Week #3

This is Elder Ellis Valdez. We grew up together in California

Family and Friends! Its already pday!? It seriously feels like yesterday. This week has flown by so fast. We got new Russian Speakers this past Wednesday! We aren't the new ones anymore:) Its been fun speaking Russian around them and giving them advice and showing them around and such. It makes me feel so old! One of the new companionship moved into an empty room in our apartment and we just love them! Cectpa Bussmann is from Sweden and has a way cool accent! and Cectpa Scott is from Houston, TX. They are both so happy and wonderful:) We had our first TRC (Teaching Resource Center) which was pretty cool. Every Wednesday from now on we will go to TRC and teach 2 lessons of our choice to volunteers who speak Russian. I like it because it gives us some variety and helps us practice the lessons we will be teaching soon. And they totally understand that we are just barely learning so that's nice ;) Earlier this week I got to witness a little miracle. Unfortunately cectpa Loveless got really sick so we got the Zone leaders and they gave her a blessing. (Background story...Cectpa Loveless has sacrificed a lot to be here and her family is really struggling with some scary life changing events). So the elders gave her a blessing with the elders in our district. No doubt there were angels present. One of the elders gave the blessing and surprisingly, most of it had to do with her family. The elders didn't know what was going on with her family, but Heavenly Father does. It was such a powerful blessing and there wasn't a dry eye in room. I know that the Lord was speaking through Elder Greenburg. Immediately, cectpa Loveless was feeling much better. The Priesthood is a wonderful blessing and we are so blessed to be here surrounded by so many elders who are worthy to hold it and willing to use it immediately when asked. Yesterday we were teaching Lola about the Law of chastity because we know that her and her children are living with her boyfriend. yeah....so teaching that in English is hard! But it was a really powerful lesson and I could see that she felt the spirit and knew that what we were saying was true. She said she wanted to live it. She wants to marry him but i guess she brought it up about a year ago and he said that he doesn't want to get married. As she sat across from us she looked heartbroken and said she didn't know what to do. So we told her to pray about it and we would talk more about it next time and she asked us to pray for her. I cannot imagine being in her difficult situation, but I pray she will make the right choice. Also, I had a wonderful experience Sunday! So I know that if you want to know answers to doctrine questions you can ask the Lord, in fact, that is what we teach right? Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened. yeah. However, I have never taken a question about doctrine to the Lord before so I decided that I needed to try it. Before I even finished praying, I was prompted on where to find my answer and I turned there and POW! There was my answer. It all made sense. I know that Heavenly Father listens to our prayers and cares about what is going on in our lives. I know that if you faithfully take your struggles, worries, and questions to Him, He will help you. I know that to be true. Thank you all for your letters and prayers! I appreciate them so much! I love you all and i hope all is well with you. Have a wonderful week! :)