Week 2

This is Brian's Mission Photo taken by Kali Poulsen.

Well another week has come and gone! It's amazing how time flies here. After 14 days i'm finally starting to understand Russian. Even though I have a lot to learn, I'm making significant progress. Every day, my companion and I like to remind ourselves how we are in 3 bubbles; the Utah bubble, the Utah County bubble, and the MTC bubble. And because of those bubbles, I sometimes forget how close to home I really am. I can't remember exactly what I said about Boris (our investigator) in my last email... But he's getting baptized! The really cool thing though is that Boris (Brother Holt) actually ended up being my teacher! And you know what's even cooler than that? He went on the exact same mission I'm going to go to, and he says that I'll be working with the "Boris" that he pretended to be! ...Small world... So last Saturday, I asked Brother Holt about my mission and he said that out of the 100 missionaries in the Romania/Moldova mission, only 8 speak Russian. It's so great to know that I'll be a part of that small group in 10 weeks! Hmmmm, what else? Singing Hymns, praying and bearing my testimony are getting a lot easier, I read the Russian BOM, and it took me TWO hours to read the first chapter of first Nephi.

Sundays really are a day of rest here. No studying of new Russian material, we get to go to sacrament and priesthood, AND we get to go to the temple grounds to sit around and "chat" with the other Russian districts. Oh yeah! I also got to say the opening prayer in sacrament meeting this past Sunday. I was nervous, but I nailed it! My companion also freaked out because he thought he was going to have to give a talk (they randomly call on Elders/Sisters to give talks, so EVERYONE thinks they're going to have to give a talk)

Ummmm still haven't played basketball yet. Shocker, I know. But sand volleyball is a fun alternative! I'm still studying ALL day, and on Mondays and Fridays, I sit in a classroom for 7 straight hours. Someone please send me a cushion!

Okay, now to the missionary moment...I am closer to God than I have ever been in my life. Yesterday, Elder Grover and I went on a PSTC (Plan Study Teach Cycle) with Brother Adams (another teacher of ours) and I don't think I've ever felt the spirit so strongly than when we did this. "There's a spirit here that is undefinable." That is so true. I'm REALLY studying the scriptures here, I'm REALLY praying to my Heavenly Father here, and I'm REALLY feeling the love of our Savior here. Tell all the young men to REALLY prepare for the MTC. This is hard work. I'm having a lot of fun, but at the same time, I'm learning so much on how to grow and develop spiritually.

I hope all is well with everyone back at home! Thanks for the letters, emails, and support! I love you all!

- Elder Farnworth