Many Are Called But Few Are Frozen: Ussuriysk

My Dearest Family,

How great it is to be in this cafe place I call the dungeon because the lighting is so bad it reminds me of Pizza Hut. I am happy to be writing the loves I love once more while in the service of the Lord.

This week was great. Many miracles I have personally witnessed. It is funny, if you pray to see God's hand in your life he will show you. It is so simple. Just like the gospel.

So first I had the privilege of being in a trio with Elder Hess. Great Elder from American Fork. All the missionaries here are from Utah Valley it seems. It was because his companion Elder Memmott was on his first chorea trip. Both are great elders. Then I had the privilege again of going to Vlad with Elder Crabb and going on splits with Elder Perry. It was great to see him. He is so funny. We were in the MTC together. We met a lady on the street who says that God answers her prayers all the time and that she will read the Book of Mormon and see what he says about that. It was cool!

Then we took the 2 hour bus ride back to Ussuriysk and did some area book work. We went back to as far as we could and found potentials from 2008. I told Elder Crabb that we were wasting our time calling people from that long ago because most of them wouldn't remember when they talked with the missionaries and I figured half the numbers would have been changed by then. But he insisted so we called them. It was the strangest thing. Almost every single one of the people picked up and remembered the missionaries and some of them wanted to meet. I learned I need to have more faith haha. And of those people who picked up was L. She said she would come to the church the next day and we would meet. Well we waited for her the next day and nothing happened. So we called her again and scheduled again and she still didn't come. So then we told her to come to church on Sunday and she said she would come like she always does. I wasn't so sure. But she did come and brought her 2 daughters. Once again I need to have more faith. Anyways the sacrament meeting was a little strange because one of the other elder's investigators came and he is a little loud and when the first speaker got up to talk and said hello brothers and sisters, he yelled hello back. And when she would ask questions, he would answer them. And everyone would tell him to be quiet and then he would say, "I'm sorry" like 5 times way loud. haha That happened a few times. And then at one point he stood up while she was talking and went on for a few minutes about some stuff. After she finished she took him out and told him about how sacrament meeting works haha. It is funny to see that some people just don't know because they have never been before.

After the meeting L met with us and we did the restoration lesson with her. It was really powerful and she said she would read the Book of Mormon and come to church again and come to activities and it was awesome. She said when we called her it was a miracle because the first time she met the missionaries was in America. She was there a long time ago. And then when she heard our American accent she knew she had to meet with us. God prepares people! I know that is true! The only sad thing is that she can't fund her children, (who apparently are really good athletes) the training they need to be Olympic athletes. She used to be really wealthy but something happened with a fire and she only has enough money just to get by. But that is really good that she even has that.

I have been reading like crazy! I love reading! I want to get way smart!

On a sad note one of the babushka's (in the Branch) cat died. She called us over to help her get to the vet and they had to put the cat down while we were there. She was really sad. And then this Sunday she came to church which she never does because it is hard for her to get around but after when she was trying to leave she slipped on the ice and broke her arm. We feel so bad for her. It seems like she can't catch a break.

A sister here made us blini and set up a table cloth with homemade lemonade. I love this branch!

My companion is Elder Crabb who is such a good elder! He is from Orem and is really dedicated and good at Russian. He is really funny and I love serving with him.

I can testify that prayer works because this morning I looked for forever for my camera and couldn't find it anywhere. Then I said a prayer and found it almost immediately. Prayer works!

God is protecting us out here. We were talking to these 2 really drunk guys and this guy on a bike stopped a little far off. After we were done talking and started walking away we crossed the guy and started talking with him. He wasn't interested in our message but said he stopped there just in case anything happened. He was like a guardian angel on a bike. Oh and just so you know mom we are 100 % safe at all times and nothing bad ever happens.

I hope you all have a good week!

Love,

Elder Wilding