Hello family!
So school started/is about to start, huh? Well I am not sure if that's totally applicable. Well I guess. Sarah teaches. Ryan still is in school, same with Josh. I guess Katie and I are the ones that matters not whether school is starting. Did that sentence make sense? I am not sure myself. Well weeks are flying by really fast. It's really scary. We have a few missionariesr going home in a week, one of which I am gonna miss. I never served with him, but he was an awesome missionary. His name is Elder Schrader. Great guy. He is just one of those guys where you can just talk to for hours if you wanted to. Next transfer (6 weeks from now), we will be having 6 or 7 missionaries go home as well, which means 6 or 7 new missionaries. I keep on telling my greeny (missionary term for those you train) that he will be a trainer after I am done training him next transfer. He doubts it. I doubted too, and now look where I am. So yeah. It will happen. This whole mission is become brand new. All of the older missionaries are leaving, and there is a lot of them.
Well this last week we finally finished the How To Quit Smoking program with our investigator Anatoli. It's supposed to take one meeting to finish. It's only 15 steps we had to explain, and that's it. But with him, we could only get through about 3 at a time so that he can retain and understand each step. So we fiiiinally finished it. Thank the heavens. I just pray it will work for him. He has allergies to grapefruits which is a big part of the program. Kind of put a dent in it, but we found alternatives to help him out.
We met with one of our favorite inactives, Vladimir Denisov, last thursday. He has been inactive for about 10 years since he married his wife, who isn't a member. Since this last sunday was fast sunday, we talked about fasting with him and invited him to fast. I called to check up on him and he was fasting all day Satuday and Sunday. We wanted him to fast so that he can find a way back to church and that he could find a way to let his wife let him go to church as well. She isn't the biggest fan, unfortunately. But we are working with them. But I hope and pray that that fast provided him with strength and faith to return. We then met with Boris Shestapal who is also an inactive. He said he would come to church this Sunday but when I called him he said he couldn't, so I asked if we could meet. We met up with him and it was a very spiritual lesson about scriptures and personal revalation. He didn't understand how we can receive correct personal revalation. He thought mistakes could me made, and I basically told him that the missionaries that prayed and came in contact with him and taught him made no mistake in knowing their personal revalation on where to go and what to say. That really humbled him and he came to church the next day. It was just really cool to see. I did not plan on saying that to him, it just kind of came out.
We also met with a new investigator later Saturday night. We came in contact with him a week or so ago. His name is Michael and he is from Nigeria. He speaks English, which was perfect for us. But he was really excited for us to teach him. We get there and he teach the Message of the Restoration and gave him a Book of Mormon. He just picks it up and looks at it, and says, "Yup. This is true. It testifies more of Christ. This is true." It really just stunned me to see some one to know already. It was sooo awesome. It just really goes to show how important it is having the Holy Ghost with you when you teach. Without it, you are nothing. You may be able to speak Russian perfectly or be an amazing orator or public speaker, but without the Holy Ghost, no one will be converted. Their hearts will not be touched.
That's it really for this week. The exciting things at least. Oh. I bought a cool hat? No. It's not a shapka, though I do plan on buying one of those. Those are those big Russian Fur hats. But it's like this hat that looks like its from the 20s or something. I like it. THat's all that matters. Oh yeah. My companion is also a really good cook. Moreso a really good baker. He made homemade calzones. They were absolutely amazing. One of my favorites meals so far.
Oh. And about that title. Yeah it got really sunny here for a few days, but it started to pour again. Like today, for instance. It's pretty wet.
I love you all and you are all in my prayers every night. I pray for your safety and wellbeing and that Heavenly Father will bless each and every one of you. Dear reader, whether it be family, friend, or some random person that came across this blog that I have not yet seen before, I love you and so does our Father in Heaven. Always remember that.
Love,
Elder Tekulve
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