We're the pioneers.

Hi. I want to clear up some confusion slash tell you more about where I am. I'm in Nizhny Novgorad. There's an upper and lower Nizhny. We're in upper. We call it classy Nizhny because it is super classy and lower Nizhny is super ghetto. We have six missionaries in Upper: us, the district leader, and the zone leaders. I love our district. There's also six missionaries in lower. Also, as far as mail goes: I do get mail and DearElders. I love them with my whole heart. They take at least two weeks to get to me. Most likely longer because I'm in an outer city and we only get mail when people have to go to Moscow and can pick it up for some reason. Anyways. Today I want to tell you about our new investigator! We met her in our pioneer city Dzersheenks. I told you about her last week, Tanya. But we had another lesson with her this week and it was the coolest thing. Seriously. She's so prepared for the gospel. We got together with her and just talked and chatted over a milkshake. She's so cute. She loves life and studying and just being herself. I want her to love the gospel. It's insane because she doesn't drink coffee or black tea. I wish I could adequately describe to you how big of deal this is. Everyone drinks black tea here. Everyone. And it's hard for them to accept that we don't drink it. But she already doesn't drink it! It's a miracle. That's real. Anyways, life is good. I'm loving it here more and more. When I get frustrated I have to remind myself that this is Russia. And that the church here is still a baby. And that someday it will be like South America and be exploding. But right now it's just a baby. These people are the pioneers and we're the pioneers too. And that helps me. I know we are laying the groundwork for something really amazing. Anyways, I love you all! Sorry this isn't the best email. I hope you have the best of weeks. Love, Cectpa Harris

What the heck? How'd the Lamanites get here?

Hi. Guess what? I've been in Russia for a whole month! What the wild nut? Crazy talk. This month has flown by. There's only two weeks left of my first transfer. This week we started English contacting for our English club. I love English contacting. I love it so much because people are so much nicer. They smile and say thank you. It's such a nice break from so many no's. We didn't teach our investigator Olga Red Coat because she figged us. In Russia, people fig all the time. They have a hand sign for figging because people don't show up to things all the time. So we didn't get to have a lesson with her but we hope to this week. We just had lessons with all of the babushkas this week. I love them all so much. They're so sweet and I love talking to them even if they make us do strange things like trim their mustaches and clip their fingernails. This week we got to go be pioneers in this city called Dzerjinx. There's only one set of Elders there and Sisters have never contacted there before. We were the first ones ever! Cool, huh? We were expecting it to be this land of milk and honey and that everyone would just be like, "Yes, of course I want to learn more about your church you darling girls you." Hahahah. Nope. We got off the bus and we tried to talk to someone and they did an x with their fingers. Hahaha. So we were kind of discouraged but we kept on talking to people and trying to share a message about the Book of Mormon. And you know, Heavenly Father is just the coolest. We had been trying to talk to people for like two hours and no one would stop. Then the next person we tried to talk to stopped. Her name is Tanya and she's darling. She's probably 17 or 18. But here's the miracle: She comes to Nizhniy everyday for school. Like what the heck? How cool is that? Dzerjinx is about an hour and a half away from us and we found someone who comes to Nizhniy every single day. Seriously, the biggest miracle. She seems a little skeptical about the Church but she's way interested in English club so that's a good starter. We hope to meet with her this week sometime. So in Nizhniy we have the walking street that I have mentioned before. There are all sorts of street performers and for the last few weeks there have been these Native Americans in full feather costume playing flutes and singing. We were like, "What the heck? How'd the lamanites get here?" But we were walking by them and they came up to us and flashed us their garments and said, "We members!" And they came to Church on Sunday. Apparently they are from Ecuador and they're doing a tour of Russia with their Native Music band. It's the coolest. And we had some other people from Africa at church too. Russia loves to throw everyone together. Anyways, that's my week! I love Russia more and more everyday. I love you all and hope you are doing so well. Have the greatest of weeks!

Love, Cectpa Harris

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Oh boy.

Sometimes it's a really good thing it's P-day. P-days are good for the soul. This week has been crazy. I don't really know where to begin. We started off the week teaching another lady named Olga. Everyone here has the same name. It's either Tatiana or Olga. That's real. Anyways, I'll call this Olga, Olga Red Coat because she always wears the same red coat. So we taught Olga Red Coat. I didn't really know what was going on because she probably spoke in the fastest Russian I've ever heard without breathing for a good 20 minutes. My brain turned to mush. I like her though. She refuses to take a Book of Mormon though because she wants to know it's true before she reads it. That's frustrating because to know it's true you kinda have to read it. But we're going to keep trying and working with her. So that'll be good. She's really sweet. She smiles a lot which is abnormal for a Russian. Besides that and visiting the babushkas we didn't really teach very much this week. We've been working on making new pass along cards for the mission. The ones here are so creepy. They have the weirdest picture of Jesus on them I have ever seen and they look like Icons for the Russian Orthodox Church. Sometimes when babushka's get them they start kissing them and doing the cross thing. Hahahah. We're always like, "No! No! That's not what that is." It's really funny. The new ones my companion made are so much better. They promote Mormon.org a lot which is so good because that's the way that missionary work is headed so we hope to see more success from them. OH. I just remembered. Okay, this is the main story for the week. Hahaha. It's so awkward. Okay, here it goes. So we were talking to a babushka. Her name is Tatiana and she's the branch president's mom. So in Russian when you're saying you want something you have to put the word shtobwe which means, "so that" in the sentence. So in Englsih you're literally saying, "I want so that you love me." Or something to that effect. When you leave out the "so that" it means the sexual kind of wanting. So, I was bearing my testimony about missionary work. And I was saying how sometimes it was really hard because everyone tells us no but that it was okay because I knew God wanted me here. Hahaha. Yeah, you guessed it. I left out the "so that." So I said that God sexually wanted me. Perfect. Oh my gosh. I didn't realize until after we left the lesson but I was mortified. hahaha. Oh my gosh. It was unreal. So there's your awkward story for the week. Anyways, things are going good here. I learn a lot everyday. I'm excited to keep learning. Right now it feels like I will never know Russian and I'll always be an infant dependent on my trainer but I know eventually it will get better. Heavenly Father is always mindful of me and that continues to blow my mind on a daily basis. I love you all so much and hope you have a really good week. Love, Cectpa Harris

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Um. Is that a coffin?

Hey, everyone! This week has been nuts. So much happened because every day here feels like a year and a half. Kinda. Because at the same time it goes by really fast. Like I said, time is so weird. It's still really hot here. I've actually got a really good tan going. I definitely wouldn't have guessed that would happen in the Motherland.  his week was busy. We contacted a lot. We don't go tracting because it's relatively ineffective and it's illegal in Moscow so nobody does it in the outer cities either. I got my first contact this week! It was so cool. We had been trying to talk to people for about an hour. We go on the big walking street I told you about and try to share a message with people. I usually say, "May I ask you a question?" But in Russian obviously. They usually say no. We kind of make it a game to see how many different types of no's we get. Like there's just the normal no, there's the no with a hand wave, there's the we don't need it, there's the you're not allowed to talk to me, and my personal favorite: of course not. I went up to this family and asked them if I could ask them a question and they said of course not. Hahaha. It was great. So that happened and then right after I went up to this girl and she said I could ask her a question! So I asked her if she had heard of the Book of Mormon before. She said she hadn't so I went through the pictures in the front with her and had her read the first paragraph of the introduction. I bore testimony of the truthfulness of the book and that through it she would receive much happiness. Her name is Victoria, she's blonde, and probably around 25. I got her phone number and we'll be calling her this week. Cool, huh? I was so stoked. It was the best. We got a mojito from KFC to celebrate. We're living at the senior couples house right now because our landlord is staying in ours for 10 days. So we spent most of Friday cleaning and packing. On our way out of our apartment building I noticed something out of the corner of my eye because the entrance to the building is super dark. I turned and there was just a coffin sitting in the dank little entrance to our building. A pink, velvet coffin. Hahahaha. What the heck? We had noticed people were acting kind of strange that day and there was a lot more activity than normal. Apparently someone had died and it's customary to leave the body in the coffin and put it by the entrance of where they used to live so people could come by and pay their respects before the burial. Crazy, huh? Cultures can be so different. Like one time we were walking down the street and there was this super cute baby. His mom was like helping him walk and he was toddling down the street. But when he lifted up his arm he had this jungle of armpit hair. Like what the heck? He's like this little man baby. They make them differently here. Haha. Just kidding. But really. Also, the new mission president and his wife came to our area and we had a big meeting. It was cool to hear their vision for the mission and all they want to accomplish. We also had interviews, we each got 15 minutes. During my interview, President said, "I'm not saying this is going to happen but you need to be ready to train by the end of the next two transfers." So basically when I'm done being trained in 10 weeks I need to be able to train someone else. I'm totally down for it besides the fact that I really don't speak Russian. So that could be an adventure. Hahah. I know that if it does happen I will be perfectly fine because Heavenly Father won't leave me hanging. But the task is daunting right now when I can't even understand what ward members are saying to me. However, I know the gift of tongues is real and I know that I am learning the language even I feel super lost sometimes. It's all part of the experience I suppose. We also got to teach this family, the Tomononovs. They're my favorite people in Russia. It's just the mom, Olga (everyone here is named Olga. Or Tatiana. That's real.) and she has three foster kids: Lera (she's 14), Sergei (he's 9), and Maxim (he's four.) I love them so much. Being in their house was so cool because you don't see a lot of families here, or at least a lot that are willing to talk to you so it was so good to see the love in their family and that just like in America they tease each other and have fun and are a family. It was also good to feel that even though a lot of people tell me no, all the day long, that everyone can and will benefit from the gospel. While I was sitting in their apartment all I could think about was how much I wanted all the blessings of the Gospel for this little family. I wanted them to always know how much Heavenly Father loves them and that they can be together forever. I never want them to feel alone because they never are. Now I just need to take those feelings and bottle them up so whenever someone tells me no I can remember what it feels like to teach someone and have them listen.  Anyways. I love you all so much and hope you are doing so well. Have the best week ever! 

Love, Cectpa Harris

P.S I will try to get some pictures to you when I have more time. We're kinda short on time this week. Love you!

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RUSSIA!

Oh my heck. I don't even know where to start. Hi! I'm in Russia. It's probably the craziest thing of my whole life and I want to tell you all about it so I'm going to word vomit this whole thing. I have been in Russia for 7 days. Right now it is 11:06 on July 1. We got here on June 25th around 10:30 in the morning after what was the shortest and longest plane ride of my life. It's weird to think that I was in the MTC a week ago because I feel like I've been in Russia for eons. During the plane ride I had to come to terms with the fact that I will be in Russia, where I don't know anyone, or how to communicate with anyone for 16 months. Hahah. It was crazy. The plane was big but I sat next to two elders from my district in the MTC. We had so much fun talking the whole time and not sleeping at all. (Which we totally regretted later. Sleep is celestial.) So we landed in the Moscow airport, went through customs, and were greeted by the AP's and our Mission President, President Sorenson. We then were taken to the Mission Home for orientation and to get settled in. To be honest, I hardly even remember this day. We had been up for over 24 hours and I felt so tired I was nauseous. I don't even know how that is possible but it is and I thought I was going to throw up all over the table. Ladylike. Good. So we all tried our hardest to stay awake and listen to the President but it was a battle already won by sleep. We had this nice dinner that Sister Sorenson made: beef stroganoff. Hahahah. By this point I was ready to cry because I was so hungry and so tired and beef stroganoff is probably my least favorite food in the whole world. But I pulled it together and ate it anyways and it was actually good. Or maybe I was just starving. I don't know. But finally we got to go to sleep. We slept from 7 that night to 6:30 the next morning and it was the most beautiful sleep I've ever had. Oh my heck. I love sleep. The next day we went to the mission office and learned all about the rules and the logistics of the mission. Then we got to go back to the mission home and eat and sleep. Yay sleep. Okay. Onto the next day. This is the day we went contacting in Red Square! It was nuts. I actually didn't contact in Red Square but we did go and see it and take some pictures. But after that we met our trainers. My trainer is Sister Wright from Colorado. She is the greatest. We are currently serving in Nizhny Novogorad. It's not in Moscow, it's actually about five hours away from Moscow by train. This was probably the most stressful thing so far because we had to haul all my luggage through the Metro in Moscow during rush hour to get to the train station. I wish I could explain the Moscow Metro to you all. It's kind of something you just have to experience. It's super crowded, super busy, and in my tired state it was almost more than I could handle. So by the time we get to the train station I'm looking like a hot mess on the verge of a breakdown. It's super hot here right now. Around 100 degrees plus humidity. But once we got on the train it was better and I got to sleep until we got here. I cannot tell you how much I love Nizhny. It is beautiful here. I don't think Moscow is very pretty. Mostly it's just this big, crowded industrial city. But Nizhny is so beautiful. It's very green and people (people being missionaries) call it the Fairy City. Everyone wants to serve here. We live right near the walking street. The walking street is the best thing to have ever happened to me. It's a mixture of all things European and Main Street at Disneyland. There are stores up and down on each side of the cobblestone street. There are also always people with animals: horses, owls, snakes. And ice cream vendors. It's kind of like the city center so it's just super great. I love it. Nizhny is smaller than Moscow but there is a branch here. It's small, probably around 25 people who actually come. OH. Babushkas (that's not how it's spelled but I only know the Russian spelling.) are so real. Oh my gosh. Babushkas. I cannot explain them to you. They are hunched over, little old ladies, they are unreal. They're like their own species of human. We had our first lesson and it was with a babushka, babushka Inna. She's probably the cutest babushka there is. She looks like she belongs in the movie Up. We had a little spiritual thought with her and you'd be proud, Grandpa. I shared the quote, "The Future Is As Bright As Your Faith." In Russian! Crazy, huh? I even told her about how you would always tell me that and then when I got on my mission I really came to appreciate that quote and what it meant. You're influencing me even when I'm in Russia! On Saturday we got to go help at this Youth Conference in lower Nizhny. It was so fun. We helped cook for 30 Young Single Adults from Moscow and Nizhny. To get to Lower Nizhny we have to ride the Metro but the Metro in Nizhny is far better than in Moscow. Reason number 1: IT SMELLS LIKE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. Seriously. It's the greatest thing. I could contact all day in there. Yesterday, I gave my first talk in church. The branch president asked me to speak for 10 minutes. I was like, "Um. Okay. Yeah. Sure. I'll try." 10 minutes is a long time. A super long time. Remember, this is me talking in Russian in front of a Russian branch for 10 minutes. I got up and tried to make jokes but I don't think anyone liked them very much. So then I told about my family and why I decided to go on a mission. And at the end I bore my testimony. It definitely wasn't 10 minutes long. Probably a solid 3-4 though. The whole time before I got up I was praying like a mad man. Praying that Heavenly Father would help me know what to say and how to say it because, hello, this is Russian. And He did. I'm so amazed by the little miracles I see in my life everyday. Russia is good. I wasn't so sure the first few days but I'm really coming to love it. Every night we hear someone playing the saxophone from the walking street. He plays an assortment of jazzy mixes but he legit plays the sexy saxophone song. Look it up on Youtube right now. I fall asleep to that every night. It's basically the greatest thing of my life. I think Heavenly Father knew that I would need to fall in love with Russia fast so that's why he sent me to Nizhny. I love it here. Really and truly. I'm excited to get to know the branch. We have a big list of people we want to meet with this week and get to know. I'm excited to be here. Not all of Nizhny looks like the walking street. Everything else besides the walking street is very Russian. Very old and everything here kind of smells like sweat and cats. Well, that was mostly in Moscow. Here it smells better. The driving here is very... unique. There aren't really rules that anyone follows and I feel like the chance of getting hit by a car is just really likely. Hahah. But they have most everything we have in America here. There's even a McDonald's. We ate there a couple of days ago. Today we're going to go shopping on the walking street in search for genie pants. They're really big here and we want some so bad. Our mission is really cool because we've been the pilot mission for a few years where they've been testing out ipods. So every companionship has an iPod with scriptures, gps, dictionaries, and MUSIC. The music is the best part. I love it so much, we have over 1000 songs that are mission approved and it seriously makes my day. The iPods are great. Our first day one of the AP's said, "I don't know what missionary work would be like without iPods." And it's true. The face of missionary work is changing and I'm stoked I get to be a part of it. Our new mission president got here on Saturday and they are going to be coming around to each area in the next few weeks to meet us all. I'm lucky because I already got to meet them in the MTC. Everyone here is totes jealous so I flaunt it. Anyways, I love you all so much. I hope you are doing well! I've tried to learn more about the mail, so here's what I know: mail is safe to send. It will probably take around 2 weeks to get to me. As far as packages go, don't send anything super valuable unless it's sent discretely. Like some people send small things inside a jar of peanut butter or something like that. Packages take a long time to get here. The office missionaries told me to tell you that if you are going to send a Christmas package, send it by the first of October so it has time to get here by Christmas. Anyways, I'm almost out of time. I love you all to the moon and back and pray for you everyday. Godspeed!

 

Love, Cectpa Harris

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