that's it

What did we even do this week? We tracted a lot. It got us pretty tired by the end, so we decided to take an evening off last night (jokes. It was a holiday and we were ordered inside to keep us away from highly-political drunks) and read our newly acquired conference liahonas. It was pleasant. 

I made pumpkin-chocolate-chip cookies to buy peoples' affection and it really works well. Canned pumpkin and chocolate chips still haven't hit russia yet, so such cookies are really a commodity. 

Wow. I have nothing to talk about. I'll talk about how cool sister Hines is. Did you know she once killed a wild boar with a knife? That came up in passing last zone training and now the entire mission knows. She's also a firefighter and she worked on an ambulance. She's a really good cook. Is your companion that cool?

Yeah so like I said we finally got our conference liahonas in english and I've been thoroughly enjoying it, especially the emphasis on service in the ones I've read through so far. I really like the thought expressed in... one of them... sorry this is unspecific I don't have it on me right now about how we shouldn't delay to go to the rescue. We shouldn't waste time counseling together trying to determine the best, least inconvenient approach. If you see a need, just go out there and meet it. I've been pondering a lot lately motives for helping people, and I think the greatest motive is just wanting other people to be happy. In the long run, of course, real happiness. Like President Eyring affirms in his talk from the general women's session, not every person that you try to serve will be thrilled that you're there. That's okay. We don't force anyone. We just offer to do things that will make them happy.

Okay love you have the best week talk to you later

sister nielsen

Pictures:

One of our favorite members found a tarantula outside and adopted it. His name is George. If you (like sister Hines, who's first response was "sister Markelova, I used to think you were a good mother!") don't love spiders, be careful.

Mostly I don't pay attention to graffiti but sometimes it really makes me laugh. It says "society without woman". There's nothing back there, just a slab of cement covered in broken bottles and cigarette butts.

Sometimes your bodies grow weak and you have to take a bench break