Hyello

Hello! Thanks for the good emails! I love to read about what's going on in all of your lives and the fun times that you are all having! Here's a little bit about what I did this week: Monday, we had a lesson with a newer investigator that we have, a referral from another investigator. The man we met with has a problem with alcohol, and unfortunately, he had relapsed again and was totally wasted. I smelled the vodka, so I wrote a note to Elder Kennedy and we got out of there quick. He was acting a little strange, really red in the face, and he just reeked. Anyways, that was our Monday night. Tuesday we met with an already less active member who was baptized in August. He got drunk and in a car crash a few weeks after his baptism, so he's been scared to come back ever since. He wanted to meet with us and told us that he wanted to talk to us about something really serious. We didn't want him to confess to us, but we went and hoped for the best. Turns out he wants to serve a mission. He wants to help other people. We were so happy, but we also had to tell him that he needed to come to church and work out some things before he could do that. We are excited for him. We hope to have him out while I'm still here in Russia, that would be super cool. He works on Sundays, so we're going to have a lesson with him about that this week and hope that things go well. On Wednesday we had a meeting with that Estonian guy we met on the street a few weeks ago. He's a really smart young guy, too smart in my opinion. He didn't let us talk the whole lesson, kinda a bummer, but he gave us a good question to start the next lesson "Why the heck are you here, in Russia?" only with a few more colorful words thrown in there describing Russia. Anyways, to be continued with him. Thursday, the Zone Leaders came to do Zone Training and splits. So Elder Kartchner was back. It was a little bit weird at first, seeing him, but then it got better as the day went on. I was with him that night, we taught a lesson, I think it was the best we've ever taught together. It was fun to chat with him again. On Friday was a birthday party for an investigator of the other Elders', so we went to the branch and celebrated with him. He's 17, and a crazy freakazoid. He went tracting with the Elders last night, and they said it was super cool. On Saturday night we went back to that drunk guy's house, and he was ok this time. He played some Russian songs for us on the guitar, super cool. We had to pass him off to the other Elders because he lives in their area. Bummer. Last night we had a lesson with the Estonian guy again, and we had a member there this time. It was a super awesome lesson, the guy said that it all makes sense now why we're here and why he needs to read and all that good stuff, and he said "How much for a book? I need one." The member that was with us said "The price is to read and pray about what you read, as simple as that." And so he said deal, I'll finish it in a week. So that's going to be cool, to see where that goes. 

Another funny thing: Everybody at the little party on Friday night wanted to get home to watch the opening ceremonies, it was a really big deal for everybody. By Sunday, from what I could tell, interest had been lost by the Russians because the Russian squads weren't doing too well. Silly Russians.

Love you all!

Andrew

District! (me, Sis. Rundell, Sis. Yeates, Sis. Ahlstrom, Sis. Hansen, Elder K)

Some cold pills for me. Looks like sprinkles in a plastic case does the trick for a good cold

(I guess Andrew isn't old enough to know that cold medicine actually did used to look like  this!) 

a BIG Russian word

(Yeah so I don't even know if Andrew knows what it is but I used Google Translate and it says "Pskov Electric Machinery Plant". Wowzers.)

Elder Gaytrell and Elder K

**Editor's note: If you are easily grossed out, you may not want to look at the next picture. If you're not, well then you will get a little glimpse into life in Andrew's apartment building (not his actual apartment, just the building).  I guess he thought this would be fun to share?! Thanks!

Some blood in our apartment building from last Tuesday. As of this morning when we left, it was still there.