Gratitude

 

Hello family!!!

 

Every week here keeps getting better and better... and every week that goes by, the more excited I get to go out into the field! Time's still flying! I can't believe I've been here for 6 weeks. (4 weeks, 5 days left!!!) It feels like yesterday I was just getting here! But the Russian is coming along well, I'm finally starting to understand it, and I'm almost done with the Book of Mormon! I've never read it this fast before. I guess that's what happens when you have 8 hours of study time every day. Oh yeah! The new Russian Elders and Sisters get here TODAY. We're so excited for them, and that they get to be speaking the best language in the MTC ;) Ct. Brooks (our zone leader) asked us if we would write notes to the new missionaries, so I did, and on my note, I wrote down the scripture Alma 7:23-24, which says, "23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffereing; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. 24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." This is THE scipture that I wish I could have read my first week here, which, by the way, was one of the the worst weeks of my life (and by some miracle, I've made it this far!). This scripture helped me realize what I needed to do when I needed that "divine intervention" with transitioning into this completely differently life. So, I thought this would definitely help them like it helped me.

 

Every single day I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here and the two years of my life that I'm sacrificing to bring my brothers and sisters in Moldova unto Christ and show them how much God loves them. At first, I wasn't very happy with the fact that I would be here for 12 weeks, but now, I see it as an opportunity to strengthen my testimony, and build a solid foundation for learning this crazy Russian language. But, of course, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now without my wonderful family (and friends!). Dad, thank you for being a worthy priesthood holder and a father who showed his love and support for me daily (sorry I didn't go golfing with you as much as I should have!). Lindsay, thank you for the example you are academically, and with the hard work you put into everything you do. Heidi, thank you so much for being an amazing motherly figure after Mom died, and for showing me how I can be productive even when I didn't want to be. Matt, thank you for being a brother who cared so much about the simple things in life, and Í'm sorry I wasn't as good of a brother as I should have been. But most importantly, thank you for being my family, and I'm so grateful for the blessing that families can be together forever. Because I couldn't ask for a better family.

 

I wish I could think of some stories to tell you, but nothing too exciting happened this week. I just wanted to express my deep gratitude for you guys, and how much I love you. До Свиданя (I think that's how you spell it)!

 

-Elder Farnworth

 

P.S. Thank you for the cookies Heidi! They were delicious! Also, thank you for the letters! I love reading them.