Sorry i wasn't able to write yesterday... and i am just gonna try to sneak in a quick e-mail cuz i haven't got much time this week. But, i finally have something to talk about. I got transferred. I'm sitting in saratov right now and in a few minutes I'll be going to get my stuff and heading over the former worlds' longest bridge to the "city of engels.' i assume it to be just like LA "the city of Angels" (pronounced almost the same) only this particular 'angel' happens to be a former communist leader of the soviet union. so... you can imagine the differences. I didn't really want to leave kazan... even if it meant i got to ride an overnight train (I'm one of the FEW missionaries to have not ridden one, and I've been here a year longer than MOST) ((it's just like i imagined it to be from Goldeneye!! just... less AK-47s and i don't have a laser watch to get out))
I'll be serving with Elder Hill from Albuquerque...... New Mexico. From what i know he's just the happiest person there is. I think it will be good. but we'll see!
I'll try to make sure to write a good amount next week :)
well, i do love you!
love Elder Ellis
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Legendary Red Lada....
Typing up all the essays took up all my time to write home this week, (working on an application for BYU), but I'll try to be a little less brief than a few weeks ago.We are finally seeing a little success after having a special fast to help us find people to teach. So it's been a pretty good week. It's been warming up and snowing a lot lately. I think the legendary red lada outside of our apartment will finally get completely buried. I've come to realize how much the members here could benefit from studying the scriptures to learn their doctrine ("some" just like to make their own up...)
Transfers are coming up the end of this week... we're getting nervous.
If I'm here another cycle I'm going to try to learn a good amount of tatar. I wanted so badly to check this language on the application.
I found it funny that i couldn't find Russian in the P languages... (P is the equivalent of R is Pycckuu)
well, that's the time i got
love you!
love elder Ellis
Transfers are coming up the end of this week... we're getting nervous.
If I'm here another cycle I'm going to try to learn a good amount of tatar. I wanted so badly to check this language on the application.
I found it funny that i couldn't find Russian in the P languages... (P is the equivalent of R is Pycckuu)
well, that's the time i got
love you!
love elder Ellis
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Chirping Crows!
Hey family!
I'm glad you finally got a little bit of snow in Missouri! Ours here is starting to go away a little bit.. But it's not melting yet. They’ve just been chipping the ice of the sidewalks to reveal that we've been walking a good 14 inches off the ground the last month or so. It is getting warmer as well. The sun has been shining through the smoggy air, (we come in every night with our coats smelling like campfire) and the crows are chirping at the pigeons more. We're not having very much success in the work lately. Really not much at all, but hopefully that'll get changing soon.
When all you do is missionary work, and you don't have any one to teach, there's not a whole lot to talk about.I guess on the bright side... i have more time to read your emails. So I’ll just start replying to those more. or maybe we'll start having some success!
Well, gotta go
love, Elder Ellis
I'm glad you finally got a little bit of snow in Missouri! Ours here is starting to go away a little bit.. But it's not melting yet. They’ve just been chipping the ice of the sidewalks to reveal that we've been walking a good 14 inches off the ground the last month or so. It is getting warmer as well. The sun has been shining through the smoggy air, (we come in every night with our coats smelling like campfire) and the crows are chirping at the pigeons more. We're not having very much success in the work lately. Really not much at all, but hopefully that'll get changing soon.
When all you do is missionary work, and you don't have any one to teach, there's not a whole lot to talk about.I guess on the bright side... i have more time to read your emails. So I’ll just start replying to those more. or maybe we'll start having some success!
Well, gotta go
love, Elder Ellis
Monday, February 13, 2012
Mexican...
Sorry about last week's lack of a letter. I didn't have any time because i was trying to help my companion figure out how to send some pictures and then realized i had less than a minute left for my e-mail. Sorry.
Fortunately i didn't have much to say anyway! I guess that's not too fortunate, but at least you weren't left out.It's actually not been too terribly cold lately. it has been sunny and -12 over the weekend and it was pretty nice. Today jumped down to -24, but tomorrow should be back up to -14. This is a really mild winter for Russia. I think it’s because all the cold escaped over to the other European countries. They're suffering... but the Russians are enjoying the lovely spring weather. (Russian spring = normal Missouri winter) Last year at this time i remember it being around -30, with -36 being the lowest.
We haven't really had anyone to teach lately. We haven't been finding (even at -12 no one wants to stand around talking on the street) and all of our investigators we had high hopes for are just kinda busy. "Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach"... this has been holding through pretty well. I have the feeling i might be getting the ax at the end of this cycle. I’m ok with that i guess. I have to get cut off sometime, better when it's numb!
I was so excited to hear that our neighbor is from Kazan! And she knows tartan?! I'm so excited to talk to her! I only know a handful of tartan words (mostly from the announcements on the bus) but everyone says tartan is an easy language, and Americans can have good accents because we have the c'A't sound that not many languages do.
I had a visa trip this last week to Kiev. We didn't get to go to the temple, but i did work it out where i sat next to Elder Bearden on most the flights, so i was happy. And president bought us all TGI Fridays in the airport. i had some Spppiicccy wings. They were ok. i can tolerate spicy now. On the last flight i was sitting between 2 people speaking French to each other. Couldn’t understand a word! It’s weird to think that's what Russian used to be like for me.
This week the branch is having Mexican night... should be interesting. I'm not expecting any good Mexican food. but we're going to make enchiladas the day after to help our disappointed stomachs.
Well, that's they time i have this week!
Love you!
Love Elder Ellis!
Fortunately i didn't have much to say anyway! I guess that's not too fortunate, but at least you weren't left out.It's actually not been too terribly cold lately. it has been sunny and -12 over the weekend and it was pretty nice. Today jumped down to -24, but tomorrow should be back up to -14. This is a really mild winter for Russia. I think it’s because all the cold escaped over to the other European countries. They're suffering... but the Russians are enjoying the lovely spring weather. (Russian spring = normal Missouri winter) Last year at this time i remember it being around -30, with -36 being the lowest.
We haven't really had anyone to teach lately. We haven't been finding (even at -12 no one wants to stand around talking on the street) and all of our investigators we had high hopes for are just kinda busy. "Nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach"... this has been holding through pretty well. I have the feeling i might be getting the ax at the end of this cycle. I’m ok with that i guess. I have to get cut off sometime, better when it's numb!
I was so excited to hear that our neighbor is from Kazan! And she knows tartan?! I'm so excited to talk to her! I only know a handful of tartan words (mostly from the announcements on the bus) but everyone says tartan is an easy language, and Americans can have good accents because we have the c'A't sound that not many languages do.
I had a visa trip this last week to Kiev. We didn't get to go to the temple, but i did work it out where i sat next to Elder Bearden on most the flights, so i was happy. And president bought us all TGI Fridays in the airport. i had some Spppiicccy wings. They were ok. i can tolerate spicy now. On the last flight i was sitting between 2 people speaking French to each other. Couldn’t understand a word! It’s weird to think that's what Russian used to be like for me.
This week the branch is having Mexican night... should be interesting. I'm not expecting any good Mexican food. but we're going to make enchiladas the day after to help our disappointed stomachs.
Well, that's they time i have this week!
Love you!
Love Elder Ellis!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Not much this week...
Hello family!
So my internet time kinda got taken up this week so I will have to write next week!
All is going well though :)
love you!
So my internet time kinda got taken up this week so I will have to write next week!
All is going well though :)
love you!
Monday, January 30, 2012
February made me shiver!
Well, it's the end of January... and thus the end of our "nice weather"we've been around -10 to -15 (15 to 5?) for most of the last few weeks, but today we're at -20, (-5?) and it's just supposed to get colder. February is the real Russian winter. Here we go!The Sartoris came up this weekend to do apartment checks and visit the branch. We of course passed our apartment check. we only got marked off on not having any water (we have to buy water in the big 5 gallon jugs because the tap water will give you worms!) and we ran out the day before and planned to get some at dinner, but ended up not having dinner. Then it was sunday so we couldn't buy any. So this morning we were glad to finally have a cold glass of water. And it was COLD by the time we carried it home.
I don't have a lot of interesting things to say this week, or a lot of time, but i will share with you a neat experience about getting answers that we search for.
So, i have a few questions I’ve been trying to find answers for in my personal study. I've tried to find the answers in the scriptures, but if it’s in there it doesn't make sense to me. We also had a member who had some questions about finding answers, so I’ve been trying to prove God on the principle. Well, i haven't found the answer in my studying. (This may also be due the fact i can't read more than 10 minutes without falling asleep) but when the Sartoris came, they brought us mail. Of course, my GRAND mother has been writing me, and upon reading her letters i found she had answered my question!
Often our answers come in unexpected ways.
Love,
Elder Ellis
I don't have a lot of interesting things to say this week, or a lot of time, but i will share with you a neat experience about getting answers that we search for.
So, i have a few questions I’ve been trying to find answers for in my personal study. I've tried to find the answers in the scriptures, but if it’s in there it doesn't make sense to me. We also had a member who had some questions about finding answers, so I’ve been trying to prove God on the principle. Well, i haven't found the answer in my studying. (This may also be due the fact i can't read more than 10 minutes without falling asleep) but when the Sartoris came, they brought us mail. Of course, my GRAND mother has been writing me, and upon reading her letters i found she had answered my question!
Often our answers come in unexpected ways.
Love,
Elder Ellis
Monday, January 23, 2012
More of Kazan!
Well,
I'm staying in Kazan another cycle! My companion didn't get transferred either so I’ll still be with elder Johnson. i now only have 3 more transfers to avoid going somewhere else.We had a really good day of church yesterday. Our recent convert got the Mel. Priesthood and another man got the Aaronic. Everybody was really nice and nobody argued on any lessons. My companion looked over at me during priesthood and said "It's like we're in America!" because nobody was arguing about doctrine and then looking to us to tell them who is right. But soon after there was a little disagreement and my companion said "oh... never mind". i just asked him if he remembered elders' quorum in a family ward. We then agreed it was normal and a very good day in church.
I was a bit sick this week after having to run home about a mile to be on time. Running in -13 is not fun or healthy. But i think I’m better now... I’ve successfully passed it on to my companion!It’s been kinda cold. But not rather cold. Last year at this time was already below -20 consistently. The worst we've gotten is -15 (+5 F). It is a mild winter over here too.... but still kinda cold! we spent 6 hours the other day outside with -15. We were contacting someone who lives just on the outskirts of our area and there is only one bus that goes out there. We missed it by 3 minutes... so we ended up standing at the bus stop for way too long. The home doesn't exist.We've not really had any good lessons lately... Or many lessons at all. Well i guess i should say we haven't TAUGHT any lessons lately. We've sure been learning some though.
We went to the kremlin last Monday. it ended up being even better than last time. Except.... my companion discerned "do not shoot or handle fireworks, firearms, explosives or similar activities" to include crossbows. Dang!
Today we just cleaned.
Well, love you!
Love,
Elder Ellis
I'm staying in Kazan another cycle! My companion didn't get transferred either so I’ll still be with elder Johnson. i now only have 3 more transfers to avoid going somewhere else.We had a really good day of church yesterday. Our recent convert got the Mel. Priesthood and another man got the Aaronic. Everybody was really nice and nobody argued on any lessons. My companion looked over at me during priesthood and said "It's like we're in America!" because nobody was arguing about doctrine and then looking to us to tell them who is right. But soon after there was a little disagreement and my companion said "oh... never mind". i just asked him if he remembered elders' quorum in a family ward. We then agreed it was normal and a very good day in church.
I was a bit sick this week after having to run home about a mile to be on time. Running in -13 is not fun or healthy. But i think I’m better now... I’ve successfully passed it on to my companion!It’s been kinda cold. But not rather cold. Last year at this time was already below -20 consistently. The worst we've gotten is -15 (+5 F). It is a mild winter over here too.... but still kinda cold! we spent 6 hours the other day outside with -15. We were contacting someone who lives just on the outskirts of our area and there is only one bus that goes out there. We missed it by 3 minutes... so we ended up standing at the bus stop for way too long. The home doesn't exist.We've not really had any good lessons lately... Or many lessons at all. Well i guess i should say we haven't TAUGHT any lessons lately. We've sure been learning some though.
We went to the kremlin last Monday. it ended up being even better than last time. Except.... my companion discerned "do not shoot or handle fireworks, firearms, explosives or similar activities" to include crossbows. Dang!
Today we just cleaned.
Well, love you!
Love,
Elder Ellis
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