Missionary Mom

Hello again this week! :D This transfer is going good already! I'm excited for this next transfer. Elder Domansky is a really good guy. He barely speaks any English (almost nothing) but he is very patient and helps me with my Russian alot. I think that I have learned more Russian just this last week than I did all of last transfer. He is also very funny. Just some of his mannerisms remind me of Cody, and other times he reminds me of Mr. Bean. People seem to want to talk to us on the street more when they see that there is a Russian like them with me. A lot of the time people won't talk to us giving the excuse "You're just trying to get us to go to your American faith" but they can't really say that with a Russian with you. He eats hot dogs for breakfast is the only bad thing... Yuck. It's very interesting serving with a Russian companion to say the least but happy for it. So I can now make Russian bleeni without even thinking about it. ha ha. (Pretty much a crepe). MMMMMM! POOR BEN! I'm so sorry for Kels. Tell her I feel terrible the next time you see her. Sounds like Liz and Kels have been there often. Tell them hi for me and get me there address at USU for me before they leave! I miss them alot too! Tell them I got their letters, but I never got Liz's postcard she told me about...yet. :( Igor said you said hi, Mom. He came up with President to inspect our apartment and then gave us a ride to the castle for service. He is a nice guy! He always has a big smile and really likes all the missionaries. Thankful for members like him. Last week I sent home some pictures and letter! Not very many pictures can fit in the envelope without becoming too heavy, so I might have to just give some pictures to Sister Luna for "the newsletter". Ha ha, I love Sister Luna! Yeah, Cody told me too that he gained a little. I usually cook seperate than my companions. (That's how Russian missionaries like to do it. I'm losing weight again actually. I eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Elder Domansky thinks I'm strange because I don't like hot dogs.... by the way they are even more gross in Russia than they are in America. I'm back down to 175. I'm running again in the morning with Elder Domansky and I also ran when I was with Elder Anthony. Feels good to run, but I'm out of shape! Cool story for the week!!~ I met a sister missionary in the MTC from Vyborg named Dasha Hemelinina, who is serving right now in Moscow, and her mom is not a member of the church. She sent the branch a letter saying for the missionaries to deliver it to her to introduce her to them. When we got over there, she was ecstatic to see us and we talked to her about what her daughter is doing in Moscow. We also taught her the 1st lesson and she wants us to come meet with us again!! She misses her daughter a lot and I dare say watches for the emails more intently than you do mom... Ha ha!! She wants to find out why her daughter is doing this, and why it is so important to her. Her daughter has testified to her and told her to meet with the missionaries. Really nice lady. She sells cologne and stuff and asked me to translate the stuff she has in English. I actually could do some of it! She just calls me Larsen and loved the fact that I knew her daughter in the MTC. I really hope things work out with this lady. I am filled with so much joy from this Gospel!! I can't even describe it. I can't wait to experience that joy that comes from helping someone repent and enter into the gospel through baptism. Whoops gotta run! Love you miss you, but I am oh so happy to be here!!!! Love, Blake