big is the apartment building? It is huge.. Luckily we live on the second floor. I will take a picture of it.
Brown water.. how often do you drink water? We have to drink a lot of water. We have a huge water filter.
Grandma Restrictions on food? Yes we arent allowed to eat berries or any fish from the river or lakes. They have to be from the ocean. And mushrooms are not allowed.
Is there something that you really want to have? I really would like the book from Deseret book or Segull book called "Drawing on the Powers of Heaven" By Grant Von Harrison. Thanks :)
Jen- Have you heard from Ivan? No i haven't but this week is zone conf in Yekaterinburg so I will be able to see the elders who serve in Kurgan right now so I will be able to ask them how he is doing. way excited.
The thing that I am most proud of so far on my mission? The way that I have grown to love this people, my companions and especially the Lord.
Mom- HOw is the apartment? It is the nicest apartment. I love it. My bed is really small but Im fine with it. ha
Dad- Do people dress up to go to McDonalds? Yes the dress up for everything. They love Mcdonalds. It is the place to hang out. It is like a 4* restaurant here. I love it.
Chan- How is the weather? It is great. It has been a little cloudy lately but I enjoy it. It sure does get hot sometimes. And a little about White Nights. They have this huge festival for the month of June on the main squre in the city. Our apartment is right next to it so it is quite loud sometimes ha. But they have a lot of fun little festival things. They have a sand castle competion thing. You should see some of them. they are so cool. I will take some pictures.
Well just want to tell you all that I love you and that I really enjoy your emails. Hope summer is great for you all. Talk to you next week.
Elder Flitton
"Week 4 in Perm"
June 25, 2012
Dear Family,
How is everyone? By the sounds of it you are all having a great summer. Sounds like camp was a success and that all went well. Sounds like Yellowstone was a lot of fun also. I love the pictures thanks Chan. Callie way to go with soccer. Ms Allstar...
Well last week flew by. We got on a train last Wednesday and went to Yekaterinburg for Zone Conf. It was really fun. I love zone conf and seeing all of the other missionaries. The train ride was great. Our train was like the Hogwarts train ha. When the lady came buy and asked if we wanted anything I said "We will buy the cart" She had no idea what I said... My interview with President Rust was the greatest. He is so great, he really is called of God to lead the Yekaterinburg mission. I am so grateful for my Mission President. The theme at zone conf was Obedience. It was exactly what Elder Oneill and I needed to hear. We are now going to be 100% obedient. In everything we do we will obey with exactness. We are really excited for this. We know that the lord will bless us so much and that our companionship will be the best. We know that it will be hard but we are willing and wanting to do it. Blessings only come from being obedient and I challenge all of you to be obedient so that the Lord can bless you.
Well we got some news today that in the sisters apartment they will be doing some remodeling so the sisters will be kicked out of their apartment for ten days. So that means that they will be staying in our apartment and we will be kicked out of our apartment and will be staying with the zone leaders. So we are going to be moving this week, it should be quite the experience. Also this week we will be having a baptism. The other elders in Perm have a baptism on Saturday. We are really excited for this. Our investigators Alexandera and Slava still have a lot more work to do. But none the less we are still working really hard with them. We have a meeting tonight with Alexandera. We have a lot of hope that she will be baptized. She is a great lady.
Well I cant believe that this transfer is almost over. I have learned so much these past four weeks. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and I know that He really is there. He is there for all of His children and He loves them so much. He cares so much for the ones that aren't in His fold yet. All we can do is have hope and faith and follow Christ with all of our hearts and the ones that we love will soon come around. I know this to be true, with every cell in my body I know it to be true. I am so grateful for my trials. The Lord gives us trials becuase He loves us. They are the only way that we can grow. God loves all of us and he knows us individually. I love this Gospel and I love my Family. Thank you for everything that you do for me.
Elder Flitton
Q/A
Grandpa- There are 10 missionaries in Perm. We are serving in the Parkovy area. It is in the middle of the city. We live on Pooshkina next to a animal store ha. Also we love to go to KFC. It is really better than in America. And yes I have gotten used to Perm. I can get around without a map.
MOM- Yes I need my retainer. And yes I need those black extra comfort nike socks. Make sure they are all black. I love you. I loved the pictures of the family. I am so jelaous that you went to the Roof.
Dad- There are about 50 missionaries. We are loosing a lot of them though. We are a very small mission. We never have dinner appointments. That is frowned upon here for missionaries because members just don't have the money and food to feed us. We are asked not to have dinner at members. Only if they are well off.
How is everyone? Sounds like in your emails like summer is treating you all well. That is so cool that Cam and Gar are on a soccer team together and Uncle dave is there coach. That sounds so fun. Also good job Mitch with soccer. That is always a good sign when the coach comes up and asks for your name. Keep up the good work. Also I love the picture of Coleman with the plate of goodies. Thats my boy haha. Katie happy 17 birthday!!! с днём рёждение Happy birthday. I cant believe that you are 17 and that you went on a date the other day ago. How did dad feel? ha. Also fam have fun at girls camp. Be safe and don't get involved with the bears ha. Did you know that the bear is the country animal. They love their bear's. Grandpa I am going to tell you the truth when we get home at night and we are done planning I grab the broom and practice my swing...so no need to worry. Jen sounds like quite the vacation. I am so jelaous of these little trips that you go on. Especially when you went to wrigley field. Oh that is my dream to go see a baseball game in Chicago. Also that is pretty funny about the missionaries in the airport. That will definately be a joyous day when I come down the escalator. Im expecting a big celebration at the airport haha. Sorry this is a big rambling paragraph but I just want to let you all know that I do get your emails and I love them. Grandma thanks for the quote. I loved it. That is exactly what i needed to hear. I do have a bottom retainer.. please find it but if you cant that is ok just send the top one. Love you. Chan I love the pictures. Your dad is so great I love the picture. Tell your parents that I say hello and also Kace and Jordan. I love the picture of the ultra sound. Kace is going to be a mommy!!! Love ya kace.
Cindy thanks for your last email. It means a lot to get one from you. Tell the family that I say hello and that I love them. Thanks Grandma cindy... :) Well I think that is everyone. I love you all.
Well a little bit about my last week. We worked our stinkin butts off last week. We were outside all the time talking to people and sharing with them the good word. We met a lot of great people. Last night we met this nigerean named Benny. He said that meeting us was no accident. He was way excited to see us and he wants to meet with us. It was so awesome. I felt last night that Heavenly Father guided Elder Oneill and I to where we needed to go. We were able to give away a lot of Books of Mormon. Last night was a great night for Elder Oneill and I.
Investigators-
1. Slava- Has a baptism date for this saturday. Has a interview with zone leaders. We feel like he isn't ready and that he needs to be taught more so he can be prepared for Baptism.
2.Alexandera- We were over at her house and her daughter came by. Her daughter is a minister in the Russian Orthodox church. She wasn't happy to see us and she kicked us out of the house and threatend to call the police. None the less Alexandera is 84 and can make her own decisions and still wants to meet with us. We are very grateful for her and she has a baptism date for next month. She is a peach.
3.Clinton- We weren't able to meet with him last week but we were able to get a hold of him and he says that he wants to meet this week. We are way excited for that. Thank you everyone for your prayers and faith. It means a lot.
Those are our main investigators. We met a lot of great people last week so we should be able to get some new people to begin teaching. All this hard work is starting to pay off. Like you said grandma only in the dictionary does success come before work. It is so true. Not just as a missionary but life in general.
This last week I have been trying really hard to be able to build my testimony of the Savior. It says in PMG that when we have a strong testimony in the Savior and the Atonement we will have more desire to share the Gospel. It is so true. On Friday my companion was so sick so we stayed inside that day. While he was sleeping I watched the movie Finding Faith in Christ, in Russian. I felt the spirit so strong and I knew that my Savior really did die for me and everyone else. He experienced everything that we experience. Watching it in Russian and feeling the spirit so strong was exactly what I needed. I know that the Gift of Tongues really does exist. I have seen it in my mission and I know that it exists. Christ really is there for us. He love us and he wants to bless us so bad. We just have to show our faith to him. I love my Savior and I know that He lives.
Q and A
Grandpa- Gone to the River yet? Yes I have. It is huge!
Freeways in Perm? Nope... Traffic can get really bad sometimes.
Can a missionary drive in Russia? Nope to dangerous
How big is the apartment building? It is huge.. Luckily we live on the second floor. I will take a picture of it.
Brown water.. how often do you drink water? We have to drink a lot of water. We have a huge water filter.
Grandma Restrictions on food? Yes we arent allowed to eat berries or any fish from the river or lakes. They have to be from the ocean. And mushrooms are not allowed.
Is there something that you really want to have? I really would like the book from Deseret book or Segull book called "Drawing on the Powers of Heaven" By Grant Von Harrison. Thanks :)
Jen- Have you heard from Ivan? No i haven't but this week is zone conf in Yekaterinburg so I will be able to see the elders who serve in Kurgan right now so I will be able to ask them how he is doing. way excited.
The thing that I am most proud of so far on my mission? The way that I have grown to love this people, my companions and especially the Lord.
Mom- HOw is the apartment? It is the nicest apartment. I love it. My bed is really small but Im fine with it. ha
Dad- Do people dress up to go to McDonalds? Yes the dress up for everything. They love Mcdonalds. It is the place to hang out. It is like a 4* restaurant here. I love it.
Chan- How is the weather? It is great. It has been a little cloudy lately but I enjoy it. It sure does get hot sometimes. And a little about White Nights. They have this huge festival for the month of June on the main squre in the city. Our apartment is right next to it so it is quite loud sometimes ha. But they have a lot of fun little festival things. They have a sand castle competion thing. You should see some of them. they are so cool. I will take some pictures.
Well just want to tell you all that I love you and that I really enjoy your emails. Hope summer is great for you all. Talk to you next week.
Elder Flitton
"Week 4 in Perm"
June 25, 2012
Dear Family,
How is everyone? By the sounds of it you are all having a great summer. Sounds like camp was a success and that all went well. Sounds like Yellowstone was a lot of fun also. I love the pictures thanks Chan. Callie way to go with soccer. Ms Allstar...
Well last week flew by. We got on a train last Wednesday and went to Yekaterinburg for Zone Conf. It was really fun. I love zone conf and seeing all of the other missionaries. The train ride was great. Our train was like the Hogwarts train ha. When the lady came buy and asked if we wanted anything I said "We will buy the cart" She had no idea what I said... My interview with President Rust was the greatest. He is so great, he really is called of God to lead the Yekaterinburg mission. I am so grateful for my Mission President. The theme at zone conf was Obedience. It was exactly what Elder Oneill and I needed to hear. We are now going to be 100% obedient. In everything we do we will obey with exactness. We are really excited for this. We know that the lord will bless us so much and that our companionship will be the best. We know that it will be hard but we are willing and wanting to do it. Blessings only come from being obedient and I challenge all of you to be obedient so that the Lord can bless you.
Well we got some news today that in the sisters apartment they will be doing some remodeling so the sisters will be kicked out of their apartment for ten days. So that means that they will be staying in our apartment and we will be kicked out of our apartment and will be staying with the zone leaders. So we are going to be moving this week, it should be quite the experience. Also this week we will be having a baptism. The other elders in Perm have a baptism on Saturday. We are really excited for this. Our investigators Alexandera and Slava still have a lot more work to do. But none the less we are still working really hard with them. We have a meeting tonight with Alexandera. We have a lot of hope that she will be baptized. She is a great lady.
Well I cant believe that this transfer is almost over. I have learned so much these past four weeks. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and I know that He really is there. He is there for all of His children and He loves them so much. He cares so much for the ones that aren't in His fold yet. All we can do is have hope and faith and follow Christ with all of our hearts and the ones that we love will soon come around. I know this to be true, with every cell in my body I know it to be true. I am so grateful for my trials. The Lord gives us trials becuase He loves us. They are the only way that we can grow. God loves all of us and he knows us individually. I love this Gospel and I love my Family. Thank you for everything that you do for me.
Elder Flitton
Q/A
Grandpa- There are 10 missionaries in Perm. We are serving in the Parkovy area. It is in the middle of the city. We live on Pooshkina next to a animal store ha. Also we love to go to KFC. It is really better than in America. And yes I have gotten used to Perm. I can get around without a map.
MOM- Yes I need my retainer. And yes I need those black extra comfort nike socks. Make sure they are all black. I love you. I loved the pictures of the family. I am so jelaous that you went to the Roof.
Dad- There are about 50 missionaries. We are loosing a lot of them though. We are a very small mission. We never have dinner appointments. That is frowned upon here for missionaries because members just don't have the money and food to feed us. We are asked not to have dinner at members. Only if they are well off.
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| The River in Perm |
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| Red Square |
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| He is a big dreamer... |
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| Red Square |
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| Where Lenin is buried. |
I don't know about you, but these photos are pretty impressive!! They are the places that come up on Google Images when you search "Russia". How lucky and blessed is he to be able to be surrounded by so many beautiful people and places.
I am grateful for this experience and for Elder Flitton's willingness to share his own with all of us.
"Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds."
President Gordon B Hinckley
