fresh cats

Hi! Still alive. Things actually happened this week, so it went a lot slower than previous weeks.

On Monday and Tuesday but mostly Tuesday the sisters from the other side of Saratov came to our area and we did what we always do, knock and contact. It would have been nice to have some lessons set up, but no one in this area ever wants to meet with us... but it was tons of fun anyway.  Enjoy a picture of Sister Miller and me after we hiked to the top of a hill to knock some doors. We're bad at taking pictures. The view was much better than my camera gives it credit for. Can you see the Volga back there? The only person who opened their door up there was this baptist woman that I talked with for about 45 minutes at a bus stop about a month ago. It was kind of a surprise to see her come up to the gate.

Sister Hines had to go renew her visa, and there wasn't enough room on the trip going from Saratov, so they sent her and another sister on a train to Samara, a bus to Kazakhstan, and back again (be glad I didn't have to do that, or I'd probably complaining about the wasted time right now). So I spent two and a half days in the center of Saratov with Sister Grishina, and life was a little crazy for a bit. In their area they've actually convinced people to meet with them (well, basically, that area has been open a lot longer) and they are so busy! It was kind of a shock. Like, on Friday we had four lessons AND helped move all the stuff into the new senior couple's apartment. I haven't been that busy since... Kazan, probably.

Hey, did I ever tell about the time we were moving apartments in Orenburg and we were on the tenth floor and the elevator broke? Because it happened again on friday. We ran up and down the stairs a lot.

Good stuff is happening here. The elder's investigator (I think I mentioned him? the one that the members did such a good job friendshipping that I was shocked about when I first got here?) was baptized on Saturday. We didn't actually make it out (the building with a baptismal font is forever away and we didn't have any investigators that could come with us), but we heard it was good, and we went knocking that night and found a pretty solid new investigator. Who we're also going to have to pass off to the elders (not bitter at all. why does this keep happening), but due to transfers they're barely going to be in the area this week so for now he's all ours hahahaha. Maybe the elders can start returning the favor?

Oh yeah, transfers are happening, but sister Hines and I are staying here in zav. We're pretty happy about that.

Please appreciate this ad for fresh cats right outside our friendly neighborhood Makdak. I don't know what it means, but this week was surprisingly full of kittens, so it feels significant somehow.

On rereading what I've written so far I'm picking up a slight note of craziness. Everything is actually fine and I am doing great. My hand and foot tans are getting legendary. I love you all!

This should probably be more spiritual, but honestly what makes me feel the most like a missionary is that I sweat a lot. It's hot here.

All right, that's it. Have a great week!