May 28, 2012

05-28-12 City Slicker Hey there everyone! Well, seems like Natasha let it out that I'm being transferredm and yep, the rumors are true! I'm so sad that I only got to spend a cycle here in Ulianovsk. I love this city a lot, just as much as I loved Saratov. I'm now being transferred to a little city called Marks, which is 2 hours or so outside of Saratov by bus! I'm not sure if I've mentioned him in my e-mails before, but my new companion is Elder Stoddard, an already way good friend of mine from my first 5 months in Saratov! He's already been there in Marks for awhile now, so it'll be good to have someone who knows the area already really well. Marks is well known in the mission for being a town more out in the country where cows and farms and stuff are, so that's pretty dang cool! Going from being a city slicker my whole mission to going out to real Russian country! More on that next week! A pretty dang cool miracle happened this week. We found an awesome person my second week here and had some pretty dang legit meetings with here. She'd be gone to Moscow though and super busy is working on her diploma, so until this week we had barely been able to have any correspondance with here. And then, lo and behold, out of nowhere she sends us a text during P-day asking if she could meet with us! Woo! This past week we were able to teach her the Plan of Salvation and some other really good discussions. I'm pretty stoked that I got to see and teach her a bit more before I left Ulianovsk. I've decided that I don't like packing much at all! And deep cleaning apartments. Yeah. Not much at all! Ulianovsk is going to be whitewashed (aka two missionaries unfamiliar with the area are being put here)and so everything is getting packed away and washed really well. The good thing is that we have hot water now! Not sure if I mentioned that or not but for the past 3 weeks or so we haven't had hot water at all (they were working on the pipes and stuff). That's something I hope I appreciate more in the future: hot water from the tap. It's pretty much liquid gold, especially for showering and doing dishes. Good stuff! Real quick note, before I forget. Two really. How did the letter delivery to Miranda go? And second, Please give a big big hug to Mama and Papa Zaelit. They're awesome :) ----- So, my family is in Disneyland, eh? That's pretty dang cool! Had June gloom set in yet or is it a bit too early for that? How long will you be there and what kind of stuff do you have planned? Or, I guess by the time you respond to this, what kind of stuff did you do (planned or unplanned!). Disneyland has a lot deeper connection to me than I ever thought it would, now that I think about it. Family trips there along with choir trips there have all been a blast! Ya'll take a ride of Space Mountain for me, will ya? :D I think it was Mom that asked me if I wanted anything in particular from Disneyland. I don't really think so, though if you find something cool that you think I'd like, by all means, go for it! If not, then I'll find something when we all go there again someday :) By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!! You're the best! Be expecting something in the mail from Russia with love! I want you to buy and eat something special for your birthday while you're there in Disneyland, because you're the very best! Cake and ice cream is a most of course, too :) Wow, a bit of a longer e-mail today. Cool! But, my time is up for e-mailing and I've got some rearranging of my suitcases to do! Ya'll have some fun now, ya hear? Thanks :) With love -- Elder Peterson