Week 8

Alrighty, here's the latest.

On Friday our district did an English fast.  No English all day.  I didn't learn many new words, but I became fairly confident in my Russian.  It was a long day and we were exhausted.  I can hold a conversation usually, especially if I´m holding my mini dictionary. I can speak about non gospel topics which is good. If I ask people to repeat things, I can communicate with them.

Saturday, I proselyted with a Spanish elder, Elder Neubert.  Oddly enough, most of the people we talked to were career Baptist missionaries from the states.  And everyone was playing that new "Pokemon Go" game as it was just released in Spain.  Seriously everyone, even the old people.  Luckily, the Madrid temple is a pokemon gym so it was a great conversation starter.

Sunday's devotional was on God the Father and how earth is a similitude of eternity.  Home, ideally, should be an extension of heaven.

This is the pit where we play futbol.

Tuesday was the Rock-paper-scissors finals, and it was hype.  We set out chairs, got scorekeepers and announcers in suits, and a round announcer in onesie pajamas.  Elder Garrett came out in a hoodie with gloves, beat Elder Wilding 5-0, and went back to his room.  It was crazy.  Shows how weird we are already haha.

Yesterday, Elder Franckowiak taught our first member present lesson to Olga, our inactive member.  It was on faith, and was a really enlightening experience.  Member involvement is going to be super important moving forward, so it was a beneficial lesson for us as well.

On Tuesday, we will fly at 12:30, land, eat with President, and crash at an apartment. Wednesday we will do paperwork and head to Red Square. I will make sure to keep a passalong card for my buddy Vlad P. Thursday is transfer day.   Everyone is nervous to get there but climbing the walls here. I feel good about the language, and then we learn a new grammatical concept and I realize again that I speak like I´m four. But I feel fairly good going in. 

My study this week has focused on prayer.  It is one of the two ways in which people come to know God (the other being feeling the Spirit).  As I've increased the gratitude of my prayers, I've seen an outpouring of blessings, both because there are more and I've recognized them.

I love the Lord, His work, and the people of Russia with all of my being, just as I love my friends and family at home.  Stand firm in the faith!

Elder Wilkins