Seeing friends leave for the field

What's up everyone?

Had a great week in the MTC! Though, something unlucky seems to happen to me every Wednesday! haha

It was my first TRC (parent note: TRC is apparently where the missionaries speak to members who speak Russian) last week! It went well for the first person we taught but the second time there were two people. Two girls. One of the girls was outgoing and nice and the other kind of creeped me out! She seemed shy so we didn't talk to her that much! Anyways about a minute into the lesson we asked a few questions to get to know them, but we directed most of the questions at the nice one! haha Well, the weird one cuts us off mid-sentence and says, “Why aren't you asking me any questions?” I said we're sorry, and asked her a question but she cuts me off mid-sentence and says, “But why?”

Saying good bye to Elder Tucker. A good
friend I met here who left for Rustov this week.

Just a bit of background - the biggest problem I've had is I know what someone is asking when they speak Russian but I don't know how to respond in Russian! haha

Her question about “why” though, I didn't even know how to respond in English! What am I supposed to say?! I guess I’d dug myself a hole and just couldn't get out. haha I pretty much said I'm not a very good missionary and that I was still learning. Which in Russian probably translated to "I bad missionary I learn." I went on to bear my testimony and we got through the lesson! It was really hard though after that! Pretty much the next twenty minutes of the lesson were spent trying to bring back the Spirit but I don't think it ever came! (the nice girl who spoke Russian turned out to be a returned missionary but the other one was straight from Russia. I think I’m afraid of Russians now!)  hahaha I love this place though! You learn so much!

This is Elder Norp.
Met him during volleyball.
Turns out the Dykmans are in his ward!
He left this week too!

Anyways, an interesting tidbit about the MTC! It is awesome but there are a few weird things! A few days ago they had spaghetti and it was so good! The next day the spaghetti was in the leftover line so I got some more. It wasn't as good but I ate a bit. The next day it was still in the leftover line. I got some because all of the other food wasn't to my liking. I took one bite and decided it was a salad day. That should tell you enough right there. The cafeteria ladies left out the spaghetti the whole week, though they disguised it by putting carrots and stuff in it and melting cheese on top. In hopes of tricking new elders, I guess. No one who had been here longer than a week was dumb enough. Anyways, if you ever come to the MTC, don't eat from the leftover line!

I love the people here though! It is such a nice environment! Everyone is always trying to tie trade with me too so that is pretty fun. (: Sometimes we throw candy out in the hall and see how fast the Polys snag it! haha 

I always feel the Spirit super strong in choir! I love participating in it! This week we had Neil L Anderson come talk so we tried very hard to make it a great song. We sang More Holiness Give Me.

The Toaster.
Handed down to me form
Elder Tucker. We hope it gets
passed down the
Rustov family for generations.

A little background on the guy who wrote this song. I forget his name. I think it is something Phillip. He was not LDS, Baptist I think or something like that. Anyways he titled this song "My Prayer." so when we sing that song it is like we are saying a prayer! Never really thought of it like that! Anyways about twenty years after he wrote this song he was asked to sing the song in church. He went up and played the first note of the song and stopped. He went over to the microphone and told the congregation “I cannot sing this song anymore because of the line ‘More joy in his service.’ I cannot feel any more joy than I do right now,” he said. I'm not sure how long it was after that happened but he got in a car accident with his wife. A bridge collapsed and five cars fell off. Phillip got out of the car and noticed his wife hadn't made it out, so he went back to the car. He found his wife trapped between a seat and the car. Cars were catching on fire all around them. Phillip tried to get her out but he couldn't, her legs were trapped. He had two options; he could run or he cold stay with his wife and die. Phillip and his wife died in that car accident that day.

I hope I have the courage one day to be a man like that. I look up to him a lot. We are all given choices in life and I'm so glad I made my decision to be out here. I work for 16 hours then go to bed to bed for eight. I wouldn't be doing that if I didn't have a testimony. If you are asking yourself if the church is true or maybe you should go on a mission, ask in prayer. I give you my word you will find an answer. 

I love you all, and can't wait to hear from you next week!

Elder Weston