You will not believe this week! letter #7

Letter #7 January 28, 2016

Letter week #7 Amanda Scott

You will not believe this week!

Hey people!

This week has been the most ridiculous adventure!

Tuesday: This was a Russian Orthodox holiday called (well, in Russian) Baptism. They believe that Christ was baptized on this day, so on this day all the water becomes holy. They buy the water from their churches, and also on the river they baptize themselves (sometimes a couple times). So here was my Tuesday evening:

First we were contacting around the Kremlin, and we stopped and talked with a man who wasn't too interested in our gospel message, he would'nt take a pamphlet or a book of mormon. Then a girl we had talked to previously (also not interested in the gospel) came up to us and said hello, then started talking to the man! They didn't know each other, and my trainer Sister Davis, said that she was defending us and our church a bit. The next thing we know he gives us his number and said he would be interested! And then the girl just leaves the way she came!

After that we were walking on the sidewalk next to the river, when we see a group of people doing the baptisms (by the way, the river is frozen over, they had to cut a hole). Sister Schouten was walking a bit ahead of sister Davis and I, and as we watched these people they started taking off all of their clothes!!! Sister Davis and I both stopped and looked at eachother, but Sister Schouten didn't notice and kept walking! We started watching her, and we know the moment she noticed because she started laughing and real quick turns around and runs back to us hahaha.

Wednesday: We had a meeting with a member in our ward, and afterwards we were contacting, when Sister Davis started talking to a woman with a little baby in a stroller sled and a violin on he back, Sister Davis asked if she played, and the woman said yes and I am going to play right now, do you want to listen? So we follow her to her apartment, and then she called her friend to come over and they played piano and violin for us! It was awesome, they were so good!

Thursday: We were leaving the apartment for a lesson, and we were in the elevator, when all of a sudden it drops! All of the button lights go out, and we realize that the elevator had broken and we were now stuck in between floors! So we had to call and cancel our lesson, then use he alarm button to call the elevator people for help. We were stuck in there for almost an hour!

Friday: Pretty normal actually. The guy from Tuesday came to game night!

Saturday: Sister Schouten got lost on the bus! Sister Davis and I thought she was watching, so we got off at a bus stop near the church. But then we realize she wasn't with us, so we head back up a stop to find her. She wasn't there, so we tried the stop just past the one we got off at, still couldn't find her. We ended up having to take a bus along it's whole route to try and locate her (btw, she doesn't have a phone. they only had enough for me and Sister Davis) , call President, and then we decided we both felt like we should head to the senior couple's apartment. On our way there the senior couple calls and tells us that Sister Schouten was there with them. We were seperated for over an hour! I am so glad we are all back together and safe now :)

That night we met with an awesome new potential, and got chased by a demon dog. Sister Schouten kicked it though, and nobody got bit so that's good!

Sunday: Also pretty normal. Sister Davis and I ate omelettes made from quail eggs. They tasted 100% normal.

And that was my week! I love living in Russia, every day is such an adventure!

I also want to share a short testimony that I know that the Gospel is true. We get asked a lot why we are here, and people are sometimes so confused why we would come to Russia and leave America. I know that we are here because God loves ALL of His children, in every country. I feel so honored and grateful to have been called to serve the Russian people. I know God loves them, and I know that He loves you too. I know he wants us to be happy.

I hope that you all have a great week! Watch out for crazy dogs! ;)

Sister Scott

The frozen river behind her
The quail eggs
And her new hat