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