Beautiful Russia!

Beautiful Russia!


Our great friend, Roma made dinner for us!

Our great friend, Roma made dinner for us!

Elder Rasmussen is very excited to see real food!

Elder Rasmussen is very excited to see real food!


Companion and friend, Elder Jake Rasmussen

Companion and friend, Elder Jake Rasmussen


Trifecta's Last Time In Estonia

Trifecta's Last Time In Estonia

With my wonderful friend, Faik.

With my wonderful friend, Faik.

Sunrise, at One P.M.

Sunrise, at One P.M.

Petrozadovsk District

Petrozadovsk District

Lake at Petrozavodsk

Lake at Petrozavodsk


North Zone Conference Nov. 2011

North Zone Conference Nov. 2011

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

First Zone Conference with President Clark

First Zone Conference with President Clark

Neva River Fall 2011

Neva River Fall 2011

Visa trip, Oct 1st 2011

Visa trip, Oct 1st 2011

Oh my aching jaw...

Oh my aching jaw...

Hermitage Museum on P-day!

Hermitage Museum on P-day!

Me, Svetlana and Elder Loskutov

Me, Svetlana and Elder Loskutov

Birthday lunch with Kostya

Birthday lunch with Kostya

My friend, Grisha

My friend, Grisha

Service for Babushka

Service for Babushka

MTC Missionaries in Estonia

MTC Missionaries in Estonia

Waiting in Estonia...

Waiting in Estonia...


Visit from Elder Russell M. Nelson

Visit from Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elders Larsen and Anthony

Elders Larsen and Anthony

Our MTC teacher surprise visit!

Our MTC teacher surprise visit!


Podvodov family gave powerful talks!

Podvodov family gave powerful talks!
Pskov, Russia Branch


Vyborg Castle

Vyborg Castle

St Olaf's Castle Where We Do Service Work

St Olaf's Castle Where We Do Service Work

Beautiful Vyborg on the Sea of Finland

Beautiful Vyborg on the Sea of Finland

Vyborg

Vyborg

Misty day in Kaliningrad

Misty day in Kaliningrad

Kaliningrad District May 2010

Kaliningrad District May 2010

Russian MTC Group

Russian MTC Group

Russian MTC Zone at Provo Temple

Russian MTC Zone at Provo Temple

10 February 2011

One Year Mark~ Hump Day Today!!!!

Yellow!!!!!!
So I have now been on my mission for a year now!! I'm a "middle-aged missionary"! Ha ha. Weird to think about. It doesn't feel like it has been a year... I think that a year sounds like a long time, but before I know it it will be another year and I will be on my way home. You really don't need to send me anything for it, Mom but if you are going to send stuff, send music! I miss music, and I need some new stuff other than what I have. You know the allowed kind of music of course. Ha ha. Really though, you don't need to send me anything.


It's almost Valentine's Day, and as far as I know they don't have it in Russia. That's okay though. Valentine's Day is kind of a weird holiday.  Everyone calls it "a day of love," but isn't everyday supposed to be a day of love?

Yep, That's me and Elder Kyle Berven from Tampa, Florida in that picture from Zone Conference.  He's been a really good companion!  He acts just like Nate Booth, so I laughed when you sent me a picture of him. (By the way thanks for that picture! Nate does look older! And he's uber tan... I guess it is summer in Chile right now. It takes a month and a half to send letters to him... :( )

Thanks for your experience that you shared with me, Mom. That is really cool. That's one thing that I have learned on my mission is that he veil between us and those have gone on before us is a lot thinner than we think it is. I'm sure Uncle Bob has been teaching Nick for a while now and that's why he couldn't come see me when grandma and grandpa did. Still at the river.  When I read that I started crying right here in the library.

Tell Kels thanks for the pictures of her, Liz, and their new boyfriends. Ha ha. She sent me some pictures today and they both look so different. I'm sure I look different too though!

Well right now, I'm in St. Petersburg doing internet and afterwards a bunch of the missionaries are meeting at the office to play Floorball. (Hockey without the skates) I'm so excited because I haven't played a sport in who knows how long!!!!  I'm out of shape! I think I've lost so much weight because I've lost muscle. Yesterday Elder Berven and I had to run home because we had a late meeting and didn't want to be late getting home and I just realized how out of shape I'm in. Before my mission I could run for MILES with Millie-girl and yesterday I was tired after maybe 3/4 mile.  I miss running, but I'm definitely going ot do it when I get back!

This week in the branch Arseni Aumeister (the branch president's son) turned 12 and will be getting the Priesthood on Sunday. He is the first person in this branch to have been born in the church and receive the Priesthood! Awesome! Elder Berven and I made him a cake and I gave him a yo-yo for his birthday. He's a cool kid! Next year his little brother Klim, will be getting it too, so it's really exciting to see!

Other than that this, last week was kinda slow which is unusual. LOTS of people dogged us on our meetings, or just plain didn't want to meet with us... We're really trying hard though, and we're happy because we are doing the work of the Lord. :) Things will work out. Sergei found me on Facebook? He wasn't able to meet this week, but he did tell me over the phone, which is good so we did not miss an appointment. I'm sure he would be glad to talk to you, Mom, but he doesn't know English, so you will need a translator. Ha ha.

Transfers are next week. I have a feeling that I'm being transfered.... I'd love to stay in Petergof if I could, but I'll be fine wherever I go! I've really come to love the branch here, even if it is so tiny. It just means I can get to know everyone better. I'm happy to have met Sergei and Vladimir here too. They are both really close to accepting the Gospel, and I know that one day they will be baptized.

I sent Dad's birthday letter off yesterday (that was the soonest I could do it) so hopefully it makes it soon. I actually sent some pictures!!

Tell "Howdy" to Kiddo for me and give Millie and Forest a rub behind the ears for me. You can give it to Meleea and Cole, too, but I don't think they would appreciate it as much as Millie and Forest. Ha ha. Side note: I ALWAYS contact people if they have a dog, just so I can talk with them about their dog and play with it a little bit. I'm going through dog withdrawals!

Gotta run. Thanks for your love, your support, and your examples to me back home. I hope that I can be half of the example for others that my friends and family have been for me.


Be of Good Cheer and Keep Smiling!!
Love you tons!
Blake





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