Well, here I am, back in Энгельс (Engels) (well literally in Саратов (Saratov), but I’m living in Энгельс). Things are so different now. I have my new companion, Sister Дэлгэрцэцэг (Delgertsetseg - that means Blooming Flower in Mongolian). She is from Уланбатар (Ylanbator), the capital of Mongolia and is really cute. She knows a little English and a little Russian, but it is still hard to communicate sometimes, but she is great and working really hard to learn the language. It is quite a chore to be a trainer. I knew it would be hard but it makes it even harder that I don’t always know if she understands me when I am explaining things, but then she eventually seems to understand because she does most of the things I’ve told her we do. She is even really willing to speak to people on the street when I tell her it is her turn. The only problem is that she is so shy that she just says, “Hello. Please.”
And then hands them a card. That’s ok because I don’t mind talking to people. Its just good to get her to talk. She is also opening up to me and talking more. She’s so quiet and shy that she often grabs my arm when we are walking. I don’t mind that either, it makes me feel like a mother (that’s what we usually call our trainer when we are sisters, I’m her mother and she is my daughter).(Picture above was taken in Самара (Samara) in the Mission Office the day after my new companion arrived. Sisters Kuligowski, Hill, Wheeler, Дэлгэрцэцэг, and me)
Other than that, work is hard like usual. I really do love Энгельс, though. I’m starting to wonder how much time I have left here because 4 new sisters come next cycle and that means that a new city will be opening for sisters. I would like to stay here until the end, but at the same time I would like to open a new city again (don’t ask me why I would want that when it was so hard the last time I did it). The other day I was feeling a little discouraged, rather alone because it is hard to communicate with my companion, but now I’m feeling better. Our zone leaders sent a text message asking how she’s feeling and then how I’m feeling and for some reason that made me feel a lot better.
So, let’s see, the interesting things that happened this week. Well, Wednesday night we went to institute for Sister Wheeler (she’s serving in Саратов with a mini-missionary right now, she went to Самара with us to drop off her last companion) to see all the girls from the branch in Самара. Sister Wheeler served there for 4 months. Sister Silva and Sister Блохина (Bloxina) came to say good-bye to everyone, too. They both were going home the next day. I felt a little left out because I was the only one who didn’t serve in Самара, so I went upstairs to see the Lunts (a CES couple serving in Самара). When I went back downstairs, it was almost time to go. I felt so alone and sad because I had no idea what things were going to be like and I felt a huge weight on my shoulders because right now I have to decide everything, who we will see and when and what we will talk about (Дэгги (Deggi) – the short form of her name – helps but she doesn’t know the people and I can’t even really explain their situations for her to help). So, I guess you could say that I felt the weight of our investigators’ and members’ salvation on my shoulders. Anyway, I’m not exactly sure why, but the tears started flowing. I couldn’t stop them and then I was embarrassed because everyone tried to help me but it just didn’t help. Then, everyone wanted a picture together and I looked horrible. It was awful, really it was. I can’t even explain it. I couldn’t keep myself from crying but I wasn’t even sure why I was crying. Sister Silva and Sister Блохина both thought it was because they were going home, but I can’t even say that that was the reason (though maybe it made them feel good, so that’s not bad, and maybe that was part of it). I think maybe it just hit me more than ever how little time I have left on the mission. After all, I am the next one of the sisters to go home.
Anyway, I’m feeling a lot better now and I have a lot to do which helps keep my mind off the ticking clock. The only bad thing is that there is one investigator who doesn’t even want to meet with us now that Sister Silva left. Well, that means that she was only meeting with us to see Sister Silva, so I guess that means she is not ready. That’s pretty much it, though, everyone else is still really happy when we come so I’m glad about that.
What else? We ate dinner at President’s apartment on Thursday night because my new companion flew in and he didn’t want her to be alone. Then we slept in the guest apartment next to theirs. That is the nicest apartment I have ever been in, much less slept in. It was really comfortable, too. I liked it. The next morning, we ate breakfast with Sister Давудик (Davydik). It was good; she made omelettes. Then we had a little time to study before going down to the office for Дэгги’s orientation. I sat in the office and talked with the Elders who work there, and I wrote in one of their journals (pretty much every missionary has a journal that they give to other missionaries or members to write in). Then we ate lunch with President. It was really good. The chicken was so tender that I thought it might be fish! We also had плов (plov) (I’ll have to make that for you all when I get home because it is really good) and a salad. For dessert, pistachio ice cream! Wow, I ate well that day.
After lunch we had some time, so we studied some more and then went to English so we wouldn’t be bored. Our train left for Саратов that night at 10:00. We had an interesting experience there. Our neighbors wanted to get to know us. It was a little weird and Sister Wheeler didn’t feel comfortable. I felt ok about it because they knew we were missionaries and we talked about the church, invited them to English and all that. But still, it was the first time that I’ve ever had anyone try to talk to me on a train. We arrived Saturday morning and took a taxi to our apartment in Энгельс. Дэгги took some time to unpack
before we began our usual routine of contacting, and so on.(Picture to the right was taken at the больница (bolnitsa) or hospital in Энгельс. Elder Burnah, me, Sister Дэлгэрцэцэг, and Elder Cummings. We did a lot of service at this hospital, cleaning, sewing, and pasting windows shut).
Wow, I can hardly believe that it hasn’t even been one week since we started serving together. I feel like it has been much longer. I can hardly remember what it was like before. But, everyone keeps reminding me how little time I have left. I don’t know why they do that. Don’t they know that it is better to forget so you can get to work? When I served with Sister Блохина, I had to tell her all the time that she had a lot of time left. We made this deal that she was not going home soon. Everything before that was soon, but even one day before she left for home was not soon. When I talked to her she said that going home snuck up on her because of that, but that she was able to work hard until the end.
Anyway, that is my goal. I have to teach my greenie how to work hard so I think that will help me to focus on it. I want her to have the best experience on her mission that she can, no regrets. By the way, she is teaching me a little Mongolian. Maybe I’ll be able to have a conversation when I come home! (Maybe not, but at least I can say “hi” and “this is a dog” – that last one is important so don’t laugh!)
Ok, thanks to everyone that wrote this week. I got a little carried away with everything. I hope this isn’t boring for you. By the way, thanks Elizabeth, I really enjoyed your letter this week. That is what I call a real letter. Keep it up and let me know how the job and application to BSC turn out. Mom, thanks for your letters; I always enjoy reading yours. I’m glad that everything worked out with the papers even though Sara didn’t get to go to seminary. By the way, is she still alive? I haven’t heard anything from her in a while. Dad, that’s too bad about the computer but good that you were able to get a new one that will be ok for a backup. Grandma and Grandpa, so you know, Энгельс is in the Moscow time zone, Самара is one hour ahead (so when it is 1:00 here in Энгельс it is 2:00 in Самара). Good luck with your talk on Sunday, I’m sure you’ll do great. We will be seeing conference this week.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you! We get to see the dedication service for the temple in Finland! I’m so excited about that! It will be Oct. 22 and we get to watch it in Russian and then again in English. I am so excited. I wish I could go there, but seeing the dedication is definitely better than nothing.
Well, I guess that is enough for now. I think I’ve written a lot more than usual and my time is probably up.
Love,
Сестра Атвуд
P.S. I'm going to try to send some pictures, too. I hope you get them
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