Stratsvoyetyey Family! (Hello!)
Interesting Fact #26 - Shopping Carts in Russia. Now you wouldn't think they were different, but they are. To be honest, I like American ones. Have you ever noticed that shopping carts, let's say Vons, (Or should I say BASHA'S!? Remember that place? They had terrible bread) the shopping carts there have two sets of wheels that turn, whereas the back ones are fixed. It's very easy to meaunevuer (butchered that word). In Russia, all four wheels on the carts turn so it's really difficult to control your shopping cart. There will be times you are pushing your cart straight, but yet it speeds its way onto the right. Maybe I'm just not made to grocery shop.
Things are starting to get cold here in St. Petersburg. I think it has rained every day this week. Now don't panic, Mom. I am buying my winter clothes today. There was aboslutely no need to buy them in the months previous because I have never been so hot in my life. But now... Yeah, I definitely will need them. It's interesting how fast the weather changes and how soon. It's the middle of August, for goodness' sake. Well, you are all probably in a nice 99 degree weather with a beautiful lake and gorgeous red cliffs. So 110 feet higher eh? That's pretty intense. Good luck finding beaches! ah-ha! No but seriously though, Lake Powell is gorgeous and I pray that you will be safe and have a whole lot of fun.
St. Petersburg is such a gorgeous city. I forget how pretty it really is. Well, it's man-made beauty and it's not terribly natural like Lake Powell is, but then again, Lake Powell was made by the geniuses of men, so therefore it is natural. Anywho, St. Petersburg is gorgeous. But I am starting to get used to it. I will be walking and see this towering Russian Orthodox temples and cathedrals and think it's completely normal. I haven't had time to take photographs of them. But you that famous church that was my desktop backgrounkd on my laptop for so long? That's in my area. I see it a lot, and it's massive, and gorgeous.
This week we got two new investigators, one of which we find on the street. The other was found previously by other missionaries and we just now met with him. The one we found was on Monday as we were walking down Fontanka, right off the Neva river. He is this older looking man with a cane and starting talking to him. He had met with the missionaries a long time ago, but then he said the missionaries kind of disappeared and he hasn't seen them since until now. So we exchanged numbers and he gave us his address and we met with him yesterday in his apartment. You remember in Doctor Zhivago when their apartment gets commonalized where every and there dogs now live there? Yeah his apartment (as he was explained) was a common apartment back in the Soviet area. 7 families would live in this apartment and share a kitchen and bathroom. I have absolutely no idea how it could be possible, but it was. He had just one small room to his own, but it was apparently where he has lived his whole life. His name is George too, and he is a really nice and humble guy. We taught him the Restoration and the Spirit was just so strong. It was really neat to see. It''s also kind of crazy how far I have come with the language. It catches me off guard. Oh yeah, I talk in my sleep in Russian now. My companion hates it. It wakes him up. I think that by being in charge and having no one to rely on has really forced me to make some advances with this language. It's not too bad.
That's pretty much all the exciting news really about this week. The weeks are flying by and it's really freaking me out. Last P-day felt like yesterday. Nope. It was a week ago. Well you are all probably on the Lake right now. The Lake of Dreams, as I like to say. Well I would just like to tell this much. So far as I have been out here I have already seen so many blessings from the Lord in my work and with all of you. The day I left to the MTC, we lossed the keys. We found a perfect solution right after we prayed and it got me to where I needed to be. There was the question about that cellphone that I once had. Then Dad got this blazing awesome Thunderbird 5003dx.21 phone from work. Katie graduated and has so many job offers and working hard, it seems. Ryan got work at one of the coolest little joints in Orange County and rocking it at Lazer Tag AND had some awesome classes at Santa Cruz and ACED them. Sarah got a job for the summer successfully and is still working hard with teaching. Dad has been blessed with the ability to work in another state by living in the home he loves (even if it seems ridiculous hard). Mom finished her crazy-insane real estate offer and has more on the way and with new potentially successfully business ideas. Grandma and Grandpa have been blessed with health and safety, and they will continue to be blessed. I have seen the Lord's Hand in my work everyday, and as well as in your lives. I really love you all. You are my biggest support, each and every one of you.
And for those of you who are reading my blog that is so awesomely kept by my sister, whom I love, I know you have also been blessed, but I just don't know the details. Well. Family first. Sorry pals.
I love you and I pray for your safety and happiness everyday.
Love,
Elder Tekulve
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