Letter #16 from Russia

Hello Family!!!

So First off, I just want to say that I LOVED the Christmas package that I just got like three days ago! haha! A little late, but it's Russia... haha! And Christmas here isn't until January 7th anyway, so it was almost right on time! haha! I really loved hearing from everyone! It seemed to me like Christy and Matt didn't get the emails I sent them or something! I sent them emails a long time ago, but I don't know if they got them... can you send me their emails so that I have them for sure?

I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures! When I opened them, I was with all the native elders and sisters in a van coming back from Kazakstan, and they all looked at Mary and said "Who is that beautiful girl? That is your sister? Why is everyone in America so beautiful?" It was so funny. Also, mom, when ever I show pictures of youto people, they think you are thirty. haha!

So this week we were meeting with a member and her ex husband, not a member. He went into the the kitchen and we started our lesson with a prayer. However, during the prayer, we heard a dish break in the kitchen and we heard a grunt and someone hit the ground. We ran into the kitchen to find that he was having a Preestoop (Seizure) and we had to hold him down so he didn't hit anything. Needless to say, my medical vocabulary is expanding weekly... haha!

Happy Birthday Steph!

So I didn't even know Christy was in Taiwan! I thought she was in China! That's a big difference! China isn't where some of my friends live! China doesn't have a temple! Cool!! Does she live near the temple? I hope she gets to go to it often, I'm so grateful for the blessings of the temple here in Russia! I don't know what I would do without it!

So this week, Jane came to church and invited her friend. She's a chatter box in sunday school and likes to argue her point a bit... but once we teach her everything... hopefully there will be less contention... haha! She really loves it though! Her friend was a bit less warm to the idea of... well... Mormon. But I was talking to him and Jane said in english (so he wouldn't understand) "He's just uncomfortable right now! We'll keep meeting with him and he'll get baptised for sure!" Again, this is coming from Jane, who up until this point we had not met with other than on a bus and talked to at church. She is so funny and so excited to be baptised! ...We just have to teach her everything first... But She loves the book of Mormon and can't stop talking about how incredible it is that there was such a book and it's not world famous! "It should be as famous as the bible! Maybe more if you look at how it was discovered!"

She could be crazy though.

Hey, I have to go! I love you all and I hope you are all doing well! And I loved the little story about the Shepherd that I got from sister Arnold! Give her a big thanks for me!!

I love you all! Fur Realz.

Loves, Elder Swartz!