Well, here I am writing from an internet club in Пенза. Mom, you're right, that's Penza. It is a city in the Southern half of our mission. Half of my mission was spent in the north half and it will be interesting if I spend the second half in the southern half. We'll see, though, what happens.
Registration has been a bit of a pain. I had to take a couple pictures and make two copies of my passport. Then, I also had to go wit
h them. I've never had to do that before. In Тольятти (Togliatti) I just gave my passport to the office and they did everything for me. (Left - here I am sleeping on the overnight train to Пенза. It isn't very comfortable, but it is better than having to sit up. The only problem is, when traveling with all your stuff packed, it's rather difficult to get out comfortable clothing to sleep in) Oh well, the change is still nice.
I haven't yet gotten any mail, but the Zone Leaders are going to Самара (Samara) tomorrow, so maybe there will be something for me when they come back. That would be the best because we are having Zone Conference in Саратов (Saratov) on the 5th, so I would be able to send it back, then. I sent my package off on Thursday. It was 20kg! I think that is almost 50 lbs, so it will probably take a while to get there. I hope it arrives safely. I sent all my film and disks with pictures on them. I also sent a letter and a couple cards in there and two small gifts. One for mom, one for dad, for both birthday and mothers/fathers day. Sorry about that, but I didn't really know what to send. The one for mom is in pink wrapping and the one for dad is in green wrapping. You'll probably have to search through the huge box to find them because the lady at the post office took everything out and didn't put it back in the way I had it. Let me know when you get that and I'll tell you another secret. Pretty much the rest of the stuff in the box is mine. I did send the ornaments home that I want
ed to give you for Christmas, but I didn't figure out which one was for whom, so that will have to wait until I get back. (Right - this is the sign for Пенза that we saw as the train was pulling into the train station)
Registration has been a bit of a pain. I had to take a couple pictures and make two copies of my passport. Then, I also had to go wit
h them. I've never had to do that before. In Тольятти (Togliatti) I just gave my passport to the office and they did everything for me. (Left - here I am sleeping on the overnight train to Пенза. It isn't very comfortable, but it is better than having to sit up. The only problem is, when traveling with all your stuff packed, it's rather difficult to get out comfortable clothing to sleep in) Oh well, the change is still nice.I haven't yet gotten any mail, but the Zone Leaders are going to Самара (Samara) tomorrow, so maybe there will be something for me when they come back. That would be the best because we are having Zone Conference in Саратов (Saratov) on the 5th, so I would be able to send it back, then. I sent my package off on Thursday. It was 20kg! I think that is almost 50 lbs, so it will probably take a while to get there. I hope it arrives safely. I sent all my film and disks with pictures on them. I also sent a letter and a couple cards in there and two small gifts. One for mom, one for dad, for both birthday and mothers/fathers day. Sorry about that, but I didn't really know what to send. The one for mom is in pink wrapping and the one for dad is in green wrapping. You'll probably have to search through the huge box to find them because the lady at the post office took everything out and didn't put it back in the way I had it. Let me know when you get that and I'll tell you another secret. Pretty much the rest of the stuff in the box is mine. I did send the ornaments home that I want
ed to give you for Christmas, but I didn't figure out which one was for whom, so that will have to wait until I get back. (Right - this is the sign for Пенза that we saw as the train was pulling into the train station)So, let's see. Last Friday morning we left Тольятти for Самара around 9:00. That was nice because we were expecting it to be even earlier. When we arrived, almost all of the sisters were there. Only Sister Фомичёва (Fomicheva) wasn't there with her mini-missionary. Oh, by the way, Sister Блохина (Bloxina) told me that she heard that now sisters can't start serving a mission until they are 23. Is that true? She didn't really know, so I thought I would find out if you heard anything like that. That would be really interesting, but I don't think it will make that big of a difference because most of the sisters were over 23 when they decided to serve a mission. If it IS true, I'm very glad that I left when I did, otherwise I would have had to wait even longer!
So, back to my journey. Our train to Пенза wasn't scheduled to leave until midnight that night, so we had a lot of time on our hands. We went to McDonalds with a lot of other missionaries and then we walked to the Волга (Volga). That was relaxing. We bought a bundle of flowers for President's wife and went back to the office. We stopped by their apartment to give her the flowers and she gave us some food to eat. So, we went back to the office and ate. Then we had a little bit of time before pretty much everyone left. Around 5:00, all the missionaries had left except us, two going to Оренбург (Orenburg), and the office missionaries. The APs had left and promised to come to the train station to help us with our luggage (the two Elders going to Оренбург were supposed to leave a couple hours before our train left). At 7:00 we had to leave the office in order to wait at the train station. That was pretty boring to sit there. The other Elders left around 9:00 and the APs came around 10:30. Then we sat around, talking, looking at pictures, etc, before our train came. 
They loaded our luggage and we got ready to leave. Пенза is on the same time as Moscow, which is one hour earlier than Самара or Тольятти. (Left - This is the hallway in our train car. There are several rooms on each car with a bathroom on each end) We had to get some clean bedding and then we went to sleep. It was very interesting to sleep on a train. We arrived in Пенза around 7:00 in the morning the next day. 4 of the 6 Elders here were there to pick us up and help us with our luggage. We live really close to the train station, so we walked home. They dropped off our stuff and left us to rest a bit, promising to come back to show us to the Branch's apartment (They don't have their own building here) in time for our Branch missionary meeting. There was also a program planned for Saturday night since Sunday was Easter (here that is, I don't know why it is different). So, we had a bit of time to unpack, shower, etc.
They loaded our luggage and we got ready to leave. Пенза is on the same time as Moscow, which is one hour earlier than Самара or Тольятти. (Left - This is the hallway in our train car. There are several rooms on each car with a bathroom on each end) We had to get some clean bedding and then we went to sleep. It was very interesting to sleep on a train. We arrived in Пенза around 7:00 in the morning the next day. 4 of the 6 Elders here were there to pick us up and help us with our luggage. We live really close to the train station, so we walked home. They dropped off our stuff and left us to rest a bit, promising to come back to show us to the Branch's apartment (They don't have their own building here) in time for our Branch missionary meeting. There was also a program planned for Saturday night since Sunday was Easter (here that is, I don't know why it is different). So, we had a bit of time to unpack, shower, etc. The Easter program was really interesting. Our landlord (who is also the leader of missionary work here) played the guitar, harmonica, and tambourine all at the same time. That was great and I even got it on film. There were a couple skits, poetry reading, music, stories, etc. It was interesting, but hard to focus because I was still tired. But, I think I am going to really like it here.
Sunday, we had our usual church meetings. It is interesting that the building where we meet is covered with mementos from the communist era, including a flag with CCCP written on it (that's USSR in Russian). It is interesting because before, they would have had to hide their activities from the Communists, but now, they can meet openly, 
even in a building commemorating them. The only problem is that a couple of members have become inactive because they say that the building isn't conducive to the spirit. (Right - after walking to our apartment, we waited outside while the Elders took a few of our large suitcases up. This is Sister Блохина) I guess they don't really understand the freedom that they now have and how great it is that there is SOMEWHERE to meet.
even in a building commemorating them. The only problem is that a couple of members have become inactive because they say that the building isn't conducive to the spirit. (Right - after walking to our apartment, we waited outside while the Elders took a few of our large suitcases up. This is Sister Блохина) I guess they don't really understand the freedom that they now have and how great it is that there is SOMEWHERE to meet. We are still getting to know the area. That means that it takes a long time to do just a little. We will be able to do more as we get used to transportation and addresses. I'm looking forward to that. It is very possible that I will only be here for 6 weeks, though. At the end of this cycle, there will be two new Russian sisters and there are very few Russian sisters who can train them. Actually, there are only two, and then Sister Саргсян (Sargsyan) who leaves 6 weeks after they get here. We will see what happens, but if Sister Блохина ends up training one, then I will probably get sent somewhere else and not the other way around. That would be alright with me, just interesting to me to know why I was sent here, then. What do I need to accomplish during this 6 week period? I guess I will find out.
Oh, dad. Just to remind you. If I don't send a second email, you can just post my emails immediately. Heather said she has read through the 8 of March but that is all that was up there. If it is a problem for me to use Russian letters, let me know and I won't do that anymore so you can just post them immediately.
Anyway, I'll let you know when I get those papers.
Love,
Сестра Атвуд
(The two films below were taken at the branch Easter Program the Saturday we arrived in Пенза. Илья is amazing. The first video, he plays Lead Kindly Light. That is my favorite hymn and I sang it a lot on my mission when I was having rough times. It is also his favorite hymn and the favorite hymn of several members of the church in Пенза who were having a tough time, one of which was suffering from cancer and died a few months after this. The second video is We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet. That is really fun to watch. It makes me wish I was so talented)
(The two films below were taken at the branch Easter Program the Saturday we arrived in Пенза. Илья is amazing. The first video, he plays Lead Kindly Light. That is my favorite hymn and I sang it a lot on my mission when I was having rough times. It is also his favorite hymn and the favorite hymn of several members of the church in Пенза who were having a tough time, one of which was suffering from cancer and died a few months after this. The second video is We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet. That is really fun to watch. It makes me wish I was so talented)
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