Russian 101

Hello!

This is Elder LeFevre reporting from the "Iron curtain"!  I continue to appreciate the love and support from everyone.  Thank you for the packages Brenda, Mom, and Mike M!  You guys are the best and my salsa night on Saturday was the coolest party. Turns out the whole zone was having a Mexican Night! MMMMM!  It was the celebration before our schedules were changed.  P-day is now Wednesday, our schedule is slightly more structured, and I could not believe at first that our schedule needed adjustment. So far, it has been treating my companion and me well.

Another couple of things have happened to make this past week exciting.  A week ago, I had the opportunity to hear from Elder Richard G. Scott and yesterday from Dallin H. Oaks!  How cool is that? Super Awesome that’s what that is!!   I took about six pages of notes combined from their devotionals.

 This week has added to my testimony the truth that God loves each and every one of us and not only does he have a plan for us as a whole, but individually.  I know God would never put us through a trial that we cannot overcome.   We are to strive and stretch ourselves beyond the comfort zone and endure! By showing faith in Jesus Christ, he will have his hand always extended to us and then we can be invincible to overcome anything and achieve our full potential.  We must act upon our righteous desires and exhibit faith to go from believing to knowing and achieving constant conversion.

This past week has been great. My companion and I had to opportunity to hear the first lesson in Russian from the older Elders in the district and it was so cool! Do you want to know what the cool thing was?  I actually could understand some of the language spoken and I was able to converse back in some Russian!  I am so excited to see how far I have come in the language, but I need to stay diligent in my studies. My goal this week is build vocabulary and to memorize some phrases needed for tonight's TRC! We have to greet, get to know them, bear testimony, follow up on commitments, and extend an appointment.  My mind is about to explode!  The funny thing is we have barely started to do SYL as a district and it is the quietest time of the day.  SYL is when you speak your language 100% of the time allotted.  It forces us to make sentences within our minds and piece together conversations, even if it is as simple as, "I love the food."  (Not a phrase, which I would use for some meals here!)  The most troubling thing about the language now is memorizing verbs and vocab.  It is really unfamiliar looking letters and sounds.  I am afraid that I am starting to replace my English with Russian.  I have not used thank you or welcome in English in forever it seems!  I know that I should not get discouraged, because it is promised to us that if, we continually treasure up the words of the Lord, that when the time comes the Spirit will allow you to recall those things. Tonight is like my chapter test and I hope I get an A!  I know I will, I have not been slacking. Time is almost up and then the iron curtain is going to fall again.

LOVE YOU ALL!
Старейшина Лефевр