Week-12 Pskov

Well everyone, I survived one week! Two years? That's cake. A lot has happened this first week, and you're right dad I don't think I'll ever forget this week.

Here are some experiences I have had:

On the homesickness, I'll admit the day after I sent the email last week, I got homesick again. You want to know what over? A pen and some insect-repellent. Yeah, I actually asked me companion for a blessing it was so bad. Things are so much better now. I think I've got the whole, "I'm in Russia" thing down. Drivers here are crazy. Period. You thought Californian drivers were bad? Take them and multiply it by 20. I see at least one accident a day while I'm out contacting, two of those were really close to our residency, there are no speed limits, and there are cross walks in the middle of a busy street, without any stop lights or signs. Buses are bad too, most of the time the driver is a teenager, and he drives like a teenager. I've been on a bus thrice where it skidded out. A bus. Yeah, talk about nerve racking. Most typical cars are here, but the most popular is Audi's, and they're cheap. I have yet to seen a Reliant K, but once I do, I will send home a picture of it and me. Last Sunday, we had church, I'll be 100 % honest it was weird, but I loved it. There are 6 active members in the entire city of Pskov, of 300,000 people. That's crazy. I expected more, I also expected more missionaries out here too, but nope, Elder Loskotov and I are the only ones. Time to get baptizing. :) After Church, we went contacting, of course like a normal day, no luck. But, we did have a drunk guy come up and accuse us of being zombies. That was laugh and a half. I was so nervous that he was going to spill beer on my suit, the way he was waving his hand around. On Tuesday, we had a District meeting, in Novagorad, 4 hours away. All in one day, so 8 hours of travel time, for a two hour meeting. I felt that it was so pointless. Then the next day, guess what? They changed it that we stay there a full 24 hours, and go on splits. Talk about coincidence. I finished the book, Devine Signatures, in that 8 hours. I loved it. As I was reading it, I had flash backs of divine signatures in my life. Friends and Family who were constant daily divine signatures. I was really grateful to the Lord that day. One divine signature, I've started to realize, it's pretty small, but every time I feel the spirit very strongly, there has always been a strong cool breeze. Through pondering, I've realized that is the Lord. The Lord created the Earth, why can't he cause a breeze? People here are totally different, my whole conception of reading people is out of whack. I see an "aged" person, and I immediately think of one of my grandparents, I get excited, and think, "For sure this person will listen to us!" Then I'm heartbroken when they are even more rude than the average adult. I have difficultly getting over that there are some people who don't want this gospel. I see my life, and lives of others in this church, and compare it with theirs. I think, "How can you not accept this message?! The wonderous, fasinating message that will make you eternally happy?" That actually got me pretty down yesterday, I'm starting to second guess myself, I used to say, "I believe everyone is good at heart." I don't know about that anymore, maybe they are and it's so so so small it's about worth one kopeck, (that's about 1/400th of a penny (it's in the picture of the money, the tiny ony on the left (they are actually rare))) but, I've have to remember. Even though somebody only has a mustard seed, a kopeck, of faith they can come to the knowledge of this gospel. And grow. To more things, Food, yeah you know I was going to talk about this. A couple of things I have tried. Sgooshyonka: It's milk, flour, and sugar brought to a boiling point, it's creamy and you put it on bread. AMAZING! I love it! Shaoorma: It's a like Euro, but with either Chicken or Pork. I don't know how else to explain it. But it's good. Adzjega: It's a pepper based, seasonings, you put it on bread and it's spicy. Yeah you know I like it. ;) Last Monday we had Service, we served an Old lady (Babooshka) by, guess what, yeah you guessed. Weeding. She hasn't weeded in like 10 years so we took this lawn of weeds and pulled and pulled and pulled. There was so much weeds. I didn't know I could get physically tired from weeding. The Old Lady was a character, you would of loved her dad, had coke-bottle glasses, kept calling me Davit and my companion Andre, his name isn't Andre. She said it was too hard for her to remember our names, so she just called us that. I have lost so much weight, from walking around so much, I'm already down one belt-size! I'm going to be so skinny when I get back!

That's all for this week!

P.s. Emailing is the best thing for me during this transfer, I wont get letters until the end of this transfer. Also I can only write home one email. So don't get upset if you don't recieve an email. Sorry!

--

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

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Week 11-Pskov

Well I'm in Russia, and when I said i wouldn't know anything when I got here, I wasn't kidding. I don't understand anything, I feel like a baby. Ha ha. My companion Elder Laskotov is Russia and knows a little English, so there is times where he will help out, or just kind of give up trying to tell me what he is trying to say. My first day here which was Tuesday, was wonderful, yet very tiring. I arrived here in Russia about 1:20 P.M. and from there the Mission President, his wife, and his AP's took us to the mission office and signed paper work, ate at a Chinese Restaurant and went contacting with the office elders. Toured around the city of St. Petersburg, there are so many people there. It was a big adjustment for me. Especially now that there aren't any mountains, haha I have know idea where east is. Nor, south, north, or west. Thank goodness my companion has been here before. He knows where to go. I follow. Very simple. After Tuesday, Wednesday was transfers, so had meetings about the city I was going and what to expect, and what was expected of me. Then ate at this small little shop, I don't remember what it was called, but it reminded me of Gyro's with pork or chicken. Then traveled 5 hours south of St. Petersburg, by bus, to the little city of Pskov (about 10,000 people) there are 5-6 active members here. It's beautiful, there are so many Orthodox churches that are amazing, I will attach some pictures in my next email. We arrived in Pskov around 10:50 P.M. and the sun was still up, it was still up at 11:45 when we went to bed. Yeah that's going to take some getting used to. Today, being "P" day, we did the usual day to day things (personal, companion, language study) then I unpacked and Elder Laskostov cleaned the apartment. Honestly, when I was unpacked I got a huge wave of homesickness I have never felt before, It was seriously hard for me to unpack, I almost started crying. I don't know why it was so hard for me. I thought I could go without doing that, I thought I was stronger, apparently not. I stopped what I was doing and asked the Lord for help, I immediately thought of what Bishop Poulson told me when I was doing my paper work. When he felt homesick the best way to get over it, actually the only way to get over it is to start working harder, better, and faster. So that's what I did, I worked at what I was doing at the time, which was unpacking, better, harder, and faster. The homesickness lessened and I didn't want to cry any more. I actually feel better right now. Actually right now I'm in some little Internet cafe off of some street near where we live. That's about all I know. After writing you, today also entitles, shopping for food, teaching the branch president about revelation. I'm supposed to tell a story when I received revelation during church, right now I can't think of anytime that has happened to me. Oh well the Lord will help me, I am on his side. After that we are going to contacting, we have to have ten contacts a day. There are a lot a rules, but I know I wont have a problem doing them. They're are fairly easy. I actually enjoy contacting, the first time I did it, I was so nervous, I didn't know what I was doing. Slowly, I got used to it. I realized it's not too hard. Talking to people who you don't understand is easy. I just have to say a few words, and then my companion will take over, I know it'll be different further on, but for now, it's easy.

*This is very important* if anyone wants to write me, send me an email. If you write me during this transfer, I won't receive it until the next transfer which is July 26ish. Send me emails. Please.

Well I know I don't have much to write about, I've only been here for three days, and most of those three days was travel. Next week will be better.

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

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Week 10-MTC

Dearest Family,

Well I can't believe this is my last "P" day in the MTC, time has flown by. I am honestly scared, excited, nervous, and happy. I feel all of these feelings is going to make me explode. I started packing yesterday, yeah it's hit me pretty hard.

To asure everybody, yes I am getting your letters and dearelders, just here at the MTC I really don't have time to reply all of them, I will have more time out in Russia. I only said that last week because I had a considerable less letters than two weeks ago. It got a little better this week. I already can tell this email is going to quite shorter than the normal. I didn't and don't have much to write about this week. Oh, any friends wonderin why I didn't write them back this week, I'm waiting for Russia to reply to them. I don't want to recieve any letters at the MTC, if I'm not there. So if you want to get something to me at the MTC before I leave, you need to send it TODAY (wednesday) or I will not get it. That's including the package I asked for. I need it before Saturday.

Sister Nixom and her husband came and talked to us yesterday, she is the Primary President of the Church. It was interesting at first, I was thinking, "How can somebody over the Primary teach me like a missionary." To stop any doubts we did sing some Primary Songs together. It also felt like she was teaching five year olds. But all that pushed aside, it was actually an uplifting message. She said, if you are not having success and not getting what you want out of the mission, Do Something Hard. Stop whining and get to work. I liked that.

I am going to miss all the missionaries in my district a lot. They are such wonderful people, I don't think I know of anywhere where you meet complete strangers from everywhere and do the same thing with them every day. Yeah, the MTC is the only place. We're planning on meeting up and doing a reuinion 2 weeks after we get off our missions, that's going to be...interesting. I'm not sure I can think that far ahead into the future. But, I would love to see them again, and I know I am.

Sorry this letter is so short, there are really not that much more to write about, next "P" day will be better. Don't expect it to be on the same day as it was here. I let you know when I email you there. Well today I'm doing an Endowment session it's my last one before Russia. Love you all!

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

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Week 9-MTC

Dearest Family,

Well first off, I absoluetly loved that package, it really brightened my day and made me laugh. It was kinda sad this week though, I didn't get any letters I expected from my friends, I write them all back. Oh well, I guess they are busy or something. There is an Elder here who gets a letter from his girlfriend every day. Including Sunday (she sends two on Saturday, one for Saturday and one for Sunday) it's crazy. Once he gets out in the field I think he is going to get a little depressed, since those letters will decrease expenentionously. I will say, getting a letter is really one of those things that God blesses you with, it's our only tie to Babylon. It's our only tie to our family and friends, so basically to sum up everything I have said, I am chastising you my friends because the lack of willingness to spend 20 minutes writting a letter. Like Obama, "We/You need to change!" Haha. :)

This week has actually been quite well, on Monday we started 100 % Russian everyday for the last two weeks. I can say sometimes I fail, but when I really try I can get a full day in. It is amazing how much Russian I have learned in the past 9 weeks. The spirit really does give you the gift of tongues. Like me and my companion had the oppertunity to teach the second lesson in English in 10 minutes. (Second lesson is the Plan of Salvation) It was so weird! We HATED doing it. It just doesn't feel right to teach any of the lessons in English anymore. Tomorrow we get our travel plans, so I can tell you next week when I am going to call you. I'd like the whole family there. I want to hear everyones voices again. I do know it's on June 20th though. I have a week and five days left till I leave. I can honestly say, the closer it gets the more nervous and excited I get. It is going to be so awesome! I so excited to actually teach 'real' Babylonian people!

Yesterday, we had the oppertunity for Elder Kikuchi of the Quorom of the Seventy come and speak to us. He gave a really good speach. He spoke on having your own personnal Sacred Grove, which I can atest that it really does help. I prayed inside my closet a couple of times now, and each time is a humbling experience, time doesn't matter. It's just me, a bunch of clothes, and the Lord. I really can feel his love more clearly, I advise you do this at home. Find a place where no one will interupt you, and just start praying. Don't have a clock near you either. That just another distraction, time does not matter. Elder Kikuchi also spoke about his conversion, he grew up in Japan during World War II, after we already nuked them, he and his family went fishing when a US submarine blew up underneath them, killing everyone except him. He grabed some debre and floated two days till he got to shore. He grew up with his mom for some time and wanted to go to night school, so went to work at a tofu making resteraunt and that paid for night school. He had only 4 hours a day to sleep. He soon got sick of over exertion, he was told to call his mother because he wasn't going to make it. In the hospital he prayed for the first time for help, and said to the Lord that he would come unto him if He helped him. He got better and a week later the missionaries came and taught him a lesson. It's amazing, I really wish sometimes that I could be a convert in this gospel, I always feel like they have stronger and better testimonies of Christ. Maybe someday.

Progressing investigators, they are coming on pretty swell. Jyena really wants to be baptized and so does Dema. Jyena is worthy so far, Dema has to marry his girlfriend or leave her. But, I feel I can teach pretty well in Russian, it's just so much easier. Grammar wise, wording wise, everything wise. English is a stinky language. Like the the sentence, "I know that if you read this book, you will be blessed" would change into, "I know that you read this book or not, then you blessed." There are no words, for "am, are, is" it's really nice. AND easy!

Well I am off to the Temple! Love ya! Keep on writting!

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

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Week8-MTC

Dearest Family,

This week has been, monotmous. I can honestly say I'm tired of sitting in the same desk 14 hours a day. Sometimes, the day I leave for Russia, seems like it will never come and that it doesn't exist. But, I have hope, I have faith. I believe that Russia exists and I'll go there someday. Well I got my Russian name tags yesterday, they look really cool. I'll actually will be sending home my english ones. I got your package yesterday also. Thank you so much, I absolutely loved the idea of "my tinfoil dinner", that made me smile. Also a bunch of Elders in my district/zone loved to have S'mores again. They were delicious. The camera charger works, and I will be sending home some pictures in a little while! Today I will write everyone a letter, but I will be sending it as one. So please look for it, it will come.

Interesting things that happenend...hmmm... well lets see, this is kinda weird. I did write to you about "progressing investigators" and how they are my teachers in all. Well my companion and I have two of them Dema and Jyena, they both commited to be baptized and both them have issues that prevent them to do so. Dema, sleeps with his girlfriend, he actually told me this two days ago, my heart dropped so badly, which surprised me, I really do love them, they are truly children of God. Then Jyena smoked all the time, but he wants to be baptized and after we told him that he can ask God for help at all times. He hasn't smoked since. Which made me want to shout for joy. Missionary truly glory in the investagators, how they feel and do, is how we feel. If one falls away from the church, we cry. If one comes to know God, we rejoice. D&C 18, I can't remember what verse, but it is in there. I can atest to that, that truly does happen. Missionary work is so important, we should always strive to serve the Lord.

This week I finished the Book of Mormon, and I'm already in D&C 50. I think I'm going to finish my goal, of finish the triple combination by the time I leave the MTC, I'm getting excited. The BOM is amazing! There is so much in the scriptures that are for me. I love it. This book has truly lifted me up, it's the word of God. It is awesome. Read it, study it, love it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, I never thought I was going to say it ever, but thank you for making me work, teaching me how to work hard and efficent. There are so many Elders here that are "shell-shocked" by all the work that is needed. There are so many Elders that will give half effort for everything. It saddens me, I realize that rules are here to help me. There are two Russian zones in the entire MTC, one of them, only from observation, they do not have as strict Branch Presidency, they are always goofing off, then there's my zone where we have the goal to obey with exacts. I feel our districts are more spirtuially inclined then the other zone.

Today in the temple, it was pretty packed one of the native Elders was getting his endowments, and they ask that the whole zone come with him. We have 70ish Missionaries in our zone. It was kinda funny because one of the Temple workers thought that one of the citzens from Babylon was a missionary and told him that he should write his mother and tell her that he got to sit in a special seat (foldup chair). He turned to me and said, "I've been home from my mission for 17 years." It was kinda funny.

Sorry for the shortness of the letter, Nothing too amazing happened this week. Getting excited to get out of here! I will write everyone letters today! Expect them in 2-3 days! LOVE YOU ALL! I LOVE JESUS CHRIST! Dearest Family,

Love Always,

Elder Ky Davis

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