July 1st, 2013. Last one!!

From what I know, I will NOT be checking my email after this point, so I don't think it would be worth it to write me. 

Mother to answer your question about the reunion thing on monday or tuesday... I don't know. It honestly just depends on how I feel at the time... I know that sounds really fickle, but I can't give you a solid answer. Maybe I'll be drop dead tired because of the thirty hours of flights and layovers and messed up sleep schedule. Maybe I'll be just fine because my sleep schedule is off and because of the jet lag I'll be fine at night and tired at another time. Maybe it'll hit me the next day... I honestly have no Idea. I would say... I'd like to plan it for Monday night though. I can't think of anything else I would want to do than spend time with my family my first day back, so I feel like I'd like that.

So I can't even tell you how weird it is to know that by this time next week I'll be on a plane. I keep telling myself "It's just another transfer, don't think about it..." But as much as I wish I could think about it that way... my brain is not THAT dumb. I'm doing my best at keeping myself going! I must say, I really appreciate the support! I don't feel like I've gotten one trunky comment from anyone back at home, at least, not Too trunky. I'm so grateful that you have all helped me be my best throughout my mission and have done nothing but encourage me! I really can't tell you how many angels one prayer sends, but I know I've had probably a billion angels helping me throughout my mission. Thank you all so much.

I don't have really much else to say this week. Please pray for the people here in Penza. Pray for the members and the people who are close to the truth! Satan has so many more bases here, so many more soldiers and the Lord has so much less help. If your prayers have sent that many angels to me, I know that The Lord will send that many Angels to these people as well!

I love you all! I'm SOOOO excited to see you next week!

June 23, 2013

Hey everyone!!!

So this week has been very... good!

Our numbers weren't that great, but that's just becasue we went on exchanges. but other than that, it was a great week.

So that boy who almost killed himself, he's still alive, and he's actually woken up out of his coma and is talking and can ask questions and stuff. It is way weird. No one was expecting him to even live, and the doctors said that if he did, he would only be a vegetable. They're freaking out because of his insanely fast recovery. He jumped out of a window on the fifth story of his apartment building and to avoid making you all squeemish, I'll avoid using the word "smashed" and instead I'll say he bumped his head.

The fact that he's alive is a miracle in itself. The fact that he's already to that level of recovery in 6 days is like... it's like seeing someone come back from the dead. A miracle, a really big one. It was all his mother's faith. She fasted since the day it happened. (not healthy. Don't do that.) We're really hoping that he'll make a good recovery, when before, there was no chance. I can't even describe how amazed I am at the Lord every day here. I just I could call down that power more... haha! I guess I'll just never understand the will of the Lord. 

Let's see... I don't really have a ton to say this week other than I got really trunky yesterday at church. Not for home. For the Temple. I realized that I can go to the temple again in two weeks and I got soooo excited. 

Man, I wish I had more things to say, but I really don't. I just feel really weird, a ton happened this week, but I don't even know what. Haha! Maybe I should have wrote stuff down...

Well, I'll just end it here. I really love you all. Please stay safe. Just don't do anything stupid just a little bit longer. 

Love Elder Swartz

June 17th, 2013

So this week has been a very, very difficult week. There were also some really, really great parts, but my mission is bringing me different experiences it seems everyday.

I'm okay, don't worry. But there been a big issue that happened in the branch that resulted in an attempted suicide. I only say attempted because he hasn't died yet. He'll die probably today or tomorrow. Without going into details, he received a traumatic head injury that he will not be recovering from. And me, being the senior elder in Penza, I've been tagged as the translator between... well everyone. I don't mean to make myself out as some scarred, tragic, pity-case. In fact, it's been very interesting being in the middle of it. I've got a lot of positive things from it happening as well, but it definitely has been one of the more difficult things that has happened on my mission. The mother is in shock right now, probably denial. The father is taking it really hard, and the brother is probably finding out about it right now as I'm typing this from his mission president. 

It's really weird.

I'm honestly doing fine though. In fact, we had one of the funnest weekends in my entire mission. Weall went down to Saratov for a district conference and it was an incredible opportunity to say goodbye to my favorite missionaries and members. I got to see Kevin there!! We were super happy to see each other! He's been reading the Book of Mormon, but he's still having a hard time. Mary, he said he wanted to thank you for that letter he got from you. He aid at first, he was offended, it was pretty bold. But as he thought about it, his heart was softened as he realized what love he felt from it, a girl he didn't even know who cared about him. He said it gave him a lot of strength to keep reading the Book of Mormon and keep trying.

I really don't have any time, I have a lot of stuff to do to clean up the situation that's happening here. It's weird that I'm even involved, I wish that I didn't have to worry about it, but because of the nature of the issues, I got placed right in the hot spot. Pray for this family that they will be able to feel the power of te Atonement working in them and so that they will be able to come closer to God because of it.

Thank you dad for your letter. Happy Father's day. I'll consider myself a step ahead of you because I already think that I have the best dad in the world and I already figured that out a long time ago. Yeah, maybe I had some stuff to work out within myself, but honestly I think that every teenager takes for granted what his family really is until he sees a million other ones that are 1000 times worse. Then he realizes there are no perfet families and suddenlyhe is so grateful for how functional his family is and that he has a father who not only doesn't come home drunk but is probably one of the best (but not perfect, which I'm glad for) examples of a good priesthood holder and a patriarch of his household. Thanks for your support.

Loves, 

Elder Swartz.

June 10th, 2013

Hey everyone!

So, I just got kind of interrupted by President Sartori calling me during email, so I won't get as much time as I had planned, I even tried to plan in more time today as well! Oh well.

Sooo... Elmira's still in the same boat... but her boat is sinking. She said she feels like her desire to be baptised isn't as strong as it was before, and she isn't sure if she wants to do it now. I feel like it's just her way of telling herself that it's not what she needs because she doesn't have any hope for herself getting baptised. We're trying to support her, but it is obvious that she's losing the spirit. I really don't know what to do about it... It's been really eating at me. I guess I just have to wait on the Lord. I think this is why families aren't forever outside of the covenant... so that the wives don't have to be hooked to some guy who loved alcohol more than them. 

Dad, I'm glad that you took Mary's threat/advice to heart and went to relax with Mom. I'm sure she really appreciated that. I loved the pictures you took! I feel like everytime I take a picture it never does a justice... I don't feel like you ave that problem with your photography. Rachel has got you on a good path! haha! 

So I had an interview with President Sartori this past week... haha! Oh man... If only you could have been there! It was very... not what I expected. It was WAY good, don't get me wrong! Really good info, tips and pointers that will honestly help me a lot. I actually really appreciated him talking to me about the stuff he did, because I honestly would have never asked anyone about it... ever. haha! Well, MAYBE mom and dad... but not even sure about that. Anyway, it was a great interview. I feel much more prepared for life. 

So essentially, satan's a jerk and he knows it. The work is going well, but the results are few. I couldn't ask for a harder/better mission. It's been what I need, and it's pushed me in ways I would have never expected. Looking back on it, I see so much more of what it has done for me and to me...

I'm really loving my mission, even though it's like a frustrating child... Even with all the gray hairs, I couldn't imagine my life without it.

Loves, Elder Swartz

June 2nd, 2013

Holy Moses, everyone had such cool weeks!!

We had a great week this week as well!

This week we had a training meeting and got some great inspiration for how to be better missionaries, but honestly, I got some awesome insights for after my mission. It was a unique conference because it was supposed to be President Sartori's last conference, so he gave us his last two cents of what he wants us to become and keep becoming after we come home. It was really insightful and I can honestly say that I received some good revelations for my life after the mission. Not in a trunky way, but how I can continue to grow as a missionary, even after my mission. It was very cool to be on such meeting with president, it had a very different feel to it because of the fact that he was set to leave in three weeks.

However, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

President Sartori got called to stay another month because our new mission president ran into some health problems when he got his examination for his mission. Cool thing though, if he hadn't gotten called, and accepted the call (meaning getting everything ready to take a two year leave from his work, he's fifty five) he would have probably died because they wouldn't have gotten any medical tests done on him before it got out of hand. Heavenly Father's the best, huh?

That means I get my exit interview with him! I'm happy about that! haha!

Mary, I'm so happy that you had a wedding that you got to help with, but honestly, the coolest part of your email was the double baptism! Man, if I had that happen to me... I don't even know what I'd do! You're mission must be such an adventure! Thanks for the pictures! It's been fun to see them throughout your mission!

Mom, So glad that you're having a blast on the coast! That sounds so fun! But honestly, I can't even tell you how happy I am that I'm not there. Is that weird? I just love NOT doing that sort of stuff right now. Yeah, sure it will be fun when the time comes, but I'm just so happy that I can continute doing what I'm doing right now for the time I have left!

Dad, sorry you're stuck at home doing stuff, but you've always liked your hobbies. I need to come home and get into that stuff with you! I always wanted to do stuff with you, I just never wanted to at the time you actually were doing it... haha! I'll really try to make time to learn how to do stuff with you when I get home!

Well, I've got no time (like always!) I love you all so much! 

Loves!

Elder Swartz

May 27th, 2013

Hey everyone!

So firts off, Happy Birthday Mary!!! S dnyom razhdenya!!!!

So, next... we went to Elmira to give her a present (we made their family peach cobbler) in hopes to soften the hearts of her family members... yeah... didn't work... Maybe if it was the daugter, but the daughter was gone with her boyfriend and Elmira's husband was in a BAD mood. She answered the door and thought it was so sweet we dropped by with food and invited us in... then the husband blew up at us. I've never been treated more like a dog in my life. He just acted as if we were animals that had wondered into his apartment. Pretty much threw us out, just yelling the whole time. Elmira ran out and talked with us to make us feel better, she said her husband had had a bad day at work and they were just working on replacing their shower, which had broken, so he was in a terrible mood. So much for being guided by the Spirit to come on a good day... After talking it over with my companion though, we came to the conclusion that it didn't make thigns any worse, and who knows? Maybe he'll like the peach cobbler... and feel bad for how he acted and next time he'll apologize and then get baptised... yeah... probably not any time soon... 

I really don't know what to do about Elmira. We're honestly trying everything possible. Other than Divorce. I don't think she has the guts, and honestly, I couldn't ask her to do that wen she still has a daughter living at home. That's not what our church is about. We want families to stay together and heal... She seems pretty worn down by this guy though. She tries so hard to serve him, talk with him, and let him know she loves him, and he treats her like dirt and ignores her.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'd love to see her get baptized, but the husband is not budging. As much as I'd love to say that if we all have faith, something will happen, but when we really understand what a prayer of faith really is, it is not to change the will of the Lord. I have to be content with His timing. Even if that means someone else is suffering and I won't be here when they finally find releif. Man, that's a bummer. I guess I'm lucky, at least I don't have to watch innocent women and children get burned because of their faith. I should count myself blessed.

This week, other than that, has truly been awesome! Although I am still sooooo far away from perfection, I can honestly say that I feel good with the amount that I'm pushing. There is so much I could do that I honestly don't... but I really feel like I can say that I know the Lord is pleased with me... at least at this moment... haha!

I love you all! I look forward to hearing from you next week!

Elder Swartz

May 13th, 2013

So, once upon a time, I talked to you all on Sunday, last night.

That was great. However, I feel as if I don't really have much to talk about now because... well, I already talked about it with you all. Oh, I guess I have a story.

So we were going to this less active guy named Felix. His record said that he posed a lot of questions and was really critical. I wasn't too excited to deal with that, but I figured we should probably figure out if this guy was still alive. Seriously, 70 years old is OLD for here in Russia. So we go over, and his wife immediately invites us in. No yelling. cool. He comes out and sits down across from us. He has a SUPER nice apartment that felt so welcoming and honestly felt like home. We sat down and he was very nice. We talked about life, purpose, and God. He was a very intelligent man and very sharp. There was no arguing, no bitterness toward the church. Only fond memories and respect. We asked him why the last time he came was ten years ago, and he said that he couldn't fake being a believer. He said he'd love to believe, that his life would be better if he did, but he wasn't going lie to himself and say he did. He said he had tried, but he couldn't continue because if God really did exist, he wasn't going to mock Him by pretending. It was very interesting. As we were talking, he simply expressed so much doubt and felt like things many saw as the hand of God were simply coincidences. I mentally poured out my soul to the Lord for this man, asking what I could say to lead him back. I got this impression to ask him what his thoughts were on death. He seemed to not know what to say. He said that it had always been something he thought about, as with everyone else. I specified the question and asked if it had recently been something troubling him. He didn't really know how to answer and finally said that the older you get, the more it hangs over you. I testified about life after death and how I knew that there was more than just the material world. If you didn't know, for some reason on my mission, I never cry. I cry everyonce in a while during personal study, or during testimony meetings at Zone conference, but on lessons, there have been very few occasions that I have even shed a tear. This was one of those rare times. As I testified, for some strange reason, a few tears began to flow, and I was surprised. I had testified thousands of times about the same thing. Why was I feeling it so strongly right now?  My companion came in and testified and backed me up and before he could say anything we said that we were out of time and said we'd like to pray to end. I meant to ask him who he'd like to pray, but for some reason I asked him IF he'd like to pray. I was surprised I even said this and expected him to refuse because of him previously saying he didn't like to put on a face of believing when he really didn't. Even more surprising was when he said yes. We all kneeled and his prayer went like this "Heavenly Father. Today was a very bad day for me. This morning I was diagnosed with a heart disease that the doctors told would kill me if I didn't undergo an operation. And even the, my chances of living they said were hard to determine. Thank you for sending these young men to me today. Not Yesterday, nottomorrow, but today. I am a man of many doubts. But one thing I know for sure. This morning I was devastated, where as now I am filled with peace and happiness. I know that was no coincidence." 

I'm out of time. 

Elder Swartz.

May 6th, 2013

Destin just said the pictures took so long to upload that he had zero time to write. So enjoy the pics this week! Sorry I couldn't/wouldn't rotate them. :) You'll just have to turn your heads. :)

April 29th, 2013

Hey!! How are you all!?

So we have this investigator, Elmira. She is an angel. She is so ready to get baptised, and she worked up the courage to tell her husband and his reply: "You can do whatever you want... after we get divorced." 

Devil.

So he put this ultimatum on her, and she's determined to get baptised, but she doesn't want to get divorced... so she's stuck between to flames right now. 

She brought her friend and her friends daughters to chuch with her this week. They all loved it and are coming next week. I love people who have caught the fire and just want to spread the joy with those around them! It's one of my favorite part of seeing someone's progress in the gospel, because they become this big... candle! that's not under a bushel! 

This week ahs been really bi-polar weather-wise... cold hot cold hot. It's not too bad, but the rain ruins it. I don't like rain very much as a missionary. 

So I didn't write anything down in my planner about what I wanted to share this week... so I'll just share 5 things I'm grateful for about serving a mission here. These are not in order of appreciation, I'm just thinking of them as I go.

1: I love learning how to live with someone. If I didn't learn how to do this, then what on earth would make me change myself so that I was more pleasant to be around? honestly, I would do what I wanted my way all the time and... no one likes that guy.

2: I love learning what a companion did for you months, even years down the road. I'm still learning things from my trainer, things I didn't realize he taught me at the time. Yeah, I had a tough time with him, but as every trainee does, I take back the way I thought I felt about him. 

3: I'm grateful for the faces I've remembered. Many of these people I won't see until the other side of the veil, but now I realize that that's simply what I said to them last time too. Luckily next time, I won't ever have to say that again. Plus, this time when I go through the veil, I won't forget them.

4: I'm grateful for strengthening my friendship with God. To paraphrase Regina Spektor, many people laugh at God until something bad happens in their life. No one's laughing at God when their kid doesn't come home from his party. No one's laughing at God with their husband walks out on them with three kids and no job. I'm glad to say that now, I really understand a lot better my relationship with him. I'm happy to say that I can laugh with God.

5: I'm grateful for my family... finally. haha! I always loved you guys and everything, but I had a hard time showing it. And honestly, I don't know how easy it will be for me to show it when I see you again, hopefully easier... haha! But honestly, I did not appreciate what I had. I have seen a million and one different paths of life at this point. I have seen dark paths and light paths. Crooked paths and straight. I can never deny that the straightest, brightest path I have seen out of all of them are the paths of people in THIS chruch when they work together as a faimly. I want to cherish that more. it's a rare blessing in this world.

There are a billion other things that I'm grateful for because of the knowledge and experience I have obtained here, but my little activity to drain time worked... and now I'm out of time. 

Love you all!!

Elder Skvortz.

PS: Christy, I'm sorry, I don't have time to write you back this week!!! Write me aother email and I'll write you next week!! But write me so that I don't forget!

April 14th, 2013

Hey everyone! 

Mary, I forgot to say, last week, I really enjoyed the picture you sent. We think alike... I tried taking the exact same one, but my companion thought it was disrespectful and refused to take it... haha! I showed the sisters in my district. They said that you'd be the kind of girl they would judge and hate because you were so pretty. Then I said I had no idea what they were talking about and they flipped out at me because I obviously had no taste in women or something(I know you're pretty, but It's hard to judge when it's your sister). They said you looked like, model material or something. Don't let it get to your head. haha! If you didn't get that this was a compliment, it was, but I felt awkward saying it.

So... this week, two of our elders are getting kicked out of Russia... They accidentally walked on to a secret airforce base or something, which was not marked obviously... being secret and all... now they are never allowed to come to Russia ever again... yep. Glad it's not me! But at the same time, they'll probably be going to the prebaltics or Ukraine, so actually they're lucky cuz Ukraine is beautiful!

Elder Bukanov is leaving to Ulyanovsk to train. And I'm staying here in Penza training again. I'll probably finish my mission here in Penza, which I'm way happy about.

Hmmmm... So we have this member, Alyona, she is wonderful, but she randomly decided to leave the church a little while ago, because she found this tool boyfriend. Karoche, this week she secretly called Lilya, one of my favorite members here and told her that she wanted to come to conference but her boyfriend didn't want her to. She said she was sick of him and made the biggest mistake of her life deciding to marry him. She caled off the marraige and told him she was going to church and he told her he wouldn't let her, so she snuck over with Lilya. I was at the church building and these guys were waiting for Alyona so that they could grab her and drive off. They figured she would try to sneak out. She ran up to the door, but her slimy boyfriend grabbed her and was trying to get her into the car. I ran out of site and sound of my companion to go and rescue her, but this huge guy appeared out of nowhere and the look on his face was serious. I knew I wouldn't be able to get past him. Lilya ran up and grabbed Alyona, she was in better range, but another guy went up and was ripping her off. That's when I yelled for my companion and Zhenya to come and help. Zhenya comes out, a tough guy with tatoos (in Russia each tatoo has a specific symbol, and his tatoos were a sign to anyone who understood that he was VERY dangerous)  and the other big guy almost wets himself and backs off. We get the guys off Alyona and call the police, but they take off. I got the license plate number though and was pretty much a hero... haha!

Pretty dramatic. That's a really fast, watered down version of the story, but essentially... I hate satan.

I'm out of time, I wanted to say so much more! We've got a baptism coming up if the husband doesn't forbid it! Prayer for her! Her name is Elmira!

Love you all!

Elder Swartz!

April 8th, 2013

Hello family and friends.

This week has been an adventure. We were pretty much outside of our area the entire week on splits. First with the sisters, then off to Samara on a day train to go on splits with the leaders there. oh if you're confused about the sister splits... you should be. so were we. oh well. haha! It was really just us working all together for a day, knocking, contacting, meetings. pretty fun. Splits with the Leaders were fun as well, but because of all the hustle, we got 3 days in our area. Even then, we did well and we were just as successful as any of the other elders and sisters in our district. Yeah for an understanding Heavenly Father. Ha, so on the train, my companion had gone to sleep and I got up to go to the bathroom and there was this drunk guy who got mad at me... for... uh... being. and he tried to punch me in the face, but very much missed. But he hit my shoulder pretty hard. It didn't hurt, I was more just confused. So I just turned around and went back to my cabin and chuckled for a moment. Russia. haha! 

I love how Russia is two weeks behind everything because I don't get caught off guard with holidays or Conference! I get emails about how awesome it all was and I remember "oh yeah, that stuff exists" and then I am ready when it comes to Russia. Conference should be soon here, so I'm excited about that.  So right now our area is doing well, We really have some stud investigators and I have pretty high hopes for their baptisms. They may not get baptized with me, but I feel like it will happen eventually. I really feel like this is the prime of my mission. I'm not nervous at all about my teaching ability (finally), although I still have not Mastered Russian, I am rarely misunderstood. I feel like the spirit is guiding me and I feel as though I am seeing the fruits of my labor. I just received news that a girl I found and worked with in another city is getting baptized this next week. There is nothing else that I can think of that brings more peace to my heart than knowing that the Lord is the one in charge of it all, even when I forget that. Even when I don't get to see the whole scheme, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. That's the whole point of our message, finding faith in things that you've never seen. 

So I'm really happy to say that... well... I'm just happy. I can't think of a better place in the world for me right now. Not Home. Not Asia. Not Disneyland. Here. My goal now is to come home on a stretcher from working so hard. I hear it happens. haha! Mary, push as hard as you possibly can to the end. I want to be able to say that I worked harder than you, but I don't want to win just because you slacked off at the end. (I'm absolutely positive that you aren't, but we're all human, right?) Yes. That's a challenge.

I love you all. 

Elder Swartz!

April 1st, 2013

So people, how's the weather?

This week has just been a whole bunch of Russia being indecisive about warming up. Lot's of melting and freezing. Spring is on it's way though. I'm pretty much ready for it. Puddles = Satan when your shoes are already filled with almost two years of hard work... and big holes... So Elder Michaelis just showed me a picture of his neices and nephew and said "These guys totally beat your neices and nephews" and I have to admit, the picture was way adorable... but then I threw back all the stories that Rachel has told me about Maddie and Boston... and he knew he was defeated. I'm serious, you should have seen the look on his face when he realized that my neices and nephews were better. haha! He didn't admit it out loud though.

So also, we now have permission to email friends because of a first presidency decision... I may not be super good at rezponding depending on how often I get emails, but I thought I'd throw that out there. 

It was easter on sunday...? Huh... weird. Here in Russia, Easter isn't until May 5th... happy easter I guess though!

Mother, I was thinking the other day and I was reminded of a recipe that would be very good. You know that one baked chicken and rice stuff with the cream of chicken and bacon/ham sauce? yeah, thad be kool if you tossed that my way. We've been having cook offs with members, competing who can make the best meals as of late... it's been really fun, and filled with more dinner appointments I've ever had. Sometimes I win, sometimes they win, but it's all just delicious food in the end... haha! I'm ashamed to say that I have gained I think five pounds of the unfortunate kind of weight. haha!

So this week, I yelled at my companion... yeah. It wasn't his fault. I had just gottten chewed out by people on the phone and other circumstances stacked up and I was doing a good job at keeping my cool and being patient and then he did something really small that he was just joking about and I meant to "play" frustrated, but a bit of realy frustration spilled out and I raised my voice a bit. only for one word and I bit my tongue and felt really bad and went red in the face... he is SOOO great though because he immediately shrugged it off and we were friends again in three seconds. Man, that's the second time I've let my emotions out of hand, the first time was my first cycle in an understandable situation, this one I felt waayy bad for though... But I learned a lot about myself though!

So to be honest, I'm... how do I put this. I'm not an "Always" missionary. At least, not the kind of Always missionary that I wanted and expected to be. I don't "Always" put in 100% like I wish I would and there are SOOO many times where I KNOW I should do something and I KNOW it's a prompting from the spirit... and I DONT DO IT!!! So there's that... and yes. It bothers me. BUT! I've become an a different kind of Always missionary in the fact that I understand that I can ALWAYS change. I can ALWAYS come back to Christ, because he is ALWAYS waiting with open arms. And I've been prepared to be an ALWAYS person. As a normal person, I'm not always going to be perfect. That's not the game though. It's about ALWAYS coming back. always trying again. Always doing a bit better. So, yeah, I haven't become the perfect, "Always" missionary that I expected, but I've become something that I didn't expect. I still have time though, and I can do a lot better before the end of my mission! I'm going to finish off with no regrets! Thanks for your constant support and encouragement! Love you all!

K bye.

Elder Swartz!

March 25th, 2013

Hello Fam.

So this week's been good. We're working hard and our investigators are progressing well. I'm really hoping for a baptism this cycle, but it seems it's not going to happen! Satan! But hopefully They will trust in God enough to understand what's best...

Inregards to who gives the best emails... I'd have to say Rachel. Long emails are the best. haha! Plus, she tells me about all the fun things that happened that week, even if she thinks it'll be boring, she writes it anyway, because it was what she enjoyed. Dad, you give good emails, really good advice! but I'd love to hear more about what's going on with you and your life. Mom, your emails are a good balance and I love them, but Rachel still has you beat... maybe it's all her practice with blogging... haha! But honestly I loved all your letters this week! Mary's was good too! 

Let's see... I can't think of anything that really happened this week different... We watched seventeen miracles for family night with the branch, that was fun, even the translation is just one man talking with a monotone voice the entire time... somehow, you can still get into it. haha! Elder Bukanov and I have really just been having a lof fun in Penza and we're working with a lot of really good people. 

Mary, I totally know what you mean about branch council! I had the exact same situation! I took it for granted!! But now all the youth in Penza are on Missions, which is way sad, but there is suddenly tons of little kids now because of recent baptisms or re-activations. It's way fun, but pretty distracting sometimes. I love it though! Little Masha is so funny! She has recently discovered that missionaries will let her draw in their planners, as long as she asks, so she'll take my planner and draw these super funny pictures in them. She's four. I really just love it. 

This past week, I lost both of my name tags... with in three days of each other! That the first time on my mission that I've lost a nametag... and I lose both of them... ugh. So I've been running around like some normal citizen... haha! Pretty fun! Not really, I'm excited to get my new nametags... too bad I have to wait till the next cycle starts!

So... I'm out of time... haha! Loves! 

March 11th, 2013

So I don't have a lot of time this week...

First off... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!! and Bastion! He can't read this though so it's mainly for mom. I'm glad you had a good birthday and I'm so glad that you were able to spend it with family! This year, I don't get to, but I definitely am looking forward to next year when I can. I did not cherish you guys enough! Also, Thanks for sending Cergei that package!! That is the best present I could have asked for!!

I lost my nail clippers again this week... I always lose my nailclippers for some reason... and asked my comp if I could borrow his... And he grabs a pair of scissors and hands them to me. I've never   done that before... but it turned out fine, then I watched him do it and it was crazy how fast and smooth he did it... Who knew!

So Igor, who's getting baptised soon, was talking to us on sunday. We're just chatting and he tells us this story about how he was pronounced dead. He was riding his bike a few years back and he got hit by a car. He had hit his head and in the hospital they were having a hard time keeping him alive. His brain kept flickering on and off and finally, everything shut down. They pronounced him dead. He said when he woke up, he was naked as a baby laying down. He had a tag on his leg and they were getting him ready for the autopsy. A lady walked in and told him they should take him back to the hospital. I asked if she was surprized or anything and he said no. As if it happens all the time or something... They should really redifine "dead" here... it could probably fix a few morbid mix ups...

I don't have any more time this week. I wanted to thank Chris and Rachel for your letters! I really appreciated the council and I'll do my best not to relax till I'm done!

I love you all!!

Elder Swartz!

March 3rd, 2013

Hello Family!

This week has been a fun one. We've been having some good lessons and we're trying to help a few people decide to get baptized, but they are still fresh and don't feel ready! I really don't have a ton to write home about... I'm glad that this week has been a good one at home. Seem's like Tiff is adjusting well if she's going on that many dates. haha! Tell her she at least has to put off her wedding until I come home!  Cool that Lone peak is doing well in basketball right now! That's exciting! 

Hmmm....

So I was at a member's place the other day and he jumped on to my facebook page while I was there. I felt weird... but I wasn't the one on it! haha! He only got on for a second to add me as a friend and I saw a picture of Ashley, Jamie, Kendra, and Lizzie all holding flags and books of mormon and standing in front of the Provo temple! I didn't have enough time to see what flags they were before he got off the computer, but if I'm guessing correctly... Jamie and Kendra need to write me. I'm assuming they got ther calls... Weird. Lindsey, if you even still read this, then tell them they better write me!!

As of late, I've really been thinking about how I can gain more divine light and it's been a really good study topic to dive into. I thought about this a while ago, and I may have shared this already with you, but I was thinking about it even more today and I was able to go deeper. If a person walks into a dark room, he has to touch things to figure out what they are. Unfortunately, that's a dangerous way to discover if you've wandered into the wrong kind of room.  A room full of hot stoves and irons is a dangerous place for someone with no light. Just like that, if we have no spiritual light, then we are wandering around without any sort of warnings as to what is important, what is desirable and especially, what is dangerous. we have to touch, try, and experiment in order to discover. Thanks to spiritual light, we can know what is dangerous before we get burned, or hurt, or trapped. Not only that, we can know what is desirble and important instead of wasting our time touching and feeling things trying to figure out if it's worth our while. I love a scripture I found, I can't remember exactly where, it was a while ago, but it said that whatever is light, is discernable. Whatever is discernable is good. I think it was something like that.  It's either in Alma 32... or maybe in D&C 121... I don't remember. Essentially, it goes back to the idea that the more light we have, the more knowledge we gain and at an incredibly faster rate. The more knowledge we obtain, the more we can love those around us. Without knowledge We cannot truly love because we cannot truly understand.  We cannot help. That's why Christ can love us like He does, because He understands. That's why He can help. Man, I could go deeper and deeper, but I don't have time... 

Looks like I had something to write about after all...

Loves,

Elder Skvortz

Feb. 24th, 2013

Hey everyone!! 

This week has been a fun one! And I don't expect it to get any worse! yeah! 

First, I want to say that Rachel, your pictures probably made me the trunkiest missionary in the mission... not really, but I was SOOOOO jealous!!! All those pictures of the beach and the private islands and private cabinas!!! That is my dream vacation! Harry Potter world and FREE Universal studios! Swimming with sting rays and dolphins!! Holy cow! Just how rich are you guys!? And then to top it all off, your snarky little email about you eating an awesome fudge sunday relaxing and watching a movie. Certainly didn't help me concentrate... haha!  But, I just had this weird rotten tomato thing that actually isn't a tomato and it was way good. We've been having good succes lately with the members and with investigators, and there is a guy getting lined up to be baptized. So, as much fun as your great and spacious cruise ships may be, I'm happy eating my fruit over here. :)  PS: Happy birthday!

Dang... I have no time... Sooo it's been funny to read all your emails because it seems like your winter has been a lot worse than mine... haha! The snow is constantly melting... meaning it's above freezing where I'm at... at least in the day. The sun is pretty much always out and it is SOOO nice! I'm loving it! And the Russians are too. They haven't seen a mild winter like this in a LOOONG time! I haven't needed to where a hat barely at all, wearing a scarf is completely unneeded, and mittens burn me up. It's soo nice! I remember last year when it was... not like this. I'm glad I experienced it once... but just once.

This week, we went to "Snyezhnaya Koroleva" The snow queen. It was a fun culture activity, and it was interesting to see a fairytale I did not know. Also, I just had a SUPER amazing Shaurma (uzbekistanian version of a burrito) and it was probably the best thing I ever ate. Also, this week we're going over to a members house and I'm teaching them how to make mexican food! As long as we can finish in under an hour... haha! 

I'm just in a good mood lately! The Lord's really been blessing our district and we've been having a lot of fun working hard here in Penza! Haha! So my companion, he's wonderful! We went knocking yesterday and everyone we talked to was super nice. Then on the third door, they let us in and we had an awesome lesson. We went home and I suggested we knock in that area some more another day. My companion looks at me as if I'm crazy and says I'm a fanatic. (not in an offensive way, don't worry) He calls me a knocking Nazi and thinks that we do it way too much and says "it sucks". This is funny to me because we have been knocking for two and a half hours tops this cycle, (two or three times for maybe an hour) each time was awesome and we got let in. He has no idea what he's in for... haha!

Dang it! I don't have time! I was going to share a story about a cool investigator! Oh well, if they progress, then I'll tell you next week! Love you all!

Feb. 10th, 2013

Hello family and friends!

So this week has been a really fun one and interesting one. Being in Penza again is awesome! I love these people so much! The members here are such incredible people! Also, it's fun to see Stas and Lena as strong members now and not just investigators that you're worried about all the time. It's weird to be in the other area and not be able to visit the members that I could before because they aren't in my boundaries, but it's exciting to visit different ones that I could never visit before! The area was supposedly dead for a long time, and then suddenly right before I came it exploded, so instead of coming into an empty area with nothing to do, I've been trying to juggle al the people and teaching records, what makes it harder is that while the transfer was happening, the phone for this area got lost, so they gave me a new phone with... no numbers on it. So that really makes things difficult.  But I'm starting to get ahold of things, so it's going okay.

so I was right about getting the Native companion. He's not from Belarus though, he's from Moldova. It's part of the Romania/moldova mission. He speaks Romanian, Russian, and English fluently, so... yeah. He's a funny guy and really filled with energy. He's been teaching me Romanian phrases, hopefully I'll be able to pray and stuff in Romanian soon! haha! He's really kind and always filled with compliments, but it's going to be weird helping him to get used to missionary life, especially here in our mission. He's always talking about how in his mission missionaries were allowed to do "this", or he always did "that" with the missionaries. Hopefully he'll understand that we simply have a stricter standard for the work, and not that President Sartori is just "no fun" He seems to be okay with it so far, but even now, he gets pretty tired or  discouraged really easily after he's made like, 2 phone calls... haha! He'll get used to it though!

So apparently I'm missing out on a trip to California...? darn. Oh well, I think I'll be okay with my own neighborhood when I get back anyway. Mary! Congratulations on your family of like, 80 people wanting to get baptized! That's so cool! I wonder what it would be like, to be serving in Peru and having people just begging to be baptized...

Well, I have to go! I love you all! Thanks for your support, if I forgot to answer any questions, sorry, I'm kind of distracted today... haha! K, love you!

Feb. 4th, 2013

Hey Everyone!!

So... I got a transfer... I'm going back to Penza. I'm so excited, but... Oh boy... haha! Hearing that I was going back to Penza for the THIRD time was a VERY strange experience for me. haha! Literally fifteen minutes before learning about transfers, I had this way weird feeling that I hadn't done everything I was supposed to do in Penza. I had a strong feeling that I was going back. I tried to tell myself I was simply imagining it. After all, Sister Quinn had also had a strong feeling that she was going to serve in Oringburg but it never turned out to be where the Lord sent her, and so I assumed I was probably doing the same thing. But even then, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't even pay attention anymore to what I was studying. I told Elder Christensen about how I felt and he told me that I was probably just still sick and that I should stop taking crazy pills. (joking of course, but nonetheless, not taking my comment seriously) I was finally able to get my mind off it when the assistants called and informed me that I was to be serving in Penza for the third time.  I can't even tell you how weird it felt. It felt so... right. I'm nervous to go back though. I don't know why. I really don't want to let the Lord down. I feel like I've already done it two times now, so I'm a little anxious that I won't be able to fulfill what the Lord wants of me there. As much as I want to say "Well, I know that if I do my best, then the Lord will take care of everything else." But that's the problem! I DON'T always do my best! There ARE times where I could be doing better... a lot better! ... I guess I can't afford to do that this time. If I'm not ALWAYS doing my best, than I don't ALWAYS have the Lord's promise...  Well... Whether I do what the Lord wants me to or not there, He knows what's going to happen, He's planned for it. Man I worry too much! Haha!

Oh, and I'm training. That will be fun... And whitewashing. (meaning neither Elder will be familiar with the area, it's not the same area I served in last time, just the same branch.) What's weird is that I'm not really worried at all about that... haha! I just hope that I can be what the Lord needs me to be here this time. I haven't met my companion yet, but there's one coming in from Belarus, and I also had a feeling I would be training him, so now if that happens, I have it on record! haha! 

I called and talked to Elder (Br-ook-how-zen) (Still don't remember how to spell it in english... haha! If your reading this, I hope you understand!) before he left and it was strange. The conversation was completely normal by a listener's standard, but for me it was... very... strange. I don't know how to describe it. Okay... well, moving on. 

Dang I don't really have any time left... Essentially, I'll miss some members in Novo-K and I'll certainly miss Elder Christensen, One of my favorites so far! I guess I like all of them in one way or another, but still!

Well, the end.

Loves, Elder Swartz!

Jan. 28th, 2013

Hello family!

 

So this week, I was pretty sick until thursday, we finally were able to go outside to have a few meetings and we went to district meeting, but then, my companion started throwing up and he got the same thing! he's still sick, and I wouldn't be surprized if we didn't go out today. It's pretty bad. but it's been cool to have some extra study time! haha! However, I'm just itching to get out! Our area is dying and transfers are next week! We can't leave the area in this condition right before transfers! I think I could be leaving, but honestly, I don't really have a preference. I'd be fine with staying or leaving.

 

On friday, one of the only lessons we had, we went over to a member's place and she decided she wanted us to meet her daughter who lived in Provo, so she skyped her daughter right there and we met her! so crazy that we have that kind of technology these days! She was just a part of our lesson, half way across the world! What was even weirder was that in the middle of the call, someone knocked on the door of the daughter's apartment (in Provo) and it was Sister (Chelsea) Quinn! She served in Penza with me for several cycles in the same district and she went home in the summer. It turns out that they are neighbors and good friends. It was SUPER weird, but way cool to have her on the lesson with us as well! it felt like old times... kind of. haha! Oh speaking of which! Parents! I gave them your address and phone numbers and I said that since her mom was feeding me all the way over here in Russia, than my parents would be happy to have them over for dinner some time too! I figured it would be exciting for you guys because you always say it's too quiet or lonely with no one over. So don't be surprised if they call you!

 

That's crazy about the ice rain! That's only happened once here in Russia not too long ago and it was so weird. We were out contacting and we thought we were just wet, but we felt out jackets, and they were completely frozen. It was raining, but it was freesing on to us! And it was doing it onto the streets, but it ended pretty fast. It seems like it really must have been a disaster for you all! That's so sad to hear about everyone! It seems like there is so much misfortune lately! It was especially sad to hear about Brother Clark. He and sister Clark will definitely be in my prayers.

 

Rachel!!! You're pregnant again!?! Holy cow! That's so exciting! Yeah, hopefully it'll be brunnette! We don't need any more Mary's running around, not being able to get lids off of jars or check if they have cancer by hitting themselves in the face. (Just kidding Mary! I love you!) That will be fun to come home and suddenly have all these neices and nephews as well! That will be different... haha!

 

Man, so Sister Sartori called me to tell me that you talked with her about classes, Mom. She gave me permission to check my email tomorrow, but I shouldn't have to register, I'm on deferment. I did that specifically so that I WOULDN'T have to sign up for BYU again. I figured they wouldn't make the mistake of admitting me the second time around. haha!  However, if you need my Net ID and stuff, it should be on my laptop. If it's even mine anymore... my instincts are telling me that's already been snatched by David or Dad though...  About signing up for Scholarships, good thinking, but I have no idea how to even approach that... uhhh... and if I'll get permission. I'm pretty sure I'll get permission for it. President and Sister Sartori are all about helping us with that kind of stuff! Mom, if you could talk to some councilors at BYU or do something for me in that regards, man that would be sooo awesome! Plus, it would save me money obviously!

 

Okay, well, I think that's it. I love you all! I hope everyone is safe and doing well!

 

Loves, Elder Swartz!

Jan. 22nd, 2013

Hey family!

Sorry about writing late, I got the flu and have been in bed for seriously the past 40 hours. I'm doing better now, but still pretty drained. 

Rachel, man your life must be better than you ever thought it would be! haha! Going to all these awesome places, amazing family, good health! I can't even imagine that here in Russia... haha! It almost seems wrong that someone's life could be that great. The only people here that live like that got their money dishonestly. Hey! What's your address, I've been wanting to send a letter to you for a while now, but I haven't been able to... get that to me please!

Mary, your stitches looked awesome!! Battle scar! Your boots are destroyed! ha ha! It's probably from all the hikes/waterfalls/mountains/caves//floating islands of titicaca/ancient ruins of machu pichu you've been exploring. If you were to just calm it down a bit and do normal missionary work like me, maybe your clothes would last a bit longer. haha! Don't worry, I'm just jealous. My culture activity was probably way more exciting anyway... we went to an opera! nosebleed section, way off to the left so you couldn't see half the stage, and there was no hope in understanding it... not even the natives fully understood what was going on... pretty awesome... haha! we left half way through. haha!

Tiffany wrote me this week! She says hi to you Mary specifically and then hi to the rest of the fam! She says she got an extension till the 21st of Feb. Seems like she's doing well. This past week has been fun, and pretty crazy. We've just been working hard this week, but it seems like nothing is really moving too fast. Lorenzo Snow's mission in Italy was pretty similar, but it also says that later, there were tons of people that were baptized because of his influence there, who knows if he even knew about the amount of good he did there. I'm sure I'm having my effect, but it doesn't make it any easier! ha! 

Dad! I'm glad everything is difficult for you! haha! That's how it should be! In fact, it's a blessing to have to work so hard in such a new way right now! It will help you stretch and expand your abilities! Mom, sounds like your life is going well too! sounds like you're having a fun time in life right now. Life must be different without kids around all the time. It seems like you've all started hanging out with other friends now. I wonder how it will be when we get back. Speaking of which, I don't want any trunky comments coming from you as my return date gets closer. I've noticed that the main cause of trunkiness in a missionary are typically his parents. 

Well... that's about it for this week! I love you all!

Love, Elder Swartz!

PS: Congratulations Brittany Fishback!!!  You're married!!!! I hope this doesn't mean that we can't hang out when I get back!! haha! A girl in my mission said that she knows Cameron, she says that they were in the same math class at USU. Small world.

Jan. 14th, 2013

Hello Family! 

It was so great reading all your emails this week! I love it when I get long email that are filled with all the stuff that fills up your lives! I especially love hearing about Boston and Maddie! So keep it up! haha! I'm glad that you liked that cooking blog website (mom and Rachel) I felt it would be something you would be interested in... haha! I didn't know the girl was Mormon, that's cool!

Dad, I'm glad to hear that your feeling at least a bit better. I'm way excited to hear how your classes are going! Mom was telling me all the plans that you have to become a teacher and work in Wyoming and do all that stuff! Holy cow, that would be so cool for you guys! sounds like it's pretty cold where you guys are right now. It may be even the same temperature... at me it's about 17 degrees celcius... I don't know what that is in Farengeit (I can't remember how to say that in English... I just know it's super close. haha!) It's weird not being used to the measuring systems I used to use back in America. I just go by everything the way they do here now. 

That was way cool to hear that Lone Peak's basketball was ranked #1 in the nation... well, for a bit at least... haha! SO crazy that Kolten is back! Tell him I say hola! He must be feeling pretty weird about everything right now! Tell him to shoot me a dear elder or something, I would love to hear from him! Dang, I have like... no time. 

WAy to go about fulfilling your calling mom! The Lord will totally bless you as you do what you can to perfect His tasks He has given you! I wish we had members that would take their callings so seriously! Man, it's so hard to motivate people to want to serve in the branches here! We are so lucky in Utah to have such wiling help! Be those kinds of members!!

Also, I have a good friend from Penza, his name is Sergei Pakrovski, he's serving in the Salt lake city, south mission. If there was anything you could do to send him maybe some candy or some sort of a care package, that would be soo cool! It wouldn't have to be much, I just doubt his family was able to send him anything here from Russia. funds are tight here. I'm sure that would make his day.

Well, I've got to go! I love you all!!

Love, Elder Swartz!

PS: Happy Birthday Steph!!!

Jan. 7th, 2013

Hey everyone!

So this week was fun! The Lock down for two days was awesome because we made SO MUCH FOOD!!! We tested out cooking all the russian dishes we knew how to make, and we made some spankin good desserts, one of which is a new favorite. It's called cinnamon roll cake! Sister Sartori gave us the recipe and my companion and I have been dreaming about it at night. If you want the recipe, you can find it on the-girl-who-ate-everything.com haha. When we saw the address for the site my companion and I decided that it could only be a website with good food on it. (we didn't go online, the website name was just on the page, on which we got the recipe)

Father:I'm still with Elder Christensen, and we get along just great! There's finally snow, but it is not nearly as cold as before. It's been hovering around freezing lately, but it will get back cold again. Man, that's dumb about your neck problems. There's a proverb in Russian that you should know "Berezhonova Bog berezhot". It means God cares for the careful. Listen to mom and stay in bed. Maybe she'll make you cinnamon roll cake! Speaking of cinnamon rolls, Rachel, your story about Boston was so funny! I was cracking up so bad. And since when has Maddie been talking!? I swear it took Boston forever to say anything and it seems like Maddie picked it up way to fast. I was hoping I'd get to see that stage when I got back. oh well! 

Mary, That stinks that you sliced your hand, that same proverb goes for you! I'm proud to say that of all the times I've gone to a Russian hopsital, it has not been because I was the patient! haha! knock on wood.  Grandma, congratulations on laying a good whooping on those boys. I'm proud to call you grandma. I don't hesitate to tell anyone that my grandma is a champion athlete when she's holding a racquet.

Olga is coming along well, but she is having a really tough time getting rid of her coffee. She completely threw out smoking, but she can't seem to let go of her darn coffee beans! I think it will work out in the end though. 

So last night we had a lesson I was really worried about. We were going back to some potentials we had dropped by before. Typically when this happens, the second time around they aren't really interested because they've either looked us up on the internet, or they've talked to someone about us and had a bad opinion of us thrown at them, or they realize that we aren't just here to talk about America and they don't want us to come back. I was a bit apprehensive, and I just kept praying in my heart that the lesson would go well. I didn't get a definite answer that it would be alright, so the apprehension continued all night, and when we dropped by, it seemed to be what I had expected. They only wanted to talk to us about America. However, The Lord answered my prayers and He was able to use my companion and me as instruments in speaking with His children that night. We lightly and easily were able to shift the conversation over to a religious discussion, back to America, and then back to another religious themed conversation. It was so amazing at how natural it felt to talk with them about all the principles of the gospel that I cherish, and directly relate to the stuff that they wanted to talk about. The questions they asked were so easy to answer with a simply statement that led right into a gospel discussion. The people even said that previous missionaries who had knocked on their door or stopped them on the street just felt like salesmen, just trying to get their product sold, but they said that we were really cool and felt like friends that they could just talk with and tell us anything.  I really felt like last night, the Lord was guiding and directing a conversation that led a few more hearts here in Russia to be opened to the gospel. It was a cool experience.