Well I have made it here to the city of Tyumen. It was a very sketchy traveling situation but hey I made it. The city of Tyumen is so nice. It is definately thee nicest city that I have served in yet. All of the buildings are just so beautiful. The streets are so clean and there are so many nice parks. Also not to forget to mention that we have a mexican restaurant outside of our apartment called Don Julio ha. We haven't tryed it yet but I promised Elder Allred that we would go there his last week. I am just so baffled how nice this city is. It is civilized ha. This city really does feel like true Europe and not a Russian Europe. This is going to be a great city to end in...
So about the traveling situation. Our investigator Brother Bryan is a taxi driver and he insisted that we have him drive us to Yekat for transfers. He said that it would be a lot cheaper than taking a plane and it would be a lot more easier with transportation/moving missionaries. So Elder Young and I asked President and he said that we could try it. So when we got transfer calls I found out that I was leaving and so was another sister. Therefore we had his wife, brother bryan tag along with us. So when Wednesday came I woke up at 2:45
and took a shower. Also they shut our hot water off. Not only was it cold water but it was freezing water for some reason. It was so cold that I got a headache. So after my awful shower experience I got ready and waited for him to show up. He was about 30 minutes late. He finally showed up and we headed off to Yekat. As we were pulling out of town he stopped to get some drinks for the drive. As he was coming back a huge fight started next to our car. I'm pretty sure that Sister Robins and I witnessed a murder. It was an awful scence...but luckily brother bryan was in the car and we were able to drive off and not get involved in it. As the drive continued we made a couple of stops. We had a nice little lunch off the side of the highway ha. I have come to hate Russian roads. They have awful pot holes and every 5 seconds you have to slow down so you don't destroy your car. When were about 2 hours out of Yekat, brother bryan started to get a little drowsy. We found out that he had only gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before..... So the windows were rolled down and the music was blasting. The good news is that we made it to Yekat. I had sister Robins call President when she got to her apartment and tell him about the situation. Then as we were driving to the train station to drop me off and pick up the new missionaries to head back to Ufa he got a call from the assistants. He was told that he had to get some sleep before he took the other missionaries back to ufa. Luckily he agreed and got some sleep. But the rest of my journeys were very smooth. After a 6 hour crazy car ride I then got on a train for another 6 hours. We got into Tyumen at about midnight. I will never miss all the traveling that I have done here on my mission ha.
My new companion Elder Allred is great. We have gotten so close already. It usually takes a couple of weeks to get used to a new companion but Allred and I have grown so close in just a small amount of time. It is so great! We really don't have a lot going on (investigators) so we have been out on the streets for the majority of the time. We have talked to a ton of people. I pray that we will be able to find some people to teach the gospel to. It really helps to have a companion that you get a long with. I have never served with him but it feels like we have served before.
My area is so nice. We are in the center of the city. We also have the area that is across the river. We live right next to the circus. It is a really nice building. And also there is a huge park with a McDonalds. I am so happy that there is a mcdonalds in walking distance. Also the church is about a two minute walk away from our apartment. Church yesterday was a different experience. The building in ufa was so nice. The one in tyumen isn't that great. Also there was only about 30 people at sacrament. It was a big adjustment but I feel like I will get used to it pretty fast. The members are really awesome. There are a lot of little kids. The funny thing is, is that they are all little girls. There isn't one little boy ha. They are really cute. The members are so humble and they are so young. I amso thankful that I have the opportunity to serve among them. Our branch President is a great guy. He is about 30. He has a little girl that is so cute. My companion is actually the branch secretary so we had to do some financial stuff after church. It is pretty awesome to be able to help out with all of that stuff. The MLS system is so great. When my companion leaves next transfer I might have to take his spot...That is werid to think, my first calling in the church ha.
Yesterday during priesthood we talked about going to the temple. It was pretty cool to hear the Russians experience when they went through for the first time. Most of them have gone to Ukraine, Switzerland and Finnland. Some of there stories were so spiritual. I remember when I went through for the first time I honestly had no idea what was going on. One part that really means a lot to me is when Grandpa told me when we were leaving that Jesus Christ visited the Prophet Lorenzo Snow in the very same hallway that we were standing in. I just remember this overwhelming feeling come over me as I wondered how it would be if that happened to me. I am truly so thankful for the temple. The temple is like our little taste of what Heaven is like. I am so thankful that around the world there are houses of God. The temple is a beacon for us Saints. When we have a problem, trial, or even a question that is where we go to get a clear connection to God. It is also the house where families are made to not only be happy in this life but in the life after this one. How awesome is that. Young couples kneeling at the altar and being sealed together for time AND ALL ETERNITY. Parents coming and being sealed to their children. Saints going and doing the neccessary work to be able to be with those who have passed on. Goodness the temple sounds to me like the happiest place on the planet. And they are in multiple parts of the world. Truly this is the Lord's true and only church. How could it not be...It just doesn't make sense. What other church in the world can compare to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? Families truly can be together, and that is the special gift given to man ONLY in the temple.
Family I love you so much. I am so thankful that I get to serve my Lord and Redeemer. There is no greater work than this going on in the world right now. I am grateful to be apart of this massive army of missionaries. The rock cut out of the mountain truly is going forth to all the world. I love this work.
Elder Flitton
