Can I just say how much I love Narva? Seriously, this place is magical. Not in the sense that it's pretty (there's a ton of construction and it's actually the grayest place I've ever seen--haven't seen the sun since I got here) but I have never been somewhere like it. The people are awesome and I think they love the sisters especially hard because we're the first ones to come for mannny many years. Sister Janis invited us over this week and we reviewed the Restoration with her because she's a little shaky in her doctrine but she loves to share the gospel. It went really great! The only problem with her out-of-this-world generosity and general vivaciousness is that she does not take no for an answer when it comes to food. I still haven't brought myself to liking dill, and she had prepared dill bread with an uncomfortable amount of margarine on it. Sister Benson ate four so I didn't have to eat any, bless her heart.
This week was busy and kind of crazy. I can't remember if I mentioned the fact that Sister Benson is a sister training leader, but she is. We had to go to Riga because there was a mission leader conference there. I wasn't originally supposed to go all the way to Riga; I was supposed to stay in Tallinn (it's on the way) with the Russian speaking sisters there while Sister Benson traveled with a bunch of elders the rest of the way to Riga, but she forgot her passport so we had to stay overnight in Tallinn. I had happened to pack my passport and so I went with her to Riga the next day since the elders left her and she needed a travel companion, but I was secretly thrilled about that. E. Cook sent up her passport on a bus from Narva to Tallinn and we picked it up and left early the next morning to Riga. I was so pumped because Sister McDiarmid (remember, she was in my MTC district?) and Sister Coombs (my MTC companion) are serving in Riga center and I was able to do exchanges with them. It was extra awesome because Sister Roy was there, too. It's crazy that we were all back together again! So happy. They all seem to be doing really well. I forgot how much fun we have together. Even crazier was the fact that Sister Coombs and I went to teach a less-active, Yana, who is the exact same person that we had role-played teaching in the MTC! Sister Wrigley had known her and to meet her after pretending to teach her a few times was kind of surreal. Especially since it was with Sister Coombs. The lesson went well, considering. We hadn't planned at all before. But Yana is awesome--I got to know her and she's super nice and it made me want to serve in Riga so that I could get to know her and her family more.
The bus rides that we have to take lately are killllller though. We're going to stay in Tallinn tonight and then head to Riga tomorrow because Sister Benson has a visa renewal appointment or something there. It's eight hours to Riga and it just barely works out with our schedule that we can't make it in one day's travel. So that's a bummer. But I love hanging out with Sister Carr and Sister Dalley (the sisters in Tallinn that we stay with). They're a hoot.
Church this week was pretty awesome. We had Sasha, our investigator that I hadn't met until then, show up. Sister Benson had told me that he's probably the coolest person she's ever met, and I didn't really believe her until I met him. But honestly, he's just cool. I don't know how else to describe him. He's 23, really relaxed, smart and super talented at videography and photography. He also has a beard and long, curly brown hair, so that's something. He could only stay for sacrament meeting but he met with us at 4 for a lesson. He's a deep thinker and he's the most sincere person I've met on my mission--he really wants to do what's right and he wants to be close to God. During the lesson he was telling us how he doesn't think he's a very good person basically because he's not perfect. Haha he's not very patient with himself. It was cool because I had read the perfect chapter for him in my personal study that morning--2 Nephi 4. It's where Nephi seems kind of discouraged because of all his weaknesses and the temptations he has that so easily keep him from progressing. I had Sasha read verses 17-19, I think. What really hit me was the line in verse 19, where he's talking about how weak he is and he says, "nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted," or something along those lines. Isn't that what makes the difference in everything that we struggle with? I've studied 1 Nephi a lot for the past couple of months, and I feel like it all boils down to the fact that Nephi knew God's character and his brothers didn't. That's really all that was different about them. Knowing who God is and His attributes is essential to having any kind of hope or faith that we can change and become better.
Here's what I would have told Sasha if my Russian was out of this world:
-He has a much better opinion of you than you have of yourself, and He is not frustrated or impatient with your flaws. He already knows how to fix them, and exactly how long it'll take. He's a lot more realistic than us in that way: we always want our weaknesses to vanish as soon as we start working on them, or in a week, tops. But God isn't interested in temporary fixes--He's setting up your life in such a way that it's going to change your very character through trials and experiences. That takes time, so be patient with yourself.
-Although He is merciful, He will always, always expect you to do what is right over what is easy or even understandable. He knows your potential to be extraordinary (He didn't create you to be anything else) and He knows that you won't get there by being less than what you're capable of. He knows that we can be caught in the deception that we can excuse ourselves of excellence because life is hard and busy, but He has given us more than enough sources to look to (scriptures, General Conference, prayer, church, other awesome people) for us to overcome it.
But alas, my Russian only allowed for me to say, "I can see that you're a really good person. God knows you perfectly and He will help you become better every day."
Bummer, huh?
Anywho, it's Thanksgiving this week! Sister Benson and I have delegated responsibilities to the rest of our district (we only have elders, so I'm guessing that we'll end up doing the bulk of the work) and we're going to eat as a district in the church. Sister Benson is teaching me how to cook and I've already mentioned this but she's the greatest. We have a lot of fun together and we teach together pretty well.
I'm getting pumped for Christmas--there are decorations in the Rimi that we get groceries at. I may or may not buy a mini Christmas tree next week. And by that, I mean that I will absolutely be buying it. It's started snowing for the past two days, so that's great.
Narva is a very challenging area (I guess it's mostly because we're dealing with teenagers and essentially zero priesthood) but I haven't ever felt more at home anywhere else. It's the most unique city in the mission because its challenges are unlike any other, but I love it with my whole heart. Life is good. Thank you so much for those of you who have been praying for me, writing me, or any other form or support. I love you all and hope you have a lovely week!
Love,
Sister Gooch
P.S. Thank you so much for sending the package!
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