Transfers soon.

I'm doing well this week, thank you. Better than poor Elder Loskutov. He has had a head cold the last couple weeks and is really stuffed up... It hasn't come to me though. I'm as healthy as a horse. Random story I just remembered. We were running late to district meeting so Elder Loskutov ask to run up the metro escalators to get there faster and I said okay and ran up the stairs. When I looked back, he was only a 4th of the way up. He said that I "run like a horse" and that he thinks that  I "don't breath oxygen"  ha ha.

Code was preety excited to hear that I was coming home on the 26th. He sent me 3 emails pretty much just saying "YIPPEE" ha ha. I'm excited too! Haven't seen Cody or heard him for almost 2 years now... It will be exciting!

Christmas in January? Looks like we will be having a Russian Christmas then! (That's when they celebrate Christmas here) You don't have to wait for me to do Christmas... But I appreciate it!

Glad to hear KB likes school. It'll be fun to read with her when I get home, and she will be able to read with me... Except when I read in Russian.  Ha ha ha.


Let me know where Kaylee, Tate, and Jayden are going on their missions as soon as you hear! That'd be crazy if it was Russia!!!

Svetlana found you on facebook without me saying a word. I don't know how she did. She is the mother of the 1 Counselor and my friend hear in the Branch, Kostya. Their last name means "Shark". Ha ha. Cool huh? Kostya served in California and speaks perfect English, so I usually talk with him in English, and that's my nickname for him. Ha ha. We are going to Kostya's today for a meeting and to bring him brownies (today is his birthday) and we will be doing service for Svetlana on Friday... Don't know what yet... She didn't say. Just said that she has some service for us.

Tell Cole Happy Birthday for me and be expecting a card in the mail... Sorry. It will probably be in Russian and delayed... But that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I totally agree with what you said, Mom. My mission has been worth it and I've been blessed with how I've seen people grow by hearing the message of the Restored Gospel... both those that have heard it before and just forgot and those that have never heard it before. Maybe they don't want to come back to the Gospel fully yet, or they don't want to come to the waters of baptism to promise to God to follow Him, but they came a little closer, and the Lord was able to use little old me to do at least do a part of His plan with the people hear in St. Petersburg and it's environs surrounding it. He's doing all He can to help us... Just waiting for us to help ourselves. I've made lots of friends in the process, and who knows, maybe I'll hear from them later saying they have come the full way... or maybe I'll be able to help them "at the river."

Things are doing well here in Shoovalova branch, and are picking up. I suspect that we could be having a baptism here sometime soon. I can feel it. We are slowly finding potential investigators on the street through contacting. Unfortuantely, we haven't received too many referrals yet from the branch, only 1 actually, and he didn't want to meet with us, but we have been meeting with the branch leadership this last week, talking about how we can better serve them in their efforts for missionary work. I think the members want to help, but they are still pretty scared to introduce the Gospel to their friends, as many of them have tried and people don't respond very well sometimes, saying that only the Russian Orthodox is for them, or they are atheist.

We have a new investigator, Max, who is progressing pretty well. He went to English club for years before the law changed that forced us to get rid of it, and there he received a Book of Mormon and a DVD on the Restoration. He watched it, believed that Joseph Smith really could have seen God and that he did see God, came to Fontanka (a building we have on the Neva River where the young single adults have institute and activities), and there said he wanted to meet with the missionaries who are in his area. We've have 2 meetings so far and he says that he agrees with the truths that we are sharing with him. He is afraid to be baptized, as he works on stage and thinks that if other people knew he was Mormon, that would be a lot of trouble for him. He says they already don't like him since he doesn't drink and smoke, even though he is supposed to be a cowboy on stage. He agreed to read 2 Nephi 31 and pray about what the Lord wants him to do. Hoping and praying that everything works out with him. We plan on meeting with him with a member of the church in the next couple of days, and they have a lot in common, so it will help a lot.

This last week I was on a split with Elder Wiser from Texas. He is a good missionary, and wants to work hard. He is down on himself a little bit right now, as he says he just can't get the language down. I told him to just keep trying and he'll get it. I know he will. I was in the same position, and if I could do it he could do it. He is a smart guy, so he will do just fine.

I can't believe that transfers are already next week and we get transfer calls on Saturday! This transfer went by really fast! I think I'll be leaving here.. .we'll see.

Well, my times up. wanted to email Cody, but don't have time. I love you guys! You'll hear from me soon!
Be of Good Cheer and Keep Smiling!
Love,
Blake