Sleep Talking in Russian

My wonderful family! I look forward to this time every week (which is very short) I get to email you!

 

Well, to start out, I have officially slept talked in Russian. WAY COOL! Ct. Brooks said that he just randomly woke up in the middle of the night and heard me speaking some Russian, he can't remember what I said, but oh well! Oh yeah, another thing... Dad, can you send me the "14th article of faith"? The one about meetings; because we'd all get a good laugh from that since that's all I do here. So lately, we've been turning worldy songs into MTC songs with missionary approved lyrics. Our favorite one right now is the Pokemon theme song... It goes something like this... "I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was. To baptize is my real test, to save them is my cause! BAPTISMS!" Anyway! Just thought you all would get a kick out of that, cause we sure do! It funny the things we do around here to keep ourselves entertained.

 

The new missionaries have learned more in one week than I had learned in four!  Что такой!? (That means "what the heck" in Russian) We've been having SYL (Speak Your Language) days these past two weeks, and it's insanely hard. Speaking Russian from the moment I wake up till I go to sleep without saying a single English word sometimes seems impossible. But I've managed to do it... Kind of... I still haven't lost or gained any weight, which is weird because I eat SO MUCH food here, but I can't complain! Scripture study is WONDERFUL. Revelation is so real, and I can't believe I never realized it before as much as I do now. Brother Hollingshead, who is our new language study instructor, gave a lesson on Monday (two days ago) about how going on a mission requires a lot of sacrifice, but also how it will be the best experience of our lives. He told a story about an Elder who went to Russia, seemed like a really good missionary, but ended up going home after two weeks in the field... he thought he could "relax" because he had already sacrificed enough in the MTC. This is what Bro. Hollingshead said to that Elder, "What do you think you signed up for?"  We're here to give Heavenly Father our all, 24/7, no matter what. He said that there's a difference between doing what missionaries do, and BECOMING a missionary. I have to allow these two years to shape my life, and show that I am willing to give up anything to serve a mission... I feel like I'm doing pretty good so far! Nothing happens without faith, and having faith is pretty difficult sometimes. But with patience and long-suffereing, good things will "come to pass." Sorry my emails are so short!

 

I love this work, and I love all of you! Hope life is wonderful, even if school started and now you have lots and lots of homework, just remember that you have more time than you think to get it done! Dad, hope all the golfing you're doing is great and HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEXT TUESDAY! I'm sending you a card, I'll think you will think it's pretty funny :) 3 weeks and 5 days left till I'm on a plane headed to Romania/Moldova!!! Love you and miss you all!

 

-Elder Farnworth