Week 17: October 21, 2013

What what what uuuup?

Let's just start with the fact that it's starting to get butttt cold here. We're gonna hit up a bunch of Humana's (thrift stores) today so I can get warmer skirts. I found an old skirt in the apartment that was at least five sizes too big but I figured it would be warmer than the ones I have, so I wore it to church. I can't go a single Sunday without being yelled at for my clothes--this time Ludmila was appalled with how gigantic it was. Haha she grabbed me by the waist and started trying to fix it and make my belt tighter--I felt like a five year old. She's so funny.

Last Monday we finally started branch family home evening! It wasn't planned out very well--none of the elders called the members in their area, so let's blame it on them. Haha there was Ludmila, Karl (have I mentioned him? If not, he's theeee funniest person I know. He's mildly handicapped and wears sunglasses and leather jackets inside--he's hard to explain but just know that he's smooth), Vlad (Ukrainian guy who was only here for a week), Alvidas, Lena (terrifying member who'salso hilarious), and all of us Russian speaking missionaries. We had a spiritual thought at the beginning and then played signs. It took forever to explain to them but it was so worth it. I'm pretty sure I haven't laughed so hard in a while. Whenever someone would pass the sign to Karl, he would take forever to receive it and just as long to pass it. I wish y'all could see and hear the venom in Lena's voice when she would whisper, "PASS IT, KARL!" Karl just sat there, reclined in his seat with his eyes half open/half closed and a crooked smile that looked so slick. Haha it was better than words can express.

Ludmila and Lena were freaking out at the beginning because not that many people showed up, and Ludmila kept saying that she's never coming again and how it was just terrible. But let's all keep in mind the fact that she's a classic Russian woman and, therefore, a drama queen. Haha she was telling the elders how awful it was and how she had other plans that she was going to do (which she totally didn't) and I said, "You are sassy today, Ludmila!" I mostly said that because I had learned the word for sassy that day and wanted to use it. Haha her face was priceless. She was like, "Do you know what that word means?" And she asked Elder McClure if I knew, and he said yes, and she got all huffy and hilarious and was like, "You'll answer for that." And then all this week she has been joking about how rude it was but I know she loved it.

She's funny too because this Sunday, she went around to every member of the branch and told them that they had to come this Monday. I overheard her telling Felix about it and she was like, "It was so much fun--you have to come." I can't wait for it to happen again tonight!

Another funny story happened last week on a night when we were knocking in Arkitektu again. And I hope you realize that when I say knocking, I don't mean houses. We go to huge apartment buildings and start at the top, then work our way down. Anywho, we were in this one at the very top and two Polish guys who were drunk answered. We talked with them for a little bit but one was somewhat creepy--he kept winking, which is never comfortable, haha--and so we ended the conversation pretty quick. They weren't interested anyway.
So then we go to a completely different apartment building and we had made our way almost to the bottom when we knock on a door and the same creepy drunk guy answered. I want you to picture this guy coming out of the door, closing it behind him, and standing in front of us while winking periodically and just staring in silence. Haha we asked him if he lived there and he said, "No, I live...elsewhere..." and then that's when we awkwardly waved goodbye. "We'll be going now..." Haha what were the chances?

Sad update on Galena: we brought Alvidas with us again but Galena has just gotten to the point where she doesn't listen toanything we say. It's a bummer because she seemed to be doing really well for a while, but it's impossible to help someone change their life if they don't want it.

I will say, though, that Alvidas was really funny on that lesson. He started telling her about his visions and we were like, "Ooookay, that's not usually how it works though."

I've been thinking a lot about how interesting Lithuania is lately. I'm starting to be able to tell the difference between how Lithuanians look/dress and how Russians do. Lithuanians are a lot less loud and argumentative. Haha Relief Society is always a blast because the babushki just argue the whole time. I love it.

I think I've told you about Vechaslava, my babushka friend, who is the tiniest human being ever. We see her from a distance as we're walking towards each other and I expect her to get bigger as she gets closer but she never does! Haha she's so funny and classic Russian. Today we saw her after grocery shopping and she was like, "You eat every day? I don't. I just walk outside and let the air fill me up." We kind of laughed but she didn't even crack a smile the whole time. Then she was like, "I'm joking. Have a good day." Haha that probably doesn't sound very funny but I loved it.

We have been having really good lessons with Ludmila lately. Since she was only just baptized in July, we still meet with her once a week. This last time we talked with her about the fact that we have to have faith enough to live a principle or commandment before we can receive a testimony or witness that it's true, or that it's what will make us happy. She really struggles with that-- she kept saying, "How can I have faith in something before I see that it's good for me? I want to know why before I act." I can definitely see how it's a hard concept to grasp, but I think that looking a little closer at who our Heavenly Father is makes it easier. If we understand that because God loves us; because he knows us perfectly, He knows exactly what will make us happy in this life. Commandments are pretty much an excuse for Him to give us more blessings than He would have been able to before. He works on the principle that if we obey His commandments, then we are entitled to blessings. If He is honestly the one who knows us best and has our best interest in mind, then He would never give us a commandment that wasn't going to make us happier than before if we choose to follow it. All of his energy goes into helping us overcome our weaknesses, and when we show him that we have faith before the miracle, then He is more than willing to help us out even more than He could before.
I'm sorry, I feel like my logic is jumbled and complicated, but it's just something that I think is really interesting to think about.

Anywho, I love you all a lot and can't wait to see pictures of Ashton, Riv, Yvey, and everyone else (here's lookin' at you, Beary J. Blige) in their costumes. Haha have a great week!

-Sister Gooch