This Place outside of Yonkers

Yesterday I finally recieved my Mother's Day letter and Card from Sister Leavitt, she is such a FUN, amazing young lady!  Russia is so lucky to have her great spirit there to bring that JOY to the saints in Russia.  Enjoy her letter this week.  Love ~ Mamma K

So I have come to the conclusion that serving a mission is the best thing I could have ever done with my life. Everyday I wake up and there is a new adventure waiting for me. I love it! And now I have to tell you about the amazing family that we started teaching. I don't know if I told you about them last week, but I probably did, so they are amazing! There is a mom, who loves us so much! She is a young mother and loves doing all of her mom things. Then there's the dad, he works for a juice company, yeah Russians really love their juice by the way they are kind of obsessed with it, he used to come to english club when we did that here and he is so funny! Since they've been married he has had more of a desire to know about God because his wife is believing and he wanted to be also. But since he had come to english club before he knew about our church and decided to start coming. They have two kids. The oldest one is named Dasha. She is three years old and she doesn't really talk at all, but she understands that's for sure. She's a trouble maker and the last time we were there teaching them she climbed on the roof... yep TROUBLE MAKER. It made me laugh really hard though. So then they have a son named Vlad, he is 10 months old an super cute. He loves playing and grabbing everything from your hands and trying to eat everything he grabs from you... yep, just a typical 10 month old. He has the cutest smile in the whole world and he's won my heart and I kind of want to take him home with me. Things are going really well with them and I love teaching them. The kids are always just yelling and playing and being crazy, but when we teach them , the spirit is always so strong no matter what, and I love it! I will definitely be keeping you updated on them. Because they are just so amazing!!!

So this week was zone conference which means we had our mission president up here for a few days. He's funny and I really love him. I have a few funny stories to tell you this week. The first one comes from church yesterday. So I was just greeting and talking with some of the members and giving some of the women hugs and then I went and shook this guys hand, his name is Dima and he's super funny, maybe a little crazy, but he has a good heart, so when I shook his hand he gave me a hug and it was hillarious because it was one of those hugs where you're still shaking hands and then you just tap each other on the back, you know that kind? But he didn't even say anything just gave me a hug like it was nothing. Okay, that didn't come out very funny, but it was so funny when it happened that Sister Tunney couldn't help but laugh right there and we are still laughing about it actually. So the next funny story comes from last night when we went contacting. We were talking to this guy and just having a conversation when all of the sudden he just says, "you speak russian really bad." and then just stood there and looked at me and then we kept having a converstaion... it was strange and hillarious and we got his number to keep teaching him, so success. Well that's pretty much it for today, and this week. I love my life, I love russia and all of the crazy things that always happen. I Love you ALL! And most of all I love this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ! It makes my life better in every way possible. Well peace.

Sister Leavitt

I can almost see it!

Sister Leavitt's emails always bring a smile to my face.  Alrhough this is a short email, it is "Power Packed".  Till next week. ~ Mamma K

Holy Moly what a week!!! It started out with having to go on another 8 hour bus ride to Rostov last Tuesday, then another 12 hour bus ride on Wednesday to get a new visa. Then on Wednesday night we got on a train and rode it all night, about 12 and a half hours, back to Volgograd, but that wasn't half bad because we got to sleep the whole way. So did I tell you about that family that just showed up at church last sunday? Well I think I did, so we got to teach them this week and they are so amazing! They have two children, one is 3 years old and one is 10 months old. Their 3 year old doesn't talk yet and they asked me questions about that after I told them what my major is, but it's one thing to be able to help children like that using the English language and a whole other story trying to do it in Russian, but I hope that I'll be able to help a little. Mostly I'm just excited to start teaching them more about the gospel. We taught them about Joseph Smith and the restoration last time and the loved it. They had questions about our church and what we are and aren't allowed to do, like everyone else they thought it was strange that we don't drink black or green tea or coffee. But I hope that over time they will gain a testimony of prophets and exercise faith to keep the commandments of the Lord. We have another investigator who is doing so well! He wants to be baptized, but he wants to pick his own date, so he's praying about it. I think that his date will be for the end of next moth, but I'll let you know. I love the work here and I am so happy to be serving with the people in Russia.

Sister Tunney and I forgot that it was the fourth of july until it was about time to go to sleep last monday night so we sang my country tis of thee and went to bed. We also made tacos for lunch today, just so you know... Well I love you!

Love,

Sister Leavitt

Happy Birthday America!

Another great letter from Sister Leavitt.  She always has such great experiences!  Hope your week was good to.

Wow! What a week! Let me start with this, last Sunday my companion had to go to Ukraine to get a new visa, so I got to stay with the senior couple here in Volgograd while she was gone until Tuesday night. So we went contacting together, that was interesting because well it was just interesting. We got a few numbers and were able to talk to quite a few people. I really enjoyed it. We also got to teach Family night together and visit a less active family. I was really touched by Elder Norring because he is trying so hard to learn Russian so that he can talk to these people. On Monday we spent about an hour working together to get the spiritual thought for family night ready, and then he gave just about the entire thing in Russian. I was really impressed. So that was Monday and Tuesday. Then Wednesday we went on splits with the Elders. That's always fun. I enjoy working with the elders and learning from them. We also had sport night on Wednesday and we made up this game that's kind of like ping pong, but you play it with one of those huge bouncy balls and you hit it with your hands, Sister Tunney got way into it and was using all sorts of crazy Karate moves to hit it. So, then on Thursday we worked and planned as normal. We met with one of our new members Sergei, I think I told you a little about him last week. But that lesson did not go very well. He just wanted to argue they whole time, which I didn't really understand because he was just baptised three weeks ago, and why would he get baptised if he doesn't really believe these things are true? That was the question on my mind the whole time. We left that meeting just feeling a little frustrated, but we have determined to encourage him to read from the Book of Mormon every day and sincerely look for answers to all of his questions. So Friday we met with our other new member Nicholi he's pretty much amazing. He was what you would call a golden investigator. God had prepared his heart to accept this gospel. He received the priesthood on Sunday, so that was pretty exciting. Saturday we had district meeting and we went singing in the park afterwards, that was fun, I love singing in the parks and talking to people because music touches people's hearts in ways that just words can't. So then Sunday we had church and the biggest miracle of all happened and it's called a family of 3 just showed up out of nowhere! We were getting ready for sacrament meeting to start and our phone started ringing so I answered it and it was this man asking us for the address of our church, which I gave to him of course. So then about 20 minutes later they all show up and my heart was filled with joy. After the meeting I got to talk to them and learn more about them. They seem excited to know more, so I'll let you know more about them later! It was such a great week with so many blessing sprinkled through it. I can't even believe how much Heavenly Father loves His children. It's so incredible. Well I love you all, and just so you know, next week I will email on Monday like normal.

Love 

Sister Leavitt

Sister Leavitt was finally able to send over a few pictures of herself on her mission.  Enjoy her letter and her pictures!

I just thought that I would send you a surprise Friday letter because I didn't know that things were going to work out like this, but turns out that today is our p-day for next week. I will tell you why. So this week has been so crazy!!! I got to my new area on Wenesday night and then we went straight to bed. On Thursday we did a little planning and met with a few people, and now, today I had to get registered, because when you are going to stay in any city in Russia for more than three days you have to get registered in that city or else the police will kick you out, and so today I had to do that. So we just finished, but that doesn't explain why I am writing home early this week, for next week. So as it turns out, next week, my companion, who I will explain in further detail later, has to go to Ukraine to receive a new visa. So on Sunday she will take an 8 hour bus ride to Rostov, and then on Monday she will take a 12 hour bus ride to Ukraine and back. Then on Tuesday she will take another 8 hour bus ride back here.(yes cam, I bet that makes your hour and a half bus ride seem mighty short.) But then on Wednesday we are going on splits, so we couldn't take our p-day then, so it was either take our p-day today or take it next Thursday, and we voted for today because by the time that next Thursday gets here I think we will be ready to work. Phew! That was a long story. But hence forth, our p-day is today.

So this week has been so so so unnormal. On Tuesday I spent the day visiting members and investigators and saying goodbye to them, then packing and getting ready to come to Volgograd. Then Wenesday I spent the day traveling. Hour to Rostov by train and then 8 hours by bus from there. Then, as I already said, I got to Volgograd that night at like 10. So yesterday is really the only day I have anything to tell you about. So in the morning we planned a little bit and then we went to go visit a new member named Sergei. He was baptised two weeks ago. He's... a little bit different, but I think we are going to be friends. He gave my companion the funniest letter that I will have to scan into the computer one week so you can read it. He wrote it in english because he speaks a little bit of english. Oh, and he has a cat named gopher. Then, last night, we met with one of our inacitves named Nicholi. He's way cool and an amazing singer. He has some problems to work out with drinking and other things, that's a lot of people's problem here, but I told him about the church's 12 step program and he wants to read it and try it out. I'm excited to start working with him to help his life be a little better because his whole life has been a little sad. He had a dad that wasn't very nice to him and now all of his family is dead, except for his brother. He just lives in a house all by himself, with no one else. But if there's anything that can help someone feel better it is this gospel. So I'm sure that I will be telling you more about him in the future.

So my new companion, Sister Tunney. She's pretty much the most amazing person ever! She loves cooking and tonight we are going to make something delicious together. She also played tons of sports in high school and she rocks at the piano. She has been playing since she was four. So pretty soon we will probably do a musical number in sacrament meething. And also the title of my e-mail this week is my companions "favorite song" just kidding it's not, but there's a funny story about it... so later... I love her so much! And I'm sure I will be telling you more about her for the next little while.

Well I love you all and I hope that you enjoyed your surprise Friday letter!

Sister Leavitt

Now for some pictures of my mission.

The first one is of me in Volgograd. There are a lot of beautiful things here and tons of monuments because there was a huge battle here one time and the Russians are very proud of it.

These pictures are of these things that they make here called Shashlik. They are so delicious.they cook them over an open fire, of course all the men work on that project, and then we get to eat them! Yum!

 Yes...here we are eating them!  Soo Yummy!

And this one is of us when we were waiting to go to our branch picnic

And this one is of me and all the kids in our branch in Tagonrog on the last Sunday at the branch before my transfer..

This is one is of me and аленка, the cute girl that kandace's dog is named after
 when we were at church together for our last sunday

Did you hear there is a rumor in St. Petersburg????

Here is Sister Leavitt's email for this week.  She is being transfered and excied, yet nervous!

 Hey hey hey hey! This week has been so good, but I have exciting news that happened at the end of the week and it's so exciting that I can't wait until the end of the email to tell you all! I am getting transferred for the first time!!! I'm so nervous excited and sad all at the same time! Nervous because I've only ever served in Tagonrog the entire time I've been in Russia and so I don't really know anything or anywhere else. Excited because I've only served in Tagonrog the entire time I've been in Russia and I want to see more of it and meet more of the people, and Sad because I've only served in Tagonrog the entire time I've been in Russian and I've made such good friends here and I don't want to leave them. So I leave on Wednesday morning and go to Rostov, then at 4 pm I get on a train and ride it for 12 hours until I arrive in Volgograd! Yikes! I will be serving with Sister Tunney! I don't know too much about her yet, but next week I will tell you all about her. I am going to miss Tagonrog so much! Yesterday they had me talk in sacrament meeting and I almost started crying, and some of the members did too, but what can I say, after spending 6 months somewhere you just get attached to each other. But in other news this week.... On Thursday we celebrated Kandace's birthday by eating this delicious chocolate cake that we made in our oven that now works! It was also Sister Kuhn's year mark of being on a mission, so we celebrated that too. We met this such cool lady when we were contacting this week. Her name is Tatyana and I love her. We talked to her for about a half an hour about everything. She said to us and I quote, “I have seen the blessing of the lord in my life when I keep the 10 commandments, does your church really keep them?” it was so cool because of course we really do keep them. She says she has just been associated with other churches that don't exactly practice what they preach, but the bummerest part is that she didn't want to give us her number because she wanted to read more about us first to find out if this was worth her time. And she didn't come to church yesterday! Bummer times ten! But I think she would be golden if she would come and start learning more, I'll be praying for her. Well that was my week. I love you!!!! Until next week. Toodles.

Sister Leavitt

Happy Birthday KANDACE!l

 Sister Leavitt Just being so HAPPY to be in Russia!

 Sister Leavitt and her Russian companion, she loves working with her.

The sister missionaries enjoying the cookies the got to make.

Here is this weeks email We LOVE finally getting a few pictures of her.  Enjoy.

This has been a very very interesting and exciting week. But first things first, I have to wish my older and wiser Sister a very “Happy Birthday Kandace!”   I love you more than a fat kid loves chocolate cake... And I hope that you have a wonderful beautiful birthday this week!   So in other news the begining of the week was so crazy because we worked on Monday instead of doing p-day, then we took our p-day on Tuesday. This was so much fun because we got to go up to Rostov and see the Senior Couple and stay with them. Sister Lebaron and I even made a chocolate cake at their appartment, which just so happens to be a miracle! inspiration by the holy ghost because every zone conference Sister Jeppson makes chocolate cake for us, but this zone conference her and elder Jeppson were also speaking, so then she ended up not having time to make the cakes, but turns out we already made them! I love when the holy ghost prompts you to do something and then you do it and it helps some one else! And that was so much fun because their apartment is big and that means that their kitchen is big and so I got to really bake. I didn't realize that I missed it so much until I tried doing it again! I love cooking so much! So that was Tuesday. Then on Wednesday we had Zone Conference which is always so uplifting and inspiring. We made mini volcanoes out of play dough and then put vinegar and baking soda in the middle and got to watch them errupt. That was a ton of fun! Then we talked about how to create an atmosphere where the spirit can teach the peole we meet and how we need to do everything that we can to create those mini explosions in peoples lives when they hear the gospel... There was more to it than that, but I can't remember it all and I don't have my notes with me, so if you didn't quite understand that last little bit, that's okay. Well I think that brings us to Thursday, which was just a normal working day. We met with some inactives and did some contacting and it was so fun. On Friday we got to do service for one of our inactives. We picked Cherries and tied grapes for him. It was a ton of fun. On Saturday we met this really cool guy contacting. When we first met him he said he was athiest, but we just kept talking to him and teaching him and by the end he asked us for a copy of the book of mormon and gave us his phone number so that we can meet him again. I hope that the spirit with give him a change of heart and that he will accept the message of the gospel. So then Sunday, we met this really cool girl about a week ago and she invited us to come to her Church. We told her we could for a minute and she should come to ours to. But of course she couldn't come to our church because their church has two church meetings. One in the morning when our meeting is and one at night. So we still went to the one at night with her and I just have to tell you that it was one of the weirdest experiences of my entire life. After we were done there I just felt so icky inside, it wasn't like they were doing anything too weird or crazy, they just prayed and sang and discussed, but I just didn't feel refreshed like I do after I go to one of our church meetings. I was grateful for the experience though because my testimony that this church is the true church of God and that it was restored to the earth through his prophet was affirmed and it gave me a greater desire to do missionary work. She is a really amazing person though and we are having a book of mormon activity/ picnic on Saturday and she said that she could come! So I hope that she will come and feel the spirit with us. And that was my week. It has been so amazing. I have seen the blessings and inspirations from the Lord all around me and I know that if you look for the hand of the Lord in your life you'll see it. I love my life! It really is such an occasion! I love you all!!!


Sister Leavitt

Do the BEST you can then leave the rest to HIM!

Wow...such a great email this week.  Love Sister Leavitt's inspirational stories.

This week in my life was quite amazing! So I have a cool story. On Thursday we went on splits, or as Cameron would say C.S.P., most missions don't allow sisters to go on splits with elders, but in my mission we're allowed to. One sister goes with two elders and then that's how we do it. So we did this on Thursday and at the end of the day I was working with Elder Hansen and Elder White. Elder Hansen has been here for 6 weeks less than I have and Elder White has only been here for about a month. So we were going to teach this lesson, just the three of us, and this meant that out of everyone I spoke the most Russian. YIKES!!! But I just told myself that it would be okay and then prayed like crazy. So the lesson turned out to be amazing. I ended up teaching most of it, but the Elders did so well and they taught so much. They were amazing! So I learned that if we trust in the Lord and then go and do, he will help us. If we are working to do his will in our lives, of course we will succeed, because he will be helping us every step of the way. When we gain the confidence of the Lord by having faith and trusting in him, he will guide us to do his work and will always. ALWAYS. Yesterday we taught this lesson to this lady on the street. She started telling us about how she is all alone and how she has no one and nothing to have hope in. Her husband and her children have all died and now she is living with this lady who is a drunk. When she was telling us this story she started crying and I almost started crying too because I can't imagine how hard this life has been for her. We tried to give her a book of mormon, but she didn't take it because she said that her eyes are too bad so she can't read it. Then we told her to come to church on Sunday and we asked her if we could do anything to help her. She told us that she didn't want people to help her because her whole life she has been the one to help people. My heart just aches for her because I don't know what to do to help her. I hope that soon she will realized that through Christ we find hope, joy, and reason for life. I know that her life has beeh hard, but it could be so much better with Christ. Anyways, I just felt like telling you this story because this lady's story really touched my heart and gave me insight and so maybe it will do the same for you. And so, our week was so great!! We had fun working in people's gardens here and doing service and just talking to people on the streets and helping our members! One of our members has been sick lately so we went and visited her last night. Her cat just had kittens and they are so cute! I'm really not a cat person, but seeing these small baby kittens my have changed my mind... Well, that's all. I hope that you are all doing well and I will talk to you next week!

Love,

Sister Leavitt