Hello Family!
So first off KEVIN GIOT BAPTIZED! So great! He's already such a great member and he wants to share the gospel with everyone! He just needs to learn Russian now... haha! I think it is so cool that he has felt the spirit in our church meetings, because he doesn't understand any of it, and I know that none of us are the best of translators, (there are five missionaries who have been out for over a year, other than that, we all came in within a few months of each other. because of the Russian Visas, we all jump into Russia at the same time...) because we're all relatively young in the mission. Regardless of our terrible translating, he still feels the spirit and knows this church is true! So great! I know a lot of that is because of everyone's prayers, (Especially Matt! I baptized him for you after all! [Cousin, not uncle. {Your prayers don't work Uncle Matt. haha! Just kidding!}])
So yesterday my companion and I were knocking and this guy answered the door. He said he was Pravaslavnie (Russian Orthodox) and that he wasn't interested. But I wasn't going to take that excuse. I noticed children running around and in an attempt to keep the door open I said "It seems to me you're a family man?" I thought I could provoke a conversation about family and get him interested, but he rose his eyebrows as if I had said something rude and said "I have no doubts, thank you." and shut the door in my face. So apparently because of the cold, my lips weren't as nimble and also apparently the word for "Family" when used as an adjective sounds unfortunately similar to the word "Doubting". I essentially told him I didn't think he felt his religion was true. My companion and I had a good laugh about that one and I learned a better word to use for "Family Man".
I went on splits with a member of the seventy the other day. He's in our branch and apparently he really liked the spiritual thought I came up with when we were visiting an inactive because he couldn't stop talking about it and he based his whole talk on church about it... haha! But whatever, it's not like I'm gloating.
Dad, I appreciated your email! I'm always happy about getting them! The baptism was so great! I love Kevin so much! He is soo great! I liked your analogy of spring to the resurrection, it was nice. It really is already starting to warm up here. It's enough that I don't die. haha! The people are always in a better mood to talk to you as well right now because the sun is out for the first time in a long time!
My companionship is going well. I really haven't had a bad companionship since my first cycle! I love you all! I have no time! bye!
Love Elder Swartz!
Elder Swartz
Monday, February 20, 2012
Letter #20 from Russia
Hello Everyone! I love you all!
So Kevin didn't get baptized this week!!! He said he wanted nothing to do with us!!... Just kidding. He didn't get baptized, but it was just because we hadn't finished teaching him everything in time... haha! He's such a stud! I love him! I forget sometimes that he's 21. He's like a little kid, and looks a lot younger than he is. But He's humble like a kid to and so willing to listen to the subtle promptings of the Lord. He knows this Gospel is true and it is so cool that we got to watch The Lord make this incredible change within one of our investigators! You can totally see the light in his eyes now!
It. Is. So. Cold. Here. This past week my companion and I were walking around all day in minus 35 Celsius trying to get people to listen to us... We still manage to get one new investigator everyday. That is the promise the Lord has given us and we know that if we don't find excuses because of the cold we will be able to see the fruits of that promise. Just like it says in proverbs 20: 4.
The other day, we dropped into this store to warm up and talk to the employees that work there about the gospel and the lady thought that I was my companion's Russian translator. Haha! He's way better at Russian than me, but his accent is so bad they couldn't tell what he was saying, so I was translating for him... haha! It's so strange, sometimes people here tell you you speak without an accent at all, they think you're a Russki chelovek (russian person) and are so surprised when you say you're from America, but then other times people can't even understand what you're saying when you are just saying hi. I really don't understand it sometimes. I Love the Russians!
So I'm way curious to know who Heather Christensen (second cousin) married! Seriously! Rachel! Figure it out! Get on facebook and ask her! I want to know if I know who he is! Also! Christy doesn't answer my emails when I send them to her! I could just be presumptuous thinking that I deserve a response... but I totally deserve a response! I think I just have the wrong email address or something...
I'm loving everything about my area. I'm loving my mission! I'm loving everything I'm doing! And I've realized that I'm not even close to what I could be as a missionary! haha! You try so hard to forget yourself, but you realize that you never really do. Well, I don't at least. I feel like it is the commandment for us all to be perfect. We all try to do it, but we always fall so embarrassingly short. I am doing what I can every day to become better, but Dear Elder, it's frustrating. I love not being perfect though, if that's not weird. I think if I were perfect, living here would just be boring. I think that's why Jesus died when he was so young. I wouldn't want to have to live here in a state of perfection for 80 years either!
Mother, I noticed we have a Central Perk (cafe/restaurant where FRIENDS all hang out) here in my area that I pass on the way to church... and since I used to call my companion Gunther before I knew him, I suddenly felt like I was in the TV show. I thought you would think that's funny.
I love you all! I'm out of time!
Love Elder Svortz!
So Kevin didn't get baptized this week!!! He said he wanted nothing to do with us!!... Just kidding. He didn't get baptized, but it was just because we hadn't finished teaching him everything in time... haha! He's such a stud! I love him! I forget sometimes that he's 21. He's like a little kid, and looks a lot younger than he is. But He's humble like a kid to and so willing to listen to the subtle promptings of the Lord. He knows this Gospel is true and it is so cool that we got to watch The Lord make this incredible change within one of our investigators! You can totally see the light in his eyes now!
It. Is. So. Cold. Here. This past week my companion and I were walking around all day in minus 35 Celsius trying to get people to listen to us... We still manage to get one new investigator everyday. That is the promise the Lord has given us and we know that if we don't find excuses because of the cold we will be able to see the fruits of that promise. Just like it says in proverbs 20: 4.
The other day, we dropped into this store to warm up and talk to the employees that work there about the gospel and the lady thought that I was my companion's Russian translator. Haha! He's way better at Russian than me, but his accent is so bad they couldn't tell what he was saying, so I was translating for him... haha! It's so strange, sometimes people here tell you you speak without an accent at all, they think you're a Russki chelovek (russian person) and are so surprised when you say you're from America, but then other times people can't even understand what you're saying when you are just saying hi. I really don't understand it sometimes. I Love the Russians!
So I'm way curious to know who Heather Christensen (second cousin) married! Seriously! Rachel! Figure it out! Get on facebook and ask her! I want to know if I know who he is! Also! Christy doesn't answer my emails when I send them to her! I could just be presumptuous thinking that I deserve a response... but I totally deserve a response! I think I just have the wrong email address or something...
I'm loving everything about my area. I'm loving my mission! I'm loving everything I'm doing! And I've realized that I'm not even close to what I could be as a missionary! haha! You try so hard to forget yourself, but you realize that you never really do. Well, I don't at least. I feel like it is the commandment for us all to be perfect. We all try to do it, but we always fall so embarrassingly short. I am doing what I can every day to become better, but Dear Elder, it's frustrating. I love not being perfect though, if that's not weird. I think if I were perfect, living here would just be boring. I think that's why Jesus died when he was so young. I wouldn't want to have to live here in a state of perfection for 80 years either!
Mother, I noticed we have a Central Perk (cafe/restaurant where FRIENDS all hang out) here in my area that I pass on the way to church... and since I used to call my companion Gunther before I knew him, I suddenly felt like I was in the TV show. I thought you would think that's funny.
I love you all! I'm out of time!
Love Elder Svortz!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Letter #19 from Russia
Hello Family and Friends!!
So this week has been sooo great! We have been workign soo hard! We went on splits with the Assistants this past week and this next week I'll be going on splits with the zone leaders, leaving Russia for our Visa trip, and with the help of the Lord, baptizing our good friend Kevin! He's a black African who is sooo spiritual and knows no Russian. But He's learning. Pray for him so that he doesn't change his mind! Especially Matt Rowe (My cousin, not uncle). You need to pray for him so that I can baptize him just for you, just like I promised!
So this week, we were walking and I talked to this guy named AbnormallyAngryRussian and he yelled at me and called me a sectante (The best word for that would be cultist) and pushed me as hard as he could. My comp and I just laughed. Another lady who was walking with her grandkids started screaming at us: "I'M AN ATHEIST!!!!" I feel like that wouldn't be normal in America... but I'm really forgetting what America was like anyways, so whatver.
This next part is sad, so just a warning.
This past friday a member of our prehod (branch) hung himself. He was 24 years old and his name was Viktor. I'd never met him. Four years ago he was completely normal, a genius even. Way talented. (warning: gruesome info ahead) But there was an accident where a branch went through the cavity of his eye, not puncturing it, but going in and messing up his brain. After that he went schizophrenic and had all sorts of problems. He was still able to function, but totally changed. Apparently it was too much for him to handle. God will be the judge of that situation. It was so sad. But his family has seemed to take it okay and the mother was even smiling at the funeral luncheon.
Also, yesterday we had a meeting with an apartment full of... men oriented toward other males. However, a few of them were very intrigued in our message and I could feel like maybe they saw some light through all the darkness they lived in. However the other part of the lesson felt like being a missionary in Sodom and Gomorrah. They were good people, they just didn't see a lot of hope.
It is getting Very cold here. Very. Cold. But, whatevs! It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be though... ish. so that's cool right!? Also, I got a late Christmas present from Ashley, Lindsey, that other one, Liza, and Chelsie that I loved so much! So great! I wanted to say thanks for that! Russian mail is so slow! haha! It was from November. Hey! Also, I can't really take pictures very easily because my second camera got fried from a bad converter... so sad. I've been able to use other peoples cameras at times using my card, but I don't really get to take pictures of my areas that way. It's certainly better having your own camera... Hint.
I love you all! I found a shapka (fur hat) in the snow. I am not dead.
Loves, Elder Svortz.
So this week has been sooo great! We have been workign soo hard! We went on splits with the Assistants this past week and this next week I'll be going on splits with the zone leaders, leaving Russia for our Visa trip, and with the help of the Lord, baptizing our good friend Kevin! He's a black African who is sooo spiritual and knows no Russian. But He's learning. Pray for him so that he doesn't change his mind! Especially Matt Rowe (My cousin, not uncle). You need to pray for him so that I can baptize him just for you, just like I promised!
So this week, we were walking and I talked to this guy named AbnormallyAngryRussian and he yelled at me and called me a sectante (The best word for that would be cultist) and pushed me as hard as he could. My comp and I just laughed. Another lady who was walking with her grandkids started screaming at us: "I'M AN ATHEIST!!!!" I feel like that wouldn't be normal in America... but I'm really forgetting what America was like anyways, so whatver.
This next part is sad, so just a warning.
This past friday a member of our prehod (branch) hung himself. He was 24 years old and his name was Viktor. I'd never met him. Four years ago he was completely normal, a genius even. Way talented. (warning: gruesome info ahead) But there was an accident where a branch went through the cavity of his eye, not puncturing it, but going in and messing up his brain. After that he went schizophrenic and had all sorts of problems. He was still able to function, but totally changed. Apparently it was too much for him to handle. God will be the judge of that situation. It was so sad. But his family has seemed to take it okay and the mother was even smiling at the funeral luncheon.
Also, yesterday we had a meeting with an apartment full of... men oriented toward other males. However, a few of them were very intrigued in our message and I could feel like maybe they saw some light through all the darkness they lived in. However the other part of the lesson felt like being a missionary in Sodom and Gomorrah. They were good people, they just didn't see a lot of hope.
It is getting Very cold here. Very. Cold. But, whatevs! It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be though... ish. so that's cool right!? Also, I got a late Christmas present from Ashley, Lindsey, that other one, Liza, and Chelsie that I loved so much! So great! I wanted to say thanks for that! Russian mail is so slow! haha! It was from November. Hey! Also, I can't really take pictures very easily because my second camera got fried from a bad converter... so sad. I've been able to use other peoples cameras at times using my card, but I don't really get to take pictures of my areas that way. It's certainly better having your own camera... Hint.
I love you all! I found a shapka (fur hat) in the snow. I am not dead.
Loves, Elder Svortz.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Letter #18 from Russia.
Hello Cemya!
So this week has been sooooo long! It's been fun, but being in such a new atmosphere makes it seem like forever ago when I last wrote home. So much has happened!! I can't even start to describe everything!
So I feel like I'm in Russia now. Before, in Penza, I felt as if I were in America with only some very bizarre changes, like everyone speaking Russian... But now, my apartment is a piece of junk, the buildings are much more Russian looking... okay, so maybe that's all that's really different... I love my apartment though! The sink fell off the wall in the bathroom the other day and the kitchen is about the size of our bathroom at home. There is no room! It's really old looking and smelling and it has carpets on the walls for decoration! I really do enjoy it! My new companion is elder Doherty and he is wonderful so far! A lot of energy and willingness. Really nice and a good sociable person. Really has a love for the people here. He is from Alexandria, Virginia. "Really close to DC and all that Jazz" - Elder Doherty.
We have two investigators right now who are pretty good. Kevin and Tidzine. They are from Ethiopia (SP?) and they are very much Black African. So great! They both don't know Russian really at all and they have been here the same amount of time as I have... so that is cool that I can see the difference between someone with the gift of tounges and someone without it... haha! Just kidding... but seriously. We have another investigator Andrei, who is really cool. He is Armenian and is was nice... He kind of thinks the Book of Mormon is blasphemy... but we'll fix that. haha! He keeps reading Wikipedia articles about the church and finding all this stupid stuff about it. He doesn't believe any of it, but he finds it interesting. Go on to wikipedia for me and fix the Russian version because people are messing with it to make people not like our church!
I decided I don't like the word "Sect" anymore...
Holy Pelmeni... It is almost February!!! I can't believe that!!! That's impossible! It didn't hit me until just now! I've been on my mission for so long already, but it seems like I'm still one fo the newest in the field! I feel like such a greenie still! Our meeting house is nice here as well. Lucked out again. It is surrounded by bars and pubs and billiards though... yeah! The branch is big. We are so close to getting a stake here in Saratov!! The goal is to get one here before the end of my mission. I leave at the same time the Mission President and his wife do, so we are working hard to get a stake here before we leave! My Russian isn't a big hinderance anymore. Yes, it is still sooooo far from being fluent. I make SOO many grammar mistakes and have no idea how to say so many words. I don't understand about fifty percent of what people are saying, but I can usually piece it together. Russians are chatter boxes, so I usually get about five explanations of the same thing, which really helps me not miss what they are talking about. The other day, I translated our district meeting from Russian into English for our senior couple living here in Saratov. I really surprised myself. Then later, I translated an entire lesson from english to Russian in real time... which further surprised me. I didn't think I would be able to do it that fluidly, but it just came. It really wasn't that hard to listen and translate and speak all at the same time. I know my grammar was worse than normal while doing it though and I made the most simple of mistakes, but I was rather impressed. I also have no problems speaking in Russian twenty four seven now. Before you get all impressed, I'm telling you that I don't do that with my companion right now. It's better to fluidly understand your companion and have open communication between the two of you so that there aren't any problems, but I have spent days with Native Russians and got along just fine without any problems communicating with them.
So I was reading in Matthew 25 andI really liked where it says the people didn't understand what Jesus meant when he said thy had fed him and clothed him and stuff and he says inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my bretheren, you have done it unto me. I've always thought of that like "You're not REALLY doing it unto me, I'm just telling you that to emphasize that you need to serve your bretheren." But today it hit me that that scripture gives us a lot more information about the atonement than we realize. He walked with Every person through life and knows EVERYTHING. Maybe even experienced it just like we did. When we do something to someone, we are literally doing it to Jesus as He is walking along life with them. Anyway! I have no time! I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be here! I love you all and I hope you are all doing well!
Love Elder Swartz!
So this week has been sooooo long! It's been fun, but being in such a new atmosphere makes it seem like forever ago when I last wrote home. So much has happened!! I can't even start to describe everything!
So I feel like I'm in Russia now. Before, in Penza, I felt as if I were in America with only some very bizarre changes, like everyone speaking Russian... But now, my apartment is a piece of junk, the buildings are much more Russian looking... okay, so maybe that's all that's really different... I love my apartment though! The sink fell off the wall in the bathroom the other day and the kitchen is about the size of our bathroom at home. There is no room! It's really old looking and smelling and it has carpets on the walls for decoration! I really do enjoy it! My new companion is elder Doherty and he is wonderful so far! A lot of energy and willingness. Really nice and a good sociable person. Really has a love for the people here. He is from Alexandria, Virginia. "Really close to DC and all that Jazz" - Elder Doherty.
We have two investigators right now who are pretty good. Kevin and Tidzine. They are from Ethiopia (SP?) and they are very much Black African. So great! They both don't know Russian really at all and they have been here the same amount of time as I have... so that is cool that I can see the difference between someone with the gift of tounges and someone without it... haha! Just kidding... but seriously. We have another investigator Andrei, who is really cool. He is Armenian and is was nice... He kind of thinks the Book of Mormon is blasphemy... but we'll fix that. haha! He keeps reading Wikipedia articles about the church and finding all this stupid stuff about it. He doesn't believe any of it, but he finds it interesting. Go on to wikipedia for me and fix the Russian version because people are messing with it to make people not like our church!
I decided I don't like the word "Sect" anymore...
Holy Pelmeni... It is almost February!!! I can't believe that!!! That's impossible! It didn't hit me until just now! I've been on my mission for so long already, but it seems like I'm still one fo the newest in the field! I feel like such a greenie still! Our meeting house is nice here as well. Lucked out again. It is surrounded by bars and pubs and billiards though... yeah! The branch is big. We are so close to getting a stake here in Saratov!! The goal is to get one here before the end of my mission. I leave at the same time the Mission President and his wife do, so we are working hard to get a stake here before we leave! My Russian isn't a big hinderance anymore. Yes, it is still sooooo far from being fluent. I make SOO many grammar mistakes and have no idea how to say so many words. I don't understand about fifty percent of what people are saying, but I can usually piece it together. Russians are chatter boxes, so I usually get about five explanations of the same thing, which really helps me not miss what they are talking about. The other day, I translated our district meeting from Russian into English for our senior couple living here in Saratov. I really surprised myself. Then later, I translated an entire lesson from english to Russian in real time... which further surprised me. I didn't think I would be able to do it that fluidly, but it just came. It really wasn't that hard to listen and translate and speak all at the same time. I know my grammar was worse than normal while doing it though and I made the most simple of mistakes, but I was rather impressed. I also have no problems speaking in Russian twenty four seven now. Before you get all impressed, I'm telling you that I don't do that with my companion right now. It's better to fluidly understand your companion and have open communication between the two of you so that there aren't any problems, but I have spent days with Native Russians and got along just fine without any problems communicating with them.
So I was reading in Matthew 25 andI really liked where it says the people didn't understand what Jesus meant when he said thy had fed him and clothed him and stuff and he says inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my bretheren, you have done it unto me. I've always thought of that like "You're not REALLY doing it unto me, I'm just telling you that to emphasize that you need to serve your bretheren." But today it hit me that that scripture gives us a lot more information about the atonement than we realize. He walked with Every person through life and knows EVERYTHING. Maybe even experienced it just like we did. When we do something to someone, we are literally doing it to Jesus as He is walking along life with them. Anyway! I have no time! I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be here! I love you all and I hope you are all doing well!
Love Elder Swartz!
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