Joys in your baby steps

Faaammmiiillllyyy,

BLIZZARD.
FULL ON.
IT WAS AWESOME.
AND COLD.
AND FOR SOME REASON I LOVE IT.

I can't remember if I informed you of our goal of having 50 people at church by the end of November. Since I've been here we've had 30 at church. Yesterday: 42!!!! MIRACLE.

On every 1st meeting with an investigator Sister Kareba and I have invited them to be baptised. Its kinda weird feeling at first, but its producing miracles. Every investigator is perfectly aware of why we are meeting with them and what they are striving for. Its crazy. I feel like a crazy missionary these days. Super forward and direct. But it is working! We now have an investigator with a baptismal date :) YAY! And soon there could easily be like 6 more baptismal dates. We got SO much work here its awesome. So many investigators and less active members. And they are all progressing! Coming to church, reading, praying.... I'm in a missionary's disneyland right now.

I know this is a short and probably boring email to all of you. But Im so happy. Im basically "soaked" into my mission. I've never been so focused and centered on my purpose before. And I'm seeing miracles left and right because of it.

The other night while I was laying in bed, I thought back on my mission and asked myself "have I been successful?". All the investigaors who never got baptised, all the less actives who never came to church, all the days spent just talking to people who weren't interested or didn't even care..... I flipped through it all in my head. The "numbers", or "results" or whatever you want to call them, they aren't amazing, but somehow I didn't even care. Honeslty. I just felt a deep love for my mission, for everyone in it, for the great work I'm a part of. I felt so happy. And I really am so happy. So often we judge ourselves, or our results, as Satan tells us we should. Are you looking at your life, or at yourself through his eyes, or through you Father In Heaven's eyes? Eyes with an eternal perspective... eyes that know your heart, your intentions, your strivings and your growth. The Father who joys in your baby steps and weeps when you weep. I promise if you strive to see yourself, your life, and others as HE would..... that is when you will find peace, love, and a determination to continue forward.

And thats why I am happy.

I love you all,
Sister Tenney

Tracting and loving it

Family and friends,
This week was full of unusuals:

1. I got sick! WHAT? Sister Tenney sick?? I never get sick. So it really wasn't anything too bad. Just a stomach ache, and no energy. I was able to do everything we normally do... just uncomfortable. I think God wanted to remind me to be thankful for my awesome health. Im already all better. But yea... weird.
2. I smiled at a lady this week. And she smiled back at me. I was shocked.
3. The relief society President called us just to ask how we were doing. Thats it. Just to see what we were up to and how she could help. It was so weird. Nobody ever does things like that for us! We are the "thoughtful" ones (as missionaries we try to be at least). It was so nice to know that someone here cared.
4. We started TRACTING. And we LOVE it. Becasue this city is smaller, not many people are on the street at night. So instead of contacting, like I've done my whole mission (just walk around and talk with people on the street), we have started knocking doors! Woooo hoo its awesome and full of surprises. Let me explain though, here in Russia, nobody lives in houses. Its all apartment buildings. To get into them there is a door with a phone thing and you have to have a key, or you call an apartment to let you in. So we usually start off with calling through the "domophone" and hope someone will let us in. Most apartment buildings are 2-6 stories and most dont have elevators... so thats fun (exception, we live on the 8th floor and we have an elevator and we have a beautiful view of the awsome lake here.) 
5. Funny experience. Yesterday we were tracting and a man walked out of an apartment building so we were freely let in. We started on the highest floor, and the 1st door we knocked, a babushka answered and yelled at us for being annoying to everyone in their apartment buildings (dad-i know I said babushkas arent grouchy, but, you know, everyone has their grouchy moments ;). So we left her alone and kept knocking and by the time we were a few floors down we noticed a man who kept walking up and down all the stairs carrying things so we offered to help. He jokingly said we could help, not actaully expecting us to help, and then handed to me, as a joke, a huge bin thing full of water. I enthusiastically, with a sly smile, grabbed it, knowing how against russian culture this was, and started walking up the stairs. All of a sudden he's running after me shouting to me "stop! your health! your health! put it down!". HAHAHAHAHA. I need to explain. Here is Russia, it is believed if a woman carries anything relatively heavy, they will not be able to have babies. Being the person that I am, this totally annoys me and I try to defy it as much as possible. SO of course I was tickled here to once again "prove my womanly strength ;)". So, he grabs it out of my hand and I stomp my foot on the ground and tell him (I may have shouted I am not exactly sure) " I play rugby I can do this!". He then, in shock, doesnt know what to say to me and we start conversing as all 3 of us head up the stairs to his apartment. ( if you were wondering, NO he did not give me back the jug to carry :(. Anyways, turns out, he lives with the lady who had chewed us out earlier, and we now have an appointment with them this week. HA! Neat right? Finally I've got a cool story.
6. So last week I relayed to you my depression due to my new "terrible-ness-at-russian". (ps- im not really depressed, thats just my dramaticism coming out. please dont be worried about me haha). Well this week, I have now seen the blessing in disguise. Well, kind of. So my last 5 transfers, I've been the companion who "knows" Russian, and basically, I did ALL the talking. ALWAYS. It was exhausting at times. And God really helped and blessed me. Now that I have a Russian companion, who not only knows the language, but is a good teacher and knows the gospel, somehow I am the quiet one in the companionship (kind of, you know me, i cant be quiet, I am just now not the jabber you could say). But, now that I'm not constantly worried about having to say everything, I have the beautiful opportunity to REALLY listen, both to those with whom we are talking, and to the spirit. Basically, since I've been in Petro I have had the MOST spiritual lessons since I have been on my mission. The Lord is really directing me, in all I say, and I dont even know why or where it comes from. But I feel SO blessed and I am doing everything I can to keep it flowing because it really has made out meetings, and just talking with people on the street and at their doorstep, so much more powerful. I am so blessed!!!!! All the time.

So yea. Just a few wonderful things from this week. The gypsies are doing good, and all the rest of our investigatrs are progressing too. I've never been surrounded by so much success its weird, but I love it. And I love the message I share, I love my mission, and I love you all!

Love, Sister Tenney

City of "Miracles"

My Dearest Ones,

 

Did I mention last week that Petro is the city of miracles? No joooke. Everyday we experienced mini miracles and then Sunday was the icing on top!!! First of all, we had 3 investigators at church (Oh my gosh that sounds like so little but thats my record!). The mother of the gypsy family, with her youngest daughter, and a babushka with whom we met on the street and invited. It was a miracle that the babushka was even there because she had messed up the address and couldnt find our church, but then randonly asked a lady on the street who happened to somehow know where it was. She LOVED conference (oh yea, this sunday was conference sunday) and she had SO many questions and can't wait to meet with us this week so we can answer them (you can always count on the gospel to answer anyones questions... including your own. Thats a wonderful promise!). Galina, the mother of the gypsies, and her youngest daughter Luba came, and her other 2 daughters would have come if they werent sick (too bad). We're in an interesting situation with the gypsies because the mom wants to be baptised, but is dead scared of water and says she WILL NOT get baptised because of it (I dont that one... she will I just know it). Because of this, the 3 daughters dont seem to understand the importance of baptism, but we know things will start to change this week. Im certain of it. We got to go to Nadia's bday party (shes the middle daughter who turned 15... she's my favorite ;), and see how russian gypsies celebrate. In our family we usually pinch someone as many times as their new age, or we do a spanking tunnel (thats the best for sure). For Nadia, we each took turns pulling her ears 15 times, to help her to grow up and look her age :) how cool is that???

 

So some more miracles. Usually its a struggle to find new investigators... just to find anyone interested. This Sunday, we started the day, the last day of the week not having found any investigators that week... we ended yesaterday with 4! THATS WHAT I CALL A MIRACLE. The babushka, an 18 year old girl we met on the street (we had a great lesson with her yesterday and she is excited to start reading the Book of Mormon), and then a young couple. I want all of you to pay attention to how we met them, so you can do the same at home and be an answer to a missionary's prayers. We had a meeting with the Relief Society's president last night. We went over thinking we were just going to get to know her and her family more and share a spiritual thought. Instead, they invited their neighbors over ( a young couple named Yuri and Vera) and had us share a spiritual thought with them. This member family had already shared the book of mormon with them and this young couple is so excited to know more! WHAT??? It was a dream come true, best present a member has ever given us. So yea, think about that ... I know you all know someone who you can introduce to the missionaries. You gotta tuist us missionaries and God on this one,but I promise you, you will be blessed!

WELL, i love you all!

 

Love,

Sister Tenney

Real Russian Gypsies

F-f-f-familyand friends,

I am currently writing you from my new and FREEZING and awesome area PETRO!!!! woot WOOT!!!!!

I'm sure you are all dying to hear about my night train ride. Let me just tell you it was awesome and peaceful, and fast, due to the fact that I slept almost the entire time (except every once in a while I woke up and glanced out the window into the dark russian night and watched the russian forrest pass by). Ideallic right???

So Petro. Its awsome. Smaller than k grad (which I love small cities) and there are even HILLS here! Its crazy, my 1st hill in russian, and I live on it! Everything else is so dang flat. Petro is known for its HUGE lake... which one day I hope to go down and stroll by (and freeze considering the prediction that snow starts THIS WEEK! seriously????).

As for my companion. She's russian, 26, doesnt know english, and AWESOME. Sister Kareba is her name. So my last companion was who I would consider a best friend, we chatted non-stop and seemed to live in the same wave-length. Its completely different with my new comp, but I like the change. You see I always thought I was the most diligent, obedient, hard-working sister- that is, until I started serving with her. She is crazy diligent. I know for other sisters that have served with her, it was hard on them. But I like it :) alot. SO now we are two crazy sisters together (mainly an awesome crazy sister (kraeba) and me, who thinks she is awesome but is seeing once again, how lazy and prideful I really am. Its good for me).

The WEIRD thing, is what has happened to my language. You see the last 5 transfers, I have been the one in the companionship who knows russian, and the trainer, basically everything relied on me. And everything always worked out cuz Heavenly Father is just that awesome. The thing is, I never realized how much He was blessing me until now. Now that I'm with a russian speaker, I dont need the help as much. Basically I'm trying to say my russian is now TERRIBLE. Its so sad!!!!!!! (I really could just start crying about it). I mean everything I say is understandable (which is the most important), but al of a sudden I'm stuttering again, and my grammer is all over the place, and I cant even remembver easy words! PLUS, rememnber the old "tressa" who always lived in her own world and never listened to anybody and made everyone repeat everything?? Well since I've been in russia, that was NOT an option, and I became a REALLY good listener (in order to undertsnad what the heck was goin on of course). But now that I know my companion understands everything I'm startingto do that again. AHHHHHHHH. Plough-haw (bad). So yea, basically I have never studied russian so diligently since coming here to Petro. Kinda backwards in a way.

So the Elders gave us a few of their investigators (takes giving missionaries to do that!). And we are now teaching a family of GYPSIES. REAL RUSSIAN GYPSIES. Cool right? A mom and 3 daughters (11, 15, and 20 yrs old). They are so awesome and really have a testimony of the church, but for some reason they dont seem to understand why they NEED to be baptized. We'll work on that with them :) I just love them and know that everything is going to work out with them.

So yea, as you can see, life is good :) I'm being humbled, thawed, and better undertsanding my purpose as a missionary, and in general as a daughter of God. A cool quote I came across today... something to think about.

"Not only time but eternity is your field"

- Elder Reuben J. Clark

I love you all!

love, Sister Tenney

"hopes and dreams can come true"

Family and my favorite ones,
Oh.MY.Gosh. (I think I may start every email this way, but really, I have nothing else to say but "wow!". Have I told you that missionary work is crazy and awesome and all over the place and that I'm SO happy?? Let me just list some of the many reasons why:

• Yesterday while walking to church I smiled and greeted a babushka as we passed her and then all of a sudden she comes running up to us and says "devushkee (girls), I have a grandson who is 27, very attractive, and he just bought a new apartment on the 17th floor with an amazing veiw, which one of you will marry him?" Sister M is trying to understand/ figure out if she understood, while I start to laugh. The woman, however, did not start to laugh. She was serious. She even pulled out a picture of his apartment and started stroking my hair (the Russian people are surprisingly touchy, I have had my hair, hand, or back stroked MANY times on the street by complete strangers). She couldnt seem to grasp that we were missionaries, no matter how much I tried to explain, so finally we just had to say "good day" 
• Remember Lena??? My favorite little Russian girl in the world. Well, her little brother Daniel now has a baptismal date! WOOT WOOT!!!! Such exciting news. I'm overjoyed.
• Between meeting with Lena and Daniel, and all the members and their friends they brought to the Mexican fiesta, and the members and less actives I wanted to say good bye to, Sis M and I didnt have to prepare one meal for ourselves this week (very unusual for missionaries out here). It was a mix of Russian deliciousness and absolute disgusting-ness. Borsh (YUM!), russian salads, and grosse fish dishes (I dont know how I got it down and made them think that I actually liked it!?!?!). Don't worry, we still enjoyed our apples and even enjoyed the start of grape season..... lets just say we made the most divine grape juice from the grapes we picked at a members home... who knew I would never get to do that!?
• While being with all these people I love was amzing,it was SO SAD having to say goodbye. These people are my family! After 7 months you tend to get a little attached. So, for my transfer news.... you ready for this? drum roll please.............PETROZABODSK!!!!! I know that just sounds like the name of some random city in Russia, but let me try to explain to you how REVOLUTIONARY this is. The transfer before I came out here to Russia, one, randonly ONE city in the entire mission was opened for sisters to serve in (of course it was my dear k-grad :) The sisters had been "banned" almost to only the city of St. Petersburg, that in itself was revolutionary, but now with the creation of a stake, more cities are opening, and I am blessed with the honor of opening an outer city for sisters. WOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!! I am so exciting I cant even breath. Another important thing about this story, is that I have been wanting to go to Petro for as long as I can remember. I dont know what it was, but my heart longed for Petro, even before there was word of it opening to Sisters. Once the rumor started that sisters would be there within a few transfers I immediatly told President Clark that I wanted to go there. So, for the last 4 months, everytime I have seen President, I have made sure he knew exactly what I wanted :) haha. And guess what??? I GOT IT! I know I haver already talked about this soooo much, but knowing what you want in life is sooooo important. If you know what you want, then you WILL get it (if you're willing to work of course). It reminds me of something Elder Holland told my mission President one time (they are good friends). He said, "now Warren (thats my pres' name), you need to have hopes and dreams, God cannot bless you if you dont know what you want". So keep that in mind..
• Another amazing thing about Petro where I will be, in order to get there I have to take a night train! As in a train ride over night. Yea I know. Awesome.

These are just a few of the many blessing of a mission. I feel so blessed. Overwhelmed with blessings. Who knew life could be so amazing. I love this work. I know its true. I feel so trusted and lucky to represent our Savior at this time.

I love you all! Lets all go have a great life.... -Sister Tenney

ps- sorry to everyone for not emailing back this week, I wrote my email and the whole thing got erased so I dont have much time today. britt, bryce, siblings and fam i promise to write better next week. Love you all!!