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

27 April 2011

Enchiladas!

Dear Everyone,
Things are going alright here in Pskov. Can't really complain much, so that is a good thing. This last week was kind of a bummer though, as we did a lot of contacting since investigators didn't show up on meetings, wouldn't answer their phone, or flat our said, "Don't want to meet." We are concentrating on former investigators and potential investigators, as we don't have very many investigators altogether to teach.  We are really excited about a referal we got from Elder Haddock. There is a grandma~Babushka who lives about an hour away from Pskov (yep... have to travel more) who wants to hear the lessons! We are meeting with her Tuesday, so hope that goes well. Alexander and Olga have been traveling a lot for work, as he is a Colonel and so we haven't been able to meet with them for quite a while. He still came to Sacrament between trips, so we were excited for that. Good people. 

Another highlight of the week was I found an enchilada packet in the apartment. Elder Loskutov had never had them before, so I made enchiladas. They were the best thing I've eaten on my mission. I miss Mexican food! Elder Loskutov LOVED them. You know that funny scene in the movie "What About Bob" when he eats the corn on the cob...Yeah, it was like that. Ha ha!

I really liked General Conference. I tried to apply all the talks to a missionary setting right now, and it really helped me. I liked Elder Richard G. Scotts talk, even though it was about marriage, because it helped me understand the importance of SHOWING people you love them. I pondered this with baptism, and I started to better understand that the Lord wants us to SHOW our faith. Not just believe. It's time for people to show the Lord they love Him, including members of the church. Also loved Elder Uchtdorf's talks of course. His talks are always my favorite.

Funny you talked about buying a new cherry tree, because the other day I REALLY WANTED a cherry pie! Pies here in Russia are more like a loaf of bread with a little fruit in the middle... Not what I call pies. They are still pretty good though. My last cherry pie was the one that you sent to me in the MTC.

We were in Novgorod, for District splits and I was with Elder Gillete this time. I decided I'd like to serve there, but that means I might have to be Branch President, like Elder Ilin. Not in any way aspiring to that, but if it works out that way, then I will of course. It is a cool area. 

Sorry that you're sick again, Lee! I will keep you in my prayers to feel better! Just isn't fun at all to be sick.

That's great to hear about Chris!!!! Chile!!! That's were Booth is serving! He'll be on the other side of the world! When does he go in to the MTC?  Joe is going to Orlando? That's were Elder Berven is from. Cool beans! I have no idea who this Kramer fellow is that married Amy.

Elder Loskutov is a good companion. He has some quirks about him that I don't understand, as the culture barrier is still sometimes there. Russians just do things differently than Americans. That isn't a bad thing, just I have to get use to it still. He is a really happy companion though! He has a personality kind of like BP. How is he doing? I haven't heard from him by letter at all on my mission, and don't know if he has gotten my letters... Kelsey said that she has been talking with him in emails a little though. Tell her to tell him Hi and I'm rooting for him from me!

Transfers are in May, so we will talk to you before the transfer ends. Is Mother's Day on the 8th or the 1st? When do you have church now so I can call before you go to church?

Well, I gotta write a letter to President now. Thanks to everyone back home! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! I know the Lord loves you too, more than we can understand.

Be of Good Cheer. Keep Smiling!

Love,
Blake

17 April 2011

God loves us and He is always with us.


Hello! Well today is P-day, but there is not a lot to annouce this week, as about half of it was in a car or bus... Last P-day we left for Peter about 5 and got there at 10:30, had to get up at 3:45 so we could all take showers and be on the street by 4:30 to go to Estonia. 3 hours to Estonia, then we were there for 8 hours just walking around and talking with people, eating at a strudel store (which was really good by the way) and a Turkish restaurant were we had Kebabs. The cool part of the day was we met someone who knows the missionaries and is investigating the church there in Estonia and talked with him for a long time. Saturday we traveled back to Pskov, had time to clean the church and have a meeting with some members. Zone leaders came down Monday night and are very jealous of our apartment. Ha ha. They liked it a lot.

Tuesday I was on a split with Elder Beck until District Meeting where I taught about the importance of baptism as a Covenant with God, to serve Him because we love Him. We then had a quick lunch, contacted a bit, and left for Peter. Wednesday was Zone Conference, were we talked a lot about helping people understand that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and also what it means to Endure to the End. Elder Luna and Sister Luna gave good testimonies and I really felt the Spirit. This is their last Zone Conference. Sad and kind of weird... We then ran and caught a bus to Pskov and got home at about 11:30 last night... Whew! That was our week!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Dad! I knew you would. One day when I was praying about that, I felt really calm and knew that you would! Prayer works. :)

Thank you very, very much for the package! I did get it and it was great! Especially the pictures and the book that you did from Shutterfly. I love it! That's exactly what I wanted.

Yes, Dad I think that I got the second wind again, and last transfer was probably the wall, which is why you and Mom thought I was down. I was just climbing the wall. I like what you said in your email:  "Rely on Heavenly Father, he has not sent you to Russia to fail." as I read today in Alma 56 about the Sons of Helaman and how they said ,"...behold, our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth..." when they were asked if they would be willing to fight the Lamanites to help their brethren. And they fought with the Strength of God and none were lost. That's amazing! And we all have that potential. We are Sons and Daughters of God.

Well I gotta run. I want to write some words of encouragement to Cody. He said that he just got my letter I sent him a few weeks ago, but I want to tell him a bit more.

Talk to you later! Remember God loves you and that He is always with us.
Love,
Blake

10 April 2011

Busy!

Ba-oo! (That's how you say hi in Eboo, that crazy cool African language I was talking about)

Well it's been a busy week and is just getting busier. Alexander and Olga have been really busy too, but they said they will be at Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. We still continue to pray for them and will help them anyway we can. They are really nice people! We did service for a little grandma here in the ward by fixing her cabinets in her apartment. She is the smallest Babushka that I have ever seen and she is always very happy. Her name is Sister Nadyezhda, which means Hope in Russian.

We watched the Saturday sessions on Sunday here in Russia, and next Sunday will be the rest of General Conference.  I really like the talk by Elder Oaks about desires and how our desires can lead to faith. It was really good. We also laughed a bit during President Monson's talk because President Podvodov told President Aleksay that he should think about getting married soon... and me and my companion have been teasing him about that. Ha ha.  I also liked General Conference because I was able to watch it in English. President Aleksay wanted to watch it in English, so I went on a split with him while Elder Loskutov was with Brother Oleg. Monday was another long day traveling to Novgorod and back for District meeting.

Today we are leaving to go to St. Petersburg, as I will be in Estonia tomorrow.  Means 5 hours to St. Petersburg, 3 hours to Estonia, and then 3 hours back. We will be traveling back to Pskov on Saturday. The Zone Leaders will be down in Pskov on Monday for splits, we will leave again with them on Tuesday, as Wednesday is Zone Conference, and then we will probably be coming back to Pskov on Thursday. (So don't be surprised if P-day next week is on Friday) It will be good to see Elder Andersen and Gerard and Sister Lane from the MTC group. I can see how Elder Andersen is feeling now. Better I hope! It's hard to find out as I'm far away from everyone.  With all this traveling I decided I never want to be a business man who travels all over the world like some do. It's too much traveling to do for a job...

I should have some letters, but they are in Novgorod as Elder Gillette grabbed them for me at transfers, but then forgot to bring them to District meeting... I guess I will just have to wait to read them... Seems like forever since I've gotten a letter. My package is in Peter though, so I can get that when I go there today. The snow is finally almost melted, and the every-other-day snow storm here has turned into a constant shower of rain. Everything is muddy here in Pskov, and I've heard it's the same in Peter... That means soon it will be summer. I never thought I'd say this but I'm sick of the snow! Yay for summer!

I hope that Meleea gets doing better soon! Thanks for the pics of K.B. She is getting big!

I'll send a quick note to Code-ski to see how he's doing.

I better jet. Love you all! Thanks for the support and love! I enjoy hearing from you and I know that I have been blessed at home with a loving family and great friends! I've realized this more since I've come on my mission. I've also realized that God loves EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY PERSON and wants us to love each other as He loves us. That is the essence of Godliness. I know that pains in life are hard but no matter what the pain, whether it's the pain of the cold Russian winters or the pain of rejection, or even sin, all our pains can melt away with the Son. We just have to look for His light and follow it.

Keep Smiling. Be of Good Cheer. Christ has overcome the world.
Love,
Blake